Nick is joined by TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter to unpack the season finale of Saturday Night Live, and break down the highs and lows of its 50th season. They also cover new episodes of Top Chef, Hacks, and dig into Amazon’s comedy Overcompensating, plus HBO’s original film Mountainhead starring Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman, and Ramy Youssef. And yes, they try to make sense of the whole “Max is now HBOMax again” situation. Later, Esmeralda Leon returns for another pop culture quiz, this time facing questions on Disney Princesses, rom-coms, and goth trivia. [EP 353]

Nick is joined by film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy for reviews of the latest cinematic offerings, including Tom Cruise’s return in Mission: Impossible, the offbeat music doc Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted, the darkly comic Friendship, and a new installment of the ever-morbid Final Destination series. Later, Esmeralda Leon pops in for a spirited breakdown of some real-life Hollywood rivalries, debating whether to side with Alec Baldwin, Shia LaBeouf, or just back away from the mess entirely. [EP 352]

Nick welcomes music journalist Jim Ryan for a chat about his recent interviews with Adam Duritz and the group MSSV, plus reviews of concerts by The Smithereens and a Talking Heads celebration screening of Stop Making Sense hosted by Jerry Harrison. Naturally, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes its usual beating, and the guys weigh in on the Breakfast Club reunion at C2E2. Later, Esmeralda Leon returns as she and Nick wrap up their takedown of bad TV shows based on movies and expose some of Hollywood’s most notoriously difficult stars. [Ep351]

Nick sits down with journalist and filmmaker Amy Guth to chat about her latest film and TV ventures taking her from Italy to Canada—assuming international tariffs don’t throw a wrench in the works. Amy also shares updates on her podcasting life, dives into the marketing world, and breaks down some surprising business headlines. Later, Esmeralda Leon drops by for a fun conversation about the snacks they can’t resist no matter the time or place, and a few hilariously absurd TV shows that somehow made it to air.

TV critic Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter returns to break down the second-to-last episode of Saturday Night Live’s 50th season, the latest from Top Chef, and the return of Poker Face with Natasha Lyonne. He also weighs in on new releases like MurderBot and Duster, and shares thoughts on the quiet shutdown of Amazon’s Freevee. Later, Nick and Esmeralda Leon go down a 2017 rabbit hole and uncover a few truly baffling TV shows that somehow made it to air—yes, there was a Ferris Bueller series, and no, it didn’t go well. [Ep 349]

Nick sits down with The Movie Mom, Nell Minow, for a wide-ranging chat that covers everything from her recent congressional testimony to her film writing at RogerEbert.com. They dive into the buzz around Thunderbolts and Sorry, Baby, and she shares highlights from Ebert Fest 2025. Later, Esmeralda Leon drops in for a nostalgic trip back to the chaos of 2017—a year that delivered peak weirdness—and the two swap picks for their favorite movie and TV moms, just in time for Mother’s Day. [Ep 348]

In this “For The People” special, Nick kicks things off with Consumerman Herb Weisbaum from Checkbook.org, covering the return of student loan collections, the recent congressional moves on overdraft and credit card late fees, and some fresh credit card perks you might’ve missed. Herb also shares important health insurance updates and a few eye-opening AAA stories. Then, Car Guy Tom Appel from Consumer Guide Automotive hops on to chat about tariffs (so many tariffs!), Jeff Bezos jumping into the electric vehicle game, and nostalgic memories of Drive-Ins and the notorious film “Ishtar.” Plus, they take a fun ride down memory lane with some forgotten car brands, celebrate the unforgettable 1974 Dodge Ramcharger ad campaign, and wrap things up with new rounds of #Starspotter and #MysteryShow. [Ep 347]

Nick welcomes the always-lovely Monica Eng from Axios Chicago to chat about a range of uniquely Chicago topics, including Aldi’s surprising fine-dining options, Potbelly stepping things up with their new prime rib sandwich, the controversial speed cameras on LSD, and the ever-present challenges (and horrors) of riding the CTA Red Line. They also dive into the bizarre world of Malört candy and share details about an upcoming Axios event featuring Maria Pappas and Lori Lightfoot.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to catch up, answer listener emails, and revisit some of the most bizarre events from the very strange year of 2017—including the story of a man who had a 130-pound growth surgically removed, a growth that began as an ingrown hair…yes, really. [Ep 346]

Nick welcomes Pro-Wrestling expert Dr. Keith Lipinski from AAW Pro to talk about this year’s Wrestlemania—including the Cena-Cody match, the joy of watching Dominik Mysterio, Becky Lynch’s surprising heel turn, and Jay Uso making everyone Yeet! They also discuss the latest developments in AEW, preview the upcoming AAW Pro event, and explore the upcoming 90-minute TV special about the Von Erich family titled “Hollywood Demons.”

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to catch up, chat about spring fever, and share their mutual dislike for summer camp. They also dive into some truly memorable celebrity quotes, including unforgettable gems from Sylvester Stallone, Brooke Shields, and Sarah Jessica Parker. [Ep 344]

Nick welcomes film critics Erik Childress and Steve Prokopy to review several new movies, including “The Accountant 2,” “The Shrouds,” “Cheech and Chong’s Last Movie,” “The Legend of Ochi,” and more. They also share insights and highlights from the upcoming Chicago Critics Film Festival at The Music Box Theater during the first week of May.

Later, Esmeralda Leon joins Nick to discuss the highs and lows of video game adaptations in movies and TV, celebrate Andy Samberg’s comedic brilliance in the underappreciated classic “Hot Rod,” and tackle rumors about a possible “Bloodsport” remake—both firmly agreeing that Jean-Claude Van Damme is truly irreplaceable. [Ep 344]