On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie and Thomas discuss the Torsaker Witch Trials. They talk about the origins of Sweden's witch hunts aka the Great Noise, the similarities and differences with witch hunts and panics they've covered so far this season, the horrible events of the Torsaker Witch Trials, before wrapping with a discussion of the movie Sinners . All this plus their latest obsessions on this week's episode of the best podcast in the multiverse! If you dig ...
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 6Ep. 8
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie and Thomas are joined by Dr. Kristin Bezio to talk about the relationship between the Witch Trials of Early Modern Europe and the Reformation! Their conversation covers such illuminating topics as... Why was England so witch hunt light? What exactly was the impact of the Reformation on witch panics? How did people react to MacBeth back in the day? All that and much, much more on another episode of the greatest podcast in the multi...
Jun 10, 2025•56 min•Season 6Ep. 7
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie and Thomas are joined by Dr. Jan Machielsen to talk about his recently published book The Basque Witch-Hunt: A Secret History and the Basque witch hunt itself. Their lively conversation covers the origins of the Basque witch hunt, the witch hunters involved, Dr. Machielsen's stunning research in compiling his book, and their latest obsessions! All this and more on another episode of the best podcast in the multiverse! You can foll...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 6Ep. 6
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie and Thomas are joined by Stacie Murphy author of The Witches Secret ! They discuss her books, her writing process, the best witches in popculture, her latest obsessions and MUCH MORE! You can follow Stacie on Bluesky , Instagram and Facebook , and stay up to date on her website . If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on: Instagram: @HighkeyObsessedPodcast and @shark...
May 20, 2025•29 min•Season 6Ep. 5
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie and Thomas are joined by their friend Ivana to talk about the storied history of witches in pop culture! They fall into rabbit holes, discuss which famous magical women are and aren't witches, chat about their favorite witches, and much much more! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on: Instagram: @HighkeyObsessedPodcast and @sharkbatesbookshelf YouTube: @HighkeyO...
May 13, 2025•1 hr 28 min•Season 6Ep. 5
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Cassie leads a discussion on the Great Scottish Witch Hunt(s)! She leads Thomas through a discussion of the many Great Scottish Witch Hunts all bearing the same name, King James' involvement in the trials, his decision to write a demonological text book, the Royal Succession and much, much more! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on: Instagram: @HighkeyObsessedPodcast a...
Apr 29, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 6Ep. 4
On today's episode of Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Thomas and Cassie discuss the anti-woman sentiment of the witch trials, the ways that being anti-witch was really a means of being anti-woman. They talk about some examples of the push and pull of women's rights, the ways that the witch panics of the period were in some ways a response to advancements women made during the Middle Ages, how the women they covered last season were victims of the same attitudes that brought about the witch ...
Apr 15, 2025•1 hr 8 min•Season 6Ep. 3
On today's episode Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble , Thomas and Cassie discuss the witch trial of Helena Scheuberin and the villainous demonologist Heinrich Kramer whose infamous work the Malleus Maleficarum would be the architect of centuries of pain to follow. They discuss Helena's life, what led to the accusations of witchcraft being levied against her, Kramer's life, why he was a weird incel obsessed with witches, who nobody really liked. All this and more on the latest episode of the bes...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 6Ep. 2
Hello and Welcome to... a brand new season of Highkey Obsessed! Today, Thomas and Cassie kick off Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble, a whole new season of the greatest podcast in the multiverse dedicated to diving deep into historic witch trials and witch hunts. They break down what exactly is a witch, why they're covering this topic, and what to expect on this season of the pod. If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on: Instagra...
Mar 18, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 6Ep. 1
On this, a special Halloween Bonus episode of Highkey Obsessed... Cassie and Thomas give some updates on the next season of Addicted to Heroines aka Highkey Obsessed: Toil and Trouble, where the two will dive deep into everything witches and witch trials. Next they engage in a hyper competitive draft of witchy content from pop culture, before discussing their latest obsessions! All this and more on another episode of the best episode in the Twilight Zone! If you dig what you're hearing be sure t...
Oct 31, 2024•53 min
On this, the final episode of the best podcast in cinema, Thomas and Ben talk about the greatest movie of all time Unstoppable, Tony Scott's 2009 train movie epic masterpiece. They discuss the movie's best scenes, characters, quotes (make up some fake expressions), dish out some tidbits and discuss their latest obsessions. All this and more on another episode of the greatest podcast on turf. If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show o...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 26 min
On this episode of the best podcast in cinema... it's a crossover episode! Thomas is joined by his cohost Cassie AND the dynamic duo Erin Ayers and Ben Reinert from HowlerPod for the penultimate episode of the extravaganza that is Train Movie Summer! Up this week is Source Code the 2011 sci-fi thriller starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright and Michelle Monaghan. They discuss their issues with the movie and chop it up into the categories we all know and love, plus a few more inve...
Sep 03, 2024•1 hr 37 min
On this episode of the best podcast in the multiverse... Thomas is joined by Ben from HowlerPod as continue Train Movie Summer with a discussion of 2016's South Korean Zombie Train Movie Epic Train to Busan , an incredible and lasting movie. The pair discuss their favorite scenes, characters, the epic zombie action, and conclude with a discussion on Deadpool & Wolverine. All this, plus our latest obsessions on this week's episode of Highkey Obsessed! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to...
Aug 13, 2024•1 hr 10 min
On this episode of the best podcast in the multiverse... Thomas is joined by Ben from HowlerPod as the pair kick off Train Movie Summer with a conversation on Snowpiercer, Bong Joon-Ho's 2013 dystopian sci-fi masterpiece. Join them for a discussion of the movies best moments, characters, quotes, the brilliant performances, insane cast, dynamic action, and incredibly poignant themes and messages. All this, plus our latest obsessions on this week's episode of Highkey Obsessed! If you dig what you'...
Aug 06, 2024•1 hr 34 min
On the finale of Highkey Obsessed: Addicted to Heroines, Thomas and Cassie discuss Kitty Genovese whose tragic murder has been used as an anecdote in countless psychology courses and textbooks throughout the years. On this episode we focus on the life of Kitty, the person at the center of the story and try to paint the full portrait of who she was before being turned into a morality tale. They also discuss their latest obsessions, Train Movie Summer, and what's next for the pod! All this and mor...
Jul 09, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 5Ep. 10
On this episode of Highkey Obsessed Thomas and Cassie discuss video games, the experience of female gamers and streamers today, and the gaming industry. They are also joined by Dr. Kristin M. S. Bezio, a historian, Shakespearean Scholar, pop-culture critic, and gamer, for an incredible dive into the history of women in video games and the gaming industry. All this and more on another action packed episode of the best podcast in the cyberverse! Dr. Bezio's Bio: https://jepson.richmond.edu/faculty...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 31 min•Season 5Ep. 9
Today, Cassie and Thomas talk about the life of Rosa Parks, including both before and after the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Reconstruction, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott with an emphasis on the women who made it possible including Claudette Colvin and Joann Robinson. All this and more on another episode of the best podcast in the world! Content Warning Time Stamps: Warning comes at 28 minutes 20 seconds and the conversation ends just before 31 minutes and 6 seconds Resources for More Information: T...
Jun 11, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 5Ep. 8
Today, Cassie and Thomas talk about Flora MacDonald and the famous story of her rescue of the Bonnie Prince Charlie during the last Jacobite Rebellion. They also talk about women of the 45, the role of women in the Jacobite Rebellion, and men's reactions to an exhibit centered around these contributions. All this and more on another episode of the best podcast in the world! To Shape a Dragon's Breath: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706010/to-shape-a-dragons-breath-by-moniquill-blackgoo...
May 28, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 7
Today, Thomas and Cassie talk about THE pirate queen of the South China Sea, Zheng Yi Sao! A woman who would revolutionize piracy in the region, and bring the mighty Qing Dynasty to its knees. Also, Thomas' mic came unplugged with around 20 minutes left in the episode, so you get to hear crappy audio , so extra fun! All this and more on another episode of the best podcast in the MultiVerse! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on...
May 16, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Today, Thomas and Cassie talk about the Queen of Fences: Fredericka "Marm" Mandelbaum an absolute unit of a woman who towered both literally, and figuratively over the criminal underbelly of gilded age New York City. Cassie leads Thomas through her life, some of her escapades, with some patented digressions along the way. All this and more on another episode of the best podcast in the Milky Way! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the sh...
Apr 30, 2024•58 min•Season 5Ep. 5
Today, Thomas and Cassie talk about the Connecticut Witch Trials, a truly understudied portion of American history. They talk about the origins of witch trials in the early modern period, witch trials in North America, the Connecticut Witch Trials themselves, and the lingering legacy they have. All this and more on another banger episode of the greatest podcast on Earth! Witchcraft a History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson Connecticut Witch Trials Exoneration Project If you dig what you're h...
Apr 16, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Season 5Ep. 4
Today, Thomas and Cassie are joined by the AMAZING Erin Ayers, half of the dynamic duo that is HowlerPod a podcast dedicated to the Red Rising series by Pierce Brown. After the intro, Cassie leads Erin and Thomas through the life of Julie D'Aubigny aka Mademoiselle Maupin, a swashbuckling, cross dressing, fencing, opera singing bad ass of history. Erin and HowlerPod can be found on... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/howlerpod/?hl=en Website: https://www.howlerpod.com/ If you dig what you're...
Apr 02, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 5Ep. 3
Today, Thomas and Cassie are joined by the remarkable Peebs, a passionate conservationist, and the brilliant artist behind PB Doodles, Wild Brewed, and so much more! The trio discuss Jane Goodall, her life, accomplishments, and of course her efforts around conservation. All this and more on another action packed episode of Highkey Obsessed! Peebs can be found on... Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user/posts?u=74660976 Dr. Goodall's Hopecast interview with Robin Wall Kimmerer: https://news.janeg...
Mar 19, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Hello and Welcome to... a brand new season of Highkey Obsessed! Today, Cassie and Thomas kick off the first episode of Highkey Obsessed: Addicted to Heroines with a discussion on Agrippina the Younger. Cassie reveals some the origins, successes, failures, and misconceptions of the first Empress of Rome. All that, and more on Highkey Obsessed! Dr. Emma Southon: https://www.emmasouthon.com/ If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show on: ...
Mar 05, 2024•1 hr 21 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Hello and Welcome to... a brand new season of Highkey Obsessed! Today, Thomas is joined by his new cohost Cassie of Sharkbate's Bookshelf to introduce season five of Highkey Obsessed. They introduce the new season of the show, reveal the season's subheading, and ask each other a series of questions to help the audience get to know them a little better. All this, and more on Highkey Obsessed! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to drop those 5 star ratings and reviews, and to follow the show o...
Feb 20, 2024•1 hr 10 min
On this episode of Highkey Obsessed Thomas discusses then long awaited Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander's final, decisive battle with Darius III, which essentially brought about the end of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. If you dig what you're hearing be sure to give us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts. We welcome feedback on Instagram @highkeyobsessedpodcast and Twitter @HighkeyOPodcast. Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
May 04, 2023•40 min•Season 4Ep. 16
On this episode of Highkey Obsessed Thomas discusses the Siege of Gaza, its aftermath, and whether Alexander the Great was truly guilty of some truly barbaric accusations leveled at him. He also dishes on what's next for the show and asks for some audience input! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to give us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts. We welcome feedback on Instagram @highkeyobsessedpodcast and Twitter @HighkeyOPodcast. Thanks for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acas...
Apr 12, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Today on Highkey Obsessed Thomas delves into Alexander the Great's siege of Tyre in 332 BCE. A very exciting, very cool, siege that encapsulates a lot of the reasons the ancients bestowed Alexander with the title the Great. All this and more on an action packed episode of Highkey Obsessed! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to give us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts. We welcome feedback on Instagram @highkeyobsessedpodcast and Twitter @HighkeyOPodcast. Thanks for listening...
Mar 29, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Today on Highkey Obsessed Thomas delves into all things the Battle of Issus. He gives a brief introduction to Darius III of Persia, talks about the lead up to Alexander's first engagement with the Persian King, the battle itself, and its aftermath. Next time, the Sieges of Tyre and Gaza. All this and more on an action packed episode of Highkey Obsessed! If you dig what you're hearing be sure to give us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts. We welcome feedback on Instagram @highkeyo...
Mar 14, 2023•43 min•Season 4Ep. 13
On this episode of Highkey Obsessed Thomas begins his 4(ish) part series on the military career and abilities of Alexander the Great. In this episode he analyzes some of the smaller battles and engagements Alexander fought in, specifically choosing those which reflect a variety of important facets of his abilities. He also discusses the Battle of the Granicus River, Alexander's first major engagement against a Persian army! All this and more on an action packed episode of Highkey Obsessed! If yo...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Season 4Ep. 12
