The Pop Break

Hello and welcome to Bill vs the MCU! Each month your hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Pop Break Podcasting Director Alex Marcus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pop Break Editor in Chief Bill Bodkin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are taking another step into the wider Marvel Multiverse as the MCU dives deeper into their Multiverse Saga.

Bill & Alex spent all of 2022 rewatching the first four phases of the MCU, and, in the years since, they have covered all of Netflix’s The Defenders Saga, the first four seasons of ABC’s Agents of SHIELD, all 14 films in Fox’s X-Verse, and a collection of Marvel Films from the 2000s.

This month, Alex & Bill are closing out their tour through Marvel Animation with a review of their two major releases in 2025, Eyes of Wakanda & Marvel Zombies. 

In this episode, Alex & Bill also announce their 2026 Podding the Spider-Verse miniseries, which kicks off next month with their episode on the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, and previews the MCU 2026 slate of TV and film projects, including an in depth discussion of how hyped (or not so hyped) they are for each upcoming project. 

Come back next month as they kick off their Podding the Spider-Verse miniseries with reviews of Spider-Man (2002), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Spider-Man 3 (2007), now streaming on Disney Plus!

There’s arguably no superhero in existence that has been reimagined, redefined, or reinterpreted more than Batman.  No matter how many times he’s been rebooted, audiences are always willing to come back to Gotham City’s greatest defender.  With so much Bat content out there, there’s plenty to dissect, analyze, and of course, rank!  This podcast is dedicated to a surgical evaluation of Batman’s history, with a focus on ranking several topics in the world of Batman, among other classic Bat themes and characters.

Join hosts Daniel Cohen, Pop Break’s former Film Editor, and Kris Ingersoll, co-host of the Media/Lit podcast, as they bring on several guests every month to share their passion for the one and only Dark Knight.  From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, no bat stone will be left unturned.  Bottom-line: If you’re a Batman fan, this is required listening.

Well, we have come to the end of 2025, and what a year it was for DC, as we celebrated our theme of World’s Finest with many episodes dedicated to the Man of Steel.

As big as 2025 was though, 2026 for DC is shaping up to be massive!  We couldn’t think of a better way to close out 2025 than by looking ahead to 2026.  

It’s just Daniel and Kris in the Batcave today, as they break down many exciting projects for DC in 2026, as well as 2027.  You know we had to close it out with some of the Matt Reeves The Batman: Part II news.

Aside from Batman, the bat crew break down what to expect with Supergirl, Lanterns, Clayface, and what’s next for Superman in the 2027 announced sequel, Man of Tomorrow!

Oh.  They also open the show giving their thoughts on that whole WB-Netflix news, as well as some of the Paramount developments in conjunction with this.  It does involve DC, after all.  We got to talk about it!

Also, please keep in mind, this was recorded before the Supergirl and Lanterns trailers were dropped.

And…at the end of the show, the duo TEASE next year’s Batman by the Numbers theme!  You don’t want to miss it!

There’s never a dull moment in the world of anime and Pop Break is diving right into the action! Join anime enthusiasts Amanda Rivas and Josh Sarnecky as they geek out monthly with dedicated experts and special guests on exciting anime news, trending anime in TV and/or movies, and anime recommendations spanning different genres that everyone should be watching. If you are a lifelong anime lover or taking the initial leap into the genre that has something for everyone, this is the podcast for you!

Join us as we hand out our vaunted Anime x Pop awards for anime that we loved in 2025. The Elder Emo, The Flamingo King, and Pop Break’s favorite Short King Branden Vice joins Amanda and Josh in this celebration of all things anime that dominated 2025. Check out who we thought was the best returning anime, best new anime, must protect at all costs character, best fight scene and more. 

In Anime News, they discuss Amazon’s failed experiment of using AI voice English and Latin American dubbing in lieu of hiring voice actors for several new anime

Join us next month as we kick off 2026 with Hell’s Paradise Season 2 and Jujitsu Kaisen Season 3 Part 1!

Josh and Aaron Sarnecky are here to celebrate The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for its 20th anniversary.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a children’s fantasy film directed Andrew Adamson. It is an adaptation of the novel of the same name, the first published volume in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series. It opened in theaters on December 9, 2005.

In the film, Lucy Pevensie (Georgie Henley) and her siblings Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), and Edmund (Skandar Keynes) happen upon the mythical realm of Narnia. The four children are destined to aid the wise lion Aslan (Liam Neeson) in his fight against the evil White Witch (Tilda Swinton). 

Other characters include Professor Kirke (James Broadbent), Mr. and Mrs. Beaver (Ray Winstone and Dawn French), and Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy).

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was a critical success and the third highest-grossing film of 2005, making $745 million on an estimated $180 million budget. It won Best Makeup at the Oscars and was also nominated for Sound Mixing and Visual Effects. It was followed by only two sequels, leaving the film series incomplete.

Josh and Aaron discuss their histories with the film and franchise before going into the movie’s plot, characters, action, and legacy. Josh and Aaron also talk about Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation for Netflix.

For another podcast on a beloved book, you can listen to last month’s podcast on Pride & Prejudice.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe is streaming on Disney+

In this episode of Blerd Watchers, Courtney and Marshall review the best shows and films they watched in 2025. They discuss highlights from each month, sharing insights on standout series like Severance, Daredevil: Born Again, solo leveling, and the Last of Us Season 2. The duo also delves into new favorites such as Kaiju No. 8, Shorie, and To Be Hero X, and reflect on impactful films like Sinners and K-Pop Demon Hunters. They also dig into a bunch of news and rumors at the top of the show, including their thoughts on the possible Netflix/WBD merger and their instant reaction to The Boys Final Season Trailer!

01:03 Entertainment News and Rumors

01:43 Luther Movie and Other TV Shows

03:45 Dune Updates and Final Fantasy Gaming

05:34 Chadwick Boseman's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

07:22 Daredevil and Punisher Updates

10:56 House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

20:14 The Boys Final Season Trailer Reaction

27:15 Netflix Buys Warner Brothers

31:29 Snap Trailer Reactions: Moana, Frieren S2, and Samurai Troopers/Ronin Warriors

35:40 Ongoing Series: Gachiakuta S1 and My Hero Academia Final Season

47:17 Ongoing Series: The Mighty Nein S1

54:54 Ongoing Series: Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Review

58:46 Season Review: Last Samurai Standing Review

01:10:27 Season Review: The Morning Show S4

01:30:48 2025 Year in Review (Month by Month)

02:16:05 Finalizing the Top 10 of 2025

Welcome to “Not Couple Goals” where co-hosts Allie Nelson and Tyler McCarthy do a deep dive into a different ridiculous romantic thriller from the vantage point of their long-term relationship.

Allie, a TV writer/producer and actress, has an affinity for romantic thrillers, the more salacious the better. Tyler, an entertainment reporter and critic, often finds himself drawn in despite his better judgment. Join them as they explore all the ways it’s possible to love too hard… like WAY too hard.

It’s an all-star episode with a lot of returning players as Allie and Tyler discuss the 1993 movie “Indecent Proposal.” Join the fun as they go through the most Faustian bargain the show has come across yet. You can also hear Allie intellectually complain that there simply wasn’t enough hot steamy sex in this movie while Tyler advocates lying to your partner. It’s a laugh riot about a profoundly upsetting movie!  

Special thanks to Mallory Johns for the introduction music.

Please don’t forget to follow our hosts on Twitter @ANelRetentive & @TylerMcCarthy and Instagram @ANelRetentive.

Pop Break’s Podcasts Editor Alex Marcus is joined by Editor-in-Chief Bill Bodkin, and TV Columnist Josh Sarnecky to talk about the happenings in television.

Here’s the format of the show:

New Series Spotlight Rewind – Alex, Bill, and Josh check back in on all the series they covered in their New Series Spotlight segment this year to see which shows they actually kept up with and which fell by the wayside.

News Break – Alex, Bill, and Josh discuss the single story that they each believe was the biggest for the world of TV this past year. Bill & Josh both agreed that the Paramount-SkyDance merger was the biggest news story of the year, while Alex made the outside the box case that Kathy Kennedy defiantly declaring to Deadline that she wasn’t retiring from Lucasfilm was actually the biggest story⁠.

Streaming Wars – Alex, Bill, and Josh check in on the standings for the past year of who won the most months in streaming before giving their own picks for who won the year, where they all agreed that Netflix, HBO Max, and AppleTV had incredible years, but who won the year and who was their most improved streamer? Tune in to find out!

The Beast Series of 2025 – Bill, Josh, and Alex each give their favorite series of the year, and two honorable mentions, which you can check out below!

• Bill’s Series of the Year - Andor (Daredevil: Born Again, Nautilus)

• Josh’s Series of the Year - Severance (Andor, Alien: Earth)

• Alex’s Series of the Year - Pluribus (Adolescence, Andor)

Finally, the hosts close out 2025 by circling back to their Most Anticipated Series of 2025 from this past January to see how their collective optimism and enthusiasm paid off.

This is Podelay, a podcast dedicated to alternative rock pioneer Beck Hansen! After completing their Pod of Doom series, Randy Allain (Media/Lit) and Justin Mancini (TheCineMaverick.com) are back to take on a whole new genre. This time, our resident music podcasters are joined by Kris Ingersoll of Batman by the Numbers and the Media/Lit podcast. 

This time, Randy steps into the host chair so that Justin can discover something new.

In the preliminary episode, Randy offers an overview of Beck’s eclectic musical background and his uniquely artistic family tree. The hosts also discuss their preexisting relationships with Beck Hansen and preview the blueprint for subsequent episodes. These subsequent episodes will involve discussions of Beck’s 14 studio albums, his early independent releases, and his many collaborations. They may even unearth a few additional treats along the way.

In every episode, each host will spotlight the following:

• Where It’s At: a track they really like.

• It’s A Loser, Baby: a track they don’t.

• Sing It Again: a favorite lyric.

• Such A Beautiful Way: a favorite musical moment.

Join them as they travel to a destination a little up the road from the conversations and the pods you know. Please join us for the show that poses one simple question: I’m a podcast, baby, so why don’t you stream me?

Hello and welcome to Bill vs the MCU! Each month your hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Pop Break Podcasting Director Alex Marcus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pop Break Editor in Chief Bill Bodkin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are taking another step into the wider Marvel Multiverse as the MCU dives deeper into their Multiverse Saga.

Bill & Alex spent all of 2022 rewatching the first four phases of the MCU, and, in the years since, they have covered all of Netflix’s The Defenders Saga, the first four seasons of ABC’s Agents of SHIELD, all 14 films in Fox’s X-Verse, and a collection of Marvel Films from the 2000s.

This month, Alex & Bill are covering two interesting digressions from the studio, as they break down the two series it’s put out so far that are, more or less, completely disconnected from the MCU, X-Men ‘97 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. 

Before they get into it, they also go deep on all of their expectations for the upcoming teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday. Be sure to listen to their predictions now, so you can tease them online later for how confidently wrong they were!

Come back next month as they conclude their fall miniseries with reviews of I Am Groot, Eyes of Wakanda, & Marvel Zombies, now streaming on Disney Plus, and the announcement of their next miniseries!

There’s arguably no superhero in existence that has been reimagined, redefined, or reinterpreted more than Batman.  No matter how many times he’s been rebooted, audiences are always willing to come back to Gotham City’s greatest defender.  With so much Bat content out there, there’s plenty to dissect, analyze, and of course, rank!  This podcast is dedicated to a surgical evaluation of Batman’s history, with a focus on ranking several topics in the world of Batman, among other classic Bat themes and characters.

Join hosts Daniel Cohen, Pop Break’s former Film Editor, and Kris Ingersoll, co-host of the Media/Lit podcast, as they bring on several guests every month to share their passion for the one and only Dark Knight.  From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, no bat stone will be left unturned.  Bottom-line: If you’re a Batman fan, this is required listening.

It's been quite the ride in 2025 as we conclude our yearlong theme of World’s Finest, as this will be the last (at least for now!) podcast dedicated to the Man of Steel.

As we all sit around the Thanksgiving table with our families, it’s time we honor Superman’s SUPER Family – yes, we are ranking Superman’s superpowered allies! 

Mon-El.  Power Girl.  Streaky the Super Cat!?

They are all involved in this ranking!  We had to close out the year of Superman in style, and for a list like this, we brought in the experts.  Joining Daniel and Kris this month, and making his return, it’s Perry Constantine of the Superhero Cinephiles Podcast!  AND making his debut on the podcast, Anthony Desiato, Host of the Digging for Kryptonite Podcast!

Enjoy this fantastic final Superman rankings topic and discussion!