The Watchers

This week, we’re taking a short drive from the neo-noir world of Neptune to the dark, vampire-infested corners of Sunnydale as we dive into the two-part premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Join Jodie and Andrea as we meet Buffy Summers, the high school teen who just happens to be a demon-slaying superhero. We’ll explore Buffy’s battle to juggle her slayer duties with typical teenage chaos, unpacking why giving the literal halls of 90210’s Beverly Hills High a coat of supernatural paint is so compelling. We’ll discuss what makes these characters so immediately likable despite the sometimes clunky dialogue, delight in Giles’ overt Britishness, and marvel at Willow Rosenberg’s debatably impressive computer hacking skills. 

Watch the original unaired Buffy Pilot

Next week, we say goodbye to Pilot Season, and return to the sacred grounds of the Garden State, as we recap our experience attending Kevin Smith’s Vulgarthon. 

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Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

In this episode of The Watchers, we’re leaving behind the sun-dappled Capeside for the moody neon-lit parking lots of Neptune as we dive into the pilot episode of Rob Thomas’s neo-noir teen drama, Veronica Mars. Join Jodie and Andrea as we meet Veronica, the sharp-tongued teenage detective, and her world of high school drama and gritty crime-solving. We’ll unpack the pilot’s introduction to Veronica’s near-unbelievably complex life—juggling her role as a part-time P.I., dealing with “random” locker searches, and navigating her father’s fall from grace, all while remaining the funniest person in Neptune.

Next week, we’ll be sticking around the west coast, but heading to the spooky town of Sunnydale, California for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We’ll be watching the two-parter, “Welcome to the Hellmouth” and “The Harvest.”

Watch Space, Hope, and Charity

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

In this episode of The Watchers, we're trading the awkward energy of McKinley High for the quaintly watercolor world of Dawson’s Creek. Join Jodie and Andrea as we explore the lives of Dawson, Joey, Pacey, and Jen, who navigate picturesque Capeside while remaining somehow sex-obsessed and puritanically chaste, simultaneously. We’ll talk about Dawson’s unearned self-confidence, Pacey’s weird little bangs, Jen’s storied past (evidenced by a taste for black coffee and saying the word “penis” in front of her grandmother), Joey’s position as the daughter of a drug lord, and why replacing the theme song should be a crime punishable by death.

Next week, we’re heading west to spend some time in the SoCal town of Neptune as we review the pilot for everyone’s favorite teen noir, Rob Thomas’s Veronica Mars.

Referenced in this episode:

The Day Dawson Cried: An Oral History of the Dawson Crying GIF and Its Outsized Legacy - Constance Grady

Creek Theses - Justin Taylor

Billion-Dollar Kiss: The Kiss That Saved Dawson's Creek and Other Adventures inTV Writing - Jeffrey Stepakoff

Rewatching the Dawson's Creek Pilot 20 Years Later: Sex, Boats, and Spielberg -  Darren Franich

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

In this episode of The Watchers, we’re stepping away from the world of Liberty High and into the awkward halls of McKinley High School with Freaks and Geeks. Join Jodie and Andrea as we navigate the landscape of this cult classic. We delve into the show’s attempts to balance the earnest with the awkward, discuss the impact of creators Paul Feig and Judd Apatow (and the one million careers launched by this show), and try to figure out what to do about the Eli of it all. Oof.

Next week, we’re heading to Capeside for the first episode of the WB hit teen drama, Dawson’s Creek. See you Wednesday. (We know you don't wanna wait.)

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

In this episode of The Watchers, we're leaving behind the glitzy glamour of Beverly Hills High for the rust belt city setting of My So-Called Life! Join Jodie and Andrea as we follow Angela Chase through the halls of Liberty High School, where the drama is real and the emotions run deep. We traverse Angela's moody, tender, earnest as hell inner monologue, dissect the dynamics of her friendships and family relationships, and reflect on the show's enduring impact on the portrayal of teens on TV. So, get ready to trade your scrunchie for some crimson glow hair dye, and join us as we journey through the heartfelt world of My So-Called Life!

Next week, we’re covering another short-lived but beloved teen-focused series, Paul Feig and Judd Apatow's Freaks and Geeks.

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

In this episode, we're diving into the pilot of Beverly Hills, 90210. We'll be talking about how Brandon and Brenda Walsh tackled the drama at West Beverly High, and how this show basically kickstarted the whole teen drama craze. Created by Darren Star and produced by Aaron Spelling, it was a total game-changer, mixing in drama, romance, and a whole lot of social commentary against the backdrop of ritzy Beverly Hills. Jodie and Andrea can't help but question why this school is so obsessed with its newspaper, break down all the different class dynamics happening, and marvel over how the school radio station had such a huge influence on high school movies and TV back in the day. So, grab your scrunchies and join us as we dive deep into the glitz and drama of Beverly Hills, 90210!

Beverly Hills, 90210 Restored: @bh90210restored

Next week, we’re covering My So-Called Life, a short-lived but pivotal exploration of adolescence starring Claire Danes and created by Winnie Holzman.

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

We’re back in the dream weave, baby! This week on The Watchers, we’re wrapping up our review of The Bear, season 3, episodes 6 through 10. Jodie and Andrea get real about this season’s biggest hits and misses, question whether or not something is necessary just because it’s powerful, and launch the most important campaign in television history: #GiveSydAGirlfriend

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The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

Next week, we’re starting a new mini series within our pilots mini-series, with our review of Teen Dramas. We’re starting with the absolutely foundational Beverly Hills, 90210

We’re back in Chicago this week for our review of The Bear, season 3, episodes 1 through 5. Jodie and Andrea talk about the declaration of intent that is “Tomorrow,” how the aspects of The Bear we’ve argued make it a standout carry over and intensify in season 3, the (im)balance of character growth versus plot, what we’re hoping to see in the back half of season 3, and why you better stay out of the dream weave, Carmen.

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

It’s a supersized episode of The Watchers this week as we get ready for the return of one of our favorite shows, Christopher Storer’s ode to Chicago, The Bear. Jodie and Andrea recap seasons 1 and 2, focusing on some of our favorite episodes and moments across the two seasons. We’re talking pacing, montage, color, editing, family dynamics, friendships, dream sequences, humor, flashbacks, heart, food, music–look, The Bear has everything, and we cover a lot of it. (Not all of it though, so probably don’t use this as your catch up if you’ve never watched the show and want to jump in with season 3. Or do, we’re not here to tell you how to live.)

Register for Your Free Tickets to Our America Now: Beautiful/Anonymous with Chris Gethard 

Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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

This week on The Watchers’ Pilot Season, Jodie and Andrea review The Leftovers, HBO’s 2014 drama based on Tom Perotta’s novel of the same name. We get into how we might respond to losing two percent of the world’s population in an instant, how this show has more in common with our previous shows than we’d expected, whether all dogs are truly good dogs, and if a certain deer has a grudge against Justin Theroux. Plus, we manage to weave in more Jersey talk than you might expect in an episode focused on "upstate" (to us) New York. But then again, if you’ve been tuning in for a while now, that’s probably not so surprising after all.

Pilot season is technically over here at The Watchers. Next week, we’re recapping seasons one and two of The Bear, Christopher Storer’s love letter to Chicago and family dysfunction. We’ll be covering season three after that, so if you’ve never watched The Bear, now’s the time.

"The Leftovers, Life, Death, Einstein and Time Travel" By Maureen Ryan

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Follow:

The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)

Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)

Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)

Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)

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