We Judge a Show by its Pilot

Ep. 107 - Downton Abbey

Put on your fancy pants and your finest hat because we're heading to Downton Abbey to hang out with the Crawley's and their servants. A groundbreaking series that was both hugely popular in the UK and the US, Downton shows us the contrasting worlds of the high class aristocrats and the working class servants. Some of their problems couldn't be more different but other times the show reminds us that we share more problems than we realize. On today's episode we're talking why we love this show so much, why we think people love period dramas, which aspect of the show we favored, and major world events in our lives that we remember most. Enjoy!

Ep. 106 - Ted

Grab your Thunder Buddy, put on your finest suit, start playing the Flash Gordon theme song because we're talking about everyone's favorite living teddy bear, Ted. Starting out as a movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Seth MacFarlane, getting a sequel film, and then a prequel TV series, Ted has proven to have staying power. On today's episode we discuss the movie and the series, why we love it, but we also discuss some of our favorite toys as a kid, toys we wanted but never got, and much more! Plus you'll get a sneak peek at our theme for July. Enjoy!

Ep. 105 - Parenthood

Something that everyone seems to have an opinion on is parenting, even if they don't have kids. Today's episode we're judging the pilot of one of Jeff's favorite shows which is based on one of Anna's favorite movies, Parenthood. The movie was released in 1989 and it reflected the next generation of parenting (Boomers). Over 20 years later, Parenthood the series aired on NBC and that also represented a new generation of parenting (GenX). One thing is certain: different generations, same problems. We discuss the pilot and the movie, Jeff talks about why he loves this show so much, Anna reflects on seeing the movie in theaters, and we talk about if the show or the movie are an accurate portrayal of parenting. Things get a little emotional but we still have some laughs. Enjoy!

Ep. 104 - 10 Things I Hate About You

One of the most iconic 90s teen movies of all times, 10 Things I Hate About You was the breakout movie for Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles as well as co-starring a Who's Who of Young Hollywood including: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gabrielle Union, David Krumholtz, Andrew Keegan, and Susan May Pratt (remember her???). Based on William Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things is a story of two very different sisters who are trying navigate their social and love life in high school while dealing with their overly protective father. Even though the TV series did a great job adapting the movie, it never quite caught on but has maintained somewhat of a cult status. Along with the movie and the pilot, we discuss other teen movies based off of classic literature, our favorite teen movies, and whether or not the 1999 film still holds up. Enjoy!

Ep. 103 - Bates Motel (Psycho)

How do you feel about twist endings? How do you feel about spoilers? Well, that's our main topic of conversation for today's episode. We're continuing Summer Blockbuster month with Bates Motel, a "contemporary prequel" to the 1960 film, Psycho. Psycho is considered to be one of the most famous and important horror movies of all time and has one of the most iconic twist endings ever. Along with the pilot for Bates Motel, we also discuss how we feel about spoilers, our thoughts on the film (and the franchise), and family dynamics that are different from ours. Enjoy!

Ep. 102 - Cobra Kai (The Karate Kid)

Is Johnny Lawrence the true karate kid? Is Daniel Larusso the real villain? Johnny was just minding his own business until some kid from New Jersey came to town and ruined his life. Johnny is the stereotypical guy that peaked in high school. Now working dead end jobs to make rent, Johnny finds himself at a crossroads... does he continue living in the past obsessing over his mistakes or does he rise from the ashes and reclaim Cobra Kai as the best karate dojo in The Valley? Take a trip down nostalgia lane with Cobra Kai! 

Ep. 101 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer

What do you get when you mix vampires with mall culture and then throw in Paul Rueben? You get the 1992 film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Originally a box office bomb and critically panned, Buffy the movie found its home through video rentals and became one of the biggest cult classics of the 90s. 5 years later, the film's screenwriter Joss Whedon adapted the film into a TV series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan, and Nicholas Brendon. The show became an immediate success and is considered to be one of the best TV shows of its time. Along with the pilot, we discuss the original film, our history with the film and how the two compare to each other. We also decided to have a belated celebration going into the hundreds and had a little cocktail while recording. Enjoy!

Ep. 100 - The Four Seasons

It's our 100th episode!!! And we're kicking it off with a newer show that has become one of our favorites, The Four Seasons. Based on the 1981 comedy starring Alan Alda and Carol Burnett, the series stars Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Will Forte, Colman Domingo, and Kerri Kenney. For this episode, Anna talks about her love for the movie, what Jeff thought of the movie, how we both feel about the series, we discuss friend group dynamics, and of course, we judge the pilot! It's a fun episode so you don't want to miss it!

Ep. 99 - Futurama

May is coming to an end so we decided to judge the pilot of one of Jeff's favorite shows: Futurama. Set in the year 3000, everyman Fry has traveled from the year 1999. Despite the technological advances, Fry figures out mankind hasn't changed that much. Along with the pilot, we talk about our memories of 1999, Y2K madness, whether or not we'd consider time travel, and what events would we have like to witness. As always, since it's the last episode of the month, we will talk about the theme for June and what our first episode will be! Enjoy!

Ep. 98 - Castlevania

Your second show for 2 for Tuesday is another Netflix original that is also based on a video game franchise, Castlevania. Leaning into a more classic horror vibe, we dive in to the world of Vlad Dracula as he takes revenge on the corrupt clergyman and citizens of Wallachia. Along with the pilot, we talk about why we love vampire tales so much, whether or not Dracula is a sympathetic character, Jeff gives a brief history of Metroidvania, and we discuss our favorite video games. Enjoy!