This week on The Watchers, Jodie and Andrea get into Season 2 of Somebody Somewhere, a tender show about tender people behaving tenderly. This season is chock-full of complicated relationships in every direction: parent-child, sibling, friend, lover, teacher, mentor, the whole human mess. We talk about all the messy, beautiful ways the people of Somebody Somewhere keep showing up for one another, even when it’s hard.

Next week, we’re wrapping up Somebody Somewhere with our recap of Season 3.

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Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

This week on The Watchers, Jodie and Andrea cover Season 1 of Somebody Somewhere, the tender, funny, quietly devastating HBO series about grief, belonging, and figuring out who your people are. We get into the characters and casting, why seeing yourself reflected in the stories you watch matters so much, and the many (many) moments that made Andrea cry.

We’ll be back with Season 2 next week.

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Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

This week on The Watchers, Jodie proposes a theory: Tarsem’s The Fall might be the most English-major-ass movie we’ve ever covered. A movie about grief, connection, and the shared act of co-authoring a world together, The Fall spans continents and mythologies while really being about two people in one hospital room and their attempt at meaning-making. We get into Tarsem’s laser-eyed focus on making this film a reality by self-funding, shooting in more than 25 countries, and holding the whole thing together through stubborn will. It’s a movie that became a beloved favorite despite being nearly impossible to find until its 2024 restoration.

Next week: Season 1 of Somebody Somewhere, the tender, joyful, devastating HBO series about friendship, grief, chosen family, and what it really means to come home.

Recommended:

Behind the Scenes - The Fall

“Before Your Very Eyes: Tarsem’s The Fall” - Nicholas Russell, Bright Wall / Dark Room

“Liberations of Mind, Spirit and Vision: The Fall by Tarsem Singh” - Daniel Garrett, Offscreen

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

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Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

This week on The Watchers, Andrea and Jodie are watching Practical Magic, the 1998 Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman film that’s part romantic comedy, part gothic melodrama, and part cozy autumn mood board. We talk about its tonal chaos, the domestic-violence subplot that doesn’t quite fit, and whether or not Practical Magic accidentally invented cottagecore. Plus: the haunted production history, the witch consultant who may or may not have cursed the director, a coven of small-town moms, and why, despite (or because of) its messiness, Practical Magic has become such a touchstone for millennial witches everywhere.

Next week, we’re diving into The Fall, Tarsem Singh’s sweeping, surreal fairy tale about grief, imagination, and the stories we tell to survive.

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

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Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

This week, Andrea and Jodie sink their teeth into Joel Schumacher’s 1987 teen vampire classic, The Lost Boys. We talk about the decade’s obsession with abandoned hideouts, the movie’s blatant disregard for established vampire lore, and our shared childhood dream of running away to live with a group of wayward teens in one of those aforementioned abandoned hideouts. Plus: The Lost Boy’s Goonies-esque origins, national treasure, Dianne Wiest, and the incredible history of the world’s most important bodybuilding saxophone player.

From California vampires to New England witches, we’re trading leather for linen and watching 1998’s Practical Magic

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

Andrea and Jodie finally watched Jennifer’s Body, a movie written by Diablo Cody, directed by Karyn Kusama, and practically made for The Watchers. It’s funny, queer, and at least a little more feminist than its original marketing gave it credit for. We talk about Megan Fox’s redemption arc, that cursed emo band Low Shoulder, how a smart, strange movie about friendship and revenge got misbranded as a sexed-up slasher for teen boys, and whether or not it's possible to challenge stereotypes without reinforcing them.

Next week: we’re heading back to 1987 for The Lost Boys. A movie that proves nothing’s cooler than vampires, leather jackets, and boardwalk saxophone solos.

Recommended Reading:

How Jennifer’s Body went from a flop in 2009 to a feminist cult classic today - Constance Grady, Vox

The life, death, and rebirth of Jennifer’s Body, according to screenwriter Diablo Cod - Emily St. James, Vox

The Story of Low Shoulder From ‘Jennifer’s Body,’ The Funniest and Most Disturbing Fictional Indie Rock Band Ever - Andrew Unterberger, Billboard

Why "Through the Trees" Is Actually the Perfect Song for Jennifer's Body - James Grebey, SYFY

A Queer Girl’s Guide to Jennifer’s Body  - Ava Burzycki, The Michigan Daily

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

Andrea and Jodie watched The Talented Mr. Ripley, the 1999 psychological thriller that features Jude Law at the height of his powers. We talk about what makes the casting work in a story that depends on believing Tom and Dickie’s strange connection, the beauty of sun-drenched Italy on film, and Jude Law’s perfect face (and terrible hat). There’s also Cate Blanchett being effortlessly delightful, the realization that we maybe haven't given Matt Damon the credit he deserves, and Patricia Highsmith’s stunning lifelong commitment to horrible opinions. 

Next week, we’re talking Jennifer’s Body, the horror-comedy revenge cult classic that deserved better the first time around.

Recommended Reading:

The Most Stylish Scammer: 20 Years of ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’

‘Visceral, sensual wonders’: why The Talented Mr Ripley is my feelgood movie

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

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Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

This week, Andrea and Jodie watched The Silence of the Lambs, a quiet little drama about gender in the workplace, mentorship, art appreciation, canine companions, and the importance of strong female friendships.

Recommended Reading:

“30 years in, The Silence Of The Lambs’ Jame Gumb still deserves better” - By Harmony Colangelo

Next week, we’re welcoming October in with the 1999 psychological thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley. 

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

Hey Watchers fam, quick note! No new episode today. We foolishly thought we’d somehow find enough hours in September to stay on track, but that was obviously hubris on our part. We’ll be back in your feed next week with Silence of the Lambs, a full episode, and no plans to take any more time off for the rest of the year. In the meantime, give this one a listen for a few recommendations of stuff to check out while you wait for our return, as well as–depending on where you live–some upcoming events you might be interested in. Thanks for sticking with us. Rate/review if you haven’t, share us with a friend, and we’ll see you next week! 

To ask Rainn Wilson a question for This Helps With Marlon Morgan’s live podcast recording, head to thishelpspodcast.com/ask

Tickets to Laughing Together’s All-Star Improv Jam on September 29th in San Diego, CA are at wellnesstogether.org/conference

Join Beautiful/Anonymous for our 500th episode, recording live at Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, on October 17th: punchup.live/chrisgethard

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."

Last week, Andrea and Jodie checked into One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to talk rebellion, institutions, and what it takes to be a woman in a male-dominated field. This week, we’re shipping up to Cambridge for a rewatch of Girl, Interrupted. It’s another Winona Ryder voiceover project and the film that gave Angelina Jolie the world’s worst bangs. We get into how Susanna Kaysen felt about seeing her memoir on screen, the 90s all-star cast, and what it says about decades of not-so-great mental-health care for women.

Next week, get ready to sink your teeth into Jonathan Demme’s Oscar-winning classic, The Silence of the Lambs.

P.S. Our apologies for the unannounced break last week! Missed you terribly. We'll never leave you again.

If you're reading this, that means you've probably got your podcatcher of choice open right now. It would be SO helpful if you gave our little show a follow. If you like what you hear, you could even leave us a review.

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."