Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast

Surely You Can't Be Serious PC

The pinnacle of infotainment! Crazy stuff you didn’t know about the greatest movies and music of the 80’s, 90’s, and beyond. Hilarity ensues as a research professor and a pop culture savant are pitted against each other in a debate to determine what entertainment icons of film, music, and games are the best of the best of Generation X. https://www.thesurelypodcast.com/

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416 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes416

Newest first

April 7 · 50 min
"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 1
On this special two-part deep dive, Jason and Dee are joined by friends of the show and Patreon all-stars Jill McCormick and Melissa Mingle to tackle the final face-off of the classic John Hughes teen era: Pretty in Pink vs. Some Kind of Wonderful.In...
March 31 · 1 hr
Van Halen "5150" (1986): Track by Track!
Jason and Dee are back with another deep-dive episode of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, and this time they’re tackling one of the most pivotal albums in rock history — Van Halen’s 5150. Track by track, the guys break down every song on the...
March 24 · 1 hr 10 min
Van Halen "1984" (1984): Track by Track!
This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious Podcast, Jason and Dee plug into one of the biggest albums of the decade — 1984 by Van Halen. From the opening synth blast to the final notes, the guys break down every track and every iconic MTV video —...
March 17 · 1 hr 6 min
Top 5 Songs of 1986
Jason and Dee take on what should be a simple task: ranking their Top 5 songs of 1986. Of course, there’s a twist. Thanks to past episodes and the upcoming podcast calendar, huge chunks of the year are completely off-limits—no cuts from albums they’ve...
March 10 · 59 min
Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981): Track by Track!
Jason and Dee roll out the red carpet for one of the most important rock albums of all time as they’re joined by Rush super fans Brad Moore and Tim Epp to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Moving Pictures. Together, they dive deep into the stories...
March 3 · 54 min
REO Speedwagon "Hi Infidelity" (1980): Track by Track!
Jason and Dee fire up the jukebox for one of the biggest albums of the MTV era as they welcome special guest Doug Gray, noted REO Speedwagon expert, to break down 1981’s chart-dominating blockbuster Hi Infidelity. Track by track, the trio digs into...
February 24 · 57 min
Behind the scenes with the Surely Podcast
What really goes on behind the microphone? In this special crossover episode, Jeff Johnson steps in from the A Film Bypodcast to turn the tables on Jason and Dee, asking the questions listeners have always wondered about. How did the show first get...
February 17 · 20 min
Level 5: Defender! (1981) - The Game That Flipped Space Invaders Upside Down
Defender! revolutionized arcade gaming in 1981 with its sideways-scrolling chaos and button-overload controls. In our series finale, we rank all five legendary 1981 games and reveal how we'd spend our last five quarters: Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man,...
February 10 · 17 min
Level 4: Ms. Pac-Man (1981) - College Kids vs. Gaming Giants
College students took on a video game empire—and won. Then they did the impossible: they improved the greatest game ever made. Hear how Ms. Pac-Man became the queen of 1981 arcades, outsmarted the ghost AI, and still looks amazing over 40 years later....
February 3 · 21 min
Level 3: Frogger (1981) - The Untold Story Behind the Arcade Classic
One young woman's courage changed video game history forever. Discover the secret origin of Frogger, explore every way to die (there are many!), hear the iconic music's story, and learn about a record-breaking high score that still amazes. This 1981...
January 27 · 18 min
Level 2: Galaga (1981) - How It Beat Space Invaders at Its Own Game
Galaga took everything Space Invaders started, added Galaxian's colors and sounds, and created a 1981 masterpiece. Discover behind-the-scenes secrets of this arcade legend, insider development stories, and why the Challenging Stage became iconic....
January 20 · 24 min
Level 1: Donkey Kong (1981) - The Popeye Game That Changed Nintendo Forever
Donkey Kong almost starred Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto. Learn the shocking origin story behind Nintendo's 1981 breakthrough hit: the near-fatal lawsuit, how Mario and Donkey Kong got their names, and why their lawyer became immortalized in gaming...
January 13 · 21 min
Level 0: The History of Video Games Before 1981 - Pong to Pac-Man
Why was 1981 the greatest year in arcade gaming history? Before Jason and Dee dive into Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, and Defender, discover the revolutionary games that paved the way. From Pong's simplicity to Space Invaders' invasion...
January 6 · 46 min
"The Breakfast Club" (1985) vs. "St. Elmo's fire" (1985): Part 2
The debate comes to a head. In Episode 2 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast finish their head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. This time, the focus shifts to the cast of St....
Dec 30, 2025 · 57 min
The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. St. Elmo's Fire (1985): Part 1
Two defining films. One generation. And a debate that still hasn’t cooled down. In Episode 1 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast kick off a head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s...
Dec 23, 2025 · 39 min
Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 2 of 2
The madness continues. In Part 2 of their deep dive into the now-infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, Jason and Dee of Surely You Can’t Be Serious are once again joined by the guys from the 30something Movie Podcast to finish what they started. Having...
Dec 22, 2025 · 43 min
Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 1 of 2
What happens when a galaxy far, far away collides with late-1970s variety television and absolutely no one says no? In this very special (and possibly regrettable) episode of Surely You Can’t Be Serious, Jason and Dee are joined by special guest hosts...
Dec 16, 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
No Doubt "Tragic Kingdom" (1995): Track by Track!
On this episode of Surely You Can’t Be Serious, Jason and Dee dive headfirst into one of the defining albums of the 1990s: No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom. The guys trace the band’s painfully slow rise to fame — from the Orange County ska scene and early...
Dec 9, 2025 · 1 hr 9 min
Jewel "Pieces of You" (1995): Track by Track!
This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, Jason and Dee continue their 90s album trilogy by exploring the quiet, unconventional, and deeply heartfelt debut that turned a young Alaskan singer-songwriter into a global sensation—Jewel’s...
Dec 2, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
Alanis Morissette "Jagged Little Pill" (1995): Track by Track!
This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, Jason and Dee dive headfirst into one of the defining albums of the 1990s—Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. The guys trace Alanis’s remarkable rise from Canadian teen pop idol to alt-rock...

Surely You Can't Be Serious Podcast

"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 1

Van Halen "5150" (1986): Track by Track!

Van Halen "1984" (1984): Track by Track!

Top 5 Songs of 1986

Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981): Track by Track!

REO Speedwagon "Hi Infidelity" (1980): Track by Track!

Behind the scenes with the Surely Podcast

Level 5: Defender! (1981) - The Game That Flipped Space Invaders Upside Down

Level 4: Ms. Pac-Man (1981) - College Kids vs. Gaming Giants

Level 3: Frogger (1981) - The Untold Story Behind the Arcade Classic

Level 2: Galaga (1981) - How It Beat Space Invaders at Its Own Game

Level 1: Donkey Kong (1981) - The Popeye Game That Changed Nintendo Forever

Level 0: The History of Video Games Before 1981 - Pong to Pac-Man

"The Breakfast Club" (1985) vs. "St. Elmo's fire" (1985): Part 2

The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. St. Elmo's Fire (1985): Part 1

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 2 of 2

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 1 of 2

No Doubt "Tragic Kingdom" (1995): Track by Track!

Jewel "Pieces of You" (1995): Track by Track!

Alanis Morissette "Jagged Little Pill" (1995): Track by Track!