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Obsession Ascension

Zach Cains & Mason Fleisher

Welcome to Obsession Ascension, a podcast where hosts Zach & Mason will go on deep dives on a varitety of topics, whatever their current hyperfixation is, They will go as far into their research as necessary, and most likely too far to give you an understanding on whatever they plan on discussing!

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  • 17 episodes
  • fortnightly
  • Avg 1 hr 54 min
  • English
  • S1 · E17
    Saturday · 1 hr 27 min

    Halloween History! Trick or Treats & Jack o Lanterns!

    Happy Halloween! While you are dressed in your costumed best, enjoying way too much candy, and overall embracing your inner child, we take you back through the history of some of Halloweens most well known traditions. Zach discusses how Trick or Treat came from overseas and nearly was ended by World War II. Mason discusses what was initially carved and the fantastical lore associated with why they began to be carved. Comment your favorite halloween memories and what you would like us to deep dive next year for Halloween!

  • S1 · E16
    October 23 · 1 hr 26 min

    The Evolution of the Final Girl

    As we approach the spookiest of holidays, Halloween, join us and our very first guest from the I Wanna Be In The Sequel Podcast, Caitlin, as we discuss one of the most popular and common tropes in horror movies, the final girl. We break down the original definition of the term from when it was coined by Carol J Clover, to the modern changes that have taken place. We discuss some of our favorite examples of final girls and discuss what the potential future is for the next evolution of the final girl. So sit back with your Strawberry Mango seltzer water and enjoy! If you want to hear more from Caitlin on the I Wanna Be In The Sequel, check it out here! https://open.spotify.com/show/6MQ4RPjmz8p2Agm57Gs2rJ?si=93003a4fbea5403a

  • S1 · E15
    October 3 · 1 hr 36 min

    PT Barnum II: His City & His Circus

    We have finally to the second half of PT Barnum's life where we discuss the creation of the Greatest Show On Earth, as well his attempt to turn a city in Connecticut into an industrial hub and how time destroyed it, the end of his museums, and his many Connecticut mansions. Please enjoy as Mason & Zach continue to be fascinated by one of the most unique people to exist, both good and bad, RIP Jumbo.

  • S1 · E14
    September 15 · 1 hr 42 min

    PT Barnum's Humbug Beginnings

    PT Barnum may be most known to people now as the man Hugh Jackman played in The Greatest Showman, but Barnum's history in attempting to entertain the masses for as much coin as possible goes back to his early life in Connecticut. In this first of two episodes on the man, we take you through his early life, his first businesses he would run into the ground and how he learned to love the art of humbuggery through... le'ts call it morally grey means.

  • S1 · E13
    August 17 · 1 hr 36 min

    Bionicle 2: Legends Of The Pre-Sequel!

    Following the events of the first movie where the Toa rediscover the lost land of Metru Nui, we go back in time to the events that lost Metru Nui in the first place, aka, it is pre-sequel time! Mason & Zach go into the events in Bionicle history that took place between movies 1 & 2 while the Bionicle brand was booming. Then they take you on the ride that is Bionicle 2, meet characters we already kind of met, meet even worse villains, and expand upon the already confusing Bionicle lore... making it more confusing.

  • S1 · E12
    July 31 · 2 hr 18 min

    Bionicle: Mask Of Kinda Alright

    Kids growing up in the 2000's are surely familiar with the Lego warriors known as Bionicle. One of the hottest toy brands to hit the market in that period, Bionicle rose to great heights but by the 2010's was already fading from the shelves. Now in the 2020's, its either a forgotten or nostalgic craze. They also happened to make four movies during their prominence. Mason & Zach plan to take you through all four of those movies, starting here with Mask Of Light and tell you about formation & the sudden rise of Bionicle and what it did for the Lego company.

  • S1 · E11
    July 17 · 2 hr 5 min

    American Things... That Aren't

    Ever heard the term "American as Apple Pie"? The term means when you think of certain things, like apple pie, you think of it as American, made in America. But did you know apples were not found in America? In this episode, Mason & Zach present to you many things that evoke Americana but have histories that started elsewhere. Be prepared to relearn things you thought you knew, and develop a new fear for worms.

  • S1 · E10
    June 26 · 1 hr 31 min

    Aquariums: The History of Trapping & Staring At Fish

    You know the old saying, give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day, teach a man to fish and he will take the fish home, throw them in a glass container and stare at them for a loooooong time. But how did this tradition come to be? How did fish go from food to an in house hobby? Mason & Zach take you on a journey back in time to tell you the history of Aquariums!

  • S1 · E9
    May 23 · 2 hr 24 min

    History of Sports Mascots: From Good Luck to Good Vibes

    You ever wondered how the tradition of teams of their own mascots came to be? It may surprise you to know it isn't just for the kids! Mason & Zach take you back to when mascots began as just good luck charms to becoming the energetic suited up characters they are today. They will take you on a journey of some of the wackier mascot incidents and even create some for the few teams that do not have official mascots. So show us your team spirit and cheer on as you give it a listen!... Just not so loud you can't hear it.

  • S1 · E8
    May 4 · 2 hr 29 min

    Star Wars: The Force Rewritten!

    You ever looked back at the Star Wars sequel trilogy and wondered, "could it be better?" That is a thought that has plagued Zach & Mason ever since the closing scenes of Rise of Skywalker, so today they begin the journey in making their own corrections to the mistakes! Join Zach & Mason as they give you their retelling of Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens!

  • S1 · E7
    April 22 · 2 hr 8 min

    History Of Motorsports

    Today, motorsports is all across the globe and comes in many different forms, but you ever wondered how it got started? Well Mason & Zach are here to drop the green flag of knowledge right in between your ears as we take you through the twists and turns, a lot of them left, of how motorsports like auto racing & drag racing got started, while also discussing some unknown and failed motorsport variants you may never have heard of. So grab your pig, take him to the finish line and please enjoy our telling of the history of motorsports!

  • S1 · E6
    April 6 · 2 hr 32 min

    Cryptids Of Indiana

    Bigfoot, Moth Man, The Jersey Devil, are all well-known crytids of the United States. But did you know that each state has their own backlog of cryptids? Join Mason & Zach as they go through the history of some of Indiana's cryptids in their own backyard that they and you may not have known about! Giant turtles, lake creatures and multiple Bigfoot??... Bigfoots?... Bigfeet? Either way explore with us the weird stories of weird creature sightings in Indiana lore.

  • S1 · E5
    March 24 · 2 hr 1 min

    Down Shift Into Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie

    After the critically panned, yet financially successful Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Movie, the Power Rangers is in a weird spot. It needs to make major changes all over its production but also needs to combat waning interest from its once untouchable peak. Zach guides you through the journey of what happened when Power Rangers chose to no longer be Mighty Morphin, all the way its second movie. Mason then breaks down the much less fun, much less budgeted, Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie.

  • S1 · E4
    March 10 · 2 hr 23 min

    Mighty Morphin Powers Rangers The Rise & The Movie

    Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was supposed to just be a cheaply made kids show that exploded into a phenomenon still going strong today. How did that happen? Zach goes into the sudden and unexpected rise of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, & the changes that came out of the popularity. Mason then breaks down the culmination of the rise of the show, the movie that came out of it, and how good and (mostly) bad it is!

  • S1 · E3
    February 24 · 1 hr 20 min

    History Of Glow In The Dark

    Have you ever looked at a glow in the dark toy and wondered how that works? Well have I got the podcast for you, this one, right here, you found it. Mason & Zach take you through the history of how glow in the dark was discovered, a history of it in toys and how it expanded to bowling alleys to produce cosmic bowling! We also discuss the future of glow in the dark, making its way onto a baseball diamond or a plant near you!

  • S1 · E2
    February 10 · 1 hr 18 min

    Edison v Tesla: The Current Wars

    Ever wondered how you got electricity in your home? While now 90% of America is lit up one way, it almost was done a completely different way, and it had the money behind it to nearly make it happen. This is the story on what happened when two inventors, Thomas Edison & Nikola Tesla, competed for how to electrify America. Your host Zach & Mason each take a side of the war to present to you how each inventor got to this point, their individual and shared history leading up to war, the events that took place during. Tune in for a classic American tale of ingenuity, capitalism, and LIGHT!

  • January 26 · 2 hr 6 min

    Obsession Ascension- Challenge Of The GoBots

    Welcome to Obsession Ascension, a bi-weekly podcast where friends Zach & Mason pick a topic of interest or current hyperfixati0n and do some sort of a deep dive on it! This week our hosts go deep into an old 80's show and toy, the GoBots, the closest thing to a rival Transformers had right out the gate. Zach watched the entire 65 episode television show called Challenge Of The GoBots, and the movie, while Mason took a look into all the GoBots toys and the history of Gobots and what became of them after they were shut down, comparing it all to his deep knowledge on Transformers.

Showing 1–17 of 17 episodes