The M&M Report: Recent Episodes
Mark Lieberman
Devin Mitchell and Mark Lieberman discuss the latest developments in popular culture, from the movie of the week to the TV show of the moment.
Taylor Swift has, since the pandemic began, ascended from precedent-shattering pop superstardom to something even grander.
She's released four full-fledged (and long) new albums; re-recorded and expanded the tracklists for four of her previous albums; captivated global audiences with the massive-scale Eras Tour and accompanying blockbuster film; picked up two more Album of the Year Grammys; weathered a breakup from a rebound; rebounded from the previous rebound; gained a new appreciation for Football Culture ("seemingly ranch," anyone?); played a supporting role in the film Amsterdam (lol); and announced her intention to write and direct a full-length feature film.
If you're exhausted just reading that list of accomplishments, imagine how she must feel pulling them off. The Tortured Poets Department, her latest album, gave Mark and Devin an opportunity to imagine just that, and to ponder how they feel about Taylor Swift's stratospheric omnipresence. They're joined by Erin Vail, a beloved returning guest and self-proclamed "medium- to high-level Swiftie."
Further Listening:
Swiftology (Podcast hosted by Erin Vail and her friend Alexa)
Pop Pantheon Live! Tortured Poets & the State of Taylor Mania (with Brittany Spanos, Nora Princiotti & Hunter Harris) (hosted by DJ Louie XIV)
Further Reading:
Why Taylor Swift Is the Reigning Queen of Pop (Jody Rosen, New York Magazine, 2013!!!)
Taylor Swift: Folklore review – bombastic pop makes way for emotional acuity (Laura Snapes, The Guardian, 2020)
Taylor Swift, 30-Something, Is Revising Her Own Love Stories (Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 2022)
Movie Review: Look What We Made Her Do (Wesley Morris, New York Times, 2023)
Person of the Year: Taylor Swift (Sam Lansky, Time, 2023)
How Taylor Swift Won Back the Public (Nate Jones, Vulture, 2024)
Devin and Mark convene for the 11th year in a row to recap the Oscars telecast they just watched -- this time, the 96th annual. Plus, Mark reveals a surprise for Devin live on mic.
Devin and Mark run through some of the most notable movie releases of 2023 before sharing some personal favorites. Come for Discourse Corner and stay for an attempt to read a funny tweet that goes horribly, delightfully awry.
2:15 - 6:30 : Barbenheimer
6:30 - 23:00: Barbie Discourse Corner
23:00 - 39:45: Oppenheimer
39:45 - 1:01:40: Killers of the Flower Moon/Mark hits back at "Movies should be short" people
1:01:40 - 1:10:30: American Fiction
1:10:30 - 1:19:15: The Holdovers
1:19:15 - 1:26:00: Past Lives
1:26:00 - 1:29:00: Poor Things
1:29:00 - 1:36:45: Anatomy of a Fall
1:36:45 - End: May December / a Good (?) Tweet
Music: Dua Lipa, "Dance the Night" (editorial note from Mark: still goes)
Here's The Tweet: https://twitter.com/aherman2006/status/1749924312260481474
We (finally) reconvene several months after the series finale of Succession to discuss the final two episodes, "Church and State" and "With Open Eyes"; our broader feelings about how the story wrapped up; what changed in our reactions on second viewing; and the continued relevance of the show. How does Shiv's big decision sit now that some time has passed? And is this podcast just a thinly-veiled exercise in getting to repeat our favorite lines back to each other? (no comment)
Devin and Mark reflect (at length!) on the incredible four-season run of Succession in anticipation of the HBO show's final two episodes.
Why do we care so much about characters who are hellbent on ruining the world? What distinguishes this show from others on similar subject matter? How has the show approached wrapping up its story earlier than even some members of the cast expected? And why did Cousin Greg betray us so?
(Part two will look back on the series as a whole after the final episode airs. The penultimate episode, "Church and State," aired the night after they recorded.)
Devin and Mark convene for the 10th year in a row to recap the Oscars immediately after the telecast finished airing on ABC.
Mark and Devin are back to share their thoughts on some of the most notable and buzzed-about pop culture experiences of the year...after a brief check-in on the aftermath of The Slap. (Please do check out Will Smith's apology video in full if you haven't already.)
Nope: 6:00-20:30
The Rehearsal: 20:30-30:20
Severance: 30:20-40:00
Movie theaters: 40:00-
Rothaniel: 45:15-52:50
The White Lotus: 52:50-1:01:00
Abbott Elementary: 1:01:00-1:08:40
Top Gun Maverick: 1:08:40-End
Mark and Devin convene virtually for the M&M Report's eighth annual episode recorded immediately after the Oscars telecast on ABC. Uh...some things happened...
Devin and Mark, recording in the same room for the first time in 17 months (!!!), celebrate the safe reopening of movie theaters and take stock of two movies they saw together (!!!) in Los Angeles: Old and Zola.
(Note: This episode was recorded in late July, before recent urges in cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19.)
Back to the Movies: 3:28 - 17:00 Old: 17:09 - 35:54 Zola: 36:00 - end
Read the (bad) Kara Swisher piece dismissing the excitement around movie theaters, and the Rolling Stone article upon which Zolais based.
Devin and Mark are healing the world with podcasting—about Bo Burnham's new special (?)/movie (?)/musical (?)/uncategorizable work of semi-autobiographical art that's streaming on Netflix and setting Twitter and TikTok ablaze.
We pick favorite songs and moments; dissect the piece's complicated and conflicting ideas about the Internet and mental health; and try to understand how Burnham and his work achieved a rare kind of pop culture ubiquity.
Read Craig Jenkins on Burnham's music; Richard Brody on the tradition of "cinematic selfies"; and Lili Loofbourow on the special's artifice.
Listen to Who Weekly on Bo Burnham's celebrity persona.
Mark and Devin convene virtually for the M&M Report's eighth annual episode recorded immediately after the Oscars telecast on ABC--and Mark is mad.
Devin and Mark break down what to expect and what they're hoping to see during the 93rd Oscars on April 25. They also ponder how it feels for Oscar season to be occurring during ~these times~, and whether anyone even knows the show is just around the corner.
A few worthwhile reads:
Movies Survived 2020. The Oscars Diversified. There’s More to Do. (Wesley Morris, The New York Times)
What Frances McDormand Would (and Wouldn’t) Give to ‘Nomadland’ (Kyle Buchanan, The New York Times)
Yes, this Oscar season has no blockbuster contenders. Why that’s a good thing (Justin Chang, The Los Angeles Times)
The Many Lives of Steven Yeun (Jay Caspian Kang, The New York Times Magazine)
What Nomadland Gets Wrong About Gig Labor (Wilfred Chan, Vulture)
‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’: The Sixties Told in Sorkinese (K. Austin Collins, Rolling Stone)
Oscar Producers Reveal Plans For Show And Covid Safety Procedure: “There Is No Universe In Which We Put Anybody At Risk” (Pete Hammond, Deadline)
I'd Like This To Stop: Praise For A Promising Young Woman (Ayesha Siddiqi)
Promising Young Woman is a sneering, winking provocation of a movie (Roxana Hadadi, Polygon)
Stream Let Them All Talk on HBO Max and First Cow on Showtime
Mark and Devin take stock of the, uh, busy last four years and attempt to make sense of their effect on the landscape of American popular culture.
(Note: This episode was recorded on the first weekend in January, before the insurrection, the second Trump impeachment, and the early days of the Biden administration.)
From opposite coasts, Devin and Mark reflect on fond memories of seeing movies in theaters (with other people sitting close to us and breathing the same air for multiple hours) and tentatively ponder whether those experiences can continue once the pandemic eventually subsides.
Further reading:
- A.O. Scott, How Much Do You Really Miss Going to the Movies?
- Justin Chang, Democracy and the movies: Simple acts of solidarity under threat
- Scorsese, Eastwood say U.S. movie theaters may not survive pandemic
Mark and Devin try to make sense of what the Emmy Awards will look like, and what they mean, during the pandemic. Plus, they highlight some worthy and not so worthy nominees, and Devin shares a particularly exasperated take on a notable contender.
Devin and Mark return from an extended hiatus to provide some personal updates and share what they've been thinking about during the protests for racial justice and as the pandemic times continue.
They also discuss the protracted saga over when (if?) Christopher Nolan's Tenet will premiere in U.S. theaters (14:20), the quarantine production of Malcolm & Marie with John David Washington and Zendaya (27:55), and whether depictions of police and courts in movies and television will change (39:02).
Note: We did not mean to imply that The M&M Report is the last great American dynasty; that was just Devin's favorite song on folklore.
Further reading:
Variety: Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' Delays August Release Deadline: Reopening Hollywood: How Zendaya, John David Washington & ‘Euphoria’ Creator Sam Levinson Started & Finished A Secret Movie During The Pandemic GQ: Robert Pattinson - A Dispatch From Isolation Vulture: How does it feel to make police shows in 2020?
Devin and Mark, still in quarantine after a month, take stock of how the pandemic has temporarily (and perhaps permanently) transformed the entertainment industry and our relationship to it.
Topics include: Film and TV production; SNL and late-night shows recorded remotely; movie theater closures; scrambled release calendars and canceled events; what the future may hold for pop culture devotees like us; and, finally, Drake.
Some further reading:
- Deadline: What will happen on film/TV sets once they do eventually resume production
- New York Times: Reporting on possibilities for fall movies and the Oscars
- IndieWire: Steven Soderbergh leading a DGA committee on restarting production
- Los Angeles Times: Film sets are notoriously unsanitary
- Vulture: What happens for the rest of the year?
Devin and Mark, self-quarantining in their respective homes, review and recommend the first season of the USA drama series Briarpatch, created by former Grantland TV critic Andy Greenwald (0:00-32:40) and share some streaming suggestions to fill time while you're at home for the next while (32:40 - end).
Mark's picks:
- Halt and Catch Fire, four ten-episode seasons on Netflix
- The filmography of Kelly Reichardt (River of Grass and Wendy and Lucy on Kanopy; Meek's Cutoff on Hulu; Night Moves and Certain Women available for rent)
Devin's picks:
- High Maintenanceon HBO Now (fourth season currently airing)
- The Sopranos on HBO Now and Amazon Prime
Mark and Devin convene immediately after the end of the telecast of the 92nd Oscars to discuss winners, losers, favorite moments and lingering frustrations. #BongHiveAssemble
Devin and Mark look back on the films of 2019 and preview the 2020 Oscars. Topics include a galaxy brain take on 1917; an incoherent rant about Joker; warm words for Parasite, Marriage Story and The Irishman; and some earnest recommendations for great movies that got zero Oscar nominations.
Mark and Devin welcome back West Coast correspondent Erin Vail for scorching hot takes on Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker and ~feelings~ about Little Women.
Special guest and Dunkirk stan Meg Kearns joins Devin and Mark to look back on the the 2010s at the ~cinema~. Topics include Marvel hegemony, Social Network bops, a hot take on Manchester by the Sea, reflections on #MeToo, feelings about Greta Gerwig and Barry Jenkins, and the Dark Universe for some reason.
Extra Recommendations from Devin: Stories We Tell, Locke, Brooklyn, Arrival, Everybody Wants Some!!, O.J. Made in America, Columbus, Logan Lucky, The Meyerowitz Stories: New and Selected, Widows, The Favourite, The Farewell
Extra recommendations from Meg: Bachelorette, Brooklyn, Cold War, Crimson Peak, The Handmaiden, The Invitation, Loving, Magic Mike XXL, Mad Max: Fury Road, Minding the Gap, The Nice Guys, Mission: Impossible 4-6, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Parasite, Sleeping With Other People
Extra recommendations from Mark: Another Year, Before Midnight, Captain Phillips, Certain Women, Edge of Tomorrow, First Reformed, Fruitvale Station, The Florida Project, The Immigrant, Margaret, Personal Shopper, The Rider, Roma, Selma, Short Term 12, The Tree of Life, The World's End
Devin and Mark dig deep to discuss Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story,in select theaters now and on Netflix Dec. 6.
(No spoilers until the 18-minute mark!)
Listen to Sean Fennessey's interview with Noah Baumbach, and read the New Yorker's 2013 profile of the director.
Devin and Mark untangle their recent lack of enthusiasm for TV and explore the current state creatively and commercially of the television landscape.
Devin and Mark look ahead to the fall movies they're excited to see and the fights they're assuming they'll have.
Devin and Mark welcome returning guest Erin Vail to check in on the delightfully upsetting Successionas it begins its second season on HBO.
Mark and Devin examine their evolving relationship with the social media platform Twitter and offer some recommendations for using it in personally fulfilling ways.
Devin and Mark, along with horror correspondent Kevin Werner, debate and discuss Us, Jordan Peele's follow-up to Get Out.
Listen to Sean Fennessey's interview with Peele. Read Reggie Ugwu's profile of Lupita Nyong'o. Ponder Jordan Crucchiola's interpetation of the ending.
Subscribe to Devin and Kevin's politics podcast Friendly Fire.
Mark and Devin briefly discuss Bo Burnham's film Eighth Grade. Then Mark gets an alternate perspective on the movie from a recent graduate of eighth grade.
For the sixth year in a row, Devin and Mark react to the Oscars telecast minutes after it ends.
Devin and Mark discuss some of the major storylines surrounding the upcoming 91st Academy Awards on February 24 and explore why they are so invested in the annual ceremony. In between, they fight about Vice, one of the films that received the most Oscar nominations.
Mark and Devin wrap up 2018 with reviews of some of their favo(u)rite movies of this year: Roma (0:00 - 13:20), Widows (13:20 - 23:20), Can You Ever Forgive Me? (23:20 - 29:00) and The Favourite (29:00 - 37:30). Plus: brief mentions of one movie that Devin saw but Mark didn't (The Front Runner, ) and one movie that Mark watched but Devin didn't(The Ballad ofBuster Scruggs).
Devin walks Mark through a therapy session as they unpack the current state of Saturday Night Live.
Topics:
- Political satire (0:00 - 19:30)
- Alec Baldwin (19:30 - 27:00)
- Weekend Update (27:00 - 38:00)
- Pete Davidson (38:00 - 46:00)
- Mark's theory on hosts (46:00 - 50:00)
- Why we keep watching (50:00 - End)
Some sketches we discussed:
- Robert Mueller/"The Bachelorette"
-
resistance bros at the bar
- Watching the presidential election returns
- Melissa McCarthy as Sean Spicer
- Adam Driver as a despicable oil baron
- "The Sink"
- "Wells For Boys"
- "Black Jeopardy" with Tom Hanks
- Killer ceiling fan
- Adam Driver monologue
- Cast jealousy over Pete Davidson's new stardom
- Pete Davidson talking Ariana on Weekend Update
- Pete Davidson proposing to Maggie Rogers
- Pete Davidson's Dan Crenshaw joke
Other stuff:
- Taran Killam, ousted cast member, discusses the show's relationship with Trump
- Alec Baldwin's "retirement from public life"
- Mark's Vox list of non-political "SNL" sketches
- The M&M Report on Don't Think Twice
- Ariana Grande, "Pete"
- Dan Crenshaw in the Washington Post
Devin and Mark swap takes on shows they've been watching recently.
The Good Place: 0:00 - 3:00
BoJack Horseman: 3:00 - 8:30
Insecure: 8:30 - 13:30
Forever: 13:30 - 19:45
Succession: 19:45 - 28:15
American Vandal: 28:15 - 33:10
Big Brother: 33-10 - End
Mark and Devin celebrate the five-year anniversary of their podcast (!) by exploring their pop culture origin stories and uncovering a few embarrassing secrets along the way.
The soundtrack for this episode is Katy Perry's "Roar," which was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on the day Mark and Devin released the first episode of The M&M Report.
Mark and Devin look ahead to a busy movie season and preview their most anticipated releases: Widows(2:30-6:00), If Beale Street Could Talk (6:00-9:55), Backseat(9:55-18:05), Roma (18:05-23:15), Mary Queen of Scots (23:15-25:15),First Man (25:15-31:55)and The Land of Steady Habits (31:55).
Mark and Devin accept the impossible mission of marveling at the action in "Mission: Impossible — Fallout" while keeping top of mind the sinister implications of Tom Cruise's stardom.
Devin and Mark return from a long hiatus to discuss Set It Up (0:00-21:00) and First Reformed(21:00-End).
It's a full episode about the emotional devastation that comes with being a trained assassin (or being near one), courtesy of Killing Eve on BBC America (0:00-17:45) and Barry on HBO (17:45-End).
Mark and Devin review Steven Soderbergh's latest post-retirement film Unsane, which is not the work of a man who has committed to retirement in any literal sense.
Devin and Mark hit "record" on AN episode just minutes after the 2018 Oscars. This is not that episode. But it's close enough.
Mark and Devin try very hard not to spoil The Good Place (0:00-4:50)...and then they just give up and spoil it, because (the after)life's too short (4:50-End).
After you listen, check out TV critic Alison Herman's interview about the show with her philosopher father.
West Coast correspondent Erin Vail returns to nerd out with Devin and Mark over Star Wars: The Last Jedi (0:00-23:20). Then they poke gentle fun at The Post for being, well, not unsubtle (23:20-38:50). Before she leaves, Erin drops a few pop culture recommendations of her own (38:50-end).
For more Erin content, check out her podcast, writing for The Prompt and consistently delightful Twitter feed.
Devin and Mark review Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut and 2017's most luscious romance (not the same movie).
Devin and Mark bid a fond (?) farewell to 2017 with a look back at the third season of Mr. Robot.
Kevin Werner rejoins the podcast as a special Missouri correspondent to debate Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri with Devin and Mark.
Devin and Mark review The Florida Project, an intriguing and heart-wrenching film worth seeing amid a weak fall movie season.
Mark and Devin examine the recent spate of sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood superproducer Harvey Weinstein. They consider how such heinous crimes could have been permitted to continue for more than three decades, and what this escalating news story says about the hidden culture behind the entertainment products they love to consume.
If you want to offer feedback or constructive criticisms about this episode, please reach out on Twitter or by email. We're not scholars on these subjects, and we're eager for comments from perspectives other than our own.
Mark and Devin highlight some of the movies they're most excited to see before the end of the year.
Mark and Devin contemplate two works of auteur cinema from British directors: Edgar Wright's Baby Driver (0:00-17:55) and Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk (17:55-End). They also apologize for not podcasting about The Big Sick, which they both really liked. Sorry, The Big Sick.
Beloved special guest Kevin Werner joins Devin to talk all things Game of Thrones. Spoilers abound. (Mark was not present because he lives under a rock and has never seen Game of Thrones.)
Devin and Mark discuss their conflicted reactions to Master of None season two. Then they spar (as only they can) over The Americans season five.
Win It All is the latest gripping drama from writer-director Joe Swanberg and writer-star Jake Johnson; you can stream it on Netflix now. It's good. Meanwhile, what does the recent explosion of content coming from streaming services mean for more traditional creators and distributors of pop culture? We don't have all the answers, but we make a few guesses.
Devin and Mark introduce a new recurring segment (0:00-10:35) and review the new film Colossal (10:35-End), starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis.
Mark and Devin talk through their thoughts on the role of pop culture and the entertainment industry in the era of President Donald Trump. (Plus: a milestone!)
Further reading: Alyssa Rosenberg on the importance of representation; Caroline Framke on Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers' shows since the election; Todd VanDerWerff on the perils of overly simplistic pop culture criticism; Ira Madison III on Get Out; Mikael Wood on Lady Gaga.
Devin and Mark call Erin Vail for a peaceful discussion of Get Out and Big Little Lies, and a not-so-peaceful discussion about The Young Pope and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
0:00-18:00: Get Out
18:00-30:00: Big Little Lies
30:00-38:15: The Young Pope
38:15-End: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Devin and Mark look back on the highs and lows of what may go down as the memorable Oscars in history. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Mark and Devin discuss six Oscar nominees and preview next Sunday's ceremony.
Hacksaw Ridge: 0:00-6:50
Arrival: 6:50-12:00
Lion: 12:00-17:30
Fences: 17:30-23:15
Hidden Figures: 23:15-31:15
20th Century Women: 31:15-37:05
Thoughts on next week's ceremony: 37:05-End
Devin and Mark reflects on eight years of President Obama's unprecedented, radical interactions with popular culture: late-night talk shows, podcasts, stand-up comedy, the White House Correspondents' Dinner, the NBA draft and more.
Devin and Mark flash back to a(nother) challenging time in American presidential history with a look at the Oscar-contending Pablo Larain drama Jackie.
Devin and Mark reflect on a turbulent year in world affairs and a fruitful one for pop culture, touching on Frank Ocean's Blond (0:00-9:40),the Longform podcast (9:40-18:15), Atlanta (18:15-33:40), O.J.: Made in America(33:40-42:20), The Lobster(42:20-47:30), Hell or High Water (47:30-54:50)and Moonlight(54:50-End).
Mark and Devin tackle two funny movies that deal with grief in different but comparable ways: The Edge of Seventeen (0:00-12:55) and Manchester by the Sea(12:55-end).
Mark and Devin regroup, in person, after a shocking election result and a consequential episode of "SNL."
Devin and Mark wrestle with their complicated thoughts and feelings on the unprecedented volume of TV shows available to watch on the modern pop culture landscape.
Devin and Mark take to their microphones immediately after the 2016 Emmy Awards broadcast concludes to discuss their thoughts on the show and tally the results of their predictions.
Devin and Mark reflect on the highs and lows of HBO’s The Night Of, one of the most intriguing shows of the summer.
Devin and Mark take a deep dive into the current output and possible legacy of Bill Simmons, a sports and pop culture media figure they find both fascinating and frustrating.
On this episode, Devin and Mark review one of their favorite movies of the year so far, Don’t Think Twice, which is set in the New York improv comedy scene. Then they transition to the “real thing,” assessing the recent departures of several prominent Saturday Night Live cast members and what the news might mean for the future of the show.
Devin and I talk about what worked and what didn’t with Ghostbusters. Directed by Paul Feig starring four of the funniest women alive, it’s a remake of a beloved 1984 comedy that’s attracted one of the most intensely sexist online controversies in recent memory. And…it’s pretty good!
Devin and Mark get to the bottom of the sea-based thriller The Shallows with their friend Erin Vail, returning for her second M&M Report of the last three.
Devin and Mark break down a bunch of movies they’ve seen in the last few weeks: Maggie’s Plan (1:10-7:40); Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (7:40-13:15); Money Monster (13:15-19:30); Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising(19:30-25:30) and Weiner(25:30-end).
Devin and Mark welcomed returning guest Erin Vail for a discussion of D.C. TV shows, prompted by the series premiere of BrainDead and the excellent fifth season of Veep, which wraps up on Sunday.
Devin and I return to a topic to which they’ve only alluded in podcasts past: FX’s The Americans, starring Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell as KGB agents living among Americans in the United States at the height of the Cold War. Spoiler-y thoughts on the most recent season abound.
Devin’s back! And so is the M&M Report, with a wide-ranging discussion that frequently touches on pop culture subjects.
Welcome back, Devin: 0:00-2:00
Saturday Night Live: 2:00-17:30
Veep and Silicon Valley: 17:30-29:30
The Americans: 29:30-32:30
Lemonade: 32:30-44:00
Hamilton: 44:00-51:25
Chance the Rapper, Coloring Book: 51:25-56:30
Devin Doesn’t Like Things: Cryin’ Jordan: 56:30-End
Devin sits this episode out as Mark and special guest host Miranda Batch discuss their favorite scenes, characters and moments from Richard Linklater movies before delving into the filmmaker’s latest.
Devin and Mark commenced their third annual Oscars recap with a special guest: Chloe Johnson, who helped us sort out our feelings about Chris Rock, surprising winners, the lumpy telecast and the come-from-behind Best Picture victory of Spotlight.
Devin and Mark make predictions and discuss the diversity issues surrounding the 2016 Oscars.
Devin and I asked our friend Kevin Werner to rejoin us for a screening and discussion of Hail, Caesar! We enjoyed it, even if we weren’t quite sure and didn’t quite agree on what it all means.
Mark and Devin review Adam McKay’s political comedy The Big Short (00:45). Then they reflect on a brutal week of celebrity deaths (24:47).
Devin and Mark look back on their favorite movies, TV, music, cultural moments and more from the past year. Listen for Devin’s passionate-ish defense of Ballers and Mark's emotional reaction to the triumphant rise of Oscar Isaac, as well as their choices for favorite movie, SNLepisode and late-night TV development.
Devin Mitchell and I review the claustrophobia-inducing drama Room, which stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay as a mother and child held captive in a garden shed for more than five years. This movie freaked them out, but they recommend it.
Then they paid tribute to one of their favorite web sites: Grantland, which ESPN abruptly shuttered a couple weeks ago.
And finally, Devin explains why he doesn’t want to hear one more word about the 2016 election. (This episode was recorded on Sunday, before Tuesday’s GOP debate.)
Devin and Mark looked back at the first three episodes of the new season of Saturday Night Live, remarking on the highs of Tracy Morgan’s triumphant return and the lows of Miley Cyrus’s…less triumphant return. Then they preview the upcoming episode with a discussion of whether it’s ethical, or advisable, to let Donald Trump host.
Devin and Mark discuss the notorious box-office bomb Steve Jobs, a big-budget prestige drama from a major studio that’s performing almost exactly the same as the 2013 indie drama Jobs(starring Ashton Freaking Kutcher).
Devin and Mark bring on special guest Matt Dewilde to discuss Steven Spielberg's stately drama Bridge of Spies.
Devin and Mark discuss the Denis Villeneuve-directed thriller Sicario(also known as “Sicari-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”, now playing in limited release.
Devin and Mark discuss James Ponsoldt’s drama The End of the Tour, starring Jason Segel as the author David Foster Wallace and Jesse Eisenberg as Rolling Stone journalist David Lipsky. They both enjoyed the movie, even though they were uncomfortable with the idea of a mainstream movie about a man who likely would have abhorred the concept of a mainstream movie about himself.
Devin and Mark discuss the end of Jon Stewart’s remarkable, influential 16-year run on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with returning guest Jonathan Connelly. They touch on the impact Stewart’s had on his successors and proteges, the influence and limitations of his rhetoric on the “real world” and what to expect from a post-Jon Stewart future.
Devin and Mark sort through slightly disappointed feelings about Trainwreck, the new comedy film from director Judd Apatow and star/screenwriter Amy Schumer.
Devin and Mark review Pixar’s Inside Out. Devin’s two-word description of the movie at 6:55 pretty much stands on its own, but they also discuss the ins and the outs of the film and reflect on the last two decades of Pixar as they unfolded parallel to our childhood.
Devin and Mark welcome returning guest Kevin Werner to discuss the fourth season of Veep.They talk about the highs (Jonah and Richard, the cult of Tom James, the plight of Catherine Meyer) and the lows (fuzzy electoral math, overly dense finale plots) of this season, and they touch on our expectations for the next one, the first under replacement showrunner David Mandel.
Devin and Mark discuss the excellent new Paul Feig comedy Spy (2:00-18:19) and offered some further reflections on the series finale of Mad Men (18:20-43:20), following their written reaction the day after the episode aired.
Mark and Devin review the new movie “Ex Machina” (1:07 - 11:13) and preview six upcoming summer movies, from Disney’s “Tomorrowland” to Judd Apatow’s “Trainwreck" (11:15 - 32:45).
Mark and Devin welcome returning guest Erin Vail to discuss the newly released trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens(1:25-20:30). Then they review the first season of Better Call Saul (20:48-End).
Mark and Devin review the final season premiere of Mad Men with special guest Cuneyt Dil (0:30-18:05). Then they discuss While We're Young, the first movie either of them saw in 2015 (18:05-30:05).
Devin and Mark discuss two of the year’s breakout TV hits with special guests: Erin Vail on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (5:20-19:10) and Jordan-Marie Smith on Empire(19:45-39:00).
Mark and Devin discuss the third season of House of Cards with special guest Kevin Werner, who fills in Mark’s considerable gaps in knowledge about the Netflix series (1:35 - 27:45). Then they switch to network TV to review the ABC sitcom “Fresh Off the Boat" (28:00 - 38:15).
Mark and Devin discuss the highs and lows of Sunday’s Oscar telecast on ABC, just minutes after it ended.
Mark and Devin break down the Oscar nominations in the major categories with the help of special guests Kate Magill and Emma Williams. They also discussed their favorite movies of 2015 and some of the nominations that surprised them most.
Nominations -- 1:35 - 8:10
Acting categories -- 8:10 - 28:30
Best Picture -- 28:30 - 35:15
Other films -- 35:20 - 42:30
Devin and Mark tackle four big news items before moving on to review Better Call Saul, AMC’s new spinoff of Breaking Bad(22:52-32:08).
Grammy Awards -- 0:52 - 5:50
NBC suspends Brian Williams -- 5:52 - 12:48
Jon Stewart leaving The Daily Show -- 12:49 - 19:55
New House of Cards season briefly leaks -- 19:58 - 22:52
Mark and Devin recap Missy Elliott’s show-stealing Super Bowl halftime show performance (0:45-9:45). They also discuss the critically acclaimed FX crime drama Fargo (9:50-27:20) and review Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore (27:20-37:45).
Mark and Devin discuss the thematic ambitions and political parallels of Clint Eastwood's blockbuster American Sniper (1:40 - 16:55).
After that, they take a look at Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed, who traversed the entire length of the Pacific Crest Trail (17:00 - 28:36).
Devin and Mark return from hiatus to review Inherent Vice (with special guest Chloe Johnson) and Selma. After that, “Devin Doesn’t Like Things” returns for a look at the issues surrounding blood and gore in film and television (38:35-43:30).