Send feedback and recs of your own!

From The Odd Couple to Stargate, turning hit movies into TV shows is a grand Hollywood tradition — but most of them don't survive. On this Def Rec, three shows that added "The Series" to their title get the verdict: Tremors, RoboCop, and Highlander. Which one actually earned the top spot?

CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open: "I am Duncan MacLeod..."
0:03 The Def Rec premise
0:27 Why some movies become TV shows
1:48 The three best "The Series" shows
1:59 Honorable mentions
2:19 #3 - Tremors: The Series (2003)
3:25 Reason to Rec: the Tremors verdict
3:39 #2 - RoboCop: The Series (1994)
5:32 Reason to Rec: the RoboCop verdict
6:06 #1 - Highlander: The Series (1992)
9:07 Reason to Rec: the Highlander verdict
9:37 DefRec: the #1 pick
9:51 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
Substack: https://jonmcbrineauthor.substack.com
Blog: https://defrecblog.blogspot.com
Tumblr: https://tumblr.com/jon-mcbrine-author
Instagram & Threads: @jon_mcbrine_author
TikTok: @jon_mcbrine_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonmcbrine.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonmcbrineauthor
Medium: @jonmcbrine

Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show.

Send feedback and recs of your own!

Some franchises pass the torch to a new hero and stick the landing. Others fumble it so badly the flame goes out.

On this Def Rec, three legacy sequels that tried to hand off the franchise get the verdict: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), A Good Day to Die Hard (2013), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). Which torch-passing actually worked?

CHAPTERS
0:00 The Def Rec premise
0:29 Why franchises keep passing the torch
1:43 Torch-passings that worked: Creed, Jurassic World, Maverick
3:46 The three movies that unpass the torch
3:53 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
6:49 Reason to Rec: the Crystal Skull verdict
7:08 A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
10:14 Reason to Rec: the Die Hard verdict
10:30 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
14:32 Reason to Rec: the top pick
15:18 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
Substack: https://jonmcbrineauthor.substack.com
Blog: https://defrecblog.blogspot.com
Tumblr: https://tumblr.com/jon-mcbrine-author
Instagram & Threads: @jon_mcbrine_author
TikTok: @jon_mcbrine_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonmcbrine.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonmcbrineauthor
Medium: @jonmcbrine

Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show.

Send feedback and recs of your own!

Some sequels arrive a decade late and still stick the landing. Others should have stayed in the vault.

On this Def Rec, three belated sequels get the verdict: Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020), Psycho II (1983), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). Which one was actually worth the wait?

CHAPTERS
0:00 The Def Rec premise
0:24 Better late than never, or better never late at all?
1:20 Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)
4:16 Reason to Rec: the Bill & Ted verdict
4:33 Psycho II (1983)
7:06 Reason to Rec: the Psycho II verdict
7:13 Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
9:28 Reason to Rec: the top pick
9:53 Like, subscribe & follow

BOOKS
Jon McBrine's Eric Icarus YA sci-fi series: https://jonmcbrine.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jon-McBrine/author/B0C9Z3MPTT

DEF REC
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/def-rec/id6810310255
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@jonmcbrine
Full Def Rec playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ9I6GUGChJA&si=RpQNw7G0zarRK3Tz

FOLLOW
Substack: https://jonmcbrineauthor.substack.com
Blogger: https://defrecblog.blogspot.com
Tumblr: https://tumblr.com/jon-mcbrine-author
Instagram & Threads: @jon_mcbrine_author
TikTok: @jon_mcbrine_author
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jonmcbrine.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonmcbrineauthor
Medium: @jonmcbrine

Follow & Review: Leave a rating on your favorite podcast platform—it helps other movie nerds find the show.