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TV & Film
The Ringer-Verse
The Ringer
The Ringer-Verse is your go-to nexus podcast feed for all things nerd culture and fandom, featuring:
'The Midnight Boys': Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman react to the latest in fandom and share their instant reactions to the newest nerd culture releases, all while bringing the banter every week.
'Button Mash': Ben Lindbergh and company discuss the latest in the world of video games, from headline-making new releases, to industry trends, to game swaps and nostalgic re-plays.
Follow the House of R feed for deep dives from Mal and Jo!
- 777 episodes
- Updated Today
- Explicit
Episodes777
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June 17 · 1 hr 35 minThe ‘Game of Thrones’ Draft | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and to prepare for the premiere of Season 3 of ‘House of the Dragon,’ they’re bringing you their ‘Game of Thrones’ Draft, featuring five categories: hero, villain, dragon, episode, and wild card. (0:00) Intro (14:13) ‘Game of Thrones’ Draft (1:21:56) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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June 12 · 1 hr 31 min‘Disclosure Day’ Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to discuss Steven Spielberg’s highly anticipated new film. They dive into how Spielberg chose to personify extraterrestrials, Emily Blunt’s performance, and the state of working in Hollywood today. (0:00) Intro (6:57) Spoilers ahead (13:20) ‘Disclosure Day’ reactions (1:12:30) Disclosure Day’ Midnight Meter (1:13:49) Outro (1:14:57) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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June 8 · 1 hr 35 minSummer Gaming Showcase Reactions! | Button Mash
After being bombarded by gaming news at Sony's PlayStation State of Play, Summer Game Fest, the Xbox Games Showcase, and beyond, Ben, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James get together to analyze the biggest game announcements and trailers. First, they discuss some major themes and takeaways from the week, including the onslaught of releases in store before 'GTA VI' and the industry's about-face on live-service games and console exclusivity. Then, they focus on how hype-worthy each event was and assess what they saw (and in some cases, played) of heavy hitters such as 'God of War Laufey,' 'Marvel's Wolverine,' 'Resident Evil Veronica,' 'Star Wars: Galactic Racer,' 'Final Fantasy VII Revelation,' 'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' 'Gears of War: E-Day,' and many more. Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production: Arjuna Ramgopowel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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June 5 · 1 hr 24 min'Masters of the Universe’ Reactions | Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and this time they’re giving their reactions to the newest movie iteration of Van’s most beloved IP: ‘Masters of the Universe.' Then, they jump into the latest nerd news, breaking down Tom Holland’s recent comments about making 'Spider-Man' after working with Christopher Nolan. (00:00) Intro (10:03) Spoilers ahead (11:30) ‘Masters of the Universe’ reactions (1:12:32) Nerd News (1:20:19) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Rob Mahoney, Steve Ahlman, and Charles Holmes Producers: Jamie Yukich and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- TRMay 30 · 1 hr 35 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: May 2026 (Featuring ‘Outlander,' 'For All Mankind,' and 'Star City')
In a departure from the typical "Recommends" format, Ben Lindbergh brings on 'Vulture' TV critic and 'TV Is Good' cohost Kathryn VanArendonk for a wide-ranging discussion centered on a sci-fi/fantasy pairing of 'Outlander' (which just concluded an eight-season Starz run), 'For All Mankind' (which just wrapped its fifth season of six on Apple TV), and their respective spinoffs (especially 'Star City,' which just premiered). They start by assessing how much the shows have in common, what sets them apart, and how they reflect TV trends, before diving deeper into each franchise, first in a high-level way and then (with warnings) by reacting to the latest seasons. (00:00) Intro (04:14) Kathryn VanArendonk Joins (15:39) 'Outlander' (38:29) 'Outlander' Spoilers (48:18) 'For All Mankind' (65:03) 'For All Mankind' Spoilers (78:25) 'Star City' Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Kathryn VanArendonk Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 29 · 1 hr 37 min'007: First Light' and 'Mina the Hollower' Reactions | Button Mash
Ben, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman earn a license to podcast about two early Game of the Year candidates: '007: First Light' and 'Mina the Hollower.' First, in Patch Notes, they discuss the future of 'Destiny' and Bungie after the end of development on the almost decade-old 'Destiny 2,' and what the huge hikes in the price of Valve's Steam Deck portend for the Steam Machine, the current console generation, and the future of gaming. Then, they share their spoiler-free reviews of 'First Light,' James Bond's long-awaited return to gaming at the hands of 'Hitman' maker IO Interactive, and the much-anticipated 8-bit homage 'Mina,' from the makers of 'Shovel Knight.' Intro (0:00) Reactions to ‘Destiny 2’ ending (1:28) Steamdeck price increases! (14:32) ‘First Light’ review (32:22) ‘Mina the Hollower’ reactions (1:05:04) Outro (1:33:37) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 27 · 1 hr 19 min‘Spider-Noir’ Premiere Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to discuss Amazon Prime’s newest show: ‘Spider-Noir’! Then, they spend some time brainstorming what other Spider-verse characters they’d like to see have their own show. (0:00) Intro (15:04) Spoilers ahead (19:40) ‘Spider-Noir’ premiere reactions (1:01:57) Brainstorming Spider-Man shows (1:15:22) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Steve Ahlman, and Jamie Yukich Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 22 · 1 hr 42 min‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to discuss the newest addition to the Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ universe: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’! Then they give you their thoughts on where the movie ranks among other ‘Star Wars’ films. (0:00) Intro (5:39) Spoilers ahead (7:21) ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ reactions (1:21:38) Midnight Meter: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (1:28:50) ‘Star Wars’ film rankings (1:39:20) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Joanna Robinson Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 21 · 1 hr 46 min'Lego Batman,' 'Forza Horizon,' 'Mixtape,' 'Subnautica,' and 'Yoshi' Reactions | Button Mash
No 'GTA' trailer? No problem! Ben Lindbergh, Matt James, and Steve Ahlman dissect five big games you can play today. While steering clear of spoilers, they explore how ‘Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’ expands on the Lego gaming formula and draws on decades of the Caped Crusader’s past; whether ‘Forza Horizon 6’ delivers on the hype surrounding the series’ visit to Japan; why ‘Mixtape’ touched a nerve in the gaming community; whether ‘Subnautica 2’ demands a deep dive in early access; and whether ‘Yoshi and the Mysterious Book’ can restore the Switch 2’s momentum after Nintendo announced a new price hike. Intro (0:00) ‘Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’ review (4:54) First thoughts on ‘Forza Horizon’ (33:34) Reactions to ‘Mixtape’ (1:01:23) ‘Subnautica’ deep dive (1:25:05) ‘Yoshi and the Mysterious Book’ takes (1:33:09) Outro (1:43:16) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 21 · 1 hr 57 min‘The Boys’ Series Finale Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and this time they’re saying goodbye to one of the most iconic comic book adaptations of the past decade, Prime Video’s ‘The Boys.’ They debate whether the show’s finale stuck the landing and share their thoughts on the ending of each beloved character. Then, to wrap up the podcast, the guys share their reactions to the recent ‘Lanterns’ trailer and discuss whether this newest edit enhanced or dampened their expectations. (0:00) Intro (10:46) Spoilers ahead (13:01) ‘The Boys’ series finale reactions (1:36:40) Nerd News: ‘Lanterns’ trailer (1:54:15) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Jamie Yukich and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 14 · 1 hr 13 min‘The Boys’ Penultimate Episode Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to talk about the penultimate episode of the five-season long show ‘The Boys.’ They dive into how this episode is setting up the finale and what it might mean for the characters we’ve spent so much time with. (0:00) Intro (6:23) Spoilers ahead (7:49) ‘The Boys’ Season 5 Episode 7 reactions (1:04:42) Nerd News: ‘The Odyssey’ and Lupita Nyong'o (1:09:50) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 13 · 1 hr 3 min‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ and ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to talk about the newest addition to the Disney+ MCU, ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill.’ Then they dive into ‘Mortal Kombat II’ with a surprise guest, ESPN’s David Dennis Jr., making an appearance to comment on #CookieGate. (0:00) Intro (7:58) Spoilers ahead (10:48) ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ reactions (37:57) Midnight Meter: ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ (40:54) ‘Mortal Kombat II’ reactions (55:36) Midnight Meter: ‘Mortal Kombat II’ (59:28) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: David Dennis Jr. Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 12 · 32 min'Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight' Gameplay Preview | Button Mash
Ben Lindbergh and Steve Ahlman sit down and chat about the extended sneak preview they got of the latest from TT Games, 'Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight'! They touch on and highlight its mix of classic Lego humor and Arkham-inspired gameplay, open-world Gotham, character-driven mechanics, and the celebration of Batman lore. Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Steve Ahlman Producers: Devon Renaldo and Steve Ahlman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 7 · 1 hr 6 min‘Mortal Kombat II’ Reactions | Button Mash
It has begun! Ben brings back OG cohost Jessica Clemons for a flawless game adaptation discussion. First they react to Nintendo’s announcement of a ‘Star Fox 64’ remake for Switch 2 and the internet’s notes on the game’s character redesigns. Then they talk ‘MKII’: their disagreement about the 2021 reboot, their overall impressions of the sequel, their takes on what worked well and what didn’t, their review of Karl Urban’s portrayal of Johnny Cage, and more, plus a spoiler section with thoughts on specific plot points, their expectations for the next movie, which ‘MK’ characters they’d still like to see on-screen, and the box office battle between ‘Mortal Kombat’ and the upcoming ‘Street Fighter’ film. (00:00) Intro (1:52) ‘Star Fox 64’ remake for Switch 2 announcement (8:00) ‘Mortal Kombat II’ reactions (24:55) Karl Urban as Johnny Cage (46:12) Spoiler section! (55:47) ‘MK’ characters we'd like to see on-screen (58:02) ‘Mortal Kombat’ vs. ‘Street Fighter’ at the box office (1:02:38 Outro Host: Ben Lindbergh Guest: Jessica Clemons Producers: Devon Baroldi and Chris Sutton Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 7 · 1 hr 49 min‘Daredevil: Born Again’ S2 Finale and ‘The Odyssey’ Trailer Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they are filling you in on their final thoughts on ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2. Then they dive into the penultimate episode of ‘The Boys’ and discuss how fans are reacting to the new ‘The Odyssey’ trailer. (0:00) Intro (27:56) Spoilers ahead (29:22) ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2 finale reactions (1:11:14) ‘The Boys’ Season 5, Episode 6 reactions (1:23:21) ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Midnight Meter (1:24:53) Nerd News: The ‘Odyssey’ trailer reactions (1:45:27) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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May 1 · 1 hr 39 min‘Saros’ Review, ‘Resident Evil’ Trailer Reactions, and a Recent Release Roundup | Button Mash
Ben Lindbergh, Steve Ahlman, and Matt James assess their hype levels for several recently announced release dates for upcoming games and video game movies, react to the ‘Resident Evil’ teaser, and share their thoughts on Microsoft’s Game Pass price cut and Xbox brand rehabilitation. Then they review Sony’s new PS5-exclusive rogue-like shooter ‘Saros’ and compare it to its predecessor ‘Returnal.’ Finally, they play Mash or Pass with four other new games: ‘Vampire Crawlers,’ ‘Invincible VS,’ ‘Tides of Tomorrow,’ and ‘Aphelion’ (plus “Rage Quit” rants about a ‘Battlefield’ movie and rolling credits too early). (00:00) Intro (1:14) Upcoming games and video game movies (11:54) ‘Resident Evil’ teaser (17:16) ‘Battlefield’ rage quit (22:12) Microsoft’s Game Pass price cut (28:15) 'Saros' review (51:54) Rolling credits rage quit (56:38) Mash or Pass Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Steve Ahlman and Matt James Producers: Devon Renaldo and Chris Sutton Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
- TRApril 30 · 1 hr 17 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: April 2026 (Featuring ‘Invincible' Season 4)
In a one-month deviation from the typical "Recommends" format, Ben Lindbergh forms a coalition of co-hosts with Jomi Adeniran and Daniel Chin for a full-episode discussion of ‘Invincible’ Season 4: the overall arc of the show, the season’s lows and lofty highs, the audience's enthusiasm, deviations from the source material, favorite moments and casting decisions, the spoiler-free long-term outlook for the series, Mark’s close calls, Paul’s spaghetti, and so much more. Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jomi Adeniran and Daniel Chin Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell, Stefan Anderson, and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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April 29 · 1 hr 31 min'HOTD' S3 trailer, 'The Boys' S5 E5, and Cheyenne Ewulu from ‘The Comic Shop’ | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to talk about the newest trailer of the highly anticipated trailer of ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3.' Then they give you all of their thoughts on Season 5, Episode 5 of ‘The Boys,’ and finally they bring you an interview with the creator of 'The Comic Shop’ web series, Cheyenne Ewulu. (0:00) Intro (1:27) Midnight Mud (19:27) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 trailer reactions (26:36) ‘Gen V’ Nerd News (35:57) ‘Daredevil’ Nerd News (39:20) ‘The Boys’ Season 5, Episode 5 reactions (1:05:29) Cheyenne Ewulu interview (1:27:39) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Cheyenne Ewulu Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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April 24 · 1 hr 22 min‘Michael’ Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re here to talk about the new musical biopic ‘Michael.' Then, they jump into the latest nerd news: The release of the ’Clayface’ trailer and their reactions to the ‘Mando & Grogu’ clip. (0:00) Intro (5:23) ‘Michael’ Reactions (59:50) ‘Michael’ Midnight Meter (1:04:43) ‘Clayface’ Trailer Reactions (1:11:40) ‘Mando & Grogu’ Clip Reactions (1:18:34) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell and Jacob Cornett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices