The Plugged In Show

The Plugged In Show

By Focus on the FamilyTV & FilmParentingKids & Family
Download on the App Store

The Plugged In Show episodes

  • Episode 290: How to Train Your Dragon. Plus, Bad Influencers

    The Dreamworks’ classic How to Train Your Dragon returns to the big screen in a new live-action version. Kennedy Unthank of the Plugged In team talks with the movie’s director, Dean DeBlois to get some insider secrets on Toothless and Hiccup. The team then discusses the Netflix docu-series Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing, giving insight on the content as well as what it reveals about young influencers.

    Click here to get your copy of Jonathan McKee’s great book The Teen's Guide to Face-To-Face Connections in a Screen-To-Screen World: 40 Tips to Meaningful Communication!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    • Up
    • Bolt
    • Avatar
    • How to Train Your Dragon
    • How to Train Your Dragon (2025)
    • Youtube Reviews
    • Outdoor Boys

    Check out the Plugged In Blog:

    • Bad Influence and Devil in the Family: The Truth about Influencing
    • The Plugged In Show: Episode 240 - The Dark Side of the Influencer World. Plus, a Conversation with Director Andrew Erwin
    • The Plugged In Show: Episode 134 - Of Influencers and Dinosaurs
    • Netflix’s The Social Dilemma Paints a Sober Portrait of Tech’s Influence
    • The Plugged In Show: Episode 46 – Examining the Social Dilemma and Our Interaction with Social Media

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    43 min
  • Episode 289: The Power of Music in Movies, plus, the Switch 2

    Music can be powerful. It can shape us, inspire us, terrify us. And when it’s paired with a movie, we might not even notice how manipulative it can be. The Plugged In team reflects on cinematic songs and soundtracks and the impact they can have. Paul Asay speaks with Bob Hoose about the Nintendo Switch 2 and its new features.

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Sinners

    ·       Star Wars: The Force Awakens

    ·       Star Wars: The Last Jedi

    ·       Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

    ·       Dunkirk

    ·       Dark Knight

    ·       Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

    ·       Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    ·       Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

    ·       Lost

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    43 min
  • Episode 288: The Scary Science of Screen Time. Plus, Bono’s Stories of Surrender

    As parents, we want to help our kids develop healthy tech habits. But where do we start? Paul Asay of the Plugged In team speaks with Melanie Hempe, founder of ScreenStrong, and Dr. Danny Huerta, Vice President of Focus on the Family’s Parenting department, about the dangers of too much screen time and ways you can help your family step back and reconnect. Paul then speaks with Adam Holz about recording artist Bono’s new documentary Stories of Surrender.

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Stories of Surrender

     

    Check out the Plugged In Blog:

    ·       ScreenStrong.org

    ·       Practice Makes Parent podcast

    ·       Seven Traits of Effective Parenting Assessment

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

     

    51 min
  • Episode 287: AI in Entertainment & Technology, plus Lilo & Stitch

    AI is infiltrating entertainment and technology. The Plugged In team examines the potential impacts and what they could mean for your family. Bret Eckelberry then talks with Emily Tsiao about the new live action Disney movie Lilo & Stitch.

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Lilo and Stitch

    ·       Lilo and Stitch (2025)

     

    Check out the Plugged In Blog:

    ·       My AI: The Snapchat Friend You Never Added

    ·       Want Lunch? Call My AI Agent

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

     

    43 min
  • Episode 286: Does Summertime Mean Screentime? Plus, Christian YouTubers

    As school releases and summertime approaches, kids have a lot more free time. But does that mean more screentime? The Plugged In team says no and offers some thoughts on how to keep your child engaged without being on a screen. Paul Asay then speaks with Kennedy Unthank about Christian YouTubers that your family may enjoy watching.

     

    Click here to get your copy of Jonathan McKee’s terrific book Parenting Generation Screen!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Ryan Trahan

    ·       Dude Perfect

    ·       CoryxKenshin

    ·       Redeemed Zoomer

    ·       Testify

    ·       Apologia Studios

    ·       The Beat by Allen Parr

    ·       Mike Winger

    ·       YouTube Reviews

     

    Check out the Plugged In Blog:

    ·       Building Faith Online: A Conversation with Redeemed Zoomer

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    50 min
  • Episode 285: Of Handmaids’ Tales and Hunger Games: The Downside of Dystopian Dramas

    The dystopian genre has taken our culture by storm with its dark and twisted look at our imagined future. The Plugged In team explores the unique markers of this genre and the impact it can have on our everyday lives. Paul Asay then talks with Bob Hoose about the latest book in the Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping.

     

    Click here to get your copy of Plugged In’s great book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Black Mirror

    ·       The Last of Us

    ·       The Handmaid’s Tale

    ·       Sunrise on the Reaping

    ·       The Hunger Games Book Series

    ·       The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes Book

    ·       The Hunger Games

    ·       The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

    ·       The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

    ·       The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

    ·       The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

    ·       Blade Runner

    ·       Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

    ·       The Wizard of Oz

    ·       Zombieland

    ·       Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

    ·       Wicked: Part One

    ·       A Quiet Place

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    47 min
  • Episode 284: Thunderbolts and What Makes a Hero. Plus, the Rise of AI Agents

    The Marvel Cinematic Universe is back with its new blockbuster Thunderbolts. The Plugged In team discusses the latest installment of superhero movies as well as the qualities it takes to make a hero. They then talk about AI agents, what that means, and what role they may play in our lives.

    Click here to get your copy of the amazing Plugged In book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Thunderbolts

    ·       Guardians of the Galaxy

    ·       The Wolf of Wall Street

    ·       Risen

    ·       Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

    ·       Avengers: Endgame

    ·       Tully

    ·       Roma

    ·       Black Mirror

     

    Check out the Plugged In Blog:

    ·       Want Lunch? Call My AI Agent

     

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    46 min
  • Episode 283: What Makes a Good Family Movie? Plus Andor

    Your family likely enjoys a great movie…but what makes it great for your family? The Plugged In team explores various criteria for family-friendly movies and how you can discern what is appropriate for your family. Bret Eckelberry then talks with Paul Asay and Adam Holz about the Disney+ Star Wars series Andor.

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    • The Princess Bride
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
    • Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    • The Incredibles
    • Toy Story
    • Monsters Inc.
    • Inside Out 2
    • Sonic the Hedgehog 3
    • The Wild Robot
    • Up
    • Andor
    • Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
    • Flow
    • Encanto
    • Cheaper by the Dozen
    • Cheaper by the Dozen 2022

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    52 min
  • Episode 282: The Best Christian Movie Ever (?). Plus, Journey to You

    What’s the best Christian movie ever? The Plugged In team reveals the winner of their Christian Movie Madness bracket and why they think that movie resonated with viewers. Paul Asay then speaks with Kennedy Unthank about the new Hallmark movie Journey to You.

    Click here to get your copy of Plugged In’s insightful book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    See the Christian Movie Madness Bracket

    • Christian Movie Madness

     

    Read the full review:

    • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
    • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
    • https://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/journey-to-you-2025/

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    41 min
  • Episode 281: The King of Kings. Plus, Are Teens Turning Off Tech?

    The Easter season always brings new Christian movies. The Plugged In team looks at the new animated movie The King of Kings and tells you what you need to know for your family. They then talk about how teens are proving to be skeptical of technology, social media, and artificial intelligence.

     

    Get your copy of Plugged In’s terrific book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today!

     

    Connect with us!

    www.ThePluggedInShow.com

    Connect on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    EMAIL: [email protected]

    PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)

     

    Read the full review:

    ·       Unbreakable Boy

    ·       No Address

    ·       The Last Supper

    ·       The Chosen: Last Supper Part One

    ·       The King of Kings

    ·       The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe

    ·       The Horse and His Boy

    ·       The Silver Chair

     

     

    The Plugged In Tech Guide

     

    Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

    How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

     

    Donate Now!

     

    We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

     

    If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

    45 min

About The Plugged In Show

From the publisher's feed

Join Focus on the Family's media and culture analysts for lighthearted reviews for parents and conversation about entertainment, pop culture and technology. Through this 30-minute podcast from…

More shows like The Plugged In Show

The Boundless Show by Focus on the Family

The Boundless Show

753 Listeners

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

4,727 Listeners

The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast by Focus on the Family

The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast

2,419 Listeners

Focus on the Family Marriage Podcast by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family Marriage Podcast

1,877 Listeners

Focus on the Family Parenting Podcast by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family Parenting Podcast

1,067 Listeners

Focus on the Family Commentary by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family Commentary

41 Listeners

Plugged In Entertainment Reviews by Focus on the Family

Plugged In Entertainment Reviews

161 Listeners

Focus on the Family Minute by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family Minute

83 Listeners

Christmas Stories by Focus on the Family

Christmas Stories

147 Listeners

Focus on the Family Weekend by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family Weekend

47 Listeners

Loving Well by Focus on the Family

Loving Well

270 Listeners

Parents Guide to "13 Reasons Why" by Focus on the Family

Parents Guide to "13 Reasons Why"

33 Listeners

Thriving Student by Focus on the Family

Thriving Student

45 Listeners

The Official Average Boy Podcast by Focus on the Family

The Official Average Boy Podcast

2,352 Listeners

No Porn Marriage by Focus on the Family

No Porn Marriage

106 Listeners

Teen Suicide: Knowing the Signs by Focus on the Family

Teen Suicide: Knowing the Signs

25 Listeners

Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage by Focus on the Family

Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage

29 Listeners

ReFOCUS with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

ReFOCUS with Jim Daly

376 Listeners

Practice Makes Parent by Focus on the Family

Practice Makes Parent

116 Listeners