We’re back with another podcast under quarantine to discuss the newest streaming service Quibi. Our opinions will take more than eight minutes.

We’re back after last week’s hiatus to talk to you about Quibi. Founded by Meg Whitman and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Quibi makes a bold claim that it offers “Quick bites. Big stories.” But after browsing through a few series, is the platform big enough to compete with Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime and many, many more? What stories were big enough to stand out to us? Which stories would keep us coming back for more? Find out as we review the new streaming service Quibi.

But first, we return to Corona(virus) Corner to discuss the latest television and movies we’ve seen during the quarantine. We cover FX’s Mrs. America, Saturday Night Live at Home, and more.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io

“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)

License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The Water Cooler Gang continues their Most Iconic Directors series with a look at Pedro Almodóvar’s first Oscar-nominated feature, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.

Last month, we kicked off our Most Iconic Directors series with The Almodóvar Series, a monthly look at the films and legacy of Spain’s Pedro Almodóvar. This week, we continue that exploration with his first Oscar-nominated feature. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a black comedy/drama hybrid as only Almodóvar could deliver. You can easily see the larger budget and filmmaking maturity since our last visit with Labyrinth of Passion. But what is it about Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown that inspired the Academy to nominate it? We look at that question coupled with our reactions to the film. Plus, we’re joined by Kevin Dillon who actually saw the stage musical based on the film.

Next month’s entry will be Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! with special guest Jim Keller.

But first, we engage in our weekly therapy session, Corona(virus) Corner. We continue to share what we’ve been watching since we’ve been sequestered.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io

“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)

License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Composer Mark Isham talks about creating themes for the main characters of the Hulu hit limited series Little Fires Everywhere.

Music can make or break the mood of a series. If there is too much, it’s intrusive or pulls focus from the story and the characters. If there is too little, an episode of your favorite drama can feel incomplete. Luckily Mark Isham’s score of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere is grounded in the fraught beats of the story and deepens the emotional depths.

The most important thing about Little Fires is that nothing is black and white. Audiences are afforded the opportunity to make thoughtful arguments for both Reese Witherspoon’s Elena Richardson and Kerry Washington’s Mia Warren. Depending on how you were raised, you may find yourself rooting for one woman at the beginning of one episode, and then your allegiance may switch by the time the next episode ends. Isham, who worked with Florence + the Machine’s Isabella Summers on how to intensify the most dramatic moments–my favorite cue comes at the end of episode four.

Secrets aren’t safe in Shaker Heights–they are bound to come out. Isham and Summers have created a collection of music that urges even us to get involved with the events happening between the families. It’s a beautiful battle cry for us to pick a side.

Note: Intro and exit music provided by Mark Isham from his score for Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere.

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This week, we bring back the Water Cooler Podcast Book Club for Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere and compare it to Hulu’s new limited series adaptation.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a Water Cooler Podcast Book Club entry. Now that we’re (hopefully) all social distancing, it’s time to bring it back. And what a perfect time to do it now that Hulu drops Little Fires Everywhere. The limited series, based on the novel by Celeste Ng, stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington in a story about race, mothers, and the suburbs of middle America. We look at the first three episodes that dropped last Wednesday and compare them to Ng’s original novel. Is this as taut an adaptation as its predecessor Big Little Lies? Or does the limited series stray too far from the source material? And if it does, then is that a good thing? We review both the series and the book Little Fires Everywhere and look at its potential Emmy impact in the unprecedented 2020 Emmy season.

Speaking of unprecedented, we’re all in isolation here at the Water Cooler. When we’re not burning through Little Fires Everywhere or taking much-needed walks in the outdoors, what else are we binging to keep our sanity? For the next few weeks, we’re sharing the media that keeps us grounded in Coronavirus Corner. At least we hope it’s for a few weeks…

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, the Water Cooler Gang lists their most recommended films, television shows, and books to help pass the time while you’re social distancing at home.

We here at the Water Cooler Podcast tend to take things very lightly. We’re often hoping to make you laugh with our left-of-center take on things. Well, we make ourselves laugh anyway. But even we struggle with real-world events, and COVID-19 and its impact on the world is certainly no exception. Like many of you, we’re reducing our footprint in the world. We haven’t seen as many movies as we normally would have. We are trying to keep indoors and away from others to help stop the spread of this virus. But just because we (and you hopefully) are social distancing, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun at home.

Certainly, we hope you’d spend this time indoors with family in constructive ways. But no one can stand that every second of every day, right? So, to help pass your time, we’re offering up books, movies, and television shows for your social distancing or quarantining. Some of our selections give you a relaxing, broad view of the outside world. Some of our selections gear up your cabin fever or increasing sense of isolation. Don’t say we weren’t there for you.

Seriously, though, we do hope everyone is taking this very seriously. Practice social distancing. Stay indoors if you have to if your area is heavily impacted. And please, please, please wash your hands, people. We can’t stress this enough.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, we look at some of the recent announcements regarding the impacts of coronavirus on Emmy campaigning. Plus, we take a look at Drag Race Season 12.

We are joined by Jalal Haddad at the Water Cooler to talk about the latest developments in Emmy campaigning. But we’re also headed into uncharted waters. The rapid spread of coronavirus across the world raised fears within those campaigning for the 2020 Emmy cycle. We talk about what publicity teams plan to ease those fears. How will changes impact the Emmy race? Is coronavirus the x-factor in the 2020 Emmy cycle?

But first, we briefly chat about Invisible Man now that Joey caught up with it. Then, Jalal, Joey, and Megan give an update on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12. What do they think of the newest season, now airing on Showtime? Finally, Jalal brings us up to speed on last week’s dramatic episode of Grey’s Anatomy.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Next week, we jump back into the Water Cooler Book Club with Celeste Ng’s Little Fires Everywhere. We’re reviewing the book in advance of March 18’s Hulu limited series, so make sure you’ve read the book to play along at home!

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, new AD TV writer Shadan Larki joins the Water Cooler gang as she returns from SCAD’s aTV Fest in Atlanta, Georgia. Get to know one of the latest additions to Team ADTV!

Joey, Megan and Clarence are thrilled to be joined by one of Awards Daily TV’s newest writers, Shadan Larki. Shadan recently returned from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD)’s aTV Fest. At aTV Fest, Shadan covered three days of fantastic panels, screenings, and awards presentations. She joins the podcast to tell us all about her trip, her first excursion for Awards Daily. Plus, we spend a little time getting to know Shadan as a person. What are her favorite films, television shows, and other media?

But before that, we jump into the latest in pop culture hotness.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

The Water Cooler Gang kicks off their Most Iconic Directors series with a look at one of Pedro Almodóvar’s first feature films – Labyrinth of Passion.

Last month, we at the Water Cooler asked our listeners to nominate entries for our Most Iconic Directors series. This new series takes the place of the Our Favorite Movies series, which ran over the past two years. Well, you voted, and the winner was Spain’s Pedro Almodóvar. Over the remainder of 2020, we will offer up one of his major films per month, doubling up once to fit in 12 feature films. First up is Laberinto de pasiones or Labyrinth of Passion.

Almodóvar’s second feature film, Labyrinth of Passion marks his first collaboration with Antonio Banderas who appears in a small supporting role. The film itself nearly defies description, full of Almodóvar’s penchant for elaborate, wacky plots and colorful supporting characters. Hated by critics on initial release, the film became a cult favorite and eventually quadrupled its production budget thanks to extended special screenings. We talk about our reactions to the strange film and what initial signs of the overall Almodóvar canon we spot.

If you love Pedro Almodóvar and want to join us for a future episode, please contact Joey (@joeymoser83) on Twitter. We’d love to have you!

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

This week, the Water Cooler gang looks at the 2020 Limited Series premiering in the tail end of the current Emmy season. Plus, who won the Fantasy Oscar race?

The full gang is back at the Water Cooler this week, and we’re talking about the 2020 Emmy race. The Limited Series categories are traditionally our favorite races. However, the first half of the 2020 Emmy season provided only a few truly strong contenders, led by Netflix’s Unbelievable. So, what awards possibilities do we have in the 2020 limited series? Reigning champ HBO has three high profile series starring the likes of Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Mark Ruffalo, and Winona Ryder. Will one of their titles defend the crown? What about FX’s Mrs. America and presumed Lead Actress front runner Cate Blancett? And what of Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere? We preview the major titles as we look forward to the 2020 Emmy race.

But first, Joey gives us the final tally for the 2020 Fantasy Oscar race. Clarence and Joey were running close but did Parasite‘s historic Best Picture win put him over the top? Or did Clarence’s acting wins from Renee Zellweger and Laura Dern keep him in the lead?

Plus, we have a special announcement about our 2020 Most Iconic Directors series, focusing on acclaimed director Pedro Almodovar.

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find us!

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Music from https://filmmusic.io
“Cheery Monday” by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com)
License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Jalal joins Megan and Joey at the Water Cooler to dish on the 92nd Academy Awards.

What did you think of this year’s Academy Awards? Was Parasite‘s dominance over the second half of the evening your favorite part? Did a certain presenter make the evening better for you? How about that Eminem performance, huh?

Jalal joins Megan and Joey to talk over everything about this year’s awards–Clarence was resting from his trek to attend the ceremony for the first time. Did we like everything you hated?

We close our podcast, as always, with the Flash Forward to the media we’re most anticipating in the upcoming week.

Thanks for listening and thank you, in advance, for subscribing and rating us on Apple Podcasts!

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