The 2025 Zeitgeist Mulligan

Into the Zendaya-verse with 'Euphoria' and 'The Drama'

Jordan and Niv dive deep on the Zendayaverse, beginning with her portrayal of Rue on 'Euphoria.' They kick it off by talking about the show as an adaptation (03:52), the newcomer character of Alamo (07:03), creator Sam Levinson (14:45), the biblical references (25:50), and how the show's past has changed its future (31:21). In the second half, they transition to 'The Drama (36:31). They share their thoguhts on the star power of the movie's two leads (45:17), the harrowing twist (49:26), how the film tackles its difficult topic (55:16), and how movie stars combat our contemporary Hollywood (01:04:25).

Blood and Money: 'Industry' vs. 'The Pitt' on HBO

Jordan and Niv discuss the characters in 'Industry'(3:24)  and the rot inherent in the financial system (21:56). Then, Niv overcomes his fears to watch 'The Pitt' (34:16), they compare seasons one and two (40:21), discuss Dr. Robby and the broader ensemble (46:50), fan theories around the show (1:03:01), the show's politics (1:04:13), the younger generation on the show (1:07:59), before discussing the next episode of our podcast (1:14:23). Thanks to the Powerknobs for the theme music and we'll see you at the end of June for our episode on 'Euphoria' and 'The Drama'!

Borrowed Nostalgia for the Unremembered 80s on Netflix, with 'Stranger Things' and 'Cobra Kai'

Jordan and Niv talk about Netflix's flirtation with nostalgia bait: they talk about which generations gravitate towards it (0:56), and how Stranger Things fits in (7:10). With Stranger Things specifically, they talk about why Steve Herrington is the standout character of the show (16:16), which other characters stand out in the later seasons (20:31), and why there may be too many (24:05). Getting into spoilers for this section (25:40), they discuss the permanence of death for TV at large, which cast member has the best chance at breaking out (31:03), and why Stranger Things has become an "actor attractor" (36:34) before touching on the now-infamous conformity gate (40:46). In the second half (47:36), they discuss how Cobra Kai has grown season by season (58:51), whether it needed to class up (1:04:44), what makes it so memorable (1:10:50), and the secret to how it stays fun to the very end (1:13:38).

Depression Awards with A24, and 'Sorry Baby', 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You'

Jordan and Niv delve into the arthouse film world with A24's 'Sorry Baby,' 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,' plus Demon Slayer? Firstly, they discuss the wave of popular anime this year (05:24). Then, they discuss the development and hype train around this batch of Oscar movies (13:34), how the character of Linda deals with her sick child in 'If I Had Legs...' (21:57), the cast (25:08), the tone (29:38), and awards chances (43:27). In the second half, they discuss what makes a film about trauma rewarding (48:03), how it came to be (58:55), the cast (01:03:01), the dark tone and plot (trigger warning) (01:05:52), the importance of interdependence (01:15:49). After, they compare and contrast the two across the larger arthouse offering (01:20:48) before touching on the role hope plays (01:30:34).

The 2025 Zeitgeist Mulligan

For the very first Zeitgeist Mulligan, Jordan and Niv revisit some shows from previous years' podcasts and discuss how they've evolved. They begin as Niv recaps The Last of Us (1:32), then The Boys (5:44), then Jordan explains how Only Murders in the Building (9:34) has begun to stretch its premise. Before a musical interlude, they discuss House of the Dragon (16:11). After that, they talk about Hacks (22:02) Season 4, and that same season of The Bear (31:33), and how much both have evolved since their respective Zeitgeist episodes. Special Thanks to Producer Jahlyn Reyes-McKinley and for music, The Powerknobs.