Socially Distanced

In this episode of the Socially Distanced Podcast, hosts Bill Bodkin and Amanda Rivas welcome on It’s Tom-plicated: A Tom Holland Podcast host Alex Marcus and Should I Go See It host Bill George to dive into the maybe final Mission Impossible film.

The conversation flows through various themes, including the evolution of the Mission Impossible series and the impact of Tom Cruise's stunts on the action genre. They also delve into the complexities of the latest Mission Impossible film, discussing the nostalgia factor, the effectiveness of Easter eggs, character retcons, and the pacing of the film. They critique the film's structure, the portrayal of AI as a villain, and the absurdity of certain action sequences, ultimately sharing their mixed feelings about the film's execution and storytelling. They also delve into the film's ending and speculate on the future of the franchise, highlighting the challenges of continuing a series that has become synonymous with Cruise's star power.

In the Pre-Game, the crew shares their excitement for upcoming films and TV series as previewed during Netflix's TUDUM event, including their thoughts on Stranger Things, One Piece, RIP, Wednesday, and Frankenstein. 

On this episode of Socially Distanced, host Amanda Rivas is joined by Pop Break’s weekly The Last of Usrecapper Sam Niles and Pop Break’s Podcast Director Alex Marcus, host of Bill vs. The MCU and It’s Tom-plicated: A Tom Holland Podcast. Together, they dive into a wide-ranging discussion spanning the Marvel Cinematic Universe and HBO’s acclaimed adaptation of The Last of Us.

The episode kicks off with the latest news from the MCU, including fresh updates on the future of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and what’s next for Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner. The guests break down recent casting announcements and speculate on the potential directions for these beloved characters. With Alex’s expertise on all things Tom Holland, the conversation offers unique insight into how Peter Parker’s journey could evolve in the next phase of the MCU.

The discussion then shifts gears to explore the moral and emotional complexity at the heart of The Last of Us. Sam leads a thoughtful analysis of Joel’s controversial decision at the end of Season 1, examining how the ambiguity surrounding the cure shapes audience perceptions. The group also unpacks Ellie and Dina’s evolving dynamic, the impact of Bella Ramsey’s performance, and how Neil Druckmann’s recent comments might hint at future story developments.

Rounding out the episode, Amanda, Sam, and Alex explore the narrative structure and character choices of the adaptation, with particular focus on Abby’s role and her notable absence thus far. They reflect on the show’s shift away from traditional zombie tropes in favor of emotional storytelling and character-driven drama. With Season 3 on the horizon, the trio discusses the significance of cliffhangers, viewer expectations, and the bold creative choices that continue to define The Last of Us.

Get ready for big tears, big action and a whole bunch of positivity as Socially Distanced returns to the Star Wars Universe to discuss the Andor Series Finale.

"The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia" Amanda Rivas is in the pilot seat of the U-Wing with a crew that includes Bill Bodkin, Pop Break staff writer Amanda Hoffman and returning for the first time in forever -- podcast director Alex Marcus.

This Skeleton Crew discuss the brilliance of all things Andor. They stunt "cast" Tony Gilroy to direct a new Star Wars story, they discuss the series' flow right into Rogue One, the performances of Diego Luna, Genevieve O'Reilly, Ardia Arjona, Elizabeth Dulau, and Kyle Soller. They discuss how the writing made us sympathetic for Syril and Dedra -- despite how awful they are. They never let disco droids sleep, and they ultimately wax poetic about the Andor experience.

In the pre-game segment, they talk about the new trailer for Jurassic World: Rebirth -- featuring Jonathan Bailey and his slutty little glasses.

Socially Distanced* - The Flagship Podcast of ThePopBreak.com is back with a special look at Marvel's latest film Thunderbolts*....*The New Avengers.

Bill Bodkin and Amanda Rivas are joined by special guests Randy Allain of The Media/Lit and Pod of Doom Podcast and Pop Break staff writer and recent college graduate, Nynoshka Vazquez Suazo to discuss the latest entry into the MCU.

As with Thunderbolts*, things get emotional on the podcast as they delve into the film's discussion about mental health, grief, loss, and self-worth. They crack up over the antics of the Red Guardians, and someone get these people some water because there is a lot of thirst for Congressman Buck Barnes throughout the episode. They also discuss the film's impact on the MCU going forward -- from the storyline to their own personal level of interest.

In the pre-game they look at the teaser trailer for Season 2 of James Gunn's Peacemaker, and find out which member of the show has no love for John Cena (and it's not Bill).

May the 4th be with you because it's our annual Star Wars podcast.

"The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia" Amanda Rivas is in the host seat this week and is joined by Pop Break's editor-in-chief Bill Bodkin along with special guests Meg and Davor from the Space Swifties podcast -- a show that celebrates Star Wars and Taylor Swift.

In the episode they discuss Andor Season 2, the news from Star Wars Celebration, Tales of the Underground and what songs they would tie to a Star Wars character.

Go support the Space Swifties and their friends at Clashing Sabres in their effort to put Star Wars books in schools with their Readvenge of the Sith campaign.

Are you ready for some football? Well, Socially Distanced definitely is.

Join Pop Break's Editor-in-Chief Bill Bodkin, "The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia" Amanda Rivas and special guests Ben "The Commander of Our Hearts" Murchison and "The Voice of God" Marshall Stevenson (co-host of Blerd Watchers) as they reconvene the NFC East Group Therapy Session for its 4th season!

In the episode they start things a bit differently as they discuss the off-season of the NFL. They pick what the best and worst free agent signings were, what teams from the NFC and AFC will not have a repeat playoff appearance, they debate whether the Kansas City Chiefs still have that mojo to get back to the big game and where will ol' Aaron Rodgers end up.

After this, they discuss the off-seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants. Marshall discusses if the Eagles can return to the big game. Ben discusses the big trades made by the Commanders. Amanda finds the positives of a tumultuous off season for the Cowboys. Bill praises the Giants draft and discusses the quarterback situation.

In a quick pre-game segment, they discuss Andor Season 2.

Murdocks! Kingpins! Queenpins! Thick Mushroom Daddies!

It’s time for a super-sized episode of The Socially Distanced Podcast.

Pop Break’s Editor-in-Chief Bill Bodkin, “The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia” Amanda Rivas and “The Magical Lad” Tyler McCarthy are here to talk about two of the hottest episodes of television today.

In the pre-game segment they discuss The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 “Through the Valley” — an episode that featured an absolutely epic action set piece and a shocking twist. Bill, Amanda and Tyler discuss the shocking twist, the visceral nature of the zombies in the series, Amanda’s mom’s love for pro wrestler Minoru Suzuki and so much more. If you have not seen the episode, please fast forward (34:53) to skip over this segment.

After the commercial break, they discuss the Season 1 Finale of Daredevil Born: Again. They discuss whether the finale was a good end of the season or a really good set-up for Season 2. They talk about the return of Karen Page, the team up between Punisher and Daredevil, the Swordsman, the horniness of The Fisks and what they’re hoping for in the Jon Bernthal penned Punisher special and Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.

Socially Distanced heads back into the world of HBO's The Last of Us.

Pop Break staff writer Sam Niles returns to Socially Distanced to talk with Pop Break's Editor-in-Chief Bill Bodkin and "The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia" Amanda Rivas about the Season 2 premiere of the series.

They discuss the major change in Kaitlyn Dever's character Abby as well as changes that have been applied throughout the premiere from the second game. They discuss the cast additions of Catherine O'Hara, Young Mazino, Isabella Merced, Robert John Burke and eventually Jeffrey Wright. They discuss Ellie and Joel's relationship, the future of the series and more.

In the pre-game segment they discuss the trailer for Tron Ares which hits theaters in October. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Gillian Anderson and Evan Peters.

The Socially Distanced celebrates the 30th Anniversary of A Goofy Movie this week.

"The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia" Amanda Rivas is in the hosting seat as she's joined by Pop Break's Editor-in-Chief and resident Goofy enthusiast, Bill Bodkin.

They discuss why Bill (to no surprise) never saw the film, and how he feels it stands up after 30 years. Amanda reminisces about Disney "clamshell" VHS tapes and watching the film with her sister. They both discuss how they view the film as adults with parents and as parents themselves. They talk about just how timeless and legitimately great the Powerline songs are. They also discuss the Disney+ documentary Not Just a Goof.

In the pre-game they discuss the trailer for the brand new Predator movie, Predator: Killer of Killers -- which premieres on Hulu this summer.

This week, Socially Distanced orders some pizza, grabs some energy drinks, and turns on its gaming console, living its best gamer life by discussing the best and worst video game adaptations. 

“The Human Star Wars Encyclopedia” Amanda Rivas is in the host seat this week and is joined by Bill Bodkin in his Buck Cashman era, resident guest “The Magical Lad” Tyler McCarthy and special guest Pop Break Staff Writer and gamer extraordinaire Tom Moore.

They discuss Sony Productions’ upcoming film slate and other reveals from CinemaCon 2025, including the release date of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spiderverse and Spider-Man: Brand New Day! 

They also share their gaming origin stories and what upcoming video game adaptations get them most hyped.  

Then they move on to the main story quest of this episode by discussing their own personal top ten best and worst video game adaptations of all time. Surprises abound and epic battles over list placements were had on the way to complete this quest to make this episode part of Socially Distanced lore.