Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came: A Podcast about Stephen King and His Books

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Misery, Part 3: Paul and Part 4: Goddess. Introduction (00:12) In defense of writing (01:29) What book did we just read? (13:14) Final thoughts (19:37) Dark Tower Thinnies (23:27) Yuck-King it Up (27:04) Fun Stuff (29:42) Other Worlds than These (33:55) Jay: Star Trek: Khan podcast Sean: Slow Horses, Season 5 Outro (37:32) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Misery, the 1990 film adaptation, directed by Rob Reiner.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Misery, Part 2: Misery. Introduction (00:00) Scary and funny (01:25) Writing as procrastination (10:47) Can you? (17:12) Dark Tower Thinnies (23:44) Yuck-King it Up (30:09) Fun Stuff (33:50) Other Worlds than These (38:31) Jay: Amadeus (1984 dir. Milos Forman) Sean: Stupid TV, Be More Funny by Alan Siegel Outro (46:14) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Misery, Part 3: Paul and Part 4: Goddess.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Misery, Part 1: Annie. Introduction (00:13) Publication history (04:40) The writing (10:59) Addiction (22:55) Dark Tower Thinnies (28:07) Yuck-King it Up (29:11) Fun Stuff (32:05) Other Worlds than These (38:35) Jay: Alien: Earth (FX), by Noah Hawley. Starring Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, and Timothy Olyphant. Sean: The Lowdown (FX) Created by Sterlin Harjo. Stars Ethan Hawke as Lee Raybon, a truthstorian. Outro (43:55) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Misery, Part 2: Misery.  

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Dark Half, Section 3: The Coming of the Psychopomps, chapters 22-26 & the epilogue. Introduction (00:00) Recap (00:53) What it is to be a writer (01:32) The ending (11:58) Final thoughts (18:10) Dark Tower Thinnies (21:56) Yuck-King it Up (25:59) Fun Stuff (27:25) Other Worlds than These (30:04) Jay: The Thursday Murder Club (2025), Netflix. Directed by Chris Columbus. Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Jonathan Pryce, David Tenant, etc. Sean: 1001 Albums Generator project. Outro (35:47) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Misery Part 1: Annie.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Dark Half, Section 2: Stark Takes Charge, chapters 15-21. Introduction (00:00) Twins (01:30) The role of the writer (14:32) Dark Tower Thinnies (23:39) Yuck-King it Up (27:26) Fun Stuff (30:11) Other Worlds than These (37:25) Jay: My Cousin Vinny (1992) Sean: Richard Stark’s Grofield novels Outro (42:28) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: The Dark Half, Section 3: The Coming of the Psychopomps; chapters 22-26 & epilogue.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore The Dark Half, Section 1: Fool’s Stuffing, chapters 1-14. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:38) King’s writing style for this book (04:53) A fiction by a fiction (15:24) Dark Tower Thinnies (23:18) Yuck-King it Up (24:29) Fun Stuff (27:01) Freak-A-Zoid, by Midnight Star Midnight Star, by “Weird Al” Yankovic The Amazing Alexander, Saturday Night Live Listener feedback (33:18) Other Worlds than These (34:57) Jay: Ronin (1998) starring Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone, Sean Bean, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jonathan Price. Directed by John Frankenheimer and written by David Mamet. Sean: We Deal in Lead RPG Outro (39:08) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: The Dark Half, Section 2: Stark Takes Charge, chapters 15-21.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Blaze, chapters 18-24. Introduction (00:00) Does Blaze have the shine (01:06) The tragedy of Blaze (08:52) Final thoughts (16:29) Dark Tower Thinnies (22:05) Yuck-King it Up (24:21) Fun Stuff (26:01) Other Worlds than These (35:35) Sean: The Sandman, season 2 (Netflix) Jay: Deep Cover (2025, Prime Video) Outro (40:26) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: The Dark Half, Section 1: Fool’s Stuffing, chapters 1-14.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Blaze, chapters 11-17. Introduction (00:13) Is this a ghost story? (01:49) Alone is bad (11:28) Dark Tower Thinnies (18:49) Yuck-King it Up (25:25) Fun Stuff (27:04) Other Worlds than These (32:05) Jay: Predator: Killer of Killers, Directed by Dan Trachtenberg Sean: Song of Spider-Man by Glen Berger, a writer on the musical, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark Outro (36:28) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Blaze, chapters 18-24.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Blaze, chapters 1-10. Introduction (0:00) Publication history (1:28) Throwback type of book (9:42) Blaze’s morality (17:20) Dark Tower Thinnies (30:12) Yuck-King it Up (32:58) Fun Stuff (33:57) Other Worlds than These (40:07) Jay: Spaceballs (1987, dir. Mel Brooks) Trailer Sean: Poker Face (season 2 on Peacock) Outro (43:45) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Blaze, chapters 11-17.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore and finish Thinner, chapters 20-27. Introduction (00:00) Taking responsibility/Everybody pays (01:11) Ginelli (10:06) The ending (20:58) Final thoughts (29:15) Dark Tower Thinnies (30:29) Yuck-King it Up (33:00) Fun Stuff (35:27) Other Worlds than These (41:37) Jay: Paris, Texas (1984), directed by Wim Wenders, written by Sam Shepard, starring Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell, and Aurore Clément. Sean: Lloyd McNeil’s Last Ride by Will Leitch Outro (45:16) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Blaze, chapters 1-10.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Thinner, chapters 12-19. Introduction (00:00) In-groups versus others (02:01) Justice and shades of gray (11:08) Dark Tower Thinnies (24:16) Yuck-King it Up (26:45) Fun Stuff (31:13) Other Worlds than These (35:56) Jay: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) Sean: Andor Season Two (2025) Outro (41:38) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Thinner, chapters 20-27.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Thinner, chapters 1-11. Introduction (0:00) New season: Alter egos (01:43) Publication history (06:02) Class warfare (12:23) Dark Tower Thinnies (20:25) Yuck-King it Up (26:00) Fun Stuff (27:42) Other Worlds than These (32:55) Jay: The Residence (Netflix) is a murder mystery set in the White House. Starring Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Randall Park, Bronson Pinchot, Al Frankin, and Ken Marino, among many others. Sean: Michael Clayton (2007, Amazon) a legal thriller starring George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, and Tilda Swinton. Written and directed by Tony Gilroy (Andor, Dolores Claiborne). Outro (39:30) The Bachman books we’ve covered: The Long Walk (episodes 106 – 107) Rage (episodes 108 – 109) The Running Man (episodes 110 – 112) Roadwork (episodes 113 – 115) The Regulators (episodes 116 – 120) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Thinner, chapters 12-19

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “The Fifth Quarter” found in Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:05) The essence of the story (05:18) All for Barney (11:08) Dark Tower Thinnies (18:32) Yuck-King it Up (20:53) Fun Stuff (24:00) Other Worlds than These (28:05) Jay: Ben-Hur (1959) Sean: The Cartoonist Club by Scott McCloud and Raina Telgemeier Outro (33:36) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties Next Episode: Thinner, chapters 1-11.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the short story “The Doctor’s Case” from Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Introduction (00:13) Publication history (01:10) Pastiche (05:06) Writerly details (09:15) Dark Tower Thinnies (18:09) Yuck-King it Up (19:26) Fun Stuff (20:50) Other Worlds than These (27:13) Jay: Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (S2), starring Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, Jonathan Pryce, and Harry Melling.   Sean: Zoe Boehm novels by Mick Herron: Down Cemetery Road and The Last Voice You Hear, soon to be an Apple TV show starring Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson Outro (30:34) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: “The Fifth Quarter” in Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore “Umney’s Last Case” from Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:21) Metalepsis (07:46) Relationship to Nightmares & Dreamscapes introduction (18:40) TNT Adaptation (25:21) Dark Tower Thinnies (31:16) Yuck-King it Up (35:53) Fun Stuff (37:30) Other Worlds than These (41:07) Sean: Sean:  In honor of the Vincent motorcycle mentioned in the story: Richard Thompson’s “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” Jay: The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast Outro (46:09) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: “The Doctor’s Case” found in Nightmares & Dreamscapes.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Later, chapters 34-69. Introduction (00:13) Missed opportunities (01:09) Siloing of the story (13:23) Final thoughts (16:52) Dark Tower Thinnies (18:09) Yuck-King it Up (21:11) Fun Stuff (23:51) Other Worlds than These (27:08) Jay: Reacher, S3, starring Alan Ritchson and Anthony Michael Hall Sean: Gene Hackman movies, including Heist, The Conversation, Crimson Tide, Cisco Pike, Hoosiers, and The French Connection Outro (30:50) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Audio clip from Superman II (1980), directed by Richard Lester and Richard Donner, starring Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve Next Episode: “Umney’s Last Case” from Nightmares & Dreamscapes.  

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore Later, chapters 01 – 33. Introduction (00:00) Publication history (01:38) Is it a crime story (02:39) Are the characters well constructed (08:48) Authorial adjacent (15:11) Dark Tower Thinnies (20:15) Yuck-King it Up (21:42) Fun Stuff (23:48) Other Worlds than These (30:00) Sean: The Actor by Donald E. Westlake (Movie Trailer) Jay: The Rock (dir. Michael Bay) Outro (36:10) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! BlueSky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Later, chapters 34 – the end (69).

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the final third of Joyland. Introduction (00:13) Masks (01:08) A look back (07:04) Our final thoughts (11:15) The end of the story (12:21) Dark Tower Thinnies (18:19) Yuck-King it Up (20:14) Fun Stuff (23:41) Other Worlds than These (28:46) Outro (33:35) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Other Worlds Than These topics: Jay: The Die Hard franchise Sean: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: Later, chapters 1 – 33.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the second third of Joyland. Introduction (00:00) Superpowers (01:40) Breezy contemplations (10:09) Dark Tower Thinnies (23:03) Yuck-King it Up (25:03) Fun Stuff (28:35) Other Worlds than These (32:33) Jay: Silo (Apple TV) Sean: Cunk on Earth (Netflix) Outro (41:15) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Bluesky: @twoguysdarktower.bsky.social Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: the final third of Joyland.

In this episode of Two Guys to the Dark Tower Came, we explore the first third of Joyland. Introduction (00:13) Recap (00:51) Publication history (01:16) It’s all about a vibe (02:15) The mystery (11:23) Dark Tower Thinnies (19:46) “The Sick Rose” by William Blake (22:08) Yuck-King it Up (23:13) Fun Stuff (26:03) Middle Aged Dad Jam Band; YouTube channel Other Worlds than These (32:10) Outro (36:07) Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app! Buy merch at store.twoguystothedarktowercame.com. Send your questions, comments, and ideas to twoguysdarktower@gmail.com. For more information about the show, check us out at twoguystothedarktowercame.com.  Other Worlds Than These topics: Jay: The Expanse (novel series): all 9 novels and 8 short stories, in order.  Sean: Catching up on the Penguin Classics Marvel Collection Series. Join the conversation on social media! X: @2guysdarktower Intro and outro music is Western Cowboys Logo by Shorties. Next Episode: the second third of Joyland, until the line “The phone clicked in my ear.”