The Freshman Fifteen

The Freshman Fifteen celebrates ten years of podcasting! Jeremy and Daniel are joined by their good friend Jeff Jensen to look back on a decade of film discussions with a particular focus on their ten Oscars Specials. The three explore what's changed and what hasn't... opinions they got right and what they would take back if they could... films they agree on and films they still don't.

What? More Freshman 15? The boys are back with a long-awaited 37th episode, this time featuring Academy Award-winning renaissance director Steven Soderbergh and his 1989 freshman film, Sex, Lies and Videotape. Jeremy reveals his most embarrassing story from his early attempts to break into the film industry, while Daniel weighs in on the nuance of portraying an onscreen psychotherapeutic relationship. Also, why can't a director do all of the jobs on a film set himself?

It's our 10th Oscars Special! Jeremy, Daniel and Jeff return for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees and this time we've invited a few friends to join in. At the end of this longest-ever episode, we submit our personal ranking of each nominated film, from least to most deserving of the coveted award for the year's Best Picture.

Jeremy, Daniel and Jeff Jensen reconvene, New York Times-style, to count down the 10 greatest freshman films of the 21st Century (so far). They've conferred and collaborated and they're presenting their findings to you. Who will take the top spot?

Oscars 2025! Once again, Jeremy and Jeff Jensen take to the mics for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees. Following a lengthy deep-dive into the 10 films in question, the three hosts submit their personal ranking of each film nominated, from least to most deserving of the ultimate prize.

In a bonus discussion cut from our 2024 Oscars Special, Jeff Jensen reads a prepared essay comparing Alexander Payne's nominated film The Holdovers to the 1970s films that inspired it.

In the 2024 edition of the Freshman Fifteen Oscar Specials, Jeremy and Daniel are once again joined by Jeff Jensen for a spoiler-free discussion of the year's Best Picture nominees. Following a lengthy deep-dive into the 10 films in question, the three hosts submit their personal ranking of each film nominated, from least to most deserving of the ultimate prize.

F15 is back with our SECOND October episode and the final entry in our comedy block. This time, we turn our focus to SNL alumn and Academy Award winner Adam McKay and his 2004 freshman film, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Daniel muses on the parallels between an artist's approach to making art and their approach to living life, while Jeremy reveals both the right and the wrong way to direct actors. Also, how are legendary characters created?

Proving themselves the most unreliable podcast ever, The Freshman Fifteen stumbles back in for part two of a no-longer summer series focusing on comedy directors. This time: New Zealand actor/writer/director Taika Waititi and his 2007 indie, Eagle vs Shark. Jeremy ponders how one considers the styles and trends of any given decade of film while Daniel delves into the ways in which the attitudes in which a filmmaker approaches their own life and relationships inevitably inform the art they create.

After a lengthy hiatus, The Freshman Fifteen is back to kick off a new summer series focusing on comedy directors. First up: legendary writer/director/producer Judd Apatow and his 2005 film, The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Jeremy discusses how many cameras it takes to shoot a comedy scene while Daniel credits Apatow as one of the few filmmakers everyone in his house can enjoy. Also, are stand-up comedians the greatest actors of all?