The Watch

The Ringer

Every week, The Ringer's Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan -- longtime friends and pop culture addicts -- break down the latest in TV, movies, and music.

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1,067 episodes
Updated Monday
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Episodes1067

Newest first

Dec 6, 2019 · 1 hr 7 min
Chris Ryan’s Top 10 TV Shows of the Year | The Watch
2019 was defined by two TV shows: ‘Fleabag’ and ‘Succession.’ We debate which one was better (2:43). Plus: other favorite shows of the year, including ‘Russian Doll’ and ‘Mindhunter’ (29:25), and some honorable mentions (54:24). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Juliet Litman
Dec 2, 2019 · 52 min
Breaking Down ‘Watchmen’ Episode 7 and ‘The Mandalorian’ Episode 4 | The Watch
Chris and Andy recap their Thanksgiving holidays before diving into another plot-heavy episode of ‘Watchmen’ (1:00). They break down the big reveal in “An Almost Religious Awe” (13:16). Plus: an unspecified amount of time at the farm with Mando and Baby Yoda in last week’s ‘The Mandalorian’ (37:57). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Nov 27, 2019 · 43 min
The Thanksgiving Primetime Grid and a Conversation with Ben Smith of ‘Treadstone’ | The Watch
Chris lays out a night of television for you to watch during the holiday weekend including ‘Mrs. Fletcher,’ ‘Servant,’ and ‘Condor’ (1:02). Then he sits down with the producer of ‘Treadstone,’ Ben Smith, to talk about what it is like to create a show within the Jason Bourne universe (16:32) and the logistics of shooting a show in so many different locations (30:02). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Ben Smith
Nov 25, 2019 · 1 hr 34 min
Breaking Down ‘Watchmen’ Episode 6, ‘The Mandalorian’ Episode 3, and the Rest of ‘The Crown’ Season 3 | The Watch
We break down another mind-bending episode of ‘Watchmen,’ a show that’s leaving it all on the field (1:00). Do we like talking about ‘The Mandalorian,’ or do we just like talking about Baby Yoda GIFs (35:25)? Plus: Daddington Corner, ‘Frozen 2’ edition (51:00) and ‘The Crown’ S3E8-10 (59:32). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Amanda Dobbins
Nov 22, 2019 · 1 hr 4 min
Just How Popular Is ‘The Mandalorian’? Plus: ‘The Crown,’ S3E5-7 | The Watch
Despite all of the pressure on ‘The Mandalorian’ to make Disney+ a success, the show is an easy and enjoyable watch (1:08). Plus: An update on ‘Briarpatch’ production (13:04) and a breakdown of episodes 5-7 of ‘The Crown’ (23:48). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Amanda Dobbins
Nov 18, 2019 · 1 hr 32 min
‘The Mandalorian’ Settles in and ‘Watchmen’ Keeps Getting Better, Plus: ‘The Crown’ Season 3, Episodes 1–4 | The Watch
In the second episode of ‘The Mandalorian,’ the story gets deep in the details in the way that a 'Star Wars' movie can’t (4:09). It’s almost as though every episode of ‘Watchmen’ is a bottle episode; we break down the fifth episode, “Little Fear of Lightning” (27:57). Plus: ‘The Crown’ Season 3, Episodes 1-4 (46:18). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Guest: Amanda Dobbins
Nov 15, 2019 · 1 hr 40 min
Breaking Down the First Episode of ‘The Mandalorian’ and Inside the Launch of Disney+ | The Watch
‘The Mandalorian’ premiered this week, and although we have a lot of mixed feelings about the pilot, we're willing to hang on (1:38). Then Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw takes us inside the launch of Disney+ (28:52) and tells us why we shouldn’t be calling this the “streaming wars” (58:28). Plus: We break down what may be the most controversial episode of ‘Survivor’ in the history of the show (1:10:56). Host: Chris Ryan Guests: Andy Greenwald, Lucas Shaw, and Riley McAtee
Nov 11, 2019 · 58 min
FX on Hulu, the Bob Iger Book Club, and Breaking Down ‘Watchmen’ E4S1 | The Watch
Starting next year, FX will stream shows exclusively on Hulu. What does this mean for the future of a network that has produced several award-winning shows (1:06)? In his new book, Bob Iger reminisces about his relationship with Steve Jobs and Disney’s acquisition of Pixar (17:04). Plus, we break down the fourth episode of ‘Watchmen,’ a show that just keeps on getting better (33:58). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald Read an excerpt from Bob Iger’s book here.
Nov 7, 2019 · 47 min
Breaking Down the First Three Episodes of 'The Morning Show' | The Watch
'The Morning Show' may not be great TV, but it's certainly engaging. We break down the first three episodes, including the seemingly disconnected plot lines (1:57), Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston's performances (19:14), and our personal MVP of the first three episodes: Billy Crudup (32:43). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Amanda Dobbins
Nov 4, 2019 · 59 min
Confusion About What ‘The Morning Show’ and Apple TV+ Are Trying to Be, Plus: ‘Watchmen’ S1E3 | The Watch
‘The Morning Show,’ the flagship series for Apple TV+, debuted on Friday. Despite star power from Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Steve Carrell, the first episode fell flat (1:38). The show, and subsequently Apple TV+, seem confused about what it’s trying to be (20:08). Plus, we break down the third episode of ‘Watchmen’ (38:10) and bid farewell to ‘The Deuce’ (49:25). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Nov 1, 2019 · 51 min
Intellectual Property Won’t Save You Now: ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ Hit Bumps in the Road | The Watch
It was announced this week that Benioff and Weiss will no longer be creating a ‘Star Wars’ trilogy for Lucas Films (2:17). The news calls into question the future of the franchise (14:38). HBO is finding itself in a similar situation after cancelling a ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel starring Naomi Watts (26:58). Where will one of the most valued pieces of intellectual property go from here (39:00)? Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Oct 28, 2019 · 38 min
Early Reactions to ‘The Morning Show,’ and ‘Watchmen’ Picks Up Speed in the Second Episode | The Watch
The AppleTV+ flagship, ‘The Morning Show,’ will premiere on Friday, and early reviews are not looking great (6:37). Meanwhile, ‘Watchmen’ is picking up steam in its second episode (12:07). We break down the episode (20:25) and examine why it’s so hard to create mystery television (27:26). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Oct 24, 2019 · 1 hr
How the Streaming Business Made ‘Looking for Alaska’ Possible | The Watch
Chris and Andy review the music scene in 2005, their roles in covering it, and how that era of music fits onto the big and small screen (1:00). Plus, the creators of ‘Looking for Alaska’, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, on the long road to getting the show created, making television about teenagers, and creating a series that is distinctly 2005 (21:11). Host: Chris Ryan Guests: Andy Greenwald, Josh Schwartz, and Stephanie Savage
Oct 22, 2019 · 1 hr 6 min
Breaking Down the Season Premiere of ‘Watchmen’ | The Watch
Damon Lindelof’s newest show, ‘Watchmen,’ started off with a bang and we feel like we’re in good hands (0:43). We take a deeper look at the texts the show seems to be drawing from (17:34) and the importance of the musical ‘Oklahoma!’ in the first episode (41:14). Host: Chris Ryan Guests: Andy Greenwald and Juliet Litman
Oct 17, 2019 · 50 min
‘Looking for Alaska,’ Adaptation in the Post-Movies Age, and the Apple Content Slate | The Watch
We preview Hulu’s upcoming original series ‘Looking for Alaska’—the first TV adaptation of a John Green novel (0:54). Then we talk about how ‘Looking for Alaska’ and HBO’s ‘Watchmen’ are two prime examples of content that would’ve been made into a movie in a previous decade but are now being serialized as TV (15:30), before running down the list of Apple streaming shows set to release soon (22:50). Hosts: Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald
Oct 14, 2019 · 1 hr 7 min
The ‘Succession’ Finale and a Farewell to the ‘Breaking Bad’ Universe | The Watch
Andy calls in to talk about the finale of ‘Succession’ as well as the second season as a whole (0:40). Then they dive into ‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’ and the continuation of the Jesse Pinkman story line (21:30). Finally, your number one boys dissect the 'Succession' finale (39:00). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Andy Greenwald
Oct 11, 2019 · 44 min
Does ‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’ Live Up to Its Predecessors and Marketing? | The Watch
‘El Camino’ is the heavily marketed movie follow-up to ‘Breaking Bad’—can that proposition ever live up creatively to the titanic achievements of the original AMC series? We share our reactions to the film, Aaron Paul’s continuation of the iconic Jesse Pinkman character, and the balance of fan service and creative ambition in the era of the commercialized Thursday-night Netflix release. Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Sean Fennessey
Oct 7, 2019 · 1 hr 9 min
A Cultural Roundup and Breaking Down ‘Succession’ Season 2, Episode 9 | The Watch
Andy is back in the studio to catch up on all things entertainment, including ‘Joker.’ Martin Scorsese’s recent comments about superhero movies, the return of ‘Mr. Robot,' and the state of modern TV and consumerism (0:40) before your number one boys break down Season 2, Episode 9 of ‘Succession’ (47:30). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Andy Greenwald, Jason Concepcion
Oct 4, 2019 · 39 min
It’s Not Too Late to Get Into ‘Peaky Blinders’ | The Watch
Season 5 of ‘Peaky Blinders’ premieres on Netflix tomorrow, but it’s not too late to get into the show (2:00). We talk about the surprisingly stacked cast (9:36), our favorite characters on the show (27:05), and what else we’re watching on TV right now (29:58). Host: Chris Ryan Guest: Juliet Litman
Sep 30, 2019 · 44 min
The Shelf Life of Beloved TV Shows and Breaking Down 'Succession' S2E8 | The Watch
In just over a week, ‘El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie’ will extend the ‘Breaking Bad’ universe, so we revisit some of our favorite episodes and moments from the show (1:51). ‘Stranger Things’ is leaving Hawkins for Season 4 (6:14) and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ feels like it could go on forever (14:23). Plus, breaking down ‘Succession’ S2E8, “Dundee” (21:42). Host: Chris Ryan Guests: Andrew Gruttadaro and Jason Concepcion