Welcome back, nerdlings, to Make Me A Nerd — the show where one mainstream mom dares to plummet headfirst into the gelatinous pit of sci-fi anthologies, death anxiety, and…digital pigs. This week, Mandy Kaplan reunites with podcast übermensch Pete Wright and returning mensch Tommy Metz III to tackle Black Mirror — that show that asks the critical question: “What if your phone hated you as much as you hate yourself?”

Together, Mandy, Pete, and Tommy trudge through techno-paranoia, pastel dystopias, virtual beach towns where nobody drinks a full cocktail, and simulated space-faring hellscapes hosted by Jesse Plemons’ terrifying smirk. From “Nosedive” to “San Junipero” to “USS Callister,” they unpack it all — social media dystopias, afterlife existentialism, toxic masculinity with a side of laser guns — and yes, the entirely correct revelation that polite behavior toward Alexa might just save your life one day. Plus: why influencer culture is just Yelp for your soul, how CGI turns your eyes into dead fish orbs, and an accidental seminar on the Jewish concept of hell.

It’s dark. It’s funny. It’s deeply unsettling. It’s basically the perfect Monday.

Links & Notes

• 🌐 Join our Nerds at makemeanerd.com
• 📸 Follow Mandy on Instagram: @mandy_kaplan_klavens
• 🐦 Find Mandy on Bluesky: @MandyMiscast
• 🙀 Catch up with the new season of All The Feelings with Pete and Tommy as they tackle Adulting!

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

What do you get when you cross a mainstream mom, a Time Lord, and the Spice Girls? A deliriously joyful trip through time, space, pop culture, and puppets. This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy welcomes back the dazzlingly encyclopedic Manny Patel—Doctor Who superfan, mashup artist, and the human equivalent of a well-timed sonic screwdriver—for an energetic deep dive into the “three-boot” of Doctor Who on Disney+. Together, they attempt the nerdy equivalent of catching a greased pig: explaining The Giggle, The Church on Ruby Road, and The Devil’s Chord to someone who has maybe seen three episodes and still calls Van Gogh “that guy who painted starry stuff.”

Manny brings the receipts—from Neil Patrick Harris channeling every villain trope with chaotic glee, to the Doctor’s new bi-generative regeneration twist, to goblins who serenade babies before sautéing them. Mandy, meanwhile, lobs perfectly timed WTFs and deeply relatable mom-level questions (“Why isn’t anyone scared of the goblins?” “Why does the TARDIS look like a 90s karaoke screen?”). By the end, you’ll be asking yourself the real questions: Is Doctor Who too woke? Is crying the new sonic screwdriver? And will Mandy ever stop calling herself a “whobie”?

Also: Jinkx Monsoon is serving Maestro menace, UNIT is basically the British Avengers, and somebody please give Manny a consulting credit already.

Links & Notes

• Watch Manny Patel’s mashups on YouTube: @MannyPatel
• Support Make Me a Nerd
• Find Mandy on Instagram
• Find Mandy on Bluesky

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

In 1977, George Lucas introduced the world to a galaxy far, far away—a universe filled with lightsabers, Jedi mysticism, and the eternal struggle between the forces of good and evil. In the decades since, Star Wars has alternately soared and stumbled, expanding its mythos with prequels, sequels, spin-offs, and animated series. Some of these additions have been embraced with fervor. Others have been met with a sigh. And then, in 2022, something unexpected happened. A show emerged that defied the formula, stripped away the familiar iconography, and ignored the Skywalker lineage entirely. Andor was not a story of destiny or prophecy. It was a story of people—flawed, desperate, ordinary people—trying to survive in the shadow of an empire.

On this episode of Make Me A Nerd, Mandy takes her first step into the world of Andor. Her guide? Yoshi Stone, a television producer, cocktail enthusiast, and lifelong Star Wars devotee who has spent years navigating the vast and varied terrain of nerd culture. Together, they explore the show’s grounded realism, its moral ambiguity, and its surprising ability to make an intergalactic rebellion feel like a gritty political thriller.

Why does Andor feel more like The Bourne Identity than The Empire Strikes Back? What does it mean that its characters drink from mismatched cups, wear scuffed boots, and worry about bureaucratic red tape? And how did a show with no Jedi, no Sith, and no lightsabers become, in Yoshi’s estimation, the best Star Wars project of the last two decades?

This is a conversation about a show that shouldn’t have worked. But did.

Links & References:

• Mandy Kaplan on Instagram: @mandy_kaplan_klavens
• Join the Community for ad-free episodes and bonus content: makemeanerd.com/join

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy attempts to survive a full-blown fungal apocalypse—emotionally, spiritually, and occasionally by camouflage. And she’s not alone! She’s joined by three-time guest and ethics enthusiast Matthew Fox, who gently guides her through the cordyceps-infested wasteland that is The Last of Us. Think of them as a podcast Joel, if Joel read moral philosophy and didn’t shoot people in the face quite as often.

From clickers to conundrums, this episode dives into why this so-called zombie genre show is actually about love, loss, and whether saving one person is worth dooming humanity. (Spoiler: maybe!) Mandy—bless her emotionally-intact, pastel-colored heart—only made it through two episodes before waving a white flag made of tissues and trauma. Matthew, meanwhile, brings receipts, ethics, and a voice so reassuring it makes the end of civilization feel slightly cozy.

They tackle the big questions: Is Pedro Pascal’s Texan accent legally binding? Does Bella Ramsey have a resting post-apocalyptic face? Would Mandy survive five minutes in Boston 20 years after the fall of humanity? (Spoiler: No. And that’s fine.) They also explore how video games became the Shakespearean tragedies of our time, how the show contributed to the fall of the “video game curse,” and whether Joel is the reluctant dad of the decade… or just a really hot war criminal.

Plus, a tribute to the late Val Kilmer, a nod to Willow, and a moment of silence for Mandy’s sanity after trying to reconcile a brain fungus outbreak with pandemic PTSD. You’re going to laugh, you’re going to think, you’re going to want to rewatch episode two and sob into a throw blanket.

Links & Notes

• 🎧 Superhero Ethics Podcast
• ✨ Star Wars Generations Podcast
• 🌐 Join our Nerds at makemeanerd.com
• 📸 Follow Mandy on Instagram: @mandy_kaplan_klavens
• 🐦 Find Mandy on Bluesky: @MandyMiscast

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Ladies and gentlemen, Swifties and skeptics, gather round, for today we embark on a journey of seismic cultural significance. No, not another election cycle. No, not the discovery of yet another billionaire’s secret doomsday bunker. We are talking about Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour—a three-and-a-half-hour pop music odyssey, equal parts spectacle, sermon, and strut.

Mandy Kaplan, self-proclaimed “mainstream mom on a mission,” has declared war on ignorance and invited back one of her favorite guests, Tommy Metz III, in a valiant attempt to indoctrinate him into the glitter-drenched, emotionally devastating and, at times, utterly perplexing world of Taylor Swift. Tommy, who entered this battle armed with little more than vague memories of Reputation and the mistaken belief that Taylor and Carrie Underwood might be the same person, emerges… changed.

Together, they probe the Eras Tour concert film, marvel at the wizardry of a stage that does absolutely everything short of launching Swift into orbit, and attempt to decode the many, many hidden messages that have turned Swift’s fandom into a full-blown Da Vinci Code situation. Why is there a countdown from 13? Why does a stadium full of people scream at the mention of a random name like “Betty”? How, exactly, does Taylor maintain that level of strut energy for 40+ songs without collapsing into a sequined heap? These are the questions, people.

Along the way, Mandy and Tommy discuss the sheer indecency of rhyming words with themselves, the ethics of handing a hat to a billionaire’s child instead of a Make-a-Wish kiddo, and whether or not the Reputation era was unfairly maligned by people who simply weren’t ready for Dark Taylor™. Also, there are snakes. Digital snakes. Massive, stadium-sized, Jurassic Park-worthy snakes.

So, whether you’re a lifelong Swiftie, a casual observer, or someone who has been actively avoiding this cultural monolith like it’s a student loan repayment notice, this episode is for you. Listen as Tommy slowly succumbs to Taylor’s undeniable power, Mandy achieves her ultimate goal of nerd conversion, and we all collectively marvel at the fact that this woman dropped a double album in the middle of a world tour.

Links & References:

• Become a member for bonus content: Monthy • Annually
• Follow Mandy on social media:
  • Instagram: @Mandy_Kaplan_Klavans
  • Blue Sky: @MandyMiscast
• Listen to All The Feelings!
• Watch Eras on Apple TV+

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

You wake up. You’re at work. You don’t know how you got there. You don’t know who you are outside of this fluorescent-lit, carpeted labyrinth. And worst of all—you have to attend a melon party. This week on Make Me A Nerd, Mandy takes a cubicle tour of Apple TV+'s Severance. Joining her is Jon Cassie, a certified nerd extraordinaire, former podcaster, and educational innovator, who has spent more time thinking about sci-fi and board games than most of us spend awake.

Together, they unravel Severance’s mind-melting mysteries—its eerie office culture, its unsettling cult parallels (Scientology, we see you), and its ability to make us question whether we should ever trust HR again. They marvel at the performances, particularly the shockingly terrifying Tramell Tillman (who, fun fact, is actually a warm and delightful human in real life) and the absolutely flawless Patricia Arquette, who could probably make reading a grocery list feel like a psychological thriller.

And because this show refuses to let anyone breathe, Mandy relives the moment her soul left her body upon discovering Miss Casey’s true identity. Spoiler: It involves screaming, existential dread, and a mild cardiac event.

And because no nerdy discussion is complete without a tangent, Jon drops some Black Mirror recommendations, Mandy reveals her undying obsession with cults, and they both agree that Severance is one of the most perfectly eerie shows ever made.

But wait—there’s more! For members only, Jon gives Mandy a crash course in Babylon 5, because why stop at one mind-bending sci-fi series when you can have two? Not a member? No worries! Just visit MakeMeANerd.com and join today! You’ll get to sign up to your very own personal podcast feed full of all the extended editions of the show!

So, grab your outdated work computer, stare longingly at your reflection in a darkened elevator, and press play. Welcome to Make Me A Nerd. You may not remember how you got here, but you’ll never want to leave.

Links & References:

• Become a member for bonus content: Monthy • Annually
• Follow Mandy on social media:
  • Instagram: @Mandy_Kaplan_Klavans
  • Blue Sky: @MandyMiscast
• Listen to Jon’s education podcast Many Windows
• Watch Severance on Apple TV+

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Everything Everywhere All at Once. It’s the film that took home a million Oscars, melted a billion brains, and somehow made hot dog fingers emotionally resonant. This week, Mandy sits down with Exorcist Minute co-hosts Lester Ryan Clark and Kynan Dias, two men who decided that watching Everything Everywhere like normal people just wasn’t enough, so they’ve chosen to break it down minute-by-minute, which is either a brilliant act of cinematic devotion or a slow descent into madness. Probably both.

Together, they wade through the absurdity, the heartbreak, the nihilism, and yes, the butt plug fight scene. Along the way, they discuss the film’s mind-bending multiversal logic, the Daniels’ love of absurdism, Jamie Lee Curtis’s transformation into the IRS agent of your nightmares, and why Michelle Yeoh is basically the multiversal queen of everything.

Also on the docket:

• The history of butt plugs (yes, really).
• The actual existence of a 2017 Everything Everywhere script written for Jackie Chan.
• The moment Mandy considered abandoning the movie entirely—only to be emotionally wrecked by the final act.
• And, most importantly, what the hell is up with those raccoons?

So strap in, grab your fanny pack, and prepare for a cinematic discussion that will leave you questioning existence itself—while also wondering why you suddenly desperately need a bagel. And if you’re listening on Apple, leave a five-star review, or Mandy will personally send Jamie Lee Curtis to audit your taxes.

Links & Notes

• Become a Make Me A Nerd member for ad-free episodes & bonus content: makemeanerd.com/join
• Follow Mandy on Instagram: @mandy_kaplan_klavens
• Listen to Lester & Kynan’s Every Minute of Everything Everywhere All at Once podcast
• Check out The Exorcist Minute
• Kynan’s horror podcast Sitting in the Dark

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.

Wheel of Time—a sprawling, epic fantasy series filled with magic, palace intrigue, and, apparently, an unlimited budget for breathtaking visuals and absurdly attractive people. This week, Mandy welcomes back Audrey Kearns, aka the Geek Girl Authority herself, to painstakingly explain what the hell is going on in this Amazon Prime behemoth.

We start with Mandy, who thought Wheel of Time was a fitness tracker before being thrown into a world of Trollocs, Aes Sedai, and, oh yes, an alarming number of dismembered animal carcasses. Audrey, meanwhile, is here to reassure us that, yes, this is all normal, and no, we should not be alarmed by the sudden disappearance and recasting of a major character. It happens. Nothing to see here. Move along.

Together, they navigate the show's Game of Thrones-esque political machinations, Lord of the Rings-style reluctant heroes, and an inexplicable hot tub scene that Mandy found deeply relatable. Also, there’s a villainous peddler, a terrifying Björk-esque sorceress, and a lot of people who seem very angry for reasons that remain somewhat unclear.

Come for the nerdy deep dive. Stay for Mandy and Audrey debating which Aes Sedai faction they’d belong to in an alternate universe. (Spoiler: It's probably not the evil one. Probably.)

Links & Notes

• Geek Girl Authority – geekgirlauthority.com
• Follow Mandy on Instagram: @mandy_kaplan_klavens
• Support the Show for Bonus Content – makemeanerd.com/join

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.