Topics Discussed In This Episode:

How well the movie captures the feel of 1980s suburban America

The experience of watching it with adult eyes

Whimsy, magic, and nostalgia

The underrated soundtrack

The Cyndi Lauper of it all

How quickly and easily we get to know the 4 main characters

The Sloth/Chunk relationship is the film’s beating heart

Has Chunk secretly been the movie’s MVP this whole time?

Andy and Stef’s roles in the film: good or underserved?

Mama Fratelli: the most unlikely and terrifying antagonist

Does the plot of this movie actually make sense?

The wishing well scene: cringe or crucial?

Justice for Stef

News from Star Wars Celebration:

* Updates on The Mandalorian and Grogu.

* Starfighter, a newly announced film from Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling.

* Maul: Shadow Lord, because we just cannot quit Darth Maul.

* Ahsoka: S2 is shooting. Hopefully they’ll remember the main character is a dynamic personality, and not a stoic monk with head tails.

* Pouring out a cold one for everything we didn’t get an update on.

Andor: S2:

* Contrasting the goals of S1 vs S2.

* The Dedra and Syril of it all.

* Our favorite storylines from the first 3 episodes.

* How Andor continues to reflect what’s happening in America.

* The magnificent Mon Mothma.

* Minor concerns about S2.

In this episode:

Dissecting the overall not-great vibes.

Was it better when there was less Star Wars?

Kathleen Kennedy, misogyny, and the awkwardness of discussing her tenure.

The market-driven approach to Star Wars is failing.

The allure and inherent danger of a Darth Vader series.

Can Star Wars survive without nostalgia-driven content?

The upcoming slate of films that may someday be released, maybe.

What Jeff would do if he was in charge of Lucasfilm.

I’ve been wanting to get back to podcasting semi-regularly for some time now. Then the Avengers: Doomsday casting dropped yesterday and I had to talk about it. So I recorded myself talking to myself for your enjoyment.

I’m planning on doing another pod soon about the state of Star Wars, which is an ongoing concern.

The announced cast for Doomsday:

Chris Hemsworth as Thor

Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm / Invisible Woman

Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / The Winter Soldier

Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man

Wyatt Russell as John Walker / U.S. Agent

Tenoch Huerta Mejia as Namor

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm / The Thing

Simu Liu as Shang-Chi

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova

Kelsey Grammer as Dr. Hank McCoy / Beast

Lewis Pullman as Bob / Sentry

Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres / Falcon

Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm / Human Torch

David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian

Winston Duke as M'Baku

Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost

Tom Hiddleston as Loki

Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier

Ian McKellen as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto

Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler

Rebecca Romijn as Mystique

James Marsden as Scott Summers / Cyclops

Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau / Gambit

Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards / Mr. Fantastic

Robert Downey Jr. as Victor Von Doom / Doctor Doom

Bestill my nerdy heart.

Balancing out my enthusiasm for the cast is my doubts about the rushed nature of the film and the short-term mentality of casting RDJ as Doctor Doom.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Is this the greatest villain origin story ever?

Oswald’s journey from sympathetic anti-hero to villain we still kinda like.

The difference between Oswald and Tony Soprano.

Are monsters born or made? (Or is it sometimes both?)

Family, culpability, and shared madness.

Who had the most tragic end?

Hopes and predictions for how this show will fit into the evolving Batman narrative.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Why does Hollywood keep selling us the same stories?

Creativity vs authenticity.

How photography informs Sheila’s writing.

The role of curiosity in creativity.

Deciding what to work on / how we spend our lives.

Does writing about pop culture matter?

When are comparisons good and when are they bad?

The role of play and joy in creativity.

Our writing processes and how we inject humor.

How do you know what something is done?

Our dream projects.

Pop culture topics discussed: St Elmo’s Fire, Star Wars, The Penguin, Dwayne Johnson, Jim Henson, The Proclaimers

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

The battle for Victor’s soul.

The tragedy of Sofia Falcone and her dark rebirth.

Reconsidering Oswald in light of the Sofia-centric episode.

My deliciously divided loyalties.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Giving gravitas and pathos to one of the silliest villains ever created.

Comparisons to Gotham, the Fox TV show that covered the same ground.

The many ways this show gets us to root for Oswald Cobb, who’s clearly a bad guy.

Oswald’s superpower.

The brilliance of Colin Farrell’s performance.

Victor and Oswald’s relationship, and how it may be what turns Oswald into the Penguin.

Sofia Falcone is far more than just a crazy killer.

The role of family in the development of both Oswald and Sofia.

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

Why do we play fantasy football?

How fantasy football is played

Our first fantasy experience

Preventing fantasy football from ruining your life

The origin story of our 20-year-old league

The components of a good league

Why the draft is the best time of the year, and draft tips

Some picks we love and regret from this year’s draft

Topics Discussed In This Episode:

The contrived circumstances that led to the movie and its real-life inspirations

Daniel LaRusso’s mom was sus

The summer movie feels

Daniel LaRusso: kind of a punk

Mr. Miyagi is channeling Yoda

The role of surrogate fathers

Johnny Lawrence: greatest 80s bully?

The tournament is an unassailable sports movie moment

Breaking down the Cobra Kais

The climactic Daniel v. Johnny fight

The legacy, including the Cobra Kai show

Link City:

Daniel LaRusso's Crane Kick Shattered the Space-Time Continuum and Doomed the Valley

The Johnny Lawrence Story by Patton Oswalt