The Battle of Chile (Part I) (1975) w/ Jonathan M. Katz | Ep. 31
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by journalist and historian Jonathan M. Katz to discuss Patricio Guzmán’s seminal Battle of Chile trilogy—widely regarded as one of the greatest political documentaries ever made—alongside its 1997 epilogue, Obstinate Memory. Our conversation was recorded mostly in the weeks after Trump’s reelection but before his inauguration, and the urgency of that moment colors much of our analysis. At the heart of it: What can the Chilean road to socialism and its systematic destruction teach us about the slow corrosion of democratic institutions in the U.S. and elsewhere? And how might the fates of Salvador Allende, the Popular Unity coalition, and Chilean workers help illuminate the emerging dynamics of the global far right?We dig into the paradoxes and possibilities of the Allende years: the failed balancing act between revolution and legality; the coordinated resistance from business owners, professionals, and the military; the question of whether a peaceful transition to socialism was ever possible. We examine how The Battle of Chile dissects the infrastructure of counterrevolution—economic pressure, street violence, parliamentary sabotage, and media warfare—and what it means to rewatch these films in our current moment. And we talk about the strength and tragedy of mass mobilization, the unarmed marches and factory occupations, and the fateful decision not to arm the people.Further ReadingThe Racket, Jonathan’s newsletter Gangsters of Capitalism: Smedley Butler, the Marines, and the Making and Breaking of America’s Empire, by Jonathan KatzAmerica, América: A New History of the New World, by Greg Grandin“Defending Allende,” by Ariel DorfmanTeaser from the EpisodeBattle of Chile Trailer
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Andor (2025), Season 2, Ep. 7-9 w/ David Klion and David Austin Walsh | Ep. 30
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comThe Death Star was born in blood well before it ever came into existence. In episodes 7-9 of Andor, we see just how much blood, and why. A false-flag operation to secure critical minerals. A French-resistance style sub-plot involving infiltration by an ambitious order muppet. Genocide of the Ghormans—an affluent middle-power planet. And a Galactic media that pretends to be the arbiter of truth while merely manufacturing consent for empire. These are among the many thrills of a story whose politics evoke our own. You don’t want to miss Senator Mon Mothma’s daring, radical speech on the Senate floor, followed by Andor’s equally daring exfiltration of Mon Mothma to the Rebellion-held planet Yavin, where she comes home to herself. Writer David Klion and historian David Austin Walsh rejoin the pod to discuss episodes 7-9 of Andor Season 2—the most-action packed and emotionally charged arc of not just Andor but perhaps any TV show. Further ReadingDavid Austin Walsh on TwitterDavid Klion on Twitter“Andor Is the Best Star Wars You Will Ever See,” by David KlionProject Fulcrum: Nemik’s Weekly ManifestoThe Romance of American Communism, by Vivian GornickTeaser from the EpisodeAndor Season 2 Trailer
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Liberal-to-Left Transformations and America's Settler Colonial Exceptionalism: David Klion and David Austin Walsh | Ep. 29
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comAn occasional glimpse behind the curtain as Van (missing Lyle!) sits down with writer David Klion and historian David Austin Walsh. Their candid convo ranges from the politics of liberal Zionism to personal radicalization and the history of the United States as the world’s most successful (but ultimately failed?) settler-colonial project founded on genocide.You can catch this chat wherever you listen to podcasts, and the full video version is included as an unlisted YouTube link, below. Look for David and David as recurring guests on our Andor mini-series.
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Andor (2025), Season 2, Ep. 4-6 w/ Paul Adlerstein and David Klion | Ep. 28
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comVan and Lyle are joined by journalist David Klion and returning guest Paul Adlerstein to unpack Episodes 4 through 6 of Andor Season 2, when the slow-burn tension of the early arc erupts into full-fledged moral crisis.They discuss how Ghorman—rendered with a kind of haute-bourgeois, French fusion aesthetic—is not only targeted by the Empire’s military clampdown, but also by its Fox News–style media wing, and fashion becomes a proxy for disloyalty. Meanwhile, Mothma’s effort to secure a de-escalation vote in defense of Ghorman is met with apathy or cowardice by her Senate colleagues, nominal liberals who fold in the face of imperial momentum.The group also notes Bix’s PTSD, a trauma-riddled silence that now borders on suicidal despair, as well as Luthen and Saw’s parallel unraveling. One hides behind charm, the other behind mania, but both embody the same truth, that revolution is not for the sane.“Do you think I’m crazy?” Saw asks. “Yes, I am. Revolution is not for the sane.” And Luthen proves it, growing impatient with Mothma’s delays and willing to let Ghorman burn to protect the long game.Further ReadingPaul’s websiteDavid on Twitter“Andor Is the Best Star Wars You Will Ever See,” by David KlionProject Fulcrum: Nemik’s Weekly ManifestoThe Romance of American Communism, by Vivian GornickTeaser from the Episode:Andor Season 2 Trailer
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Andor (2025) Season 2 Ep. 1-3 w/ Jenny G. Zhang | Ep. 27
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.bangbangpod.comSlate culture editor Jenny G. Zhang returns to the pod for our initial foray into the first block of Andor Season 2. Van and Jenny discuss the all-too-familiar labor exploitation on the agricultural planet Mina Rau, and how it relies on illegal immigration to remain profitable; the way that the Galactic Empire offers license to the patriarchal impulse of some to dominate others; and the secretive, elitist logic that leads agents of empire into committing genocide in order to secure critical minerals…and we are of course referring to Ghorman and the Empire’s need to extract it for the Death Star. Plus: Senator Mon Mothma’s performance of desperation at her daughter’s wedding—dancing like no one’s watching with a face that can’t hide agony…totally the vibe of 2025. Catch Up on Our Season 1 CoverageAndor Season 2 Trailer
A show about war movies, with an anti-imperialist twist. Hosted by Van Jackson and Lyle Jeremy Rubin--military veterans, war critics, and wannabe film critics. www.bangbangpod.com
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