Pop Culture Lab

PCL is back and welcoming new co-host Tyler!! We discuss the past and present of Batman in movies, the state and future of James Gunn's DCU, and more! Before signing off we also kick off a new segment where we recommend some of our favorite Horror movies. Grab your beakers and step back into the Lab!!

We're back in the Lab! It's been a while so we're doing a full length episode of What We've Been Watching. So put on your lab coats and grab your graduated cylinders as we examine the year thus far in pop culture.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching, including Society of the Snow (5:02), Saltburn (6:30), Oppenheimer (11:52), Leave the World Behind (15:30), The Wire (18:49), and Inside Out (20:19), before moving on to our main topic.  This week, we take a look at movies and TV shows coming out in 2024, and what we're most excited about. Let's get in the Lab!   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with What We've Been Watching including Love Island (7:03) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (13:40) before getting into our main topic (23:37). This week, we take a look back at the best things we've watched/played/read in 2023. Any media can make the list, and the content does not have to be from 2023, it just has to be something that we consumed this calendar year. Let's get in the Lab!!   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching (and playing), including Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, the new game Hogwarts: Legacy, and more before moving on to our main topic, Loki Season 2.  Loki Season 2 sees the God of Mischief working with Hunter B-15, Mobius, and newcomer OB to find Sylvie, cure Loki's time slipping, and ultimately save the TVA from total destruction.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching including Fall of the House of Usher (3:30), Memories of Murder (6:05), Nyad (10:48) and Best in Show (16:40) before launching into our main topic, The Marvels (23:48). The Marvels brings together three superheroes from Marvel's recent projects: Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, and Teyonah Parris as Photon from WandaVision. When Captain Marvel and Photon touch a rift in space time, their powers are entangled, causing them to switch places any time they use them. They join forces to stop Dar-Benn, a Kree warlord, from destroying Earth (of course).   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab  

It's spooky season! 👻 We start with what we've been watching including Russian Doll (1:46), Our Flag Means Death (4:31), Gen V (6:20), and Loki Season 2 (10:55) before launching into our main discussion (12:50). What makes a great scary movie? How is a horror movie different from a thriller? Can a movie be scary without being classified as horror, or still be considered horror without being particularly scary? Join us as we dive into these questions and share our personal favorite scary movies in this special Halloween themed episode! Igor, let's get in the Lab! 🧟‍♂️   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching (2:55) including Station 11 (7:47), a Coldplay concert in Seattle (10:27), Equalizer 3 (13:55), The Last Voyage of the Demeter (18:44), and Snowpiercer (20:26) before launching into our main discussion (29:05). Ahsoka, the latest Disney+ Star Wars show, features Rosario Dawson as the titular character, former Jedi Ahsoka Tano who was padawan to Anakin Skywalker. Taking place after Return of the Jedi, we follow Ahsoka as she tracks down one of the last remaining Imperial adversaries, Grand Admiral Thrawn. As she searches for a star map that may lead the way, she is pursued by Baylan Skoll (Ray Stevenson) and his padawan who desire the map for their own nefarious purposes.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. If you enjoy this podcast, leave a like and subscribe for semimonthly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching including Ahsoka (Disney +), No Hard Feelings, and Licorice Pizza, before launching into our main topic. Blue Beetle tells the story of Jaime Reyes, a young college grad living with his family in Palmera City, who stumbles across an alien scarab that fuses with his body and gives him incredible superhuman abilities. As he navigates these new powers with the help of his family, he is hunted down by the evil Victoria Kord who has her sights set on the scarab for her own nefarious purposes.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for (mostly) weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

Featuring our good friend Katie Geer! We start with what we've been watching (4:06) including The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime), 12 Angry Men, Summit of the Gods (Netflix), Mad Max: Fury Road, Top Gun: Maverick (Amazon Prime), as well as The Bear Season 2 (Hulu), and the season finale of Hijack (Apple TV+). Next, we launch into our main topic, Barbie (30:12) Barbie, in theaters now, tells the story of Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) as she wrestles with an existential crisis and journeys into the real world with Ken (Ryan Gosling) to find the source of her pain and ultimately discover what it means to be human.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for (mostly) weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab  

We start with what we've been watching including Secret Invasion (3:23) on Disney+, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (9:02), and Hijack (14:06) on Apple TV+ before launching into our review of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 (16:40).  In the latest installment in the Mission Impossible franchise Ethan Hunt and company return in their latest adventure, this time against an ultra-advanced, seemingly omniscient AI known as The Entity. As he travels the world chasing after keys, girls, and evading government agents and international terrorists, he has to confront whether the lives of his comrades are worth more than the mission itself.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching (4:39) including The Bear (Hulu), Secret Invasion (Disney)+, and Station 11 (Max).  Next we quickly revisit our discussion of The Flash from last week (22:45), before launching into a discussion of the abysmal state of the summer box office and explore why studio tentpoles are flopping left and right (31:00).  Finally we share our review Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (51:50). We break down the plot, themes, and what worked as well as what didn't in (hopefully) the final installment in this franchise.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab  

We start with the long journey getting to The Flash (1:00) followed by what we've been watching (11:10) including Platonic (Apple TV+), Black Mirror Season 6 (Netflix), as well as playing the new game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo Switch). We also discuss Arcane (Netflix), Palm Springs (Hulu), and The Leftovers (Max), as well as When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless In Seattle before launching into our review of The Flash.   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

Guest starring our friend Alex Saar! We start with what we've been watching (1:53) including 'Renfield' (streaming on Peacock 6/9), 'Platonic' (streaming on AppleTV+), and 'Arcane' (streaming on Netflix).   Next we launch into our main topic, our Favorite Movie Twists of All Time. Here are the films discussed: Arrival (18:30) Gone Girl (32:10) The Sixth Sense (40:12) Fight Club (43:39) The Usual Suspects (46:58) Identity (49:22) The Prestige (54:41) Psycho (1:00:58) Parasite (1:05:31)    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching including Evil Dead Rise (2:21) and Solo: A Star Wars Story (12:31) (streaming on Disney+), before launching into our main topic, The Last of Us (22:50) which has all episodes streaming on Max.    The Last of Us, based on the 2013 video game, is set in a post-apocalyptic world in the aftermath of a pandemic that turns people into zombie-like monsters through fungal infection. It tells the story of Joel, a smuggler who must escort an immune teenager named Ellie across the US in the hopes of creating a cure and saving what's left of humanity.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching including "The Last of Us" (2:35) which has all episodes streaming on Max, as well as "Beef" (5:15) now streaming on Netflix. We also briefly revisit our conversation from last week (14:27) before launching into our main topic, AI and the WGA Strike. (20:02)   On May 2nd 2023, WGA voted to go on strike because negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) fell apart around the subject of residuals and writer compensation for streaming content. In addition, the writers requested that AI tools such as ChatGPT only be used for the purpose of researching or facilitating script ideas and not replace the writers themselves. Both parties failed to reach a deal before the deadline, and the WGA voted to go on strike. We share our thoughts on the strike, and discuss whether or not AI poses a legitimate threat to writers.   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab  

We start with what we've been watching (6:11) including "Chicago," "Hairspray (2007)," and "The Last of Us" (10:50) which has all episodes streaming on HBO Max. Then we ask the question "Is the Movie Star Dead?" (13:36) and examine if Hollywood has a superstar problem.     You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching (1:20) including "Love & Death" (streaming on HBO Max), "Scream VI" (streaming on Paramount+), and "His Dark Materials" (streaming on HBO Max) before launching into our main topic, our review of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" (8:10) with SPOILERS. The film is now playing in theaters.   In the aftermath of the previous "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Avengers" films, Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is still reeling from the one-two punch of losing Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and the subsequent reemergence of her 2014 self with no memory of their relationship. When the Guardians are suddenly attacked by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) they are plunged into Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) backstory as the Guardians take on his creator The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) to save their friend's life.     You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we've been watching (1:30), including "Kong: Skull Island," "Godzilla (2014)," "Godzilla vs. Kong," (all streaming on HBO Max), and "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (5:50) before launching into our main topic The Super Mario Bros. Movie (13:57).  Wahoo! The new Super Mario Bros. Movie tells the story of brothers Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) two plumbers in Brooklyn who get pulled into another world known as the Mushroom Kingdom where Mario meets beloved Nintendo characters including Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), Donkey Kong (Seth Rogen) and Toad (Keegan-Michael Key). Mario must then confront the evil warlord Bowser (Jack Black) in order to save his brother Luigi.    You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab

We start with what we’ve been watching (4:03), including "The Mandalorian" (streaming on Disney +), and Louis CK’s new special (11:00) “At the Dolby” (available for purchase on his website). Then we spin through the rumor mill (17:38), tackling a handful of updates on upcoming films. Andor Season 1 Review (46:55) The new Star Wars spinoff series "Andor," set before the events of "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story", tells the story of Cassian Andor's (Diego Luna) rise from low-level thief to reluctant Rebel leader as he fights back against the oppressive Empire. Along the way he gets help from Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) and benefactor Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly) while sycophantic Deputy Inspector Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) and ambitious Imperial Security Officer Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) are hot on his trail.   You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Subscribe for weekly episodes and follow us on Twitter @ThePCLPodcast and Instagram @popculturelab