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The Watch

The Ringerwww.theringer.com
Every week, The Ringer's Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan -- longtime friends and pop culture addicts -- break down the latest in TV, movies, and music.

Episodes

Jesse Armstrong on the Making of ‘Mountainhead.’ Plus, Why ‘Stick’ Doesn’t Stick.

Chris and Andy talk about the news that ‘Presumed Innocent’ Season 2 will star Rachel Brosnahan and become an anthology series (02:23). Then they talk about the first episode of Apple TV+’s new golf show, ‘Stick,’ starring Owen Wilson, and why ultimately the pilot felt discombobulated (08:17). Finally, they are joined by ‘Succession’ creator Jesse Armstrong to talk about his new TV movie, ‘Mountainhead,’ and how he made it in under six months (22:25). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: ...

Jun 12, 20251 hr 5 min

Warner and Discovery Split Yet Again, ‘Dept. Q,’ and Alan Siegel on the Golden Era of ‘The Simpsons’

Chris and Andy talk about the news that Warner Bros. and Discovery will once again be splitting into two different entities (7:12). They also discuss the trailer for Noah Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’ series (11:43). Then, they talk about the rest of ‘Dept. Q’ and how this show could be Netflix’s ‘Slow Horses’ if they wanted it to be (21:19), before Chris is joined by Alan Siegel to talk about his new book ‘Stupid TV, Be More Funny: How the Golden Era of The Simpsons Changed’ (36:37). Hosts: Chris Rya...

Jun 09, 20251 hr 1 min

The TV Detective Draft. Plus, ‘Department Q’ Is Scott Frank at His Best.

Chris and Andy chat about some TV they’ve been watching this week, including ‘Sex and the City’ (8:58). Then they talk about the first episode of ‘Department Q,’ the new detective show from Scott Frank, and how, similar to ‘The Pitt,’ this is good TV done well (18:30). Then, in honor of ‘Department Q,’ they draft some of their favorite TV detectives (39:53). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Jun 05, 20251 hr 17 min

The Merit of ‘Mountainhead’ and ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ Season 1 Finale

Chris and Andy discuss Jesse Armstrong’s recent HBO movie 'Mountainhead,' chatting about why they found it so enjoyable despite some mixed reviews and how exactly the film's message suited our current cultural moment (8:01). Then they discuss the Season 1 finale of Apple TV+’s 'Your Friends and Neighbors,' the show’s back-end turn to a crime show, and where it can improve in Season 2 (54:22). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producers: Kaya McMullen and Devon Baroldi Video Production and Edi...

Jun 02, 20251 hr 10 min

What Do Showrunners Do After Their Great Show Ends? Plus, ‘Sirens’ and ‘Adults.’

Chris and Andy talk about the finale of ‘Everybody’s Live’ (8:06) and a couple of recent releases, including ‘Sirens’ (14:29) and ‘Adults’ (23:59). Then, ahead of the premiere of Jesse Armstrong’s first post-‘Succession’ project, ‘Mountainhead,’ they talk about what the careers of other great showrunners like Matthew Weiner and Michael Schur have looked like after their most famous shows ended (34:14). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon...

May 29, 20251 hr 26 min

The 'Last of Us’ Season 2 Finale and ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning’

Chris and Andy talk about the ‘Last of Us’ Season 2 finale, why adapting the show from the video game caused more limitations and issues in this season than in the first one (08:24), and what’s on deck for Season 3 of the show. Then they talk about ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning,’ the maybe-final installment of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise, and why the stunning action set pieces could not make up for the incomprehensible plotlines (45:44). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Pr...

May 27, 20251 hr 18 min

Live at ‘Everybody’s Live’ and ‘The Studio’ Season Finale

Chris and Andy talk about their experience attending a taping of ‘Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney’ and how the sort-of late-night show has evolved throughout its run (6:21). Then they discuss the final two episodes of ‘The Studio’ and how the show pulled off the difficult feat of satirizing Hollywood (31:48). Finally they talk briefly about the new Max (or HBO Max?) show ‘Duster’ (47:08). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Lear...

May 22, 20251 hr 11 min

Your Summer TV Lineup: ‘Task,’ ‘The Bear’ Season 4, and ‘Welcome to Derry.’ Plus, ‘The Last of Us’ S2E6.

Chris and Andy talk about the trailers that were released this week for the Mark Ruffalo Philly detective show ‘Task’ (12:44), the final season of ‘The Bear’ (25:24), and the ‘It’ prequel series, ‘Welcome to Derry’ (35:03). Then they talk about Episode 6 of ‘The Last of Us,’ a penultimate episode in a season that has felt abrupt (38:57). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

May 20, 20251 hr 3 min

HBO Max Is Back (Though It Never Really Left) and Four Lessons Learned From ‘Andor’

Chris and Andy talk about the news that Max will be changing its name back to HBO Max and what the news says about the streaming industry at large (1:00). Then they talk about the success of ‘Andor’ and what lessons can be learned from the show (29:06). Finally, they discuss the latest episode of ‘The Last of Us’ (1:00:14). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 15, 20251 hr 13 min

Tony Gilroy on the Final Three Episodes of ‘Andor’ Season 2

Chris and Andy are joined by ‘Andor’ creator Tony Gilroy to talk about the final three Episodes of Season 2. They discuss what these last three episodes meant to Gilroy emotionally and thematically (2:01), where Bix and Cassian’s relationship ended up at the end of this season (26:51), and how he balanced the emotional story lines with the large action set pieces (50:43). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Tony Gilroy Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn...

May 14, 20251 hr 7 min

‘Andor’ Episodes 7-9: ‘Star Wars’ Goes Full ‘Jason Bourne.’ Plus, ‘Thunderbolts*.’

Chris and Andy break down Episodes 7-9 of ‘Andor’ Season 2. They talk about how Tony Gilroy’s attention to detail is really paying off in this set of episodes (8:26) and how Episode 9 was basically a 'Bourne' movie (39:21). Then they discuss ‘Thunderbolts*,’ which is actually kind of … good (55:12)? Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

May 08, 20251 hr 13 min

‘The Last of Us’ E4 and the Last of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’

Chris and Andy talk about some TV and movie news that came out over the weekend, including a potential new tariff being levied on movies made internationally (1:00). Then they break down the latest episode of ‘The Last of Us’ and how the show has found its engine after Joel’s death (10:37). Finally, they discuss the series finale of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ (41:07) and Conan O’Brien's Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize ceremony, which was just uploaded to Netflix (50:30). Hosts: Chris Ryan and And...

May 05, 20251 hr 6 min

‘Andor’ Season 2, Episodes 4-6 and the Many Faces of Cassian. Plus, ‘Everybody’s Live.’

Chris and Andy talk about an interview HBO head Casey Bloys gave on the Town podcast and what it revealed about the streamer's strategy in 2025 (6:55). Then they talk about the latest episode of ‘Everybody’s Live’ and how the show has started to improve after leaning into more traditional late-night practices (21:32), before they break down Episodes 4-6 of ‘Andor’ Season 2, which has leaned fully into the spy genre (27:34). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Produ...

May 01, 20251 hr 34 min

‘The Last of Us’ S2E3, ‘The Studio’ Episode 6, and ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ Episode 4

Chris and Andy talk about the latest episode of ‘The Last of Us’ and how the show is picking up the pieces after a major character death (1:00). Then they talk about the latest episode of ‘The Studio’ and this episode’s similarities to ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (45:05), as well as the last few episodes of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ (50:15). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Marcelino Ortiz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...

Apr 28, 20251 hr 10 min

TV News Grab Bag, an 'Andor' Syllabus, and ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’

Chris and Andy talk about some TV news that cropped up during the week, including Bill Hader making a Jonestown series for HBO (3:28) and the just-released trailer for Jesse Armstrong’s new TV movie, ‘Mountainhead’ (12:36). Then Chris talks about the show ‘Sandbaggers,’ which he discovered while researching ‘Andor’ (28:18), before they discuss ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North,’ an under-the-radar show starring Jacob Elordi that was just released on Prime Video (39:14). Hosts: Chris Ryan and An...

Apr 24, 20251 hr 1 min

Tony Gilroy Got Braver and Bolder for ‘Andor’ Season 2

Chris and Andy talk about the first three episodes of ‘Andor’ Season 2 and how the show’s world has gotten even more detailed in its second season (1:00). Then they are joined by creator Tony Gilroy to talk about whether or not the audience response to the first season affected how he wrote the second (21:21), the benefits of having a creative community while making the show (37:04), and bringing more conference rooms to the 'Star Wars' universe (51:41). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Gues...

Apr 23, 20251 hr 13 min

‘The Last of Us’ Steps Into New Territory. Plus, ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ E3.

Chris and Andy talk about last night’s momentous episode of ‘The Last of Us.’ They discuss Mark Mylod becoming the go-to director for huge episodes of TV (02:14) and where the series will go from here (36:45). Then they break down the latest episode of ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ and talk about how the show’s closest comparison is increasingly becoming ‘Billions’ (48:26). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production: Marcelino Ortiz Video Editing: Jon J...

Apr 21, 20251 hr 10 min

TV Roundup: ‘Black Mirror,’ ‘Dope Thief,’ ‘Hacks,’ and ‘The Studio’

Chris and Andy talk about the trailers that were released this week for ‘Fantastic Four,’ ‘Thunderbolts,’ and ‘28 Years Later’ (1:00). Then they talk about whether or not ‘Black Mirror’ is too dark for this current moment (26:15), before running through some of the other shows they're currently watching, like ‘Dope Thief’ (37:41), ‘Hacks’ (51:52), ‘The Studio’ (1:01:25), and ‘Everybody’s Live’ (1:08:58). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Edi...

Apr 17, 20251 hr 18 min

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Premiere and Lessons Learned From 'The Pitt'

Chris and Andy talk about some lessons that TV executives could take away from the success of ‘The Pitt’ and why the show took off in such an organic way (8:50). Then they discuss some recent movie trailers that were released for ‘Mission Impossible—The Final Reckoning’ and ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ (27:51). Finally, they talk about the Season 2 premiere of ‘The Last of Us’ and the secret that a lot of this season seems to hinge on (32:12). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kay...

Apr 14, 20251 hr 2 min

Noah Wyle on the Season Finale of ‘The Pitt’ and the Show’s Unexpected Success

Chris and Andy talk about the first episode of the new Jon Hamm show, ‘Your Friends & Neighbors’ (12:48). Then they break down the season finale of ‘The Pitt’ and how this show hit the sweet spot between network and prestige TV (27:38) before they are joined by ‘Pitt’ star and executive producer Noah Wyle to talk about the making of Season 1 and honoring the medical community with the show (46:16). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Noah Wyle Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production...

Apr 11, 20251 hr 33 min

The Great ‘White Lotus’ Season 3 Debate

Chris and Andy break down the finale of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 and reflect on how they felt about this season as a whole. They debate whether this finale episode had more style or substance (1:00), the Buddhist themes that were heavily present throughout this episode (14:27), and where this season stacked up against the first two (45:56). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon Jones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast...

Apr 07, 20251 hr 10 min

‘The White Lotus’ Finale Speculation. Plus, ‘The Pitt’ E14 and ‘The Studio’ E3.

Chris and Andy discuss an oral history of the making of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 that was published in The Hollywood Reporter this week, and what it revealed about Mike White’s creative process (1:00). Then, they discuss the third episode of ‘The Studio’ (25:25), before talking about the penultimate episode of ‘The Pitt’ and speculating on what storylines may be resolved in the finale (37:14). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production and Editing: Jon...

Apr 04, 20251 hr 5 min

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Cast Revealed, ‘The White Lotus’ E7, and ‘MobLand’

Andy and Chris talk about some TV and movie news from the past week, including the announcement that Marvel stars like Chris Hemsworth, Paul Rudd, and Florence Pugh will appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ (11:56) and the latest on an executive shake-up at Amazon MGM (22:05). Then they break down the penultimate episode of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 and its breakthroughs and false breakthroughs (31:54). Finally, they talk briefly about ‘MobLand,’ the new Paramount+ series starring Tom Hardy, Helen Mi...

Mar 31, 20251 hr 24 min

‘The Studio’ Makes Hollywood Look Cool Again. Plus, ‘Dope Thief.’

Chris and Andy talk about the news that Amy Pascal and David Heyman have been chosen to produce the next James Bond movies for Amazon and what that could mean for the future of that franchise (03:17). Then they talk about the new Seth Rogen series, ‘The Studio,’ and how this show succeeds at the difficult task of making a show about making things (28:25). Finally, they talk about the new Apple TV+ series ‘Dope Thief,’ a crime show sort of set in Philadelphia that stars Brian Tyree Henry (44:31)....

Mar 27, 20251 hr 14 min

‘Severance’ Season 2 Ultimately Existed Only to Serve Itself. Plus, ‘The White Lotus’ E6.

Chris and Andy talk about the full trailer for ‘Andor’ and whether or not it helps or hurts a show to have multiple trailers released (09:36). Then they break down the latest episode of ‘The White Lotus’ and talk about how the show is finally starting to pick up steam (12:15). Finally, they discuss the ‘Severance’ Season 2 finale, going over what worked and didn’t work for them in this finale and the season overall (38:36). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Vide...

Mar 24, 20251 hr 10 min

‘The Pitt’ E12 Reaches New Heights and ‘Adolescence’ Is The Best Show of the Year | The Watch

Chris and Andy break down the most recent episode of ‘The Pitt’ and how the show has continued to get better and better as the season has progressed (12:20). Then they cover all episodes of ‘Adolescence,’ the breakout sensation from Netflix, and why it is the rare show that serves a public good (36:34). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production: Chris Thomas Video Editor: Stefano Sanchez Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoic...

Mar 21, 20251 hr 26 min

‘Adolescence’ May Be the Best Show of the Year. Plus, ‘White Lotus’ S3E5 and ‘Severance’ S2E9.

Chris and Andy talk about the first episode of ‘Adolescence,’ the new Netflix drama miniseries, and make the case for why it may be the best show of the year (6:05). Then they break down the most recent episode of ‘The White Lotus’ and why that celebrity cameo ended up showing how slow this season has been moving (26:37), before spending some time on the penultimate episode of ‘Severance’ Season 2 (44:47). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production: Chri...

Mar 17, 20251 hr 3 min

Despite Everything, ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Works. Plus, ‘Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney,’ ‘The Pitt’ E11, and the ‘Top Chef: Canada’ Premiere.

Chris and Andy talk about a couple of forthcoming shows, like ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ on Apple TV+ and the second season of ‘Andor,’ and how they are being marketed (3:37). Then they talk about the first episodes of ‘Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney’ (19:37) and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ (31:48), before covering the latest episode of ‘The Pitt’ (53:53) and the premiere of ‘Top Chef: Canada’ (1:08:33). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Production: Chri...

Mar 14, 20251 hr 26 min

Danny McBride on the Premiere of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ S4. Plus, ‘The White Lotus’ E4 and ‘Severance’ E8.

Chris and Andy talk about the trailer for ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 that was released last week (4:39), the latest episode of ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3, and the many secrets the characters are keeping from one another four episodes in (13:11). Then they break down ‘Severance’ S2E8 (39:32) before they are joined by Danny McBride to talk about the premiere of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Season 4 and how that celebrity cameo came to be (1:04:24). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Danny McB...

Mar 10, 20251 hr 42 min

The Case for Watching ‘Paradise’ E7. Plus, ‘The Pitt’ E10 and Remembering Gene Hackman

Chris and Andy take a moment to remember Gene Hackman, the one-of-one actor who passed away last week (7:00). Then they talk about the last two episodes of ‘Paradise’ and make the case for why Episode 7 of the show may be in contention for best episode of the year (12:20). Finally, they discuss the latest episode of ‘The Pitt’ and the show’s ability to make the audience feel deeply attached to every character (46:14). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Senior Producer: Kaya McMullen Video Prod...

Mar 07, 20251 hr 17 min
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