The Rewatchables

A 2026 Rewatchables Mailbag

January 6, 2026

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  • The hosts are actively soliciting and evaluating listener suggestions for new recurring categories for *The Rewatchables* as they look ahead to 2026. 
  • A major theme in the listener feedback is the changing nature of movie consumption (streaming vs. channel surfing) and how that impacts the original premise of what makes a movie 'rewatchable.' 
  • Several proposed new categories focus on situational viewing contexts, such as the 'Watch Party Award' and the 'Replacements Cheerleader Tryout Award' for awkward viewing moments. 
  • The hosts and listeners spent a significant portion of this segment of "A 2026 Rewatchables Mailbag" brainstorming and proposing numerous new, often humorous, award categories for future episodes, such as the "Mr. Miyagi award," the "Indiana Jones wide open ass award," and the "Craig Horlbeck Century Club Award." 
  • A recurring theme in the listener submissions was the discussion of movie runtimes, with the "Craig Horlbeck Century Club Award" specifically proposing a metric based on whether a movie would be better at exactly 100 minutes. 
  • The conversation included a deep dive into nitpicks and alternative interpretations of the movie *Heat*, culminating in a listener's "hottest take" arguing that Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino's character) is the true villain, not Waingro. 
  • The hosts debated a listener's 'hottest take' arguing that Chirito, not Wingro, is the true villain of the movie *Heat*, citing Chirito's instigation and use of a child as a human shield. 
  • A new award category was proposed: the 'Stanley Tucci in Conclave Award' for the actor whose presence is so distracting (often due to high online visibility or prior roles) that they take the listener out of the movie. 
  • The discussion concluded with suggestions for new official categories for *The Rewatchables* in 2026, including the 'watch party one,' the 'hundred minutes one,' the 'horrific scale,' and the 'anti-life lesson,' alongside a request for more impression suggestions for the 'Wayne Jenkins spot.' 

Segments

Rewatchability Premise Debate
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(00:03:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The core premise of The Rewatchables—stumbling upon a movie via channel surfing—is challenged by modern streaming habits, leading to a discussion on how audiences now seek content.
  • Summary: Listeners question if the concept of rewatchability has aged poorly due to the loss of channel surfing and the curated nature of streaming platforms. The hosts acknowledge that instant gratification via YouTube clips also diminishes the need to wait for key scenes on TV. The consensus is that while the original premise is harder to replicate, the show will maintain its name but adapt to modern viewing realities.
New Category Suggestions: Contextual Viewing
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(00:08:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners proposed the ‘Watch Party Award’ category, suggesting movies should be categorized based on the ideal social setting (e.g., first date, in-laws, buddy movie) for viewing.
  • Summary: The ‘Watch Party Award’ suggests pairing films with specific audiences, such as The Fugitive for in-laws or Terminator 2 for a buddy movie. Other contextual categories suggested include ‘Five O’Clocker’ for mediocre after-work viewing and ‘Proxy Vacation’ for films set in desirable locations. The hosts generally approve of these situational category ideas for future consideration.
Flip-Flops and Movie Reassessment
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(00:19:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The difficulty of forming a lasting first impression in the streaming era highlights how movies like Miami Vice and Limitless require multiple viewings to be fully appreciated, leading to significant opinion reversals.
  • Summary: The discussion centered on Michael Mann’s Miami Vice, which the host initially panned but now rates highly, illustrating a major opinion flip-flop. This phenomenon is attributed to the lack of casual rewatching opportunities today, meaning initial impressions are often final. Other ‘oven movies’ that improved upon rewatching include Black Hat, This Is the End, and Public Enemies.
Technology Ruining Movie Plots
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(00:13:37)
  • Key Takeaway: A proposed category, ‘Would Technology Ruin This Movie,’ explores how modern tech like cell phones or Ring cameras would instantly resolve the central conflicts in films like Out of Time and Home Alone.
  • Summary: The ‘Sarah Connor Award’ (or similar) focuses on films whose plots hinge on outdated technology, such as The Firm relying on fax machines instead of email. Modern surveillance and communication would negate the suspense in many crime and thriller narratives. Goodwill Hunting’s emotional climax would be reduced to a simple phone call if cell phone location tracking were available.
Endings That Should Be Different
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(00:25:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners submitted controversial alternate endings, suggesting that films like Heat, True Romance, and The Shawshank Redemption would be improved if the protagonists or antagonists met different fates.
  • Summary: One listener argued that Heat should end with De Niro living and Pacino dying, while another suggested Clarence should die in True Romance. The segment expanded to discuss movies that fumble their landing, citing Sunshine’s slasher ending and Signs’ alien allergy reveal as examples of poor resolution to complex setups.
Awkward Viewing Scenarios and Character Analysis
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(00:32:14)
  • Key Takeaway: New category ideas included the ‘Best Hang, Worst Hang’ award for assessing character compatibility and the ‘Replacements Cheerleader Tryout Award’ for the most awkward scene to walk in on.
  • Summary: The ‘Best Hang/Worst Hang’ category requires nominating which character from a film would be the best or worst person to watch a game or hang out with, using Hereditary’s Charlie as a prime example of a ‘worst hang.’ The ‘Awkward Scene’ category focuses on moments of high incongruity that cause embarrassment if walked in on unexpectedly, like the cheerleader tryout scene in The Replacements.
Harrison Ford Compliment Story
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(00:44:13)
  • Key Takeaway: A listener shared a personal anecdote about complimenting Harrison Ford at a Harvard event by calling him ’the cutest carpenter since Jesus,’ which Ford politely acknowledged.
  • Summary: The story detailed a Harvard student meeting Harrison Ford at a Hasty Pudding event around 1995-96. Due to the loud environment, the compliment had to be repeated, resulting in Ford placing his hand on her back while responding kindly. The listener later regretted not knowing about Ford’s history as a carpenter when delivering the compliment.
Advanced Category Submissions
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(00:45:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners submitted highly specific, complex category ideas, including the ‘Dennis Peck Relationship Test Award’ to gauge romantic fidelity and the ‘Rick Cicchetti Guard Meet Award’ for inconsequential bystander deaths.
  • Summary: The ‘Dennis Peck Relationship Test’ uses the character from Internal Affairs to test how strong a movie’s romantic leads would be against temptation, suggesting When Harry Met Sally would fail. The ‘Rick Cicchetti Guard Meet Award’ honors minor characters, like the security guard in Die Hard, whose deaths are treated as inconsequential despite their presumed personal lives.
Advice and Advice Awards
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(00:49:29)
  • Key Takeaway: The suggestion of a “Mr. Miyagi award” for best or worst advice was proposed, referencing the quote: “don’t walk away from anything you can’t leave in 30 seconds.”
  • Summary: A listener suggested the “Mr. Miyagi award” for best or worst advice given in a movie. This category is tied to the quote, “don’t walk away from anything you can’t leave in 30 seconds.” The discussion contrasted this advice with Val Kilmer’s character returning to save his friend in a film, implying exceptions to the rule.
Indiana Jones Stink Award
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(00:50:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Indiana Jones wide open ass award” was proposed for the character who conspicuously stinks throughout the movie unnoticed, using Indiana Jones’s filthy appearance after leaving Egypt in Raiders of the Lost Ark as the prime example.
  • Summary: The “Indiana Jones wide open ass award” targets characters whose noticeable body odor goes unacknowledged by others in the film. The example cited was Indiana Jones being filthy after desert travel, yet Marion is still willing to hook up with him on the ship. The hosts briefly debated historical acceptance of body odor, referencing Napoleon’s alleged preference for unwashed ladies.
Proof of Life Stink Award
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(00:51:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The “David Morrison Proof of Life Award” was suggested for a character who returns after enduring harsh conditions (like a jungle captivity) and is immediately embraced despite having an extreme odor.
  • Summary: The “David Morrison Proof of Life Award” highlights the awkwardness of immediate physical reunion after long-term hardship, exemplified by Meg Ryan’s character hugging Russell Crowe’s character immediately after his rescue from a Venezuelan/Colombian jungle in Proof of Life. The hosts noted that in the modern era, such a reunion would likely involve an immediate request for a shower.
Horlbeck Century Club Award
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(00:52:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Craig Horlbeck Century Club Award” judges movies based on whether they would be better if edited down to exactly 100 minutes, with examples like Blues Brothers (133 min) needing cuts and Truman Show needing additions.
  • Summary: The “Craig Horlbeck Century Club Award” categorizes films based on their runtime relative to 100 minutes: those that qualify automatically, those too long (like Blues Brothers), and those too short (like Truman Show). The discussion noted that modern action/comic book movies often feel too long, and a 90-minute movie plus trailers makes a theater trip a four-hour commitment.
Rose from Titanic Award
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(00:57:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Rose from Titanic Award” was proposed for the character who underratedly sucks, serving as a potential spice-up for the existing “What’s Aged the Worst” category.
  • Summary: Referencing a previous legendary segment about Rose from Titanic, this proposed award honors characters who are fundamentally unlikable or suck, even if they aren’t the main villain. Examples considered included the Natalie Portman character in Star Wars prequels and Pam from The Office for holding Jim back.
Punchable Character Award
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(00:59:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Ted Cruz versus Mitch McConnell, aka most punchable character award” was suggested for characters who are not villains but intensely provoke the desire to punch them, citing Anthony Rapp in School Ties.
  • Summary: This award seeks to recognize characters who are intensely annoying but not necessarily the primary antagonist, like Cameron in Dead Poets Society who sells out Mr. Keating. The name was suggested to be flexible, avoiding direct political figures if necessary, to honor characters deserving of a punch.
Underutilized Actress Award
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(01:00:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Dana Wheeler-Nicholson Award” (or “Mia Sarah Award”) recognizes actresses who were great in one specific movie but inexplicably failed to achieve a much bigger career afterward.
  • Summary: This category honors actresses like Mia Sarah (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Deborah Kara Unger, and Virginia Madsen, whose careers did not match their early promise. The hosts expressed particular outrage over the lack of subsequent films from Mia Sarah.
Rewatchable Drop the Ball Award
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(01:00:49)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Deshaun Jackson Award” is for rewatchable movies that drop the ball on the one-yard line, failing in their conclusion, with The Running Man cited for denying an epic showdown between Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura.
  • Summary: This award targets movies that are otherwise rewatchable but suffer from a poor ending, like The Running Man failing to deliver the expected fight between its two leads. The hosts noted that many movies they might nominate would already be ineligible for The Rewatchables due to having fundamentally bad endings.
Career Trajectory Divergence Award
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(01:02:14)
  • Key Takeaway: The “I can’t believe Carl Anthony Towns had a better career than Joel Embiiden Ward” was proposed for actors whose career paths radically diverge from early expectations, citing Emily Blunt vs. Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada.
  • Summary: This category tracks actors whose later careers vastly outperform initial predictions based on an early shared film. Examples included Josh Charles having a more relevant TV career than Robert Sean Leonard post-Dead Poets Society, and the comparison between NBA players Towns and Embiid.
Best Scalable Insult Award
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(01:11:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The “Billy Bats Jack Waltz Award” was suggested for the best insult in a movie that is scalable and can be brought into real-life situations, with “Get your fucking shine box” from Goodfellas being the prime example.
  • Summary: This award seeks the most effective, reusable insult from a film, separate from lines that simply entered the pop culture lexicon. The hosts agreed that “Get your fucking shine box” is a high-quality, scalable insult.
Heat Movie Nitpicks
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(01:37:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners questioned Neil’s personnel management in Heat, specifically how Waingro was hired without meeting him beforehand, and proposed that Vincent Hanna (Chorito) is the true villain because he is the instigator seeking blood.
  • Summary: Listeners questioned the logic of Neil hiring Waingro sight-unseen the morning of the heist, comparing it to a poor personnel decision like Nico Harrison only making one phone call about Luca in the NBA. A hot take suggested Hanna is the villain because he uses the word ‘slick’ to get the team busted and only seeks blood, while Waingro acts out of desperation.
Heat Villain Debate
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(01:39:39)
  • Key Takeaway: A listener argued Chirito is the villain of Heat because he is an instigator who uses a child as a human shield, contrasting with Wingro’s actions driven by desperation.
  • Summary: The segment centers on a listener’s argument that Chirito is the villain in Heat, citing his workplace bullying and use of a child as a human shield as evidence of being a deranged psychotic who only wants blood. Wingro’s morally ambiguous actions are framed as desperation because he knows he is being hunted by the team. The argument against Chirito being the good guy is solidified by his use of the word ‘slick,’ which allegedly gets the team busted.
New Category Suggestion: Tucci Award
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(01:42:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘Stanley Tucci in Conclave Award’ was proposed for actors whose high online presence or prior fame makes them jarringly unbelievable in a specific movie role.
  • Summary: This proposed award recognizes actors whose fame, often amplified by social media presence (like Stanley Tucci making Carbonara online), pulls the audience out of the film’s reality. Examples cited include Mila Kunis in Knives Out and the potential distraction of seeing the actor from the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni movie It Ends With Us in future roles. Conversely, highly famous actors like Leo DiCaprio maintain believability by avoiding constant online presence.
Actor Distraction and Cameos
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(01:43:38)
  • Key Takeaway: An actor’s high profile can either break immersion or elevate a scene, depending on the context, as seen with Jesse Plemons in Civil War and Matt Damon in Interstellar.
  • Summary: The presence of a very famous person in a minor role can be distracting, leading to the feeling that the person is just ‘a very famous person in a costume.’ However, when an actor of high caliber is used effectively, like Jesse Plemons in Civil War, their presence can elevate the scene’s significance. The ‘Sean Bean award’ for actors killed off too early was mentioned as a potential past category.
Sauna Viewing Habits
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(01:44:36)
  • Key Takeaway: One host is re-watching Game of Thrones in an infrared sauna, finding the heat slows down the pace enough to better absorb the dialogue and understand the characters.
  • Summary: The host is watching Game of Thrones in an infrared sauna, placing the iPad outside the door to play audio loudly. The extreme heat reportedly slows down the viewing experience, making it easier to process dialogue and become more invested in characters like Robert Baratheon. This viewing method is contrasted with the typical experience of watching the show.
Category Updates and Impressions
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(01:45:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Three specific categories—the watch party one, the hundred minutes one, and the anti-life lesson—are slated for addition to The Rewatchables for 2026, alongside a need for new impression suggestions.
  • Summary: The hosts plan to add the watch party, hundred minutes, and anti-life lesson categories as official flexes for the upcoming year. They also requested listener suggestions for new impressions to replace or supplement existing ones like Romo, Collinsworth, and Wayne Jenkins. One host mentioned workshopping impressions of Orlofsky and Riddick.
Critique of Football Announcers
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(01:46:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts expressed strong disapproval of three-man NFL booths and criticized Scott Hanson’s overly energetic style on NFL RedZone, preferring the natural commentary of the primary game announcers.
  • Summary: The speakers dislike three-man booths in football broadcasts, finding them terrible, and one host specifically dislikes Scott Hanson’s style on RedZone, feeling he tries too hard with forced puns. They prefer letting the actual game announcers take over rather than having Hanson interject constantly. Tom Brady’s performance as a color commentator was also deemed inferior to established duos like Tirico and Collinsworth.