Smash Hit

Summer Break: DCC America's Sweethearts X Broad Culture

Hi friends! I'm taking a little break from the pod to enjoy the last few weeks of summer. I will be back after Labor Day. There's SO much I want to cover from the Amanda Knox FX show, Golden Bachelor, Love is Blind, RIP AND JUST LIKE THAT, and much much more!    In the meantime, please enjoy my most recent appearance on Broad Culture with Cheryl Smallman. We discuss the 2nd season of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.    Feel free to DM your thoughts and ideas while I'm away.    XX Margaret

Cast Interview: Lina & Jereme Hall of Back on the Frontier (Magnolia Network/HBO Max)

This week, Margaret sits down with Lina and Jereme Hall, stars of the reality series Back on the Frontier, available for streaming on HBO Max. The Hall family shares what drew them to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live like 1880s homesteaders—and how the experience changed them forever. From bidding wars at the livestock auction to boiling water for baths and cooking from scratch, Lina and Jereme offer an honest look at frontier life with kids in tow. They talk about giving up modern conveniences, adjusting to life without tech, and the surprising joy of slow, intentional living. They also reflect on how the experience shaped their children’s worldview—and how their family life looks different now that they’re back home. Highlights include: * Why they auditioned (despite not being a camping family!) * How their son’s birthday shaped their auction strategy (spoiler: baby goats were non-negotiable) * The hardest modern convenience to give up—and the one they never missed * Life after the show: making ice cream at home, ditching the microwave, and feeding their dogs home-cooked meals Follow Lina [https://www.instagram.com/linasofiahall/] and Jereme [https://www.instagram.com/jereme_hall/] on social media.

Netflix’s “Amy Bradley is Missing” with True Crime Editor Jennifer Tisdale

In this episode of Smash Hit, host Margaret Knudsen welcomes true crime journalist Jennifer Tisdale to unpack Netflix’s chilling new documentary, Amy Bradley is Missing, and revisit the 1998 disappearance of 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley, who vanished from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship under mysterious circumstances. Together, Margaret and Jennifer dissect: Cruise culture in the late ‘90s and pre-9/11 security lapses Theories around Amy’s disappearance: trafficking, voluntary exit, or something else? Questionable editing choices, missing footage, and the enduring mystery of "Brad Bradley" Reddit deep-dives, AmyBradleyIsMissing.com chaos, and the legacy of a family unable to move on How Jennifer’s background covering crime daily impacts her lens—and her cruise preferences ⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode discusses themes including sex trafficking, addiction, and familial grief. If you have credible information about Amy Bradley’s disappearance, please visit Distractify [https://www.distractify.com/p/amy-bradley-brother-twitter-theory] and keep an eye out for her Undiscovered pick, Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes premiering July 30 on Netflix.

Not Her First Rodeo (Freeform/Hulu) with Becca from Little Miss Recap

Margaret is joined by Becca from Little Miss Recap to break down the Freeform docuseries Not Her First Rodeo—now streaming on Hulu. The series follows elite female bull riders as they chase titles, buck stereotypes, and risk everything for the sport they love. We discuss the show's breakout star Jordan (a real-life Teeter?), Catalina’s resilience, and the quiet badassery of Alexa, Renata, and Afida. Topics include: the gender pay gap in rodeo, safety gear debates, training gaps in the edit, why we want a full 10-episode run next time, and how this show is the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team of the Western world. We also talk about what Freeform is even doing these days, dream casting Catalina in a Taylor Sheridan series, and whether Blue Geanes is a real name. Plus: McBee Dynasty updates, garden club drama, and Becca’s pick for what’s Undiscovered. Disclaimer: This episode contains spoilers for the whole season.

Bye Bye Bronzer — Back on the Frontier (HBO Max/Magnolia) with Keisha from Libra Lounge

Margaret and Keisha from The Libra Lounge break down Back on the Frontier, the Magnolia Network’s surprisingly wholesome (and slightly unhinged) new reality experiment now streaming on HBO Max. Three modern families ditch their devices, makeup bags, and robot vacuums to live like it’s 1862 under the Homestead Act. Would you survive three months with no AC, no CPAP, and an outhouse? (Spoiler: we would not.) And should there be a Celebrity Frontier House spin-off? We’re casting it already — networks, call us. 🎧 What’s Undiscovered? Keisha’s watching NYC Next Gen, reading I’m Glad My Mom Died, and still covering everything unhinged on The Libra Lounge with Keisha and Pink Shade. Follow Keisha  [https://www.instagram.com/the_libra_lounge_with_keisha_/]