Back after a mini, unexpected hiatus, we’ve got a new hot-and-ready episode for you!

Prepare yourselves because we’re about to get deep in our feelings as we begin our discussion on the show Dying for Sex starring Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, and Rob Delaney.

In this first of two episodes, we start off with our initial, non-spoilery reactions, think about how the show works from a genre and form perspective, and maybe rant a little about why one of the characters really sucks.

Content warning: Dying for Sex deals with terminal illness and trauma related to SA. Because these themes are so woven into the show, we won’t be able to provide specific timecodes for when they come up in our own discussion, but wanted to make sure you know going in.

What's Sparking Joy this episode: Sinners and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Crunchyroll, Netflix)

Episode was recorded April 20th, 2025

Show Notes:

• Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠
• The Dying for Sex Podcast: wondery.fm/DyingForSex

• Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557⁠

Other lit mentioned this episode: Lost You Forever, The Fault in Our Stars, Fanta G Spot (Hit the Spot) K-drama

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: Dying for Sex part 2 (on Hulu), Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.

We’re taking a trip back in time this episode to do a deep dive on the classic fairy tale retelling, Ever After: A Cinderella Story. We consider what makes something a Cinderella story and how Ever After maps onto those criteria; our reactions to the main romance; and the tour de force performance that is Angelica Huston as the Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent.

What's Sparking Joy this episode: The Residence on Netflix, Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim, and "The Hills of Tanchico" from The Wheel of Time season 3.

CW: Brief mention of the potential of SA from (1:14:58-1:15:10)

Show Notes:

• Take the SLL Audience Survey! Closes April 30th, 2025: ⁠⁠https://forms.gle/AJhFuMDzjSZeTE1f8⁠⁠

• Support us on Ko-Fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠
• Linda Holmes's "A Girl, A Show, A Prince": https://www.npr.org/2015/03/13/392358854/a-girl-a-shoe-a-prince-the-endlessly-evolving-cinderella

• "The Hills of Tanchico" Clip: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIANPQJSAet/?igsh=MWhoczk0aHl4ZW92Zw==
• Listen to our Joy Sparked: SLL Song Recs playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50MNBI1kYKdJgxh8CzEJF1?si=d9df62854c684557

Other lit mentioned this episode: The Little Mermaid, Cinderelle, Spiceworld, Prince of Persia, The Great

Check out SLL Live in 2025:

• April 2025 - Romance in CNY: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://romanceincny.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• July 2025 - RomantiConn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.romanticonn.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

On Future SLL Episodes: Dying for Sex (on Hulu), Trope Spotlight: Forced Proximity.

Don't forget to subscribe to Sex. Love. Literature! You can find us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SexLoveLitPodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠; on Instagram , Tumblr, and BlueSky @SexLoveLitPodcast. Support us on Ko-fi: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/sexlovelitpodcast⁠⁠⁠

Our cover art is by Charcooll (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/charcooll/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). The SLL Theme music is “Pluck It Up” by Dan Henig. What’s Sparking Joy BGM is "Candy-Coloured Sky" by Catmosphere | https://soundcloud.com/ctmsphr;Released by Paper Crane Collective; Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com; Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US.

Sex. Love. Literature. is a pop culture podcast that relishes the romantic, the sexy, and the scandalous in media. Join pop culture scholars (and besties) Ayanni and Corinne as they deep dive into why the “sex-stuff” in media matters. Main episodes drop the last Friday of the month.