The Brothers Dimm

#90: The Young Giant

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:45:00 GMT

Come see the violence inherent in the system as our old pal Thumbling returns but with a big, big surprise. We cap off Season 6 with talk of lactating males, developmental trauma, and rare Grimm unfinished business.

#89: The Goose Girl

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT

We bring you a great tale this week, touching on such classic Grimm tropes as "only name a couple of side characters" plus, thankfully, a return to creative capital punishment and a quick jaunt into some of the live-action Grimm adaptations over the years.

#88: The Singing, Springing Lark

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

This week's is several we've seen stapled together. However, we discover that parents really do have a favorite child, that material goods are sometimes easier than happiness, and that indecent proposals can actually work out in the end.

#87: The Poor Man and the Rich Man

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

In the further adventures of that very loose Grimm interpretation of what Christianity is all about, we find a pretty good tale of accidental wishes, sticking it to the rich man, and later Mike's kid gender swapping Jesus for a blockbuster movie. Something for everyone!

#86: The Fox and the Geese

Mon, 04 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

We mark our completion of the first of two volumes in the Grimm canon (!) with this Aesop-like little story that could be about greed and piety, or could be about lesbian nun waterfowl. Who's to say, really?

#85: The Gold Children

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

A lot of tropes that we've seen before this time, but we get some new concepts such as planting a dead fish and...spying on your daughter and her husband on their wedding night? Add a nosy (yet justified) wife and a rushed ending, and we've reached peak Grimm!

#84: Hans Married

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:45:00 GMT

The Grimms bring us a very confusing tale of marriage, full of puns about patches. But don't worry, we make it even more confusing with Joe Millionaire, Pulp Fiction, and PBR.

#83: Hans in Luck

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 16:10:00 GMT

We were a little split on this chain tale of diminishing material returns & burgeoning ethical returns, but still found time to talk about a little German history and culture plus a key Renaissance thought piece.

#82: Gambling Hansel

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:50:00 GMT

This week's A-tier story features a couple of classic tropes: Saint Peter being a dick, and the Grimms not being entirely clear on how Hell works. Mix in a sprinkle of Trainspotting parallels and a good game of Sardines and we're off to the races!

#81: Brother Lustig

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:50:00 GMT

Saint Peter's back to his dumb schemes in this rambling tale featuring a critical marshmallow test and raising multiple princesses from the dead for free. Will Brother Lustig trick his way into Heaven after all? The answer may surprise you! Just kidding, it's entirely probable because, according to classic Grimm lore, it's pretty easy to just walk over there.

#80: The Death of the Little Hen

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:20:00 GMT

Time is money in this lesser-known shorty about -- you guessed it -- cocks and nuts and greed, wherein everyone dies and Phil wants to (again?) reboot Skinemax classic Emmanuelle.

#79: The Water Nixie

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:30:00 GMT

WTF is a nixie? Find out! Sort of. This shorty sparked some Gen X conversation (Baby Jessica, anybody?), an off-the-wall Japanese animated adaptation, and a D&D campaign pitch that in hindsight might already be a YA series.

#78: The Old Man and His Grandson

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Join us for a short one this week, a frequently-told but funny fable about treating your elders with respect: because you never know when the next generation is watching. And, if there's a way to make this even darker, Phil will find it for a Hollywood pitch.

#77: Clever Gretel

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Here we have one of the best stories we've read in a long time, succinctly summed up as a tale of sexy shoes and drunken shenanigans from a girl you can't help but root for.

#76: The Pink

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Our triumphant return! Miss us? We missed you! We kick off SEASON SIX with a wackjob tale of wishes, an iffy bad guy, poor planning, and one of the greatest punishments yet.

#75: The Fox and the Cat

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 09:50:00 GMT

Episode 75 with (brief) special guest Shannon! Thus brings a close to Season 5 with the thrilling conclusion to The Fox Cycle, a top-tier shorty based on an ancient expression. We get into cat tattoos, speaking Greek, and a revenge pitch.

#74: The Fox and His Cousin

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 14:55:00 GMT

Continuing "the fox saga" wherein we have a nice wolf and a downright awful fox. We think? Despite diving into German and Olde English we may still have translation and tone troubles.

#73: The Wolf and the Fox

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:42:00 GMT

Back to our series of short one-offs about quick brown foxes and lazy...wolves. This week the wolf's not so much a braggart as a bully. Will he get what's coming to him? Knowing the Grimms, probably!

#72: The Wolf and the Man

Mon, 26 May 2025 19:15:00 GMT

This week we kick off a series of shorties centering around a clever lil' fox and, usually, his big, dumb wolf friend. Here, the wolf talks a big game but how far will he throw his hatchet?

#71: How Six Men Got On in the World

Mon, 19 May 2025 19:45:00 GMT

This week's entry is a zany tale full of wannabe X-Men and sounds remarkably similar to 1988's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and for good reason.

#70: The Three Sons of Fortune

Mon, 12 May 2025 13:00:00 GMT

Teaching ham-fisted capitalist tyrants through the power of animation. Now with more cocks and asses! Uh, and kitten euthanasia.

#69: Jorinda and Joringel

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 13:50:00 GMT

Co-ed curfews, makin' out in the woods, and too many birds this week -- and Phil gives Mike a present! CW: abortion

#68: The Thief and His Master

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 13:15:00 GMT

In this tale -- unsurprisingly full of theft and fraud -- we learn an important lesson: never turn into a chicken. Possibly more important, Phil finally produces the long-awaited finish to Asimov's legendary Foundation series.

#67: The Twelve Huntsmen

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 19:00:00 GMT

In a land of arguably too many kings, there once were two princesses. Although sometimes one is a handsome dude. Who even knows?

#66: The Hare's Bride

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:15:00 GMT

Who doesn't love a surprise wedding? We have cabbages, 311, and one of the weirder forms of public transit this side of Kassel.

Don't miss this weird and wonderful artistic interpretation by Ellen Cornett.

#65: Thousandfurs

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:30:00 GMT

We manage to pull this famous tale that begins with incest into Jeffrey Dahmer and Feudal Japan revenge horror territory.

CW: incest, rape

#64: The Golden Goose

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 18:30:00 GMT

Did the Grimm Brothers have an idiot younger brother? With another return of Simpleton, we can't help but wonder. This story only netted out to B-tier but may have inspired Katamari Damacy.

CW: miscarriage/abortion

#63: The Three Feathers

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 21:30:00 GMT

Here's a funky little story of helpful frogs and absolutely insufferable older brothers. We were split on grading, but let's call it an A-?

#62: The Queen Bee

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:00:00 GMT

This week we have a delightful little story about helping animals that we, unsurprisingly, managed to spin into conversation of gay erotica and beheading the French aristocracy.

#61: The Little Peasant

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 16:20:00 GMT

Welcome to season 5! We're kicking off a slew of short -- but mighty -- stories with this tale about the smartest idiot in town paired with a dash of adultery for flavor. Enjoy!

#60: The Two Brothers

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 17:00:00 GMT

Our thrilling conclusion to season 4 is what has got to be the longest Grimm tale ever, a solid B+ full of animals, treachery, and our first slapstick beheading.

#59: Frederick and Catherine

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:30:00 GMT

In what Phil calls "Amelia Bedelia Goes to Germany," we have another A-tier based solely on its comedic value. If anything, it's the greatest cheese retrieval story ever told.

#58: The Dog and the Sparrow

Sun, 10 Nov 2024 14:00:00 GMT

This week we have a wonderful tale of friendship and kindness. Oh, and vengeance -- brutal, absolute vengeance. It's sweet and to the point and we quickly slotted it straight into the A tier.

#57: The Golden Bird

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 22:15:00 GMT

We seem to be on a roll with this theme of making poor decisions, though now it's just willful ignorance and stupidity. A real FAFO situation. It's still entertaining, though, so we gave it a solid B.

#56: Sweetheart Roland

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:40:00 GMT

From the depths of your darkest imagination...just in time for Halloween...we return. It's been a long time! Here's a rollicking tale of idiot decisions and unlikeable characters that we averaged out to a C. Mike even wrote a pitch for once!

#55: Rumpelstiltskin

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:42:00 GMT

We're on a tear with the big names lately, even if they end up a little flatter than others and this one is no exception at a B. We find ties to lots of other themes, though, and even uncover what the modern day Rumpelstiltskin may be.

#54: The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 14:50:00 GMT

This is a weird one, it gets a B. There are similar themes from other stories but muddier here. We spice it up with a little Game of Thrones, a dash of Magic: the Gathering, and a heaping tablespoon of Guns N' Roses.

#53: Little Snow White

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 14:50:00 GMT

It's a big one! Phil ranks this one S-tier but Mike's not convinced. Join our gullible AF heroine in a surprisingly poetic tale with callbacks to The Juniper Tree and learn about its darker twists in earlier editions.

CW: miscarriage

#52: King Thrushbeard

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:25:00 GMT

Behold a real villain of a prince in this C-rank tale full of gaslighting and humiliation. The moral is trash but we manage to spin some raunchy metaphors and a superior 90s revenge fantasy pitch movie out of it!

#51: Fundevogel (Fledgling)

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:30:00 GMT

We have a wonderful S-tier diamond in the rough this week, a sweet story of sibling love and trust. Don't sleep on this one.

#50: The Sleeping Beauty (Briar Rose)

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 22:40:00 GMT

Number 50, and a big one! You may think you know this one but listen in to discover the untold hero and villain here. This version really only rates a B with us. Did Disney actually do it better?

CW: rape

#49: The Six Swans

Tue, 09 Jul 2024 21:50:00 GMT

Characters and plot devices that just disappear? Hooray! This derivative of prior brother birds stories doesn't pack quite the same punch at its C ranking, but there's still plenty of shenanigans.

#48: Old Sultan

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:15:00 GMT

An old dog learns new tricks but that doesn't save this one from a C ranking. We do, however, manage to spin Dangerous Liaisons and a sausage duel out of it, so that's a win-win.

#47: The Juniper Tree

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:45:00 GMT

A rollicking tale of gaslighting, cannibalism, and a classic Weekend at Bernie's stunt. This one gets a solid A ranking, almost an S.

CW: abortion, miscarriage

#46: Fowler's Fowl

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 15:50:00 GMT

We're back with season 4, now with rankings! This twisted version of Bluebeard gets an A. It has hints of Our Lady's Child & the Robber Bridegroom, and we polish it off with our own chastity interpretations and 80s/90s movie pitches.

#45: Thumbling's Travels

Mon, 13 May 2024 20:10:00 GMT

Thumbling is back! Plot twist: now he's a dick. Join us for his wacky adventures, plus a long-lost 80s school lunch food and NEW Grimm news!

#44: Godfather Death

Mon, 06 May 2024 22:25:00 GMT

Join us for a little déjà vu this week. You know what they say about big candles! Big...uh...life expectancy?

#43: Frau Trude

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:30:00 GMT

Wherein willful, anthropomorphic firewood learns an important lesson. OR maybe has a lovely coming-out adventure?

#42: The Godfather

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:25:00 GMT

We're in agreement that being a godparent means different things to different people. Rarely, though, does it involve the devil handing out magic healing water.

#41: Mr. Korbes

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 22:30:00 GMT

What do Pete Davidson, the Brave Little Toaster, casual murder, and Oklahoma! have in common? Nothing but this very episode, our shortest one yet!

#40: The Robber Bridegroom

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 20:40:00 GMT

After a quick break, we return with a straight-up short horror novella this week. No fairies, no magic, just the Law & Order: SVU of Grimm.

#39: Elves

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:50:00 GMT

Another bonus week, this time with not one but three stories! And if you have any interest in pretty little naked men, do we have just the story for you.

#38: The Wedding of Mrs. Fox

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 23:10:00 GMT

How much mourning is enough mourning? Find out (or not?) in this two-for-one spectacular with a popular lascivious interpretation (wink wink).

#37: Thumbling

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 22:15:00 GMT

A young man who keeps a low (ha!) profile but really measures up (ha!), Thumbling comes from rare stock -- a woodcutter who refuses to sell a child!

#36: The Wishing Table, the Gold Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:30:00 GMT

We're back after a short break! This week we have what may be the best title yet, including a rare Grimm follow-up to a utility character PLUS possibly the origin of the phrase "beat them off with a stick."

#35: The Tailor in Heaven

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 21:30:00 GMT

Heaven is not all it's cracked up to be. Not only do you have to walk there, but you still have to bathe. Fortunately, this guy is an expert at washing children...?

#34: Clever Elsie

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 21:05:00 GMT

A quick little tale this week of beer, identity crisis, and meeting your significant other's parents.

#33: The Three Languages

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:20:00 GMT

Just when we start to see some familiar themes, this story takes a Ratatouille turn and gives us a special look inside the papal conclave.

#32: Clever Hans

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:10:00 GMT

This strangely-formatted story is silly enough until it veers sharply into grim (Grimm? eh?) territory, complete with a questionable "Schrodinger's marriage" ending. Guest-starring bad German accents and Amelia Bedelia horror fic.

#31: The Girl Without Hands

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:50:00 GMT

We return to classic Grimm form this week with terrible fathers, dirty girls, millers cutting wood, and -- of course -- a bizarre mix of Pagan rituals and Christian iconography.

#30: The Louse and the Flea

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 16:00:00 GMT

After a holiday break, we're back with a classic chain tale, Biblical mass murder, and "99 Luftballons." Who's up for some global thermonuclear war?

#29: The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 14:30:00 GMT

SPECIAL GUEST! For the first time, one of our own kids has made it on. Elliott's here to talk buying children, the River Styx, butts, and yet another fetch quest.

#28: The Singing Bone

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 15:50:00 GMT

Yet another rampaging boar but not really a happy ending here. However, we do have Robert Baratheon and a Shakespeare zombie pitch. In that regard, we all win.

#27: The Bremen Town-Musicians

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 18:20:00 GMT

Donkeys are awesome! What's better than running away to Bremen to be a musician? Not going to Bremen at all, apparently.

#26: Little Red Cap

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 19:50:00 GMT

Mmm, sausage water. You may think you know this one, and you'd be right. HOWEVER, if you don't know the French version, stay tuned because it's WAY darker.

#25: The Seven Ravens

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 16:30:00 GMT

Chairs! Chicken legs! Finger keys! As we all know, when a baby girl is born after a bunch of sons those sons are in for a rough ride. You might have heard this one before, but now with 110% more acid trip.

#24: Mother Holle

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 15:50:00 GMT

This week we get into arguably the most legendary god figure that modern history has forgotten. The mother of witches, snow, spinning (of course), and so much more. She's the best mother figure you'll hopefully never meet.

#23: The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 17:15:00 GMT

SPECIAL GUESTS Charles and Nate! Friends, we've reached what is likely everyone's favorite story so far. If you liked "The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean," hold onto your hats. Minecraft, forged papers, vaccines, the CCP, and more!

#22: The Riddle

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 13:55:00 GMT

What do beheadings, spies, Stephen King's The Dark Tower, and talking in your sleep have in common? Not much but we made it work for this weird tale. This one probably won't be optioned by a major animation studio any time soon.

#21: Cinderella

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 03:00:00 GMT

HUGE ONE! What's Cinderella without fairy godmothers and pumpkin coaches? Bloody shoes, poetic yet bloodthirsty birds, and a father who's just as terrible as the stepmother. And there's a Greek version that's even worse!

#20: The Valiant Little Tailor

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 15:15:00 GMT

On the docket this week we have professional wrestling, girdles, squeezy cheese, and (of course) yet another unwilling and loveless marriage. Who wins in this story? The tailor. Who loses? Literally everybody else.

#19: The Fisherman and His Wife

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 12:50:00 GMT

Unimaginable greed, veiled warnings against the institution of marriage, listener feedback, The Carpenters, and what could be the greatest movie pitch yet. Something for everyone this week!

#18: The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 13:55:00 GMT

Our first "The X, the Y, and the Z" story! Turns out Disney did not invent anthropomorphization. These are Grimm gold, largely because of the body count and harsh moral lessons. This week's is super short but not to be missed.

#17: The White Snake

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 13:10:00 GMT

Well, you can guess what two children of the 80s mostly talk about with this one. Here we go again! Also, this just in: it sucks to be a duck. Or sometimes a horse.

#16: The Three Snake-Leaves

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 18:05:00 GMT

Just how hot does someone have to be for a suicide pact? Is there a pre-nup for this situation? Thank god for magical herbs. And maybe for Viking zombies?

#15: Hansel and Gretel

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 14:50:00 GMT

Another BIG ONE, another poor woodcutter abandoning his children in the woods. Or selling them. Or trading them for spinach. Or whatever. And what do space zombies have to do with this venerable tale? Find out next!

#14: The Three Spinners

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 15:30:00 GMT

We have a short and sweet one this week; all about the rewards of laziness, the power of deformities, and, yes, more spinning. Do you know the difference between linen and cotton? Turns out we don't either.

#13: The Three Little Men in the Wood

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:35:00 GMT

Defenestration! UNO reverse cards! These three little men only make a cameo of an appearance but there's plenty of weird and wicked. If you're tired of the evil stepmother trope, fear not: radical capital punishment is back to save the day.

#12: Rapunzel

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:10:00 GMT

We arrive at our first REALLY BIG ONE and celebrate the milestone with special guest host Nate, who, it turns out, would probably not trade his unborn child for spinach. But nobody's perfect.

#11: Little Brother and Little Sister

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 17:45:00 GMT

Sometimes wicked stepmothers can even be terrible to their own ugly, one-eyed conspirator offspring. In a world of brutal but hilarious corporal punishment, is it possible this poor girl could be the hero of her own story? Probably not, but let's find out.

#10: The Pack of Ragamuffins

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 20:40:00 GMT

Cocks, nuts, and pleasure, oh my! And that's just the first paragraph. What the hell is a ragamuffin, anyway? Listen and find out in this short, bonkers, acid trip of a story. Buckle up!

#9: The Twelve Brothers

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 15:30:00 GMT

Infanticide by the dozen! Yet another King who immediately marries a mute teen girl he found in the forest! We have another short one this week; this one's pretty random but also pretty direct. Remember: always stand with your siblings.

#8: The Wonderful Musician

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 07:48:00 GMT

What do you do with a sociopathic, xenophobic young fellow? Why, buy him a fiddle and turn him loose in the forest, of course. Behold our ability to talk about almost anything BUT this very short, very succinct story.

#7: The Good Bargain

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 23:00:00 GMT

On a Very Special Episode, we explore antisemitism in 19th century Germany (well, to be honest, it didn't start there), talk Guster, and fit in a couple other topics with our very special guest Sasha.

#6: Faithful John

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 23:40:00 GMT

"My liege, I have an idea..." We have kidnapping, infanticide, and more this week in a ridiculous adventure sure to be adapted by The Big Mouse any day now.

#5: The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 13:30:00 GMT

STRANGER DANGER: beware chalk eaters and baby hogs! This week we imagine the horrors that would beset us all if wolves actually took the time to chew their food, plus ask the age-old question of if there's a way to drown that isn't miserable.

#4: The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 14:30:00 GMT

Indiscriminate killing of animals, bowling zombies, and elder abuse are only the beginning. In what's arguably our wackiest tale yet, discover the most horrifying thing of all: a bucket of fish. Or marriage, depending on which version you read. Special shout-out and thanks to MC Frontalot's "Shudders"!

#3: Our Lady's Child

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 17:50:00 GMT

Can you go to Heaven without actually dying? How many babies can you eat without arousing suspicion? Join Mary, Judas, and the rest of the gang for a rousing tale of lying through your teeth to save your skin, plus as much loosely-informed Biblical theory as we can manage. Ed. note: Philippe's poor audio quality in episodes 2 & 3 was a mistake and has been corrected moving forward.

#2: Cat and Mouse in Partnership

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 01:00:00 GMT

How trustworthy are cats? How about the French? At least it's a universal truth that college-aged neighbors are terrible. Join us to talk odd roommates, larceny, and murder. Ed. note: Philippe's poor audio quality in episodes 2 & 3 was a mistake and has been corrected moving forward.

#1: The Frog-King, or Iron Henry

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Can cruel fury and violence change a man? Let's find out, and along the way discover broken promises, very young love, and the prevalence of citrus trees in early 19th century Germany. Plus! A modicum of bonus background info on the Brothers Grimm and their lives & times.