Reckoning with Jason Herbert is a long-form conversation podcast about history, the outdoors, and the stories that shape who we are. Each episode features historians, writers, scientists, and thinkers in wide-ranging conversations about wild places, forgotten pasts, cultural memory, and the forces—human and natural—that continue to shape our lives. This isn’t a news cycle show or a debate podcast. It’s a space for reflection, curiosity, and serious conversation—meant to be listened to slowly. If you’re interested in history beyond textbooks, the outdoors beyond recreation, and stories that linger long after they’re told, this show is for you.
Episode 204: Water, Power, and the Future of the American West: Deep Time on Mono Lake with Robert Marks
Mono Lake (2004) · Jun 9, 2026
Episode 203: Pressure with Colin Colbourn and Todd Arrington
Pressure (2026) · Jun 4, 2026
Episode 198: Honor, Fear, and the Green Knight: Matt Gabriele on Arthurian Myth and Medieval Masculinity
The Green Knight (2021) · May 7, 2026
Episode 197: Soylent Green Explained: Eco-Dystopia, Climate Anxiety, and the 1970s That Still Haunt Us
Soylent Green (1973) · May 1, 2026
Episode 195: How The Fast and Furious Franchise Remade Hollywood
The Fast and the Furious (2001) · Apr 22, 2026
Episode 194: The Menu with Emily Contois and Mark Johnson
The Menu (2022) · Apr 16, 2026
Episode 190: Timecop with John Wyatt Greenlee and Robert Greene II
Timecop (1994) · Mar 26, 2026
Episode 189: Breaking Away with James Longhurst
Breaking Away (1979) · Mar 18, 2026
Episode 186: Clue: Laughter, Paranoia, and the Politics of the 1980s with Julio Capó, Jr.
Clue (1985) · Mar 5, 2026
Episode 184: Purple Rain and Prince’s Minneapolis with Rashad Shabazz
Purple Rain (1984) · Feb 19, 2026
Episode 183: Heather Cox Richardson on Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) · Feb 12, 2026
Episode 176: Multipass to the Past: The Wild Origins of The Fifth Element
The Fifth Element (1997) · Jan 6, 2026
Episode 175: When Harry Met Sally
When Harry Met Sally... (1989) · Dec 30, 2025
Episode 173: Is Hamburger Hill the greatest war film we ever forgot?
Hamburger Hill (1987) · Dec 18, 2025
Episode 171: Sahara: The Franchise That Wasn’t
Sahara (2005) · Dec 11, 2025
Episode 169: Is Pompeii the best bad movie/good history ever made?
Pompeii (2014) · Dec 3, 2025
Episode 166: Apollo 13 with Jeffrey Kluger
Apollo 13 (1995) · Nov 19, 2025
Episode 162: The Cutting Edge with Paul Gagliardi and Dart Adams
The Cutting Edge (1992) · Nov 7, 2025
Episode 159: Jelani Cobb talks about Spielberg's Lincoln and the Promise of Black Freedom
Lincoln (2012) · Oct 30, 2025
Episode 153: Notting Hill with Kate Sheppard and Colin Colbourn
Notting Hill (1999) · Oct 8, 2025
Episode 152: “That’s not a knife. Now that’s a knife.”Crocodile Dundee with Chelsea Barnett
Crocodile Dundee (1986) · Aug 20, 2025
Episode 151: Gangs of New York with Tyler Anbinder
Gangs of New York (2002) · Aug 14, 2025
Episode 145: The Running Man with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
The Running Man (2025) · Jul 24, 2025
Episode 144: Superman (2025) with John Wyatt Greenlee, Colin Colbourn, and Alan Malfavon
Superman (2025) · Jul 16, 2025
Episode 141: F1 with Dr. Sarah Myers and Dr. Colin Colbourn
F1 (2025) · Jul 10, 2025
Episode 140: American Mythmaking on Film: The Patriot with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
The Patriot (2000) · Jul 3, 2025
Episode 139: Black Hawk Down with Dr. Jonathan Carroll
Black Hawk Down (2001) · Jun 26, 2025
The Princess Bride with John Wyatt Greenlee, Elizabeth Andersen, and Jillian Forsberg
The Princess Bride (1987) · Jun 19, 2025
Episode 135: Saving Private Ryan with Dr. Paul Thomas Chamberlin
Saving Private Ryan (1998) · Jun 5, 2025
Episode 133: Mission Impossible: The Reckoningest Pod Ever with Justin Rawlins and Craig Bruce Smith
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025) · May 28, 2025
Episode 129: Defiance and the Holocaust in Belarus and Ukraine with Dr. Waitman Beorn
Defiance (2008) · May 8, 2025
Episode 125: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom with Dr. Kate Sheppard, Dr. Julia Troche, and Leah Packard-Grams
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) · Apr 10, 2025
Episode 123: Deep Cover with Dr. Walter Greason and Tim Fielder
Deep Cover (1992) · Mar 26, 2025
Episode 122: John Wick in Ireland: Black '47 and a New History of the Irish Famine with Dr. Padraic Scanlan
Black '47 (2018) · Mar 20, 2025
Episode 121: Eat, Pray, Love: Talking Good Food and Wicked Sex with Dr. Rachel Hope Cleves
Eat Pray Love (2010) · Mar 13, 2025
Episode 120: Monsters, Inc. and the Monstrous History of Humans with Dr. Surekha Davies
Monsters, Inc. (2001) · Mar 5, 2025
Episode 119: Shakespeare in Love and the Queer World of William Shakespeare with Dr. Will Tosh
Shakespeare in Love (1998) · Feb 26, 2025
Episode 118: The Program and the End of College Football with Dr. Nathan Kalman-Lamb and Dr. Derek Silva
The Program (1993) · Feb 19, 2025
Episode 114: From the Vault: Is Chef the Best Food Porn Ever Made with Dr. Emily Contois and Dr. Zenia Kish
Chef (2014) · Jan 22, 2025
Episode 113 From the Vault: Lincoln with Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky and Dr. Megan Kate Nelson
Lincoln (2012) · Jan 15, 2025
Episode 112 From the Vault: Lo There Do I See A Podcast: The 13th Warrior with Dr. Thomas Lecaque and Dr. John Wyatt Greenlee
The 13th Warrior (1999) · Jan 8, 2025
Episode 110: From the Vault: Die Hard Is More Than A Christmas Movie with Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed and Dr. Craig Bruce Smith
Die Hard (1988) · Dec 24, 2024
Episode 109: How A Charlie Brown Christmas Almost Didn’t Happen with Dr. Blake Scott Ball
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) · Dec 18, 2024
Episode 108: James Bond Is A Monk: The Name of the Rose with David Perry, Matthew Gabriele, and John Wyatt Greenlee
The Name of the Rose (1986) · Dec 11, 2024
Episode 107: Reality Bites, the Rise of Reality TV, and the 90s. Whatever. With Emily Nussbaum
Reality Bites (1994) · Dec 4, 2024
Episode 105: 12 Years A Slave with Robert Colby
12 Years a Slave (2013) · Nov 20, 2024
Episode 104: Space Camp with Kevin Rusnak and Emily Carney
Space Camp (2012) · Nov 14, 2024
Episode 103: The Terminator with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
The Terminator (1984) · Nov 6, 2024
Episode 102: Scream with Rachel Gunter and Nicole Donawho
Scream (1996) · Oct 30, 2024
Episode 101: The Thing with Peter Neff, Matthew Siegfried, and Daniella McCahey
The Thing (1982) · Oct 24, 2024
Episode 100: Stargate with Julia Troche and Stuart Tyson Smith
Stargate (1994) · Oct 16, 2024
Episode 99: Dawn of the Dead with Kelly Baker and Thomas Lecaque
Kwaidan (1965) · Oct 10, 2024
Episode 98: First Man with James R. Hansen and Kevin Rusnak
First Man (2018) · Oct 2, 2024
Episode 97: Any Given Sunday with Lou Moore
Any Given Sunday (1999) · Sep 25, 2024
Episode 94: The Help with Kellie Carter Jackson
The Help (2011) · Sep 4, 2024
Episode 93: The Devil Wears Prada with Nancy MacDonell
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) · Aug 28, 2024
Episode 92: Alien Romulus with Kathleen Sheppard and John Wyatt Greenlee
Alien: Romulus (2024) · Aug 21, 2024
Episode 91: 9 to 5 with Jessica Calarco
Nine to Five (1980) · Aug 15, 2024
Episode 89: Sneakers and Preserving Data at the End of the World with Brian Michael Murphy
Sneakers (1992) · Aug 1, 2024
Episode 88: Twisters/The History of Storm Chasing with Kate Carpenter
Twisters (2024) · Jul 24, 2024
Episode 86: National Treasure with Joanne Freeman and The Wibberleys
National Treasure (2004) · Jul 15, 2024
Episode 85: Horizon and The West According to Kevin Costner with Megan Kate Nelson and Kate Carpenter
Horizon (2023) · Jul 11, 2024
Emergency Pod: Gladiator II Trailer Reactions with Craig Bruce Smith
Gladiator II (2024) · Jul 10, 2024
Episode 80: The Goonies and Generation X with John Wyatt Greenlee, Leah Lagrone, and Jamie Goodall
The Goonies (1985) · Jun 5, 2024
Episode 79: The Birdcage/The History of Queer Miami with Julio Capó, Jr.
The Birdcage (1996) · May 30, 2024
Episode 77: Jaws with Melissa Cristina Márquez
Jaws (1975) · May 15, 2024
Episode 76: In the Heart of the Sea with Bathsheba Demuth
In the Heart of the Sea (2015) · May 8, 2024
Episode 75: Red Dawn with Kathleen Belew
Red Dawn (1984) · May 1, 2024
Episode 74: Inside Out with Agnes Arnold-Forster
Inside Out (2015) · Apr 25, 2024
Episode 73: Gidget and the rise of California beach culture with Elsa Devienne
Gidget (1959) · Apr 17, 2024
Episode 72: Robocop and guns in America with Drew McKevitt
RoboCop (1987) · Apr 11, 2024
Episode 71: A Knight's Tale with Thomas Lecaque, John Wyatt Greenlee, and Anna Waymack
A Knight's Tale (2001) · Apr 4, 2024
Episode 70: Munich with Jeffrey Melnick and Madeleine Baker
Munich (2005) · Mar 27, 2024
Episode 69: The Mambo Kings and Cuban Music with Christina Abreu
The Mambo Kings (1992) · Mar 21, 2024
Episode 68: Smokey and the Bandit with Karen Cox
Smokey and the Bandit (1977) · Mar 13, 2024
Episode 67: Dune: Part Two with Mary Hicks and Margari Hill
Dune: Part Two (2024) · Mar 6, 2024
Episode 65: Harriet with Edda Fields-Black
Harriet (2019) · Feb 22, 2024
Episode 64: There Will Be Blood with Brian DeLay
There Will Be Blood (2007) · Feb 13, 2024
Episode 59: A Million Ways to Die in the West with Sara Dant
A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014) · Jan 10, 2024
Episode 58: Point Break and the political history of surfing with Scott Laderman
Point Break (1991) · Jan 3, 2024
Episode 57: Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves with Emily Friedman and Trevor Valle
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) · Dec 27, 2023
Episode 55: High Fidelity and the history of college radio with Kate Jewell
High Fidelity (2000) · Dec 14, 2023
Episode 54: Godzilla Minus One with Bill Tsutsui and Akiko Takenaka
Godzilla Minus One (2023) · Dec 10, 2023
Episode 53: The Last Duel with Patrick Wyman
The Last Duel (2021) · Dec 6, 2023
Episode 52: The American President with Lindsay Chervinsky
The American President (1995) · Nov 30, 2023
Episode 51: Napoleon with Corinne Gressang and Laura O'Brien
Napoleon (2023) · Nov 27, 2023
Episode 50: The Last of the Mohicans with Wayne E. Lee
The Last of the Mohicans (1992) · Nov 8, 2023
Episode 49 : Flatliners with N.J. Gallegos
Flatliners (1990) · Nov 1, 2023
Episode 48: Robin Hood Prince of Thieves with Thomas Lecaque and John Wyatt Greenlee
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) · Oct 25, 2023
Episode 47: Dirty Dancing with Leah Lagrone, Lauren Lassabe Shepherd, and Lauren MacIvor Thompson
Dirty Dancing (1987) · Oct 18, 2023
Episode 46: Sherlock Holmes with Tim Johnson
Sherlock Holmes (2009) · Oct 11, 2023
Episode 45: Deadline - U.S.A. with Charlie Pierce
Deadline - U.S.A. (1952) · Oct 4, 2023
Episode 44: Dave with Alexis Coe
Dave (1993) · Sep 27, 2023
Episode 43: Tootsie with Justin Rawlins
Tootsie (1982) · Sep 20, 2023
Episode 42: Memphis Belle with Sarah Parry Myers
Memphis Belle (1990) · Sep 13, 2023
Episode 41: Pretty Woman with Leah Lagrone
Pretty Woman (1990) · Sep 6, 2023
Episode 40: Black Robe with Michael Oberg
Black Robe (1991) · Aug 30, 2023
Episode 39: Legally Blonde with Kristalyn Shefveland and Jennifer McCutchen
Legally Blonde (2001) · Aug 23, 2023
Episode 38: Fury with Waitman Beorn
Fury (2014) · Aug 16, 2023
Episode 37: Legends of the Fall with Edward O'Donnell
Legends of the Fall (1994) · Aug 9, 2023
Episode 36: Ray with Michael Hattem
Ray (2004) · Aug 2, 2023
Episode 35: Gangs of New York with Tyler Anbinder
Gangs of New York (2002) · Jul 26, 2023
Episode 34: The Witch with Mikki Brock
The Witch (2016) · Jul 19, 2023
Episode 33: Live By Night with Sarah McNamara
Live by Night (2016) · Jul 12, 2023
Episode 31: Perfect with Natalia Mehlman Petrzela
Perfect (1985) · Jun 28, 2023
Episode 30: Far and Away with Lindsay Marshall
Far and Away (1992) · Jun 21, 2023
Episode 29: Batman with Blake Scott Ball
Batman (1989) · Jun 14, 2023
Episode 28: Jurassic Park with Elizabeth Jones
Jurassic Park (1993) · Jun 7, 2023
Episode 27: Once Upon A Time In Hollywood with Jeffrey Melnick
Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019) · May 31, 2023
Episode 26: Con Air with Kathleen Belew
Con Air (1997) · May 24, 2023
Episode 25: The 13th Warrior with Thomas Lecaque and John Wyatt Greenlee
The 13th Warrior (1999) · May 17, 2023
Episode 24: Old School with Lauren Lassabe Shepherd
Old School (2003) · May 9, 2023
Episode 23: Platoon with Rob Thompson
Platoon (1986) · May 2, 2023
Episode 22: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country with Robert Greene II and Eric Leonard
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) · Apr 25, 2023
Episode 21: Carrie with Rachel Gunter and Nicole Donawho
Carrie (1976) · Apr 19, 2023
Episode 20: Dirty Harry with Drew McKevitt
Dirty Harry (1971) · Apr 12, 2023
Episode 19: Rocky IV with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
Rocky IV (1985) · Apr 4, 2023
Episode 18: O Brother, Where Art Thou? with Christopher Hodson
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) · Mar 29, 2023
HATM First Read: John Wick: Chapter 4
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) · Mar 26, 2023
Episode 17: Guys and Dolls with Sara Georgini
Guys and Dolls (1955) · Mar 21, 2023
Episode 15: Jeremiah Johnson with Jacob Lee
Jeremiah Johnson (1972) · Mar 8, 2023
Episode 14: Predator with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
Predator (1987) · Mar 1, 2023
Episode 13: Crocodile Dundee with Chelsea Barnett and Joel Barnes
Crocodile Dundee (1986) · Feb 21, 2023
Episode 12: The Patriot with Craig Bruce Smith and Robert Greene II
The Patriot (2000) · Feb 15, 2023
Episode 11: Lincoln with Lindsay Chervinsky and Megan Kate Nelson
Lincoln (2012) · Feb 8, 2023
Soul Food with Adrian Miller and Mark Johnson
Soul Food (1997) · Feb 1, 2023
Thelma & Louise with Lauren MacIvor Thompson and Jacqueline Antonovich
Thelma & Louise (1991) · Jan 17, 2023
The Grand Budapest Hotel with Adam Blackler
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) · Jan 11, 2023
Time Bandits with Matthew Gabriele and David Perry
Time Bandits (1981) · Jan 4, 2023
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three with Eric Rauchway
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) · Dec 28, 2022
Die Hard with Annette Gordon-Reed and Craig Bruce Smith
Die Hard (1988) · Dec 21, 2022
Up in the Air with Brett Rushforth
Up in the Air (2009) · Dec 14, 2022
Chef with Emily Contois and Zenia Kish
Chef (2014) · Dec 6, 2022
Black Panther and Wakanda Forever with Walter Greason
Black Panther (2018) · Dec 6, 2022