SPDM Crew

This week on SPDM TV, Mike Hilty shares his spoiler-filled reactions to the latest episodes of some of the hottest shows on TV right now — including Euphoria, Margo's Got Money Troubles, and more!

⚠️ Spoiler Warning — specific episode discussions ahead!

🎬 Currently Watching:

• Your Friends and Neighbors Season 2, Episodes 8
• Euphoria Season 3, Episodes 6-7
• Hacks Season 5, Episodes 9

✅ Just Finished:

• The Boys Season 5
• Good Omens Season 3
• Margo's Got Money Troubles Season 1

Mike Hilty is a TV and film enthusiast and fellow SPDM Crew podcaster. Connect with him here:

• 📸 Instagram
• 📺 Serializd
• 🎥 Letterboxd
• ✍️ Articles on SiftPop

Mike also hosts and co-hosts several podcasts in the SPDM Crew family — Family Movie Night, Sportsball, and Mix CD — plus the pop culture podcast Geek Speak Louder Than Nerds.

🎙️ Subscribe to the SPDM TV podcast feed

Have a TV show or topic you want Mike to cover, or want to join the SPDM Crew? Email us at [email protected]

📲 Follow SPDM Crew: Facebook | X | Instagram | Threads | YouTube | Bluesky 🌐 www.spdmcrew.com

🎵 Theme music by Evan Peters | Logo by Jason Wilbur @ HiFlyer Creative

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

Welcome to the rock history class you actually want to take! In this installment, Mike and Michael journey from the technical, precision-engineered depths of the global underground to the revolutionary chugging riffs of 1980s thrash and the neon-soaked, soulful pop of the early 90s. We kick things off with The Art of Discovery, our mission to find your next musical obsession. Here’s what we have for you this time:

• inner:i (Greece)
• Spillflower feat. Failed Star (Germany)
• panicwaves (Germany)

Next, we dive into our main topic: Metallica’s 1986 masterpiece, Master of Puppets. We explore what is widely considered Cliff Burton’s magnum opus—an album where technical brilliance meets raw thrash intensity. From the high-speed assault of "Battery" to the unsettling, Bach-inspired reversed intro of "Damage, Inc.," we trace how Metallica refined their sound to create a legendary blueprint for heavy metal. Finally, we head into Michael’s Journey to discuss the 1990 pop-rock classic, "King of Wishful Thinking" by Go West. We uncover the emotional contrast within this Pretty Woman soundtrack anthem: how Peter Cox uses his incredible vocal range to paint a picture of heartbreak and fake it till you make it resilience. We look at the sophisticated arrangements, from the church choir backing vocals to the bright, nostalgic brass section, and why this track remains a perfect encapsulation of early 90s optimism. Press play to join the journey from the complex, gut-punching riffs of modern prog-metal to the infectious, soulful heights of 90s pop-rock!

(00:00:00) - Intro/What Have You Been Listening to this Week?

(00:15:16) - The Art of Discovery

(00:15:42) - inner:i "Yellow Days"

(00:21:56) - Spillflower (ft. Failed Star) "Hollow Shell"

(00:26:16) - panicwaves "Scarce"

(00:30:42) - Main Topic: Breaking Down Metallica's 1986 release, "Master of Puppets"

(01:05:57) - Question for the Audience

(01:06:08) - Can't Wait

(01:08:29) - Michael's Journey: Discussing Go West's "King of Wishful Thinking"

(01:13:20) - On the Next Episode

(01:14:08) - Contact Info/Outro THE ART OF DISCOVERY:

· inner:i – “Yellow Days” (From the album “Lavender”)

· Spillflower (ft. Failed Star) – “Hollow Shell”

· panicwaves – “Scarce”

OTHER BAND MENTIONS:

· Black Veil Brides, In 2 Again, Periphery, A Static Lullaby, Our Lady Peace, Black Sabbath, Dance Gavin Dance, Devin Townsend, I Built The Sky, Elder. Shinedown, If These Trees Could Talk, Anthrax

CONNECT WITH & SUPPORT US

• Connect With Us & Follow the Show: [https://tinyurl.com/yt48wp3z]
• We are part of the SPDM Crew Network!
• Leave a 5-star review on Apple/Spotify!
• Want to be featured on The Art of Discovery? Send us a message!

Recorded on 05/16/2026

This week on the BTB Movie Club podcast, Matt Smith picks The Phoenician Scheme (2025) for the group to watch and discuss. Tune in for the crew's honest, unfiltered take on one of 2025's most talked-about new releases!

BTB Movie Club is a weekly movie podcast where Tim Larsen and friends — Ryan Malo, Dan Sears, Brian Larsen, Matt Smith, Mike Whildin, Aaron Lashbrook, and Mike Hilty — gather every Sunday night to review a movie they've each watched during the week. With nearly 200 films reviewed since 2020, there's something for every kind of movie fan.

🎬 Film Discussed:

• The Phoenician Scheme (2025) — picked by Matt Smith
  • One of the most anticipated films of 2025, reviewed by a group of passionate everyday movie lovers

🎥 Follow the group's Letterboxd to see every film they've reviewed since 2020. 🎙️ Subscribe to the BTB Movie Club podcast feed

BTB Movie Club is proud to be part of the SPDM Crew podcast network. Have a movie suggestion or a question for the group? Reach out at [email protected]

📲 Follow SPDM Crew: Facebook | X | Instagram | Threads | YouTube | Bluesky 🌐 www.spdmcrew.com

🎵 Theme music by The Bare Hambones | Logo by Nikki Larsen

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Family Movie Night, Mike Hilty reviews Despicable Me (2010) — the animated comedy that introduced the world to Illumination Entertainment, the Minions, and the surprisingly lovable supervillain Gru. Is it a classic or did it just unleash chaos on the world? Mike says it's a wash — and he's not wrong.

🎬 Film Discussed:

• Despicable Me (2010) — directed by Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud
  • Studio: Illumination Entertainment (formerly Illumination Animation)
  • The animated family film that launched one of the most successful franchise universes in movie history — for better or worse

Mike Hilty is a TV and film enthusiast and fellow SPDM Crew podcaster. Find him here:

• 📸 Instagram
• 📺 Serializd
• 🎥 Letterboxd
• ✍️ Articles on SiftPop

Mike also hosts and co-hosts several podcasts in the SPDM Crew family — Mix CD, SPDM TV, and Sportsball — plus the pop culture podcast Geek Speak Louder Than Nerds.

🎬 Check out the Family Movie Night Letterboxd list 🎙️ Subscribe to the Family Movie Night podcast feed

Have a family movie recommendation or want to join the SPDM Crew? Email us at [email protected]

📲 Follow SPDM Crew: Facebook | X | Instagram | Threads | YouTube | LinkedIn | Bluesky 🌐 www.spdmcrew.com

🎵 Theme music by Kristofer Twadell | Logo by Jason Wilbur @ HiFlyer Creative Studios

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on The Wasteland Watchlist, host Shane Conto (The Wasteland Reviewer) is joined by film blogger and SPDM Crew podcaster Luke Burian to dive deep into one of the most visceral and influential works of Japanese body horror cinema — Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989), directed by Shin'ya Tsukamoto.

🎬 Film Discussed:

• Tetsuo: The Iron Man (1989) — directed by Shin'ya Tsukamoto
  • Genre: Body horror / Japanese experimental cinema / cult film
  • A twisted, kinetic nightmare of flesh and metal that redefined Japanese indie filmmaking

The Wasteland Watchlist is a film podcast where Shane Conto randomly selects a film from his ever-growing watchlist and dives into a discussion — solo or with a guest — covering everything from cult classics to hidden gems across all eras and genres of cinema.

Shane Conto is a decorated film critic, writer, and YouTuber. Follow his work here:

• 🌐 Website
• ▶️ YouTube – The Wasteland Reviewer
• 📸 Instagram
• 🎥 Letterboxd

Shane also hosts Wasteland Retrospective, Wasteland Spotlight, and The Cinematic Wasteland — all part of the SPDM Crew podcast network.

Luke Burian is a film writer, blogger, and podcaster. Find his work here:

• 🌐 Lost in Movies
• 🎥 Letterboxd
• 🎙️ Podcasts: Flix and Chill, The Cinematic Wasteland, and SiftPop Writers' Room

🎙️ Subscribe to The Wasteland Watchlist podcast feed

Want to help Shane work through his watchlist, or interested in joining the SPDM Crew? Email us at [email protected]

📲 Follow SPDM Crew: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | Bluesky

🎵 Theme music by Kristofer Twadell | Logo by Jason Wilbur @ HiFlyer Creative

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Mix CD, host Mike Hilty is back with another round of the ultimate music debate — listening to two different versions of famous songs and deciding once and for all which one is better!

Whether it's an original vs. a cover, a live version vs. a studio recording, or two iconic takes on the same classic, Mix CD is the podcast for music lovers who love a good argument.

🎵 What is Mix CD? Each episode, Mike Hilty compares multiple versions of well-known songs — originals, covers, live recordings, remixes, and reimaginings — and picks his favorite. Simple premise. Endless debate.

🎧 Listen along with the Who Did It Better Mix CD playlist on Apple Music

Mike Hilty is a TV, film, and music enthusiast and fellow SPDM Crew podcaster. Find him here:

• 📸 Instagram
• 📺 Serializd
• 🎥 Letterboxd
• ✍️ Articles on SiftPop

Mike also hosts and co-hosts several podcasts in the SPDM Crew family — Family Movie Night, Sportsball, and SPDM TV — plus the pop culture podcast Geek Speak Louder Than Nerds.

🎙️ Subscribe to the Mix CD podcast feed

Want to be a guest on Mix CD or join the SPDM Crew? Email us at [email protected]

📲 Follow SPDM Crew: Facebook | X | Instagram | Threads | YouTube | LinkedIn | Bluesky 🌐 www.spdmcrew.com

🎵 Theme music by Kristofer Twadell | Logo by Jason Wilbur @ HiFlyer Creative

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Flix and Chill, hosts Luke Burian and Shane Conto (The Wasteland Reviewer) tackle three big topics shaking up the film world right now — from the cinema re-release boom to controversial new Academy Award rules to actors Hollywood left behind too soon!

🎬 Topics Covered:

• Re-releasing movies in cinemas — is the theatrical re-release trend good for film culture?
• New Oscar rules — what the Academy's latest changes mean for movies and the awards race
• Actors who deserve a second chance in Hollywood — who got written off too early and why they should be back

Luke Burian is a passionate film lover, writer, and podcaster. Find his work here:

• 🎥 Letterboxd – inMoviesLost
• ✍️ SiftPop
• 🎙️ The Wasteland Retrospective
• 🎙️ The Cinematic Wasteland
• 🎙️ SiftPop Writers' Room

Shane Conto is a decorated film critic, writer, and YouTuber. Find all his work here:

• 🌿 Linktree – The Wasteland Reviewer
• 🎥 Letterboxd – wastelandshane

Shane also hosts Wasteland Watchlist, Streaming Wasteland, The Cinematic Wasteland, The Wasteland Retrospective, and The Wasteland Vintage Roadshow — all part of the SPDM Crew podcast network.

🎙️ Subscribe to the Flix and Chill podcast feed

🎵 Theme music by Kristofer Twadell

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Tolkien on Tap, host Tara Jo Nee is joined by Jen and Lilly for a heartfelt and heavy exploration of depression, grief, and hope in Tolkien's Middle-earth — from characters who succumb to despair to those who find their way back to the light.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains in-depth discussion of depression, despair, and mental health themes as portrayed in Tolkien's works.

🍺 Grab a drink for comfort and enjoy. Almien!

📖 Topics Covered:

• Éowyn — depression, identity, and the will to live
• Théoden — grief, manipulation, and recovery
• Denethor — despair, hopelessness, and the danger of losing faith
• Míriel Þerindë — the first great act of surrender in Arda
• The House of Húrin — a generational saga of suffering, doom, and resilience
• What Tolkien's legendarium teaches us about mental health, hope, and perseverance

Connect with the Guests:

📚 Jen — Deep Roots Book Club 🔥 Lilly — Hall of Fire on Substack

Tara Jo Nee is an avid Tolkien enthusiast sharing their love of Middle-earth with the world. 🌿 Linktree – More Tolkien Content

🎙️ Subscribe to the Tolkien on Tap podcast feed on Spotify

🎨 Logo by Alida Mau — follow her work: Instagram | Threads | Bluesky

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Flix and Chill, hosts Luke Burian, Shane Conto (The Wasteland Reviewer), and Foster Harlfinger get together to talk movie theatres, the long-awaited Spaceballs 2, and films that genuinely got better the second time around — the ultimate rewatchability debate!

🎬 Topics Covered:

• Movie theatres — the state of the cinema-going experience in 2025
• Spaceballs 2 — what do we know, what do we want, and should it exist?
• Films that got better on rewatch — movies that clicked the second (or third) time around

Luke Burian is a passionate film lover, writer, and podcaster. Find his work here:

• 🎥 Letterboxd – inMoviesLost
• 🎙️ The Wasteland Retrospective
• 🎙️ The Cinematic Wasteland
• 🎙️ SiftPop Writers' Room

Shane Conto is a decorated film critic, writer, and YouTuber. Find all his work here:

• 🌿 Linktree – The Wasteland Reviewer
• 🎥 Letterboxd – wastelandshane

Shane also hosts Wasteland Watchlist, Streaming Wasteland, The Cinematic Wasteland, The Wasteland Retrospective, and The Wasteland Vintage Roadshow — all part of the SPDM Crew podcast network.

Foster can be found on:

• 🎥 Letterboxd – fosth101

🎙️ Subscribe to the Flix and Chill podcast feed

🎵 Theme music by Kristofer Twadell

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!

This week on Tolkien on Tap, host Tara Jo Nee is joined by Krishane, Zay (The Blerdy Dad), and Matt (The Tolkien Philosopher) for a rich, thought-provoking discussion on faith and religion in Tolkien's works — from the theology of Middle-earth to some of its darkest and most debated themes.

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide as depicted in Tolkien's writings.

🍺 Grab a drink and enjoy. Almien!

📖 Topics Covered:

• Faith and belief systems in Tolkien's legendarium — how religion and spirituality shape Middle-earth
• Túrin Turambar — unpacking one of Tolkien's most tragic characters (Sad Boy alert)
• How Tolkien portrays suicide in his works and what it reveals about his moral framework
• Was Tolkien writing mythology? — if written 2,000 years ago, would The Lord of the Rings be considered fantasy or sacred text?

Connect with the Guests:

🧝 Krishane — Threads 👨‍👧 Zay (The Blerdy Dad) — Linktree 📚 Matt (The Tolkien Philosopher) — Instagram

Tara Jo Nee is an avid Tolkien enthusiast sharing their love of Middle-earth with the world. 🌿 Linktree – More Tolkien Content

🎙️ Subscribe to the Tolkien on Tap podcast feed on Spotify

🎨 Logo by Alida Mau — follow her incredible work: Instagram | Threads | Bluesky

Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and rate us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on your favorite podcast app!