Watching Up: Recent Episodes
watchinguppod
Michelle and Rachel have many things in common. They are both Tauruses, both millennials, and both share a love of movies, tv, and pop culture. Oh, and they’re also sisters! Come along for a weekly chat about the latest goings on in culture as the girls try to catch up (or watch up) on all the important media they’ve missed out on.
Well, this is awkward.....WE'RE BACK!! After a bit of a hiatus, we've returned to catch up and give you all of our burning thoughts on some of the pop culture from 2025! We're also discussing the Oscar nominations and giving out our 2025 Watchy Awards! We're so glad to be back watching up with y'all!
Episode Notes
00:00 Life updates/catch up
06:57 Our thoughts on the 2025 movie year
09:07 Oscar nomination reactions
39:20 Our 2025 Watchy Awards (this coversation contains spoilers!)
Once again the Oscars are upon us! The 97th Annual Academy Awards will be held this Sunday, March 2 - and it has been a very twisty awards season! Without very much confidence, we are back to make our official predictions for the winners of the big show. Listen along and let us know what you agree or disagree with! Thanks for listening!
*some of the categories (ie all the shorts and documentaries) we are very much blindly guessing ;) skip ahead 10 minutes if you want to hear our educated predictions!
We're back to wrap up the year with our Second Annual Watchy Awards! We've watched and watched and watched this year, and now it's time for our final verdicts. Listen along as we count down 5 categories and our winners from each. Thank you for listening all year long, there's more to come in 2025. Happy New Year!
Episode Notes
00:00 Introducing the Watchy Awards
03:30 Best TV Show
10:40 Best Theater Experience
17:50 Best First Time Watch
28:30 Best Performance
38:00 Top 5 Films of the year
1:12:00 Honorable Mentions (top 10)
1:21:20 Worst Movies of the Year
1:25:10 Pop Culture Honorable Mentions
After a long summer's nap, we're back to yap! Welcome back to Watching Up with a much needed catch-up episode where we're discussing our summer travels, all the things we've been watching, as well as some hot pop culture takes! Thanks for listening, we're glad you're here!
Episode Notes:
0:00 - Our trip to LA and accepting our Academy Awards
8:40 - Our LA Vanderpump tour & Rachel's first Vanderpump Rules watch
15:15 - Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+, spoiler free)
20:30 - Big Brother S26 (CBS & Paramount +)
22:30 - Love Island USA (Peacock)
24:30 - The Bachelorette (ABC)
37:40 - Twisters (2024)
52:50 - Longlegs (2024)
1:01:30 - MaXXXine (2024)
1:03:55 - Fly Me to the Moon (2024)
1:07:00 - Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
1:09:45 - Michelle & Rachel's MCU Corner (RDJ and Marvel News)
We're back and we're THIRSTY! This week, we've dedicated an entire episode to Luca Guadagnino's sexy, sweaty, thigh-centric new film, CHALLENGERS! Gird your loins because we're breaking down all of our favorite parts of the movie and why we think it's worth the hype! We also pick the first film year we'll be covering in our revamped Watching Up segment. Thanks for listening!
NOTE: THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FILM CHALLENGERS (2024)!
The art gods have smiled upon us in 2024 and we have SO MUCH to catch up on. In this long awaited episode, we break down two of the biggest releases of the year so far, Denis Villenueve's Dune: Part Two and Beyonce's act ii COWBOY CARTER! We also chat about a bunch of other movies we've been watching. Interested in fire alarms during film screenings? How about Kristen Stewart's evolution? Dev Patel kicking ass? We've got something for everyone. We're glad to be back! Thanks for listening.
Episode Notes:
6:00 Dune: Part Two
16:00 Wonka
18:40 COWBOY CARTER
33:20 Love Lies Bleeding
35:40 Immaculate
39:20 Monkey Man
42:40 Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces
46:20 What's next with Watching Up
The Oscars are have been slowly inching closer and closer and now they're LESS THAN A FORTNIGHT away! In this ep, we're breaking down our thoughts on recent awards ceremonies, the SAG Awards and Indie Spirit Awards! Then, the time has finally come for us to lock in our final predictions for all 23 Oscar categories! Listen along to see who we're picking to take home the gold!! Enjoy!
Episode Notes:
7:28 SAG Awards Recap
14:17 Indie Spirits Recap
18:50 Oscar Predictions
Listen along as we celebrate our first year of podding with an episode full of BS. In this free-flowing episode we discuss our lives, The best GRAMMYS telecast in awhile (including if we think the tide has turned on the era of TSwift), The Traitors S2 (Phaedra Parks supremacy), True Detective Night Country (can't tell if it is good or not), and The Bachelor (plus a guest appearance from the pod husband, Neek). Thanks for listening...for a whole year! Love ya! xoxoxo
Episode Notes:
6:45 The GRAMMYS
34:15 The Traitors S2
43:30 True Detective Night Country
47:50 The Bachelor, Joey
NEVERTHELESS TOM CRUISE PERSISTS!!!! Well, the nominees have been announced and as always everyone is being super normal about it. Here are the opinions you've been waiting to hear as we discuss all the snubs, victories, and lingering question marks! Grab your headphones Barbie girls. Thanks for listening!!
Happy Awards Season to all who celebrate! This week we're recapping the 2024 Golden Globe Awards ceremony! From red carpet looks to audience PDA to monologue bombs, we're dissecting it all! And of course, we go over all of the big winners and losers of the evening, and what we think it all might mean for the rest of Awards Season. Were we happy with the outcomes? Listen to find out!
Welcome to the first annual Watchy Awards! All year long we watched and watched and now we're discussing our best of the best. Listen along as we count down 5 categories and our winners from each. Thank you for listening all year long, there's more to come in 2024. Happy New Year!
Episode Notes:
4:15 Introducing the Watchy Awards
7:18 Best TV Show of 2023
15:25 Best Theater Experience of 2023
20:55 Best First Watch of 2023
26:00 Best Performance of 2023
31:40 Best Movie of 2023
We've got a jam-packed episode this week! Catch up on all things Bachelor/ABC with us as we discuss Gerry, our Golden Bachelor and all the heart this season has been bringing us! Then we chat about an underwhelming Bachelor in Paradise season. We also go over our favorite contestants from the current season of Dancing with the Stars!
Then, as we wrap up spooky season, Michelle talks about The Fall of the House of User on Netflix (spoiler-free!) and the movie Sinister (2012) and Rachel talks about some of her favorite spooky (but not scary) movies.
We both went to see David Fincher's new thriller The Killer in theaters! The film will be available on Netflix starting November 10. We discuss the film and also rank our favorite David Fincher movies.
Finally, we chat about both of our first watches of Alien (1979). Did we love? Listen to find out!
Episode Notes:
5:45 Golden Bachelor
14:50 Bachelor in Paradise
24:20 Dancing with the Stars
34:50 Fall of the House of Usher
41:50 Rachel’s favorite spooky (not scary) movies
43:45 Sinister (2012)
47:55 The Killer & our David Fincher Rankings
57:50 Watching up: Alien (1979)
Uhh ohh, the girlies are gushing again!! We're back for a very special SPOILER episode to discuss one of the patron saints of this podcast, Marty Scorsese! His newest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, is here and it's spectacular! We're diving into our thoughts on all aspects of the film, trying to predict its chances at the Oscars, and we also do a semi-impromptu ranking of our top 5 Scorsese films! Will this film make either of our lists? Listen to find out!!
Again - this episode contains spoilers!
Episode Notes:
2:00 General thoughts on Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
7:06 SPOILER discussion
45:37 Ranking our top 5 Scorsese films
We're back and have so so much to catch up on. First we talk about what we've been up to recently including some of our latest concert experiences. Then we dive into pop culture breaking news and our thoughts on the Jophie divorce, Taylor Swift's recent dominance of the front page, plus her new relationship and even count down our top 5 favorite TSwift songs as admitted non-Swifties. Then we dig into our September movie backlog! Enjoy!
Episode Notes:
6:30 Michelle’s Beyonce Renaissance Tour experience
13:00 Jonas Brothers The Tour concert experience
17:50 Thoughts on Jophie divorce
20:55 Thoughts Taylor Swift dominating pop culture news
27:10 The Travis Kelce of it all
33:25 Ranking our top 5 TSwift Songs
1:05:50 September Letterboxd Roundup
They're baaaack! Believe it! Catch up with the girls as they dive into everything and I mean EVERYTHING they've been watching over this cruel cruel hot hot summer. Thanks for listening!
Episode Notes:
15:57 The Bachelorette Finale
28:52 Claim to Fame
32:30 Big Brother S25
42:24 The Other Two
43:44 Party Down
45:30 Shrinking
46:45 The Summer I Turned Pretty
50:21 Bad Sisters
53:45 July Letterboxd Roundup - Michelle
1:03:50 July Letterboxd Roundup - Rachel
Finally! The girls are sharing their complete THOTS on Barbie and Oppenheimer. In this very special SPOILER episode they dive deeper into each of these films and discuss categories like their favorite scenes, least favorites scenes, favorite element of the film and who they maybe might have recast. They also discuss the latest episodes of Claim to Fame and The Bachelorette.
again - THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS! Enjoy!
Episode Notes:
7:35 Claim to Fame
20:20 The Bachelorette
36: 40 Oppenheimer (2023) - spoilers!
1:22:09 Barbie (2023) - spoilers!
We are become Barbenheimer, the savior of box office! The girlies are back with so much to unpack! First, they're recapping the last two weeks of Claim to Fame and The Bachelorette! Then, Michelle expresses her excitement for a brand new iteration of the Real Housewives of New York! And finally, the moment we've all been waiting for...these Barbie girls are giving a spoiler-free recap of their experiences watching Barbie and Oppenheimer!! Also, the gals watched up on two films from the box office king himself, Steven Spielberg! Grab your popcorn and get into it!!
Episode Notes:
19:58 Claim to Fame
36:30 The Bachelorette
51:54 Real Housewives of New York Reboot
58:33 Barbenheimer Weekend (spoiler-free)
1:14:54 Minority Report (2002)
1:42:21 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The girls have been off living la dolce vita, but they're BACK with a brand new episode! On this ep, Michelle and Rachel dive into all the content they've been watching over the last few weeks covering Claim to Fame and The Bachelorette on ABC, The Kardashians on HULU (and whether they are team Kim or Kourt), Miranda's shenanigans on And Just Like That... and don't forget all the movies they've caught up on. Specifically they deep dive into Wes Anderson's Asteroid City and Céline Sciamma's Portrait of a Lady on Fire! Thanks for listening!
Episode Notes:
6:43 Claim to Fame S2
20:18 The Bachelorette
36:00 The Kardashians
41:28 And Just Like That…
54:00 Letterboxd Roundup
1:08:10 Asteroid City
1:20:53 Watching Up: Portrait of a Lady on Fire
1:30:46 Assignments for next week
Surprise! The girls are back in action, dropping an episode for the Bon(us) Zone today! The 2023 Emmy Nominations just dropped, and two shows are dominating the 2023 TV landscape. Are you team Succession or team White Lotus? Listen along to the girls' live reactions to the nominations and who they think will walk away with the big prize!
HAPPY PRIDE!!! This month the girls are diving into some hallmark LGBTQ+ works, starting with the very important documentary Paris is Burning (1990). If you haven't seen it - it is available on MAX and very worth your time. But first, dive into some content with them as they giggle their way through some of their recent watches. They're talking The Idol S1E2 - is Rachel about to throw in the towel on Abel? Michelle was searching for a new prestige show to binge and got into Ozark (better late than never)! There are some new straight-to-stream movies available, so listen as they discuss Flamin' Hot and Reality! And, they couldn't forget to close the loop on the Vanderpump Rules "Scandoval". Michelle even sings the theme song to close it out, it sure is....something! Also, a BOOK sneaks its way into the conversation, who knew these girlies were so literary?! Hope you enjoy it!
Episode Notes:
16:20 The Idol
21:45 Ozark
26:40 Flamin’ Hot
29:35 Reality
32:35 Vanderpump Rules Final Word
38:28 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
41:50 Watching Up: Paris is Burning (1990)
56:40 Assignment for next week
Your girls have been WATCHING this past week! Listen in for a hodge-podge of content and thoughts as they discuss a plethora of television. There's a discussion about the series finale of BARRY and the new Amazon documentary Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets and the newest HBO show The Idol! They also chat Vanderpump, Next in Fashion, Somebody Somewhere, Taylor Swift, and much more! Then, stick around for a discussion of Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love (2000). Thanks for Watching Up!
5:22 BARRY
13:43 Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets
21:30 The Idol
32:35 The Graduate
35:16 Vanderpump Rules Reunion Part 2
40:00 Next in Fashion
41:50 Somebody Somewhere
42:52 Taylor Swift & Matty Healy Breakup
52:25 In the Mood For Love (2000)
IT MADE SENSE DRAMATURGICALLY!!!!
From little boys' t-shirts to pain sponges to covet stickers! In this very special episode, the girls send off one of their favorite shows of all time - Succession! They break down the entire series finale (spoilers included) and share their thoughts on it all. Then, a rousing Letterboxd round up to round out the week. We want to know your thoughts! Follow us on Instagram @watchinguppod and email us at watchinguppod@gmail.com. You can also follow each of us on Letterboxd @mhigh2490 @rachelhigh
Episode Notes:
5:20 Succession Finale (spoilers)
1:02:50 Letterboxd Roundup (Rachel)
1:10:40 Letterboxd Roundup (Michelle)
They're baaaaaack! After a week's respite, the girls are back to SPILL about the last two weeks with those crazy Roy kids as Succession nears its final week. Also, they get into what they have been watching on the telly and discuss the Jonas Brothers' new album....The Album. Then get whisked away with a spirited (hehe) discussion about Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away (2001).
Episode Notes:
13:35 Succession S4 E8 & 9
35:40 Rachel’s TV Content Catch-up
44:04 Michelle’s TV Content Catch-up
52:11 Jonas Brothers "The Album"
1:00:12 Watching Up: Spirited Away
1:27:30 Assignment for next week
MERCURY IS KICKING THEIR ARSES!!! The girls are back this week to discuss how the Taurus horoscope was kinda right? Also, they talk about their busy social calendars, their summer concert plans, the ACL lineup, and of course Succession. Then stick around for the crying corner...I mean, Watching Up where the girls are celebrating AAPI Heritage Month! This week they dive into The Farewell (2019) and Brokeback Mountain (2005). Do they actually cry on the pod? You'll have to listen to find out. Thanks for Watching Up this week!
Episode Notes:
24:26 Succession S4 E7
42:50 What we’ve been watching
45:37 Watching Up: The Farewell (2019)
54:30 Watching Up: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
1:15:45 Assignment for next week
Are the girls on the verge of a nervous breakdown? Maybe! They are back this week with SO much to discuss: Succession, Beef, a Jury Duty deep-dive, plus Rachel watched Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. and Michelle watched (regrettably) The Whale. They also get into the best and worst Met Gala 2023 lewks. Then, babies first Almodóvar! The girls discuss Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). It's a fun one! Enjoy!
Episode Notes:
8:20 Succession
19:21 Beef
23:10 Jury Duty
31:54 Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
35:59 The Whale
41:47 The Met Gala
54:20 Watching Up: Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
1:14:30 Assignments for next week
It's-a-birthday week on the pod! Michelle discusses turning 33 and all the activities she's been up to, and Rachel discusses celebrating Michelle (lol). The girls obviously discuss another huge episode of Succession this week and how we think this will all end for the Roy kids and the future of Waystar Royco. Michelle then talks about her ear-splitting experience watching Evil Dead Rise in theaters (spoilers) and Rachel suggests the new Freevee show Jury Duty (no spoilers)! And of course a great round of Watching Up where they discuss Taurus Queen Sofia Coppola and their first watches of Lost in Translation (2003) and Somewhere (2010). Enjoy!
Episode Notes:
10:15 Succession
27:20 Evil Dead Rise
37:15 Jury Duty
42:13 Watching Up: Lost in Translation
50:20 Watching Up: Somewhere
1:01:11 Assignment for next week
Michelle went to a soiree! Rachel met an emu! Time to catch up with your gorls this week as they discuss spring, getting out of the house, and drum roll TAURUS SZN BABY!!! And of course, we dive DEEP into the Love is Blind catastrophe reunion, and thoughts on the surviving couples and the Lacheys. Jubilee! Rachel has caught up on Succession so they can finally talk about the shocking death and if they think the kids are gonna be alright (spoiler: no they don't think so). Then stick around for a rousing rendition of watching up where the girls discuss Turning Red (2022) and Children of Men (2006). Follow us on Letterboxd...you know you want to! (@rachelhigh @mhigh2490)
Episode Notes:
12:12 Love is Blind Finale and Reunion
55:17 Succession
1:18:22 Taurus Szn
1:34:12 Watching Up: Turning Red
1:48:00 Watching Up: Children of Men
2:13:54 Assignments for next week
Spring is in full swing and we have the allergies to prove it! This week we're chatting about Love is Blind (what else) and the now infamous neon yellow Calvin Klein underwear photo shoot of Chelsea's dreams! We also dive into the new Brooke Shields docuseries on Hulu and thoughts on AIR including Ben Affleck's wig! Then, in Watching Up, Michelle discusses her third Wes Anderson movie and Rachel gets sucked into The Last of Us world. Thanks for Watching Up with us!
Episode Notes:
10:55 Love is Blind
28:30 Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields
42:23 AIR
48:49 New trailers - Barbie and Asteroid City
55:40 Watching Up: The Royal Tenenbaums
1:07:57 Watching Up: The Last of Us
1:23:19 Assignments for next week
Are you a man of constant sorrow? Same. But we're back to cure that sorrow with a new episode of Watching Up! This week we're talking about the (April) fools in O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Raising Arizona! We also discuss seasons 1 & 2 of Succession, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, and the newest batch of Love is Blind episodes! Plus, we're doing a fun little deep dive on our favorite nepo babies. Thanks for listening!
Episode Notes:
14:55 Rachel’s Succession Catch-up S1 & S2
26:33 Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
31:14 Love is Blind S4 ep 6-8
49:50 Our Favorite Nepo Babies
59:00 Six Degrees of Separation: Nepo Baby Edition
1:04:02 Watching Up: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
1:16:25 Watching Up: Raising Arizona
1:29:32 Assignments for next week
Are you more of a Macaulay or a Kieran? Maybe you're a Rory! Get into all things Culkin this week as the sisters dive into the Succession S4 Premier (spoiler free). Also, the finale of the bleakest season of The Bachelor to date, thoughts on Daisy Jones and the Six, and part one of the new season of Love is Blind! And don't forget, everyone's favorite segment Watching Up where the girls dive deep into Taxi Driver (1976) and Deep Water (2022).
Episode Notes:
11:40 Bachelor Finale
20:05 Succession Season 4 Premiere (no spoilers)
26:55 Daisy Jones and the Six
40:07 Love is Blind Season 4 - Part 1
51:35 Watching Up: Taxi Driver
1:11:57 Watching Up: Deep Water
1:22:15 Assignments for next week
The pod is getting lucky this week! Is everyone in Ireland depressed? This week the girls discuss some recent content set in Ireland, and why everyone wants to leave! Also, a spoiler-free discussion about the new Amazon Prime show Swarm, The Bachelor's fantasy (or should we say nightmare) suite week, and Normal People. Plus, notable news about upcoming projects from Jordan Peele, The Daniels, David Lowery, and Quentin Tarantino. Get ye arse into it!!
Episode Notes:
6:55 Swarm (spoiler-free)
11:18 The Bachelor
29:25 Normal People
34:07 Notable upcoming projects in Hollywood
46:26 Watching Up - The Wonder (2022) & Sing Street (2016)
1:04:23 Assignments for Next Week
Saints of Mediocrity, lend us your ear!! This week the girls are jumping back in to non-Oscars content and are recapping the last few weeks of The Bachelor! Also, Michelle gives her thoughts on the newest installment of the Scream franchise and lets us know that we all need to watch The Last of Us! Plus the girls close out their Oscars series with a bang! Will they crown the first entry into the Watching Up Criterion? Listen to find out!!!
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Episode Notes:
11:45 | Scream VI
16:46 | The Bachelor
22:52 | The Last of Us
26:53 | Letterboxd Roundup
39:37 | Watching Up - Amadeus (40:11) & Manchester by the Sea (56:24)
1:12:06 | Watching Up Assignments for next week
Everything Everywhere All Quiet on the Western Front! The 95th Annual Academy Awards has come and gone, bringing an end to the awards season. The girls break down Hollywood's biggest night in this bonus ep!
Buckle up, she's a long one! This week the girls go OFF! The 2023 Academy Awards are this weekend and the girls go over all the predictions for this Sunday night! Also, Michelle breaks down the Scandoval that is rocking the Bravo-verse and her Creed-a-thon. Rachel has all the hot takes from the Independent Spirit Awards. And not to mention everyone's favorite Watching Up segment with discussions about Interstellar (2014) and Magnolia (1999) and the Paul Thomas Anderson of it all! Follow us on Instagram @watchinguppod and let us know who you want to see take home a golden statue this weekend!
Episode Notes:
2:00 The Scandoval
19:35 Creed-a-thon
33:10 The Indie Spirit Awards
43:50 Oscars Predictions
1:12:00 Watching Up (Interstellar & Magnolia)
1:45:05 Watching Up assignments for next week
This week the giggle twins are breaking down the SAG Awards as we inch closer and closer to the end of awards season. They are also chatting about the last 2 weeks on The Bachelor and the Three Bs! If you don't know what the Three Bs are...yes you do!! And of course your favorite Watching Up segment. Get into it!!!
23:51 SAG Awards
40:25 The Bachelor
1:08:44 Watching Up
Angela Bassett did the thing...and so did we!
The girls are back this week giving their thoughts about the big wins at the BAFTAs and what they mean for Oscar predictions. They also discuss the Vanity Fair Hollywood issue, their recent watches for the week, and give their Watching Up reviews!
17:03 - BAFTAs
32:04 - Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue
40:28 - Firefly Lane S2
43:09 - Love is Blind: After the Altar
53:03 - You S4
1:04:24 - Letterboxd Roundup
1:17:37 - Watching Up: Oscars Edition (Guillermo del Torro’s Pinocchio, The Apartment)
1:31:33 - Watching Up assignments for next week
This week the girls are chatting about Super Bowl weekend and Rihanna. They also discuss The Bachelor, the AIR trailer, Magic Mike, and their most recent watches this week! Not to mention the inaugural Watching Up segment! Dive on in!
12:40 - The Bachelor recap
26:00 - The Super Bowl / Rihanna
34:22 - AIR Trailer
36:40 - Married to Medicine
38:48 - Firefly Lane S2
41:20 - Magic Mike Marathon
47:18 - Watching Up (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Nope)
1:01:45 - Watching Up assignments for next week
1:08:35 - Celebrity Trivia
The girls dive into the Grammys including Beyonce's AOTY snub, Lizzo and Adele, and Bennifer 2.0. They also discuss their recent watches and give each other assignments for Watching Up this week!
7:20 - Grammys Recap
20:30 - The Bachelor
38:50 - Poker Face
43:55 - The Traitors
49:45 - Jeopardy / Celebrity Jeopardy
59:45 - Letterboxd Roundup (Knock at the Cabin, Slums of Beverly Hills, The Village, Chungking Express, If Beale Street Could Talk)
1:20:15 - Watching Up
Michelle and Rachel introduce themselves and the podcast. They also chat about their favorite content of 2022 and what they are most looking forward to in 2023.
0:00 Introductions
13:11 Explaining “Watching Up”
20:40 Favorite Content of 2022
47:45 Looking forward to in 2023
Michelle and Rachel are millennials, Tauruses, and fangirls. Oh yeah, and they are also sisters! Join them every week as they chat about all things tv, movies, music, and pop culture. They can't wait to Watch Up with you!