The Ringer-Verse

This week, Steve and Jomi are joined by Ringer writer Daniel Chin to share their spoiler-filled reactions to Marvel’s latest animated project, ‘Marvel Zombies.’ The trio discusses what worked, highlights the action, and breaks down where the series fell short. Intro (0:00)'Marvel Zombies' discourse (4:48)Outro (56:50) Hosts: Jomi Adeniran and Steve AhlmanGuest: Daniel ChinProducer: Devon RenaldoAd...

Ben and Rob Mahoney head back to the House of Hades for an in-depth (but spoiler-free) discussion of ‘Hades II,’ in which they explain how Supergiant’s sequel to ‘Hades’ somehow improves upon its near-perfect predecessor. Then Steve Ahlman arrives to react to ‘Silent Hill f,’ the recent ‘Silent Hill’ series resurgence, and the first trailer for ‘Spider-Man’ maker Insomniac’s next Marvel game, ‘Wol...

The Boys unite in a galaxy far, far away to react to the first ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu' trailer. Later, the guys discuss the finale of ‘Alien: Earth,’ including what the future of the show holds, before giving their Midnight Meter. (00:00) Intro (4:20) ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (50:39) ‘Alien: Earth’ (1:27:20) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducers:...

Ben, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James enter the vault to round up recent news on game adaptations (including 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,' big-screen 'Call of Duty,' and live-action TV series 'Tomb Raider') and share their spoiler-free reviews of Gearbox's 'Borderlands' comeback, 'Borderlands 4.' They close by delivering their final verdicts on the difficulty and quality of 'Hollow Knight: Silksong....

The boys are back in school at Godolkin University to discuss the brand-new season premiere of 'Gen V.' They discuss why they loved the show last season and what it gets right in these first three new episodes (00:00). They also talk about how the show adapts to the passing of one of its stars, Chance Perdomo. Then they get into the show's new villain and how this story may relate to the final sea...

Steve and Jomi join forces with Rob Mahoney to laugh, rant, and reflect on this year’s Emmy Awards. They break down the winners and losers, explore why fan favorites like 'The White Lotus' and 'The Bear' may have lost their edge, and predict what might win big next year. Later, they play a round of Here Comes the Pitch, where they share their own ideas for hypothetical shows, movies, and beloved f...

The boys are back to talk about the newest episodes of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 and ‘Alien: Earth’! They dive into the humanizing of Peacemaker and the different varieties of Xenomorphs we’re seeing in ‘Alien: Earth.’ (0:00) Intro (11:49) Reactions to ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, Episode 4 (45:33) Reactions to ‘Alien: Earth’ Episodes 5 and 6 (1:25:32) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran,...

There's a (silk)song in Ben's heart as he brings on Matt James to share their reactions to one of the most anticipated games of the past several years: 'Hollow Knight: Silksong.' In a largely spoiler-free discussion after roughly 60 combined hours spent exploring the land of Pharloom, they consider what made 'Hollow Knight' and its sequel such sensations, how the hype for 'Silksong' grew, how the...

Steve and Jomi return for a long-awaited comics catch-up! They dive into ‘Spider-Man ’94’ and share what makes new releases like ‘Exquisite Corpses' and ‘Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum’ stand out. The duo also revisit ‘Absolute Batman’ and other must-reads before closing with their reactions to Amazon’s announcement of a ‘Life Is Strange’ adaptation. Intro (0:00)‘Spider-Man ’94’ + Comic Book Ro...

The boys are back to give you the long-awaited Mantle Wars! But first, they talk about the latest Nerd News in the James Gunn universe, and ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode 3. (0:00) Intro (7:55) Nerd News: James Gunn (30:26) Reactions to ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episode 3 (47:26) Mantle Wars (2:13:08) Outro (2:14:09) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Produc...

After a brief break, 'Recommends' returns with a revamped format, featuring a conversation between Ben and a guest about one of the month's recommendations! This time, Ben brings on Rany Jazayerli for a spoiler-free focus on sci-fi streaming series 'Foundation,' with an emphasis on the series' strengths, adaptation decisions, latest season, and future. After that, other Ringer-Verse hosts, friends...

Ben places a codec call to Steve Ahlman and Matt James to review the new remake of 'Metal Gear Solid 3.' First, they discuss a deluge of upcoming sequels (including 'Hollow Knight: Silksong') and react to the latest indication that the console wars are over, hardware price hikes, and comebacks by two venerable ninja-centric series. Then they discuss how 'MGS3' holds up, how the remake alters the o...

The boys are back to talk about the newest episodes of ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 and ‘Alien: Earth’! They dive into what James Gunn’s weaknesses in ‘Peacemaker’ could be and the many questions ‘Alien: Earth' is asking its audience. Plus, they somehow end up discussing Scrappy vs. Scooby Doo. (0:00) Intro (11:32) Spoilers ahead (13:03) Reactions to ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2, Episode 2 (38:30) ‘Alien: Earth...

The boys are back to talk about the ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 premiere! They discuss John Cena’s acting prowess, what ‘Peacemaker’ means for the James Gunn DC universe, and the plans for the new Justice League. (0:00) Intro (14:35) Spoilers ahead (16:17) Reactions to the ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 premiere (1:27:20) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Chris T...

Steve and Jomi team up with K-pop stan Jess Clemons to dive into Netflix’s ‘K-pop: Demon Hunters.’ They discuss the film’s explosive popularity, its chart-topping soundtrack, and wrap up by ranking their personal favorite tracks. Intro (0:00)'K-Pop: Demon Hunters' Deep Dive (5:36)Top Tracks Ranked! (52:58)Outro (1:11:42) Hosts: Jomi Adeniran and Steve AhlmanGuest: Jess ClemonsProducer: Devon Renal...

Ben recruits game journalists (and ex-coworkers) Chris Plante, Maddy Myers, and Joshua Rivera to draft the greatest games featuring Mario, in honor of the upcoming 40th anniversary of 'Super Mario Bros.' First, they share their origin stories as Mario gamers, discuss what makes the character so versatile, and speculate on what Nintendo might announce for the franchise's big birthday. Then they sel...

The Boys are back to give you all of their thoughts on FX’s new show: ‘Alien: Earth.’ They then dive into an alien draft, picking their favorite depictions of aliens in media from five categories: human-presenting alien, good alien, bad alien, animated alien, and wild card. (0:00) Intro (10:43) Spoilers ahead (13:10) Reactions to ‘Alien: Earth’ (1:01:42) Alien draft (1:36:20) Alien wars Hosts: Van...

Ben Lindbergh, Steve Ahlman, Matt James, Rob Mahoney, and Daniel Chin press F to pay respects to the finest video games of the 2000s (so far), making five picks per person in a knock-down, drag-out draft of 25 stone-cold classics. Intro (0:00)25 Greatest Games of the Quarter Century Draft (11:00)Outro (1:43:23) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Steve Ahlman, Matt James, Rob Mahoney, and Daniel ChinProduc...

The Midnight Boys are back with a big ol' pod for you after all the Comic-Con madness. They talk about the latest happenings from the set of 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' and how the excitement is more than palpable for the latest web-slinging adventure. Then, they talk about the box office drop-off from 'Fantastic Four' and whether the casual Marvel viewer is no longer interested. Later, they dive...

Fresh from San Diego Comic-Con, Steve and Jomi return to break down everything you missed at the convention. They dive into Marvel's latest animated series, 'Eyes of Wakanda,' exploring its storytelling, themes, and what it means for the future of Marvel animation. Plus, they preview what's coming next in the animated universe and tease a special Ringer event you won’t want to miss. Don't miss the...

The Midnight Boys are back and recording from San Diego to give you all of the news and reactions from the floor of San Diego Comic-Con. They discuss all of the major panels from Hall H, including 'Project Hail Mary', 'Alien: Earth,' 'Tron: Ares,' and so much more. They also talk about the Ringer-Verse panel and getting to meet all of you at the meet and greet. (1:32) Project Hail Mary (4:12) Alie...

The Ringer-Verse takes stock of IP in 2025 live at San Diego Comic-Con. In a busy year, what's been the best and worst in IP so far? San Diego Comic Convention (SDCC) owns the SDCC trademarks used in this episode and are used under license. Hosts: Joanna Robinson, Mallory Rubin, Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Eduardo Ocampo and Aleya Zenieris Additional Prod...

The Boys are back to give you all of their thoughts on one of the most highly anticipated films of the year: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps.’ They talk about the newest portrayal of the beloved Fantastic Four characters, give you a bit of comic book context, and dive into questions they had after seeing the film. (0:00) Intro (11:27) Spoilers ahead (13:45) Instant reactions to ‘The Fantastic Fou...

Ben Lindbergh and Jessica Clemons begin with a roundup of game adaptation news, covering the ‘Mortal Kombat II’ trailer, Netflix’s live-action ‘Assassin’s Creed’ series, the ‘Legend of Zelda’ casting announcements, and an apparent animated ‘Donkey Kong’ movie. Then they dive deep (both in game and on mic) into new Nintendo masterpiece ‘Donkey Kong Bananza,’ touching on the history of the Donkey Ko...

Junior Mints, lock in—Comic-Con season is here! Steve and Jomi are back with a special San Diego Comic-Con preview, breaking down everything you need to know before the convention kicks off. From 'Tron' to 'Alien: Earth' to 'Peacemaker' to 'Coyote vs. Acme,' they cover what to expect and what they're most excited about. Plus, get a sneak peek at the Ringer-Verse panel and much more. Intro (0:00)Co...