The Next Best Picture Podcast

Given its phenomenal success across 18 seasons of television (not to mention numerous spin-offs and a global domination of international versions), it was only a matter of time before “RuPaul’s Drag Race” leaped off the small screen and made its way into movie theaters. “Stop! That! Train!” is essentially a cinematic extension of the groundbreaking reality show, but with a fictionalized twist. Dir...

"Mating Season" is an American adult animated romantic comedy television series created by "Big Mouth" and "Human Resources" co-creators Andrew Goldberg, Nick Kroll, Mark Levin, and Jennifer Flackett for Netflix, and produced by Titmouse, Inc. The series stars Kroll, Sabrina Jalees, Zach Woods, and June Diane Raphael as the lead characters, and follows four forest animals: Ray, Josh, Penelope, and...

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture With the upcoming releases of "Disclosure Day" and "Toy Story 5," there's no better time in our 2008 retrospective to revisit a science fiction Disney Pixar film that is regarded as one of the most beloved films of that year...

"Rooster" is an American comedy-drama series created by Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses and starring Steve Carell as well-tread and semi-dysfunctional author Greg Russo, who is working through his complicated relationship with his daughter Katie (Charly Clive). Set on the New England campus of Ludlow College, Katie, an art history instructor, is shown navigating campus life while separated from her...

"A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms" is an American fantasy drama television series created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin. A prequel to "Game of Thrones" (2011–2019), it is the third television series in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" franchise and is an adaptation of the Tales of Dunk and Egg series of novellas, beginning with "The Hedge Knight." It stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan "Dunk"...

"Alice and Steve" is a British comedy television series from Clerkenwell Films. It was created by Sophie Goodhart (writer on "Sex Education") and is directed by Tom Kingsley. It tells the story of a two-and-a-half-decade-long friendship between Alice (Nicola Walker) and Steve (Jemaine Clement) that becomes strained when Steve starts dating Alice's daughter (Yali Topol Margalith). It premiered on D...

"SubwayTakes" (also "Subway Takes") is an internet talk show hosted by comedian and media personality Kareem Rahma. Similar to the "man on the street" style of video, the show features interviews by Rahma with civilians and celebrities on the New York City Subway, recorded with a microphone clipped to a MetroCard, in which the interviewees present and defend a unique or controversial opinion, call...

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture The 79th annual Tony Awards were held last night, and it was an incredible show with equally incredible winners, speeches, musical numbers, and other memorable moments, with Pink hosting. The big winners of the evening were...

"Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!" is a 2026 American two-part documentary film that explores the life and career of Mel Brooks. Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio direct the HBO documentary, and it features the final on-screen interviews with Rob Reiner and David Lynch. The documentary has received universal acclaim with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Directors Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio...

For Episode 495, I am joined by Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Will Mavity, and Tom O'Brien, as we discuss what's been happening so far at the 2026 Tribeca Festival, along with the films we've seen. For this week's poll question, for the release of Steven Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" this weekend, we're asking everyone: "Which Is Your Favorite Steven Spielberg Sci-Fi Film?" and reveal the winner of last...

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Giovanni Lago, and Brendan Hodges join me to review and discuss "Masters Of The Universe" starring Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba. Directed by Travis Knight and based on the Mattel media franchise, it is the second live-action fi...

"Industry" is a financial thriller drama television series created by former investment bankers Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, and co-produced by HBO in the United States and BBC Two in the United Kingdom. The show follows the personal and professional lives of a group of young graduates who join Pierpoint & Co, a prestigious investment bank in London; later series expand the narrative to encompass t...

"Carolina Caroline" is a 2025 American romantic crime thriller film directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier and written by William Thomas Dean IV, starring Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, Jon Gries, and Kyra Sedgwick. The film follows A young woman who joins a charming con man on the run, leaving a trail of crime and passion as they hustle through the Southeast in search of her estranged mother. It had its...

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture The 79th annual Tony Awards will be held on Sunday, June 7th, and for this latest episode of Next Best Theatre, Cody Dericks, Lauren LaMagna, and Dan Bayer come together to discuss, debate, and question their winner predicti...

The Next Best Series Podcast returns as Alyssa Christian, Daniel Howat, and Amy Kim join me to discuss the latest series, shows, and awards season updates for all things television! On this latest (free) episode, we discuss the 2026 Gotham TV Award Winners, including "DTF St. Louis," "Pluribus," "The Testaments," "I Love LA," "Alien: Earth," and the series finales of "Euphoria," "Hacks," "The Boys...

"Half Man" is a British six-part television drama created by multi-Emmy Award winner Richard Gadd ("Baby Reindeer") about Ruben (Stuart Campbell) and Niall (Mitchell Robertson), who grew up as brothers despite not being related by blood—one strong and fiercely loyal, the other quiet and gentle. Thirty years later, they reunite at Niall’s (Jamie Bell) wedding, but Ruben (Gadd) seems uneasy and on e...

"Tuner" is a 2025 crime thriller film directed by Daniel Roher and written by Roher and Robert Ramsey, starring Leo Woodall as a talented piano tuner whose meticulous piano-tuning skills lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down. Havana Rose Liu, Lior Raz, Tovah Feldshuh, Jean Reno, and Dustin Hoffman also star. The film had its world premiere at...

For Episode 494, I am joined by Sara Clements, Larry Fried, Will Mavity, and Tom O'Brien, as we deliver our preview for the 2026 Tribeca Festival. We also touch on the recent box-office successes of "Backrooms" and "Obsession," and what they mean for Hollywood moving forward. For this week’s poll question, for the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, we’re asking everyone: “Which Films From The 2026 Tribec...

For this week's main podcast review, Ema Sasic, Katie Johnson, Sara Clements, Alyssa Christian, and Brendan Hodges join me to review and discuss "Backrooms" starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett & Lukita Maxwell. Directed and co-scored by Kane Parsons (in his feature-length directorial debut at the young age of 20 years old) and written by Will Soodik, this A24 horr...

"The Pitt" is an American medical drama television series created by R. Scott Gemmill and executive-produced by John Wells and Noah Wyle. It stars Wyle, Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball, Katherine LaNasa, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, Shabana Azeez, and Sepideh Moafi. Each season of the series follows emergency department staff as they work through the chall...

"Power Ballad" is a 2026 musical comedy-drama film directed and co-written by John Carney, starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. The film tells the story of Rick Power (Rudd), a wedding singer, who meets washed-up former boy band singer Danny Wilson (Jonas) at a wedding one night and bonds over a jam session. After the jam session, Danny steals one of Rick's songs, and...

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL REVIEW. Please check out the full podcast review on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture Our 2008 retrospective continues with "Revolutionary Road," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour, and Kathy Bates. Directed by Winslet's real-life husband at the time, Academy...

"Abbott Elementary" is an American mockumentary sitcom television series created by Quinta Brunson for ABC. It stars Brunson as Janine Teagues, a perpetually optimistic second-grade teacher at the underfunded Abbott Elementary, a fictional, predominantly black public school in West Philadelphia. The ensemble cast includes Tyler James Williams, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Chris Perfetti, Willia...

"Pluribus" is an American post-apocalyptic science fiction television series created by Vince Gilligan for Apple TV. Set and filmed primarily in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows novelist Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn), who finds herself isolated after an alien virus transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful, content hive mind that nevertheless seeks to assimilate her and other immune...

Pixar invited Next Best Picture to Disneyland for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at “Toy Story 5” ahead of its June 19th release. During our visit, we had the opportunity to spend time with the filmmakers behind the highly anticipated next chapter in one of Pixar’s most beloved franchises. Joining us for these interviews are director Andrew Stanton, co-director Kenna Harris, producer Lindsey...