The Mid-Summer Mailbag

House of Dragon

Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald express their excitement for the upcoming "House of the Dragon" series, highlighting its potential to revive the captivating storytelling style of "Game of Thrones." Chris appreciates the involvement of Miguel Sapochnik, known for his work on the original series, in shaping the visual tone of the new show 1. Andy humorously notes the Iron Throne's lack of comfort, while Chris eagerly anticipates the show's adult themes and cutthroat narrative 1.

I'm really thrilled for, like, a bracingly adult, like, cutthroat, probably literally show like this. And I can't wait.

--- Chris Ryan

The hosts also commend the creative use of music in the trailer, particularly the adaptation of "Venus in Furs" to set the mood for the series 2.

   

Anticipated Releases

The hosts discuss their most anticipated TV shows and movies for the remainder of the year, with Chris Ryan particularly excited about the return of "Industry" and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" 3. Andy Greenwald shares his enthusiasm for Noah Baumbach's adaptation of "White Noise," a project that has captured their interest due to its ambitious nature 3.

One of our favorite filmmakers, Noah Baumbach, has somehow taken one of our favorite novels, the kind of unfilmable Don Delillo classic white noise, and apparently spent over 150 million, $150 million adapting it in Ohio for the last 14 months.

--- Andy Greenwald

They also reflect on the trend of adapting projects from movies to TV shows, noting how some stories, like "The Bear," found a richer expression in the TV format 4.

   

Industry Return

Chris and Andy explore the excitement surrounding the return of TV shows and the potential for spinoffs, particularly in the context of "Better Call Saul" and its connection to "Breaking Bad" 5. Chris admires the show's ability to expand its universe while maintaining a coherent aesthetic and storytelling style 6.

I would honestly go as far as to say almost maybe a singular achievement in television is to have somebody like a new a show on top of what was already considered a classic.

--- Chris Ryan

They also discuss the possibility of a "Jon Snow" spinoff, emphasizing the importance of retaining the original crew to preserve the show's unique style and quality 6.