Hero Journeys across Culture
Examine epic stories with fresh perspective—each deep dive organized by Critique, Fix, and Impact.
What You’ll Find Here
Not every story intended to be epic, actually functions as such. Many stories that try to be epic fall short— and when they do, they tend to receive notoriety. But those are worth examining to see what was missing. The good news is that there are some you've probably not seen before.
Each of the following stories is examined with a critical eye—to see what was done right, what was done wrong, and what influence it has upon the wider culture.
Within each topic, you’ll find essays structured around three questions:
- Critique — What the story attempts, and where it fails or succeeds.
- Fix — How the story could be strengthened to reach its potential.
- Impact — What the story communicates to audiences and culture at large.
Choose a category below to explore the full catalogue for that medium.
Browse by Category
Each category page contains the full catalogue for that medium.
Books
Literature, myth, interior life.
Browse BooksFilm
Cinema as myth-machine—meaning vs spectacle.
Browse Film
Television
Long-form worldview—character, consequence.
Browse Television
Games
Interactive myth—agency and meaning.
Browse Games
Podcasts
Conversation as medium—and theater.
Browse Podcasts
Documentaries
Reality shaped into narrative—truth, framing, power.
Browse Documentaries