The Couch Podcast
Conversations about pop culture and why it matters
The Couch Podcast #143: What Worked, What Didn’t, & Why in Black Panther Wakanda Forever (with Theo Davis)
Have you seen the new Black Panther movie yet? Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is making a somewhat quieter splash than the first movie featuring T’Challa did, but it’s doing well in the box office and also prompting quite a few debates amongst fans. One of the biggest and most educated superhero fans I know is my friend Theo, and he’s joining me this week to break down the newest Marvel film.
The Couch Podcast #142: The One with All the Thanksgiving Episodes (with Kathi Lipp)
Could our favorite TV shows GET any funnier? Oh yeah, they can. Because as we have seen time and time again, adding the pressure and potential catastrophe of a holiday to our favorite characters in our favorite shows inevitably leads to hilarity. And sometimes a little reflection or heartwarming connection. But mostly? Holiday episodes are comedy gold.
The Couch Podcast #141: The Pop Culture We’re Thankful For in 2022 (with Barb Roose)
It’s almost Thanksgiving, so it’s time to reflect on this year and the things that have enriched our lives, taught us something new, or just helped us get through the hard spots. We are talking the parts of pop culture we are thankful for this year!
The Couch Podcast #140: Reading Around the Christmas Tree (Holiday Romance Novels with Katie Reid)
Today I’m joined by my friend (and friend of the show), Katie Reid. Katie is a writer, a podcast host, and a singer/songwriter—and she is the author of a holiday romance novel that, you guessed it, is being adapted into a movie! So she gives us the scoop on that, then we talk about a few other holiday romance novels you might also enjoy. It’s a good time, and will almost certainly bulk up your TBR list.
The Couch Podcast #139: The 2022 Preview of Lifetime & UPTV Holiday Movies (with Dara Alston)
To help us prepare ourselves for the coming avalanche of holiday movies, Dara Alston of the Dear Hallmark podcast is here with me to preview this year’s new holiday movies from UPtv and Lifetime. Dara is a writer and podcaster and, just like all the best people are, a self-proclaimed cornball and devoted fan of made for TV movies. So that means yes, though we met for the first time in this episode, we did have a whole lot to talk about.
The Couch Podcast #138: The 2022 Hallmark Holiday Movie Preview (with Anna Rendell)
Anna Rendell, best friend of the show, is here to help me prepare you for this most glorious of seasons. This week we’re previewing all the new holiday movies airing on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries (and telling you which ones we’re most excited about . . . although, honestly, it’s most of them). And, to help make your holiday movie season even better, we have a brand-new and improved Hooked on Holiday Movies bundle available on our website.
The Couch Podcast #137: Streaming Shows Worth Subscribing For, part 2 (with Kayla Craig)
Remember a few weeks ago when my friend Kayla Craig joined me on The Couch to talk about the shows that are so good that we’d subscribe to their streaming networks just for them? Yeah? Do you remember how we were a little off the rails and a lot talkative and had so much to say that I promised a second installment of what we’re now calling “a limited series” Yeah? Well, this is that. We’re back to talk more streaming services and more shows that keep us hitting the subscribe button. If you’ve been wondering what to watch on these streamers, we’ve got you covered!
The Couch Podcast #136: Secrets to a Successful Family Movie Night (with Jennifer Borget)
You may have noticed that I’m a big fan and proponent of family movie nights. I’ve talked about it with friend of the show, Jenny Rapson, and sneak the topic into just about every conversation I can. So you will not be surprised to hear I have found a family movie night EXPERT and invited her to The Couch!
The Couch Podcast #135: Taking a Deeper Look at Little Women with Melissa Zaldivar
My friend Melissa Zaldivar is on The Couch this week to talk with us about Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, and Orchard House (the home Alcott lived in and where she set the events of Little Women). As a tour guide of the Orchard House, Melissa is an expert on all of this and generously shares her insights and expertise with us. She’s also an editor and a writer, as well as both fun and thoughtful. You’re going to love getting to know her.
The Couch Podcast #134: Streaming Shows Worth Subscribing For, part 1 (with Kayla Craig)
Are you overwhelmed by all the streaming choices out there? Do you find yourself accidentally subscribed to too many services and unsure what to watch, where to even start? Well, worry no more! I am here with my friend, Kayla Craig, to share our favorite shows on all the streaming networks in the first episode of what we’re calling a limited series.
The Couch Podcast #133: The Books That Hit All the Right Notes (Funny, Romantic Mysteries) with Jessica Howard
What do you call mysteries that are also romance novels but are also really funny? Is there a name for that genre? I don’t know what it’s called, but these are the kind of books I’m loving right now, and my friend (and friend of the show) Jessica Howard is here to talk about this mishmashed genre and some of our favorite reads in it. Whatever it’s called.
The Couch Podcast #132: It’s a Jolly Holiday with Our Favorite Disney Songs (with James Walters)
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? In a little town, a quiet village? Am I a man or a muppet? And what are the bare necessities of life? And finally, is this episode going to get a whole bunch of songs stuck in your head? Yes, both, and absolutely. You’re welcome.
My brother and good friend of the show, James Walters, is back on the couch this week to help me create an exhaustive list of the very best Disney songs ever. We’ve got historical context, musical backgrounds, spreadsheets, and list-making parameters galore, so buckle up! We’re about to get real nerdy about Disney music.