The Pop Break

Alex Marcus

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. 12h ago

    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

  2. 6d ago

    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!

  3. Aug 5

    TV Break: August 2026 - Reviews of House of the Dragon, Batman: Caped Crusader, X-Men '97, Spy x Family, Buddy Daddies, & Rurouni Kenshin

    Welcome to TV Break, where Pop Break’s Director of Podcasting Alex Marcus is joined by editor-in-chief Bill Bodkin, and TV Columnist Josh Sarnecky to talk about the happenings in television. Here’s the format of the show: The Best Thing I Saw on TV Last Month  – Alex, Bill, & Josh talk about a show/episode/event they liked from the last month including Prime Video’s Batman: Caped Crusader, HBO Max’s House of the Dragon, and Disney Plus’s X-Men ‘97.  ANIME AUGUST ROUNDUP – This month, your trio of TV triumphantalists take a break from TV news and new series to run through some of their favorite anime series, including Hulu/DisneyPlus’s Spy x Family, Crunchyroll’s Buddy Daddies, and Netflix’s Rurouni Kenshin remake.

    TV Break: August 2026 - Reviews of House of the Dragon, Batman: Caped Crusader, X-Men '97, Spy x Family, Buddy Daddies, & Rurouni Kenshin

  4. Aug 3

    Batman By The Numbers: Emergency SDCC 2026 DC Comics News

    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. EMERGENCY EPISODE! We’ve got a special bonus episode this month on Batman by the Numbers, as Pop Break’s Director of Podcasting Alex Marcus made the trip to San Diego Comic-Con this year, where he was able to attend the DC Comics Panel.  It was a star-studded lineup that included Scott Snyder, Matt Fraction, and many others! Alex breaks down all the big Batman comics coming our way, including a special crossover event with Absolute Batman, a comic just recently covered by Kris and Alex on the podcast.  Alex also breaks down a couple other notable comics coming our way, including Batman: Bad Seed, a storyline that takes place over the course of one day. Aside from the comics talk, Alex gives us the vibes, sights, and sounds of San Diego Comic-Con with regards to DC, including all the buzz surrounding Lanterns, in which the crew close out the episode with their thoughts on the new trailer. If you’ve been keeping up with Batman comics, or thinking about maybe, possibly, could be interested in getting back into comics (like Dan!), this episode is a GREAT listen!  Your interest will be piqued!

    Batman By The Numbers: Emergency SDCC 2026 DC Comics News

  5. Aug 1

    Bill vs. The MCU: Phase 6 Part 3 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

    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. This month, Alex & Bill bring their seven month journey through the web crawling world of Peter Parker and his amazing friends to a close with their instant reaction to Phase 6’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. To kick things off, your hosts give you some on location audio as they provide final pre-screening predictions for the film in the back of a classic New Jersey Diner. Then immediately after the screening, Alex & Bill ran back to their car in an extremely overcrowded parking lot to give you their instant reaction to all the highs and lows of this astonishing installment of Peter Parker’s journey as he steps into adulthood to contend with past choices and new, unseen threats! Come back at the end of August for the start of their next season of Bill vs. The MCU entitled Agents of SHIELD Doomsday, as your favorite Marvel podcasters breakdown the world ending arcs of Agents of SHIELD’s final seasons while they get ready for Avengers: Doomsday this fall. First up is Agents of SHIELD Season 5 Episodes 1-10, also known as the World Destroyed arc, available to stream on Disney Plus!

    Bill vs. The MCU: Phase 6 Part 3 - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  6. Jul 31

    Podelay: The Information, 2006

    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 ninth episode, Justin, Kris, and Randy dig into a less celebrated record in Beck’s discography that still has its strengths. They find Beck’s anthem to his upset stomach strangely relatable, wonder about the originally proposed Dave Eggers/Spike Jonze commentary track, and find reason to disagree with an otherwise reliable Beck biographer. 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 – Think I’m in Love Kris – Strange Apparition Randy – Nausea   It’s a Loser, Baby (A Song We Don’t Like So Much) Justin – 1000BPM Kris – The Horrible Fanfare/Landslide/Exoskeleton Randy – Motorcade (qualified)   Sing It Again (A Favorite Lyric) Justin – Dark Star Kris – Strange Apparition Randy – New Round   Such a Beautiful Way (A Favorite Musical Moment) Justin – Soldier Jane Kris – Dark Star Randy – Cellphone’s Dead   Other Artists We’ve Been Listening To: Justin – Clutch Kris – James Taylor, 311, Led Zeppelin, Blink-182, Styx Randy – Wilco

    Podelay: The Information, 2006

  7. Jul 28

    Bill vs. The MCU: Inside Marvel's SDCC 2026 Hall H Panel (Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, & Black Panther 3)

    In this special episode of Bill vs. The MCU, Alex and Bill give their reactions to all the news related to the MCU that broke out of this year’s San Diego Comic Con, including reactions to new footage from Avengers: Doomsday and Spider-Man: Brand New Day and casting news related to Black Panther 3.  Plus, Alex provides a detailed account of everything he experienced over the two days he spent outside on line and inside Hall H. Wristband melodrama, line cutters, sleeping overnight on sidewalks, concessions fist fights, and Herbie the robots’ surprise appearances are all discussed, as is a detailed run through of the entire panel, blow by blow.Come back later this week for Bill and Alex’s instant reactions to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in theaters this Friday, as they put a cap on their six month tour through the highs and lows of Spider-Man’s filmography!

    Bill vs. The MCU: Inside Marvel's SDCC 2026 Hall H Panel (Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, & Black Panther 3)

  8. Jul 24

    Blerd Watchers: Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, The Reacher Report, House of the Dragon Mid Season Check In, The Vampire Lestat and The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4

    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! Marshall and Courtney start, as usual, with Entertainment News and Rumours, including their new sub segment, The Reacher Report! This touches on all the news regarding Amazon's Reacher Universe! After that, they get caught up on new trailers for shows and movies they are interested in, including The Avatar movie coming to Paramount + and a new Pedro Pascal thriller coming to theaters!  From there they get into the shows they are currently watching, including House of the Dragon on HBO Max (Beware of Book Spoilers!) and The Vampire Lestat on AMC+!  Finally, they review Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, and answer the question of "Was it Good?" before switching gears and covering Season 2 of Bloodhounds, also on Netflix. This month's pod ends with their thoughts on the stellar season 4 of The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime!

    Blerd Watchers: Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, The Reacher Report, House of the Dragon Mid Season Check In, The Vampire Lestat and The Legend of Vox Machina Season 4
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4
out of 5
8 Ratings

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
    801
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alex Marcus
  • Show Website
    The Pop Break