On this episode of Franchise Detours, we reach the final stop in Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy with 2013’s Before Midnight . Jackson Smith returns to the show to unpack this raw, reflective chapter in the ongoing story of Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy). Set nearly two decades after their first meeting, Before Midnight trades youthful idealism for hard-earned honesty as the couple confronts what lasting love really looks like. We’ll discuss how Linklater, Hawke, and Delpy bring...
Jun 28, 2025•1 hr 46 min
On this Franchise Detours, we continue our stroll through Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy with a stop in Paris and the heartbreaking honesty of 2004’s Before Sunset . Dallin Curtis, The Film Fanatic, joins us to unpack the film’s real-time structure, emotional depth, and themes of missed opportunities and second chances. Nine years after their unforgettable night in Vienna, Jesse and Céline reunite for another epic conversation. But was their brief connection just a fleeting moment or the beg...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 31 min
On this episode, we’re kicking off a mega-series on the Before trilogy, which quietly redefined what a franchise could be. Megan Kearns of Spoilerpiece Theatre joins us to unpack Richard Linklater’s 1995 romantic drama Before Sunrise , the film that launched one of cinema’s most intimate and epic love stories. Before Sunrise captures a fleeting connection between two strangers, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), as they wander, talk, and fall in love over the course of a single night ...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Franchise Detours wraps up its wild ride through the Naked Gun trilogy as we welcome The Famous Ashley Grant to take on 1994’s Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult . As Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) comes out of retirement for one last case, Robert and Ashley break down how this third installment pushes the parody further to deliver a grand finale. Together, we’ll explore the film’s biggest swings — from its over-the-top look at police to that unforgettable Oscars climax — and debate whether the f...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 5 min
The chaos continues on Franchise Detours as Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling Frank Drebin returns for more slapstick mayhem in 1991’s The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear . Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind — inaugural member of the Franchise Detours five-timers club — returns to tackle this comedy sequel. But does director David Zucker retain the deadpan humor that made the first film such a classic? Robert and Ryan explore Drebin’s evolution as a comedic force, the film’s razor-sharp jabs at po...
May 08, 2025•53 min
Franchise Detours is back on the case with a brand-new mega-series on the hilariously offbeat journey of The Naked Gun trilogy. Of course, we’re starting with the David Zucker-directed 1988 original that turned Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin into a slapstick legend. Lauren Robinson of the Beer’d Al Podcast returns to the show to break down why this deadpan detective remains one of comedy’s greatest characters and how his absurd antics helped shape the comedic sensibilities of a generation. From b...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 4 min
Few characters capture the essence of camp and horror quite like Elvira. With her signature style and irreverent humor, Cassandra Peterson's sultry and sarcastic creation has reigned supreme as a perennial fan favorite. This beloved pop culture phenomenon even headlined two movies. As spooky season winds down, Kai Yaniz joins Franchise Detours to discuss 1988's Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and Elvira's Haunted Hills from 2001. We'll discuss how the character evolved from improv comedy into a glo...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 33 min
It all ends here. After nearly five decades and nine films, the world of Rocky Balboa — and, by extension, Adonis Creed — comes to a close. Of course, there's still more in the works from these beloved fighters. But until we learn more about Creed IV's development or whatever Amazon has in store for Rocky fans, this marks the final round of our Rocky/Creed mega-series. Kevin the Critic joins us for our final punch, as we talk 2023's Creed III from star and first-time director Michael B. Jordan. ...
Oct 20, 2024•1 hr 27 min
Congratulations! You've successfully relaunched the Rocky series for a whole new generation, perfectly encapsulating what made the franchise great while updating it for a modern sensibility. So, now what? Where is a sequel to a legacy sequel to go next? That's the task ahead for Creed II. With Steven Caple Jr. stepping in for Ryan Coogler as director, the second film follows Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he claims the title, only to find the past creeping its way back. None other than Ivan...
Oct 11, 2024•1 hr 49 min
After Rocky Balboa restored the franchise to its former glory — winning back fans and critics who were left cold after Rocky V — it really had seemed like this time the world had seen the last of Sylvester Stallone's iconic character. But that was before director Ryan Coogler got involved. Coogler is now best known for the cultural phenomenon that was Black Panther, but he had made only one feature film when he stepped into the director's chair for 2015's Creed. Moreover, the film was to star fr...
Oct 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min
While the story started by Rocky had seemingly come to a close, Sylvester Stallone's dissatisfaction with the fifth film — and perhaps the declining state of his own career — led him to consider bringing his signature character back for just one more fight. And thus, he returned to write, direct and star in Rocky Balboa, released 30 years after the first film. Film critic Phoenix Clouden joins us to discuss 2006's Rocky Balboa, the film which defied the odds to earn critical acclaim and box offi...
Sep 27, 2024•1 hr 10 min
With Rocky IV taking the franchise to new commercial heights, the film represented, in some ways, the biggest victory yet for both writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone and his fictional counterpart. However, that success — which saw the scale of the franchise expand to international levels — might have set unfair expectations for the future. Enter Rocky V. On one hand, the return of the original film's director, John G. Avildsen, signaled a return to Rocky's roots as an underdog, as the champ...
Sep 20, 2024•1 hr 8 min
If Rocky III marks the promise of how the franchise could grow beyond the championship belt, then the next film arguably shows its limitations. With star Sylvester Stallone again serving as writer and director, Rocky IV sees the iconic cinematic hero facing his most devastating blow yet, sending him all the way to Russia to represent his country on a quest for vengeance. Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind joins us to discuss 1985's Rocky IV, a film that remains the biggest worldwide box offic...
Sep 13, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Rocky (and, by extension, Rocky II ) tells one of the greatest underdog stories in cinema history. But with audiences clamoring for more of "The Italian Stallion," how could writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone build upon Rocky Balboa's story after he has achieved the ultimate goal of claiming the heavyweight championship? The answer lies in the characters themselves. With 1982's Rocky III, Stallone ups the personal stakes for the titular hero, while also continuing to follow how the relation...
Sep 08, 2024•1 hr 25 min
Even decades after its release, 1976's Rocky stands as the ultimate cinematic underdog story. But following its critical acclaim, box office performance, and awards wins, it's only natural that everything involved — including star and screenwriter Sylvester Stallone — would explore what happened next in the lives of Rocky, Adrian, Paulie, Mickey, and of course, Apollo. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast and Back To Bluey joins us to talk about how 1979's Rocky II expands on the original film. We'll...
Aug 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Long before Franchise Detours began, the Rocky/Creed series was well on our radar. Following the Crooked Table Podcast's (now Close Watch) monthly coverage of the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, "The Italian Stallion" was eyed as the next long-running, beloved series to take the spotlight. Alas, plans changed, and we didn't enter the ring until now. At last, we tackle the 1976 classic that is Rocky. One of only four franchise films to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, the film—directed b...
Aug 23, 2024•1 hr 8 min
Six years and one major studio acquisition later, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But after Deadpool seemingly shattered the superhero movie formula and Deadpool 2 doubled-down on the scale of the Merc with the Mouth's particular corner of the universe, where could "Deadpool 3" go to keep upping the ante? In a word, *SNIKT*. After years of development, it was the addition of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine that finally helped Reynolds and director Shawn Levy (Free ...
Aug 19, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Despite its crass humor and ultraviolence, 2016's Deadpool professed itself to be a self-described "love story." Likewise, its even more over-the-top sequel fancies itself a "family film." With a budget roughly twice that of its predecessor, Ryan Reynolds' second turn in the iconic red suit was a similar box office hit, expanding the first film's themes and taking bigger chances. As the road to Deadpool & Wolverine continues, Matthew Anderson of The Lone Screenplay Nominee Podcast joins us t...
Jul 26, 2024•1 hr 19 min
Deadpool. That sounds like a f**king franchise. Right? After the character's big-screen debut (kinda) in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine , it sure didn't seem that way. Ryan Reynolds' take on Marvel Comics' fourth wall-breaking quasi-superhero Wade Wilson aka Deadpool seemed like it had its one shot. Then some leaked footage later, the Merc with the Mouth got a new life. Following our X-Men mega-series from 2023, we return to the world of Marvel's mutants with a mega-series all about what will s...
Jul 19, 2024•1 hr 8 min
After eight films (including the meta-horror of Wes Craven's New Nightmare ) and nearly 20 decades, Robert Englund wore the razor glove for the final time. But in keeping with the history of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Krueger's curtain call wasn't what anyone expected it would be. Clare Brunton of W-Rated helps us close down this mega-series with 2003's horror monster mash-up Freddy vs. Jason. We'll discuss how the movie deftly combines the Elm Street films with Friday the 13th, whether i...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 7 min
Given its title, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare seemingly plunged the final nail into the coffin of Robert Englund's infamous horror villain. And yet, it was ultimately Wes Craven — writer-director of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street — who gave Freddy Krueger a new lease on life. Film professor and author Ryan L. Terry joins Franchise Detours to slash our way through 1994's Wes Craven's New Nightmare. We'll discuss how the film celebrates the tenth anniversary of the original film, why...
Jul 06, 2024•1 hr 29 min
In hindsight, it makes sense the diminishing returns of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child might signal Freddy Krueger should quit while he was (at least relatively) ahead. So two years later, longtime creative collaborator Rachel Talalay took the director's chair for the "final" entry. Kev Smith of Suns and Shadows-Cast joins us to discuss 1991's Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. We'll discuss how the film expands Freddy's mythos, whether the full-tilt lean into comedy works, and wh...
Jun 29, 2024•1 hr
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master introduced fans to a brand-new final girl in Lisa Wilcox's Alice Johnson. So all its sequel had to do is build on that character and her story to keep that momentum going. But does A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child deliver a winner? David Rosen of Piecing It Together joins us to discuss how the Stephen Hopkins-directed film taps into the primal fears of impending parenthood, whether its bleaker edge fits at this point in the franchise, and...
Jun 21, 2024•51 min
Thanks to A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors , Freddy Krueger became as popular as ever. The Springwood Slasher was suddenly a household name, leading to an increased focus on his macabre sense of humor. The result is the entry often known as the "MTV Nightmare." Kevin the Critic returns to the show to discuss director Renny Harlin's A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. We'll discuss which lessons it learns from its predecessor, how it shifts focus to a new final girl and why ...
Jun 15, 2024•1 hr 8 min
After the mixed reception to A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge , the franchise turned to series creator Wes Craven and original star Heather Langenkamp. As our eight-part Freddy-led mega-series continues, we arrive at 1987's fan-favorite A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Podcaster Deanna Chapman joins us to discuss how director Chuck Russell's installment serves as a pivotal entry in Freddy Krueger's saga. We’ll discuss why the movie is so beloved by fans, how it soft-rese...
Jun 07, 2024•1 hr 4 min
How do you follow a classic like A Nightmare on Elm Street ? That was the task director Jack Sholder and star Mark Patton faced with A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Released less than a year later, the sequel dared to do something darker and very different, with wildly mixed results. Brandon Stanwyck of Fearsome Queer helps us break down the controversy behind A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge. We'll reckon with the film's complicated legacy, acknowledge its ambitious ...
May 31, 2024•57 min
Chucky made some friends. Ash got groovy with Deadites. Now it's time for Freddy Krueger to slash his way into the spotlight, as we kick off Franchise Detours' first horror mega-series since 2021 with an in-depth chat about writer/director Wes Craven's 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. In keeping with tradition, screenwriter/actor Bri Azmoudeh — who previously joined us for Child's Play and The Evil Dead — returns to welcome another horror franchise to the show. We'll explore the legacy of...
May 24, 2024•1 hr 11 min
As we raise our glasses to the final installment of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Franchise Detours dives into the bittersweet, otherworldly journey of 2013's The World’s End. The film ends the series with a poignant commentary on friendship, nostalgia, and the inescapable march of time. Robert Stewart of Stew World Order joins the show to discuss director/co-writer Edgar Wright and co-writer/star Simon Pegg's grand sci-fi finale. We'll discuss how The World’s End blends genre elements wi...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Continuing our genre-blending trek through the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, we’re locking and loading for a deep dive into the explosive Hot Fuzz. Armed with sharp wit and a barrage of bullets, this entry takes aim at action movie conventions with a dash of murder mystery thrown in. Joining us is Lauren Robinson of the Beer’d Al Podcast . We’ll explore how Hot Fuzz balances adrenaline-fueled action with moments of genuine camaraderie and heart. With a plot as twisted as Sandford's country ro...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Just as the zombie genre returned to life, Shaun of the Dead emerged as a cult classic that redefined the landscape of horror-comedy. As we dissect the intricacies of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy in our latest mega-series, we delve into the film that set the tone for Edgar Wright's signature work. Clare Brunton of W-Rated joins us to shed light on how Shaun of the Dead balances gore and gags to create a cleverly constructed satire. Taking aim at the mundanity of life and horror tropes, Wr...
May 03, 2024•1 hr 11 min
