After listening to 50 episodes, I can firmly assert that this podcast is an absolute joy to experience. As a huge horror fan, I appreciate the passion and dedication that Captain and Wilson have for reviewing all types of movies within the genre, from the classics and top tier films, to the absolute bottom of the barrel trash we love to hate. The rapport, chemistry, and natural banter between these two is unmatched, and I find their ability to rib each other constantly and with such affection to be quite endearing. The hosts play off each other’s personalities well, from the sharp wit and dry humor of Wilson (his type of humor being my favorite kind when done well and naturally), to the absolute uplifting energy and sidesplitting sass of Captain.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the hilarious intros and real-life anecdotes mixed with commentary and “hot goss” throughout the host’s movie summaries and reviews; and while they may sidetrack onto tangents that could have little to no relevance to the topic at hand, they always manage to keep the conversation lively and engaging for the listener-I honestly find myself wanting to hear about their own life stories more than the movie itself on occasion. I appreciate the effort they put into researching facts about the movie itself and its director and actors, and even when they are lacking in this department, they oftentimes admit to their own lack of preparation and roll smoothly forward without skipping a beat (after making fun of themselves of course). I’ve learned so many interesting things about movies I had already seen countless times before, and the podcast has encouraged me to look even further into movies than I had in the past.
Listening to episodes from the very beginning of this 5-year podcast all the way up to the present has made me appreciate the fact that Captain and Wilson are willing to admit mistakes that they have made, even if they are small, simple things like remembering actor names, and have very clearly made the effort to improve their podcast over time and take into account the constructive critiques they’ve received (ie. attempting to limit their intros to a certain time period and cutting down on distracting sounds-which for some viewers such as myself are actually some of the most entertaining parts of the listen). I think it is important to note that making these episodes is not an easy feat, and one can easily see the marked growth of the quality and professionalism of the podcast over time.
I personally think that starting somewhere towards the middle of the podcast episodes with a couple movies the listener is already familiar with, and then a couple that they are not, would be one of the best ways to dive into the experience. From that point on, the listener should jump to any episode that sounds interesting, as they learn just how unique and hilarious these hosts are as podcasters and people in general. Episode 91 on Critters is absolute MUST LISTEN, as Captain and Wilson were somehow able to pull off interviewing Dee Wallace, who (for me) is known for being absolutely brilliant as the mother in Cujo.
I appreciate the critical thought and analysis given to the themes, direction, storytelling, acting, and all manner of facets of these movies that Captain and Wilson provide, and when the movie really is too bad to merit a serious review, the two of them deliver more entertainment combined with their commentary on it then the film ever could itself. You really have to experience the podcast yourself to find out what’s so special about their style, and while I certainly don’t always agree with what either of the podcasters are saying on a particular topic or movie, I feel like I would be so welcome into the conversation to voice my opinion if I were sitting next to them. When these two are in their element and on a roll, which is so often the case, they are so funny and I think the podcast serves its purpose extremely well. There are so many hidden gems of episodes that are best experienced firsthand, though I will say specifically that any episode Wilson actually gets drunk (and you can tell when his true sass comes out), or when Captain tells one of her hysterical real life stories (“Kitty Spitty” made me pee my pants, but I won’t reveal which episode that story is on-you should find out for yourself) has me wanting to spit out my drink and absolutely makes my day a hundred times better.
This is a such a feel-good podcast and such a nice way to digest and explore horror movies and the genre in general with an atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable and entertained. While you can tell the hosts are having an absolute blast every time they make an episode, you can also tell that they have a deep love and appreciation for movies and discussions, which I find to be just as important. I am looking forward to seeing them grow even more as they move past 100 episodes and 5 years of hard work! I apologize for the long-winded review (which is actually much shorter than I originally planned it to be) but I believe Captain and Wilson deserve the time and effort. In my opinion, this podcast could be summed up as the feeling of chilling on the couch with your best friends, drinking and snacking while cracking jokes, all the while experiencing and discussing horror movies with people that genuinely care for and appreciate them. Try it out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed.
