Older & Wiser

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, are back to discuss The Crown Season 6, Episode 1: Persona Non Grata. Together, they break down the shift that The Crown has taken away from Queen Elizabeth, and speculate as to what a more Queen Elizabeth-focused final season would look like. Plus, sponsors?

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, dive into the 2006 Oscar nominee The Queen, written by none other than Peter Morgan. Together, they ponder how the events depicted in The Queen will unfold in the upcoming final season of The Crown. Ivan breaks down his own death plan, Ghost Protocol, while Carlyn remembers her time at cotillion. Plus, the bar has ne...

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, watch the garden of love that is Oliver Hirschbiegel's 2013 film Diana, starring Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Charles Edwards, and Geraldine James. The film boasts a 7% Rotten Tomatoes score, but it can't be that bad, right? Plus, some Razzie Award trivia.

While waiting for the return of The Crown, Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, watch Jean-Marc Vallée's 2009 film The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, Jim Broadbent, Mark Strong, and Harriet Walter. Was this a political drama, a low-stakes romance, or a pseudo-thriller? Why not all three! Plus, Ivan...

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 212: Not a Mama Mia, which premiered on May 23, 2023. Has the show finally found its groove? And what are the odds that three people from the first Lollapalooza all end up in the New York metropolitan area. Plus, will Taylor return?

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 201: Cool and Chill, which premiered January 24, 2023. Sam wonders why Sid picked literally the worst line dance as his favorite, and Marisa is fully on board for the chaos to come that this episode teases. Plus, how likely are we to see more Sex and the City alumni show up on How I Met Your Father?

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, are back to discuss The Crown Season 5, Episode 1: Queen Victoria Syndrome, along the way, providing their first impressions of the new cast and breaking down the transition from Season 4 into Season 5. Plus, Ivan provides his HMS Britannia expertise once again.

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, are back to discuss The Crown Season 4, Episode 1: Gold Stick, in the process answering the very important question: would you rather find a nickel on the ground, or have your local hunter-rider team win a championship?

Marisa and Sam are joined once again by Jermaine Fletcher to discuss the Season 1 finale of Hulu's How I Met Your Father, Timing is Everything, which premiered March 15, 2022. Together, they break down Robin's cameo, Jesse and Meredith's kiss, and the return of an early father candidate. Plus, updated father predictions now that Season 1 is in the books.

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 109: Jay Street, which premiered March 8, 2022. Marisa officially has a complaint to file regarding the show's representation, and Sam doesn't understand how Drew (who went to FYRE Festival) remains so chill. Plus, what happened to Drew's dog, Rue McClanahan?

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 108: The Perfect Shot, which premiered March 1, 2022. More importantly, they break down the budding conflict between the writers of the show and BTS fans, who are out for blood thanks to a joke that landed terribly. Plus, The Lumineers' Brightside or The Killers' Mr. Brightside?

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 107: Rivka Rebel, which premiered February 22, 2022. Marisa decides to read off of Sam's note instead of taking notes of her own, and for a brief moment, it seems like Sam's wish for a Charlie/Ellen feud might come true. Plus, what is the perfect photo to represent Sophie?

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 106: Stacey, which premiered February 15, 2022. Marisa and Sam learn some alarming things about these characters pasts that they need to be explained further. Is Charlie a serial killer? Will there be a standalone Drew-at-Fyre-Festival Episode? Plus, Marisa and Sam choose the episode's cringiest line.

Sam Cheung, Carlyn Greenwald, and Ivan Vukovic, three regular everyday Americans, recap The Crown Season 3, Episode 1: Olding, and in the process meet a brand new cast of characters including Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, and Helena Bonham Carter. Oh, and Winston is back, too. Plus, a surprise Crown cameo from a former Kinky Crown Award winner!

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 105: The Good Mom, which premiered February 8, 2022. Marisa learns on the podcast that one of her favorite Love, Victor actors has a famous father, and Sam breaks down why this episode almost made him quit the podcast. Plus, Marisa uncovers where we know Sid from.

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 104: Dirrty Thirty, which premiered February 1, 2022. Looking at all the empirical evidence, Marisa and Sam attempt to deduce if Drew is indeed a sociopath. He thinks walking in on people having sex on the shower is a good thing, so not off to a great start. Plus, a deep dive into the USPTO database to find out if "mangagement ring" is av...

Marisa and Sam discuss Hulu's How I Met Your Father Episode 103: The Fixer, which premiered January 25, 2022. Sam has a theory about Valentina and a suggestion for the Ellen/Charlie subplot, while Marisa sheds light on the "Sad Guy" trope and how Jesse fits right into it. Plus, is Drew actually a father contender?

Marisa and Sam discuss the first two episodes of Hulu's How I Met Your Father, Pilot and FOMO. Is this a fill-in for the Lizzie McGuire reboot that they have been craving? And how does it compare to the original How I Met Your Mother franchise. And what is their favorite entry level sedan? Plus, early guesses on who the father is.

Marisa and Kelsey are joined by fellow author Kaitlyn Hill to unpack the season one finale of Younger —and get particularly hung up, as romance authors, on grand gestures in the form of PowerPoint slideshows. They discuss auctions as depicted in Younger, and Liza’s experience being blackmailed by the worst white-collar criminal in publishing. And at long last, they give some credit to Kelsey after...

Marisa and Kelsey attend Lauren's hot mitzvah, an event filled with guilt gifts, manischewitz, molly...and the truth! Marisa bows down to Lauren and the inclusion of casual Jewish rep on Younger and asks, once again, why Kelsey (the character!) is seemingly unable to do her job. Kelsey (the co-host!) discusses Liza's "Book Doctor" audition, a gig that neither Marisa nor Kelsey are familiar with. A...

Every week, Marisa and Kelsey question the choices that Kelsey (Peters) makes as an editor. This week, their guest is Shelly Romero, an Assistant Editor that works in children's publishing--and she is here to unpack the scandal that is The Scarf and confirm that Kelsey is, in fact, the worst at her job. Shelly shares her insights as an editor and shines some light on the acquisitions process, whic...

Marisa and Kelsey learn that (gasp!) Josh doesn't read in  Younger  Episode 109: I'm With Stupid, where Liza is searching through the slush pile -- and for reasons to self-sabotage her relationship. Kelsey imagines a world where there are still physical slush-piles for editors to peruse, then asks why Liza is even doing this when she works in marketing? Marisa waxes poetic at the ethics...

This week, Marisa and Kelsey are going to the PEN Awards, and are joined by the lovely Jess Dallow, a literary agent at Brower Literary & Management, who is here just in time for substantial Charles content (FINALLY!). Marisa is at a loss as to why Liza, a marketing assistant, is so involved in the publicity responsibilities of Empirical's PEN planning. Kelsey explores what a fun dynamic we co...

Marisa and Kelsey discuss Liza's various creative side hustles in Younger Episode 107: Broke and Pantyless, as no one is in (entry level) publishing for the money! Marisa loved that Charles' is finally introduced as a love interest... but not so much the way introduction went. Kelsey gives an ode to Lauren, a supportive queen. And of course, they have to talk about Anton (ugh) and Kelsey's full co...

Marisa and Kelsey are joined by author and Mean Girls extra, Annette Christie, and they're going to a book launch! At a bar! With champagne and peacocks! Marisa is stressed by the conflation of marketing and publicity and emphasizes that planning a launch event is NOT Liza's job. Kelsey asks a truly ridiculous question: if it's a launch event, where are the books? And Annette declares Marisa and K...