Crossing Streams

SHOW NOTES/TIME CODES :30--Intro 3:00--listener e-mails (crossingstreamstvpodcast@gmail.com) 9:20--Murderbot Season Finale talk (spoilers) 14:30--Poker Face Season 2 final overview 17:00--favorite episodes and guest stars 23:30--do we like putting Charlie back on the road? 27:30--welcome Raphie Cantor 29:00--getting involved with Poker Face, working with Rian Johnson 43:00--how does the writers ro...

Craig Elsten and Chris Reed are back with one of the longer episodes in show history, because they've got a LOT to say about Squid Game Season 3!  SHOW NOTES Welcome/housekeeping/email/5-star reviews SQUID GAME 3 Why is Squid Game the most popular IP in Netflix history? (8:30) From original to franchise to game/video game, Squid Game loses its meaning as a thing of horror What did we like about Sq...

Craig and Chris turn the stove all the way up for a complete Season 4 review of The Bear on FX! First, the guys do a non-spoiler look at the season and the series as a whole, including the news of a fifth season on order. Then (32:30), a spoiler-filled look at the fourth season, standout episodes and performances, whether or not we buy the conclusion as presented, and what the show could still do...

Craig Elsten and Chris Reed get together for a full review of Netflix's breakout detective hit, Dept Q. The guys begin with a fulsome no-spoilers review and recommendation segment, then get into the meat of the story with full spoilers (31:45). Later (56:15). they look back at Season Three of The Bear and early impressions of what's coming in Season Four, ahead of next week's full season review. ...

Craig Elsten and Chris Reed start the show with listener email, then get into a review of the AppleTV+ platform and the kinds of shows found on the app. Then, they offer reviews of two of the current AppleTV shows, Murderbot and Stick. Lastly, the boys offer a sincere recommendation of a sports show they think is much better than Stick, "Shorsey" on Hulu. 

Craig Elsten and Chris Reed talk about the changing state of streaming television, and how "thing of the week" shows are regaining their niche in the contentverse. Two current examples are both in play, "Poker Face" on Peacock, and "Duster" on Max. Hear reviews of both series without spoilers! Send the show an email: crossingstreamstvpodcast@gmail.com 

We're back, baby! Crossing Streams has returned as your weekly home for streaming TV talk! Join co-hosts Craig Elsten and Chris Reed, they begin the show by explaining why the podcast has been gone for almost 18 months, why it's returned, and what we aim to accomplish. Then in this "episode zero" style show, the guys discuss the best shows they have watched so far in 2025, plus Craig's Top-10 show...

Craig is joined by one of his Padres Hot Tub patrons, "Danny Deskjob" for a full review of the final Mike Flanagan Halloween-timed mini-series on Netflix, The Fall of the House of Usher. We pick our favorite death scene in the show, narrate the good, bad and middling, and at the end rank each of Mike Flanagan's five Netflix series.

Craig Elsten is joined by KPBS reporter, soccer supporter and wine enthusiast Andrew Dyer to discuss AppleTV+'s hidden gem, "Drops of God". The eight-episode miniseries came out during the Emmys glut, and was easily missed. However, it's a series with lush locations, multiple languages and a treatment of a manga conversion that is visually arresting! The guys meet in a park to sip some French wine...

Craig Elsten and TALK NERDY TO ME correspondent Ken Gartin discuss the good, bad and middling of the full season of Ahsoka, including the muddled place the series ends...for now. Then, a look at a disappointing premiere of Loki Season Two, and a much better start for Survivor 45.

Craig Elsten is joined by Ryan Phillips to discuss Taylor Sheridan's latest series on Paramount+, Special Ops: Lioness. There are some aspects of this series that are definitively good, and others that verge on regrettable. "And yet", it's a compelling series in many ways. Craig and Ryan go through the many ups and downs of Lioness.

Craig Elsten is joined by his "Talk Nerdy to Me" correspondent Ken Gartin for a complete look at the first four episodes of "Ahsoka" on Disney+. This is creator Dave Filoni's pride and joy, and he's operating with the shackles off...how does it translate into live-action? Is this Rebels season five? Does it matter? The guys go through everything they like, with a little room to critique Hera's tac...

Craig Elsten and Ryan Phillips get back together to discuss the finale of Justified: City Primeval. Did the series deliver on what it intended? What did they think of the choices made in the finale? And yes, of COURSE we are going to talk about the HUGE twist at the end!

Craig Elsten and Ryan Phillips are back to look at the middle four episodes of Justified: City Primeval, covering episodes 3-6. The guys break down the things they absolutely love about the limited series, and where it feels a bit undercooked. Then, both offer possible predictions as to the late-series twists, and how they see things concluding.

Craig Elsten is joined by Liddy Loree to talk about Apple TV+'s summer adventure series "Hijack", starring Idris Elba. What made this show such a popular summer hit, and why is it that the faster it moves, the better it goes? Craig and Liddy explore the strengths and weaknesses of the season, and explore if a second season of Hijack would be worth it.

Craig Elsten is joined once again by Ryan Phillips from The Big Lead to go through the newest season of Black Mirror on Netflix. Which of the five episodes did the guys rank as the best and the worst? They go episode-by-episode through the series.

Craig Elsten is joined by Ryan Phillips to talk about the return of Justified! The guys start by discussing what they loved so much about the original show before digging into the limited series, Justified: City Primeval on FX/Hulu. Spoilers for the first two episodes of the series!

The second season of The Bear turns out to be one of the very best shows of 2023, and one of the top shows of the decade so far! Craig Elsten is joined once again by Jay Zawaski from CHGO and the "I'm Fat" podcast to talk about the second season as a whole, spotlight the very best episodes, ruminate on the show's links to existentialism and service, and much more!

Craig Elsten and Liddy Loree are back together with a ranking of each of their Top-5 streaming television shows for the first half of 2023. Both begin with a set of 3-4 honorable mentions before diving into their Top-5. What show would you have ranked #1?

Craig Elsten is rejoined by longtime co-host Liddy Loree to discuss the entire first season of Apple TV+'s sci-fi noir mystery series, "Silo". Find out how both hosts enjoyed a show that nonetheless had to work hard to keep the viewer's eye off the ball until the end.

Craig Elsten and Rick Romero finally get their schedules straight to review the final season of Bill Hader's remarkable HBO series "Barry", which is darker than ever in season 4. Both of the guys have thoughts about how the season went, but feel better about the season after talking it through!

Ted Lasso was a beloved phenomenon of a show in its first season, then grew into something bigger and different. In the end, did it try to be too much of a good thing? A bloated and overweight third season ended with a gigantic finale that might be the end of the show, or the start of a Lasso-less spinoff. Drew Steck joins Craig Elsten to talk through much of the third season including the finale,...

One last time, we go FULL FUCKING BEAST with deep dive coverage of the Succession series finale! Join Craig Elsten, Justice Parman and Corey Stewart for a scene-by-scene recap of the supersized season and series finale, "With Open Eyes". Find out who won the series (and our preseason draft) and enjoy featured scenes and more! Featured Scene One: Matsson and Tom Featured Scene Two: Shiv Votes Yes

Craig Elsten, Justice Parman and Corey Stewart are back for their deep dive into the penultimate episode of Succession. Was this Jesse Armstrong's thesis statement on Logan Roy? We go scene-by-scene through the episode, present audio from three featured scenes, and award this week's #1 Boy, Best Insult and Biggest Move. Featured Scene 1: Ewan's eulogy of Logan Roy Featured Scene 2: Matsson, Shiv a...

Craig has always been a reality competition show junkie, and in a funny coincedence, his work world in pro soccer and the world of Horacio Gutierrez Jr, rookie star of MTV's "The Challenge", crossed paths in the past few months. Craig and Horacio sat down over Zoom to talk about the crazy life of a young man who has traveled the country and the world trying to forge a career in pro soccer, only to...