The Pop Break

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 are entering our Disney villain era with returning guests Randy Allain and Kris Ingersoll of Media/Lit. Randy shared exciting news about the upcoming Podelay, A Beck Podcast, joining The Pop Break family very soon! Kris is also the cohost of Pop Break’s beloved Batman by the Numbers podcast with Daniel Cohen. 

Our enthusiasts take a stroll through the anime content minds to discuss favorite series they’ve been watching recently, including Randy’s recommendation of Knights of Guinevere, Josh’s recommendations of Spy x Family Season 3 and Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2, Amanda’s recommendations of My Hero Academia Season 8 and May I Ask for One Final Thing, and Kris’s recommendations of the 1999’s Redwall, Harriet the Spy, and Frog and Toad animated series. Knights of Guinevere is found on Glitch/YouTube, Amanda’s and Josh’s recommendations on Crunchyroll, and Harriet the Spy and Frog and Toad being found on Apple TV. Redwall is available on Amazon Prime for streaming. 

In Anime News, they share which property they wish would get the Star Wars Visions treatment to celebrate the Season 3 launch of continuing anime series Star Wars Visions.

In their feature review section, our enthusiasts discuss the first two episodes of Disney’s My Twisted Wonderland now streaming on Disney +. They discuss the decision to adapt this anime from the mobile game, the villains featured, whether the story will resonate with anime fans, and more. 

Join us next month for our Anime x Pop awards and thoughts on anime’s Santa - Sanda! 

Josh and Aaron Sarnecky have returned for another podcast. This month their talking Pride & Prejudice for its 20th anniversary.

Pride & Prejudice is a period romance film directed by Joe Wright. Based on the beloved Jane Austen novel, it is an adaptation by Deborah Moggach. Emma Thompson provided additional dialogue uncredited. It opened in U.S. theaters on November 23, 2005.

Set in late 18th century England, the film follows Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), one of five Bennet daughters who needs marrying. Elizabeth becomes acquainted with Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), whom she loathes. While Jane Bennet (Rosamund Pike) cozies up to Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods), Mr. Collins (Tom Hollander) has his eye on Elizabeth.

Other characters include Mr. and Mrs. Bennet (Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn), their other daughters Mary, Lydia, and Kitty (Talulah Riley, Jena Malone, and Carey Mulligan), Darcy’s benefactor Lady Catherine de Bourgh (Judi Dench), and the duplicitous Mr. Wickham (Rupert Friend).

Pride & Prejudice garnered praise from critics and made $129 million on a $28 million budget. At the Oscars, the film was nominated for Best Actress for Knightley, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. 

Josh and Aaron discuss their histories with Pride & Prejudice before going into the plot, performances, and cinematography. They also talk about the film living in the shadow of the 1995 miniseries and the upcoming Netflix adaptation.

You can listen to last month’s Anniversary Brothers on Static Shock.

Pride & Prejudice is streaming on HBO Max.

In this November edition of Blerd Watchers, hosts Marshall & Courtney Stevenson catch up on the latest entertainment news, review recent trailers, and dive deep into ongoing series and season finales. Highlighting shows such as 'Gen V,' 'Platonic,' 'Nobody Wants This,' and 'Alice in Borderland,' they discuss character development, plot twists, and season finales. They also react to trailers for 'Wonder Man' and the Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael,' providing their takes on the upcoming releases. With a mix of humor and thoughtful analysis, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the current state of TV and entertainment.

00:00 Welcome and Show Overview

01:15 Spooky Season Recap

04:11 Entertainment News and Rumors

05:14 Marvel and DC Updates

23:30 Commercial Break

25:39 Wonder Man Trailer Reaction

29:02 Michael: Michael Jackson Biopic Trailer Reaction

32:22 Anime Review: Gachiakuta S1

37:33 Anime Review: My Hero Academia Final Season

43:57 Gen V  S2 Finale Review

53:10 Platonic S2 Review

01:11:28 Nobody Wants This S2 Review

01:29:06 Alice in Borderland S3 Review

01:44:23 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Episodes

Not Couple Goals: “The Mummy” (2017)

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.

In this episode, Allie and Tyler get spooky for their (belated) Halloween movie - The Mummy… (2017, sorry). Join them as they discuss Tom Cruise’s vanity project, the death of the Dark Universe and, yes, heavily compare it to the 1999 movie of the same name. Did we expect too much from a movie about a magic mummy’s curse? Listen and find out! 

Special thanks to Mallory Johns for the introduction music.

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

Welcome to TV Break, where 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:

The Best Thing I Saw on TV Last Month (3:00) – Alex, Bill, & Josh talk about a show/episode/event they liked from the last month including Amazon’s Gen V Season 2, Disney Plus’ Marvel Zombies, AppleTV’s The Morning Show, and HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry. 

Newsbreak (29:29) – This month, they are discussing the news that Taylor Sheridan is moving to NBCUniversal, leaving Paramount behind at the end of his current deal in 2028. 

Streaming Wars (47:47) – Alex, Bill, & Josh each selected their top streamer of the month. Josh and Bill agree on Netflix’s big month, as they flood the zone with Strange Things sponcon, Sesame Street shenanigans, and KPop Demon Hunter Halloween rerelease. Meanwhile, Alex stands up for Peacock thanks to its big Sheridan signing and streaming sports supremacy.

New Series Spotlight (1:01:07) – This month we are shining the spotlight on Mubi’s Hal and Harper. The series was written and directed by indie film sensation Cooper Raiff, and is a family dramedy exploring codependency and trauma in siblings, played in childhood and adulthood by Raiff and Lily Reinhart. The series also stars Mark Ruffalo and Betty Gilpin. 

Check out Alex’s thoughts on Cooper’s most recent film Cha Cha Real Smooth alongside fellow Pop Break Podcaster Courtney Stevenson (Blerd Watchers) on his former film podcast Cinema Joes.

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.

As 2025 nears the end, so does the year of World’s Finest, our yearlong celebration of Superman!  But don’t worry, we have two big Superman rankings episodes left, including this one.  It’s time we pay respect to Superman’s foes – it’s our ranking of the Superman cinematic villains!

While not as robust as Batman’s rogue gallery of film villains, no doubt there have been plenty of iconic Superman villain performances throughout the years.  

To help Daniel and Kris count down this super villain list are return guests Aaron Sarnecky of the Anniversary Brothers Podcast, and fresh off our last episode taking Peacemaker, Bill George, host of the Should I Go See It Podcast.

The crew discuss a plethora of Lex Luthors, General Zods, and of course, Ross Webster!  Speaking of Ross Webster, listen to Daniel speak glowingly about…Superman III?!?!  

Yup.  It happened.  You’ll find all this and more on another GREAT rankings episode! 

Welcome back to another episode of our podcast all about the ABC reality series The Bachelor and its many spin-offs.

ThePopBreak.com's Michelle Coraci, who has been recapping all things Bachelor for The Pop Break for years, and co-host DJ Chapman, of Mostly Nitpicking, are back from hiatus…sort of!

It's the Love is Blind Season 9 finale and Michelle and DJ are here to recap all of the couples who made it to the altar, as well as the ones who didn't. They give their final thoughts on the couples now that we've seen their stories, who they like, and who they'd rather not share a pod with. Finally, they give a preview for the Love is Blind Reunion and what they expect will happen."

Reddit post reference: https://www.reddit.com/r/LoveIsBlindOnNetflix/comments/1odl6h0/comment/nlpagbv/

If you have thoughts or suggestions for what you’d like Michelle and DJ to cover during the offseason or opinion about all things Bachelor & Bachelorette, be sure to reach out via twitter @Roses&Rejections!

This is Pod of Doom, a podcast dedicated to the British band Black Sabbath! The hosts of Every Pod You Cast return to discuss all things Sabbath: Justin Mancini of TheCineMaverick.com & Cinema Joes, Chris Mancini, and Randy Allain of Media/Lit will be covering the Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio eras of the metal pioneers.

In the last episode of the season, Chris, Justin, and Randy look back on their Sabbath run and discuss their final thoughts on the band. In addition to their general musings on Black Sabbath’s considerable legacy, they recommend their favorite non-album tracks, name their favorite album covers, rank all 12 albums discussed on the podcast, and list their top 10 songs.

Host Picks:

Favorite Non-Album Tracks

 Chris: Methademic

Justin: Naïveté in Black, Isolated Man

Randy: Peace of Mind

Favorite Album Cover

 Chris: Sabotage (1975)

Justin: Black Sabbath (1970)

Randy: Master of Reality (1971)

Our Album Rankings

Chris

12) Dehumanizer (1992)

11) Technical Ecstasy (1976)

10) 13 (2013)

9) Mob Rules (1981)

8) Heaven and Hell (1980)

7) Never Say Die! (1978)

6) Black Sabbath (1970)

5) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

4) Vol. 4 (1972)

3) Master of Reality (1971)

2) Paranoid (1970)

1) Sabotage (1975)

Justin

12) Technical Ecstasy (1976)

11) 13 (2013)

10) Dehumanizer (1992)

9) Never Say Die! (1978)

8) Mob Rules (1981)

7) Heaven and Hell (1980)

6) Black Sabbath (1970)

5) Paranoid (1970)

4) Vol. 4 (1972)

3) Master of Reality (1971)

2) Sabotage (1975)

1) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

Randy

12) Never Say Die! (1978)

11) Mob Rules (1981)

10) 13 (2013)

9) Technical Ecstasy (1976)

8) Heaven and Hell (1980)

7) Dehumanizer (1992)

6) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)

5) Black Sabbath (1970)

4) Sabotage (1975)

3) Vol. 4 (1972)

2) Paranoid (1970)

1) Master of Reality (1971)

Our Top 10 Songs

 Chris 

10) Solitude

9) N.I.B.

8) War Pigs

7) Planet Caravan

6) Killing Yourself to Live

5) Supernaut

4) Symptom of the Universe

3) Megalomania

2) Fairies Wear Boots

1) Children of the Grave

Justin

10) Hole in the Sky

9) Sabbra Cadabra

8) Hand of Doom

7) Supernaut

6) A National Acrobat

5) Children of the Grave

4) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

3) Symptom of the Universe

2) War Pigs

1) Megalomania

Randy

10) Into the Void

9) Changes

8) Hand of Doom

7) N.I.B.

6) Iron Man

5) Symptom of the Universe

4) Supernaut

3) Children of the Grave

2) Paranoid

1) War Pigs

Songs We’d Recommend to Sabbath Newbies

 Chris: War Pigs

Justin: Air Dance

Randy: Children of the Grave, Supernaut, Changes, Laguna Sunrise

Welcome back to another episode of our podcast all about the ABC reality series The Bachelor and its many spin-offs.

ThePopBreak.com's Michelle Coraci, who has been recapping all things Bachelor for The Pop Break for years, and co-host DJ Chapman, of Mostly Nitpicking, are back from hiatus…sort of!

This week, Michelle and DJ cover Episodes 10-11 of Love is Blind Season 9. They go over the recent breakups and discuss what they think will happen with the remaining couples at the altar. They then discuss Netflix's decision to have the weddings air at 9PM EST as opposed to their normal release. Finally, they talk about who they think can actually come out of this season looking good, and why it already ranks as one of their favorite seasons.

If you have thoughts or suggestions for what you’d like Michelle and DJ to cover during the offseason or opinion about all things Bachelor & Bachelorette, be sure to reach out via twitter @Roses&Rejections!

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.

Welcome back to Bill vs MCU’s Marvel’s Animated Adventure season, where your hosts, Alex and Bill, will be catching up on all the major animated series Marvel has put out over the last four years. Alongside special guests Derick McDuff and Dave Gonzales, they dive deep into Marvel's animated anthology series 'What If...?' in this month’s episode, with their Top 10 What If…? Episodes. Tune in for engaging discussions about episodes like 'What If T'Challa Became Star-Lord?' and 'What If Hela Found the Ten Rings.' They also explore the broader implications of these alternate realities within the MCU. Plus, stick around for insights into Marvel animations and more. Don't miss this ultimate ranking guide for fans of Marvel Animation!

00:00 Introductions

05:00 Discussing What If…? Series

19:42 The Worst Episode of What If…?

25:16 Personal Favorites and Underrated Episodes

44:20 Ranking the Top 10 Episodes of What If…?

02:12:12 The Number One Episode is Revealed

02:22:15 Final Thoughts and Honorable Mentions

Come back next month as they provide their thoughts on the first season of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and X-Men ‘97. Want a refresher on these series? Check out all both seasons (along with every season of the classic X-Men cartoon from the 90s), now streaming on Disney Plus!