Pop Trash Podcast

TV Movie Biopics: Gone Too Soon

We're comparing the small-screen life stories of three superstars who left us early: Elvis, Jayne Mansfield, and Grace Kelly (as portrayed by Kurt Russell, Loni Anderson, and Cheryl Ladd). Revisit how TV movie biopics delivered big ratings for networks in the 70s - 90s, long before they were Oscar-baiting theatrical events.

Pop Culture Predictions for 2023

It’s our second annual attempt at predicting what will resurface in pop culture nostalgia! As we head into a new year, look back at what psychic friends Eric and Mike got right or wrong about 2022 and then peer into the future to see what’s to come.

Christmas Hams

Get an extra helping of ham as special guest Ben Pickard joins us for an episode full of holiday cheer! Three wise men bearing vintage holiday TV offerings discuss The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and A Mom for Christmas. Plus, test your retro smarts with a bonus trivia game that stretches the limits of our Loretta Swit knowledge.

Sportsball

What do Burt Reynolds, Penny Marshall, Reba McEntire, and Bruce Boxleitner have in common? They all know the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that comes with acting in competitive sports films. This episode, we're talking sports themed made-for-TV movies from the 70s - 90s!

Dangerous Women

There's no denying made-for-TV movies built around the "dangerous woman" genre are a huge part of TV history. We revisit A Woman Scorned, Mother Knows Best, and Face of Evil to relish in the camp performances by three actresses playing unhinged characters.

Ripped from the Headlines

Scandalous news and made-for-TV movies are a match made in nostalgia heaven. Hosts Mike and Eric talk about a pair of 1990s movies based on true stories that gripped the nation. We follow America's growing fascination with the tabloid gossip of the time which probably paved the way for bizarre reality shows in the years that followed.

Comedy, Capers, and Kitsch

Most people probably expect "drama" when they think about the TV movie genre, but some made-for-TV comedies indeed do exist. Judith Light singing in a bowling alley? David Hasselhoff pretending to be gay? Carol Burnett stuck in suburban hell? Get your funny bones ready for our season 3 opening episode all about TV movies making room for laughs on the network's schedule.

Made-for-TV Movie History: Season 3 Teaser

Get a sneak peek of season 3! Tune in for a TV Movie bonanza, as we look at the legacy of network made-for-television events and the impact they had on 20th century pop culture. All season we'll be digging up some lesser-known movie gems from the depths of TV entertainment history. 

TV Finale Flops

This “Top of the Flops” season finale revisits infamous final episodes of popular TV shows that missed the mark with audiences. Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones discuss several ways a beloved series can turn a swan song into a swan dive. Along the way, we make the case for what happened that botched the last episodes of “Seinfeld” and “Quantum Leap.”

Zero Fresh Tomatoes

When every critic gives a negative review to a film, it gets a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But do all certified zeroes actually deserve their bad reputation? Hosts Eric Grigs and Mike Jones are here to squash a few movie flop myths. We’re discussing "Jaws: The Revenge" and "Killing Me Softly" to see if we can squeeze out a little more juice from these crushed tomatoes.