Jaclynn jokes that the real reason we chose to cover Freakier Friday is because she was going to see it no matter what, but honestly we had a great time unpacking this box of "nostalgia cupcakes."

The entire episode and the film, itself, are also an active meditation on just how "meta" you can make a story without breaking the story's proverbial Easter eggs.

Once we got into it, we realized it's a story about empathy, grief, and growth, and on the technical story side, we had a serious discussion of when the rules of the world of a story matter and when they don't.

The episode's closing section, "Favorite Lines," is especially hilarious this week because this was one of the funniest films of the year.

CHAPTER TIME STAMPS & MUST-LISTEN MOMENTS:

00:00 - The Cold Open

00:21 - Why We Chose It, and Why Disney Made This Movie "Literally for Jaclynn"

01:44 - Old Guy Seeing The Film Alone In The Theater

02:40 - Robby Liked It?

03:11 - Jaclynn's Memory of the Original 2003 Film

04:50 - The Jane Goodall Theater Experience

07:46 - The Unkind Aging Jokes and Constant Yelling in the First Half

08:14 - Jamie Lee Curtis Deserves an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize

09:30 - The "Fantastic Four" Problem of Hitting Every Nostalgic Button

14:30 - Characters in Pain

17:30 - Real World Consequences of the Story & The Rules of the World

25:40 - The Almost Questionable Morality of the Story

28:00 - MUNA's Cameo

30:30 - Favorite Lines Sketch

31:40 - Favorite Lines

Director: Nisha Ganatra

Screenplay by: Jordan Weiss (Story by: Elyse Hollander, Jordan Weiss)

Based on: Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers (1972)

Cinematography: Matthew Clark

Producers: Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn, Jamie Lee Curtis

Cast (Returning): Jamie Lee Curtis (Tess Coleman), Lindsay Lohan (Anna Coleman), Mark Harmon (Ryan), Chad Michael Murray (Jake), Rosalind Chao (Mama P), Stephen Tobolowsky (Mr. Elton Bates), Christina Vidal Mitchell (Maddie), Haley Hudson (Peg)

Cast (New to Franchise): Julia Butters (Harper Coleman), Sophia Hammons (Lily Reyes), Manny Jacinto (Eric Reyes), Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Ella)

Notable Facts:

• Lohan's Return: The film marks Lindsay Lohan's first leading role in a wide theatrical release in 18 years.
• Curtis's Influence: The sequel was born out of Jamie Lee Curtis's own push to make the film after realizing the demand from fans while touring for the Halloween franchise.
• Casting Callbacks: Elaine Hendrix, who played the antagonist Meredith in The Parent Trap (1998), makes a cameo, reuniting her with Lindsay Lohan on screen.
• Box Office Success: The film achieved the biggest domestic opening for a live-action comedy in 2025.
• Veteran Comeback: It is Mark Harmon's first non-NCIS related role in a theatrically released film in over a decade.

Let's look at the story of a single, amazing scene in the UK TV Series Crashing. It displays perfect "heightening," and in less than sixty seconds, paints a picture of the whole series.

WATCH THE SCENE HERE: https://youtu.be/z4Kx3TiS3ow?si=WxhV-XnxFAbh3btN&t=26

Don't ask us why we chose to use a silent scene for a podcast, but we did and we did a sketch making fun of the decision to do so! If you want to get one of the references that's made in the sketch, check out the Wikipedia page for composer John Cage's piece 4'33".

The episode itself is of course a short one, but it's a great scene that deserves more attention!

Please, leave a comment with other ideas for scenes that are worth a second, deeper look.

Crashing (UK, 2016) itself is a pretty great show, and is one of the first public-facing things that Phoebe Waller-Bridge wrote.

About the Series:

• What it is: Crashing is a six-part comedy series that follows the lives and loves of six twenty-somethings living together as property guardians in a massive, disused London hospital. The arrangement allows them to pay cheap rent in exchange for keeping the building safe, creating a hilarious and awkward situation where their personal relationships and sexual tensions inevitably collide.

Cast:

• The series stars creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (best known for Fleabag and Killing Eve) as Lulu, and Jonathan Bailey (known for playing Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton) as Sam.
• Other key cast members include Damien Molony and Louise Ford.

The Creatives:

• The series was created and written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and it is one of her first public-facing works before the global success of Fleabag.
• It was produced by Big Talk Productions (known for producing hits like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz).

Impact and Legacy:

• While the series itself did not win major awards, its cultural impact is significant as it launched the TV career of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and introduced the world to her distinct voice, dark humor, and sharp writing, laying the groundwork for the monumental success of Fleabag later that same year.

We chose to unpack The Studio, Episode 02, "The Oner," because basically every line of this story is a Chekhov's Gun waiting to go off, and they all do! This episode is a masterclass in storytelling and filmmaking craft. We try not to talk too much about how we just love it, but we can't help gushing because it truly is that good. The entire episode is structured as a flawless bookend, and we dive into the dense narrative that allows it to achieve this structural triumph.

In this episode, we analyze everything from the micro-nuance of the filmmaking to the overarching plot. We dissect the technical aspects, including the use and misuse of "The Oner" (the single, continuous long take), and contrast the artistry with the time wasted on set to create the perfect “oner.”

Critically, we look at how the story maintains its narrative perfection even as chaos erupts on set.

Our discussion is a full breakdown that covers real-life stories from behind the scenes, the satirical skewering of studio executives, and the mastery of the cast, including the amazing Greta Lee. Join us as we explore why this story was simply too perfect to ruin, even when someone couldn't resist turning Chekhov's Gun from a pistol into a machine gun.

CHAPTER TIME STAMPS & MUST-LISTEN MOMENTS:

00:00 - Cold Open

00:39 - Sketch: Chekhov's Gun

01:17 - The Behind-The-Scenes Magic

02:29 - The Bookend Magic Trick & Steering Wheel "Acting"

06:40 - Skewering “Oners” As a Concept

10:40 - The Characters

16:02 - Mastery of Craft

19:44 - Pre-Conceived Notions

24:25 - Real Life On-Set Story

27:27 - References & Greta Lee

30:45 - Sketch: Chekhov's Gun + Ending

Key Credits The Studio, Episode 02, "The Oner"

Directed by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Written by: Peter Huyck

Cinematography: Adam Newport-Berra

Cast: Seth Rogen (Matt Remick), Ike Barinholtz (Sal Saperstein), Greta Lee (Herself), Sarah Polley (Herself), Catherine O'Hara (Patty Leigh), Keyla Monterroso Mejia (Petra)

Awards (Episode Specific):

• Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Won by Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, 2025)
• Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (Half-Hour) (Won by Adam Newport-Berra, 2025)

Awards (Series Overall):

• The Studio (Season 1) won a record 13 total Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series.

Notable Feature: The episode itself is shot to look like a single, continuous long take (a "oner"), satirically mirroring the plot of the fictional movie being filmed within the story.

To celebrate the culmination of Virgo Season, we’re talking about Jaclynn’s kinda sorta favorite film—a visually driven action comedy that at times brings a tear to the eye.

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is a masterclass in visual storytelling, and the episode becomes a bit of a David Leitch Fan Club as we dive into how the director's visual precision goes way beyond just the stunts.

This story is so well told that we suspend our disbelief for two straight hours—aside from exactly one shot. We find it completely plausible that The Rock can out-muscle a military-grade helicopter, but we can’t deal with one questionable shot of the sunrise.

Stick around to the end because we workshop a new "Favorite Lines" segment, and we provide yet another shout out to an ex.

Episode Chapters & Highlights:

00:00 - Cold Open & Sample from the Trailer

00:26 - Why We're Talking about Hobbs & Shaw

00:40 - Sketch: Virgo Season Team Meeting

01:38 - The Efficiency of the Storytelling in Hobbs & Shaw

03:20 - Directed by David Leitch (John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2)

05:12 - The Visual Perfection of Hobbs & Shaw

10:10 - What Robby Wanted More Of

11:30 - How Quickly The Story Set Expectations of Believability

11:50 - Jaclynn's Only Problem With The Story

20:26 - Action Movie Voice, What Is "Funny"

23:28 - Robby Talks About The "Heat and Weight" of the Story

27:37 - Favorite Lines

31:05 - Shout Out To An Ex (Discussion & Sketch)

Two of our hosts are Virgos so to celebrate we are watching their favorite film, and breaking down their stories. First up, Robby's favorite film– "My Life As A Dog, which is also Kurt Vonnegut's favorite film! While often remembered for its sweetness and childlike perspective, the film is in fact a darkly introspective work about childhood displacement and resilience.

Such a poignant (sad, dark, introspective) story made for an unexpectedly fun episode.

Must listen moments include:

00:00 - Cold Open

00:28 - Why We Chose To Discuss "My Life As A Dog"

02:09 - What You Need To Know Before Watching "My Life As A Dog"

13:46 - Did We (Jaclynn) Like It?

17:27 - Sketch: Shout Out To An Ex!

19:42 - Why Robby Loves "My Life As A Dog"

23:35 - Cole's Reaction & Comparing It To "My Dinner With Andre"

27:25 - No One Says "I Love You"

28:02 - Sketch: Cathartic Company Holiday Party

29:50 - Sexual Content Warning // Discussion

31:30 - The Film's Many Metaphors

36:19 - Our Favorite Robby Story

39:26 - Favorite Lines

Key Credits:

Director: Lasse Hallström

Writers: Lasse Hallström, Reidar Jönsson, Brasse Brännström, Per Berglund (adapted from Jönsson’s novel)

Cinematography: Jörgen Persson

Cast: Anton Glanzelius (Ingemar), Tomas von Brömssen (Gunnar), Anki Lidén (Ingemar’s mother), Melinda Kinnaman (Saga)

Awards: Won Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film (1988); Nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay); Winner of Guldbagge Award for Best Film; widely recognized on international critics’ lists.

Cultural Impact:

My Life as a Dog was a breakthrough moment for Swedish cinema in the 1980s and for director Lasse Hallström, who went on to a long Hollywood career. The film established a model for the “memory movie” subgenre, using a child’s heightened perspective and vivid production design to translate trauma into visual metaphor. Its balance of levity and despair influenced later coming-of-age films, particularly in how stories of childhood can be framed as both whimsical and devastating. The film also broadened international awareness of Swedish filmmaking and remains a touchstone in conversations about resilience, displacement, and the unreliable nature of memory.

Episode Summary:

We celebrate Virgo season with Robby’s favorite film—My Life as a Dog (1985), directed by Lasse Hallström and adapted from Reidar Jönsson’s novel. With cinematography by Jörgen Persson and a breakout performance by Anton Glanzelius, the film became an international success, winning the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and earning Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Our discussion frames My Life as a Dog as a “memory movie”: a story told through the lens of a child’s perception, where bright colors and circus-like design choices mirror the distortions of memory. We compare Ingemar’s dislocation to the fate of Laika, the dog sent into space, emphasizing the boy’s sense of being “tossed around” by forces beyond his control. The conversation examines the film’s tonal balance—how it cloaks devastating material in humor—and debates whether Ingemar is a typical child or unusually aware of his difficult circumstances.

Finally, we consider the film’s cultural impact. Beyond its role as a breakthrough for Swedish cinema and Hallström’s career, My Life as a Dog continues to resonate as a meditation on powerlessness, resilience, and the search for belonging. Its influence can be traced in subsequent coming-of-age films that weave levity into trauma, and in the enduring discussions it sparks among filmmakers...

What do Marvel movies feel like to people who have never seen a Marvel movie? That’s what two of the three of us find out for you in this episode. Robby has seen every Marvel movie, but Jaclynn and Cole are going in blind.

Join us as we take Fantastic Four: First Steps way too seriously– so seriously that it’s hilarious. Honestly, this might be the funniest episode of the year.

Memorable moments beyond the typical fun, thoughtful analysis include:

• Giving birth in space [00:31:14]

• Our first "Pre-tenshy" (Pretentious) Alert: Comparing the Fantastic Four: First Steps to the 9,000 page series of novels, Three Body Problem. [00:04:32]

• Our first shouting out ex-boyfriends by name. [00:21:12]

Definitely try each of those time stamps , but if you want to know more a full summary of the episode is below!

• [00:00:40] A Fresh Perspective: The hosts express their initial thoughts on the film, with two of the three having no prior experience with Marvel. They discuss their decision to see the film and the unique, potentially "uninformed" perspective they bring to the conversation.
• [00:01:29] Finding the Flaws: One host (guess who!) admits to falling asleep during the film, attributing it to a tiring day but also expressing a desire to see it a second time to give it a fair chance. They share their core disappointment that the film felt predictable and "flat" from the start.

• [00:07:31] A Critique of Predictability: The discussion delves into the film's structural shortcomings, noting that key plot points, such as the fate of certain characters, felt heavily foreshadowed and lacked surprise. The hosts argue that the story’s predictability drains any meaningful tension.
• [00:21:46] The Stagnant Hero's Journey: The hosts focus on the lack of character growth and arc within the story. They argue that characters start and end the film as heroes with no significant internal change or conflict. The absence of a genuine hero's journey is highlighted as a core reason for the film’s narrative flatness.

• [00:24:07] A Retro-Futuristic Utopia: The conversation shifts to the film’s social subtext, describing its setting as a utopian, nuclear family-centric world that feels oddly reminiscent of the 1950s. The host contrasts this with modern societal realities, noting the surprising level of public trust and the lack of systemic problems like poverty or worker unrest.
• [00:30:10] Birth in Space and Other Surprises: The hosts discuss the depiction of a superhero giving birth in space, praising the film for showcasing a unique and rarely seen aspect of a superhero's life. They also note the surprising, matter-of-fact portrayal of the event, which they see as a bold choice for a major studio film.
• [00:36:03] Thematic Thesis: The episode concludes by highlighting the core thematic conflict of the film, quoting a character’s line: "I'm not sacrificing my son for this planet, but I won't sacrifice this planet for my son." This is identified as the central thesis of the story, serving as a powerful and rare moment of genuine moral ambiguity.

CREDITS & ATTRIBUTIONS

Sound Design Field Recordings:

"Pretentious Alert" [00:04:32]

• S: Beach Dance - EDM Dance Cinematic Party Eletro Chill Happy 120bpm Music - EQ Mastered.wav by