The Franchise Lives

What is the appropriate balance of mystery versus backstory for a villain? An all-nighter is in store when our hosts analyze the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. They discuss Nightmare's unique structure blueprint as compared to other slashers from the same era, evaluate the strengths and deficiencies of the various protagonists, and toss and turn over which character developments improved or weakened Freddy Krueger's on-screen effectiveness. They take slashes at a new sequel, and determine whether the nightmare should be recurring or ended, when they dream up and pitch their own ideas for A Nightmare on Elm Street 9!

All input is considered when the boys go over the short-lived Short Circuit franchise. They disassemble the two films to see which parts fit together the best, discuss the rumored reboots and reappearances of Johnny 5, and lament over the many missed opportunities of turning this into a real franchise, before finally trying to make lightning strike again when they pitch their own ideas to make Johnny 5 come alive for Short Circuit 3!

Which feature film qualities are most necessary for making an adaptation to an animated series? Our hosts take a deep dive into the world of Saturday morning cartoons based on feature films and franchises, and examine the numerous hits and misses attempted by the networks. Afterwards, they take their checklist and apply its criteria to see if any of the films they think should have had their own cartoons would pass the test!

How much plot does a documentary need? In a first for the show, our hosts examine a soon-to-be franchise that defined the mockumentary blueprint when they plug-in to This Is Spinal Tap. They debate whether or not there was an appropriate amount of plot and stakes in the film, or if the memorable set-pieces were enough to carry the story, and assess whether or not the editors selected the correct storylines to keep from the reportedly 100 hours of footage. Then they revisit some of Spinal Tap's numerous odd appearances over the years and discuss if they effectively added to the characters' discography, before seeing if they have the chops to turn a sequel up to 11, when they pitch their ideas for Spinal Tap 2!

Which qualities need to be present in order to make a documentary sequel? Our hosts attempt to figure out which elements are necessary for warranting more content by reviewing some of the best documentary sequels, and a few of the worst, and then use that checklist to determine which of their favorite documentaries should have had sequels of their own!

Is character or tone more important to retain in a sequel? Our hosts check in to one of the more complicated franchises they've covered when they check out The Shining. They compare the differences between Stephen King's book and Stanley Kubrick's film, and analyze some of the many interpretations and themes that fans and critics have proposed. They discuss which aspects and characters are most deserving of a sequel, determine if Doctor Sleep recaptured the right ones, and review the unrealized content that still lives on in the rumor mill, before finally taking their swings as caretakers when they pitch their ideas for The Shining 3!

The boys compete for the title of "filthiest podcast alive" when they get down and dirty with John Waters' 1972 cult-classic, Pink Flamingos. They discuss how significant the midnight-movie circuit and the era was to the film's success, and decide which elements are necessary to recapture in a sequel, and if it's even possible to do so. They then review John's unrealized sequel script, Flamingos Forever, and try to take the lessons learned from that attempt when they pitch their own cinema atrocities for Pink Flamingos 2!
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:18:15 Pink Flamingos
01:01:40 Flamingos Forever
01:35:42 Chad's Pitch
02:03:29 Nolan's Pitch
02:41:04 Wrap-up

Is the old saying, "never meet your heroes," good or bad advice? The boys try to figure that out by sharing some of their own personal stories.

This holiday season, the boys gift themselves the 2003 mega-hit Elf, starring an actor who was on neither of their Christmas lists. They consider whether its imaginative premise made up for its predictable plot points, and discuss additional ways in which the stakes could have been raised for a catalyst hero. Then they try to unwrap all the hang-ups that prevented this from having a sequel, and make a list of the possible ways in which a studio could take liberties in order to construct a new installment after all these years, before finally sticking their own original sequel ideas under the Christmas tree when they make their pitches for Elf 2!
Chapters:
00:00:50 Intro
00:11:37 Elf
00:42:51 Rumors
01:05:28 Nolan's Pitch
01:33:09 Chad's Pitch
02:01:59 Wrap-up

Just in time for Thanksgiving, the boys buckle up and hit the road with the 1987 John Hughes comedy, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. They review how the straightforward story impacted its overall success and if its surprise emotional ending is its saving grace. They discuss a few ways in which this could have had an immediate sequel, and then evaluate the casting choices rumored to be considered for a remake before throwing out some suggestions of their own. They finally discover just how hard or easy retracing the simplistic and sentimental journey of the original is, when they pitch their own ideas for Planes, Trains and Automobiles 2!
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:16:27 Planes, Trains and Automobiles
00:53:02 Rumors
01:08:58 Chad's Pitch
01:44:17 Nolan's Pitch
02:25:30 Wrap-up

What is the perfect blueprint for the slasher sub-genre? Our hosts pack their bags and prepare for a long night at Camp Crystal Lake when they head off to explore Friday the 13th. They discuss which elements of the original were the most critical for creating a franchise, and explore the multitude of ways in which they could've continued after killing their antagonist. They hike through the numerous plot trails blazed by the sequels, and determine which ones were scenic and which ones were too hazardous for audiences. They then take all of their newly acquired skills and attempt to craft their own sequels for Friday the 13th part 13!

Is it a mistake to make a supporting character more likeable and interesting than your protagonist? Our hosts reacquaint themselves with a critically despised cult-classic from the 90's when they unearth Encino Man. They try to determine why there was such a chasm between audiences and critics, and pinpoint the film's most crucial factor to its eventual success. They speculate over who the protagonist should have been, and offer potential ways to groom the story into something a little bit more presentable. Then they commiserate over the difficulty of how to write a new story for a caveman who has lived in modern times for the last 30 years, all while trying to recapture the tone of the original, and decide if this is a franchise that has more juice to wease, when they present their ideas for Encino Man 2!