Crossing Streams

Craig Elsten
  • 4.8 (56)
  • TV & FILM
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

San Diego radio vet Craig Elsten is joined each week by a rotating cast of top voices to talk about streaming TV, current and past shows, and much more. Each week is a different show and co-host.

  1. JAN 18

    #267: 2026 Streaming TV Platform Review (with Drew Steck)

    The annual tradition is back! Drew Steck joins Craig Elsten and Chris Reed to go through the major streaming television platforms with a cost/value review. How have the prices changed since the first time we did this in 2021? Where is the value? How have streaming pro sports impacted the value of various platforms? Where's the best content? The guys do a draft format, picking round-by-round the platforms they use and enjoy the most. Let us know what your platform bundle is by emailing the show at: crossingstreamstvpodcast@gmail.com

    1h 53m

  2. JAN 6

    #266: The Top-10 TV Shows of 2025

    After an unexpected holiday break, Craig Elsten and Chris Reed are back for their 2025 year-end show...who cares if it came out in the first week of 2026! First, Craig offers two favorite shows of the year that don't quite fit in the list. Then. Chris and Craig alternate moving up their list to deliver their top-10 shows of the year! Lastly, Craig has some honorable mentions. Enjoy a podcast we work all year long to bring to you, the Top-10!

    1h 33m
  3. #265: Pluribus Episodes 7-9 (Finale Review)

    12/28/2025

    #265: Pluribus Episodes 7-9 (Finale Review)

    Craig Elsten and Chris Reed are back with the penultimate podcast of 2025, as they take on the final three episodes of the first season of Pluribus, on AppleTV. This is one of the most thought-provoking series of the year, and Craig and Chris spend a large portion of the show analyzing the key themes we've learned about over the course of the season, especially as we learn more about The Others, how they operate and what they are ultimately on Earth to do. One of the best shows of the year! Email us at: crossingstreamstvpodcast@gmail.com with your thoughts! TIME CODES :30 Intro/housekeeping 3:15 Big thoughts on the hive mind 9:00 Vince Gilligan trusting and challenging his audience 15:45 Humanity put into servitude for a future invader 25:00 Carol as an avatar for white entitlement 32:30 Manousos is an avatar for…? The classic mythical hero? 39:30 Isolation took a real toll on Carol 44:45 thoughts on the ATOM BOMB 50:45 do they need an atom bomb or just some screaming? 54:45 Carol under the mist of Zosia post-kiss 1:01:45 Final thoughts on the season as a whole 1:05:30 What We’re Watching

    1h 20m
  4. #264: Interview with Amelia Campbell from The Chair Company

    12/22/2025

    #264: Interview with Amelia Campbell from The Chair Company

    Craig and Chris are joined from New York by Amelia Campbell, who plays Amanda on The Chair Company. Chris and Amelia are old friends from a Shakespeare production in San Diego, and the podcast gets into her casting process for The Chair Company, working with Tim Robinson and much more!

    49 min
  5. #263: The Chair Company & Stranger Things 5 Part One

    12/20/2025

    #263: The Chair Company & Stranger Things 5 Part One

    this is a rarity: Craig Elsten and Chris Reed are out of alignment on this episode of Crossing Streams! One host really likes one of the two shows covered and kind of tolerated the other, while the other host REALLY didn't like one of the two shows, and truly enjoyed the other. Who's who, and which is which? Listen and find out, as we cover HBO's The Chair Company, and Netflix's tentpole teen drama Stranger Things 5 (Part One)! :30 Intro 2:00 a quick note on the Oscars moving to YouTube 9:30 The Chair Company discussion 36:25 Stranger Things 5 discussion 1:06:30 What We’re Watching

    1h 21m
  6. #262: Pluribus Episodes 4-6 Review

    12/09/2025

    #262: Pluribus Episodes 4-6 Review

    Vince Gilligan's new show Pluribus is looking like it might just be a masterpiece. On this episode of Crossing Streams, Craig Elsten and Chris Reed take a look at the big themes and moments from episodes 4-6 of the first season. The show contains spoilers for all six episodes of the series to date.  SHOW TIME CODES :30 Intro 4:00 quick housekeeping 5:30 Episodes 4-6 had a theme: discovery for Carol 10:00 Rhea Seehorn is carrying the rock for Pluribus, but we will meet Manousos 14:30 Jeff Hiller appearance! 18:00 Carol’s diabolical plot to learn the truth in episode 4 23:00 Manousos can’t get here from there 27:45 The crazy visuals and methodical montages of episode 5 34:00 The Hamlin-Phone 36:00 transitioning to episode 6 and Empty Las Vegas 38:45 Pluribus as an allegory for AI re: Diabate in Vegas 44:15 you down with HDP? 48:15 The Others are colonizers and consent hypocrites 54:00 circling back to Koumba’s role and viewpoint 59:45 What We’re Watching

    1h 18m
  7. #261: Is Death By Lightning Shockingly Good? (Full Review)

    11/28/2025

    #261: Is Death By Lightning Shockingly Good? (Full Review)

    Craig Elsten and Chris Reed get together on the eve of Thanksgiving to go over Netflix's historical drama Death By Lightning. One of the hosts liked it a little bit more than the other, but there's a lot to unpack with an All-Star cast and a fascinating look at a less-known time in American history.  SHOW TIME CODES :30 Intro, giving thanks to our audience and co-host 5:00 Getting into Death By Lightning 8:30 over-arching thoughts on the limited series 14:00 appreciating the four-episode run time 16:30 who had the most dynamic performance in the series? 21:45 Matthew McFadyen’s performance as Giteau 25:00 the crazy lax security around Garfield 28:15 the best wig of 2025 31:30 did Death By Lightning take liberties with history? 35:00 a slow finish—reflecting on Garfield’s legacy 40:00 Giteau’s final moments 44:15 What We’re Watching

    54 min
  8. #260: Pluribus Episodes 1-3 Review

    11/15/2025

    #260: Pluribus Episodes 1-3 Review

    Craig Elsten and Chris Reed return for episode #260 of Crossing Streams, taking on perhaps the TV event of 2025 in Vince Gilligan's new series, Pluribus, for Apple TV. In the (short) non-spoiler zone the guys offer their general thoughts on the series and on Gilligan's talent. Then in the spoiler zone, a look at everything which has made the first three episodes of Pluribus so riveting, thought-provoking and funny. Both guys said after recording this was their favorite podcast of the year, so please enjoy! SUBJECT TIME CODE MENU :30 Intro/housekeeping NON-SPOILER ZONE 3:40 Opening thoughts on Pluribus from both hosts 10:15 Vince Gilligan is in his bag and a master of his craft SPOILER ZONE 13:15 The first episode of Pluribus is an all-timer 15:15 The art of “show don’t tell” 19:00 Rhea Seehorn’s performance as Carol 24:00 Does Carol have a drinking problem? Is she a reliable narrator? 29:00 The surprising humor of Pluribus 37:00 Is The Joining a metaphor for Heaven? 41:30 Is The Joining a utopia or are The Others concealing a lot still? 45:00 the use of the countdown/count-up clock as a storytelling device 55:30 What We’re Watching If you like this podcast, please give us a five-star review and/or kind written review on your podcast platform of choice, and thanks as always for your time and support!

    1h 5m
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4.8
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

San Diego radio vet Craig Elsten is joined each week by a rotating cast of top voices to talk about streaming TV, current and past shows, and much more. Each week is a different show and co-host.

Information

  • Creator
    Craig Elsten
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    288
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright Craig Elsten
  • Show Website
    Crossing Streams

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