Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
- movies and TV shows
- music and books
Podcast Focus
- recommendations on pop culture
- diverse opinions and reactions
Publishing Consistency
- 300 episodes produced
- active for 1 year
Platform Reach
- available on major podcast platforms
- NPR affiliated distribution
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 39 chart positions in 39 markets.
By chart position
- 🇺🇸US · Film Reviews#11M to 3M
- 🇨🇦CA · Film Reviews#11M to 3M
- 🇦🇺AU · Film Reviews#21M to 3M
- 🇬🇧GB · Film Reviews#31M to 3M
- 🇮🇹IT · Film Reviews#2300K to 800K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
2.4M to 7.0M🎙 Daily cadence·300 episodes·Last published today - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
7.9M to 23M🇺🇸13%🇨🇦13%🇦🇺13%+36 more - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
3.2M to 9.3M
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
—
* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 16 epsHosts
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Masters of the Universe and What’s Making Us Happy
Jun 5, 2026
24m 09s
Power Ballad
Jun 4, 2026
20m 31s
Spider-Noir
Jun 2, 2026
17m 55s
Backrooms
Jun 1, 2026
21m 08s
Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed and What’s Making Us Happy
May 29, 2026
23m 04s
Social Links & Contact
Official channels & resources
Official Website
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/5/26 |  Masters of the Universe and What’s Making Us Happy | The new Masters of the Universe movie is packed with Easter eggs for fans of the old 80s cartoon and toys, but does this wannabe summer blockbuster have anything to offer for everybody else? It features big names playing the signature characters, like He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine), Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie), Man at Arms (Idris Elba), and Skeletor (Jared Leto). But the movie also adds a contemporary and comedic comic riff on the story. If you like nostalgic adaptations for superfans, check out these episodes:In 'Mortal Kombat II,' fatality meets fan service'Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves' has high charismaConnect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 24m 09s | ||||||
| 6/4/26 |  Power Ballad | In the wonderful new film Power Ballad, Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas play two musicians whose careers haven’t exactly gone to plan – but one song may change that. Rick (Rudd) is a wedding band singer in Ireland and Danny (Jonas) is a former boy band member. They collaborate on a song that Rick wrote a few years ago, but Rick later finds out that Danny is trying to pass off the song as his own. Power Ballad was directed by John Carney, who also made Sing Street and Once. If you like movies with great songs, check out these episodes:'KPop Demon Hunters' is a viral smash that crushes the songs We debate the best movie musical numbersConnect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 20m 31s | ||||||
| 6/2/26 |  Spider-Noir | Does Spider-Noir get its blend of noir and superheroes right? In the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Nicolas Cage gave us a taste of a black and white, film-noir Spider-Man who talked in Dashiell Hammett dialogue. That cameo has spun into a full series that’s streaming on Prime Video. If you like off-the-wall superhero adaptations, check out these episodes:Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’ is a low-key, low-stakes buddy comedy In 'The Penguin' a C-list villain gets an A-list seriesConnect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 17m 55s | ||||||
| 6/1/26 |  Backrooms | The new horror movie Backrooms is about some of the creepiest places imaginable: the nondescript, beige-carpeted rooms that populate countless office spaces and discount furniture warehouses. The film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as the manager of a pirate-themed furniture store, who, as he discusses with his therapist (Renate Reinsve), discovers a secret labyrinth of backrooms – each with a strange and unsettling design. Directed by Kane Parsons, based on his “creepypasta”-inspired web series, the movie doesn’t have a plot so much as a deeply unnerving sense of place.If you’re looking for more moody horror, check out these episodes:In ‘Obsession,’ love hurts. It really, really, really hurts. Adam Scott checks in to a haunted inn in ‘Hokum’Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 21m 08s | ||||||
| 5/29/26 |  Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed and What’s Making Us Happy | The Apple TV series Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed pulls you in almost immediately. Tatiana Maslany plays a newly divorced woman who finds comfort in an online relationship with a camboy, but that comfort is cut short by a frightening incident. As things escalate, every aspect of her life comes under threat. The show also has a colorful cast that features Jake Johnson and Murray Bartlett, with a sharp script that lives up to its hook.If you like fast-paced, mysterious thrillers, be sure to check out these episodes:Hilariously caustic 'Big Mistakes' drags Dan Levy into organized crime‘The Boroughs’ lets a veteran cast shine in a sci-fi monster mystery Connect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport Pop Culture Happy Hour+See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 23m 04s | ||||||
| 5/28/26 |  The Four Seasons | Netflix’s charming comedy The Four Seasons follows a group of couples whose friendship dynamic is rocked by their mid-life crises. The impressive cast includes Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Colman Domingo, and Will Forte. And while the jokes may not fly quite as fast as they did on 30 Rock, Fey’s comedic sensibilities are written all over it. The Four Seasons just returned for a second season, so we’re revisiting our conversation about the series.Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 19m 14s | ||||||
| 5/26/26 |  I Love Boosters | In the new film I Love Boosters, Keke Palmer is the ringleader of a shoplifting crew that squares off with an unethical fashion CEO played by Demi Moore. It's from the bizarro visionary director Boots Riley (Sorry to Bother You) and it may be his most delightfully unhinged project yet. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureSubscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 20m 32s | ||||||
| 5/25/26 |  The Boroughs | Something is definitely up in the fantastic new Netflix series The Boroughs. Monsters, or maybe aliens? It’s set in a seemingly idyllic mid-century modern retirement community in the middle of the desert, and focuses on a septuagenarian Scooby Gang formed by Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare and Clarke Peters.Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 20m 34s | ||||||
| 5/22/26 |  Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu and What’s Making Us Happy | The Mandalorian has made the jetpack-assisted leap to the big screen with the new movie Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. The laconic bounty hunter (Pedro Pascal) and his cute sidekick Grogu are hired by the good guys to do a job for some bad guys. You know what you’re gonna get – creatures, droids, easter eggs, and lots of fights. But, after three seasons on Disney+, will folks go out to the theaters to watch something they’ve gotten to know on their couches? Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 19m 00s | ||||||
| 5/21/26 |  Stephen Colbert and late night | The Late Show With Stephen Colbert comes to an end this week amid a lot of changes in the business and the country. Some of the sources of tension include the economics of late night, the approaching merger of Paramount and Warner Brothers, and President Donald Trump's constant criticism of late-night hosts. But for Colbert's fans, it's the end of a friendly, funny, candid show. So we’re talking about the legacy of Stephen Colbert in late night.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 17m 07s | ||||||
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| 5/20/26 |  Is God Is | You should make sure to check out the new film Is God Is. It’s a kinetic movie about twin sisters (Kara Young and Mallori Johnson) who set out to kill their abusive dad (Sterling K. Brown). It’s an exciting road trip movie akin to Thelma & Louise mashed up with the affecting themes of sisterhood in The Color Purple. The promising feature debut from acclaimed playwright Alesha Harris also features Janelle Monáe, Vivica A. Fox and Erika Alexander. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureSubscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhourSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 21m 19s | ||||||
| 5/18/26 |  Nemesis | If you’re a fan of the movie Heat, then you might be into Netflix’s new action-packed heist series Nemesis. Co-created by Courtney A. Kemp (Power), it’s about the blurry lines between criminality and the law, and follows an LAPD detective (Matthew Law) chasing an elusive crew of robbers and its ringleader (Y’lan Noel). The show has a lot going on – stylized set pieces, double-crosses, relationship issues, daddy issues – but it all goes down smoothly enough.Subscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 20m 20s | ||||||
| 5/15/26 |  Obsession and What’s Making Us Happy | The new film Obsession has a familiar setup: A guy makes a wish, wish comes true, and things go bad. But what sets this twisted little movie apart is how bad things go, and the astonishing, terrifying performance of its lead actress, Inde Navarrette. Written and directed by Curry Barker, the film follows a schlubby music store employee (Michael Johnston) who’s in love with his coworker (Navarrette) and makes a wish on a cheap magic gag gift for her to love him. That love soon proves to be the kind that’s jealous, all-consuming and comes with a body count.Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureListen to our episode about Margo’s Got Money TroublesSubscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 23m 21s | ||||||
| 5/14/26 |  Shrek | Shrek launched a Dreamworks franchise, won an Oscar, spawned a stage musical, and greatly extended the cultural life of the band Smash Mouth. And it all started with the story of a crabby green ogre, voiced by Mike Myers, who just wants a bunch of fairy-tale characters to stay out of his swamp. The film turns 25 this month, so we are revisiting our conversation about its legacy. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 19m 37s | ||||||
| 5/12/26 |  Fun movies we missed | One basic truth of the streaming era is that streaming movies come at you fast. So we’re recommending three fun movies that we haven't covered on the show that you can stream at home: Apex, Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, and Thrash.Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureSubscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhour See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 13m 44s | ||||||
| 5/11/26 |  The Sheep Detectives | In the charming new movie The Sheep Detectives, a shepherd (Hugh Jackman) is murdered and the sheep who adored him are determined to solve the crime. The sheep are voiced by an impressive cast including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patrick Stewart, and Bryan Cranston. It’s sweet and funny, and quite emotional. It might change the whole way you see sheep and murrrrrrder. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopcultureSubscribe to Pop Culture Happy Hour Plus at plus.npr.org/happyhourSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy | 17m 44s | ||||||
| 5/8/26 |  Mortal Kombat II and What’s Making Us Happy✨ | video gamesfilm+3 | — | Pop Culture Happy HourNPR+1 | — | Mortal Kombat IIAdeline Rudolph+3 | — | 21m 33s | |
| 5/7/26 |  Lord of the Flies✨ | literaturefilm adaptation+3 | — | NetflixAdolescence+1 | — | Lord of the FliesNetflix+4 | — | 17m 19s | |
| 5/6/26 |  The best Survivor seasons, ranked✨ | reality televisionSurvivor+4 | — | NPRSurvivor | — | Survivorbest seasons+4 | — | 24m 30s | |
| 5/4/26 |  Hokum✨ | horror moviefilm analysis+3 | — | HokumCaveat+1 | Ireland | HokumAdam Scott+5 | — | 17m 34s | |
| 5/1/26 |  The Devil Wears Prada 2 and What’s Making Us Happy✨ | filmsequel+3 | — | The Devil Wears PradaThe Devil Wears Prada 2 | — | The Devil Wears Pradasequel+3 | — | 23m 17s | |
| 4/30/26 |  Summer Guide✨ | summer guidemovies+3 | — | Spider-Man: Brand New DayDisclosure Day+1 | — | summerOlivia Rodrigo+4 | — | 26m 31s | |
| 4/28/26 |  Margo's Got Money Troubles✨ | Apple TV seriesOnlyFans+4 | Elle FanningMichelle Pfeiffer+2 | Apple TVBig Little Lies+1 | — | Margo's Got Money TroublesApple TV+7 | — | 20m 49s | |
| 4/27/26 |  Mother Mary✨ | filmpop music+3 | — | Mother Mary | — | Mother MaryAnne Hathaway+5 | — | 20m 03s | |
| 4/24/26 |  Michael and What's Making Us Happy✨ | biopicmusic+4 | Jaafar Jackson | NPRMichael | — | Michael Jacksonbiopic+4 | — | 23m 08s | |
Showing 25 of 300
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Chart Positions
50 placements across 39 markets.
Chart Positions
50 placements across 39 markets.