Andy is joined by Joanna Robinson to discuss a New York Times article published last week declaring that we’re in the midst of an era of “mid TV” with shows like ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ and ‘Hijack’ (11:42). Then, they talk about the new Netflix hit ‘Baby Reindeer’ in relation to that article (39:36), before discussing episodes 2-5 of ‘Sugar’ and why it should have worked when unfortunately it doesn't (50:44).

Read the New York Times piece here.

Host: Andy Greenwald
Guest: Joanna Robinson
Producer: Kaya McMullen
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‘Baby Reindeer,’ ‘Sugar,’ and This Maybe Era of “Mid TV”

Every week, The Ringer's Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan -- longtime friends and pop culture addicts -- break down the latest in TV, movies, and music.

TV & Film

Chris and Andy talk about the news that ‘Yellowstone’ has started production on the last episodes of it’s final season (1:00), and news that ‘Shogun’ will actually be coming back for two more seasons (9:54). Then they are joined by ‘Ripley’ creator Steven Zaillian to talk about what drew him to make another adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel (21:08), and working with actors like Andrew Scott, Kenneth Lonergan, and John Malkovich on the show (38:14).

Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Producer: Kaya McMullen
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Steven Zaillian on Creating the World of ‘Ripley.’ Plus, More ‘Shogun’ and ‘Yellowstone’ News.

Chris and Andy discuss standing ovation culture at the Cannes Film Festival (01:29), and Bob Iger’s admission that he tried to tell too many stories at the start of streaming (05:47). They talk about the many prequels being announced, starting with ‘Dune: Prophecy’ (12:31), as well as the companies’ commitment to getting a return on investment for their IP. They then get into the trailer for Season 2 of ‘The Rings of Power’ and ‘House of Dragon’ (17:25), and the renewal of ‘3 Body Problem’ (29:53) and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ (45:26),. They also express their excitement over new stories being told that aren’t ancillary projects. Later, they note their disappointment in the safe choices made in ‘Big Cigar’ (49:26). Finally, they interview Adrien Brody on his roles in ‘Winning Time’ and ‘Succession’ (58:57).

Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Guest: Adrien Brody
Producers: Kaya McMullen and Olivia Crerie
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New Seasons of ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Rings of Power,’ and the State of Franchise TV. Plus, ‘Big Cigar’ and Adrien Brody on ‘Winning Time’ and ‘Succession.’

Chris and Andy talk about the just-OK box office performance of ‘The Fall Guy’ and what that says about the state of the movie industry right now (11:09). Then they talk about some more casting news for ‘Fantastic Four’ (19:07) before discussing the first four episodes of ‘Hacks’ Season 3 and the crossroads where the show finds itself right now (27:19). Finally, they talk about the final three episodes of ‘Ripley’ and why it is their favorite show of the year so far (37:43).

Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Producer: Kaya McMullen
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‘Ripley’ Is the Best Show of the Year So Far. Plus, ‘Fantastic Four’ Casting News and ‘Hacks.’

Chris and Andy remember the legendary engineer and producer Steve Albini, who passed away this week (1:00). They then talk of news that the third season of ‘The Bear’ will be out this June (13:25) and that ‘Shogun’ will be getting a second season (18:30). Next, they talk about Disney and Warner Bros. reaching a deal to offer a Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle (28:44), before diving into their new favorite delight on Netflix: John Mulaney’s quasi-late-night show, ‘Everybody’s in L.A.’ (36:33).

Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Producer: Kaya McMullen
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‘Shogun’ and ‘The Bear’ News, the Disney-Hulu-Max Bundle, and ‘Everybody’s in L.A.’

Chris and Andy are joined by screenwriter Scott Frank to talk about making 'Monsieur Spade' and what pulled him toward that adaptation (1:00), how he shifted from being primarily a script doctor to running his own shows (21:39), and how he feels about the shifting ways in which people consume TV and movies (41:49).

Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Guest: Scott Frank
Producers: Kaya McMullen and Eduardo Ocampo
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‘Baby Reindeer,’ ‘Sugar,’ and This Maybe Era of “Mid TV”

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