For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Julia Whelan analyze the ending of Sense and Sensibility. They discuss deleted scenes, sisterly affection, and Austen's obsession with the villainy of hot men.
If you'd like to join Julia on her Sense and Sensibility pilgrimage in the Cotswolds this fall, you can find more information about that here.
Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram
--- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis of Sense and Sensibility with Vanessa and Julia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sense and Sensibility
14/04/2026 | 1h 10min
Vanessa Zoltan and actress, author, and narrator Julia Whelan meet-up at Barton Cottage to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about the 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.
This week we discuss the brilliance of Emma Thompson, whether Colonel Brandon is right for Marianne, and the dangers of casting older actors as teenagers. We finish the episode by calling Dr. Claudia Johnson to get some context on Georgian manners and norms.
If you'd like to join Julia on her Sense and Sensibility pilgrimage in the Cotswolds this fall, you can find more information about that here.
--- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram
If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Julia and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ending Of: The Phantom of the Opera
07/04/2026 | 30min
For this week’s bi-weekly scene study, Vanessa and Hannah analyze the ending of The Phantom of the Opera. They discuss the black-and-white frame narrative of the film, what makes the phantom hot (and not), and the show's similarity to Beauty and the Beast.
Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram
--- If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis of The Phantom of the Opera with Vanessa and Hannah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Phantom of the Opera
31/03/2026 | 1h 13min
Vanessa Zoltan and Hannah McGregor meet in a Parisian opera house to record this week’s episode of Hot and Bothered, all about The Phantom of the Opera.
This week we discuss daddy issues, queer aesthetics, and Susan Sontag's definition of 'camp.' We finish the episode by calling Dr. Dominic Broomfield-McHugh to get his take on the film.
--- Hot and Bothered is a Not Sorry Production Find us at our website | Follow us on Instagram
If we give you butterflies, consider supporting us on Patreon! On Patreon we have more great romance content including a bonus close scene analysis with Hannah and Vanessa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Special Edition: Why Do We Love Mystery Novels?
27/03/2026 | 13min
Vanessa Zoltan is joined by friend and mentor Dr. Stephanie Paulsell to discuss the appeal of mystery novels and their relationship to religion.
If you're interested in joining Stephanie and Casper on the Agatha Christie pilgrimage, you can learn more at commongroundpilgrimages.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Hot and Bothered is all about the power of romance culture. We analyze romance novels and movies to better imagine our own happy endings. Episodes release weekly on Tuesdays.CURRENT SEASON: Hot and Bothered (Movie Edition)We make Hot and Bothered because we are interested in the way that love stories have impacted our lives and culture. For our fifth season of the show, we’re turning our attention to romantic films. Vanessa and Hannah McGregor dig into the canon of romantic films, from Titanic to Twilight to When Harry Met Sally, (just to name a few). Every other week they do a close scene analysis of how each movie ends, always asking the question ‘what does this movie believe about love?’SEASON 4: Live from PemberleyIn Live from Pemberley, we continue our deep-dive into the classic texts of romance literature. This season we take a close look at the most famous Romance novel of all time: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Every episode, Vanessa Zoltan and Lauren Sandler read through the book, talk with experts, and ask themselves the question ‘is this still a story for our time?’SEASON 3: On EyreVanessa Zoltan and journalist Lauren Sandler embark on the English class you always deserved, diving deep into Jane Eyre through the themes of power and desire. Discussions range from ideas of class and colonialism to sex and gender as Lauren and Vanessa explore the roles of oppression and inequality, empowerment and rebellion in the text. Major “Eyreheads” and first-time readers alike are invited into Lauren and Vanessa’s conversation as they grapple with this complicated work—and as they try to figure out if Jane Eyre is a book they want to pass on to their daughters, and to future generations.SEASON 2: Twilight in QuarantineYou may remember BFFs Vanessa & Julia from their all-star advice giving in Hot and Bothered Season 1. In this season they’re sheltering in place in different cities, but they’re getting on the phone three times a week to read and talk about Twilight. On Twilight in Quarantine, they work their way through the Twilight saga one chapter at a time, giving brilliant well-informed advice to Stephenie Meyer’s characters along the way. Advice like: “have you considered talking to each other about your feelings?” and “maybe you shouldn’t kidnap people.”SEASON 1: Writing RomanceSeason one of Hot and Bothered follows ten first-time romance writers as they try to write their own romance novels. Each episode explores a particular romance trope and why we love it so much. Along the way, Julia Quinn, writer of the Bridgerton series, gives weekly assignments so listeners can follow along in the process. Season one was made in collaboration with Spoke Media.Hot & Bothered is produced by Not Sorry Productions, a feminist organization that produces podcasts, educational content, live shows, and immersive experiences with the explicit goal of addressing the spiritual needs of its participants. Through community, rigor, and ritual, we treat traditionally secular things as if they were sacred. To learn more about what we do, visit https://notsorryworks.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.