Episode 257 - THE MUPPET MOVIE

Our impromptu Jim Henson series is movin' right along with The Muppet Movie, a wry and whimsical origin story driven by road trip hijinks, showbiz satire, memorable music, rapid-fire cameos, and the enduring power of community. Manny Lozano completes our rainbow connection as we discuss our appreciation of the Muppets on a deeper level and celebrate this film as a crowning achievement in Henson's creative legacy.

The Muppet Movie (1979)
Directed by James Frawley
Written by Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns
Starring Charles Durning and Austin Pendleton with Muppet performances by Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, and Dave Goelz, and featuring Dom DeLuise, James Coburn, Madeline Kahn, Telly Savalas, Carol Kane, Milton Berle, Elliot Gould, Edgar Bergen, Bob Hope, Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Cloris Leachman, and Orson Welles

Episode 226 - THE DISNEY AFTERNOON TOON-AMENT

Grab a bag of Amazin' Fruit and some Gummiberry juice, because it's time for our Disney Afternoon bracket episode! Eight shows from the beloved after-school cartoon block compete to find out which one wins our hearts both then and now. And along the way, we'll talk crazy concepts, comical characters, and killer theme songs with the always-entertaining Manny Lozano. Woo-oo!

Shows included in the Disney Afternoon Toon-ament:

The Adventures of the Gummi Bears
DuckTales
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers
TaleSpin
Darkwing Duck
Goof Troop
Bonkers
Quack Pack

Episode 190 - BOY MEETS WORLD

The standard-bearer of ABC's famed TGIF lineup throughout the '90s, Boy Meets World served up a weekly dose of warmth, wackiness, and wholesome teen romance. But even then, we knew that the show's real love story wasn't Cory and Topanga - it was Cory and Shawn, a bestie bromance for the ages. Toss in the gang's textbook co-dependency with mentor figure Mr. Feeny, and this is a sitcom steeped in playful psychological shenanigans.

Manny Lozano helps us pick up on the obvious-in-retrospect signals as we spend quality time with this formative family sitcom, and find that its heart and humor still resonate more than two decades later.

Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly
Starring Ben Savage, Rider Strong, Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Betsy Randle, William Russ, Lily Nicksay, Lindsay Ridgeway, Anthony Tyler Quinn, Trina McGee-Davis, Matthew Lawrence, Maitland Ward, and William Daniels

Episodes featured in this podcast:

"Teacher's Bet" (aired 11/19/1993)
"Chick Like Me" (aired 1/31/1997)
"Cult Fiction" (aired 4/25/1997)
"It's Not You...It's Me" (aired 10/17/1997)
"And Then There Was Shawn" (aired 2/27/1998)
"Brave New World" (aired 5/5/2000)

Episode 168 - INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM

In our ongoing quest to seek meaning in cultural artifacts, few escapist fantasies have seized our hearts like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. From its nightmare-inducing imagery to its wince-inducing colonialism, it's a movie that sticks with us for an entire spectrum of reasons. But beyond its complex reputation as the darkest chapter of the Indiana Jones saga, the film is a trove of moments and milestones that deepen our connection to an iconic character.

Manny Lozano makes his long-awaited return to WWWW as we join our old pals George and Steven in a whip-crackin', stereotypin', globetrottin' adventure!

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Robert Watts
Written by Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz
Story by George Lucas
Starring Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan, Roshan Seth, and Amrish Puri

Episode 68 - FIRST KID

What if the White House was home to a moody, impetuous, loud-mouthed brat who was simultaneously blind to his immense privilege and yet pitiable for his seeming inability to acknowledge his own glaring flaws?

It's difficult to imagine this situation ever being a real-life possibility, so thankfully we have the Sinbad vehicle First Kid to answer that question with heavy doses of improvised schtick and '90s middle school signifiers. Internet raconteur and one-man content aggregator Manny Lozano makes his WWWW debut to help scrutinize the film's subtle political messages and major sartorial missteps.

First Kid (1996)
Directed by David M. Evans
Produced by Roger Birnbaum
Written by Tim Kelleher
Starring Sinbad, Brock Pierce, Timothy Busfield, Robert Guillaume, Blake Boyd, Fawn Reed, Erin Williby, Zachery Ty Bryan, Art La Fleur, James Naughton, Lisa Eichhorn, and Sonny Bono