Franchise Detours

No movie series travels in a straight line. And on Franchise Detours, host Robert Yaniz Jr. tracks the twists and turns of your favorite film series. Whether it’s the manic antics of The Naked Gun, the evolving continuity of X-Men, the horror-comedy balancing act of Child’s Play, or how Rocky transitioned into Creed, each episode digs into how these stories shift, grow, and sometimes completely reinvent themselves.

Tv & Film Film History Film Reviews

Update frequency: every 8 days
Average duration: 76 minutes
Episodes: 109
Years Active: 2021 - 2025

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'The Muppet Movie' (feat. Stephen Fodor of Too Much Scrolling)

It's time to play the music. It's time to light the lights. It's time to meet the Muppets on a brand-new Franchise Detours mega-series. For the next eight episodes, we'll be covering every single the…

01:31:19 | Fri 01 Jul 2022

'Happy Death Day' (feat. Robert Stewart of Stew World Order)

On its face, Happy Death Day feels very much like a slasher movie spin of 1993's time-loop comedy Groundhog Day. While it is that, director Christopher Landon manages to transcend that premise to cre…

01:17:17 | Fri 17 Jun 2022

Pee-wee Herman (feat. Lauren Carey of the Beer'd Al Podcast)

For an entire generation, Pee-wee Herman was an integral part of their childhood. The character -- created by Paul Reubens -- made his big-screen debut in Tim Burton's Pee-wee's Big Adventure before …

01:30:20 | Fri 17 Jun 2022

'Sister Act' (feat. Phoenix Clouden of the Film Code Podcast)

To today's audience, Sister Act must feel like a real relic of the 1990s. A star-driven, fish-out-of-water, pseudo-musical comedy blockbuster!?! Add to that the religious setting, and there's little …

01:27:28 | Mon 23 May 2022

'Spider-Man 3' (feat. Brian Skutle of the Sonic Cinema Podcast)

Fifteen years after Sam Raimi concluded his Spider-Man trilogy, the Evil Dead filmmaker is back in the Marvel family with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But as audiences re-discover jus…

03:01:05 | Fri 06 May 2022

'Spider-Man 2' (feat. Josh Bell of Awesome Movie Year)

In the pantheon of superhero sequels, Spider-Man 2 is arguably among the best of its kind. Two years after Sam Raimi finally brought the webslinger to theaters, he aimed even higher with deeper theme…

01:29:00 | Sun 24 Apr 2022

'Spider-Man' (feat. The Lady-Wan of Screen Run)

In 2002, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was just a glimmer in Kevin Feige's eye. And Sony entrusted Sam Raimi -- director of the Evil Dead franchise -- with bringing Marvel's most famous and beloved s…

01:51:50 | Fri 08 Apr 2022

'Mad Max: Fury Road' (feat. filmmaker/music producer David Snyder)

Mad Max rewrote the rules when it came to action movies back in 1979. And with each sequel, George Miller continued to raise the bar higher. So naturally, Mad Max: Fury Road is the culmination of all…

01:15:30 | Fri 25 Mar 2022

'Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior' (feat. film critic Sara M. Fetters)

If the first Mad Max gives audiences a glimpse of the last vestiges of civilization, 1982's Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior takes them full-on into George Miller's Wasteland in one of the most celebrated…

00:40:53 | Fri 25 Mar 2022

'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome' (feat. Megan Kearns of Spoilerpiece Theatre)

George Miller started the Mad Max franchise as an indie filmmaker. But by the third film, Hollywood was ready to enter the Wasteland with Mel Gibson's title character facing off against music icon Ti…

00:58:38 | Fri 25 Mar 2022

'Mad Max' (feat. Jackson Smith of Nightfall Entertainment)

What a lovely day it is as we jumpstart a brand-new mega-series. Back in 1979, George Miller essentially invented the modern action movie with the original Mad Max. Now it's time for us to enter the …

01:23:02 | Wed 19 Jan 2022

'Evil Dead' (2013) (feat. film critic Angie Aguayo)

After Army of Darkness, the Evil Dead franchise lay mostly dormant for decades. Then news of a remake broke. But fans certainly weren't ready for the intense experience that is director Fede Álvarez'…

01:23:56 | Sat 25 Dec 2021

'Army of Darkness' (feat. Jeff Johnson of Suns and Shadows-Cast)

It seems some Evil Dead fans didn't realize Army of Darkness was a sequel when they first saw it. Alas, the 1992 movie -- once again directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bruce Campbell -- completes the…

00:55:31 | Fri 24 Dec 2021

'Evil Dead 2' (feat. David Rosen of Piecing It Together)

The Evil Dead remains an undeniable classic. But Evil Dead 2 is arguably where director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell emerged fully formed. And it's why this entry perhaps boasts the most passion…

00:50:31 | Thu 23 Dec 2021

'The Evil Dead' (feat. Bri Azmoudeh of Killer Waffles)

It's time to leave Child's Play behind. But we're not giving the world of horror a rest just yet. Instead, we're swerving right into another hugely influential franchise, starting with Sam Raimi's 19…

01:10:05 | Wed 22 Dec 2021

'The Matrix Resurrections' REVIEW

Eighteen years have passed since The Matrix trilogy. Now director Lana Wachowski returns -- with Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss back as Neo and Trinity -- with The Matrix Resurrections. And here's…

01:00:03 | Tue 21 Dec 2021

'The Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions' [ENCORE] (feat. Jackson Smith of Nightfall Entertainment)

Exactly one year before The Matrix Resurrections' release, Jackson Smith of Nightfall Entertainment joined Close Watch -- then the Crooked Table Podcast -- to discuss The Matrix Reloaded and The Matr…

03:06:59 | Mon 20 Dec 2021

'The Matrix' [ENCORE] (feat. Freddy Yaniz)

In 2019, Freddy Yaniz joined Close Watch -- then the Crooked Table Podcast -- for an in-depth discussion of The Matrix. Now, with the release of The Matrix Resurrections, Franchise Detours looks back…

01:45:30 | Sun 19 Dec 2021

'Cult of Chucky' (feat. film critic Angie Aguayo)

Playtime is just about over. After seven wild films, 2017's Cult of Chucky brings our inaugural mega-series to a close. And writer-director Don Mancini takes an appropriately go-for-broke approach wi…

01:06:34 | Mon 01 Nov 2021