Episode 191 - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE

In 2004, Napoleon Dynamite was something rarer than a liger and more precious than a working time machine: a nationwide word-of-mouth hit. Its deadpan humor, quirky characters, and tacky aesthetics add up to an infinitely quotable 95-minute mixtape of wholesome Americana and nostalgic ephemera. And along the way, it becomes an emotionally rewarding journey of surviving teenage exasperation, embarrassment, and slack-jawed boredom. Lucky!

We listen to our hearts as Jack Stovold helps make all our wildest podcast dreams come true. It's probably the best episode we've ever done.

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Directed by Jared Hess
Written by Jared and Jerusha Hess
Starring Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell, Efren Ramirez, Tina Majorino, Haylie Duff, Shondrella Avery, and Diedrich Bader

Episode 190 - BOY MEETS WORLD

The standard-bearer of ABC's famed TGIF lineup throughout the '90s, Boy Meets World served up a weekly dose of warmth, wackiness, and wholesome teen romance. But even then, we knew that the show's real love story wasn't Cory and Topanga - it was Cory and Shawn, a bestie bromance for the ages. Toss in the gang's textbook co-dependency with mentor figure Mr. Feeny, and this is a sitcom steeped in playful psychological shenanigans.

Manny Lozano helps us pick up on the obvious-in-retrospect signals as we spend quality time with this formative family sitcom, and find that its heart and humor still resonate more than two decades later.

Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
Created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly
Starring Ben Savage, Rider Strong, Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle, Betsy Randle, William Russ, Lily Nicksay, Lindsay Ridgeway, Anthony Tyler Quinn, Trina McGee-Davis, Matthew Lawrence, Maitland Ward, and William Daniels

Episodes featured in this podcast:

"Teacher's Bet" (aired 11/19/1993)
"Chick Like Me" (aired 1/31/1997)
"Cult Fiction" (aired 4/25/1997)
"It's Not You...It's Me" (aired 10/17/1997)
"And Then There Was Shawn" (aired 2/27/1998)
"Brave New World" (aired 5/5/2000)