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On this second installment of On Couch / Off Topic, we break down the winners and record-setters from the 2025 Emmy Awards. From historic firsts to surprise upsets, we cover who walked away with the gold, who got snubbed, and the cultural conversations sparked by the night’s biggest moments. If you want the real talk on how this year’s Emmys reshaped the TV landscape, grab a seat on the couch with us.

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For the 30th anniversary of Larry Clark’s KIDS, we take a hard look at the film that shook skateboarding and youth culture in the mid-90s. We pair it with the documentary We Were Once Kids, digging into its raw relevance to skateboarding and the darker aftermath for stars Harold Hunter and Justin Pierce. We talk about exploitation by Clark and, to a lesser degree, screenwriter Harmony Korine and weigh how much responsibility they hold for the fallout. Beyond the film’s gritty reputation, we explore its complicated legacy, the culture it reflected, and the reactions that still ripple today.

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In the debut of our off-topic series, we settle in and let the conversation sprawl. First up is the King of the Hill revival—what excites us, what worries us, and why Arlen still matters today. From there, we shift gears into heavier territory with Nat Geo’s deep dive on the Oklahoma City bombing and HBO’s haunting Hurricane Katrina documentary, unpacking how each one balances memory, history, and storytelling.

Nick then takes aim at old-school broadcast scheduling, airing his gripes about networks still clinging to fall-to-spring calendars instead of embracing the drop-when-ready model that streaming perfected.

We wrap things up with a look ahead: a tease of our very first Off the Couch episode, where we’ll be taking the show out into the world and shooting on location.

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In this week’s episode of Rectangles Podcast, Nick and Jan put HBO’s Perry Mason (2020) on the stand. This darker, grittier reimagining of television’s most famous defense attorney trades the polished courtroom theatrics of the past for a smoky, noir-soaked Los Angeles.

The hosts dig into Matthew Rhys’s brooding take on Mason, Tatiana Maslany’s enigmatic Sister Alice, and John Lithgow’s quietly devastating turn as mentor E.B. Jonathan. They weigh how the series leans into prestige TV spectacle while reworking pulp detective roots, and debate whether the slow-burn mystery earns its moodiness.

Along the way, they explore how the show retools iconic characters, how it compares to the original Raymond Burr era, and what it says about the current wave of prestige reboots. It’s part cross-examination, part film-noir appreciation with the rectangles making their verdict clear.

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This week on Rectangles Podcast, we head to the South Side of Chicago — by way of the rent-to-own hustle. We’re talking about South Side, the criminally underrated comedy that turns minimum-wage grind into maximum-laugh absurdity.

From repoing TVs and finessing job titles to getting baptized in Lake Michigan, South Side is a world where nothing is owned, but everything’s on display. We break down why the show’s hyper-specific Chicago storytelling hits different, how it flips capitalism into comedy, and why this might be one of the best sitcoms no one told you about.

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In this episode, we dive into The Studio — the glossy, meta-comedy from Apple TV+ that’s equal parts satire and love letter to the chaos of Hollywood. We break down the surprisingly sky-high production budget, debate whether the show’s polish adds or distracts from the humor, and unpack why this might be one of the most expensive comedies ever made. From blink-and-you-miss-it cameos to razor-sharp industry references, we talk about how The Studio pulls back the curtain on the entertainment world while still keeping it absurdly entertaining. It’s a must-listen for fans of behind-the-scenes drama, insider lingo, and expensive jokes that actually land.

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Episode 3 — “Parallel Lines & Placebos”

On this mind-bending installment of Rectangles, Janackeh and Nick journey deep into Adult Swim’s animated thriller, Common Side Effects. Their discussion spirals around the mysterious Blue Angel Mushroom at the center of the show, diving into how it sparks conflicts across pharmaceutical giants, underground mycologists, and federal agents.

Key conversations include:

• Magic or medicine? The ongoing debate around psilocybin mushrooms and their potential as therapeutic wonders versus recreational hazards.
• The moral maze of big pharma: when does healing become a hostage to corporate greed?
• Animated realism: How the creators blend trippy visuals with grounded storytelling to capture both the wonder and anxiety of psychedelic experiences.

The hosts also ponder big questions:

• Is Frances the actual villain, or just misunderstood?
• What would their last meals be?
• If they took the Blue Angel Mushroom, what would their own psychedelic “trips” look like?
• Can too much of a good thing actually become harmful?

Plus, they explore the creative minds behind the series—comedy writer Steve Hely (Veep, 30 Rock), animator Joseph Bennett (Scavengers Reign), and executive producers Mike Judge (King of the Hill) and Greg Daniels (Parks and Recreation).

Tune in for insightful commentary, surprising mushroom facts, and reflections on how Common Side Effects illuminates the blurry line between perception and reality.

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In this follow-up to their debut, Janackeh and Nick trade the ballroom floor for the pit lane. They start with a side-by-side look at Driven (2001)—Sylvester Stallone’s glossy, soap-opera take on Champ Car—and Senna, the acclaimed documentary that captures Ayrton Senna’s meteoric rise and tragic fall in Formula 1.  From Hollywood set pieces to real-life onboard footage, they weigh how each film handles speed, rivalry, and the human cost of racing.

A new feature-length F1 movie hitting theaters sparks a bigger chat about why motorsport stories keep drawing fresh audiences.  That rolls into the week’s headline: Christian Horner’s Red Bull controversies and whether the turbulence could nudge Lewis Hamilton away from Ferrari sooner than fans expect.  The hosts round things out with a nod to Netflix’s Drive to Survive and its role in revving up U.S. interest.

Expect candid reactions, a couple of “did-you-know?” production notes, and plenty of tire smoke as Janackeh and Nick explore how real and fictional racing intersect on-screen and on the grid.

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Episode 1 — “The Paris Xtravaganza”

On the very first drop of The Rectangles Podcast, Janackeh and Nick step onto the ballroom floor to dissect the twin documentaries Paris is Burning and I’m Your Venus. Their conversation zeroes in on three big threads:

1. Style theft & fashion fallout – how everything from couture runways to fast-fashion TikToks keeps raiding Black queer aesthetics without paying proper dues.
2. Pace of progress – why ideas, language, and acceptance evolve light-years faster inside queer spaces, and how that rapid change can spook the mainstream.
3. The admiration dilemma – Nick’s candid disappointment when parts of Black queer culture still pedestalize white, straight norms more than their own rich heritage.

Along the way you’ll hear personal stories, shout-outs to legendary Houses, and a few sharp sidebars on allyship in 2025. Whether you already know every category or you’re just clocking in, “The Paris Xtravaganza” sets the tone for a podcast that’s equal parts critique, celebration, and community.

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