Oh boy! 2024 has gifted us a new season of Headgum’s original podcast Newcomers with Lauren Lapkus (Jurassic World, The Wrong Missy) and Nicole Byer (Nailed It!, Grand Crew). These two hilarious comedians have spent five seasons unpacking pop culture phenomenons they know nothing about.
So far, Newcomers has run through Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, the work of Tyler Perry (a.k.a. the real MCU, the Madea Cinematic Universe), and the Fast and the Furious franchise. Last season saw the duo tackle the Marvel Cinematic Universe with hilarious results.
Newcomers’ sixth season will see Lapkus and Byer tackle the Batman films, starting with Batman 1966 (which dropped this week). Through the next 14 episodes, they’ll watch as many Batman films and ancillary materials as they can stand.
Byer and Lapkus approach each nerdy franchise with irreverence and almost zero experience with the source material. While the fandoms surrounding these franchises can be gateykeepy at best and toxic at worst, Byer and Lapkus can’t be bothered with the bullshit. This offers a fresh perspective on the films we’ve grown up with, especially those that have spent decades in the cultural discourse. There’s also no sense of preciousness or fawning over these properties. The hosts, along with their guests, (fellow comedians, actors, and people involved in the making of these franchises) are free to take the piss out of these iconic pieces of pop culture.
While the podcasting landscape is overrun with pop culture-themed series, Newcomers is an essential addition to your playlist. Whether you’re listening to Byer gleefully mispronounce names or Lapkus commenting on which Star Wars aliens are the most bangable, there’s truly something for everyone.
(featured image: screenshot/Headgum/YouTube)
