#103 We Are All Crossing The Streams (Bonus Ep11)

CTS Announcer 0:01

Looking for your next TV show or movie to binge? Well buckle up, grab the remote and settle into your couch for this special edition of crossing the streams. We're here to help you tune in and get the most out of those 50 monthly streaming channels you're currently paying for. So without any further ado, here's your host of crossing the streams. Jeff Dwoskin

Jeff Dwoskin 0:30

Hey, everyone, it's Jeff Dwoskin. So happy to have you back for another delicious bonus episode of crossing the streams here on the live from Detroit, the Jeff Dwoskin Show podcast feed bringing you the best of our live show crossing the streams every week in podcast form. You asked for it. We delivered what is crossing the streams if you're new to the podcast. Have you ever asked yourself hey, what should I be watching? Or I just finished now what should I watch? Well, crossing the streams is the ultimate answer to that question. So if you need something to watch, if you need something to binge, you've come to the right place crossing those streams. The podcast version pulls three segments from the live show the live shows every Wednesday at 9:30pm. Eastern time. We're live on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the fireside chat app. That's a full hour of goodness. Here we pull three segments from various Live episodes. Today we'll be talking about the Great British Bake Off from Episode 14 all the way back to Episode 14 Willies Wonderland from Episode 39 and Nick Cage classic. And we'll be discussing six session the hit HBO show. Let's kick it off with our guest comedian Joel Byers is gonna take us through the Great British Bake Off and then Howard Rosner do a great job escorting us through this delicious show. Take it away y'all. Let's talk about

Joel Byars 2:07

Zak is snapping on this one. Yo, this is a must watch for anyone that has 11 hours of life to waste. I mean, not even 11 hours they have 11 seasons this show is basically it's a British baking show where it's amateur cooks are in a tent and they compete who can make the best goods but the food isn't the best part. The best part. This show has been around since August of 2010. They have 11 seasons the only constant throughout at all is Mr. Paul Hollywood. If you're not familiar with the Tim the tool man Taylor of the UK, this guy he has a racing background. He's also a chef a baker. And he's also had an affair with one of his co hosts this guy is really the American prolific. I mean he touched all the bases he really hit the Grand Slam in life but this show is just so amazing. Not only to watch the food but just to see Paul Hollywood flirt while also insulting people's food at the same time you know that's a bit dry but I bet I could make it wet you know things like that. And that was an Australian accent so I don't know what was going on there.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:17

You got a real future invoice. Go ahead.

Howard Rosner 3:22

Yes, impressions, they suddenly.

Joel Byars 3:28

It's like it's seeing America is like all of our cooking shows. Or like if it sucks, you need to hate yourself. But over there, it's like it's okay. And the winner gets a plate. That's literally what they win at American cooking shows they break a plate over your head if you don't win. That's basically how the two cultures work. But it's it's just such a fine and dandy show that I think if you just have life to waste, you got to dive headfirst into this.

Howard Rosner 3:51

Yeah, I have to tell you, my wife and I watch it. We love cooking shows. You know, I've been fortunate enough to meet some of the Food Network chefs and and talk to them about some of the show. So we love shows and we got turned down. It is the cooking show equivalent of one of our first shows we talked about Ted lasso, which is just so charming and soft, but enjoyable and peaceful and happy and we watch the great British baking show and we couldn't believe like even the people who are just terrible. They were so nice and treated. So like hey, you this is absolutely you know, like where we're, you know, I'm an American show like Hell's Kitchen. You'd be yelling This is absolute rubbish. It's like, hey, this isn't the best cake roll I've add fell apart but you know good try. Yeah, it was it was so pleasant, noncontroversial and the narration of the show too. It was the second weekend. The other thing that was cool is unlike the American shows the where they're all you know, locked out sequestered for the run of the show. This they'd go back to their real life for the week and then come back on a weekend to cook so they get to practice at home. And you know, they talk about their real job. It made it so much more interesting. It's like survivorman real. Yeah. Didn't didn't seem like cooking show contestants. It seemed like somebody was recording like a big competition for the founders Festival. It's a great show. It's a real, it's really, really enticing. And it's so simple and happy that you just keep going from one episode to the next.

Zack Wiseman 5:36

Yeah, I completely agree I show is so nice. It is probably that's the reason I went back to it. But I will say I'm pretty upset that you didn't talk about Mary or Prue whatsoever. They are the heart of the show. Paul Hollywood is a smoking cigar bloodshot eyes that knows how to make a biscuit. Prue is a genius. Mary is the heart of everything. Paul's fine. So but yeah, show is actually amazing. I'll give you that. Paul survived all of it, though. That's why I thought he was the thread. Yeah. Why he's Yeah, he's the producer. But yeah.

Howard Rosner 6:11

It's a great show. The crazy thing though, is they're like this week, we'll be making war buckle wafers. And like, What the hell is that? I've never heard of that before. And they're like, yeah, the traditional waterbuck away for like, there's a traditional and non traditional one. Yeah, it's it's a great show. I agree. I've only

Jeff Dwoskin 6:31

watched American ones I've watched chopped we but and again, they always Yeah, I mean, they it's it's I don't know it's you right. But the brave. The British people are so much nicer. The American ones are so I mean, the guy were like five minutes. They're like, all right. Octopus eyes, ice cream cones, peppermint candy, sprinkles and beaver Tang go in the desert. Right? And it's like, and he's like, Well, beaver tongue is really hard. I mean, he that he's, he's grilling it but yeah, that's gonna make it real time as I and then they're just attacking these people the whole time.

Ron Lippitt 7:06

Is it all desserts? Is this? Is it only desserts? Or are we cooking everything?

Jeff Dwoskin 7:12

Are you talking about the Great British Bake?

Ron Lippitt 7:14

Great British Bake Off? Yeah. Like what? Like, what kinds of crap are they cooking?

Howard Rosner 7:17

Don't it's baking? Yes. So it's just all like layer? God. Yeah. Hey, it's

all Yeah, I mean, some of them could be a little bit more savory, but it's still in a desert style.

Ron Lippitt 7:29

Like, like, like a meat pie.

Howard Rosner 7:31

Yeah, yeah.

Joel Byars 7:33

It's just so positive. Like the positivity with the show is just so infectious that it really is warming. That was a great way to describe it. Like we're so used to these negative cooking shows. But that one, you just it makes you feel like yeah, it's it has a very familial feel to it.

Howard Rosner 7:49

And the contestants, the contestants here you're so used to the survivor game playing and, and all that the contestants are you know, I'm sorry, your cake collapse, you know, patting each other on the back over each other. Yeah, really nice. It's a great. It's a really pleasant show. Yeah.

Jeff Dwoskin 8:09

All right. That was a Great British Bake Off. I gotta say I'd never watched the show, prior to hearing about it on crossing the streams. And then since then, I've been hooked on the Great British Bake Off. It is amazing. So if you're hungry, that's a great one for you to catch. Next up, we're taking you to the world of Nic Cage with John Sullivan. He's going to discuss Willie's Wonderland. Take it away, John. Let's give John about Willie's Wonderland. The poster itself is just Yeah, freaky. Alright, let's hear all about it.

John Sullivan 8:47

Okay, so I went into this blind like, Y'all know kind of the story of Nick Cage. He's overspent, like I hear he has a $2 million comic book collection. He bought like a castle and Transylvania like he spent like crazy and then it's gonna be career kind of dried up. So now he's making movie after movie to make money. And I actually like watching them they're all seem to be simple plots, like that new movie pig came out. So I saw this one. It's on Hulu. He's the star. So I didn't read anything about it. There's kind of a little bit going on underneath that, that you kind of realize after when I did some research, but basically simple plot, he drives his car breaks down in his like Pam and Nirvana in Nevada. It's like it's old dusty town, and he brings it to this shop. And the guy's like, what's gonna be a week to fix it and I only accept cash the ATMs broken. He's like, You can do this though. You can do this simple job for me. And I'll fix your car. So that's basically the plot now the job gets it's strange what the job is he has to go into this old basically run down sort of like animatronic like Chucky Cheese almost where they have those animals every have you guys been to a Chucky Cheese recently? I think they're close now. Bye. those animals are creepy.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:02

I'm just putting the image back up so they can see the creepy, right.

John Sullivan 10:05

So they're these kind of creepy animals and whatever. So it's this shutdown thing. And this guy's like, you got to go in there and basically just clean up all night. And if it's clean, when they come in the morning, you'll get, you know, we'll fix the car for you. So he kind of goes in, he's alone in this place. And there's these sort of animatronic things. And you know, long story short, they come to life, and he has to fight them all night, and there's nine of them. And then there's these like college students who come and try to help but I literally just think they're there to get murdered because they get like killed by the things. So cage is just like beating the crap out of these animatronic animals. I mean, it is I wish I could say more like it was it was layered or something else going. Perfect for him.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:00

I want to watch his movies so good right now.

John Sullivan 11:04

So he's just beating these things up beating these things up. I guess I'll give you a little background on it. That's basically it. So he's got to make it through the night and survive these animatronic things that are trying to kill them. And this sort of backstory is on them. They were cursed by a witch years ago. So they're like satanic devil, animatronic things.

Ron Lippitt 11:22

So Jack, can I just ask, Are they trying to be funny? Or is it

John Sullivan 11:27

Are they Is it a horror comedy got it like the low budget and this guy Kevin Lewis. I looked him up he's got like four other things he's directed. So it's shark NATO ask a little bit kind of but it's like, you know, not as like, there's not crazy graphics like that. It's more like hand to hand combat where he's like picking up metal rods and wagon anything. And then when the animals on these Amichai things is great. When they get beat up, this black stuff shoots out because they couldn't use blood. And I there's no explanation to what the black stuff is. shoots up. We're kind of side note in the story as he's kind of killing these things. Every once in a while. He goes into the kitchen and he drinks these fruit punch sodas and he plays a pinball game like Baba Baba Baba Baba and it's just like it was almost as if they were in a writers room. i Alright, let's get Nick Cage beating up like Chucky Cheese characters. He drinks sodas. It was like literally just seemed like all over the place. But apparently the reason behind that is he supposed to kind of resemble like a video game character. This is sort of supposed to be like a video game. Another side note I realized this after if you guys like like overacting cage where he says crazy things. No dialogue from cage. He doesn't say one word. Wow. Yeah, movie, whole movie. Really? Not one word. So he's supposed to be like a stoic Western video game care. And I think they just push it to the edge. They're like, what if he just doesn't say a word? It's all just like reactions from him. And then people kind of act around them. Roll for him. How am I know? Is this the best part? It's like an hour and a half. So it's short. So I know, it's like, it's low. It's low budget. It's on Hulu, but I would recommend watching with like someone else so you can kind of react with it. Like I watched it alone. And I had no research on it. So I was literally just like, wow, this is really like it hit me hard. It was but it's good. Like I recommend it. It's like a nick Gage. Very simple action flick. I won't spoil the ending.

Ron Lippitt 13:32

I'm definitely gonna watch it. I'm

Jeff Dwoskin 13:33

not gonna watch that. Watch.

John Sullivan 13:35

I know. It's like if I spoil the ending, it's like, ah, watch it. No, it's good. I would recommend it. I don't think any of its gonna win any awards anytime soon. But check it out. It's good. Hey, Nick Cage. can't mess with Nick Cage. Yeah. Alright. Have

Ron Lippitt 13:52

an amazing evolution. I mean, as we all know, his troubles right. So it's not at all surprising that he's doing movies like this, but the guy. I mean, did he did he win the Academy Award for Leaving Las Vegas?

Unknown Speaker 14:03

I think he did. He's won. I mean,

Ron Lippitt 14:06

he was a major star. And now even some of those early

John Sullivan 14:10

80s movies. He's in our like, timeless classics that he's in. What's the common he's in?

Jeff Dwoskin 14:15

Oh, it's the Elvis one. Yeah, that was it. The 3000 Elvis is the great. I always know that was Kevin Costner honeymoon Vegas.

Unknown Speaker 14:24

Moonstruck that was Moonstruck that's what I was thinking. Yeah, using Arizona was

Jeff Dwoskin 14:29

Raising Arizona was amazing. It was I think it would all went wrong. When is Tim Burton Superman Lives movie didn't

Bob Phillips 14:37

What a weird story that is.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:40

On Air the air raising rock his isn't he rock is great. Yeah, yeah, he I mean, he's got amazing he's got amazing movies. So

John Sullivan 14:49

I think Carla was the prom queen. Remember that. Losers do their best when they go home and f the prom queen. That's pretty good. Thank you

Ron Lippitt 15:07

what's the one he did with Meg Ryan where he's an angel? City of Angels City of Angels. Oh,

Unknown Speaker 15:11

I love that movie. That's one of my that's a top 10 with me. Really? Yes and the one he did with Bridget Fonda

Ron Lippitt 15:19

Oh yeah, it could it could happen to you it could happen

Unknown Speaker 15:23

to you the romantic comedy I love that

Jeff Dwoskin 15:27

find it was like the greatest for a while what was the one she made? It was her version of Nikita acts or something. Oh yeah, let me return that was so good. Yeah, why not

John Sullivan 15:38

forget face off guys with Nick Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yes.

Jeff Dwoskin 15:43

So many classics. We should. We should do a Nick Cave. We

Ron Lippitt 15:46

should Jeff That's no joke we should do in the cage.

Bob Phillips 15:48

We should do I love it on the retrospective.

Unknown Speaker 15:49

Which one? Is it fond or

Jeff Dwoskin 15:55

is there more than one there's several there's Jackie? Jackie Brown. Yeah. All right. Thank you John Sullivan. For taking us into the world of Willie's Wonderland it really is Wonderland doesn't sound like something for you. The spontaneous Nic Cage Greatest Hits discussion was sure to spark something of his catalogue the you want to dive into go enjoyed Nick Cage but before you do that myself and Jeff gallon we're going to talk about succession on HBO is also kind of sucks in Arrested Development as well. So you get a little bit of a too far. Take it away me. So this is this is sex expression. I'm having a hard time doing expression. So this is a show that I watched it's on HBO and it sort of became like a huge phenomenon like in its second season. I think it really caught wind and it won a lot of the awards for its second season. This TV show is pretty is one of those it's so it's about this family called the Roy's and the Roy's are super rich family. So I totally really right now but I mean like they're like the media empires. It's funny if you're familiar with Arrested Development, the show Arrested Development right, another Jason Bateman classic classic. My wife turns to me watching succession, and she says, You know what this show is? And they're like, what they're like, someone said, what if we made Arrested Development serious. And it's like you could see like, some of the characters like totally match up. And it's sort of, you could see where somebody if they made that pitch, once I put this in your head, you can't not see it the way it is. It's about succession. So you have the main guy, who's Brian Cox, and he's the older guy, and the matriarch and he has his media empire. He's getting older than the son, Kendall Roy, Jeremy strong, who's the one winning the awards, and I think they've even won Best Drama. He's one of four children of Brian Cox. Brian Cox is old. He's much older now. And so they're talking about succession plans and Kindle Roy, this is the first episode and Kendall Roy thinks he's going to be the one to succeed and he's putting the plans together. And Brian Cox has this major health meltdown like where he's 10 seconds from dying. So things start happening, it's a corporate, everything's moving and and so but then he recovers. Okay. And but it but in this point, they're all trying to play because they want to take over and there's some weird interplay with the kids. You've got Jeremy strong plays Kendall Roy, who is one of the more capable but then you have the sister Chev, went into politics, who's probably smarter but it doesn't know the business and then Kieran Culkin McCauley Caulkins plays like the he's smart, but he's like the just the party. Like he's just a scattered party.

Geoffrey D Calhoun 19:03

Kinda he's like the he's like the immature younger brother. Yeah. And

Jeff Dwoskin 19:06

then you have Alan rock camera. And from Ferris Bueller is sort of that out out there. Kind of, you know, he's not really in touch as much as none of them are in touches. In reality. He's not in touch with either he like ours, or they're just just weird out there kind of guy, you know. And so it's basically like this whole cat mouse game. They're trying to oust Brian Cox's character, and it kind of just kind of goes back and forth. And it's interesting. Season two, it gets even more interesting. And the whole dynamics. My brother watched the show, and he thought the health scare in the beginning was kind of a turnoff. Once you kind of get through that, which I think because it's a very important plot point. You have to kind of get through that. And then it's just one of those insane family dramas where they're everyone's nobody can trust anyone. There is literally it's just a backstab after backstabber. You're backstab. And it's really funny because we're watching this episode, the last episode of season two, it plays out a certain way. And I turned to my wife, and I'm like, There's no way it's ending how they're setting it up. And sure enough, they just kind of flip it and do what they needed to do to kind of just make Season Three even more batshit crazy than what season two was. And season three comes out, like in a couple of weeks. So it's one of those things where I've had the benefit of and we benched it, we couldn't stop watching it. Like there's, I think like these binge worthy shows, I'd say nine Perfect Strangers, which we showed at the end, if you have a one to 10. And you guys may feel different, because you can binge it faster. I felt the continue on was about a six. Like if I took a day off, I'd be okay. But like succession, we couldn't stop watching it. Like to me, that's where like they turn these TV shows into drugs a little bit, you know, where it's like, you're like, Oh, my God, I got to keep going. You know. And to me, that's where also the benefit of a weekly release, and you watch it weekly, so you don't sit there for five hours and drain your life while watching. That's why I kind of enjoy that whole kind of pattern of how things work out. The whole thing is about these super rich people. In season two, what basically happens is they're in a fight to just survive the company's in a fight to survive, but the family and the brothers they're all like backstabbing each other and like no one can trust literally no one can trust anyone. So how would you even explain it? I did without like, I don't want to give anything away. It's just

Geoffrey D Calhoun 21:30

Yeah, it was this is like HBO, his answer to billions, billions came out on Showtime and it was a big hit for them. So this was like their answer for that show to keep that family dynamic. And the conflict going of treachery. I mean, this is a this is a family that is the patriarch of the family is abusive. He's abusive to the wife, he's been abusive to his kids, and has used money and power to manipulate everyone around him. So when it comes time for succession of the family, he is supposed to pass on the reins, hence the show, but he can't do it in since he can't do it. That's the inciting incident that drives this conflict forward where now everyone is playing against each other where the older brother has all the business sense, like you said, but he has this inherent flaw in his character where he will go against the plan where the plan is said of this is what I'm going to do but he allows his emotions to get involved to where it back paddles on him and blows up in his face. And that now is explored in season two, which is where it really kicks up with the valet, I don't want to spoil it for you guys. But some now the older sister like Like Jeff said, is more responsible. But she is also allows that arrogance to blind her so that she doesn't have the business sense that she thinks she does. The youngest brother actually probably is right to be to succeed the family, but he's doesn't really care. He's not really interested. He doesn't want to be controlled. He kind of got out of the family away from the abuse, and he's willing being pulled into it. And now he's trying to decide whether or not he wants to get back into volved with it. But that means giving up this freedom that he enjoyed the oldest brother who was Alan ruks character is completely out of touch. He's the guy that lives on the ranch has the cattle but isn't a cattleman. He's the guy that pretends to be what he's not right. And so then all of these guys are vying for power over to season which is great, but then you have Brian Cox who's such a strong performer Anytime he's in a scene he commands that scene. So the fact that these other actors can come in and challenge his presence during that is that it's an incredible show. So I absolutely agree Great.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:45

Wow. Yeah, Brian Cox is is really really really strong. It's just to give you an idea So Alan, I don't think this ruins anything on rock this is how I detach the guy here's a guy it's done nothing like Jeff said he just lives on this giant thing ranch he goes you know what I thought about it and thinking I need to do something I'm going to run for president and to him this is a completely rational idea totally privileged guy yeah hires the best of the best strategist and then the in a perfectly just to kind of give you how to touch with like us I'm going to lump all of us as normal people are saying it apologize if any of you rise above but the he turns to his father and says yeah, I'm gonna need like 100 mil But damn, that's like a completely there's no reason his father should say no, to 100 million. And you know, like Jeff saying, say the guy goes well then stop being running for president. You're embarrassing me. controls everything controls. Absolutely. You know, when you when you were first describing this, I actually thought it was kind of like an Americanized like Downton Abbey kind of thing. But not, not at all actually now that you're kind of getting into you See the rest of development parallel?

Geoffrey D Calhoun 25:02

I really can't actually think that's brilliant observation on your on your eyes for from your life because I would have never put that together but seeing if you look at it as archetypes and templates yeah there's absolutely there she's absolutely right I think it's it's kind of great but

Tony Berardo 25:18

is true cuz I love the rest of development. I thought that was a very underrated show still to the day. Yeah, that'd be exciting to see. So I'm convinced because there's some good actors in there and I love anything Wall Street business. I like that type of stuff. So

Jeff Dwoskin 25:31

yeah, that's cool. Yeah, it's good and there's like tons of in succession. There's like just tons of like, just great subplots and things and everything happens and gets kind of wrapped up quick. Like they drag shit out for over and oh, that's

Geoffrey D Calhoun 25:45

that's a really good point. Actually, I don't know how they do it because usually what they'll take a subplot in a show like nine Perfect Strangers, they'll run it for the entire season, right? But like succession or even like billions will burn through a subplot one to three episodes Max, and I'll be watching the this writers room has to be on fire. I mean, their board just has to be like a ton of subplots everywhere that they can just keep burning through. It's absolutely impressive. Awesome. Very cool.

Jeff Dwoskin 26:13

So everyone, check that out. It was I was, I was talking to my brother today actually about Arrested Development because he'd never seen it. I said to him, I said, episode season one of arrested development is probably one of the best comedies ever. I can rewatch season one a million times. I think people's memory 10 years later of the series as a whole is focused more on Season One, season two is about 80% as good as season one. Season Three is about 60% as good as season two, right? If you watch it now on Season One to Season One, two, and three, season three is in great there was you could see why they canceled the show. The the quality of the show was not the same as season one. The interesting thing is my daughter, my oldest daughter was watching it just before season four, which came like a year later, right when Netflix revived it. And she didn't know because she's binging it. She's wise, Lindsey, Lindsey, Portia. Why she looks so different. It was like she didn't know there was like 10 years it passed. Yeah, but in the show it's like the next day right?

Tony Berardo 27:17

Right. Netflix does a kind of an interesting job of merging present and flashbacks to make up those 20 to 30 minutes of each episode. It did definitely lose its its muster little bit of for sure. I can't believe everybody agreed to it like forte and Babe and I just can't believe they're like, oh, yeah, this makes sense.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:35

That season. I don't know how you guys feel. But season four, I thought was horrible. And I thought Season Five was even worse, like almost unwatchable. Like you're like, almost like sad that they even went that route. Season Four, I originally thought well, they they made like 45 minute episodes. It was like one of the great things I think about the original, at least for a season is it's that short, very they had a very good rhythm going with that, that 22 minutes or whatever. Yeah, well, to expand it, it just didn't work for me at all. And to never have any of the characters really in the same room. Because they had to work around all these people's schedules. So they were never really ever grouped. That was one of the magic things of the original episode and then or the original season. And

Tony Berardo 28:19

anyway, no, and I agree for sure. And it would have been I mean, Netflix projects often miss shit ton of money. Everyone's like, let's just do it. Who gives a shit like, oh, yeah, absolutely. No one watches it, who cares? Whatever.

Jeff Dwoskin 28:32

Alright, that was succession and a little bit of Arrested Development. As you could hear from the segment that was recorded just before season three of succession, which is now completely aired on HBO, it delivered so I re up my recommendation of succession Season One, two, and now season three. All right, well, that wraps up this episode succession, Arrested Development, Willie's Wonderland and a Great British Bake Off. You got a lot of TV watching in front of you now. So I'm going to go let you find the comfy spot on the couch. Cross your own streams. As always. I'm your host, Jeff Dwoskin. I'll see you live 9:30pm Eastern time. I Wednesdays are right here as we deliver special segments of crossing the streams right to your ears. I'll see you next time.

CTS Announcer 29:21

Thanks for listening to this special edition of crossing the streams. Visit us on YouTube for full episodes and catch us live every Wednesday at 9:30pm Eastern time. Now turn this off and go watch some TV. And don't forget to tell your family y'all be busy for a while.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai