<![CDATA[The Postpartum Appraisal]]>Welcome to The Postpartum Appraisal, where the movies we loved "Before-Child" are re-watched through the sleep-deprived, high-alert lens of modern parenthood.

Hosted by Perci—a former paramedic and theater nerd turned full-time survival-mode supervisor—this show isn’t your typical film review. We aren't just analyzing German Expressionism or cinematography; we are performing a deep-tissue autopsy on the films that hit differently when your "operating system" has been completely hijacked by the 24/7 background security scan of raising a human.

Whether it’s finding the terrifying metaphor for maternal intrusive thoughts in The Babadook, dissecting the panic of systemic obsolescence in Toy Story, or navigating the brutal reality of the "bystander parent" in Beautiful Boy, we’re pulling back the curtain on the "curated suburban myth".

Grab a drink, double-check your deadbolts, and settle into the trenches with us—because things are about to get weird, and the monster in the basement is only the beginning.

]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:44:41 GMTSat, 13 Jun 2026 03:38:19 GMT60Persephone Brick<p>Welcome to <b>The Postpartum Appraisal</b>, where the movies we loved "Before-Child" are re-watched through the sleep-deprived, high-alert lens of modern parenthood.</p><p>Hosted by Perci—a former paramedic and theater nerd turned full-time survival-mode supervisor—this show isn’t your typical film review. We aren't just analyzing German Expressionism or cinematography; we are performing a deep-tissue autopsy on the films that hit differently when your "operating system" has been completely hijacked by the 24/7 background security scan of raising a human.</p><p>Whether it’s finding the terrifying metaphor for maternal intrusive thoughts in <i>The Babadook</i>, dissecting the panic of systemic obsolescence in <i>Toy Story</i>, or navigating the brutal reality of the "bystander parent" in <i>Beautiful Boy</i>, we’re pulling back the curtain on the "curated suburban myth".</p><p>Grab a drink, double-check your deadbolts, and settle into the trenches with us—because things are about to get weird, and the monster in the basement is only the beginning.</p>episodicPersephone Brickpersephonejaelbrick@gmail.comyes<![CDATA[Episode 1: The Babadook- Feed Your Monster]]>Watching The Babadook through the lens of postpartum anxiety, I realize, it’s not just about a spooky story. It’s about how our brains become a battleground where intrusive thoughts cling like parasites, especially when motherhood pushes the limits of survival. That red pop-up book? It’s not just a creepy prop, it’s maternal intrusive thoughts personified, taping themselves back together every night, whispering the worst-case scenarios in the silence. The film shows us that you can drown the anxiety or burn the thoughts, but they’ll come back. The real danger? Thinking you can just delete the monster. You can’t. You learn to contain it, feed it just enough, and keep the basement door locked. That’s the brutal, honest truth of postpartum trauma. Still figuring out how to build my cage. How about you?

]]>2da8e536-79d8-46bb-bd55-2cab9514b2f0Sun, 19 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT<p>Watching <i>The Babadook</i> through the lens of postpartum anxiety, I realize, it’s not just about a spooky story. It’s about how our brains become a battleground where intrusive thoughts cling like parasites, especially when motherhood pushes the limits of survival. That red pop-up book? It’s not just a creepy prop, it’s maternal intrusive thoughts personified, taping themselves back together every night, whispering the worst-case scenarios in the silence. The film shows us that you can drown the anxiety or burn the thoughts, but they’ll come back. The real danger? Thinking you can just delete the monster. You can’t. You learn to contain it, feed it just enough, and keep the basement door locked. That’s the brutal, honest truth of postpartum trauma. Still figuring out how to build my cage. How about you?</p>no00:45:1011Episode 1: The Babadook- Feed Your Monsterfull<![CDATA[Episode 0]]>In Episode 0 of The Postpartum Appraisal, host Perci—a former paramedic and theater nerd—introduces listeners to her new "operating system" as a parent. After having a child, Perci describes how her perspective on everyday objects shifted from rational to hyper-vigilant.

]]>4dd9e615-db25-4a46-b8b7-d4c38f9c209fSat, 13 Jun 2026 03:40:54 GMT<p>In Episode 0 of <i>The Postpartum Appraisal</i>, host Perci—a former paramedic and theater nerd—introduces listeners to her new "operating system" as a parent. After having a child, Perci describes how her perspective on everyday objects shifted from rational to hyper-vigilant.</p>no00:02:161Episode 0trailer