Best The Whatnauts Podcasts (2025)

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The Americans s3 1:47:20

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5d ago1:47:20

1:47:20

Episode 327. We continue our mission with The Americans, talking about season three in this episode. Philip and Elizabeth are conflicted about revealing their spy history to their daughter Paige, and struggle against the constraints of their orders from The Centre. We discuss sad sack Stan, all the sex missions weighing on Philip, Elizabeth and the…

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You CAN carbonate a lake 1:27:55

12d ago1:27:55

1:27:55

Episode 305. New discoveries: putting stickers on a horse, an abnormal spike in Mimi per capita, and the secret of Taco Bell Shelter. Halloween is here with candy apples, baking competitions, new horror movies Him and The Long Walk, and the Korean drama Light Shop starting as a horror and then completely dropping that genre as the show goes on. We …

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The Americans s1-2 1:58:29

19d ago1:58:29

1:58:29

Episode 326. We finally begin a show that's been on our mutual to-watch list for years: FX's 2013 spy drama The Americans. "Philip and Elizabeth Jennings" are undercover KGB agents who have been embedded in the US since the '60s, living as a married couple, raising children, and trying to fit in as a normal '80s suburban family -- and their cover i…

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Fantasy Draft: Director & Actor Besties 1:13:19

28d ago1:13:19

1:13:19

Episode 304. Friend of the show Jacquelyn returns for a fantasy draft of directors and their favorite actors to work with. A real film nerd's feast! Topics include: pairings so familiar they feel cozy like an old sweater, music videos, monster makeup, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, affable devils, chicken wing preferences, and Kyle MacLachlan maki…

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Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty 26:04

1M ago26:04

26:04

We watched the pilot episode of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, a newish HBO show dramatizing the history of the basketball franchise. We discuss the spot-on casting, the use of different filming mediums, and characters talking directly to the audience. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★…

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The Master 1:33:19

1M ago1:33:19

1:33:19

Episode 325. To prepare for Paul Thomas Anderson's new movie One Battle After Another, we watched his 2012 drama The Master. A volatile vagabond crosses paths with a charismatic scholar with a cult-like following, and the two men form a bond that threatens the scholar's family and community of believers. We discuss the shifting power dynamics of wh…

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M&Ms Nightmares 1:33:29

1M ago1:33:29

1:33:29

Episode 303. What did we learn this week? Kyle is too out of shape to walk 2 miles to the movie theater to see Honey Don't!, Dark Melissa comes out at fundraiser trivia nights, and there are hundreds of obscure and defunct M&Ms characters. We also discuss the animated series Pantheon, Buster Keaton gags still hitting, the possibility of Nicolas Cag…

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Secret Identity 1:30:34

2M ago1:30:34

1:30:34

Episode 324. We read Secret Identity by Alex Segura, a prose novel set in the world of 1970s comic book publishers. Carmen Valdez is a publisher's secretary trying to break in as a writer, and when she finally gets the chance to introduce her own superhero, her co-creator winds up dead and her name is missing from the comic's byline. We discuss the…

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Whales on the Plains 1:17:30

2M ago1:17:30

1:17:30

Episode 302. Did you know you can't have an open comic book in your car in Norman, OK? Or that you must be fully clothed to be rescued by a firefighter in St. Louis? We go through weird local laws, then dive into the animated anthologies Eyes of Wakanda and Predator: Killer of Killers, new shocking horror movies Together and Weapons, and Melissa's …

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The Terrifics vol. 1-2 1:26:41

2M ago1:26:41

1:26:41

Episode 323. We read the first two volumes of The Terrifics, a DC story featuring fan-favorite characters from James Gunn's Superman, in a format that feels more like Marvel's Fantastic Four. The best of both worlds! Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, Plastic Man, and Phantom Girl find themselves literally stuck together -- if they're more than a mile apart…

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Veronica Mars 31:35

2M ago31:35

31:35

We watched the pilot episode of the 2004 teen neo-noir Veronica Mars. Topics include: intense color filters, not knowing who the rich kids are when all the kids at this high school dress the same, and the variety of mysteries to hook any audience member. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★By The Whatnauts

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Working On My Night Math 1:38:37

2M ago1:38:37

1:38:37

Episode 301. We've surpassed 1000 podcast episodes AND it's the 70th birthday of some unknown man named Luigi. Lots to celebrate! We enter our "burrito era" by bundling more of our podcast content together in a single episode, and dig into season four of The Bear and Fantastic Four: First Steps. Kyle praises the cinematography of Ripley and This Is…

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St. Louis Travelogue 40:15

2M ago40:15

40:15

Episode 300. To celebrate episode 300, we present a special travelogue on Kyle's roadtrip to visit Melissa in St. Louis! We explore toasted ravioli, the Arch, Forest Park, the found art jungle gym that is City Museum, getting rained on at the Muny, seeing Superman in James Gunn's hometown movie theater, the real burgermobile from Good Burger, and U…

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Poker Face S1-2 1:49:55

2M ago1:49:55

1:49:55

Episode 322. We watched the first two seasons of Poker Face, the mystery comedy show created by Rian Johnson for Peacock. Charlie Cale is a cocktail waitress on the run from her casino's mob goons because of her uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying. She travels across the country trying to keep a low profile as she takes odd jobs and stumb…

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Cable Girls 30:56

2M ago30:56

30:56

This month on the Pilots Club, we watched the first episode of Cable Girls, a 2017 Netflix original series from Spain. It’s the 1920s in Madrid, and hundreds of women are vying for jobs as switchboard operators at the national telecommunications company, one of the few jobs where a woman can establish a career and independence for herself. Each app…

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Raising Arizona 1:37:19

3M ago1:37:19

1:37:19

Episode 321. For our annual Nicolas Cage weekend, we watch our earliest Cage yet in 1987's Raising Arizona. In this Coen Brothers caper, an infertile couple kidnaps a baby from a family of quintuplets, intending to raise him on their own, until criminals and manhunters get in their way. We discuss the movie's sincerity, the iconic chase scene, the …

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Trivia Night 2025: SPICE UP YOUR LIFE 1:45:37

3M ago1:45:37

1:45:37

Episode 299. For our annual trivia night, Kyle brings well-researched questions from across pop culture, and Melissa offers a quiz on the Captain's Log itself. Which two Muppets appeared in every episode of The Muppet Show? How much do the burgers cost on Bob's Burgers? What actor did we once fancast as a live-action Gumby? What limited edition McN…

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F1: The Movie 1:03:10

3M ago1:03:10

1:03:10

Episode 147. Start your engines, it's time for Kyle and Melissa to talk F1: The Movie! We cover how this movie works whether you know the sport or not, the rivalry between the two drivers, male jewelry, and the unforgettably intense crash from the movie Ferrari. Click here to watch a video of this episode. (00:00) - Intro (00:02) - Welcome and bant…

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Le Mans 1:39:47

3M ago1:39:47

1:39:47

Episode 320. We bring our racecar nonsense to The Review Show by watching the 1971 movie Le Mans, set in the real 24-hour motorsports endurance race through the French countryside. We discuss the film slowly building anticipation before the race actually starts, Steve McQueen's movie star identity intertwining with cars and motorcycles, waxing phil…

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Sir Paddington & Dame Bluey 1:27:41

4M ago1:27:41

1:27:41

Episode 298. Kyle received surprise bonus snacks with his Switch 2. Melissa fears being sent to a circle of hell for people who use too many plastic grocery bags. Our cinema corner features Friendship, Bring Her Back, The Phoenician Scheme, Materialists, and The Life of Chuck -- which, spoiler alert, is mostly about math. We also discuss new operas…

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Superman: The Movie 1:55:29

4M ago1:55:29

1:55:29

Episode 319. We quick-change into our capes for an episode on Richard Donner's 1978 Superman: The Movie. This has all the classic Superman iconography you know and love, plus a complicated real estate scheme where Lex Luthor wants to sink the California coastline to make a new one. We discuss the strange pacing that makes you wait nearly an hour to…

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The Big Gooey 1:35:34

4M ago1:35:34

1:35:34

Episode 297. Melissa lists things Kyle can see on his upcoming trip to St. Louis: our local walk of fame, live outdoor theater, all kinds of big weird statues, classic Italian dining, the original Build-a-Bear Workshop, and a school bus where it shouldn't be. We also discuss speed-reading a sad book, if Black Bag could've been sexier, who will "win…

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Faith vol. 1-3 1:35:25

4M ago1:35:25

1:35:25

Episode 318. We return to the world of Valiant comics to read the first three volumes of Faith, from writer Jody Houser. Faith has always worked with a superhero team, but now she's setting out on her own to live in sunny Los Angeles and fight crime her own way, while keeping up a day job as a pop culture blogger. We discuss Faith's important role …

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Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning 1:56:03

4M ago1:56:03

1:56:03

Episode 146. We discuss Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning, the eighth film in the series, and whether it's as "final" as its title proclaims it to be. We talk about callbacks to the first movie, plot details that are over-explained and under-explained, Ethan's isolation in the stunt setpieces, foosball, and why we think there's going to be a …

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Cheers 34:26

5M ago34:26

34:26

This month we watched the 1982 pilot episode of Cheers, to contrast old school Ted Danson with the modern Ted Danson we’re watching in The Good Place over on The Review Show. We discuss the pilot’s unusual camera work, how old Diane is supposed to be, and how the opening theme places this story in the legacy of humans for centuries now going to bar…

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Carpet on Carpet on Carpet 2:05:27

5M ago2:05:27

2:05:27

Episode 296. Melissa went on vacation to House on the Rock, a sprawling junk drawer of a house in the forests of Wisconsin. We take a tour of its many baffling sights, and discuss optical illusions, centaurs with the wrong ratio of human to horse, and a statue so big that it becomes cosmic horror. We also catch up with F1 news, Met Gala looks, the …

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Thunderbolts* 1:15:59

5M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

Episode 145. Kyle and Melissa assemble to discuss Marvel's new hit, Thunderbolts*! We talk about the meaning behind the asterisk and if this movie's title will officially change in the future, Congressman Bucky Barnes, the "Emperor's New Groove" scene, and how we hope to learn more about Val and feel for her as a character. Click here to watch a vi…

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The X-Files (1998) 1:57:03

5M ago1:57:03

1:57:03

Episode 317. We want to believe in this week's episode, a look back at the The X-Files movie from 1998. This movie, sometimes known under the subtitle Fight the Future, was released in theaters between seasons 5 and 6 of the TV show but tells a standalone story. Mulder and Scully are fighting for their careers, their lives, and their connection to …

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Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur 29:45

5M ago29:45

29:45

Episode 16. We watched the pilot episode of the Marvel animated series Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur this month, talking about the specifics of the Lower East Side setting, kid geniuses with science skills that real kids can’t replicate, and hot dogs. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★By The Whatnauts

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Build Yourself a Star Wars 1:03:26

5M ago1:03:26

1:03:26

Episode 295. We celebrated May the 4th this year by designing our own dream Star Wars movies! Kyle makes a crime caper and Melissa makes a psychological horror, who's surprised? We talk about spending more time in this world's unique architecture, a starship so big you can't walk across it all in one day, food and beverage of the Galaxy's Edge them…

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I Think You Should Leave 1:51:16

5M ago1:51:16

1:51:16

Episode 316. It's a Review Show first as we try to dissect a sketch comedy show with no traditional narrative, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson. This show premiered on Netflix in 2019 and made a mark with its focus on absurd escalations to everyday awkward interactions. We discuss how the show reflects a post-pandemic lockdown hyper-aware…

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The Guest Observatory 1:51:18

6M ago1:51:18

1:51:18

Episode 294. Finally, after years of doing our Cinema Corner, we add more Corners and build a full house. This house has everything: an observatory, a racetrack, and a bathroom with fancy soaps that's just for company. We discuss Star Wars news, current F1 standings, recent bloodbaths in movies and TV like Warfare, Sinners, and Daredevil: Born Agai…

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Yellowjackets season 3 2:17:08

6M ago2:17:08

2:17:08

Episode 144. It's a mega-sized episode on season 3 of Yellowjackets! We ask if the "hidden reality" could be a real supernatural occurrence or a metaphor for the lies the adult Yellowjackets tell, plot holes that might amount to something greater, still being suspicious of Walter, and if the show can pull off any more surprise survivors. Click here…

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I Was A Teenage Wereskunk 1:28:35

6M ago1:28:35

1:28:35

Episode 315. We watched the 2016 comedy I Was a Teenage Wereskunk, an homage to 1950s B-movies made on a shoestring budget. A teenage boy is sprayed by a magical skunk while he's trying to look at boobs and now he turns into a murderous skunk monster whenever he gets horny. We discuss how the movie is a deft parody of a variety of genres, the tiny …

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Mood Chairs 1:22:49

6M ago1:22:49

1:22:49

Episode 293. Top questions this week: If "space opera" is a narrative genre, are there also "land operas?" Can you really taste subtle notes of oak in that wine, or are you just making that up? Will the four Beatles movies have four popcorn buckets that combine to make one big bucket? Why aren't there any original, non-franchise superhero stories o…

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Bob Patterson 28:54

6M ago28:54

28:54

This month we watched the pilot for Bob Patterson, a show that lasted from October 2001 to October 2001, airing only five of its ten episodes. Jason Alexander stars as America’s third best-selling self help guru, struggling with writing a new book, preparing a new speaking tour, his chaotic estranged wife, and a literal bed of nails. ★ Support this…

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Mulholland Drive 1:53:22

6M ago1:53:22

1:53:22

Episode 314. We pay tribute to the late director David Lynch by watching his 2001 film Mulholland Drive. An aspiring actress finds a mysterious amnesiac woman hiding in her new Hollywood apartment, sparking a close bond between the two women, and a search for truth and identity. We ask whether it's possible to spoil the ending of this inscrutable m…