We’re getting spooky this week as Kim and Alice get increasingly frustrated by gothic horror ‘Crimson Peak’. Whilst the characters are ignoring both the red flags and red ghosts, our hosts discuss gothic literature and Guillermo del Toro’s hatred of faces. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton…

This week we’re joined by Em, host of Verbal Diorama, to discuss quite possibly the perfect movie: the 90s adventure, horror fun-time classic, The Mummy. Em explains how the film came to be (thank-you Babe: Pig in the City) whilst Kim and Alice find out that love makes you do some crazy things, like unhinge your jaw and cover Egyptians in boils. Fo…

Come on law boys, grab your wigs and let’s hang as we enjoy the beautiful historical drama, Belle. Alice and Kim discuss what they want from a period drama, and how a glossy romantic story can be the starting point for learning about the worst parts of human history. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Nagle Producer: Helen H…

We’re back! Season 2 of Fetch the Smelling Salts kicks off in style with historian Clara Chamberlain helping us make sense of dictator-funded epic dude-in-a-desert film, El Cid. We’re talking about the creation of national myths, fist-fights at a funeral and the most insane final 15 minutes of any film, ever. Find more from Clara on: Instagram: @cl…

We’re throwing our heads back, flailing our arms and running off for a summer break, but there’s still time for Kim and Alice to discuss the classic ‘Chariots of Fire’. We have Olympic trivia, separate the fact from fiction and discuss all manner of dongs. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton Sources Documentary:…

Period dramas are for dudes too! And this week we have Tan and Keon from the awesome Pastmaster podcast to help us navigate the dudiest dudefest around: Gladiator. We’re thinking about the Roman Empire an exactly normal amount and discussing tickle-snake surprises, extremely extra Emperors and historically-accurate product endorsement. Sound Engine…

In this week’s special Fainting Couch episode, Kim and Alice are smooching their undergardeners and celebrating queer representation in TV and cinema. We’re looking at the history, the controversy and depiction of LGBTQ+ people on screen, and demanding more queer joy please! Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Nagle Producer:…

It’s Pride season, and Kim and Alice are celebrating by discussing the queeriest 2020 Mexican drama, ‘Dance of the 41’. There’s cigar innuendo, bathtub math and honeymoon-related fainting, as well as the real history of the LGBTQ+ community in 1900s Mexico. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton Sources Article: Br…

This week we’re having our hearts broken by a bad case of British butler-itis, as Kim and Alice sob through The Remains of the Day. We’re learning about the politics of the aristocracy, strict servant etiquette and why you shouldn’t learn the facts of life from Anthony Hopkins. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Nagle Produc…

Move over Elizabeth and Victoria, there’s a new Queen in town. This week Kim and Alice tackle ‘The Favourite’, the darkly comic / just plain dark Queen Anne biopic. Why aren’t more period dramas set in the Stuart period? Who won the duck race? And where can we hire a naked Tory for our next party? Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton …

You better get to shirtless sword practice because these elephants only respect hot people! This week Kim and Alice are covering Indian epic, Jodhaa Akbar. It’s a historical romance with all the jewellery and political intrigue you can handle, along with Kim’s favourite kind of montage… a montage of LOVE. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen H…

Ain’t no party like a cloud moon party; this week Kim and Alice are discussing the gorgeous Japanese animation, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. We reveal our preferred method of baby-making (it’s Bamboo-based), discuss some fierce Heian period fashion and congratulate Mt Fuji on sticking to her New Year’s resolutions. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle E…

We’re jumping on our 1850s waterbed with excitement, as this week Kim and Alice are joined by Laurel from Hightailing Through History to discuss the BBC miniseries, North & South. The industrial North is in her strike era and the men are blaming women for their feelings again, but exactly how many red flags will we ignore if someone’s hot? Check ou…

This week Kim and Alice cover their first African-set period drama - the historical action-adventure, ‘The Woman King’. We discuss the real Agojie tribe, the sheer joy of watching some badass women kick some butts and pledge our undying allegiance to Izogie. Sound Recordist: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton…

There are rigid thrombi all round this week, as Kim and Alice discuss the massively unsubtle 2011 movie, Hysteria. We’re talking about the true history of the invention of the vibrator (spoiler: this isn’t it), the ongoing misdiagnosis of women’s health issues and keeping musk oil far away from our intimate areas. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor…

It’s chicken-blood time girls! While Kim’s off witching it up in another country, Alice is joined by Kirstyn and Ben from There’s Not Always a Twist. In this episode, they’re turning their attention to The Crucible; the witch-trial thriller based on Arthur Miller’s play. We’re talking about hysteria, how the play links to McCarthyism and comparing …

Knock, knock, it’s definitely not Salieri. This week Kim and Alice are taking a look at Pitch Perfect for the Classical era: Amadeus. Why did the film clean up at the Oscars that year? Where does the line between historical truth and allegory begin? And was Mozart the bad-boy version of Hans Zimmer or a divinely talented little nerd? Sound Engineer…

We’re back lounging on the fainting couch and discussing Disney’s contribution to the period drama world. Choose your fighter: Encanto, the well-researched and sensitive celebration of culture, or Mulan, a film with a dragon named after an American take-away dish. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle / Helen Hamilton Producer: Helen Hami…

Whew! Is it hot in here or are you a clergyman from Gloucester? This week Kim and Alice are barely keeping it together over the 2007 adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel: Northanger Abbey. There’s geeking out over the history of gothic literature and some sincere appreciation for wrist ruffs. What happens in Baaaaath, stays in Baaaaath, people! Sound …

You already know it’s the best Christmas Carol adaptation, but we’re here with the facts to back it up. This week Kim and Alice cover The Muppet Christmas Carol; objectively Dickens’ favourite version of his classic Victorian novel (probably). We learn about the real political and social forces behind the story, how the film triumphed despite a ser…

Who's seen a ghost? Who would kill a pheasant in self-defence? Plus smooch/marry/kill: the historical diseases edition. Get to know Kim and Alice in our lightning mini-episode.

This week we’re re-visiting Alice’s youthful bat phase as we cover the animated classic, Anastasia. Russian history is a bummer, but this film is super fun; there’s flirting on a boat, unhinged accent choices and we all find out that sorcerers don’t react well to being fired. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle / Helen Hamilton Producer…

In this episode, Kim and Alice are discussing one of the least historically accurate, but most tear-inducing blockbusters: The Imitation Game. We’re discussing dentures, Kim’s love of montages and the real story of Alan Turing - a beautiful human being who sucked at crossword puzzles. This episode is brought to you by all-beef meatballs. Sound Engi…

Kim and Alice interrupt their hamster funerals to bring you Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the campy 90s classic with award-winning rat costumes. We’re redefining ugly crying, discussing the frankly unreasonable number of nipples and Kim sounds off about Vlad the Impaler: the original Asian mum. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Na…

It’s Historical Horror Month at Fetch the Smelling Salts HQ and this week we’re covering the first series of Joseon-era Korean zombie drama - Kingdom. Get ready our little blood ravioli as we eat the rich and explore some hat-based hierarchies. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton / Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton…

Indian history: it’s full of stuff! And in the case of Padmaavat, it’s full of incredible dance numbers, situationships and history’s hottest battle. Kim and Alice try to sort the historical fact from the fiction, pay tribute to a bisexual icon and provide you with the world’s worst fire-starting advice. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Na…

Do you enjoy eating tiny spoonfuls of jam in the kitchen of a stately home? Are you unnerved by pheasants being murdered on a frankly alarming scale? Then allow us to introduce you to the under-appreciated, classic, murder-mystery; Gosford Park. Kim and Alice discuss the intricacies of 1930s upstairs / downstairs relationships and the layers of sto…

Welcome, gentle listener, to The Fainting Couch. In this special episode, we take a break from covering a specific drama, and instead elegantly repose whilst we discuss a more general period drama talking point. In this episode, Kim and Alice take it back to basics and ask ‘What is a period drama?’’ Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle P…

Is it a mop? Is it a broom? No, it’s Weightman in the corner of your room. This week Kim and Alice are continuing to share their love of all things Bronte with the historical fan service movie, Emily. Stop giving letters to your drunk brother and join us as we talk about historical maladies, the truly remarkable Bronte family and basic Branwell tat…

It's an exciting one this week as Kim and Alice cover the drama, the passion, and of course, the harpsichord solos of Wuthering Heights. It might not be our ideal (all sheep) version but it’s a classic for a reason, and that reason is: ruining your relationship expectations for at least a decade. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton P…

What up sportsball fans? This week Kim and Alice are covering alternative WW2 flick, A League of Their Own. We’re off to Chicagoland to learn about wool costumes, real on-set injuries and do some light dunking on Tom Hanks. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton

In this episode, Kim and Alice take a look at everyone’s favourite VHS in the family cabinet: Blackadder the Third. It’s a delightful historical mishmash but one with some interesting tidbits for history nerds. And of course, we cover Hugh Laurie’s controlled sexy flailing, turnip #lifegoals and whether Blackadder exists in the Bridgerton universe.…

Join us as we re-write the 2022 film adaptation of Lady Chatterley’s Lover (mostly adding biscuits and heat lamps) - a classic story of relationship miscommunication, miner strikes and mommy-girlfriends. Kim and Alice reconvene the Man-Butt Appreciation Society and discuss some bad women’s anatomy in this infamous tale. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle …

Grab your embroidery, it’s time to party as we cover the 2020 mini-series ‘The Ghost Bride’. It’s the Colonial Malacca drama that has it all; eyebrow wigs, ghosts on Segways and outfits to literally die for. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Keith Nagle Producer: Helen Hamilton

Lock up your uncles, this week Kim and Alice are covering ‘Catherine Called Birdy’. Another example of a contemporary lens on a historical drama, we’re covering what they got right (casting, historically accurate flatulence) and wrong (most other things) in Lena Dunham’s adaptation of this medieval coming-of-age tale. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Ed…

It’s all poppin’ off (mostly heads) in our first animated period drama: Princess Mononoke. Kim and Alice discuss the darker output of studio Ghibli, how the production approached the depiction of an indigenous culture with scant historical references, and whether they’d spit tree bark into each others’ mouths. This episode is brought to you by sake…

Arrrrrgh! It’s a gear shift from the last episode, as Kim and Alice cover the sweet, funny and surprisingly historically accurate ‘Our Flag Means Death’. We’re talking non-binary representation, the true history of the golden age of piracy, and bringing a grieving seagull to a cannonball fight. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton Pro…

Content Warning: In this episode we discuss 2002 movie The Magdalene Sisters, which features scenes of sexual violence, and physical / emotional abuse. We won’t be going into the details, but we will be discussing historical instances of abuse in Irish institutions in general terms. On this episode, we’re joined by our very first guest: the anthrop…

Bring out your flute, settle down for a foot massage and stay away from the rooftop murder hut; this week Alice and Kim are talking about Raise the Red Lantern. A perfect example of the tension between great storytelling and beautiful cinematography, and possibly the only film that is better watched with ad breaks. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Edito…

In this episode, Alice and Kim discuss a titan of the period drama world - ‘A Room with a View’. Featuring George Emerson’s Guide to Flirting, violet field erasure, and a whole lot of butts. Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton Producer: Helen HamiltonPor Alice Nagle and Kimberly Marsh

Alice and Kim discuss the merits of the 2022 Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel: How true is this version to the source material? Can Cosmo Jarvis even make human facial expressions? And how many pineapples is too many pineapples? Sound Engineer: Keith Nagle Editor: Helen Hamilton Producer: Helen Hamilton…

Welcome to Fetch the Smelling SaltsPor Alice Nagle and Kimberly Marsh