Unspooled

Paul and Rob Anderson takes the reins for a Critics’ Choice episode with shining a spotlight on The Baby-Sitters Club, the earnest, deeply ’90s adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s beloved books that deserves far more respect. Together they revisit Stoneybrook’s summer adventures, from camp drama and crushes to heavier themes like divorce, class, body image, and responsibility, while celebrating the film’s stacked young cast and cozy suburban charm. Along the way, Rob unpacks why the movie’s “girlhood” resonated so deeply with him, as the two debate the film’s awkward romances, Stacey’s diabetes storyline, Claudia’s academic struggles, and the surprisingly emotional depth hiding beneath all those floral vests and friendship bracelets.

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/

Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts.
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Paul welcomes Ed Helms into the Unspooled booth for a deep dive into Top Secret!, the gloriously absurd 1984 comedy from ZAZ while Amy is away. Between stories about Meet Dave, Ed’s lost role as “Lieutenant Buttocks,” and a celebration of his history podcast SNAFU, the two make the case that Top Secret! may be even funnier than Airplane! or The Naked Gun — just harder to categorize.

Listen to Ed’s podcast SNAFU here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snafu-with-ed-helms/id1635374692 

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/

Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lauren Lapkus steps into the confession booth to talk comfort rewatches, movie blind spots, and the films that changed her mind. Paul and Amy dig into her love for Big, 13 Going on 30, Tommy Boy, and Hocus Pocus, the strange experience of watching kids’ movies on an endless loop, and how her Newcomers podcast pushed her to finally embrace genres she’d avoided for years. Along the way, Lauren plays an unhinged “F***/Marry/Kill” , defends the magic of communal theatergoing, praises Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson, and offers repentance to The Lord of the Rings after years of unfair dismissal.

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/

Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Amy kick off the 2026 summer movie season with a whirlwind preview of the films they’re most excited (and nervous) to see, from Supergirl, Tom Holland’s grounded new Spider-Man, and Spielberg’s mysterious Disclosure Day to Jackass: Best & Last, A24’s Backrooms, Olivia Wilde’s The Invite, and Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters. Along the way, they debate sequel overload (Toy Story 5, Scary Movie 6), spotlight oddball indies and comedies like Coyote vs. Acme and Fuck Toys, and share thoughts on everything from live-action Moana to Nolan’s The Odyssey.

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/

Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul and Amy take the leap with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, the globe-trotting ode to daydreamers caught between routine and risk. They trace the film’s long journey from James Thurber’s short story through decades of stalled adaptations, unpack its blend of fantasy and reality, and explore how its work-versus-life themes resonate in a world shifting from analog to digital.

Go to https://surfshark.com/unspooled or use code UNSPOOLED at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

You can join the Unspooled conversation on Paul’s Discord at https://discord.gg/ZwtygZGTa6

Follow Paul and Amy on Letterboxd for more of their movie hot takes! https://letterboxd.com/paulscheer/ https://letterboxd.com/theamynicholson/

Paul’s book Joyful Recollections of Trauma is out now! Find it at https://www.harpercollins.com/products/joyful-recollections-of-trauma-paul-scheer

Check out more of Paul's writing on his Substack https://substack.com/@paulscheer

Episodic Art by Kim Troxall: https://www.unspooledart.com/

Learn more about the show at Unspooledpod.com, follow us on Twitter @unspooled and on Instagram @unspooledpod, and don’t forget to rate, review & subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or where you listen to podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices