Streamageddon

Are you, like so many characters on The White Lotus, staring off despondently in the distance now that you won't get your weekly fix of Goggins-fueled water cooler chit-chat, unhinged conspiracy theories, and juicy memes (insert your best “Piper, nnnnoooo!” here)? Well, good news! There are actually OTHER shows that you can watch! And some of them might even scratch the same itch. (And just what is that itch? We'll discuss!) Plus it's graduation day for Guest Host Ian Brodsky as he takes on America's favorite challenge: Renewed or Canceled?! We'll learn the fates of three different NCISes, shows about witches and wizards (but not the ones you're thinking of), the future plans for Fox's Animation Domination, and we'll debate if literally anything can make the 12:30 AM late night comedy time slot work in the age of YouTube clips. ———

“Brother, could you lend me a hand?” (That's a question we'll answer in our White Lotus predictions update at the end of the episode! But first…) The breezy new Netflix comedy Running Point doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it's a breath of fresh air in a season of tense dramas and cheap thrillers (we're looking at you, The Night Agent). Guest Host Ian Brodsky has watched the whole season and is here to convince you to spend some time with fun characters who constantly get themselves into (and out of) hilarious jams. Of course, modern Netflix shows also have a reputation for being “background TV” but is that really a bad thing? Chris makes the case for the “tell don't show” school of screenwriting. But wait! There's more! Programming news from Peacock, Max, TNT, and TBS (the Turner nets! Remember them?). Plus the strange, sad saga of the new 24/7 Simpsons channel (allegedly) streaming on Disney+. ———

We're phoning it in this week (in a good way) with guest host Ian Brodsky joining Chris to review the premier-slash-return of John Mulaney's old-school Hollywood talk show meets… talk radio call-in show? We'll explain what's going on with Netflix's latest foray into weekly live programming: Everybody's Live with John Mulaney. But first! HBO delivers a belated eulogy for The Franchise… … while Danny McBride delivers a surprise period piece for the Righteous Gemstones season opener (featuring a legitimately surprising guest star). Sportspocalypse returns with exciting news from your Olympics overlords at NBCUniversal. Netflix trounces the competition in the latest Nielsen streaming numbers… … and we discuss our mini-show swap of Netflix spy dramas Black Doves and The Night Agent. BONUS: White Lotus Death Watch Returns! Stick around at the end of the episode for our latest theories (including monkeys… with guns!). ———

Dianne is out on a very special assignment so Chris is joined by guest host (and real-life SAG voter) Ian Brodsky to discuss everything from the future of James Bond to Mike White's extremely specific references. Featuring our predictions for Season 3 of The White Lotus on HBO (uh, yes, we're going to talk about what's going on with the “Will They? Won't They” Brothers). But first! So much streaming, including: The best moments from the NBC SNL50 special (also Chevy Chase was there). Our undying love for the just-wrapped first season of ABC's High Potential. A ratings update on The Night Agent and Ian's elevator pitch for why Black Doves should be your next Netflix spy fix. And some big surprises from some even bigger personalities behind some of the world's biggest IP: Kathleen Kennedy plans to step aside at Star Wars and the Broccoli family finally relinquishes the keys to the James Bond kingdom (we're pitching our Bonds for Bezos, of course). Correction: Michael Wilson is Barbara Broccoli's half brother, not stepbrother. Stepbrothers were just on the mind this week! ———

We're back with part 2 of our Night Agent extravaganza! But first we're playing two games that will challenge your TV and Streaming knowledge in more ways than one: Can you tell the difference between a real Fake TV President and a fake Fake TV President? And what about the cavalcade of Fake TV Presidents that graced our screens during the epic original run of Fox's 24? Get ready to Hail to the… WHO?! It's 9 PM. Do you know if your favorite shows have been… RENEWED OR CANCELED?! That's right: It's all fun and games until the chemical weapons show up… then it's hilarious. ———

This week we're all about Netflix, which is riding high while the rest of the streaming universe is filled with turmoil. The next big pivot is live: From Mulaney to Beyoncé, from the NFL to the WWE and everything in between (the Jake Paul fight is somewhere on that spectrum). Oh, live and price hikes. We'll break it all down and then go deep cover on Netflix's spy hit The Night Agent. Listen for our review this week, and the get ready for the spoilercast next week! ———

The medical drama meets 24 on the new Max series The Pitt, which reunites ER veteran Noah Wyle with ER veteran John Wells to create a show that for legal reasons is definitely not a reboot of ER (we'll explain!). Lawsuits aside, we're hooked on this gritty, fast-paced procedural designed to bring some much-needed network flair to the Max app. Plus: Did you already bail on your resolution to budget better? We're here to help with our first 2025 edition of Add/Keep/Cancel! ———

It's the Streamageddon Streaming Superlatives Spectacular! It's our annual tradition where we hand out yearbook-style honors to streaming services, shows, stories, and the people who make the things we (mostly) love to watch. This year we're looking back and looking ahead, making picks for both 2024 and 2025.

We're ringing in the holidays with a festive Show Swap, Christmukkah-style! Join us as we wrap up the year in news, discuss what makes a holiday-themed episode work, share some of our favorites, and then exchange our gifts: Reviews of two classic holiday episodes that combine Christmas and Hanukkah with hilarious results. ———

For our 100th episode we're celebrating one of TV's hardest working genres: The Workplace Comedy. We'll discuss the classics, debate the mockumentary format, and marvel at the wide range of characters and stories that fit into this surprisingly versatile genre. We're talking about all our favorites, but in the second half of our conversation we're going to roll up our sleeves and dive deep into two specific workplace comedies: One is riding off into the sunset with its sixth and final season (FX's What We Do in the Shadows) and the other is riding high with early buzz and a full season order on NBC (St. Denis Medical). Vampires and doctors? In one genre?! What a world! But first! Follow-up that spans all across the year in news: Paramount, parades, Iger, ESPN, the MAX app, another password sharing crackdown, and yes! A very special 100th Episode Game that we're calling HBO or NO?! We'll even answer the burning question of our time: Is The Bear a workplace comedy? ———

TV legend Ted Danson has reunited with sitcom icon Mike Schur (The Good Place, Brooklyn 99) to infiltrate our hearts in the delightful new Netflix caper A Man on the Inside. Danson plays a widower who goes undercover at a San Francisco retirement community, but can he solve the mystery of the missing jewels without getting too close to his kooky new neighbors? (Or maybe getting close to them is what he needed all along!) But first! Comcast is saying “so long! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!” to almost every cable channel in their portfolio. What does this mean for the future of NBC and Peacock? And it's the middle of Black Friday weekend so we're talking DEALS DEALS DEALS! Get a year of Peacock for $20! Or lock in a deep Disney Bundle discount! Plus some tips for maximizing your streaming savings by rotating email addresses to take advantage of new subscriber offers. ———

Saturday Night Live is back for its 50th season and we're celebrating with an All-Time SNL Cast Draft! Join us as we discuss the latest episodes and then draft competing casts of 14 team all-time greats: Who gets Belushi? Who will anchor Weekend Update? And which legendary cast member did ChatGPT completely forget about?! But first, in the news: Yellowstone returns for its final impossible-to-stream season! Paramount+ celebrates a change in fortunes! Netflix purges its interactive specials! And Max takes the crown as king of the Churn and Return generation! ———

Marvel's franchise fatigue seems like the perfect target for comedy, but can the new HBO satire The Franchise overcome the baggage of the subject matter? Is it more of a 30 Rock or a Studio 60? But first! Big ratings for our favorite new procedurals, trouble in paradise for the Golden Bachelorette, more scoops on the Abbott/Sunny crossover, and a triumphant quarter at Netflix (featuring surprise Mulaney news!). ———

The hottest new shows of the fall TV season are old school (and in some cases: Old people!), with CBS and ABC leading the way: We'll look at freshmen hits Matlock and High Potential. These network detective procedurals have even more in common than meets the eye… but will you be able to crack the case with us? Plus: Could Agatha All Along usher in a new era of budget-concious Marvel shows? How confusing could the DirecTV/Dish merger get? And what's the TV crossover of our dreams and how is it actually happening?!? ———

Spooky Season has arrived and Disney+ is leaning into it with the long-awaited (and repeatedly retitled) WandaVision spin-off Agatha All Along. It's got a killer cast, but can it shake the Marvel curse? And speaking of Marvel: We're assembling our own coven… of shows! Join us as we each draft a team of 6 Marvel shows that we hope Kevin Feige resurrects for another season. Which one of us will assemble the Avengers of Avengers-adjacent characters? But first, in the news: Wake up, babe. New bundle dropped! And we begin the bittersweet farewell to satellite TV. ———

It's our 2024 Emmy Awards Spectacular! Join us as we review the live show and break down the coronation of FX chief John Landgraf (with one hilarious exception!). ———

FX cleaned up at the 2024 Emmy Awards, but can they keep the winning streak alive? Could the engine behind Hulu's premium content even be on track to surpass HBO as the de facto home of prestige TV? We're looking at both sides of that equation with a review of the new FX comedy English Teacher and a deep dive into David Zaslav's latest swerve with Max (coming soon to a basic cable package near you!). But wait! There's more: The ABC Presidential Debate brought in big ratings across all the news networks, but did viewers punish CNN for hosting the infamous first debate? Speaking of that Cable News Network: The channel's new leadership continues to undo the legacy of Zaslav's first pick, Chris Licht. That means Brian Stelter's back, baby! The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon becomes the final nail in the coffin for Friday night Late Night, with all the major shows down to 4 new episodes a week. With ratings in a free fall across all the networks what will the future of Late Night look like? (Maybe it's more of an After Midnight style affair.) ———

One of our favorite New York shows is back and… headed to Hollywood?! We'll break down the bicoastal mystery in season 4 of Only Murders in the Building, and revisit all 3 seasons of Hulu's hit comedy: From Tim Kono to Ben Glenroy, we'll discuss all the ways the show has evolved since its surprising summer 2021 premier. Between its annual consistency and willingness to take big swings, we're thrilled to hear the show has already been renewed for a season 5. But first! We're going down to South Park for some news! Yes, we're talking about Comedy Central's parent company Paramount and the literal parent bankrolling the Skydance merger (it's on again!)... … and the news that South Park is sitting out the election (and the rest of 2024). Are creators Matt and Trey sick of politics, or are they sick of Paramount's legal battle with Warner Bros. Discovery over streaming rights to one of TV's most iconic animated comedies? (A deal that expires in 2025!) And speaking of animated comedies: Can you guess which two pillars of adult animation are current mainstays on the Nielsen streaming charts? We'll take a look at the top 10 for the first week of August and celebrate the latest 2000s-era show to be crowned “cool again” by Netflix: Prison Break. ———

It's our 2024 Fall TV and Streaming Preview Spectacular! We'll dish on the shows we're excited for… and also other shows! That also exist! (Surely someone is excited for all the Citadel spinoffs!) Then we'll channel the dark arts of streaming to transform our excitement into buying advice in a special Fall installment of Add? Keep? Cancel! (The segment where we spend your money for you!)

Netflix was looking for some Game of Thrones magic when they hired D.B. Weiss and David Benioff to helm a western adaptation of the Chinese sci-fi epic 3 Body Problem, and they were rewarded with a surprise nomination for Best Drama at next month's Primetime Emmys. Does it stack up against the competition? (Hint: We've got some problems with 3 Body…) ☀️ But first: We're looking back at the summer in streaming! Including updates on the next seasons of Shogun and Hacks (two of our favorite shows this year!). The shocking (for some!) cancellation of The Acolyte as Disney struggles to combat franchise fatigue and hostile fans in the Star Wars universe. In SPORTSPOCALYPSE: A dramatic legal twist for the mega sports streamer Venu… … and a make-or-break moment for Peacock. Plus: We crown the story of the summer! And break down the logic behind Chick-Fil-A's rumored push into streaming! ———

We're less than a month away from the Primetime Emmys and one show is poised to sweep the Drama categories with a big pivot (and an even bigger renewal): It's the FX not-so-limited series Shogun. We talk about the big 2-season renewal, its awards chances, and the shocking series-turned-season finale. (We'll have some follow-up about the season 2 plans next week, too!) But first: It's America's favorite unlicensed game show! RENEWED OR CANCELED?! ———

The Star Wars franchise sent Disney+ into hyperspace when the service launched with breakout hit The Mandalorian, but the sci-fi cornerstone of Disney's streaming play has struggled to replicate the unstoppable force of Grogu and Mando. Enter The Acolyte, which has been review bombed for all the wrong reasons… but also might be burdened with some pretty serious storytelling problems. We revisit the series after finishing the full season and debate what worked, what didn't, and whether the show would've succeeded as a Rogue One-style standalone movie (especially with so much riding on the upcoming big screen Mandalorian spinoff). But first, in the news: Disney finally shakes off the Marvel funk with a successful Deadpool movie, but will a desperate pivot back to RDJ and the Russo Brothers save the flagship Avengers franchise? And speaking of the Russo Brothers: Amazon reveals some compelling casting for one of the least compelling shows we've ever watched. Can Citadel convince us to come back for season 2? ———

Peacock failed to stick the landing in Tokyo, but will the 2024 Paris Olympics be the comeback story every young media executive dreams of?? But first: News from SNL ahead of Season 50, and Sportspocalypse breaks down the value of Venu. ———

Everyone is suddenly rewatching the iconic HBO comedy Veep but with 7 seasons available to stream where should you start? Relax, because we're here to be your tour guides through the halls of almost-power. But first: Bundle Watch! Sportspocalypse! And with The Olympics kicking off we ask the eternal question: What's the deal with Peacock?! ———

It's hot out, so why not stay inside with two of the most influential (and bingeable) shows from the mid-2000s? It's a Summer Show Swap that pits one of Dianne's favorite series against one of Chris's. Which side will you take? ✈️

Julio Torres (Los Espookys) is back on HBO with a new 6-episode series that blends sketch comedy with a surreal narrative about a lost oyster earring, a concerning mole (or maybe it's just a birthmark), and Julio's struggle to find a new apartment without providing his “proof of existence." We'll take you on our dream-like experience watching the first three episodes, featuring guest stars like Aidy Bryant (in a wild informercial bit), Jaboukie Young-White (as a influencer confronted by The Algorithm), and Tilda Swinton (as the voice of water). But first! We've got the latest news from the Paramount Death Watch, including the $2 Paramount+ price hike that will probably solve everything. Netflix is launching permanent retail spaces in two U.S. malls. We try to imagine the synergistic experiences that await. It's Pride Month so we're sharing our favorite LGBTQIA+ shows from the Streamageddon back catalog and check in with series like Interview with the Vampire and Ripley. And find out which late night talk show host Chris has completely blocked from his memory in a round-up of news from 11 PM and beyond! (Hint: It's a CBS host!) ———

In a shocking twist of events the Paramount Death Watch is back! We'll discuss Shari Redstone's last-minute decision to kill the Skydance deal and what comes next for the beleaguered home of CBS. Will a new buyer swoop in? Will Warner chief David Zaslav make a move? And what's all this talk from Paramount's three-headed CEO about a possible joint venture with another streamer? Will Paramount+ and Peacock team up for a new Hulu (a Nulu, if you will)?? Then we're dusting off our Jedi robes and heading to Disney+ to discuss the intriguing new Star Wars prequel The Acolyte. There's a lot to love, but also the same frustrations that plague most of Disney's streaming strategy. Can they make these 8-episode “seasons” work? Or are they pulling from the wrong playbook? But wait, there's more! The 2024 Box Office is back, baby! We'll break down the big weekends from Pixar and the Bad Boys. Warner Bros. Discovery is serving up some tennis, but can it fill the Charles Barkley sized hold in sports fans' hearts? Peacock has a new deal just in time for the Olympics, but can NBC convince you to stick around after? And Max is raising prices… to the max! ———

Did streaming break the box office? It sure seems like it, with attendance and ticket sales in a perpetual slump, layoffs plaguing juggernauts like Pixar, and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claiming that he could've made the Barbenheimer without a theatrical release (we disagree, Ted!). We'll break it all down and preview this weekend's new Netflix movie Hit Man, which Dianne saw during its brief theatrical run. But first! Summer also means it's time for a parade of new streaming shows you've probably never heard of! Can you pick the real shows from the ChatGPT-created hallucinations? Find out when we play our newest game: Show or No?! ———

Season 3 of the Max Original Hacks just wrapped and it's so good we can't figure out why it's not on HBO already. It's a sharp, laugh-out-loud comedy reminiscent of Barry, Veep, and Silicon Valley, and the best part is that it just keeps getting better. Whether you're new to the show or a diehard Deborah Vance fan, we've got you covered with both an introduction to the series and a full season 3 review. But first! The fallout from Amazon's hit series Fallout continues: The wildly popular video game series drove millions of viewers to the wildly popular show… which drove millions of players back to the wildly popular video game series! Speaking of fallouts: We check in with activist investor Nelson Peltz after losing the battle for Disney's board. FX on Hulu's smash hit The Bear is coming to… FX on FX?? And in Sportspocalypse: Can Warner Bros. Discovery “nourish” sports fans without a big helping of NBA? We're about to find out! Plus: Legitimately breaking news from the Paramount Death Watch! ———

The fallout from Season 1 of Amazon Prime Video's Fallout is still going strong, with ratings juggernaut Nielsen declaring the show a much-needed hit for the #1 streaming service that also sells toilet paper. We've finished the full season and are ready to dish on all the twists and turns, whether the binge model worked for us, and what we expect (and hope for) in Season 2. Plus we revisit our predictions and grade our TV Tarot! But first! We dissect Disney's earnings and the latest strategy shift at Marvel in a brand-new installment of What's That, Bob?! And with the abbreviated 2023-24 TV season coming to an end, both streamers and traditional TV networks are courting advertisers with some big announcements about their upcoming shows. That means it's time for an extra-large edition of Renewed or Canceled?! ———

It's a new era at Netflix: Ads, sports, and live specials galore! We'll dig deep into the big strategy shift, including our review of John Mulaney's limited-run live talk show Everybody's in L.A. We'll try to explain the appeal of this one-of-a-kind live show, highlight some of our favorite segments, and recommend the best episode to check out (EARTHQUAKES!). From David Letterman to Conan O'Brien to John Mulaney interviewing David Letterman: We're taking a full-circle journey through a very specific sub-genre of late night… that just might be the perfect fit for streaming. But wait! There's more! We'll catch you up with the latest from the Paramount Death Watch

Join us in the Wasteland as we spend the entire episode discussing the latest prestige video game adaptation: Amazon Prime Video's Fallout. ———

It's been 2 years since the “Netflix Correction” and we're here to correct the record: How did Netflix become the sole survivor of an industry-wide crisis kicked off… by Netflix itself? We'll take stock of the changes that helped solidify Netflix's place at the top of the streaming food chain and what that means for the future of the little guys. And speaking of little guys: Peacock! Comcast is eager for their streamer to offset the never-ending losses in their cable TV division, and guess what? It might be working?! Plus it's the most jam-packed edition of Daily Show Host(s) Watch yet! It's so much podcast we had to push the review of Fallout to next week! But you can get caught up on Amazon Prime Video now (we'll be reviewing episodes 1-5). ———

This week we're playing hide and seek with the ever-talented Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) in the new Netflix original series Ripley. He's a conman traipsing through the black-and-white vistas of the Italian coast (let's call it shabby chic) in this prestige adaptation of the classic novel. But first! Chris plays hide and seek with the Hulu content buried in the new Hulu Hub on Disney+ (it's like Hulu, but worse!)… Dianne breaks down the big network TV vibes coming to Max… And all of us marvel at the $40 million Disney spent fighting off an activist investor (that's a whole 1.5 episodes of She-Hulk!). ———

It's our Spring Streaming Spectacular featuring our favorite show of the year-so-far: FX's Shogun (streaming on Hulu!). We'll share our thoughts before digging into spoilers, plus: Which streamers should you add, keep, and cancel this spring? We have the answers in a shocking edition of Add / Keep / Cancel! And looking for even more Spring shows? We're doing our first-ever Vibe Check to help you triage your watchlist. ———

Netflix rescued the 30 Rock-infused Peacock comedy Girls5Eva and it's a comeback we can get behind… even if we're worried no one is watching. The show has more jokes in a single song than an entire season of Emmy-winning comedy The Bear but, like so many Peacock comedies, has struggled to find an audience. We'll give you plenty of reasons to binge the 22 episodes now streaming on Netflix… But first! What's Peacock's deal anyway? How did it take 4 years for them to figure out that their brand is… NBC? Is there any hope for Paramount? (We're not holding our breath!) Max goes global! (-ish!) And we've got good news and bad news from Hollywood (where intrepid reporter Dianne is live on the ground!) All that and a jam-packed edition of America's Favorite Game Show: Renewed or Canceled?! ———

TV is back and so are we! After a half-season delay (due to last year's strikes) CBS and ABC are back with their hit sitcoms Ghosts and Abbott Elementary. Despite the extended hiatus both shows are entering their third seasons with a ton of momentum and a stacked (and growing) ensemble. Whether you're a longtime fan or a brand new viewer: We'll tell you what you need to know to dive into two of our favorite comedies. Plus: Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show and bringing in the highest ratings the show has seen since… Jon Stewart was on The Daily Show (go figure!). We'll share some hot takes on the evolution of late night and the show's precarious future. But it's not all laughs in Hollywood: Pilot season has all but vanished, with spring sitcom production down over 90% from a decade ago. Can comedy survive the industry's historical contraction? We'll debate the future of funny as we catch up on a lighting round of streaming news! ⚡️ ———

Hihi, this week we're going undercover with Donald Glover and Maya Erskine on their new Amazon Prime Video original Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It's inspired by the 2005 blockbuster Brangelina action rom-com, but this new darkly comedic martial thriller has more in common with FX's The Americans than the title suggests… …and speaking of FX: Peak TV prognosticator (and veteran FX chief) John Landgraf is back with his annual tally of scripted originals and an ominous prediction. With the number of new series in decline, is the era of Peak TV is truly over? (He's only predicted it twice before, so this time might be for real!) But first! Sony once again poses the question: Should you start hoarding physical media in the attic? Chris explores the wide world of Plex channels… …and Dianne plays a brand new game called Plex or Not?! ———

We're closing the case on our Cozy (and/or Spooky) Winter Mysteries Tour with this winter's buzziest, prestige-iest detective show: HBO's True Detective: Night Country. Premiering a decade after the original season— with a whole new creator and showrunner— it's a show that poses the question “So, like, what is a True Detective, man?” [Insert your best McConaughey voice here.] But first! Will cartoon villain David Zaslav ruthlessly murder Coyote vs. ACME… again?! Can Taylor Swift save Disney+? Can hastily retooling a Moana streaming series as Moana 2 save Disney's holiday box office? Can anyone explain what Bob Iger is talking about?? And whoops! They made a Sports Hulu! ———

It's week two of our Cozy Winter Mysteries Tour and we're headed to the south of France for vintage cars, red wine, and a whole lotta Clive Owen (literally) in Monsieur Spade. But first! The Marvels hits Disney+ just as new questions plague the future of the MCU's streaming plans (RIP our beloved She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law) and we try to unravel Max's decision to give arch-rival Netflix the keys to Carrie Bradshaw's kingdom. All that plus a thrilling installment of BUNDLE WATCH. It's an episode of Streamageddon you can't afford to miss! ———

The streamers have decreed: Winter is time for cozy mysteries and hard-boiled detective hijinks! We're investigating this intriguing trend, starting with a review of Hulu's new series Death and Other Details, starring Mandy Patinkin and a slew of beautiful people who will make you go “I think I know them from something!” But first! The 2023 strikes come back to haunt us… with good news?! Has our (late) night watch come to an end? We're here with the most unexpected edition of Daily Show Host Watch yet. And is Netflix just, like, cable now? Hit the proverbial bong with us and get ready to have your mind and/or budget blown by the latest moves from the streaming king. ———

Whoops, we accidentally predicted the future too well in our last episode! So we're back to catch up on the doom and gloom at Paramount+, the mass hysteria surrounding Amazon Prime Video's turn to ads, and more news from the past month. Then we'll make the case for why Marvel's new “Spotlight” series Echo breathes new life into their struggling TV formula… if you can make it through the first 25 minutes of franchise-mandated flashbacks. Plus it's a new year, so it's time to get your streaming house in order. We'll help you budget with the return of our awards-pending advice segment Add/Keep/Cancel. ———

It's our Second Annual Streaming Superlatives Spectacular! Featuring your favorite yearbook-inspired awards plus a host of new categories generated by the true star of 2023: ChatGPT. Plus we predict which streaming service won't survive the new year (spoiler alert: the headlines already indicate we might be right!). ———

The holidays are here but we're cursed with more streaming news for you! Find out the exciting new bundle of the week! Experience deja vu with the news of Showtime's confusing rebranding! And you'll never guess where Disney's synergy is headed next! Plus we review the first two episodes of Nathan Fielder's The Curse. (You might not want to listen to that part with the kids…) ———

The holidays are here and Bob Iger is celebrating by stuffing Hulu into the Disney+ stocking (some exceptions may apply). We'll prepare you to answer your relatives' streaming questions with everything you need to know about the historic level of Disney synergy sweeping the nation: Dianne walks us through the new Hulu Hub on Disney+ Chris confesses his love for (Disney's) Doctor Who and (Disney's) Wheel of Fortune And we've got your one-stop guide to all five seasons of FX's Fargo (streaming now on Disney's Hulu Hub!) Plus, updates from every corner of the Disney universe: From ABC to Pixar to Star Wars to Marvel. Even NatGeo makes an appearance! That's right, Disney owns National Geographic, too! ———

Streaming bundles are all the rage these days! From Verizon's new Netflix/Max deal to Instacart's groceries and Peacock combo (a real thing, we swear!). Join us as we navigate the murky waters of the great big Bundle-verse and who knows? Maybe you'll find a bundle of joy along the way. Plus we're revisiting this fall's strike-fueled hit: The Golden Bachelor. And stick around at the end for our discussion of everything that went wrong (and right!) with The Marvels. ———

We've got sizzling Thanksgiving episode stuffed full of news, gossip, and… America's favorite game show?! First: Will lackluster AI protections sink the SAG-AFTRA deal? Then we raise a glass to the latest victim of the streaming wars: Showtime Anytime. Speaking of Paramount-related news: IT'S DAILY SHOW HOST WATCH! (Second timers edition!) But wait, there's more! Because after that we feast on an irresistible helping of David Zaslav news. And finally: We head the big (enough) screen and stream the new Netflix movie The Killer featuring Michael Fassbender as the titular assassin, framed by David Fincher's direction. All that, plus: Can you out-score Dianne on a post-strike edition of Renewed or Canceled?! We've got 12 shows across TV and streaming that have been hanging in the balance for months now. (Spoilers in the links below!) ———

Our long national nightmare is finally over! (Are we referring to the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike or the Loki finale? You'll have to listen to find out!) ———

It's a big week for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (but please don't make us call it that), and we're celebrating with a deep dive into Loki ahead of this Thursday's finale that seems destined to set up the next phase of Avengers mayhem (whether we like it or not). We'll be back in your feeds next week with our thoughts on the season finale, but that's not the only Marvel-ing in the news: After months of reshoots and delays The Marvels hits theaters this weekend and promises to reunite us with some of our favorite characters from the Disney+ series WandaVision and Ms. Marvel (if only we can remember those long-ago shows). We'll dive deep into the interconnected Marvel mess and discuss whether the company's new “Spotlight” branding for more standalone series will chart a new path forward. But first! We're asking the hard questions that the streaming universe refuses to answer: Just how much is a Hulu worth these days? (Disney is about to find out!) What's going on with the forbidden episode of Bluey? Who has the better strategy to jam ads in our eyes: Netflix or Amazon? Why is YouTube willing to lose over a billion dollars a year just to carry NFL Sunday ticket? And should Marvel arch-villain Kang be replaced?? (Spoiler alert: Yes!) ———

1990s Pacific Northwest radio icon Dr. Frasier Crane is back, but is the new Boston-set reboot of Frasier really listening to what viewers want? We'll share some of our favorite classic Frasiers and compare them to the new Paramount+ reboot (which, like the sherry at a Bean Town bar, we found… questionable). But first! Chris shares his love of CNN Max (he's aware this makes him a middle aged man now, thanks for asking!) The Daily Show announces more guest hosts (including some returning favorites!) Dianne learns the difference between Space Whales and Earth Whales (it's a sci-fi thing!) Price hikes at both Netflix and Disney+ leave Chris and Dianne wondering how much spaceships and comic books are really worth these days… …and it turns out Marvel is asking itself the same thing?? We'll explain! ———