Pop Culture Field Manual

Well, this is it friends. The end of the road. The last hurrah. We here at the PCFM Podcast are hanging up our podcasting shoes. We're putting our gear in a trunk and putting it in the closet until a mission comes up that only we can do.This is our final podcast episode. We're taking an indefinite hiatus from the show to pursue other projects. We may do an occassional podcast here and there, but this is pretty much it. It's been a fun ride. We've loved all the support we've received from day one and thank each and every one of our listeners for following us, listening, and sending in episode ideas and questions. Until next time. Cue music.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Another one of our Patreon Exclusive episodes from last summer to tide you over until we're back with more new content for you. Making art is hard. Whether that's the time and effort that does into your favorite video game, the hours spent writing and rewriting (and then rewriting again) an amazing book, or the countless people that go into making a movie. But sometimes, the toll of the art creation takes a very dark, and real, turn and can lead to an actual death. Today Izzy and Cam wanted to cover some of the very real deaths that have happened in this crazy pop culture landscape.Izzy takes his shot in a game called "As Good As Dead." How well can he remember 8 out of 8 of his favorite movies and games?!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

A special episode for al our listeners! THis was the Exclusive Patreon episode we released last July. Enjoy!In case anyone doesn't know, there was recently an attempted coup in Russia by the Wagner mercenary group, no matter what Putin or anyone else says, they were marching to Moscow and shooting down helicopters and it was not going to be pretty. BUT, did you know there have been 3 other coup attempts this year? In Moldova, Sudan and Kyrgyzstan. There were 8 coup attempts last year globally. So these aren't rare occurrences.And for those not in the know, here is the definition of a coup: a sudden, violent, and unlawful seizure of power from a government. That can be via the military, which is often the case, or just anyone trying to get all violent and overthrow the government. Taster's choice, or rather, coup-er's choice. They're brutal, usually bloody and usually not good for the regular folks. But they also make for dramatic and fascinating pop culture. Izzy and Cam are going to run down the list of our favorite coup attempts in the land of fiction.The episode caps off with a rousing game of "Coup or No Coup."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Every now and again you hear a story so OUTRAGEOUS that you think there's no way in hell it isn't made up. Well, that counts double in the military where strange things are abound. Cam and Izzy focus their eagle-eyed attention during this week's episoe on all those stories that sound to incredible to possibly be true (but most of them are!). They wrap out the episode with new-fangled game of “No Way That Happened!” Izzy tries his best at this video game focused game. Will he emerge victorious? Only time will tell.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

We've all experienced a movie, tv show, video game or book that when we reach the end we sit back and think….IS THAT ALL?! ARE YOU FRIGGIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?! Unsatisfying endings or endings with cliffhangers that never get resolved can stay with us for, well… long enough for one to feel the need to make a podcast episode about. So Izzy and Cam are here to lament over some of their not so favorite endings in pop culture.A near immaculate game of "All the Closure You Can Handle" caps off this sometimes bitter episode. It's deservedly bitter! Don't give us that look!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Since its creation, storytelling has been a popular outlet for communicating feelings about certain climates in time. Movies, TV, books, art; they have all been used to portray emotions in a linear trajectory, but we are here to talk specifically about military movies. In our propaganda episode, Cam and Izzy talked about how Hollywood was a powerful tool used to sway public opinion. More recently, we have seen a shift in the message military movies communicate. This episode, Cam and Izzy are going to take a look at just how much military movies have changed over time.Cam is challenged by a completely unrelated game of "Animals in Combat" to cap off this week's episode.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Out of all the stories and representations of war in Pop Culture throughout the decades which ones are the BEST? That's the question behind this episode today and Izzy and Cam are here to tell you which movie, television show, video game or book they think best represents a certain conflict. But what are the guideline the guide their decisions? Should it be the best encapsulation of the conflict overall? A personal account that communicates a message about the conflict? Should more weight be given to the artistic, the historically accurate? Listen up, because that's what they're here to discuss.A classic game of "Two Truths and a Lie" wraps up this fun, extra-long episode. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Bad guys. You love to hate them. You hate to love them. A good bad guy can make the good guy a better guy. A bad bad guy can make the good guys bad good guys. And the greatest bad guys make great good guys better than the best guy's best friend's guys. So today Izzy and Cam are rolling out their top 10 list of their picks for the greatest villains in pop culture. This is gonna be great… and by that we mean bad…which in this case…is good.A dastardly game of "What Makes the Man?" puts the kibosh on this fun episode where things are ranked and everything is seemingly settled.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

Who doesn't like a good monster? We'll tell you who: monster hunters. That's why they hunt them. Because they hate them and they want them dead. Whether it's a werewolf, a Frankenstein-type of deal or a child predator, monster hunters are out there doing the lords work, and Izzy and Cam are here to talk about them.A thrilling round of “On the Right Day, We're All Monsters” ends this week's episode.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/pop-culture-field-manual--5956105/support.

What is it about a great plot twist that draws us in? Is it the surprise? Is it the twisting of the narrative at a moments notice? Is it the chewy red candy? No, those are Twizzlers. It's probably one of those first two, but whatever it is, Izzy and Cam are going to discuss it today and figure it out. Or at the very least, they're going to discuss it.A twisty-turny round of “A Completely Normal Ga-PLOT TWIST” sends off our hosts this week.

Crimes! Murders! Wire Fraud! These are all very exciting things to talk about. But do you know what makes them 1000 times MORE exciting? When they happen in the military. That's right, today Cam and Izzy are going to be running their gums about military crimes, misdemeanors and whodunnits, both in pop culture and some real life stories. So put on your sleuthing shoes and let's see if we can solve some of these- oh. They've all been solved already so we're off the hook and we can just talk about them.A game fittingly titled "Crimes And Misdemeanors" caps off the show. This one is educational AND fun, so it's a two for one type of deal.

If you have worked a job and there was a movie or tv show that was made about that job, we guarantee you would find something that was misleading, inaccurate or possibly spot on about it. There's no shortage of military movies that feature service members deployed overseas, but how much of what is portrayed is accurate? Well that is exactly what Cam and Izzy are going to talk about today: real deployment vs. what you see in pop culture! Based on their experiences overseas, Izzy and Cam are going to discuss some great and not so great portrayals of deployment life.This episode's game is called "How Long Was The War?" and it's, not to be too vulgar, a real ball buster.

We recently did an episode on Insurgency in pop culture, but this week, we're going to dive a little deeper with a man who spent a lot of blood, sweat and tears hunting for them in Iraq: Jack Treadway. His new book, Insurgent Hunter is out now.JACK TREADWAY served as a Navy SEAL with SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two and SEAL Team Five, where he became a sniper. He was also a BUDS instructor. Later he earned his commission in the air force and served as a federal agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI). He investigated a sexual assault case that resulted in national coverage before he ran other operations such as narcotics. Next, he was assigned to an expeditionary detachment in Iraq, running confidential informants and conducting counterinsurgency operations—hunting insurgents.To wrap up the episode, Jack tries his hand at a game called "This Quiz Will Make You (I)Raq Your Brains."

The long talked about, finally realized interview with our legendary theme song singer, Stan Bush! Learn about Stan's life in music, some fun anecdotes about Van Damme and more. A little about Stan Bush:Worldwide icon of melodic rock Stan Bush is best known for his song “The Touch,” made famous by Transformers: The Movie (1986). An anthem for Transformers fans around the world, “The Touch” was remixed in 2013 by High Moon Studios for their hit video game Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. It has also been featured on ABC's The Goldbergs, NBC's Chuck, FOX's American Dad, in RBN's Guitar Hero, Deep Silver's Saints Row IV and in the motion picture Boogie Nights.This fantastic interview caps off with a rousing game of “A Trivia Game Just For Stan Bush.” How much Stan Bush adjacent trivia does Stan Bush know? Listen to find out!

What makes a certain character's death so satisfying? We've been down this road. We've walked this walk and talked this talk. This is the sequel to our Season 2 Episode 20 The Killshot, talking about all of those suuuuper satisfying kills in film, tv and video games. Today Izzy and Cam are going to cover all the things we didn't get around to the first time. The headshots, the explosions and all those tasty bits of revenge that makes a certain characters death all the more satisfying.This episode wraps up with a spirited game of “Hey! Who's Killing Who Here?” Izzy will be put through the paces and maybe he'll learn a bit about American history.

Everyone loves a good underdog story. The scrappy band of misfits up against the world, and then ultimately, the misfits win. Insurgency and rebellion are like that. Usually a smaller force, fighting the good fight, up against a larger corrupt group. (Not always, but in pop culture, usually) And you want the little rebels to win. And that's just what Cam and Izzy are going to discuss in today's episode; the freedom fighters that could and some that couldn't.Cam tries his hand at this week's game "Rebel WITH A Cause." It's a measure of how much of a rebel you are, or at the very least, rebel adjacent.

SERE stands for Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape. Military schools with a long history rooted in WWII and Vietnam teach military personnel how to survive in the wilderness, evade enemy capture, resist their captors when taken and held by the enemy, and escape their imprisonment if possible. Izzy took SERE in the Special Forces Q Course and Cameron has been a student of survival for some time. This episode Izzy and Cam will talk about their personal experiences as well as how survival is portrayed in pop culture.This week's game devolves into a lesson on the Code of the United States Fighting Force, which is both informative and fun.

Welcome back to another episodes where we talk exclusively about games and gaming. It's not secret that gaming is one of the biggest if not THE biggest hobbies out there. It's big business. It's in the culture and it's definitely in the military. We've done episodes dealing with video games in seasons one and two. But let's be honest, what true nerd is ever finished talking about video games. Izzy and Cam cover a lot of ground in this one, including the Halo franchise, 6 Days in Fallujah, Ready or Not, and much much more.The game for this episode is “Video Game Excitement Super Fan Trivia Okay!” A true test of Izzy's nerdiness.

With 2023 firmly in their rearview, it's time for Izzy and Cam to look back and take stock of the year. That's right, folks, it's the PCFM 2023 Year In Review. What were the highs? What were the lows? What pieces of pop culture took them to new heights and which abysmal pieces of crap sent them spiraling in a hate fueled rant, wishing death upon their creators?This episode is tied with a lovely bow of a game called "Two Truths and a Lie - TV Show Edition." Can Cam see the lies or will he be blinded by the absurdity of the truth?

This week in our continuing series of episodes focusing on one person or franchise, we're turning our big PCFM spotlight onto Sylvester Stallone. If Arnold Schwarzenegger is the granddaddy of all action heroes, then Stallone is certainly the well-to-do uncle. Uncle Sly has been in his fair share of movies and at 77, he's still making them. Certainly one of the great action icons of our time. Izzy and Cam breakdown everything Stallone and what makes the Italian Stallion such an icon.To end this episode, we've brought back our most popular game (probably) "Who's One Liner Is It Anyway?" Can Izzy overcome his paralyzing fear of being wrong about movie quotes and emerge victorious?Happy New Year PCFM Fam!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Explosions. They're everywhere. In the battlefield, in your home, in old abandoned Iron smelting factories bad guys use as hideouts. Explosions are as much a part of action pop culture as fists and guns. They can start the plot, enhance it, end it, or actually ruin everything….sometimes literally. Today Cam and Izzy are talking all things ‘splody. So let's take off and nuke the entire site from orbit….it's the only way to be sure.A rousing game of "Explosive Fact or Explosive Fiction" ends the episode and is played, and played well, by Cameron who delights in all things boom boom.We hope you all had a Merry Christmas!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

We're going to cut right to the chase. DINOSAURS. They're awesome. Always have been, always will be. There's absolutely no denying it and only a weak-willed communist would say different. So how can pop culture possibly ever hope to improve upon what is already the best thing ever? By having people hunt them and generally, die doing so. And that's what Izzy and Cam are here to talk about today: all those sorry idiots that think they can outsmart dinosaurs. Humans are only here because dinosaurs went extinct and they are our superiors.This dino-tastic episode ends with a game of "What's in a Name?" How much of a dinosaur nerd is Izzy? Let's find out!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

The Sniper film franchise started in 1993 with the original Sniper starring Tom Berenger and has gone on to spawn 10 films in total with the latest SNIPER: G.R.I.T. releasing soon on Netflix. In a world of rising and falling franchises it's quite the achievement. To talk about the Sniper franchise and a whole lot more Izzy and Cam are honored to have with them a very special guest for this episode: the star of Sniper Reloaded, Sniper Legacy, Sniper Ghost Shooter, Sniper Ultimate Kill, Sniper Assassin's End, Sniper Rogue Mission AND Sniper G.R.I.T. , Chad Michael Collins!The episode is capped with a special game of "One Shot, One Skill", played by Chad Michael Collins who does way better than any other guest has done.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Battle is bloody. There's no arguing that. But what of war and battle in pop culture? There's a whole spectrum of goriness, from the bloodless G.I. Joe cartoon from the 80's to the brutal mayhem of Apocalypto. Cam and Izzy are here to talk about their favorite blood and guts pop culture (horror excluded) moments of all time. You might even find out that's there's something called "too gory."A fun game of "What's My Body Count?" rounds out the episode with Cam doing his best to remember exactly how many people have died in every film he's ever seen.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

A lot of times on this podcast, we're all over the place. We cover a wide range of topics and we go off on tangents, and all of that is FINE. But Izzy and Cam thought it'd be fun to focus on one person or franchise for an episode, and we hope to make this a recurring thing. This week, they're going to talk all about Arnold Schwarzenegger. That's right, the granddaddy of them all. They'll try and cover literally everything he's ever done, or at the very least, talk about him semi-intelligently for an hour or so.Izzy predicts he'll score 100% on this week's game "Who's One Liner Is It Anyway?" Will he rise to the top or be humbled like so many times before? There's only one way to find out. Well, to if you count skipping right to the end, but really you might as well listen to the whole episode.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Are we living in a simulation? If you said yes, you're wrong. If you said no, you're also wrong, because the correct answer is, who cares? It would literally change nothing about your life as it currently stands. So why even worry, man? If you're a fictional character, on the other hand, you should DEFINITELY be worrying because you're most likely going to die. And that's what Cam and Izzy are here to talk to you about. Simulations in pop culture. Not to be confused with Simulants or stimulants. But all those glorious pop culture moments that are the sci-fi version of “Wait?! It was all just a dream?!”The most appropriate game of "Is This Real or Something I Made Up?" is the finale to this thought provoking episode. SO get your thinking caps on, or barring that, your tinfoil hats.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

We have talked about the Medieval time period, but we haven't dedicated a good amount of time to discussing the ABSOLUTE HORROR that is Medieval combat. Cam and Izzy break down all their favorite weapons and combat skills from times of old in this episode; it's all knights and swords and shields. So if you thought your plate carrier and ballistic helmet were heavy, how about donning a suit of steel armor to then hurl your two handed battle ax into the iron helm of your opponent. That's freaking heavy.A spirited game of "Knights of the Wrong Table" ends the episode in what is sure to be remembered as "a game that ended the episode."This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Welcome to our Surprise episode! And what exactly is a surprise episode? In this case, it's an episode that neither Izzy nor Cam knows what it's about. It was entirely created by Magic Voice Chris. Now to reveal what the topic is. Drum roll please…It's all GAMES. Normally we end the episode with a game, but this one will be wall to wall games for both of them to play. Cam and Israel will take turns being the game master and play a variety of games and all you listeners can play along at home. Each game will be different, and hopefully it will inspire some fun conversations and they'll have some fun facts in them.Since the episode is all games (7! 7 GAMES!!!) the episode ends with a fan question with great answers by Israel and Cam.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

The giant beasts lay slain on the battlefield. The troops come home to shouts of acclaim and ticker tape parades. The weapons are hung up and the world is at peace….until the sequel rolls around. And that's just what this is, the sequel episode to our Season 1 Episode 22 smash hit, Monsters Versus the Military. It's Monsters vs the Military Part 2 a.k.a. Halloweekend Warriors. Cam and Izzy pour through more of their favorite monster movies featuring the military for this special Halloween treat for all you listeners.The sweet candy center of this episode is actually at the end. A special game cooked up by Chris for Izzy, titled "A 1980's Horror Movie Game Specifically Created For Israel Wright." Don't feel too bad if you don't ace this quiz, because it was, after all, made especially for Izzy. Happy Halloween!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

You can't win a war on an empty stomach.This episode is all about food forged for ferocious fighting forces. Meaty military meals. Food for fighting. Food for fighting a food fight, maybe. Cam and Izzy discuss real food from their days in the military vs fictional food found in video games, movies and television.The dessert on this entrée of an episode is a game called "You Call This Food?!" It's a real roller coaster so ride it all the way to the end.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

It's a no-brainer that great leadership is essential in the military, but good leadership is important in all walks of life. But what makes a good leader? Is it just good looks and charisma? Is it a strategic mind? Is it empathy? Is it all of these things rolled into one to form some amorphous mass of leadership ability unseen since the times of the great Pharaoh Leaderukut, a person we just made up for a joke? That's exactly what Izzy and Cam are here to discuss today. What makes a good leader and who are the best leaders in pop culture.We've led you this far, right to the end of the episode which has a game called "Following The Leader." Have you kept up with your real and fictitious leaders? Been studying those Battlestar Galactica org charts? Then you'll do just fine with this game.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

The ambush! One of the most dangerous things you can encounter as a soldier on the battlefield. They are meticulously designed to catch the enemy of guard and funnel them into the perfect spot for slaughter. There have been some amazing recreations of ambushes portrayed in films, TV and video games and Izzy and Cam are going to dedicate today's episode to exploring them! LETS GO!The episode ending game this week is "The Element of Surprise." Lots of fun little trivia tidbits in this game, so sit back and enjoy.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

The duel. The showdown. The stand off. Two foes facing off in an ultimate contest. In pop culture storytelling the duel can create a powerful moment and carry a large amount of weight for the two characters involved. This episode is all about our favorite duels, what significance do they have for the story being told and why can they be so impactful when done right, and what does “done right” mean? Izzy and Cam will also get into a bit of history and what dueling means to them. The real question, though, is….who will survive this episode, Cam or Izzy?We wrap out the episode duel-style with a game called "Duel Nature." Do you know that every coin has two sides? Well, you do now. That little tidbit won't help you in the slightest when it's time for the game.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Planning on creating a relentless regime with your ideals hell bent on world takeover? Well, armies don't just fall out of the sky! You're going to have to put in some extremely biased work in order to get those clueless fools to follow you into the loins of battle. "How can I start?" you may ask. Propaganda is a great start. Propaganda has been around for thousands of years and if you have access to the internet, you have probably come across one example. For today's PCFM episode, Izzy and Cam are going to dive deep into the intricate world of propaganda and investigate where we see it proudly displayed in pop culture… HAIL HYDRA!Cam gets his propaganda detection skills tested in a fun game of “Commie or the Good Ol' U.S. of A.?” It's a lot harder than you probably imagine, but you were never good at imagining things, were you?This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

Symbolology: (noun) The study of symbols. Symbolism is important. Without symbols the world would be a dark and confusing place. Think about it. Why does every country have a flag? Why do brands have logos? Or what about those sweet patches that all the armed forces have? They're all symbols and they give us a strong visual to associate with certain things. So today Izzy, Cam and Chris are going to talk about the power of symbols, especially in the military and pop culture. And we're going to talk about our favorites and what we like about ‘em."6 Degrees of Schwarzenegger" is how we decide to wrap up this epic episode. It's fun. Play along at home.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5956105/advertisement

What makes a warrior? What are the fundamental aspects that make the fighters of old so memorable and worthy of honor and respect? What about the greatest figures in history and in pop culture make them so great? That's what Izzy and Cam are going to be discussing today. Ultimate Warriors. Men of renown. Men of destiny. Men of ….the Green Beret….wait, what?!?!?The fun ends with a game of "How Tough Can We Make This?" a special game cooked up just for Izzy. How special, you ask? That's for each individual to decide for themselves. Support the show

It's the 1st Annual PCFM Awards! Cam and Izzy are handing out awards to all their favorites. Best Fight, Best Vehicle, Best Action Stars and more! The Golden Grenades are being tossed around like crazy and only the luckiest and most deserving pop culture people and moments are getting them.Of course this episode ends with a game, but we'll let you get to the end and discover how fun it is.Support the show

Mission Impossible started out as television show in the 60's and has since grown into a blockbuster movie franchise headed up by Tom Cruise. There are currently 7 films with and 8th on the way. The franchise has grossed over 7 billion and has carved out a place for itself in the halls of Action Espionage Movie Greatness. Today, Izzy and Cam will pay homage to all things Mission Impossible, share come of their favorite moments, and try to figure out the most important question of all…Why is Tom….Cruise? (If you get the reference, then KUDOS)The episode ends with a heart-stopping game of "Mission Cam-possible" and is a true test of any Mission Impossible super fan's acumen. If this doesn't include you then at least you made it this far into the description before realizing that.Support the show

The Montage. As essential a piece of pop culture as time travel or the phrase “I'll be back.” Whether you're trying to show a quick transformation or something that in the world of the movie took weeks or months, a montage can liven up the proceedings. Everyone likes jump cuts and saving time! Just ask Cam and Izzy! And so we're dedicating this episode to all of our favorite montages.A completely off-topic game of "Boomy Boom Boom" ends the proceedings this time around. It's a fun, light-hearted game. You'll like it.Support the show

Whenever people are placed in front of a burning wall of adversity, the one thing they have control over that can be used as a weapon of mass destruction to tear down that wall is their own physical bodies. The ability to become a barrel chested, 5 mile-running, weight crushing machine is a skill Cam and Israel have honed in their own military experiences, as well as watched heroes in some of their favorite pieces of pop culture cultivate. Ask yourself, would Rambo have been as successful hip firing a M60 if he wasn't that jacked? Exactly. So today, Izzy and Cam are going to talk about some workouts featured in pop culture as well as their very own experience with fitness!An educational game of "Do You Even Lift, Bro?" ties off what some critics are calling "the best episode of PCFM ever made this week." Support the show

What makes an action movie great? Is it the premise? The weapons? The gore? The action sequences? Yes to all of those things! But a big contribution comes from the STUNTS. An amazing stunt pulled off impeccably can push an “okay” movie over the top into the upper echelon of action. And in today's world of CGI and greenscreen oversaturation, pulling off a good stunt is all the more impressive. So today Cam and Izzy are going to shine a light on one of the more underrated aspects of action movies; the humble stunt.Your reward for making it to the end of this amazing episode is a game of "Did They Really Do That?" We think the results will surprise you. But that's because you're high strung and need to relax. RELAX WE SAY!Support the show

Why? Why do Izzy and Cam do this to themselves? Why pick fantasy; such a broad category for an hour long episode? Why subject themselves to the inevitability of listeners messaging them that they missed this series, or that movie, or this other video game? Why, you ask? Because it's worth it! Worth it to explore one of Izzy's most beloved subjects and a constant source of joy for Cam! Why live in the real world when you can live in a FANTASY?!An exceptional game of "Lord of the Rings or Some Other Thing" rounds out this episode where Cam learns a little about fantasy, and, just maybe, a lot about himself.Support the show

It's the long promised part 2 to our first all anime episode. Yes, Izzy and Cam, those big anime aficionados are back for more. They're all over the place in their totally awesome anime (and some non-anime as well) exploration. Arcane? Hell yeah. Invincible? It's in there! Robotech? Eh, probably. We're not going to lie, we've lost track. There's a lot, okay? Just...just listen and enjoy them talking about anime. The game is "Cartoon-Up Part 2" which is in no way related to the game they played on the first anime podcast. Chris just likes the name. Support the show

Drug cartels are everywhere. There's one behind you right now. But don't worry! Cam and Izzy are here to tell you everything you need to know about them. Especially which movies and video games they're heavily featured in. Hell, they even get into fictional drugs just to make sure that all their bases are covered. The game this episode is "Putting the Horse Before the Cart(el)." We really hoped you studied up on your drug slang terminology prior to listening or else you're going to do pretty poorly. Support the show

The world is a mysterious place full of mysterious mysteries. And of those mysteries, none are more intriguing than cryptids. For those that don't know, a cryptid is ​​a creature whose reported existence is unproved, such as Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster; there are a TON of them, and Cam and Izzy talk about as many of them as they can.The first (and probably last, let's be honest) game of "Name That Cryptid" caps off the episode.Support the show

The world is a magical place, made up of vast a varying environments for humans to explore. The harshest of which, SUCK. Jungles? Suck. Swamps? Do we even have to say it? Izzy and Cam dive deep, sometimes literally, into the subject and talk about all those environments that people go into, whether by choice or because, hey, someone's gotta do it. The episode concludes with a trivia game devised by Chris, but in his infinite wisdom, really biffed it and forgot to put the answers for Cam. Cam improvises though and he and Izzy have a magical time. Support the show

Obviously video games have ingrained themselves in military culture for a long time. Entire video game series are stemmed from military experiences and have gained a traction in the civilian world, sparking the normies' interests in military operations. Then there's the sub genre of stories where the main characters are IN the game themselves. Izzy and Cam spend this episode talking about all of the above and more! (Perhaps even delving into how gaming has influenced their lives for better and sometimes worse)A surprise game caps off this episode. We don't want to give anything away, but just know, it's fun. Support the show

Today is a very special episode, not just because it's an episode we're making and they're all special, but because we're going to have a special guest on later, writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber. This episode is our tribute to action movies and why we love them. We'll talk about specific movies, but mostly we're going to talk about the specific things that make an action movie great and why we love them.A challenging game of "Last (Name) Action Hero" is your reward for making to the end of this star-studded episode. Support the show

Marines! You know 'em. You love 'em. They're the hard charging, the tough-as-nails fighting men immortalized in Full Metal Jacket, Heartbreak Ridge, Halo and too many other pop culture properties to count on one podcast. This week Izzy and Cam pay tribute to all their favorite Marines on the planet (and some on other planets). Semper Fi!An excellent game of "Famous Marine or Just Some Guy" ends this episode of the Pop Culture Field Manual Podcast. Is it the perfect game? We like to think so, but you be judge.Support the show

Robots, cyborgs and droids, oh my. Let's face it, robots are cool. Whether you're fighting against them or fighting with them, if a robot is in a battle, you know it's going to be a good time. So we wanted to take some time to talk about all the robots we know and love in pop culture; military or otherwise.A game of "Death By Numbers" is how this episode ends. But it's different than a game we played previously with the same name. Chris gets confused and names things the same after awhile.Support the show

Everybody needs protection from time to time. Even rich people. Or, uh, especially rich people.  Regardless, BODYGUARDS. That's what this episode is all about. Do we talk about the movie The Bodyguard? Probably. Do we talk about The Hitman's Bodyguard? Probably not. Do we have fun and talk about lots of movies and what being a bodyguard is like in real life? Listen in and you'll find out!SHOUT OUT to Ismael who emailed us with this episode suggestion.This romp ends with an impossible game of "Protect Your Neck." Chris sandbags Cam but is very up front about it. Enjoy!Support the show