Episode 0047: Tom Hanks is Overrated

David saw the Sony “Spiderverse” movie Madame Web so you don’t have to. It is as bad as you’ve heard. The Nuts discuss the new X-Men ‘97 series and David’s subsequent watching of the original X-Men series. A discussion of the popularity of Stanley cups leads to a discussion of marketing and viral trends, and how Alec was mocked for his Member’s Only jacket in middle school. The Nuts extensively discuss home entertainment technology, including trends in media tech. It’s not as boring as you think. Finally, Lindsey builds a greenhouse.

This week was the Super Bowl, so of course Alec starts the episode by ranting about his difficulties getting a new iPhone from AT&T and UPS. Somehow this leads to a discussion of Super Bowl advertiser Temu and their unique business model. The Nuts do get around to talking about the enormous ratings of the Super Bowl, the halftime show, favorite commercials, and - not surprisingly - Taylor Swift. Other Super Bowl-related topics include Alyssa Milano and youth sports, Patrick Mahomes’s status as a challenger to Tom Brady for greatest of all time, and Jason Kelce.

The Nuts have a spoiler-filled discussion of the Netflix true-crime documentary American Nightmare. Also, somehow David was unaware that there have been multiple seasons of the broadcast television show The Conners. The Nuts discuss the Grammys, including Taylor Swift and Beyonce. David has a favorite Taylor Swift album. Finally, the Nuts discuss people walking around with Apple Vision Pro.

For some reason, butter keeps coming up in this episode. We’re sorry. Other observations include the world is cruel to night owls, and true Southerners like grits. Topics include the usual television recommendations, Alec’s new video game obsession, and the implications of the ongoing Swift/Kelce relationship. The Nuts question statistics about the most popular soft drink in each state, including the Coke vs. Pepsi debate, and they weigh in on the Justin vs. Britney debate. Finally, the Nuts address the Oscars debate. 

Alec is very proud of his recent video game conquests on his new Nintendo Switch; however, Lindsey has no idea about any of it, and David doesn’t play Switch that much. The Nuts discuss the history of the gender divide in video gaming. Other topics include NBC’s decision to broadcast an NFL playoff game on their streaming platform Peacock, the Emmy Awards, and whether Lindsey would choose to save Amy Winehouse or Taylor Swift. Finally, the Nuts pay tribute to the end of Letterkenny, the end of Nick Saban, and the end of Jason Kelce’s football career.

From good to disturbing, the Nuts watched the worst (and best) so you don’t have to - unless you want to. Lindsey and David discuss the good movie that is also disturbing, Saltburn, and they convince Alec not to watch it. Alec and David don’t have to work very hard to convince Lindsey not to watch Rebel Moon, which some people out there actually enjoyed, apparently. Alec proposes his u-shaped model of movie badness and enjoyability. Other debates on bad media include college football bowls and this year’s Golden Globes.

Netflix has finally released a detailed report of their hourly viewership of over 18,000 shows, and the Nuts are giddy about it. The Nuts discuss the implications of these numbers for television production and streaming products moving forward. Taylor Sheridan is suing one of his Yellowstone stars, Cole Hauser, over coffee, and the Nuts decide if they are Team Sheridan or Team Costner. The Nuts discuss their holiday viewing plans. Also, there is a not-so-spirited debate over whether pineapple belongs on pizza.

Alec is very upset about FSU not making the college football playoff, and he takes it out on Bama graduate Lindsey. In fact, he takes it out on a lot of people, including the entire Southeast region and husky owners. The Nuts discuss the financial interests and media organizations involved in college football. Other topics include the new Indiana Jones, Brie Larson, and the MCU.

David and Lindsey watched the Love Has Won documentary on HBO Max, and it has taken over their lives. They discuss the documentary, its shocking subject matter, and why Alec shouldn’t watch it. The Nuts then discuss cognitive dissonance and why people stay in cults, as well as how they could form their own cult. Other topics include college football,  Thanksgiving horror, the Eras Tour on streaming, and the failure of F1 in Vegas. Finally and appropriately, the Nuts discuss Karens.

Of course, the Nuts are excited about Thanksgiving Break, and they have strong opinions about last-minute class meeting times. The main conversation covers the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, and what it means for the future of streaming. David and Alec went to see The Marvels so you don’t have to. The Nuts try to figure out where the MCU goes from here (the answer may be Deadpool). The rest of the conversation focuses on Letterkenny, Shorsey, hockey, and Canadian comedies, eh.