Def Rec

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From The Odd Couple to Stargate, turning hit movies into TV shows is a grand Hollywood tradition — but most of them don't survive. On this Def Rec, three shows that added "The Series" to their title get the verdict: Tremors, RoboCop, and Highlander. Which one actually earned the top spot?

CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open: "I am Duncan MacLeod..."
0:03 The Def Rec premise
0:27 Why some movies become TV shows
1:48 The three best "The Series" shows
1:59 Honorable mentions
2:19 #3 - Tremors: The Series (2003)
3:25 Reason to Rec: the Tremors verdict
3:39 #2 - RoboCop: The Series (1994)
5:32 Reason to Rec: the RoboCop verdict
6:06 #1 - Highlander: The Series (1992)
9:07 Reason to Rec: the Highlander verdict
9:37 DefRec: the #1 pick
9:51 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
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Some franchises pass the torch to a new hero and stick the landing. Others fumble it so badly the flame goes out.

On this Def Rec, three legacy sequels that tried to hand off the franchise get the verdict: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), A Good Day to Die Hard (2013), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Which torch-passing actually worked?

CHAPTERS
0:00 The Def Rec premise
0:29 Why franchises keep passing the torch
1:43 Torch-passings that worked: Creed, Jurassic World, Maverick
3:46 The three movies that unpass the torch
3:53 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
6:49 Reason to Rec: the Crystal Skull verdict
7:08 A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
10:14 Reason to Rec: the Die Hard verdict
10:30 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
14:32 Reason to Rec: the top pick
15:18 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
Substack: https://jonmcbrineauthor.substack.com
Blog: https://defrecblog.blogspot.com
Tumblr: https://tumblr.com/jon-mcbrine-author
Instagram & Threads: @jon_mcbrine_author
TikTok: @jon_mcbrine_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonmcbrine.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonmcbrineauthor
Medium: @jonmcbrine

Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show. 

Send feedback and recs of your own!

Some sequels arrive a decade late and still stick the landing. Others should have stayed in the vault.

On this Def Rec, three belated sequels get the verdict: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020), Psycho II (1983), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). Which one was actually worth the wait?

CHAPTERS
0:00 The Def Rec premise
0:24 Better late than never, or better never late at all?
1:20 Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
4:16 Reason to Rec: the Bill & Ted verdict
4:33 Psycho II (1983)
7:06 Reason to Rec: the Psycho II verdict
7:13 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
9:28 Reason to Rec: the top pick
9:53 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
Substack: https://jonmcbrineauthor.substack.com
Blogger: https://defrecblog.blogspot.com
Tumblr: https://tumblr.com/jon-mcbrine-author
Instagram & Threads: @jon_mcbrine_author
TikTok: @jon_mcbrine_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonmcbrine.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonmcbrineauthor
Medium: @jonmcbrine

Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show. 

Send feedback and recs of your own!

“S” is more - When Hollywood runs out of sequel ideas, studios turn to the best letter ever - "S." Sci-fi author Jon McBrine tackles pluralized movie sequels: Adrien Brody's philosophical warfare in Predators, Rings accidentally curing insomnia, and Glenn Powell's unexpectedly fun storm-chasing cash grab Twisters.

CHAPTERS

0:00 The Def Rec premise

0:24 Why do sequels just add an "S"?

1:58 Predators (2010)

3:43 Reason to Rec: the Predators verdict

4:00 Rings (2017)

5:46 Reason to Rec: the Rings verdict

6:00 Twisters (2024)

7:30 Reason to Rec: the Twisters verdict

7:44 Like, subscribe & follow

8:00 Reason to Rec: the top pick

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Send feedback and recs of your own!

What is the ultimate secret weapon for Hollywood execs running out of ideas? It isn't bigger budgets or CGI explosions—it’s adding a simple, aggressive, three-letter word to the title. In this episode of Def Rec, self-certified internet-access pop culture authority Jon McBrine breaks down the bizarre cinematic trend of slapping "THE" onto sequels, soft reboots, and franchise course-corrections to make them instantly sound cooler.

Why do so many sequels just add an "S"? Alien became Aliens — and Hollywood has been copying the trick ever since.

Get a free story: https://jonmcbrine.com/newsletter
New subscribers get a free digital copy of "Avenge Her," a prequel to my YA sci-fi series.

My books: https://jonmcbrine.com


Let's connect:
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Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show. 

Send feedback and recs of your own!

Hollywood executives seem to think adding a "2" or a "3" to a title is uninspired—so instead, we got a musical Joker sequel that upset the entire Internet and a Venom trilogy that exists purely to keep Sony’s lawyers employed. Self-proclaimed pop-culture authority Jon McBrine re-titleS cinema's most confusing sequels. 

Get a free story: jonmcbrine.com/newsletter
New subscribers get a free digital copy of "Avenge Her," a prequel to my YA sci-fi series.

My books: jonmcbrine.com

Let's connect:
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Send feedback and recs of your own!

Is 1987’s Masters of the Universe a classic or just a chore your dad forces you to watch? I'm breaking down why the original He-Man film—despite lacking Orko and being 100% pure 80s cheese—still packs more soul than a modern $200 million franchise entry.

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Ever wondered what happens when a Hollywood studio sees a perfectly wrapped-up trilogy and says, "Wait, we can wring more money out of this!"? I dive into the highly "scientific" world of movie Part 4s. From Ghostface getting a 2011 wake up call to Indiana Jones fighting CGI monkeys, and Forky sparking a full-on existential crisis—I'm ranking the top three fourth entries that shattered beloved trilogies forever.

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New subscribers get a free digital copy of "Avenge Her," a prequel to my YA sci-fi series.

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It's a summer retrospective where I reflect on raw-dogging the early cinematic oeuvre of the "Muscles from Brussels" himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme. I discuss everything from ghost-Bruce-Lee senseis and peak post-apocalyptic hair spikes to Timecop’s aggressively rolled-up sleeves and confusing portal rules. But between the glass knuckles of Kickboxer, the iconic tournament action of Bloodsport, and the surprising bromance of Lionheart, only one early-era classic walks away as the film I definitely recommend—so which JCVD masterpiece takes the top spot, and do you agree with the final pick? 

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Def Rec: Non-Spoiler Review of the newest Spider-Man Movie

Following up on a massive multiversal spectacle like No Way Home is no easy feat. In this episode, I break down Spider-Man: Brand New Day to see how Peter Parker navigates his new, more grounded life.

In this episode (with handy timestamps!):

• Adjusting Expectations: Why scaling down after No Way Home shifts the tone of the franchise [01:03].
• Growing Pains: How moving past the fun "high school era" turns Spidey’s journey into a post-grad drama [02:00].
• MCU Mandates & Cameos: Did setting up future Avengers storylines come at the expense of classic Spider-Man characters? [04:45]
• The Verdict: Where this installment ranks among Tom Holland’s solo Spider-Man films [05:31].

Is it a bad movie? Far from it [00:30]. But is it the weakest of the four? Listen in to get the full spoiler-free review!

Def Rec - A chaotic guide to your next favorite watch. Top film and TV picks, served with oddball observations you’ll definitely recommend. Hosted by sci-fi author Jon McBrine.

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Let’s connect

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Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show.