Agents of SMOOCH

Hosted by Annette Wierstra

A podcast that’s looking for love in all the right places. Join the Agents of SMOOCH as we delve into the romance of sweeping epics and classic romcoms. Our mission is to investigate the important questions: Should they or shouldn’t they? Is there such a thing as One True Love? Did that smooch have any chemistry? We might not have all the answers, but we know you had us at “Hello.”

Latest Episode: December 20, 2024 — Annual Christmas Movie Marathon

126 Our Favourite Christmas Party

It’s the Christmas tradition we created ourselves! We don our Santa hats, gather our Bingo cards, and surround ourselves with lots of snacks. It’s time for this year’s in-person Christmas movie marathon. This year we watched:

  • Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story (Hallmark)
  • The Merry Gentlemen (Netflix)
  • ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish (Hallmark)

Get on your pjs, make yourself comfy, and join us!

Read the show notes.

Previous Episodes

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    November 29, 2024 Agatha All Along
    125 Practice Safe Witchcraft

    We are still in the season of the witch here at the Agency. Join our coven as we search for the Wtiches’ Road in Agatha All Along. We start with a quick spoiler-free pitch to watch this glorious show before getting into the vibes and feelings and wardrobe-we are suckers for a good coat. Take off your shoes and stay on the path witches. We might all make it to the end.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    November 15, 2024 Northanger Abbey
    124 Janesplaining

    If anyone thinks that Jane Austen is about sedate manners and social niceties, they ought to dive straight into this mission about Northanger Abbey. This novel is Austen’s version of Mean Girls and there is a lot of naughty business happening below the surface of polite society. Join our Agents as they discuss the novel and the 2007 movie adaptation with Felicity Jones and JJ Feild.

    Kirsten swore once and I am giving her a special exemption to keep it in.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    November 1, 2024 Jane Eyre (2011)
    123 The Grace Poole Story

    Is it a Gothic Romance series if we don’t wander the English moors? Of course not! Join our agents as they discuss Jane Eyre focusing on the 2011 movie and the book. While we like the moody story of Jane and her Mr. Rochester, we have a few suggestions for the next adaptation.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    October 18, 2024 Bitterthorn by Kat Dunn
    122 Wandering in a Forest

    We are back for Season 6 in time for the dark moody vibes of fall with a series of episodes on Gothic Romances. We begin with an episode about Kat Dunn’s sapphic witchy romance set in the most gothic of castles: Bitterthorn. Our agents get lost on side topics a few times as they wander through the woods to discuss other books and video games. In the end, they make it through just in the nick of time.

    Our Agents start with a non-spoiler pitch to convince you to read Bitterthorn, and then they go full spoilers with fair warning.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    June 21, 2024 Desperately Seeking Susan
    121 The Box Agenda

    For our last mission of Season 5, we are going back to the eighties with Desperately Seeking Susan. This is Madonna just being Madonna and adding her perfect fashion sense to this film. Add Rosanna Arquette and Aidan Quinn with a splash of amnesia and mistaken identities and it’s a delightful 80s romcom. Our agents were happy to revisit this movie and find that it reflects a more modern sensibility than we expected. Get out of the box and help us find the elusive Susan.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    June 7, 2024 Argylle Movie
    120 Save the Cat!

    It’s another Romance in Action mission with Argylle. Let’s be honest. Our Director mandated this mission purely for the cat content which she rates very highly. Follow cat-loving novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) as she is pulled out of her fictional imaginings into the IRL world of spy craft with the mysterious stranger Aiden (Sam Rockwell). Warning: This mission will contain rainbow fog.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    May 24, 2024 The Fall Guy (2024)
    119 Throw the Thumbs Up

    We’ve got more Romance in Action with The Fall Guy movie. Get ready for comedy, stunt action, and romance from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Our Agents went on this mission to the theatre and later recorded this episode in person. The Agents thought the meta references to the movie industry, with the right dash of mystery and romance made for perfect escapism. Will we watch it again? Definitely.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    May 10, 2024 Good Omens (TV Series)
    118 The Kiss That Broke the Internet

    It’s our Director’s birthday! She is using her power to make the Agency do a mission about Aziraphale and Crowley in Good Omens. If you like seeing Angels and Demon romance each other in a gentle comedy about the end of the universe, this is the episode for you.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    April 26, 2024 Dirty Dancing
    117 I Carried a Watermelon

    Return to the Eighties’ version of the Sixties as we explore summer camp, first loves, progressive politics, and never putting Baby in a corner. After this week’s Dirty Dancing mission, we’re saying forget cop/not-a-cop pairings, let’s have more dancer/not-a-dancer matchups.

  • Agents of SMOOCH cover art
    April 12, 2024 Footloose (1984)
    116 Dangerous Things on Tractors

    Our agents are kicking off their Sunday shoes for this mission. It’s time to fight for your prom and get Footloose. This mission explores how teenagers gonna teenage and whether Footloose still holds up 40 years later. Join our discussion of sex, religion, politics, and shaking your bootie in a rainfall of glitter. Back to the Future makes several surprising cameos, but it all makes sense—trust us. So get up off of your knees and everybody cut footloose.

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