The Ringer-Verse

The Boys are back and they’re giving you a mid-week surprise pod on two trailers that the nerd-verse is buzzing about: ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, and ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu.' They sneak a bit of ‘Toy Story 5’ in there, too. (0:00) Intro (00:59) ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ Trailer (18:05) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Trailer (22:09) ‘Toy Story 5’ Trailer (28:07) Post-credits Hosts: Van Latha...

The Boys are back, and they’re ready to dive into the most recent episode of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’! They discuss Dunk’s character evolution so far, draw comparisons to other ‘Game of Thrones’ shows, and contemplate who is worthy of wielding Mjolnir. (0:00) Intro (5:09) Spoilers ahead (7:30) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 5 reactions (1:05:59) Outro (1:12:36) Post-credits Hosts...

Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman speedrun the month's major gaming news and releases. In Patch Notes, they break down HBO's 'Baldur's Gate' adaptation, layoffs for developers of struggling free-to-play games 'Highguard' and '2XKO,' Sony's latest bid for live-service success with 'Horizon Hunters Gathering,' and the highlights of February's PS5 State of Play. Then, in the Minigames secti...

The Boys are back, and they start off the episode by jumping back into the great lightsaber debate. Then they dive into ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 4, starting with a look at Baelor as a character. (0:00) Intro (18:52) Spoilers ahead (20:44) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 4 reactions (1:21:32) Outro (1:24:29) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and...

Welcome to the Wasteland—and farewell, for now! Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan reunite, hug, and hold hands as they discuss the eighth and last episode of 'Fallout' Season 2, "The Strip." First, they share their thoughts on what a season finale should accomplish and whether they found "The Strip" satisfying. Then they catch up with the core characters one more time, break down the hardest-hitting em...

The Boys are back, and they’re diving into ‘Game of Thrones’ lore in this episode! They touch on Egg’s family lineage while also contemplating what each of them would’ve done if they were in Dunk’s shoes. (0:00) Intro (6:16) Spoilers ahead (8:10) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 3 reactions (1:09:12) Outro (1:13:11) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve A...

New year, new recommendations! First, Ben and Daniel Chin suppress their rage and bloodlust long enough to discuss the sequel to '28 Years Later,' focusing on the franchise's unpredictable appeal, what makes the new movie so special, and (in a clearly indicated closing spoiler section) what they'd be excited to see in the final film of the trilogy. After that, other Ringer-Verse hosts, friends, an...

Who says the year is starting slowly? In Patch Notes, Ben and Matt break down the release of hot-button free-to-play shooter 'Highguard,' the latest signs of decline at Ubisoft, and highlights from Microsoft's Xbox Developer Direct. Then they go on a Side Quest to discuss Matt's panic purchase of a gaming PC before reaching their Main Quest: spoiler-free recommendations for four indie gems from Ja...

You always end up back where you started … and this week Van Lathan ends up back on Button Mash as he and Ben Lindbergh break down the penultimate episode of ‘Fallout’ Season 2, “The Handoff.” After sharing their overall review, they consider Steph’s backstory, catch up with the core characters, and assess how several storylines could come together in the finale. Along the way, they contemplate Ca...

The Boys are back, and they’re excited to talk about Marvel’s newest installment in the MCU, ‘Wonder Man.’ Then they dive into several of the newest nerd-verse trailers including ‘Odyssey’, ‘Super Mario’, ’Supergirl’, and ‘Masters of the Universe.’ (0:00) Intro (1:54) Trailers Nerd News (40:49) Spoilers Ahead (43:04) Instant reactions to ‘Wonder Man’ Season 1 (1:41:24) Midnight Meter (1:45:57) Out...

The Boys are back, and they’re excited to talk about all things Dunk and Egg! They dive into Episode 2 of 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' explore character dynamics so far in the show, and maybe even hit a few tangents along the way. (0:00) Intro (5:46) Spoilers Ahead (7:45) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 2 Reactions (1:09:13) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and...

Sharpened pencils down! Ben Lindbergh and Daniel Chin discuss the momentous, if somewhat scattered, sixth episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Other Player." After sharing their overall review, they recap and dissect each of the (many!) main plot threads and character developments, break down the story revelations, and greet a new guest star with a crucial connection to ‘Fallout’ lore....

The Boys are back, and they’re here to dive back into the ‘Game of Thrones’ universe. They discuss the highly anticipated first episode of the new series ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ Then they jump into a little Nerd News from George R. R. Martin himself. (0:00) Intro (5:54) Spoilers Ahead (7:28) ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Episode 1 Reactions (1:12:34) Nerd News (1:27:47) Outro Hosts: V...

We need to talk! Ben Lindbergh and Daniel Chin discuss the strong fifth episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Wrangler." After sharing their overall review, they recap and dissect each of the main plot threads and character developments, break down the story revelations, and assess the connections to ‘Fallout’ lore. They also examine the mystery of who ended the world and probe that puzz...

The Boys are back, and they’re here to give you the best primer for 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms': the best ‘Game of Thrones’ crash-outs. But before they get to that, they give you a bit of Nerd News, with Sebastian Stan joining ‘The Batman Part II.’ (0:00) Intro (16:58) Nerd News (37:23) ‘Game of Thrones’ crash-outs (1:28:21) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ah...

Viva New Vegas! Ben Lindbergh and Daniel Chin climb into their T-45 armor to analyze the fourth episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Demon in the Snow." After sharing their overall takes on the episode, they check in on the Vault dwellers, Maximus and the Brotherhood, and Coop/the Ghoul and Lucy and examine how the show's core characters and factions are reacting to the stress of wastel...

It’s 2026 and the Midnight Boys are back! The guys react to the Avengers: Doomsday teasers before getting into their predictions for the box office, critical success and more on all things fandom in 2026. Intro (0:00) Nerd News -  Avengers: Doomsday Teasers (03:15) Over/Unders of 2026 (13:41) Outro (01:47:11)Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers: Jon Jones and...

Ben, Matt James, and Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier start a new save file for 2026! First they sum up the subjects they think will define the year, from 'Grand Theft Auto VI' to the Steam Machine to rising prices to anti-AI sentiments. Then they select their most anticipated games of 2026 in several categories and wrap up with big-picture predictions. Intro (0:00)Big questions about the year (3...

Hot dawg! Ben and Van Lathan suit up to discuss the lore-stuffed third episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Profligate." After sharing their overall review, they check in on Lucy, Coop/The Ghoul, and Maximus, and examine how the episode's themes and plot lines tie together. They also reflect on the merits of talking to dogs, compare and contrast crucifixion methods, break down bathroom...

The Boys are back for their end-of-the-year review of all things nerd-verse and their Midnight Mulligans rankings! (10:13) 'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' (13:56) 'Wicked' Part 1 (18:04) 'Captain America: Brave New World' (34:17) 'Daredevil: Born Again' (34:58) 'Sinners' (38:34) 'Thunderbolts*' (40:22) 'Andor' Season 2 (40:53) 'The Last of Us' Season 2 (55:43) 'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning'...

With various hosts scattered or taking time off for the holidays, Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan toss out the typical Recommends format for this month and devote the whole episode to one show that hasn't been covered on The Ringer-Verse or ‘House of R’: ‘Pluribus.’ Ben and Van explore what made Vince Gilligan's Apple TV series a challenging yet fulfilling watch, discuss what sets the series apart fr...

Ben and Daniel Chin patrol the Mojave and discuss the literally mind-blowing second episode of the second season of 'Fallout,' "The Golden Rule." After sharing their overall review, they assess each of the episode’s four main settings and story lines, point out the parallels between characters, and wrestle with this season’s accelerated world-building. They also consider whether becoming a ghoul i...

Ben, Matt, Steve, and Joshua Rivera recap an eventful year in video games by summing up the overall quantity and quality of games released in 2025, identifying both naughty and nice trends in the industry, and drafting their favorite titles across several categories. (00:00) Intro(3:35) Overall Quality of 2025 Games(8:35) Naughty and Nice Industry Trends(43:32) Games of the Year Draft Host: Ben Li...

The Boys are back to give you all of their thoughts on the newest installment of James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ universe: ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ (0:00) Intro (22:15) Spoilers Ahead (23:54) ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Reactions (1:25:06) Midnight Meter (1:27:32) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Chris Thomas, Devon Baroldi, Aleya Zenieris, and Sarah Reddy Add...

Ben Lindbergh and Van Lathan return to the Wasteland for the first weekly Button Mash breakdown of ‘Fallout’ Season 2. First, they recap the premiere and discuss how it sets up the season. Then, Ben talks to Justin Theroux about joining the show in the role of Robert House. Finally, Ben brings on Polygon senior editor Chris Hayner for a primer on the game that inspired much of this season, ‘Fallou...