Star Wars 74: This Makes Everything Worth It

It’s September, so naturally it’s time to talk about our favorite movies of 2025. Welcome back to the Hookies! Your hookers, Chris and Rashaad, unveil their nominees across seven categories: actor, supporting actor, score, screenplay, cinematography, director, and picture. These are our favorites, not the best. We’re opinionated, we’ve done some last-minute watching, and we’re making absolutely no claims to objectivity. From Sinners and One Battle After Another to Hamnet, Bugonia, and Train Dreams, we compare picks, question whether we’re slowly becoming the same person, and discover which films we can no longer get away with avoiding. There’s nomination strategy. There are strong feelings about Yorgos Lanthimos. There are names we promise to pronounce properly next time. Next comes the homework: watching each other’s nominees before returning to rank them and crown our winners. And with five years of Hookies approaching, we’re also plotting a showdown between past winners. Because it’s fun to hate movies just as much as it’s fun to love them.

Chris and Rashaad welcome a very special guest for today's episode, Eleni, who's here to talk about her favorite music from 2024. Chris and Eleni have a reasonable conversation about music, while Rashaad chimes in every once and a while Two years late, but haven't you heard music is eternal? betterlatethannever

Rashaad and Chris are back to talk about the 5 year anniversary of Serially Hooked! We reflect on the journey the podcast has taken over the last five years, recount some of our favorite moments, and guess what the next five years might look like. A huge thank you to all our listners who have stuck by us through the years. We're so glad to have you with us. And we're not done yet!

Chris and Rashaad are back to finally talk about their favorite TV shows of 2024… in 2025. Better late than never, right? This episode mostly belongs to Rashaad, who carries the load by breaking down the shows he loved most, while Chris does his best to keep up. Consider this less of a recap and more of a very delayed victory lap for great television. Connect with us at https://www.seriallyhooked.com

Chris and Rashaad venture into the windswept world of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Miyazaki’s post-apocalyptic epic. In this episode, we dig into Nausicaä’s environmental themes, her role as a Miyazaki heroine, and the early seeds of Studio Ghibli magic. We also chat about giant bugs, big battles, and a world where nature fights back. Get ready to be hooked on Miyazaki at https://www.seriallyhooked.com/miyazaki.

We’ve watched, binged, debated and rewatched, and at long last, the Hookies are back! In our annual awards episode, your hosts Chris and Rashaad reveal their picks standouts in film from the previous year. From unexpected breakout hits to sleeper favorties, from best twists to biggest disappointments, nothing is safe from their judgement. Whether your favorite got snubbed or celebrated, join us for a fun rundown of the year in obsession. Tune in, debate along, and don’t blush if your show gets roasted or lauded. This is the awards show you didn’t ask for but you’ll listen to anyway. Reach out to us anytime at https://www.seriallyhooked.com

Chris and Rashaad are back to talk about the second season of Andor – one of the highlights of their year and, honestly, of their lives. Going at it one arc at a time, they dissect the web of characters, discuss some political theory and delve into the deepest of rabbit holes. Naturally, they have Top Fours at the end and wonder: Did Tony Gilroy create the best Star Wars ever?

The Hookies are back for a fourth time! Chris and Rashaad get excited about one of the highlights of the year and give their nominees for the most anticipated awards ceremony in the world.

We're diving into Miyazaki’s The Castle of Cagliostro, the grand heist adventure that kicked off his legendary film career. In this episode, we chat about sneaky Lupin antics, the origins of Miyazaki’s signature style, and discuss the movie's place in the wider the Miyazaki oeuvre. Get ready to be hooked on Miyazaki at https://www.seriallyhooked.com/miyazaki

Season three of Serially Hooked is here! Join Chris and Rashaad as they dive into the magical world of Miyazaki Hayao. Over the course of the season, we will dive into all the films written and directed by Miyazaki, in our strange, Serially Hooked way. Join us for all the fun and wonder of one of the greatest directors of all time. Also check out the new page on our website! https://www.seriallyhooked.com/miyazaki