The Pop Break

Alex Marcus
  • 4.0 (8)
  • TV & Film
  • Updated Semiweekly

The Pop Break is a collection of podcasts executive produced by Pop Break Director Alex Marcus, featuring the very best conversations about television, film, music, anime, wrestling, and more! This includes weekly pods like Roses & Rejections on Wednesdays, providing coverage of the best of reality dating, as well as new episodes of monthly podcasts like The Anniversary Bros, TV Break, Not Couple Goals, Blerd Watchers, Anime x Pop, Batman By The Numbers, & Bill vs. The MCU every Monday and Friday!

  1. 1d ago

    Podelay: Modern Guilt, 2008

    This is Podelay, a podcast dedicated to alternative rock pioneer Beck Hansen! After completing their Pod of Doom series, Randy Allain (Media/Lit) and Justin Mancini (TheCineMaverick.com) are back to take on a whole new genre. Our resident music podcasters are joined by Kris Ingersoll of Batman by the Numbers and the Media/Lit podcast, and this time, Randy steps into the host chair so that Justin can discover something new. In the tenth episode, Justin, Kris, and Randy discuss Beck’s first project with Danger Mouse behind the boards. They double-down on their penchant for blues guitar, contemplate the ideal Beck track for department store shopping, and imagine what a modern Blink-182 would sound like with 2026 anxieties. And as always, they recommend other artists for your listening pleasure. In every episode, each host will spotlight the following: ·        Where It’s At: a track they really like. ·        It’s A Loser, Baby: a track they don’t. ·        Sing It Again: a favorite lyric. ·        Such A Beautiful Way: a favorite musical moment. Join them as they travel to a destination a little up the road from the conversations and the pods you know. Please join us for the show that poses one simple question: I’m a podcast, baby, so why don’t you stream me? Host Picks:   Where It’s At (A Song We Think Is Underrated or Just Really Like) Justin – Volcano Kris – Chemtrails Randy – Modern Guilt   It’s a Loser, Baby (A Song We Don’t Like So Much) Justin – Replica Kris – Soul of a Man Randy – Replica   Sing It Again (A Favorite Lyric) Justin – Youthless Kris – Volcano Randy – Walls   Such a Beautiful Way (A Favorite Musical Moment) Justin – Chemtrails Kris – Soul of a Man Randy – Chemtrails   Other Artists We’ve Been Listening To: Justin – Kate Bush Kris – The Paradox Randy – The Velvet Underground

    Podelay: Modern Guilt, 2008

  2. 2d ago

    Roses & Rejections: Love Island Season 8 Reunion

    Your reality TV besties have arrived! Michelle Chapman and ⁠Mostly Nitpicking⁠’s DJ Chapman are dishing on all the drama, delusion, and occasionally genuine emotion from your favorite dating and competition shows. Love is Blind? Covered. RuPaul's Drag Race? Absolutely. The entire Bachelor franchise and whatever Netflix dropped this week? Honey, they watched it so you don't have to — but honestly, you should watch it too. Michelle and DJ are back with special guest Allie Nelson of Not Couple Goals to break down the Love Island Season 8 reunion. They cover all of the updates, which have some panelists more excited than others. They give their pitches on how the reunion could be reformatted to be more exciting. They wrap up with a preview of Let's Marry Harry and an update on the shows they missed while they were away.

    Roses & Rejections: Love Island Season 8 Reunion

  3. 5d ago

    The Pop Break Presents: The Best Pop Culture Vacation Destination (Live at SDCC 2026)

    The Pop Break's Alex Marcus and Amanda Rivas appeared on stage at San Diego Comic Con 2026 alongside Gigi Ford, Brandon Jackson, Derick McDuff, and Jason Patrick Galit. They debate the best fictional locations to visit in all of pop culture, from superhero worlds, fantasy lands, Star Wars planets, and animated environments! Full Video of the event available at our YouTube channel!

    The Pop Break Presents: The Best Pop Culture Vacation Destination (Live at SDCC 2026)

  4. Aug 28

    Batman By The Numbers: HBO's Lanterns Premiere PLUS Amazon Prime Video's Batman: Caped Crusader S2

    There’s arguably no superhero in existence that has been reimagined, redefined, or reinterpreted more than Batman.  No matter how many times he’s been rebooted, audiences are always willing to come back to Gotham City’s greatest defender.  With so much Bat content out there, there’s plenty to dissect, analyze, and of course, rank!  This podcast is dedicated to a surgical evaluation of Batman’s history, with a focus on ranking several topics in the world of Batman, among other classic Bat themes and characters. Join hosts Daniel Cohen, Pop Break’s former Film Editor, and Kris Ingersoll, co-host of the Media/Lit podcast, as they bring on several guests every month to share their passion for the one and only Dark Knight.  From Adam West to Robert Pattinson, no bat stone will be left unturned.  Bottom-line: If you’re a Batman fan, this is required listening. It’s just Daniel and Kris in the Batcave this month, and it’s all about TV.  One live action.  One animated.  Lanterns and Batman: Caped Crusader Season 2.  One of these we were very positive on.  The other one…not as much. First, we dive into the pilot episode of Lanterns.  And yes, SPOILERS abound.  We’ve been building up to this one for a while.  Did it live up to expectations?  We heavily discuss the two leads, as we break down how Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre fare as Hal Jordan and John Stewart.  We discuss that BIG ending, and what it may mean for the DCU going forward.  And we reflect on the good and potentially bad when it comes to the Damon Lindelof of it all. Next up, it’s a full-on SPOILER breakdown of all 10 episodes of Season 2 for Batman: Caped Crusader.  We compare it to Season 1, focusing heavily on how they handle new versions of classic villains.   Did Daniel like this Riddler interpretation!!!???   We also get into A LOT of Joker talk.  Did they nail the most important conflict in the Batman mythos?  We also discuss what we liked, and didn’t like regarding Batman himself, and the two delve into their favorite, and least favorite episodes of the season. Also, if you like Daniel getting things wrong, he does so with one of the villains this season, so that’s reason enough to listen! Enjoy this JAM-PACKED TV focused episode!

    Batman By The Numbers: HBO's Lanterns Premiere PLUS Amazon Prime Video's Batman: Caped Crusader S2

  5. Aug 26

    Bill vs. The MCU: Agents of Doomsday Part 1 - SHIELD S5E1-10; D23 X-Men Cast Reaction; Sony Spider-Verse Rankings!

    Hello and welcome to Bill vs the MCU! Each month your hosts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Pop Break Podcasting Director Alex Marcus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pop Break Editor in Chief Bill Bodkin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are taking another step into the wider Marvel Multiverse as the MCU dives deeper into their Multiverse Saga. Bill & Alex spent all of 2022 rewatching the first four phases of the MCU, and, in the years since, they have covered the first four seasons of Agents of SHIELD, the entire Netflix Defenders Saga, Fox’s X-Men,  Fantastic Four, and Daredevil films, the Blade trilogy, a few Punisher films, Ang Lee’s Hulk, Marvel’s Modern Animation line up of shows, and, most recently, Sony’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man related films. Welcome to Season 9 of Bill vs The MCU: Agents of Doomsday, where Alex & Bill cover all the most apocalyptic Agents of SHIELD and Agent Carter seasons in anticipation of Avengers: Doomsday this December! This month, it’s all about Agents of SHIELD S5 E1-10, where their favorite agents wake up in space, in the future, and in front of an earth that’s allegedly been exploded into tiny pieces by our favorite inhuman super-spy, Daisy “Quake” Johnson, destroyer of worlds.  However! Before they get there, Bill and Alex break down the latest X-Men casting news out of D23. They also circle back from last month’s cliffhanger, by ranking all 17 Sony Picture’s Spider-Man and Spider-Man Adjacent movies!  Check back next month as Alex & Bill deep dive on Agents of SHIELD Season 5 Episodes 11-22, also known as the Save The Future arc, available to stream on Disney Plus!

    Bill vs. The MCU: Agents of Doomsday Part 1 - SHIELD S5E1-10; D23 X-Men Cast Reaction; Sony Spider-Verse Rankings!

  6. Aug 24

    Anime x Pop: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Deep Dive PLUS My Adventures with Superman, Tomb Raider King, and D23 KINGDOM HEARTS ANIME TEASER

    There’s never a dull moment in the world of anime and Pop Break is diving right into the action! Join anime enthusiasts Amanda Rivas and Josh Sarnecky as they geek out monthly with dedicated experts and special guests on exciting anime news, trending anime in TV and/or movies, and anime recommendations spanning different genres that everyone should be watching. If you are a lifelong anime lover or taking the initial leap into the genre that has something for everyone, this is the podcast for you! Join us as we talk about the explosive final cour of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity! Our enthusiasts take a stroll through the anime content minds to discuss favorite series they’ve been watching recently, including Josh’s continued recommendations of Marriage Toxin and anime-adjacent My Adventures with Superman and Amanda’s recommendations of Tomb Raider King and The Ogre’s Bride. All recommendations are found on Crunchyroll except for My Adventures of Superman, which is on HBO Max.  In Anime News, they talk about D23’s announcement on the upcoming Kingdom Hearts anime and what they are most excited to see coming out of Anime NYC.  In their feature review section, our enthusiasts discuss all three major Bankai revealed this season, Ichigo’s and Orihime’s on-going battle with Yhwach, their theories on the remainder of the season and so much more!

    Anime x Pop: Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Deep Dive PLUS My Adventures with Superman, Tomb Raider King, and D23 KINGDOM HEARTS ANIME TEASER

  7. Aug 16

    The Anniversary Brothers: Stand by Me 40th Anniversary

    Aaron and Josh Sarnecky are here to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Stand by Me. Stand by Me is a coming-of-age drama film directed by Rob Reiner. It an adaptation of the Stephen King novella The Body with a screenplay by Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans. The movie title comes from the Ben E. King song of the same name. It opened nationwide on August 22, 1986. In the film, Gordie Lachance (Richard Dreyfuss, Wil Wheaton) recounts how in 1959 he and his friends Chris (River Phoenix), Teddy (Corey Feldman), and Verne (Jerry O’Connell) went looking for a dead body. Along the way, we learn about the boys’ problems. The four come into conflict with Castle Rock’s gang of bullies, led by Ace (Kiefer Sutherland).  The film also introduces us to Gordie’s deceased older brother, Denny (John Cusack), via flashback. Stand by Me was a critical and commercial success, grossing $52 million domestically on an $8 million budget. It was hailed as one of the top 10 films of 1986 by the National Board of Review and nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars.  The film continues to attract tourists from around the word to Brownsville, Oregon, where much it was filmed. The town has an annual Stand by Me Day on the fourth Saturday in July. Stephen King also remembers the film fondly, listing it as his favorite adaptation of his work, along with The Shawshank Redemption. Aaron talks about watching the movie years ago and then watching it again, while Josh talks about watching Stand by Me for the first time. They go into the plot, performances, and the scant few differences between the movie and the novella, which they both read in preparation. They also discuss Rob Reiner’s filmography and other Stephen King adaptations.  For another classic movie from 1986, you can listen to last month’s podcast on Aliens. Stand by Me is streaming on HBO Max

    The Anniversary Brothers: Stand by Me 40th Anniversary

  8. Aug 10

    Blerd Watchers: Spiderman: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, House of The Dragon, and Avatar: The Legend of Aang!

    Welcome to Blerd Watchers! ThePopBreak.com's monthly podcast about TV shows with a Blerdy twist! Come hang out with Courtney & Marshall, two married Blerds, as they navigate all the dopeness on TV and share insights and opinions on the monthly show topics! In this episode, your dynamic duo kick things off with Entertainment News and Rumours, before jumping into Snap Trailer Reactions including a special Reacher Report on BOTH Reacher show trailers, among other bangers! After that, they head to Kansas City Missouri (maybe?) to catch up on Ted Lasso Season 4! Dragons then take flight, as they break down the back half of House of the Dragon (Note: This episode was recorded prior to this week’s season finale). Then, they put on their movie critic hats and give in-depth thoughts and impressions on Avatar: The Legend of Aang, The Odyssey (including Marshall's Top 5 Nolan Films) and Spiderman: Brand New Day!

    Blerd Watchers: Spiderman: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, House of The Dragon, and Avatar: The Legend of Aang!
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4
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About

The Pop Break is a collection of podcasts executive produced by Pop Break Director Alex Marcus, featuring the very best conversations about television, film, music, anime, wrestling, and more! This includes weekly pods like Roses & Rejections on Wednesdays, providing coverage of the best of reality dating, as well as new episodes of monthly podcasts like The Anniversary Bros, TV Break, Not Couple Goals, Blerd Watchers, Anime x Pop, Batman By The Numbers, & Bill vs. The MCU every Monday and Friday!

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Marcus
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    807
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alex Marcus
  • Show Website
    The Pop Break