Book Riot – The Podcast
Episode: The Best of the Rest of 2025 [Teaser]
Date: December 18, 2025
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky

Episode Overview

In this lively year-end teaser, Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky take a break from their usual focus on books to discuss their top non-book cultural highlights of 2025. Covering television series, media obsessions, and memorable viewing experiences, the hosts reflect on what resonated with them this year—both the biggest hits and personal favorites. While the teaser is a short sample of premium content, it’s packed with strong opinions, entertaining banter, and a genuine sense of joy about pop culture beyond the stacks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The “Best of the Rest” Tradition

[00:22]

• Jeff and Rebecca introduce the annual “best of the rest” episode, which covers non-book revelations from the past year: “Things we ate, saw, watched, experienced, wore, discarded… everything else the whole year.” – Jeff O’Neal
• Jeff jokes about his own lack of adventurousness but still arrives with a list: “I don’t bring to you a cornucopia of novel experience…but I’ve got some notes.” – Jeff O’Neal

TV Highlights of 2025

[01:10 – 05:47]

• Andor Season 2 (Star Wars Universe)

  • Jeff describes Andor’s latest season as “freaking awesome and one of my favorite seasons of TV of all time.” [01:13]
  • Notes it’s an underseen gem: “I don’t think a lot of people saw Andor because…it was the second season to a prequel to one of the lesser known Star Wars movies and Star Wars on the whole is not in the healthiest place.” – Jeff O’Neal [01:15]

• The Pit (Medical Drama)

  • Both hosts are fans; Jeff calls it “ER perfected.” [01:44]
  • Rebecca confesses late adoption: “I was late to the Pit game…am I gonna do a medical drama? And you were like, dude, I promise I did.” [02:20]
  • They compare its grounded realism to the soapier tones of other medical shows, especially Grey’s Anatomy:
    • “There was some long tail of COVID and just the unrelentingness of, you know, like ER in the earlier days…It’s a lot to handle.” – Jeff O’Neal [02:30]
    • Rebecca adds: “My resistance to it was all the soap opera stuff…like I was making some soap opera assumptions from the looming presence of Grey’s Anatomy.” [02:48]
    • She praises “the gritty, real-time” feel of the show: “It’s so gritty. I really was surprised by how gritty it is and pleased by that.” [03:20]

• Severance Season 2 (Thriller/Drama)

  • Rebecca acknowledges mixed reactions but is grateful for its existence: “It was a long-awaited second season…interesting and risky and folks were mixed on it. But I really—I’m happy to have that kind of TV on my TV screen.” [03:32]

• The Lowdown (Sterlin Harjo w/ Ethan Hawke)

  • Rebecca names The Lowdown her “big winner of the year,” applauding its genre-mixing and strong sense of place:
    • “It’s smart. He’s playing in multiple genres. It just feels like hanging out in a fully realized place…being in Tulsa is so present…” [03:47]
    • She marvels at Hawke’s career: “There maybe there’s like an aging painting of Ethan Hawke in an attic somewhere. I don’t know what old god he made a deal with to be like. His career just continues to get more interesting and I love to watch him do it.” [04:12]

• Ethan Hawke’s Persona

  • Jeff usually prefers artists’ work to their speak, but makes an exception for Hawke:
    • “If I want to know an actor and hear an actor talk about things…In general, I kind of want the artists to do their work…but when I saw Ethan Hawke…It’s like, I know AI’s here…I am in open rebellion. That’s what I want right now.” [04:32]
  • Rebecca enthusiastically agrees: “I think the closest I get to being in a fandom is like, currently an Ethan Hawke moment.” [05:00]

• The Studio (Apple TV, Seth Rogen)

  • Rebecca calls it “really funny…that one took me by surprise. It took me a few episodes to get into, but I did really, really love it.” [05:10]
  • Compares her appreciation to its popularity: “I don’t think I love much as Hollywood loved it…of course it won all the awards.” [05:20]

• Pluribus (New Series by Vince Gilligan)

  • She’s delighted to have Vince Gilligan back:
    • “We’re still in the first season of Pluribus, so it feels a little premature to call it, but…man, I missed Vince Gilligan on my tv. Nobody shoots a TV episode the way that he does.” [05:25]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On The Pit’s Unlikely Pull:

  • “I was late to the pit game…am I gonna do a medical drama? And you were like, dude, I promise I did.” – Rebecca Schinsky [02:20]

• On Grit in Medical Dramas:

  • “It’s so gritty. I really was surprised by how gritty it is and pleased by that.” – Rebecca Schinsky [03:20]

• On Ethan Hawke’s Enduring Charisma:

  • “There maybe there’s like an aging painting of Ethan Hawke in an attic somewhere. I don’t know what old god he made a deal with to be like. His career just continues to get more interesting and I love to watch him do it.” – Rebecca Schinsky [04:12]
  • “If I want to know an actor and hear an actor talk about things…when I saw Ethan Hawke…I am in open rebellion. That’s what I want right now.” – Jeff O’Neal [04:32]

• On TV Obsessions:

  • “I think the closest I get to being in a fandom is like, currently an Ethan Hawke moment. But the lowdown is just terrific.” – Rebecca Schinsky [05:00]
  • “Nobody shoots a TV episode the way that he [Vince Gilligan] does, and it feels like that from the very beginning of the pilot…Vince is back.” – Rebecca Schinsky [05:25]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:22] – Introduction to “Best of the Rest”
• [01:10] – Kick-off of TV favorites: Andor and The Pit
• [02:00] – The Pit anticipation, Noah Wiley discussion
• [02:30] – The appeal and grittiness of The Pit
• [03:20] – Severance Season 2, The Lowdown
• [04:32] – Ethan Hawke discussion, artist personas
• [05:00] – Rebecca’s personal fandom moments, The Studio, Pluribus
• [05:47] – [Teaser ends]

Conclusion

Jeff and Rebecca’s playful reflection on their 2025 pop culture obsessions is by turns insightful, funny, and warmly personal. Their rundown of television highlights centers on the evolving landscape of streaming content, plus testifies to the enduring drama and excitement of a great performance or a perfectly crafted show. Whether you’re looking for the next binge-worthy title or just enjoy spirited cultural conversation, this segment offers a taste of Book Riot’s signature blend: sharp critique, enthusiasm, and a touch of bookish charm—no reading required.