Best Nerddom Podcasts (2025)

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Dracula with Lester Ryan Clark 58:30

Play Pause

2d ago58:30

58:30

Dracula is a book where the title character shows up for roughly four chapters and then just... leaves. It's like if "Jaws" spent most of its runtime following insurance adjusters filing claims about boat damage. And yet, somehow, this 1897 novel created pop culture's most enduring monster. That's the central mystery Mandy and guest Lester Ryan Cla…

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The History of the Weeping Angels 31:15

4d ago31:15

31:15

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Masters of The Universe with Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell 56:50

9d ago56:50

56:50

What happens when you take the most toyetic franchise of the 1980s, hand it to the kings of schlock at Cannon Films, and tell them to make the next Star Wars? You get Masters of the Universe—a movie so gloriously confused that it can’t decide if it’s fantasy, sci-fi, or just an over-extended toy commercial. Mandy Kaplan is joined by returning guest…

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Bluey with Kelly Vrooman 44:46

16d ago44:46

44:46

Look, I need to tell you something about a children's television program featuring animated dogs, and I need you to stay with me here because this is going to sound absolutely bananas. There exists—right now, in this timeline, on this increasingly nightmare-inducing planet—a show called Bluey that has achieved what can only be described as "weaponi…

1
Twilight with Ben Raffle 56:49

23d ago56:49

56:49

This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan asks the big, baffling question: how does a grown man in his forties, with a child, a career, and a functioning brain, become obsessed with Twilight? Enter Ben Raffle—software executive by day, nerd savant by night, and unapologetic devotee of sparkly vampires. What follows is a gloriously chaotic conversat…

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Spirited Away with Kynan Dias 59:23

30d ago59:23

59:23

This week, Mandy Kaplan discovers that “family road trip” in Japan doesn’t mean stopping at a rest area for gas and Funyuns. No, it means your parents turn into pigs and you’re suddenly employed at a haunted bathhouse run by a chain-smoking witch with the voice of Suzanne Pleshette. And who better to guide Mandy through the bewildering fever dream …

1
Charmed with Patrick Gomez 1:02:53

1M ago1:02:53

1:02:53

This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy is joined by the magnificent, the glamorous, the slightly crop-top-obsessed Patrick Gomez—yes, that Patrick Gomez, the Editor-in-Chief of Entertainment Weekly. Together they dust off the spell book, step into a suspiciously San Francisco-looking Paramount backlot, and dive headlong into the world of Charmed.Patric…

1
Black Mirror with Tara Sands 1:01:54

1M ago1:01:54

1:01:54

This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy is joined by someone who has been part of her life nearly forever—voiceover legend and dear friend Tara Sands. You might know Tara from her work bringing Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and countless anime characters to life, but today she’s here to get properly nerdy about Black Mirror. Yes, the series that makes you both fa…

1
Freaks and Geeks with Jeffrey Nicholas Brown 1:02:02

2M ago1:02:02

1:02:02

This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan welcomes actor, drummer, writer, and all-time Blue Man Grouper Jeffrey Nicholas Brown—yes, an actual Blue Man.The two dive headfirst into Freaks and Geeks, the show that lasted only one season but somehow altered the DNA of television comedy forever. Jeffrey confesses he was both a freak and a geek in high …

1
Godzilla Minus One with Riki Hayashi 59:26

2M ago59:26

59:26

This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy welcomes fellow TruStory podcaster and kaiju enthusiast Riki Hayashi for a dive into one of the most critically acclaimed monster movies in decades: Godzilla Minus One. If you’ve ever thought Godzilla was just a big lizard with anger issues, think again.Riki brings his lifelong passion for Japanese nerd culture to…

1
The Rehearsal with Megan Parlen 54:39

2M ago54:39

54:39

What happens when comedy meets ethics, performance art meets aviation safety, and a TV host decides to build an airport just to see what happens? This week, Mandy is joined by her brilliant and ever-curious friend Megan Parlen to dig deep into The Rehearsal — Nathan Fielder’s surreal and provocative HBO series that defies easy categorization. Is it…

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Jurassic Park with Tommy Metz III, Andy Nelson, & Pete Wright 1:04:24

2M ago1:04:24

1:04:24

Mandy Kaplan has never seen Jurassic Park. We know. Breathe. She’s finally corrected this cinematic sin, and to walk her through the prehistoric magic, she’s joined by Pete Wright, Andy Nelson, and Tommy Metz III—three full-grown nerds whose love for Spielberg’s dinosaur masterpiece borders on religious. This is the movie that changed blockbuster f…

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Showgirls with Jessica Jimenez 53:13

3M ago53:13

53:13

What do you get when you cross Elizabeth Berkley, a pile of glitter, and the worst pool sex scene ever committed to film? Showgirls, of course — and this week, Mandy dives headfirst into the chaotic, cringe-glittery mess with TV producer and camp connoisseur Jessica Jimenez. Jess has seen the cult classic more times than she can count (or admit), w…

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K-Pop Demon Hunters with Jimmy Aquino 56:47

3M ago56:47

56:47

Jimmy Aquino is back and brings K-Pop Demon Hunters, the surprise Netflix hit that blends idol culture with demon-fighting destiny and music bangers that have conquered the Billboard charts. Mandy and Jimmy break down the film’s animation style, Buffy-meets-BTS premise, Korean cultural foundations, and the epic vocal range of EJAE (seriously, a D3 …

1
X-Men with JP Karliak 50:17

3M ago50:17

50:17

He’s back and nerdier than ever! Mandy welcomes voice actor, activist, and self-proclaimed snappy dresser JP Karliak to discuss X-Men (2000)—the film that helped launch the modern superhero era and still sparks passionate debate among comic fans, queer viewers, and nerdy newcomers alike. JP, who now voices Morph in X-Men ’97, breaks down the emotio…

1
The Long Road to Destroying the Death Star 38:04

3M ago38:04

38:04

It took more than two decades to build the Empire's first dreaded Death Star and it took almost that entire time for dissidents to discover its existence and find a way to destroy it. History experts Bryan Young and Holly Frey examine the long road it took to destroy this weapon that would have spelled certain doom for the band of rebels seeking to…

1
The Big Bang Theory with Lisa Arch 55:14

3M ago55:14

55:14

In this delightfully nerdy episode, Mandy Kaplan welcomes actor and host Lisa Arch to discuss The Big Bang Theory, the show that launched Mandy’s “nerdification” and hooked Lisa over time with its layered friendships, character arcs, and perfect comedic timing. From dissecting the show’s legendary pilot to marveling at Sheldon’s emotional growth in…

1
Suit up for Squad 20 D&D with Justine Huxley 36:03

4M ago36:03

36:03

Let’s say you’re a respected voice actor. You’ve brought beloved characters to life in video games, animation, and probably at least one fan convention that smelled vaguely of beef jerky and dry-erase markers. Then one day, someone says: “Would you like to improvise a high-stakes fantasy quest in front of a live audience of howling D&D nerds… and a…

1
SEGA v Nintendo with Danny Brown 51:02

4M ago51:02

51:02

In 1991, a small blue hedgehog in red sneakers launched a cultural revolution. But the story of Sonic—and the rise and fall of Sega—isn’t just about pixels and processors. It’s about loyalty, rebellion, and the strange way that consumer technology becomes a reflection of who we are.This week on Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan sits down with Danny Brow…

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Thunderbolts* & Trauma: Marvel Gets Mental 48:32

4M ago48:32

48:32

Who knew anti-heroes could teach us about healing?This week, Mandy sits down with Justin Jaeger—True Story film board favorite, book reviewer, and passionate MCU buff—to break down Thunderbolts. If you’re expecting a by-the-numbers action flick, think again. This Marvel installment has trauma, therapy metaphors, moral ambiguity, and exactly zero ro…

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And now... a word from our host 0:41

5M ago0:41

0:41

Hey! We're taking a short break to regroup, recharge, and do a little of the summer stuff that we're told grown-up nerds do. So you should do the same! We'll catch you in about a month... stay tuned!By TruStory FM

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Dragon Smut & Lightning Kisses: Fourth Wing with Misty Stinnett 53:12

5M ago53:12

53:12

What happens when a self-help comedy podcaster and a self-proclaimed mainstream mom dive headfirst into the high-stakes world of dragon-based erotica? Fire. Literally.That’s right, this week Mandy welcomes Misty Stinnett to Make Me a Nerd for a full-on nerd-out over Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, the romantasy sensation that has TikTok, book clubs,…

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Captain America: The First Avenger with John Mundy 49:30

5M ago49:30

49:30

Let’s talk about America. No—not that America ... Captain America, who—despite being a science experiment in high-waisted pants—somehow manages to be the most grounded Avenger in a sea of flying metal suits and literal gods with hammer fetishes.This week, Mandy invites longtime friend and deep-level comic nerd John Mundy to hold her hand as she div…

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The Nerd Who Wrote Everything: A Conversation with Bruce Vilanch 46:59

5M ago46:59

46:59

Welcome to the show, everybody! In this very special episode of Make Me a Nerd, Mandy Kaplan sits down with Bruce Vilanch—Emmy-winning writer, cultural historian of kitsch, and the man behind some of the strangest, most infamous moments in television history. You may know him as the guy who put Bea Arthur in a space cantina or paired Paul Lynde wit…

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Labyrinth with Krissy Lenz 52:31

6M ago52:31

52:31

Do you remember a time when David Bowie’s pants were tighter than your schedule, owls were CGI nightmares, and puppets had a suspicious amount of emotional range? No? WELL, YOU’RE IN FOR A TREAT. Because this week, Mandy steps right into the sparkly, slightly confusing fever dream that is Labyrinth. And she does so with none other than fan-favorite…

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Black Mirror with Tommy Metz III & Pete Wright 1:03:36

6M ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Welcome back, nerdlings, to Make Me A Nerd — the show where one mainstream mom dares to plummet headfirst into the gelatinous pit of sci-fi anthologies, death anxiety, and…digital pigs. This week, Mandy Kaplan reunites with podcast übermensch Pete Wright and returning mensch Tommy Metz III to tackle Black Mirror — that show that asks the critical q…

1
The New Doctor Who with Manny Patel 53:50

6M ago53:50

53:50

What do you get when you cross a mainstream mom, a Time Lord, and the Spice Girls? A deliriously joyful trip through time, space, pop culture, and puppets. This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy welcomes back the dazzlingly encyclopedic Manny Patel—Doctor Who superfan, mashup artist, and the human equivalent of a well-timed sonic screwdriver—for an ene…

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Andor with Yoshi Stone 51:55

6M ago51:55

51:55

In 1977, George Lucas introduced the world to a galaxy far, far away—a universe filled with lightsabers, Jedi mysticism, and the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. In the decades since, Star Wars has alternately soared and stumbled, expanding its mythos with prequels, sequels, spin-offs, and animated series. Some of these additio…

1
The Last of Us with Matthew Fox 56:02

7M ago56:02

56:02

This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy attempts to survive a full-blown fungal apocalypse—emotionally, spiritually, and occasionally by camouflage. And she’s not alone! She’s joined by three-time guest and ethics enthusiast Matthew Fox, who gently guides her through the cordyceps-infested wasteland that is The Last of Us. Think of them as a podcast Joe…

1
Eras with Tommy Metz III 1:20:11

7M ago1:20:11

1:20:11

Ladies and gentlemen, Swifties and skeptics, gather round, for today we embark on a journey of seismic cultural significance. No, not another election cycle. No, not the discovery of yet another billionaire’s secret doomsday bunker. We are talking about Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour—a three-and-a-half-hour pop music odyssey, equal parts spectacle, sermo…

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Severance with Jon Cassie 1:06:12

7M ago1:06:12

1:06:12

You wake up. You’re at work. You don’t know how you got there. You don’t know who you are outside of this fluorescent-lit, carpeted labyrinth. And worst of all—you have to attend a melon party. This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy takes a cubicle tour of Apple TV+'s Severance. Joining her is Jon Cassie, a certified nerd extraordinaire, former podcast…

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Everything Everywhere All At Once with Lester Ryan Clark & Kynan Dias 1:07:16

7M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s the film that took home a million Oscars, melted a billion brains, and somehow made hot dog fingers emotionally resonant. This week, Mandy sits down with Exorcist Minute co-hosts Lester Ryan Clark and Kynan Dias, two men who decided that watching Everything Everywhere like normal people just wasn’t enough, so…

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The Chronosynclastic Infundibulum and the Battle of Mars 21:29

8M ago21:29

21:29

This brand new episode is about the phenomenon of Chronosynclastic Infindubulum, how they work and how they played a key part in starting the war between Earth and Mars. We dove into their discovery, the exact phenomena, how they work, and the life of Winston Niles Rumfoord, the man who reshaped the world after getting caught inside of one and how …

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Wheel of Time with Audrey Kearns 1:00:55

8M ago1:00:55

1:00:55

Wheel of Time—a sprawling, epic fantasy series filled with magic, palace intrigue, and, apparently, an unlimited budget for breathtaking visuals and absurdly attractive people. This week, Mandy welcomes back Audrey Kearns, aka the Geek Girl Authority herself, to painstakingly explain what the hell is going on in this Amazon Prime behemoth.We start …

1
Survivor with Patrick Gomez 1:25:13

8M ago1:25:13

1:25:13

This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy marches barefoot into the unwashed, coconut-scented, betrayal-laden world of Survivor. And who better to guide her through this mosquito-infested fever dream than Patrick Gomez, Editor-in-Chief of Entertainment Weekly and a man who has spent an alarming amount of time thinking about reality television strategy.Yes…

1
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine with Manny Patel 55:38

8M ago55:38

55:38

In 1993, a television show did something radical. It eschewed the traditional frontier, the ever-expanding voyage, the endless pursuit of the unknown. Instead, it stood still. It stayed put. It built a world—not on a starship, but on a space station. A fixed point in the cosmos where characters, conflicts, and consequences could spiral outward in w…

1
Outlander with Amy Crofoot 56:15

8M ago56:15

56:15

Is it possible that a historical drama with time-traveling elements could captivate a mainstream audience, birthing a fandom so fervent it borders on the delightfully obsessive? This week, Mandy wades into the world of Outlander to find out.As her guide, Mandy speaks with actress Amy Crofoot, an avowed Outlander enthusiast, to explore the show's un…

1
The Exorcist with Lester Ryan Clark and Kynan Dias 1:04:51

8M ago1:04:51

1:04:51

Is "The Exorcist" just a scary movie, or is it a cultural artifact, a theological debate wrapped in celluloid? Mandy Kaplan confesses her way into the abyss with Lester Ryan Clark and Kynan Dias, the minds behind "The Exorcist Minute," a podcast dissecting the film minute by agonizing minute.Why does the film open in Iraq? Is it a pro-Catholic scre…

1
Jungle Book with Justine Huxley 1:02:44

9M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

What makes a nerd? Is it the obsessive cataloging of obscure details? The unyielding commitment to lore? The passionate embrace of minutiae deemed trivial by the larger world? This week, Mandy the Mainstreamer welcomes back Justine Huxley, a voiceover artist of rarefied skill, a legend among the Apex Legends.Together, they hit play on The Jungle Bo…

1
Blade Runner with Paul J. Salamoff 55:07

9M ago55:07

55:07

What does it mean to be human? And, perhaps more importantly, what does it mean to feel human?On today’s episode of Make Me a Nerd, host Mandy Kaplan embarks on a journey with writer, producer, and director Paul J. Salamoff—a man whose career spans makeup effects, comic books, and award-winning filmmaking. Their mission? To dissect one of the most …

1
The Penguin with Matthew Fox 1:10:57

9M ago1:10:57

1:10:57

We’re slogging into the murky depths of Gotham, not with capes and cowls, but with gabardine and grit. This week on the show, Mandy navigates the shadowy alleys of nerddom, guided by the insightful Matthew Fox of Star Wars Generations and the Superhero Ethics Podcast on TruStory FM. Their subject? Not the bombastic exploits of a costumed crusader, …

1
Squid Game Season 2 with Jimmy Aquino 50:54

9M ago50:54

50:54

What compels someone to willingly re-enter a labyrinth of death, deceit, and desperation? Is it revenge? Redemption? Or is it something darker—something unspeakable? In this week’s episode of Make Me A Nerd, Mandy welcomes back friend-of-the-show and pop culture aficionado Jimmy Aquino for a sprawling conversation about Season 2 of Netflix’s global…

1
King of Kong with Megan Isser 52:26

10M ago52:26

52:26

What happens when obsession becomes a refuge, when a high score becomes a legacy, and when a rivalry turns into a morality play? This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy Kaplan goes deep into the pixelated world of Donkey Kong, a place where the stakes are high, the egos are massive, and the quarters just keep coming. Mandy is joined by Megan Isser, a fo…

1
Buffy the Vampire Slayer with Kyle Olson & Pete Wright 1:05:01

10M ago1:05:01

1:05:01

This week, Mandy slays into Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show she'd previously avoided. Joined by Pete Wright and Kyle Olson, she confronts her assumptions about vampires and the supernatural in stake and song.Before the nostalgia kicks in, Kyle addresses the complicated legacy of Joss Whedon, emphasizing the importance of separating the art from th…