Pop Culture Field Manual

Everybody needs protection from time to time. Even rich people. Or, uh, especially rich people.  Regardless, BODYGUARDS. That's what this episode is all about. Do we talk about the movie The Bodyguard? Probably. Do we talk about The Hitman's Bodyguard? Probably not. Do we have fun and talk about lots of movies and what being a bodyguard is like in real life? Listen in and you'll find out! SHOUT OU...

A hostage situation is something nobody wants to be in the middle of….unless you’re being held hostage by intense cravings for pizza at 3 AM at your local 24-hour pizza establishment. But other than that, being a hostage is generally not in the top 10 on people’s bucket lists. Still, this kind of thing makes for pretty exciting pop culture experiences! So get on the floor. Put your hands on your h...

This is a special presentation while the podcast takes a break to reset. This is one of the Patreon Exclusive episodes available to the top two tiers of Patreon subscribers. Enjoy! There are a lot of pop culture properties about war. A LOT. But what is that definitive piece of pop culture that really shows you what a given (American) war was all about? Well, you won't have to think about that ever...

In the action genre realm, Martial Arts pop culture has much to offer. While the eastern Martial Arts have historically gotten a lot of love, in recent years innovative martial arts action has sprung up from around the globe, from England to the US to Indonesia. So today we are going to explore some of our favorite martial arts movies, video games and TV. But of course, Cam and Izzy are going to t...

At the PCFM Podcast, we try to cover every angle, every place and include everyone. So in keeping with that, this week we're talking about Africa and all those amazing pop culture battles that have taken place there. Izzy and Cam cover some of their favorites and even some pretty obscure ones everyone should check out. Listen in while we cover Battleground: Africa. And the perfectly crafted game o...

Many battles have been fought in, on and around Japan. Japan has a rich warrior culture and Izzy and Cam both have a particular affinity for all things Japanese. Tag along with our intrepid hosts as they explore pop culture battles in the land of the rising sun. A fun, albeit brief, game of "20 Questions" ends this episode. It's more of a testament to how well Cam knows Izzy than how easy the game...

SPOILER WARNING: We talk extensively about John Wick Chapter 4 in this episode, so if you don't want anything ruined, it might be best not to listen. Or just listen up to the point we start talking about it. The choice is yours, but you've been warned. With the release of John Wick Chapter 4 (and therefore conclusion of the series) we here at the Pop Culture Field Manual decided to pay homage to t...

The moment is upon us. The time has come. The prophecy has been fulfilled. A truly awesome milestone in the history of the Pop Culture Field Manual Podcast. 100 episodes and still going strong! And to help us celebrate this world breaking, epic, momentous event we have two men who are equally world breaking and momentous Patrick Moltrop and Jason Lilley of Savage Actual! An unbelievable game of "M...

You're out in the woods with your elite special forces team. You hear a branch snap. You search all around, but see nothing. It's only then that you realize...you're being hunted. What a fun idea to explore for our entertainment! Watching people fight for their lives as some twisted person (or super predator) tries to hunt them down and kill them! That's what this episode is all about. Cam and Iz...

What makes a super soldier super? Is it genetic enhancements? Is it cybernetic implants? Is it a super great attitude? All these questions and more are answered in today's episode. If any questions are not answered, please send us an email and we'll be sure to ignore it because WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. Just kidding. We love your emails and encourage you to continue sending them in! The episode...

Like the man said, the only thing people like more than a hero is to see a hero fail, fall, or die trying. Men and women, heroes to many, held in high regard by those around them are under a heavy burden and sometimes that burden can be too much to bear. Hence the episode title today, “Fall From Grace”, where we explore characters who started out riding high…before it all came crashing down. The n...

Bloodsuckers, night walkers, freaks amongst society, Satan’s disciples; they go by many names, but the name you probably know them by is VAMPIRES. That's right! This episode is about one of pop culture's most iconic monsters and the people who deal with them. We must give credit where credit is due so thank you to Dean Martin from our Patreon for the episode idea. The game of choice this week is "...

We’ve all done shitty things. All of us. Whether it’s a dine and dash at Hooters or slaughtering all the jedi and ushering in the reign of the evil galactic empire, we all have stuff we’ve done that we wish we could take back. And that’s what we’re here to talk about today. Redemption! Yes, characters and story arcs that start off in the depths of “man, I’m a real bastard” and then take us all the...

Angel Cortes, a.k.a. The OG Pumpkin, is a former ranger and all around bad ass. So much so, we're not even going to try and summarize this interview. His story and the telling of it is long, in-depth and inspiring. If you need to know more than that, well, we don't know what to tell you. Just listen to the damn thing and enjoy! Support the show Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.sprea...

In this very special episode, Cam and Izzy sit down with Donny O'Malley of Vet TV and talk about literally everything; his service, how he started Vet TV, what makes him laugh and even what makes him cry. It's a jam-packed episode sure to delight the whole family. (DO NOT LET CHILDREN LISTEN TO THIS.) The full length version (1:20+) is on our Patreon, so sign up and see what you've been missing! T...

Your plane has crashed. You’re in the woods alone. All you have are your wits and a sharp pointy stick. Do you survive? Sounds dramatic? That’s because it IS. We’ve done an episode about survival in combat situations, mostly, but we wanted to do one where the focus is man vs the elements. Survival through sheer will . Not necessarily only fighting nature, but things IN nature as well. Do you have...

Here on the PCFM podcast we cover a wide variety of topics. But in the episode we are going deep rather than wide and jumping into a few pieces of pop culture we think are worth an in depth look. Grab your metaphorical scuba gear and join us in this episode we are calling The Deep Dive. A fun (but challenging) game of "What's My Line?" ties off this episode. The game isn't difficult if you've seen...

The Medal of Honor is the U.S. military's highest awards for valor in action. Today's episode is dedicated recipients of the Medal of Honor. We'll spend the whole time talking about the heroes we admire and the sacrifice they made. Izzy and Cam go through their favorites and talk about what it means to them.  Fittingly, a game of "Men of Honor" wraps up the episode this week.  Support the show Bec...

Indigenous people are all over pop culture these days. And they should be. They have a rich history and it's woven into the fabric of most other countries on the planet. Also, they were badass warriors! We figured we were due to focus on them and here we are. We're going to hit all the highlights and might even take a huge detour to discuss the history of the Predator species. Who knows?! Sit back...

Avast, ye mateys! Wait, we're doing it again. we're mixing up our sea faring cultures again. Damn you public school education! What are we actually talking about in this episode? Oh, right. Vikings! The brutal, but seemingly beloved, pillagers and murderous thieves that roamed the globe in days of yore. What shall it be then for the pop culture version? Vikings? The Northman? Sky Rim? These will p...

We all have those guilty pleasures, the crappy things we like but we know are crappy. And we feel guilty about it. And we did a whole episode about them. But what about the things we like that are generally considered bad, but we DON’T think are crappy? The things we like that other people hate? That’s what THIS episode is for. We’re going to take turns talking about the things we like and don’t f...

We’re doing another pop quiz episode! Part 3: This time it’s the last time before the next time that’s the redemption time of the final sacrifice that’s personal. The rules are simple, Magic Voice Chris will give the guy's a scenario from pop culture and they say how they’d handle it. If it were any easier, it’d be a coloring book. The game for this episode is most appropriately called "Pop Quiz."...

Merry Christmas, friends and family, listeners far and wide, Fuzzy privates, Salty Sergeants and Lifers all! It’s Christmas time here at PCFM HQ and do we have a cheerful, joyful, merry and murderous show ahead. This episode we are spreading Christmas cheer by sharing our favorite kills from pop culture, the most creative, most brutal, most shocking, most memorable of deaths that we could find. So...

We. Love. Video Games. Israel and Cam count themselves as lucky that part of their jobs is playing and discussing them. And in particular, military video games. It’s safe to say Izzy and Cam have both been influenced in small and large ways to join the military through their experiences with military based games. In this episode they are going to give you their list of top military video games. Br...

What were medieval times? Were they an important historical period, worthy of pop culture adulation? Or simply a restaurant for people to eat food and drink Pepsi while men in costumes fight? We think it's both! So we're going to spend the next 45 minutes talking all about the middle ages and and our favorite pieces of lore that center around them. Come on! It'll be fun! The end game on this episo...