Episodes
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Andrea and Jodie sit down with filmmaker Chris Wilcha to talk about his beautiful documentary, Flipside. In the film, Chris revisits the New Jersey record store he worked at as a teenager—a quirky, once-thriving music haven that’s now struggling to survive. But Flipside is so much more than just a nostalgic look back. We dive into the making of the film, Chris’s journey with archives, and the challenges of pursuing a creative career. We get into everything from New Jersey nostalgia to the surprising connections between Ira Glass, jazz photographer Herman Leonard, writer David Milch, David Bowie’s tribute to a Jersey cable TV icon (pardon–THE Jersey Cable TV icon), and more along the way. It’s a lovely and thoughtful conversation about legacy, memory, and the inevitable passage of time.
Keep up with Chris Wilcha on Instagram: @chriswilcha
If you haven’t watched Flipside, what are you waiting for?
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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This week on The Watchers, Jodie and Andrea dive into the new LOST documentary, Getting LOST. We share our thoughts on how well it captures the show’s legacy, LOST’s profound and lasting impact on fandom culture, what makes the show resonate years later, and–most important–why it’s not friggin’ purgatory.
Next week, we’ll be watching the documentary Flipside and chatting with its director, Chris WIlcha. Watch on AppleTV or Amazon Prime.
Check out Cancer Gets LOST at cancergetslost.org
Getting LOST is still available to watch until December 18th. Check it out.
And be sure to catch the digital premiere of Chasing Chasing Amy on December 15th (featuring a special introduction by Kevin Smith and Q&A with Sav and Riley Rodgers). Tickets!
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Missing episodes?
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Can you believe it? We’re finally here. The long-ish promised review of the Dawson’s Creek finale. But first! We kick things off with exciting news: Yellowjackets season 3 is premiering on February 14 with a double-episode release! That’s like, nine or ten Watchers episodes away! Then, we dive into the finale of Dawson’s Creek—the two episodes aptly titled “All Good Things” and “Must Come to an End.” Join us as we unpack the return of Kevin Williamson, Dawson’s obsession with remaking his childhood over and over again, Pacey’s inability to sleep with someone who isn’t already married, why whatever Jen’s suffering from seems to have finally fixed her hair, and every other little thing that goes down when (in order of importance) Pacey, Jen, Joey and Dawson return to the creek. Plus, we share some fun theories about Pacey’s new show Doctor Odyssey.
Programming Note: We’re taking next week off as our fearless co-leader Jodie recovers from shoulder surgery (send her all the good vibes!). We’ll be back the week after to review the Getting LOST documentary, which is premiering December 7 with a live Q&A. (Looks like ticket holders will have a week to watch.)
Watch the trailer and get your tickets for Getting Lost
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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It’s time to pack your saxophone! The Watchers are hitting the road with Will Ferrell and his longtime friend, writer Harper Steele, for their documentary Will & Harper. The film follows the two friends as they embark on a friendship-defining road trip. Jodie and Andrea discuss the emotional journey of Harper's transition, Will's growing understanding of allyship, and the evolution of their friendship. We also explore how Will & Harper adds to the long tradition of American road trip narratives, its take on big themes like change and connection, and the film's potential entry point for broader discussions of trans experiences.
Next week, we're taking a little detour back to Capeside. Jodie finished Dawson's Creek, so we're sharing a series wrap-up. We'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming the following week with a documentary we can't wait to tell you all about!
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Chasing Chasing Amy is a heartfelt, funny, and deeply personal documentary that explores identity, queer representation, cinematic influence, and our evolving relationship with pop culture—everything we love to dive into here at The Watchers. In this episode, Sav Rodgers shares how the film started as a quest to understand Chasing Amy's complicated connection to the LGBTQ+ community but grew into something much more meaningful. We dig into the behind-the-scenes process, from shooting interviews in people’s homes and on windy rooftops to how key editing choices helped shape the narrative, all guided by Sav’s strict “No Bullsh*t” policy. Along the way, we discuss Kevin Smith’s magnetic presence, the impact of queer narratives, and the importance of authentic storytelling. It’s an engaging, thoughtful conversation that celebrates film’s transformative power and the necessity of hope in art.
Keep up with Sav Rodgers and Chasing Chasing Amy on Instagram.
Here’s where you can see Chasing Chasing Amy in theaters: It's really very good
Watch Sav’s TedTalk - Sav Rodgers: The Rom-Com That Saved My Life
Next week, we’re watching Will & Harper, Josh Greenbaum’s 2024 documentary that follows friends Will Ferrell and Harper Steele on a cross country road trip.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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This week, Jodie and Andrea dig into the good, the bad, and the baffling of Kim’s Video, a 2023 documentary that explores what happened to one of the world’s greatest VHS collections when it moved from New York City to Sicily. We talk 90s nostalgia, genre conventions, what it means to be a creative person, and how and why stories get told. Plus we reminisce about our own days working in video stores and marvel at the way Jersey always shows up for us.
Next week, we are SO excited to be talking with Sav Rodgers, the filmmaker behind Chasing Chasing Amy. It’s not streaming yet, but it is showing in a bunch of cities. Here they are.
Referenced in this episode:
The Strange Fate of Kim’s Video - Karina Longworth
Chloë Sevigny Visits the Kim's Video Collection - Alamo Drafthouse
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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It’s our final Halloween episode of 2024, and you shouldn’t be surprised by our choice. We couldn’t wrap up the season without revisiting Wellsville for one of the greatest Halloween episodes in television history, “Halloweenie” from The Adventures of Pete & Pete. It’s quintessentially Pete & Pete, which means it’s quintessentially 90s and quintessentially Jersey, all while remaining totally weird and wholly unique. We talk Mischief-Devil’s-Cabbage-Goosey Night, neighborhood bullies, breaking records, and that moment of being right on the edge of too old for something you used to love.
Next week, we’re sticking with the 90s theme but moving to a new genre, as we watch Kim’s Video, a 2023 documentary that explores what happened to one of the world’s greatest VHS collections when it moved from New York City to Sicily.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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This week on The Watchers, Andrea and Jodie dive into Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s classic "Halloween" episode from season 2 of the series. As the Scoobies’ costumes come to life, we question the inconsistent nature of this bewitchery, delight in learning Giles’ has a sordid past, and question what exactly Willow’s supposed to be. (Hot slut?) Plus, Jodie takes us on a trip to Creek Corner and Andrea reviews the pilot episode of Pacey–er, Joshua Jackson’s new show, Doctor Odyssey.
Next week, we’ve got one more Halloween rewatch. The Adventures of Pete & Pete’s “Halloweenie” (S2E5). You can watch this one on YouTube here.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Surprise! We’re here on a Monday with an episode we are so excited to share with you. We’ve got a special guest, fellow Jersey native, Tommy Avallone, who joins Jodie and Andrea this week to chat about his new documentary. Tommy is a producer, director, editor, writer, and filmmaker; he’s behind the documentaries, I am Santa Clause, Waldo on Weed, The Bill Murray Stories, I Love You, You Hate Me, and most recently, The House From . . . which takes a look at houses that have become famous from movies and tv, the people who live in them, and the people who love them. If you like our show, you will love this documentary. It features stories about iconic homes from movies and shows like Full House, Golden Girls, Can’t Hardly Wait, Friday, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Goonies, Breaking Bad, and so many more. It’s sweet, and funny, and nostalgic, and says so much about our own relationships with pop culture. It’s available to stream this week, and you’re going to love it.
Jersey folks, The House From . . . is premiering at Kevin Smith’s Smodcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands as part of Smodcastle Film Festival this Friday, October 25th. Grab your tickets now.
For everyone else, The House From . . . will be available for streaming on October 28th. You can pre-order it from AppleTV right now.
Keep up with Tommy and his work: @tommyavallone3
We’ll see you Wednesday with our review of Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s “Halloween”
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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We’re deep into the Halloween season on The Watchers, and Andrea and Jodie are unpacking the supernatural side of My So-Called Life. High school urban legends, teen ghosts, and a haunted cardigan—it's all here. Join us as we discover whether or not Angela can solve the mystery of Nicky Driscoll, and in the process, save Jordan Catalano from himself.
Next week, we’re heading back to Sunnydale to experience what Halloween is like on a Hellmouth, with season 2, episode 6 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the appropriately titled, “Halloween.”
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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It's SpOoKy season, and we're heading back to the creek for some bewitching fun! This week, Andrea and Jodie watched Dawson's Creek Blair Witch Project spoof, "Escape from Witch Island." They remark on the lasting influence of The Blair Witch Project, wonder why the show even bothered to include Andie in this episode, and thank the TV Gods that Pacey and Jen came along on this field trip so we didn't just have to watch Joey and Dawson sulk at each other for an entire episode.
Next week, it's Halloween in the rust belt as we watch Season 1, Episode 9 of My So-Called Life, the aptly titled, "Halloween."
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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We’re wrapping up our trip down 90s Nickelodeon Lane with the movie that inspired us to take this trip in the first place, Jane Schoenbrun’s coming-of-age-psychological-horror-drama-trans-allegory, I Saw the TV Glow. We continue the conversation we’ve been having these last few weeks, diving into the double-edged blade of nostalgia, the malleability of memory, loss of innocence, looking back on childhood through the jaded eyes of adulthood, growing up, moving on, and melancholy men with ice cream cone heads.
Next week, we’re sticking with the spooky vibes and heading once more unto the creek, dear friends, with season 3 episode 7 of Dawson’s Creek, “Escape from Witch Island,”
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Summer’s over, and we don’t need a boy and his personal superhero battling the ocean to know it. This week, we’re winding down our Nickelodeon Nostalgia Deep Dive with The Adventures of Pete & Pete, a quintessentially New Jersey show. Jodie and Andrea dive into standout episodes "What We Did on Our Summer Vacation," where nostalgia weighs heavily, and "Hard Day's Pete," which beautifully captures the singular experience of discovering your first favorite song.
Next week, we’re finally watching the movie that sparked this look back at 90s TV greatness, Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Apologies for the late update! As you've certainly noticed, there's no new episode this week. We will be back next week with our Pete & Pete discussion, which we can't wait to share with you. And remember, the week after, we'll be reviewing the movie that inspired these last few weeks of Nickelodeon nostalgia, Jane Schoenbrun's I Saw the TV Glow.
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It’s our last week at camp, and we’re continuing with the local legends. This time, Jodie and Andrea watched “Ghost Story” AKA “Zeke the Plumber” from the Nickelodeon series, Salute Your Shorts. We speculate about whether or not this episode inspired The Blair Witch Project, Jodie weighs in on whether or not this presents an accurate portrayal of summer camp, and we make some truly shocking revelations about the history of the word “jabroni.”
Salute Your Shorts: Life at Summer Camp by Thomas Hill
Next week, summer’s over, so we’re leaving camp and heading to Wellsville for The Adventures of Pete & Pete. We’ll be watching “What We Did on Our Summer Vacation” and “Hard Day’s Pete”
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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Dear Mom and Dad,
Camp sucks. This place is full of bats, and mice, and/or rats (still unclear), and I can’t even smoke because the fire warning is up. Yesterday, three old women tried to cook and eat me, and I got chased by some weird man dressed up like a tree. And then on the way back to my tent, I almost got run over by a ghost car. Worst of all, my tentmate is a total nerd. Also, Jodie and Andrea watched “Tale of Watcher’s Woods” from Are You Afraid of the Dark–if you even care, which I know you don’t, or you would have picked me up by now. Ugh.
Guiding in the Wrong Direction: The problematic, ongoing history of the Adventure Guides - Kendra James
If we aren't totally blipped before next week, we’ll be watching “Ghost Story” from season one of Nickelodeon's Salute Your Shorts. Here’s where you can watch it.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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This week's episode is a little different; we spent a whole day in the Atlantic Highlands watching as many Kevin Smith movies as our old bones could handle. The annual event, Vulgarthon, was held at Kevin’s movie theater, Smodcastle Cinemas, and featured screenings of every movie in the View Askewniverse, including Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. We break down the experience, with a surprise guest appearance that made Andrea cry, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and an undeniably nostalgic look at 30 years of Kevin Smith's career. It was an endurance test, a deep dive, and above all else, a love fest to New Jersey and the cinematic world Smith created to celebrate it.
In a few weeks, we're going to be watching Jane Schoenbrun's I Saw the TV Glow. To prepare for that, we're going to take a look back at some of the 90s shows that inspired it. Next week, we're starting with Are You Afraid of the Dark, with the appropriately titled season 3 episode, "The Tale of Watcher's Woods." You can watch it on Amazon and Paramount+, but it's also free on Youtube here.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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This week, we’re taking a short drive from the neo-noir world of Neptune to the dark, vampire-infested corners of Sunnydale as we dive into the two-part premiere of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Join Jodie and Andrea as we meet Buffy Summers, the high school teen who just happens to be a demon-slaying superhero. We’ll explore Buffy’s battle to juggle her slayer duties with typical teenage chaos, unpacking why giving the literal halls of 90210’s Beverly Hills High a coat of supernatural paint is so compelling. We’ll discuss what makes these characters so immediately likable despite the sometimes clunky dialogue, delight in Giles’ overt Britishness, and marvel at Willow Rosenberg’s debatably impressive computer hacking skills.
Watch the original unaired Buffy Pilot
Next week, we say goodbye to Pilot Season, and return to the sacred grounds of the Garden State, as we recap our experience attending Kevin Smith’s Vulgarthon.
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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In this episode of The Watchers, we’re leaving behind the sun-dappled Capeside for the moody neon-lit parking lots of Neptune as we dive into the pilot episode of Rob Thomas’s neo-noir teen drama, Veronica Mars. Join Jodie and Andrea as we meet Veronica, the sharp-tongued teenage detective, and her world of high school drama and gritty crime-solving. We’ll unpack the pilot’s introduction to Veronica’s near-unbelievably complex life—juggling her role as a part-time P.I., dealing with “random” locker searches, and navigating her father’s fall from grace, all while remaining the funniest person in Neptune.
Next week, we’ll be sticking around the west coast, but heading to the spooky town of Sunnydale, California for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We’ll be watching the two-parter, “Welcome to the Hellmouth” and “The Harvest.”
Watch Space, Hope, and Charity
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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In this episode of The Watchers, we're trading the awkward energy of McKinley High for the quaintly watercolor world of Dawson’s Creek. Join Jodie and Andrea as we explore the lives of Dawson, Joey, Pacey, and Jen, who navigate picturesque Capeside while remaining somehow sex-obsessed and puritanically chaste, simultaneously. We’ll talk about Dawson’s unearned self-confidence, Pacey’s weird little bangs, Jen’s storied past (evidenced by a taste for black coffee and saying the word “penis” in front of her grandmother), Joey’s position as the daughter of a drug lord, and why replacing the theme song should be a crime punishable by death.
Next week, we’re heading west to spend some time in the SoCal town of Neptune as we review the pilot for everyone’s favorite teen noir, Rob Thomas’s Veronica Mars.
Referenced in this episode:
The Day Dawson Cried: An Oral History of the Dawson Crying GIF and Its Outsized Legacy - Constance Grady
Creek Theses - Justin Taylor
Billion-Dollar Kiss: The Kiss That Saved Dawson's Creek and Other Adventures inTV Writing - Jeffrey Stepakoff
Rewatching the Dawson's Creek Pilot 20 Years Later: Sex, Boats, and Spielberg - Darren Franich
Follow:
The Watchers on Instagram (@WatchersPodNJ)
Andrea on Instagram (@AQAndreaQ)
Jodie on Instagram (@jodie_mim)
Our sister show, New Jersey Is the World, on Instagram (@newjerseyistheworld)
Thanks to Kitzy (@heykitzy) for the use of our theme song, "No Book Club."
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