Hooked: A Pop Culture Podcast with Mary Carver

I'm excited to share a conversation with you this week that I had a while back with three of my dear friends who frequently join me for a virtual movie party – and have done so pretty consistently for almost six years now! We share our origin story, our best tips for starting your own movie watch tradition, and, of course, where we are finding or creating delight in our days. You may remember thes...

My friend and friend of the show, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, is here today to talk about some of the children's books we're loving right now. You're in luck because we're both supremely qualified on this topic, as I'm a children's library worker and she's a children's author – but also, we can't resist talking about kids' books anytime we chat! Of course, because side notes and rabbit trails are s...

Today is about stories -- both the holiday movie variety you expect and something completely different! I'm joined by my good friend Becky Keife today to talk about stories and storytellers we're hooked on. Becky is a writer, speaker, and mom to three – as she puts it – hungry teenage boys, and we've known each other and worked together for nearly a decade. This is the first time she's been on thi...

Lights, curtains, action! It's time for a very special episode. For the first time since relaunching this podcast, my brother and friend of the show, James Walters, is with us! And because we cannot stop ourselves from rambling about all the things, it's a supersized episode. You're welcome. As a refresher, James is not just my brother but a small business owner, professional musician, and expert...

How many new holiday movies have you watched so far? I'll admit I haven't watched all of them yet, but this week my friends and I are talking about it anyway! In this episode, we share some of last year's favorites and our hopes for this year's new holiday movies. That's right - friends! Multiple! I was joined in person with THREE of my closest friends during a weekend retreat, and we had a blast...

Hey there! and welcome to a new episode of Hooked, a podcast where we share the things that we're hooked on. From books and TV shows to snacks and skirts with pockets, we're talking about whatever is helping us deal with life when life is just too much. I'm your host, Mary Carver, and while I'll still be hanging out on the couch with friends and we'll still be talking about pop culture and why it...

Hey there! and welcome to a new episode of Hooked, a podcast where we share the things that we're hooked on. From books and TV shows to snacks and skirts with pockets, we're talking about whatever is helping us deal with life when life is just too much. I'm your host, Mary Carver, and while I'll still be hanging out on the couch with friends and we'll still be talking about pop culture and why it...

Welcome to a new episode of Hooked, a podcast where we share the things that we're hooked on. From books and TV shows to snacks and skirts with pockets, we're talking about whatever is helping us deal with life when life is just too much. I'm your host, Mary Carver, and while I'll still be hanging out on the couch with friends and we'll still be talking about pop culture and why it matters, Hooked...

Welcome to a new episode of Hooked, a podcast where we share the things that we're hooked on. From books and TV shows to snacks and skirts with pockets, we're talking about whatever is helping us deal with life when life is just too much. Today we're diving into the inspiration for this year's hottest Halloween costumes. That's right -- it's time to talk  K-Pop Demon Hunters ! In this week's episo...

Welcome to a new episode of Hooked, a podcast where we share the things that we're hooked on. From books and TV shows to snacks and skirts with pockets, we're talking about whatever is helping us deal with life when life is just too much.   I'm your host, Mary Carver, and while I'll still be hanging out on the couch with friends and we'll still be talking about pop culture and why it matters, Hook...

I get it now. It actually makes total sense that the new holiday movies sneak up on us every year, since it's happening during spooky season. Right? That explains it, for sure. It has nothing to do with capitalism rushing the calendar more every year or us getting older and time flying faster. Nope! Spooky season strikes again!   Well anyway. Whether you're ready for it or not (and let me tell you...

Because you know me to be a clearly indoorsy person who loves the convenient things in life, you might be surprised by today's topic. My good friend (and good friend of the show) Kathi Lipp is here to talk about homesteading and home renovation—and the shows that give us hope we can do those things. Kathi is a speaker and author, and her newest book, The Accidental Homesteader: What I've Learned A...

One of my favorite parts of the Barbie movie was the soundtrack, chock full of songs written specifically for the movie. And that got me thinking about all the other iconic songs we have purely because a movie called for them. So today my brother (and friend of the show) James Walters is back on The Couch to talk about some of our favorite movie theme songs. James is not just my brother and a musi...

Between the writers' strike and the post-4 th of July summer situation we have most years, August doesn't have a ton of new content to offer. But don't you worry! I'm here to make sure you know what IS returning and premiering. Plus, we take a look at Hulu, in case you need more options for what to watch. Speaking of What to Watch, remember that I create a monthly watch guide for Patreon members a...

July might not have a lot of new (or even returning) series to offer but wow! We are looking at more than two dozen new movies this month! So I am here to help you navigate it all. Now, I know you're going to be listening carefully and taking notes during this very educational episode, but in case you get distracted or overwhelmed, don't worry! You can find dates and locations of everything I ment...

You asked, and I answered! Today I'm answering all your burning pop culture questions, from what does the writers' strike mean for us and what's going on with streaming these days to what movies should we see in the theater this summer and, of course, what is Hallmark doing for Christmas in July. My good friend (and good friend of the show) Alana Dawson is back for volume 8 of Ask the Couch, as we...

Even though we're focused on starting summer and looking forward to all our fun plans for the season, it's not just time to look ahead. Today I'm joined by my good friend (and good friend of the show) Jenny Rapson, and we are taking a look back. Jenny is a longtime friend of The Couch, but she's also now hosting her own podcast. Disaster Queen examines disasters that have taken place in the past a...

It's summer and you know what that means! Summer! Movie! Preview! My good friend (and friend of the show) Dawn Camp is back on The Couch to talk all about the movies coming out this summer. We have big action sequels to discuss, as well as animated movies for the kids and quieter indie films. So if you're wondering what to see with your family or for a girls night out or on a date night, we've got...

May might be coming to a close, but it's always a good time to appreciate and learn more about Asian Americans through books, TV series, and movies. My good friend (and friend of the show), Tasha Jun, is back on The Couch this week to talk about some of our favorite stories about Asian Americans. We're talking about everything from children's picture books to Oscar-winning movies, and you don't wa...

I've noticed a trend lately, and it's . . . spooky. That's right, I'm talking about TV series and movies about ghosts. They're everywhere these days! Ghosts are really having a moment. When I noticed this and decided to talk about it on The Couch, I knew the only person to have this conversation with was my friend and fellow podcaster, Meg Tietz. Meg is the founder and host of Sorta Awesome, and s...

We all know Hallmark movies are a staple of the holiday season. But new movies air on the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries all year long! Do you watch them?   I do, and so does my best friend and best friend of the show, Anna Rendell. But this year, Anna hasn't had a chance to watch any of the new, non-holiday Hallmark movies yet, so this week I'm telling her—and you—which ones to...

Last weekend my family went to the movies and as we sat through eight (EIGHT!) trailers, my youngest daughter whispered to me, "Mom, there are a LOT of new movies coming out in May!" She's not wrong, but as we know, every single month brings us A LOT of new movies and series. With so many options, I feel it's my duty as your favorite pop culture-loving friend to narrow it down and help you pick a...

You know what's worse than wasting your entire TV-watching window by clicking and scrolling and searching for the exact right thing to watch? Nothing! Nothing is worse than that!   So let me help you. April is bringing us DOZENS of returning series, new series, movies, documentaries, and comedy shows. It's too much—and that's why I'm here to help you navigate this mess. You can find dates and loca...

Netflix is at it again! Recently, Netflix has released several new adaptations of kids' books, and I am here for it. Lyle, Lyle Crocodile was originally released in the theater and, I'll confess, isn't my favorite. But Lockwood & Co, a series about British teen ghost hunters that's based on a book series, is fantastic. And since The Magician's Elephant, which just came out this week, is based on a...

This is not an episode about Daisy Jones and the Six . I mean, we're going to talk about that but mainly to get us to the topic we are covering, which is movies about starting a band. Yes, it's similar. Yes, there's a reason for that! We just know that after you watch Daisy Jones, you're going to be looking for more "let's start a band" content. And that's where we come in.   My friend and fellow...