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 revisit aliens, ghosts, turbo grannies, and more with the always chaotic Elder Emo and friend of the pod, newly retired pro wrestler Branden Vice, and the debuting Melly Merida, fresh off writing her review of the first three episodes of this month's featured anime. Josh may have been thrown into chaos fairly early in this episode, but you will have to listen to find out why. 

Our enthusiasts take a stroll through the anime content minds to discuss favorite series they’ve been watching recently, including Melly's pick of The Summer Hikaru Died, Branden's pick of The Beginning After the End, Josh's picks of With You In the Rain and My Dress-Up Darling Season 2, and Amanda's pick of Secrets of the Silent Witch. The Summer Hikaru Died can be found on Netflix and all other recommendations on Crunchyroll. 

In Anime News, they discuss Netflix's Anime Expo announcement that 50% of global viewers now watch anime while revealing their latest project slate. They also briefly discuss the latest Netflix phenomenon K-Pop Demon Hunters and the impact of anime adjacent and animated content on this statistic.

In their feature review section, our enthusiasts discuss the first two episodes of Dandadan Season 2 including why Dandadan resonates with so many people, theatrical versus streaming experience, what worked and what did not, and so much more. 

Stay tuned next month as we hold our highly anticipated Avatar: The Last Airbender draft!

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, and all 14 films in Fox’s X-Verse.

Now they are diving into their Marvel Zombies Era, where they run down some of Marvel Entertainment’s most notable and notorious films featuring characters the MCU would later reclaim! 

This month’s episode is being released on the same day of The Fantastic Four: First Steps premiere, but, before Bill and Alex can kick off Phase 6 with stretch daddy and the fam, they must first close out Phase 5, with in depth reviews of Daredevil: Born Again Season 1, Thunderbolts* (*The New Avengers), and Ironheart! 

Stay through to the end to hear their thoughts on how Phase 5 stacked up compared to previous phases and hear their complete rankings of all six films and six seasons of television which made up the phase.

Come back next month as they conclude their Marvel Zombies season and kick off MCU Phase 6 with their review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, in theaters now!

This week we celebrate Amanda's three-year anniversary as co-host of Socially Distanced with an episode dedicated to one of her favorite pastimes -- cosplay!

Bill Bodkin is in the hosting seat as Amanda, Branden Vice and Krista Perez of The ConCulture Podcast to discuss the art of cosplay. The panel discusses their inspiration to begin cosplay, the anxiety that comes with being out in public and on social media as a cosplayer, finding their people within cosplay culture, the stereotypes and misconceptions about cosplay, the joy they get from cosplaying and what their dream cosplay would be.

In the pre-game segment they discuss the runaway Netflix hit film K Pop Demon Hunters and why this film has become the cultural phenomenon of the summer.

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.

The new Superman movie has finally arrived, and it’s no doubt the talk of not only the superhero genre right now, but the film world in general.  Alex Marcus, the Director of Podcasting at the Pop Break, joins the Bat Crew once again, along with his former Cinema Joes co-hosts and return guests Justin Mancini and Noah Franc.

Can’t get enough of this movie?  You’re in the right place.  We break it all down: The performances.  The Justice Gang.  And Krypto (obviously).This is a great discussion on the latest iteration of Superman, check it out! 

Aaron and Josh Sarnecky are here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Jaws.

Jaws is a thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on the bestselling novel by Peter Benchley. Benchley co-wrote the screenplay with Carl Gottlieb. It opened in theaters on June 20, 1975.

The movie follows a series of shark attacks on Amity Island. Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) insists the beach stays open because Amity Island depends on the tourism. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) must kill the shark with help of oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw).

Touted as the original summer blockbuster, Jaws was the highest grossing film in history until the release of Star Wars. It was the first film to gross $100 million at the U.S. box office. While Jaws had a notably wide release and a large marketing campaign, most cinemas in the U.S. had only one screen at the time. 

The film won Oscars for John Williams’ iconic score, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing. It was nominated for Best Picture but not Best Director. The movie spawned three sequels.

Aaron and Josh talk about their history with Jaws before going into the plot, characters, score, and effects. They also discuss the movie’s legacy and its upcoming re-release in 4DX.

For more Spielberg, you can listen to Aaron and Josh’s podcasts on Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me If You Can.

Jaws is streaming on Peacock.

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 taking a trip to Love Island USA while The Bachelor is on hiatus!

Michelle and DJ are joined by Kiley to talk about the Love Island USA Season 7 finale. They discuss what they think of the winners and how they got there. They give their thoughts on the season and what they think can be done to improve next season. Finally, they discuss what's coming up next in the reality show universe now that Love Island has wrapped up.

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!

Welcome to Blerd Watchers! ThePopBreak.com's monthly podcast about TV shows with a Blerdy twist! Come hang out with Courtney & Marshall, two married Blerds, as they navigate all the dopeness on TV and share insights and opinions on the monthly show topics!

In this episode,, Marshall and Courtney delve into their recent binge-watching sessions and share their thoughts on various shows and movies. They start a new trailer reaction for Alice in Borderland Season 3. The duo also talks about their experience with watching What We Do in the Shadows and celebrates the completion of Shorsey Seasons 3 and 4.

They provide an in-depth review of Ironheart on Disney Plus, highlighting character developments and plot points.

Finally, they end on an exciting note with a detailed spoiler review of the new Superman movie from James Gunn, discussing its characters, themes, and overall impact. Tune in for a fun-filled summer episode packed with reviews and opinions on the latest in entertainment.

(00:00) Introduction and Welcome Back

(03:58) Trailer Reaction: Alice in Borderland Season 3

(09:50) Impressions of 'What We Do in the Shadows'

(14:37) Commercial Break

(17:00) Review of Shorsey Seasons 3 and 4

(35:00) Discussion on Ironheart

(48:36) Riri's Encounter with [MAJOR SPOILER]

(01:13:56) Big Mouth Season 8

01:21:40 Superman (2025) Movie Review

01:54:22 Supergirl Teaser and Future Hopes

02:01:18 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Follow Courtney on⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Marshall on⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ now available!

Make sure to check out their other podcast,⁠⁠⁠⁠ Blerd Life with My Wife⁠⁠⁠⁠ on your favorite podcasting app and on⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ &⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Blerd Life with My Wife Archives!⁠⁠⁠⁠

And head on over to their⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon page⁠⁠⁠⁠ for extra content.

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 completely forgot they did “X” and “Pearl” and routinely call “Another Simple Favor” the first sequel they’ve ever done on the podcast (whoops!) Join them as they rehash their thoughts on “A Simple Favor” and dive deep into all the murder, hidden sibling and Italian wedding outfits this Paul Feig sequel has to offer. Did they find it a worthy successor to the first film? Listen and find out. Also, stay tuned after the episode for a bonus audio blooper. 

Special thanks to Mallory Johns for the introduction music.

Please don’t forget to follow our hosts on Twitter @ANelRetentive & @TylerMcCarthy and Instagram @ANelRetentive and to check out Tyler’s writing at USA Insider and Allie’s at Parade and Business Insider!

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 taking a trip to Love Island USA while The Bachelor is on hiatus!

This week Michelle, DJ and Kiley break down Week 5 of Love Island USA. They start with the fallout of Cierra's departure from the show and what this means for the Love Island USA production moving forward. They make their predictions for the final 3 episodes and who they think should win. They wrap up with a brief discussion of the premiere of the latest season of Bachelor in Paradise.

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!

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 – Alex, Bill, & Josh talk about a show/episode/event they liked from the last month including Hulu’s The Bear, Disney Plus’s Ironheart, and crunchyroll’s Demon Slayer, andAMC’s Nautilus.

Newsbreak – This month, they discuss shocking news that the mind behind The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann, will be leaving the HBO series to focus on a new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is currently in development. The guys also review the backlash around the divisive second season of the series and wonder how much that controversy informed Neil’s decision.

Streaming Wars – Alex, Bill, & Josh pick a streamer they think “won the month” based on new shows airing/upcoming shows announced etc. This month, everyone backed a different streamer, with Josh giving props to Netflix on the back of its breakthrough Korean content Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters, as well as strong returning numbers for Ginny & Georgia and Quarterback.

Meanwhile, Bill gave some love to Peacock on the strength of viral hit Love Island USA, and Alex gave it to Apple TV Plus after their box office success with F1: The Movie and the recent news that Jennifer Aniston would be starring in and co-showrunning for an adaptation of the hit memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died.

New Series Spotlight – This month we are shining the spotlight on Apple TV Plus’s fire crime drama Smoke. This series stars Taron Egerton as a local arson investigator on the hunt for not one but two serial arsonists and Jurnee Smollett as a metro detective who is called in to assist his stagnant investigation. Safe Spall, Greg Kinnear, and John Leguizamo also star. The series was created by acclaimed crime novelist Dennis Lehane, based on the podcast Firebug, about arsonist John Leonard Orr, and is directed by The Falcon and The Winter Soldier director Kari Skogland.