The Rewatchables: ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

Published 2025-07-22; 1:31:23 by the feed.

As extracted (engineer-sonnet-2026-10-13)

The extraction calls the show “The Rewatchables (The Ringer)” and the episode “'Species' With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan”.

Hosts: Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan. Guests: Craig (producer, credited "Craig Corbeck" in transcript).

Subject films: Species (1995).

On the transcript: No speaker labels and heavy ad reads; attributions between Bill, Chris (CR) and Van are guesses from context. Opening and closing ad copy is not episode content; several lines are garbled by the transcriber.

Added from the extractor's memory, not said

Spellings of Erika Eleniak, Mira Sorvino, Nicole Eggert, Andrzej Bartkowiak, Uwe Boll, Ralph Rosenblum, Marg Helgenberger, Michael Crichton, Forest Whitaker are my corrections of garbled transcript names.
Film titles inferred from garbled/oblique mentions: Heat (De Niro and Kilmer third guy), Can't Buy Me Love (Camp Buy Me Love), Scarface (Scario), The Hateful Eight (hatefully), The Substance, Annie Hall, BloodRayne, Marked for Death, Out for Justice, Get Shorty (Chili Palmer), Pulp Fiction (Vince Vega); years given on non-subject films are mine.
Roles attached to Mira Sorvino (Mimic) and Michael Douglas/Basic Instinct are inferred from phrasing.

Awards and segments (88)

Double feature

pick Under the Skin: Offered as a double feature, but another host calls it a beautiful art film rather than a match.
“Best double feature choice under the skin?”
unknown · 1:28:21
pick Mimic: Another 90s creature movie with killer cockroaches.
“I had mimic, the nearest Sorvino movie that came out a couple years later.”
unknown · 1:28:23
pick Amanda and the Alien: An obscure made-for-cable movie about an alien learning its human body.
“There's a movie called Amanda and the Alien.”
unknown · 1:28:33

Most rewatchable scene

pick Young Michelle Williams escaping the gas chamber at the start, no preamble
“Michelle Williams, young Michelle Williams, escaping.”
Bill Simmons · 0:26:40
pick Fitch lays out the alien's origin to his crew: good exposition in two minutes
“Fitch has his crew and he lays out what happened with the alien.”
Bill Simmons · 0:27:40
pick Fitch almost lets Helgenberger's character and Madsen die in the burn room
“Fitch almost lets Marge and Madison die in the lab.”
Bill Simmons · 0:29:16
pick Natasha at the club, the bathroom kill, and the Hollywood Hills house kill
“Natasha goes to the club, kills a bitch at the id, takes her shirt off, goes to a Hollywood Hills house, um, and kills somebody by French kissing them through the back of their neck.”
Bill Simmons · 0:29:33
pick The Palisades guy's date with Natasha, ending in the hot tub
“Um, the most Palisades guy ever.”
Bill Simmons · 0:33:59
pick The dueling sex scenes, Madsen and Helgenberger in the hotel
“And then, uh, the last one I have is everyone gets horny.”
Bill Simmons · 0:35:46
pick The sex scenes near the end, with Henstridge going for it
“I think doing sex scenes at the end.”
Chris Ryan · 0:37:13
pick The whole Hollywood Hills section: the hot tub and Robbie
“I love the Hollywood Hills, that whole scene.”
Chris Ryan · 0:37:37
pick A quick shot of Madsen two beers deep watching hockey when he gets the call
“Number one is just, uh, just a quick shot of Madson watching hockey.”
unknown · 0:40:19
pick Whitaker's empath walking into the train car and saying something bad happened to her
“The Dan walking into the train car, seeing a dead woman in the husk of an alien uterus and saying something bad happened to you.”
unknown · 0:40:51
pick Laura and Preston's sex scene
“Laura and Preston sex scene.”
unknown · 0:44:57
floated Natasha shopping in downtown LA in the bridal dress outfit
“I could have, uh, I could have watched Natasha shopping in downtown LA for a couple more scenes in the, uh, bridal dress.”
unknown · 0:45:19
floated Natasha watching hotel room TV
“I like when aliens, foreigners and grown up kids and adult bodies watch hotel room TVs.”
unknown · 0:45:49

The Ben Kingsley and Species Award · Performance by an actor who seems like he does not want to be in the movie

winner Ben Kingsley as Xavier Fitch: Bill created the award on the spot; Kingsley on autopilot
“The Ben Kingsley and Species Award for it doesn't seem like you really want to be here.”
Bill Simmons · 0:16:50

Ebert review · The reading of Roger Ebert's review

pick Species: Two stars; Ebert complains the movie never tells her who she is
“Mainstream Hollywood is so terrified of intelligent human characters that it's no wonder they don't want aliens who are even smarter than the humans.”
unknown · 0:25:16

Most 1995 thing about the movie · The most 1995 thing in Species

pick Young Michelle Williams as young Natasha, a film she has disavowed
“I mean, Michelle Williams as young Natasha Andrew chest. She's disavowed this film. Yeah, I know.”
unknown · 0:37:59
pick The little portable Sony TV: Natasha's portable Sony TV; 'She has that little portable Sony TV.'
“Uh, 1995.”
unknown · 0:38:29
pick The paper credit card authorization machine
“I just had the paper credit card authorization machine.”
unknown · 0:39:37
pick Everybody is so thin: Everybody is so thin (Molina, etc.)
“Man, you know what else is so 95 about this movie?”
unknown · 0:39:45
pick Vision Pro sports watching, offered as a 1995 contrast: Bill's thing drifts into a Vision Pro aside
“Uh, I have a 1995 thing, but like, do you think that F1 is going to be cool with the Vision Pro?”
Bill Simmons · 0:38:57

What aged the best · What holds up best

pick Forrest Whitaker's empath as Dan: Called both best and worst at once; inconsistent powers
“I didn't know whether to put them in what stage the best or what saves the worst.”
unknown · 0:40:58
pick Madsen messing with Kingsley's chair: Director's commentary story
“Madson said Ben Kingsley was protective of his chair and set and didn't like anyone touching it.”
unknown · 0:48:39
pick The hunt or chase movie with a ragtag group of experts
“I like a hunt or chase movie when you get a ragtag group of people to solve a problem.”
unknown · 0:49:03

What aged the worst · What aged worst

pick Species 2: Madsen said it was lousy and only a paycheck
“Woodstage the worst, Species 2.”
unknown · 0:59:49
pick The missed chances for Natasha to find a mate in Hollywood
“All the missed opportunities for Natasha to find a mate in Hollywood that they just left on the table, because she'll like only goes back to the same club once, like, easily could have gone to the Viper room.”
unknown · 1:00:52

Big Kahuna Burger award · Best food or drink in the movie

pick The banana with the peel still on: The little kid on the train
“Banana with the peel still on?”
unknown · 0:52:04
pick The puddings
“Puddings.”
unknown · 0:52:05
pick Long Island iced teas
“The Long Island iced teas?”
unknown · 0:52:09

Best shot · Most cinematic shot

pick Natasha coming out of the cocoon in the train: The train was inverted to make the fall work
“I was gonna say, though, her coming out of the cocoon in the train.”
unknown · 0:52:34
pick The tongue coming through the back of the guy's head: Not cinematic but memorable; won best kiss at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards
“As far as shots, though, what about the defining shot of this movie, which I feel like was the tongue coming through the back of the guy's head?”
unknown · 0:53:43

Best needle drop · Best music moment

pick The Crystal Method in the id club: Wanted something like early Moby or Tricky
“I couldn't... I think in Id, they are listening to the crystal method, which is a very 90s... I think they could have dialed that up.”
unknown · 0:54:07

Best character name · Best name in the movie

pick Xavier Fitch
“Xavier Fitch is Ben Kingsley's name.”
unknown · 0:54:32
winner Preston Lennox
“Preston Lennox is good though.”
unknown · 0:54:42

The Ed Norton reversed Uncle Award · Did this movie need a random sports scene

pick Natasha at the beach stopping by the Venice courts for a pickup game: Also floated a Lakers or Clippers game and beach volleyball
“Why, when still is sleeping at the beach.”
unknown · 0:54:52

The George Ellerby award · The leader with the most responsibility and least oversight

winner Xavier Fitch as Xavier Fitch: Gassing the alien, no safeguards, hiring a team of nerds
“I have the George Ellerby 2 weeks with Vana, I can cook on this one, but Xavier Finch seems like he has a lot of responsibility with very little oversight and just takes too many chances.”
Chris Ryan · 0:56:05

The Erica Leniac Under Siege award · How do you know how to work terrible weapons

winner The microbiologist: The team becomes a strike team
“The microbiologist has the fucking vest on with the rifle.”
unknown · 0:57:48

Butch's Girlfriend Award · Weak link of the film

winner The last 12 minutes in the sewer
“Butch's girlfriend Award, weak link of the film is the, uh, the last 12 minutes.”
unknown · 0:58:12
pick The girl Natasha kidnaps in the car
“Oh, I had, uh, the girl that, um, she kidnaps.”
unknown · 0:58:18

Toughest death in the movie · Worst way to die in Species

pick The girl on the toilet
“I'd rather be Molina than the girl on the toilet.”
unknown · 0:58:52
pick Alfred Molina as Dr. Stephen Arden: The one moment of realizing you fucked up
“Oh, the worst way to die for me was Alfa Molina, because he had a high and then a low, and he was experiencing.”
unknown · 0:58:43

Overacting award · Biggest overacting in the movie

winner Forrest Whitaker as Dan: Calls it an underacted movie
“I would say it's Forrest Whitaker for the entire film, but Kingsley for the single tier.”
unknown · 1:01:58
winner Ben Kingsley as Xavier Fitch: For the single tear
“I would say it's Forrest Whitaker for the entire film, but Kingsley for the single tier.”
unknown · 1:01:58

Hottest take award · Hot take about the movie

pick The alien should have been a six: Becomes a rom-com where she cannot find a mate in LA
“Would this movie have been more interesting?”
Bill Simmons · 1:04:24
pick The movie should have had more of the sex and nudity, hard R or NC-17
“The movie should have had more fucking.”
Van Lathan · 1:05:36
pick It should have been a TV show; HBO in 1995: Madsen and Helgenberger as Mulder and Scully, the first great hour-long cable drama
“No, I'm just, I just think this should have been a TV show.”
Chris Ryan · 1:06:22

Sequel, prequel, prestige TV · The sequel, prequel or prestige TV show they would make

pick Species as a 1995 HBO one-hour drama: Bill notes later that CR already made his prestige TV case
“And I think you can make the case that if this is an HBO show in 1995.”
Chris Ryan · 1:06:25

Casting what ifs · Almost-castings and recasts

pick Pierce Brosnan: Guessed the Kingsley part
“Pierce Brosnan was offered a part, but couldn't do it because he, um, had golden eye, but then ended up working with Roger Donaldson on Dante's Peak.”
unknown · 1:08:29
pick Arnold Schwarzenegger: Guessed Preston Lennox or the empath
“Who knows if this is true, but Arnold Schwarzenegger was briefly interested in the script, but the budget wouldn't allow him.”
unknown · 1:08:53
pick Vince Vaughn: As the Hollywood Hills guy
“Ironically, Van brought him up before, but I had Vince Vaughn playing Hollywood Hill's guy instead of Nick Wright.”
unknown · 1:09:57
pick Tom Cruise: Others floated Cruise as the Michael Madsen guy and as the Magnolia-style Hollywood Hills guy
“I was going to say cruise now in the Ben Kingsley role.”
unknown · 1:16:44
pick Philip Seymour Hoffman: The Molina part, or the Palisades guy part
“Philip Seymour Hoffman, Raw.”
unknown · 1:17:41
pick Martin Scorsese as director: One host chose Scorsese for a gritty, Catholic-guilt alien movie; two chose Spielberg
“Interesting.”
unknown · 1:17:25
pick Tom Cruise: Gets him running
“I got Cruz as the Michael Matson guy.”
unknown · 1:16:57

Best that guy · Best that guy

winner Whip: Previously won on St. Elmo's Fire
“It's whip.”
unknown · 1:09:22

Dion Waiters Award · Small role, big impact

winner Michelle Williams: Young Natasha
“Michelle.”
unknown · 1:09:33
winner The Hollywood Hills guy as Robbie: A pretty good villain in five minutes
“You know what I gave? I gave Hollywood Hills date rape, guys.”
unknown · 1:09:36
winner All the dead guys: Co-winners, besides Molina
“All the dead guys, all the victory. They all have to, they all have to have their little Dion Waiters moment and then get killed.”
unknown · 1:09:47

Did this movie need a better sex scene · The missed opportunity in the movie's sex scenes

pick Madsen and Henstridge's character in a room: Named in Craig's later remarks as Van's category
“Did this movie need a better, the Steven Seagala word for, did this movie need a better intimacy coordinator?”
Van Lathan · 0:36:20
pick A love triangle or mistaken identity with Madsen's character and the alien: Agrees with Van; thought the whole movie led up to it
“I thought it was a huge miss opportunity to not get Madsen and her in a room.”
Craig Horlbeck · 1:10:49

Apex Mountain · Where the performance sits on the mountain

winner Natasha Henstridge
“Apex Mountain, clearly Natasha.”
unknown · 1:14:16
pick Michael Madsen: Debate between Reservoir Dogs and this movie, which made over $100 million
“Uh, I would say probably Reservoir.”
unknown · 1:14:23
pick Marg Helgenberger
“Marge it's CSI.”
unknown · 1:15:09
pick Ben Kingsley
“Ben Kingsley, no.”
unknown · 1:15:13
pick Forrest Whitaker
“Whitaker, no.”
unknown · 1:15:33
pick Mid 90s BMW convertibles: This is a really good one
“Mid 90s BMW convertibles.”
unknown · 1:15:36

Picking Nits · Nitpicks of a movie they love

pick Nobody on the dream team suspects the alien rigged the car chase
“Nobody, none of this dream team suspicious at all, that the alien with superior intelligence might have rigged any part of this?”
unknown · 0:35:33
pick Nobody in 1995 turns down sex like the Palisades guy
“Anyone in 1995 turning down sex or being like, this is too fast.”
unknown · 1:18:22
pick Madsen's tough guy handing off a cat
“The 1st time we see him, he's handing a cat to his cat center, awesome moment.”
unknown · 1:20:37
pick The train porter's clothes fit Natasha and are clean
“And Natasha is wearing her clothes out.”
unknown · 1:21:16
pick How they followed her from the club to the Hollywood Hills house
“How did they follow her from the club to the Hollywood Hills house was never explained.”
unknown · 1:21:30
pick Finding semen in the hot tub water in ten minutes
“Could they really figure out semen in the hot tub water in 10 minutes, which is what happens in this movie?”
unknown · 1:22:00
pick An incredibly nice motel manager
“That is an incredibly nice motel manager.”
unknown · 1:22:34
pick People were not horny enough for her
“People weren't horny enough for her.”
unknown · 1:22:56
pick A microbiologist in combat
“They put a microbiologist in combat later on in this movie.”
unknown · 1:23:09
pick Kingsley says go home and sleep while she is on the loose
“She's still on the loose and Ben Kingsley's like, let's go home, get some sleep.”
unknown · 1:23:16

How would you get out of this one · How would Van Lathan get out of the Palisades guy's situation

pick Team up with the alien: Offers to help raise the babies and start a new world together
“So I realized that she's an alien.”
Van Lathan · 1:19:52

Oscar pick · Who should have won or been nominated

pick Special effects: Probably special effects
“Just when Oscar who gets it.”
unknown · 1:24:55

Unanswered questions · Unanswerable questions

pick What is Natasha's aging like: Does she turn into Betty White in a week
“One of my unanswerable questions is like, what's Sill's, what's her aging like?”
unknown · 1:12:17
pick Are the overarching aliens pleased with her
“Are the overarching aliens?”
unknown · 1:25:19
pick Where would a concierge send Natasha to find a mate: South Bay, USC frat parties, a Lakers game, Disney World were floated
“So if you were the conciliary for Natasha when she gets off the train, um, where would you tell her to go?”
unknown · 1:25:30

Memorabilia · A piece of memorabilia they would want

pick Forrest Whitaker's goofy
“I had Forrest Whitaker's goofy.”
unknown · 1:27:55

Best life lesson · Best life lesson

pick Don't underestimate hot horny alien
“Coach Finnstock were her best life lesson.”
unknown · 1:28:03
pick If a six-foot blonde wants your baby at the club, it is too good to be true
“I had if a 6 foot blonde woman wants your baby at the club, it's probably too good to be true.”
unknown · 1:28:08

Who won the movie · Who won the movie

winner Natasha Henstridge: Honoring Madsen was the intent, but she wins
“Natasha. Natasha.”
Bill Simmons · 1:29:28
nominee Michael Madsen: It's a great performance
“Mikey?”
Bill Simmons · 1:29:26

Films that came up

Claims (67)

lineage (lineage): Michael Madsen → Humphrey Bogart. Madsen is the Bogart-like figure at the center of the Species team.
“He is this like, like kind of Humphrey Bogart figure in the middle of this team”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:04:09 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Michael Madsen → True Romance. Madsen's ineffable cool runs through Dogs, True Romance and Species.
“You see it in true romance and you see it here.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:04:19 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Michael Madsen → Ava Gardner. Madsen feels like a time-machined 1940s or 50s actor who belongs opposite Ava Gardner.
“But I think that thing that stands out for me with him is he feels like a 1940s or 50s actor.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:05:20 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Michael Madsen → John Travolta. Madsen's 90s roles overlapped with the ones Travolta was getting.
“Also in the 90s for him, a lot of his roles to me intersected with roles that Travolta was getting.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:06:19 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Michael Madsen → Face/Off. Madsen could have played in Face/Off.
“Could have been good in face off.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:06:41 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Michael Madsen → CSI. After 1997 Madsen should have done a CSI-type show; he and Helgenberger had the chemistry.
“The move in retrospect after like 97, he should have just done like a CSI type show.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:06:47 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Marg Helgenberger → China Beach. Helgenberger played a hooker with a heart of gold on China Beach.
“This was a, she played a hooker with a heart of gold in China Beach.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:07:10 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Species → Budget. The producers spent most of the $35M budget on the alien and effects and went mid-market on the cast.
“they had $35000000 budget, spent basically all of it on the alien and the effects.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:08:56 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Alfred Molina → Boogie Nights. Molina's IMDb runs from Species straight into Boogie Nights two years later.
“And then our guy Alfred Molina, who's 2 years later throwing firecrackers in Dirk Digler and Reed Rothschild.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:09:32 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Species → Congo. Species belongs to a 90s subgenre the speaker calls scientist fiction, alongside Congo, Outbreak, Sneakers, Sphere and Mimic.
“Um, so it's a little bit sci-fi, a little bit adventury, but Congo, outbreak, sneakers, sphere, species, mimic.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:11:36 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Species → Michael Crichton. The subgenre is described as getting a little Crichton in your life.
“Yeah, get a little Crichton in your life.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:11:48 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Event Horizon. Event Horizon is closer to space horror than Species-style scientist fiction.
“A little bit closer to space horror”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:12:11 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → Kung Fu. An alien alone in a big city could have been a Kung Fu-style TV show.
“that could have been like kung fu.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:13:48 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Ben Kingsley → Michael Caine. Kingsley is in the middle-aged English actor zone of Michael Caine, doing it in his sleep.
“I think he was probably in that zone of middle-aged English actor who's like kind of in the Michael Kane zone.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:17:09 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Ben Kingsley → BloodRayne. Kingsley took a one-day, $75,000 gig in a movie by the worst-director-of-all-time (Uwe Boll).
“He was in one of his movies and apparently Blood Rain.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:17:39 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Ben Kingsley → Sexy Beast. Kingsley takes paychecks, then reminds everyone in Sexy Beast he is the best actor in the world.
“he would just be in Sexy Beast and you'd be like, oh, you're the best actor in the world.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:18:01 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Heat. Heat's De Niro-and-Kilmer third guy is the test for being a cool character-actor type.
“could you beat De Niro and Kilmer's 3rd guy?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:21:05 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Michael Madsen → Tom Sizemore. The panel splits on Madsen versus Sizemore; Madsen can do everything Sizemore can, plus be the leading man.
“I think Madson can do everything that Sizemore can do.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:22:28 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Michael Madsen → Basic Instinct. Madsen could have played the Michael Douglas part in Basic Instinct.
“Like Madson could have been the Michael Douglas basic instinct part.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:22:58 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Michael Madsen → Shooter. Shooter needed someone clean-cut with a dark side, and that is Madsen.
“The only thing about shooter is shooter, shooter had to be somebody that looked clean cut but had a dark side, that's Madson.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:23:17 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Ben Kingsley → Jaws 2. The all-time version of the Kingsley-in-Species award is Roy Scheider in Jaws 2.
“Scheider and Jaws 2.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:24:58 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Species → Roger Ebert. Ebert's two-star review complained that Hollywood fears intelligent characters; the panel waves it off with Have some fun.
“Mainstream Hollywood is so terrified of intelligent human characters that it's no wonder they don't want aliens who are even smarter than the humans.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:25:16 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Saturday Night Live. The empath crew reminds the speaker of the SNL Christopher Walken Trivial Psychic sketch.
“It's honestly like that SNL sketch with Christopher Walken, Trivial Psychic.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:29:04 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Marked for Death. The did-this-need-an-intimacy-coordinator category traces to Seagal sex scenes in Marked for Death.
“I think we've done mark for death.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:37:09 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Michelle Williams → Manchester by the Sea. Wish to ask Williams about Species on the Manchester by the Sea junket; she disavowed the film.
“I would have loved to have been like on the junket for Manchester by the sea.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:38:14 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → F1. The empath touching the dirt to find the alien is compared to Sonny Hayes touching the track.
“like Sonny Hayes touching the track.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:41:38 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Tony Romo. Is the Species empath like Tony Romo reading the defense? Predictive versus reactive.
“Is Tony Romo kind of an empath?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:43:54 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Forest Whitaker → Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. Whitaker spent years playing weird, off-kilter characters, as in Ghost Dog.
“Like fucking Ghost Dog this, or Asian Harlem, which is a great fucking movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:44:40 · Van Lathan (0.40 sure it was them)
theme (theme): Species → Borat. Aliens and outsiders watching hotel-room TV to learn the culture is a gimmick that works in Borat, Big and Species.
“Borat, Big, this movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:45:58 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Dennis Feldman → The Golden Child. Feldman, the Species screenwriter, also wrote The Golden Child.
“Dennis Feldman wrote it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:49:51 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Dennis Feldman → Real Men. Feldman's other film is Real Men with John Ritter and Jim Belushi.
“Have you guys seen a movie called Real Men with John Ritter and Jim Belushi”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:49:57 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Ralph Rosenblum → Real Men. At film camp the editor showed the pre-edit Real Men and then his cut, proving editors matter most.
“he showed us real men.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:50:13 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Ralph Rosenblum → Annie Hall. Rosenblum is credited as the editor on Annie Hall (transcribed Eddie Hall).
“who did like Eddie Hall and a bunch of other stuff”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:50:13 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
career (career): Andrzej Bartkowiak → Prince of the City. Species' cinematographer shot Lumet films like Prince of the City.
“Just need to say, this movie was shot by Andre Bartoviak, who did a bunch of Sydney Lamet stuff he like shot like Prince of the City.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:52:15 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Andrzej Bartkowiak → Speed. The same cinematographer shot Speed, a moment when great DPs took jobs like Species.
“He shot speed and it was just like that moment”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:52:23 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Roger Donaldson → No Way Out. Donaldson directed Species and also No Way Out.
“including No Way Out.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:52:46 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Roger Donaldson → The Getaway. Donaldson also directed The Getaway.
“Your guy Roger Donaldson also did the getaway.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:53:17 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Roger Donaldson → Cocktail. Donaldson also directed Cocktail.
“We've done he also did cocktail.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:53:24 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → Moby. The speakers say the Id club needed a bigger early-EDM needle drop like early Moby (instead of the Crystal Method), but the production would not have paid for it.
“Yeah, like early, early Moby, somebody like that”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:54:19 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → White Men Can't Jump. Sil should have hustled people at the Venice courts like White Men Can't Jump.
“Why can't she stop by the Venice courts and do a white white man can't jump?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:54:55 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
people (people): Species → Under Siege. The microbiologist's weapons skill is the Erika Eleniak from Under Siege category.
“She had the Erica Leniac it from, from, from under siege”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:57:54 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Michael Madsen → Species II. Madsen called Species 2 lousy and said he only did it for the paycheck.
“I only did it for the paycheck.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:59:55 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → Swingers. Sil could have gone to the Viper Room or the Swingers bar.
“Easily could have gone to the bar and swing, to place in swingers where the old people Marty Elaine play.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:01:04 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → True Blood. A Species series would need the nudity and camp of True Blood.
“You almost had to think about it like true blood.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:06:34 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Species → The X-Files. Madsen and Helgenberger could be Mulder and Scully in a Species TV series.
“you could talk me into Madson and Helgenberger being like Mulder and Scully”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:06:59 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Species → The Sopranos. As a 1995 HBO one-hour drama, Species would have predated The Sopranos (99) and Oz (97).
“Like Sopranos wasn't until 99.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:07:39 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
career (career): Roger Donaldson → Dante's Peak. Pierce Brosnan passed on Species for GoldenEye but later worked with Donaldson on Dante's Peak.
“had golden eye, but then ended up working with Roger Donaldson on Dante's Peak”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:08:29 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Pierce Brosnan → GoldenEye. Brosnan was offered a Species part but had GoldenEye.
“Pierce Brosnan was offered a part, but couldn't do it because he, um, had golden eye”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:08:29 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Arnold Schwarzenegger → Species. Schwarzenegger was briefly interested, but the budget could not afford him; the panel imagines him as Press Lennox or the empath.
“Arnold Schwarzenegger was briefly interested in the script, but the budget wouldn't allow him.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:08:53 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Vince Vaughn → Species. Recast the Hollywood Hills guy with full Vince Vaughn.
“I had Vince Vaughn playing Hollywood Hill's guy instead of Nick Wright.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:09:59 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Species → Alien. H.R. Giger, who designed the creatures in the Alien films, also designed the creature in Species.
“Who designed the creatures in the alien films?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:12:34 · Bill Simmons (0.35 sure it was them)
lineage (lineage): Species → Alien. Giger thought Species ripped off too many other alien movies, such as the chest-burster.
“He thought the movie ripped off too many other alien movies”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:12:56 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
craft (craft): H.R. Giger → Species. Giger designed the creature; he objected to the ending, so the filmmakers used a headshot kill that had not appeared in an alien movie.
“So then he threw his body in front of whatever the ending initially was and they ended up doing the headshot kill instead because that hadn't been in an alien movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:13:15 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Natasha Henstridge → Species. Apex mountain for Henstridge is clearly Species.
“Apex Mountain, clearly Natasha.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:14:16 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
verdict (verdict): Michael Madsen → Reservoir Dogs. Apex mountain pick for Madsen is Reservoir Dogs, argued against by the VHS-era 1995 context.
“Uh, I would say probably Reservoir”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:14:23 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Michael Madsen → Pulp Fiction. Madsen passed up Pulp Fiction, which was the turning point of his career.
“Like he passed up pulp fiction, like he probably has the most juice right around there.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:15:03 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
career (career): Marg Helgenberger → CSI. Apex mountain for Helgenberger: CSI.
“Marge it's CSI.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:15:09 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
craft (craft): Species → Speed. The mid-90s BMW convertible in Species reminds them of the car in Speed.
“What is homie driving in speed?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:15:50 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Tom Cruise → Magnolia. As a cameo, Cruise could be one of Sil's pickups: Cocktail Cruise or Magnolia Cruise.
“Literally, one of the guys she picks up is cocktail cruise. or Magnolia Cruise?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:16:29 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Tom Cruise → Species. Cruise as the Michael Madsen character would add stunts and running.
“I got Cruz as the Michael Matson guy.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:16:57 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Martin Scorsese → Species. Scorsese would make a gritty, sex alien movie steeped in Catholic guilt, with the empath as a priest.
“I wanted his gritty, sex alien movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:17:26 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
what-if (what-if): Philip Seymour Hoffman → Species. Hoffman would be perfect for the Alfred Molina part.
“Philip Seymour Hoffman, Raw.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:17:41 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
contrast (contrast): Species → Species II. Making a Species TV show would have been better than the bad sequels.
“I mean, they made so many bad sequels of this.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:23:36 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Species → Mimic. Double-feature pick: Mimic, the killer-cockroach movie from a couple of years later.
“I had mimic, the nearest Sorvino movie that came out a couple years later.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:28:23 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Species → Amanda and the Alien. Double-feature pick: a 1995 Cinemax-style movie about an alien learning its body and having sex.
“There's a movie called Amanda and the Alien.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:28:33 · Craig Horlbeck (0.40 sure it was them)
programming (programming): Species → Under the Skin. Proposed as a double feature, but it is an art film so Van upgrades it.
“Under the skin, as in Scarlett Johansson?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:29:05 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
industry (industry): Species → 1995 vs now. In 1995 a naked horny alien sold tickets; now it takes IMAX, Brad Pitt and F1.
“Now we have IMAX and Brad Pitt and F1 cars and that's how you get people to go.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:31:12 · Craig Horlbeck (0.50 sure it was them)

Fun items (26)

fun, about Species: Meta category: Michael Madsen is the reason this film was picked after his death; Bill wanted Donnie Brasco, but Chris said Species.
“Michael Matson passed away and we had to do a Michael Matson movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:02:41 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Michael Madsen: Madsen said he liked Species because he got to play a good guy; he hated Species 2.
“he was like, I liked species because I got to play a good guy.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:04:00 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Natasha Henstridge: It was her first movie; nobody knew who she was and she was a Canadian model.
“Natasha was a Canadian model.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:13:17 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Ben Kingsley: New award coined: The Ben Kingsley in Species Award for it doesn't seem like you really want to be here.
“The Ben Kingsley and Species Award for it doesn't seem like you really want to be here.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:16:50 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Read before the Ebert review: a $35 million budget and a gross garbled in the transcript as $13.3 million (later someone says it made over $100 million).
“$35000000 budget, man, $13.3 million.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:25:02 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Roger Ebert: The two-star Ebert review is read; the panel's response is settle down and have some fun.
“Settle down, Rush.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:25:35 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Opening: no preamble, Michelle Williams in a cage, B movie that starts right away. Most rewatchable scene pick.
“Michelle Williams in a cage.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:27:21 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Fitch's exposition: we decided to make it female so it'd be more docile and controllable; Madsen answers you guys don't get out much.
“You guys don't get out much.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:27:52 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Palisades guy: the nicest man in the movie, who gets killed 30 seconds after his big swing.
“Was there a bigger swing for a human being in 30 seconds than that guy's night?”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:34:56 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: The Hollywood Hills guy, Robbie, looks like Nick Wright; the club murder and the Long Island iced tea section is Bill's favorite part.
“I love the Hollywood Hills, that whole scene.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:37:37 · Bill Simmons (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Forest Whitaker: Whitaker's empath walks into the train car and says something bad happened to you; the panel loves the logic.
“The Dan walking into the train car, seeing a dead woman in the husk of an alien uterus and saying something bad happened to you.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:40:45 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Forest Whitaker: The empath's powers are inconsistent: he can read feelings but needs somebody to knock at the door.
“His powers are completely inconsistent in the movie.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:41:40 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Dennis Feldman: The Species Wikipedia page is suspiciously detailed about his writing process, down to draft numbers.
“There's just a lot of his process in the Wikipedia page, like a lot.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:47:29 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Ben Kingsley: Madsen said Kingsley guarded his chair on set, so Madsen dumped garbage on it and hung it from a crane.
“Madson said Ben Kingsley was protective of his chair and set and didn't like anyone touching it.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:48:39 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Ralph Rosenblum: Chris's film camp in Maine story: the editor showed the Real Men rough cut and the final, proving the editor is the most important person.
“oh my god, the editor is the most important person on the set”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:50:34 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: The cocoon shot required inverting the train so she could fall the way she did.
“Because they had to invert the train to make it work so she could fall the way they did.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:52:36 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Best kiss at the 1996 MTV Movie Awards: the tongue through the back of the guy's head.
“It won best kiss at the 1996 MTV movie Awards.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:53:56 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Best character name: Preston Lennox and Xavier Fitch.
“Preston Lennox is good though.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 0:54:42 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: The Species TV pitch: a 1995 HBO series would have been the first great cable one-hour show.
“It becomes the 1st great cable one hour show that we have.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:06:30 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Ben Kingsley: Casting what-if: Brosnan's part, Kingsley found out and was like fuck this.
“I think Kingsley found out and was like, fuck this.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:08:40 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Production trivia: the id club was built in the Pantages Theater.
“Um, The, uh, the id club was built in the Pantages Theater.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:13:29 · Chris Ryan (0.40 sure it was them)
fun, about Alfred Molina: Molina recalled Henstridge being nervous on their sex-scene day since neither had acted one; he had been in one with a man, which broke the ice.
“Because she never acted one before”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:13:55 · Chris Ryan (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Bill's get-out: team up with the alien, we'll start a whole new world.
“Me and you against the world, baby.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:20:29 · Van Lathan (0.50 sure it was them)
fun, about Michael Madsen: Madsen's tough-guy introduction is handing off a cat; the speakers joke it was Madsen's idea and Donaldson just needed the shot.
“The 1st time we see him, he's handing a cat to his cat center, awesome moment.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:20:42 · Van Lathan (0.30 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Craig's verdict: not good, but extremely enjoyable.
“Look, this movie's not good, but it's extremely enjoyable.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:29:52 · Craig Horlbeck (0.70 sure it was them)
fun, about Species: Why it matters: pre-internet, pre-online porn; people had to go to theaters, and a naked horny alien was how you got them there.
“It's pre-internet.”
The Rewatchables · ‘Species’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan · 1:31:00 · Bill Simmons (0.30 sure it was them)

Who's talking

Bill Simmons (host): Loves 80s TV that wrecks him (China Beach), cool-guy actors like Madsen, and big dumb 90s movies sold on a single premise. Teased for being a sucker for the Hollywood Hills guy's lifestyle. Dislikes Sil-adjacent logic holes less than he enjoys them.
Chris Ryan (host): Loves Michael Madsen, Sizemore-versus-Madsen debates, and scientist-fiction. Cares about craft facts: cinematographers, editors, who wrote it. Sucker for a TV-series what-if.
Van Lathan (guest): Loves cool, grounded actors (Madsen, Goggins, Bernthal) and nitpicking the logic of the alien plan. Can't stand the empath being a job. Sucker for a hot tub, a convertible, and a plan to survive an alien.
Craig Horlbeck (guest): Wants the nudity to serve the premise, not be random in action films; likes cool Donaldson movies. Gives a passive thumbs up.

The show's recurring bits

Apex Mountain: The moment a star peaks; where on the mountain a performance sits.
Who Won the Movie: The hosts name the person who came out of the film best off.
The Ebert review: Roger Ebert's original review and star rating read aloud. Ebert is cited, never on the show.
Casting what-ifs: Who was almost cast, or who should have been.
Most rewatchable scene: The scene each host would stop on while flipping channels.
Aged best / aged worst: What holds up and what does not.
Picking Nits: The little things in a film the hosts love that they don't think totally work: the nits.
Double feature: The film each host would pair it with; a programming pick.

Names the transcriber got wrong

Michael Matson/Madson/Mattson = Michael Madsen
Marge/Mark Helgenberger = Marg Helgenberger
Natasha Hendridge/Hentridge = Natasha Henstridge
Forrest/Forest Whitaker
Sierra/CR = Chris Ryan
Andre Bartoviak = Andrzej Bartkowiak
Ewie Bowl = Uwe Boll
Ralph Rosenbaum = Ralph Rosenblum
Eddie Hall = Annie Hall
Camp Buy Me Love = Can't Buy Me Love
Scario = Scarface?
Erica Leniac = Erika Eleniak
Asian Harlem = unclear
Craig Corbeck = Craig Horlbeck?
Dirk Digler/Reed Rothschild = Boogie Nights characters
Sill/Sil = the alien