Casuals with Katie Nolan – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Thanksgiving! But also Christmas | with Matthew Daddario & Holland Roden
Date: November 27, 2025
Guests: Matthew Daddario & Holland Roden

Episode Overview

Katie Nolan and her rotating cast of friends, plus special guests Matthew Daddario and Holland Roden (stars of Hallmark’s “Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story”), dive into Thanksgiving (and a bit of Christmas), holiday food debates, NFL fandom, the quirks and joys of being a sports fan, and the making of a sports-themed Hallmark rom-com. The conversation is equal parts holiday banter, pop culture, movie talk, and comedic sports analysis, all with Katie’s signature irreverent, welcoming tone.

Key Discussion Points

Thanksgiving Traditions and Food Debates

Pie Discourse & Holiday Foods

• The group opens with a deep dive into favorite Thanksgiving pies—apple, pumpkin, blueberry, and the heated controversy over “meat pies” ([00:47]-[03:31]).
  • Notable Moment: Chris, the show’s editor, claims meat pies are best, to near-universal disagreement.
  • Arguments ensue over what counts as pie (chicken pot pie? Chicago deep dish?), preferred desserts (pecan vs. “pecan”), and how international backgrounds change the holiday ([03:45]-[05:00]).
• Thanksgiving food favorites surface: mashed potatoes (Katie’s #1), homemade stuffing (Chris), and cranberry sauce (Brady, who insists homemade is vastly superior to canned) ([06:12]-[09:03]).

“I love a big, huge buttery ass bowl of like buttery, salty… mashed potatoes. I will take so many scoops that people start to go what? Leave room for something else. And I say nay.” – Katie ([06:12])

• Isabella (“the pie girl”) reveals she brings both apple and pumpkin pies to Thanksgiving each year, complete with decorative touches ([17:08]).
• The group discusses Thanksgiving duties: cooking vs. bringing flowers or wine, and the anxiety of “finally bringing a dish” as an adult guest ([11:58]-[14:22]).
• Comfort and tradition are front and center in outfit choices—elastic waistbands, classic autumn colors, and the trauma of being roasted for bold fashion moves ([23:15]-[25:49]).

Thanksgiving Activities & Family Dynamics

• Traditional games (“generational” trivia), chaotic family moments, and the perennial dilemma of who sneaks away first to watch football ([19:48]-[23:15]).
• Peripherals: The Macy’s Parade, the National Dog Show, and the shifting status of football as backdrop to the meal or central event ([20:49]-[22:45]).
• The crew trades tips on shifting difficult table topics (“I really like your outfit!”), the stress of trying to choose perfect attire, and how food comas steer the day ([23:15]-[25:54]).

Holiday Movies: Thanksgiving and… Hallmark!

Thanksgiving On Screen

• Brady presents a (limited) “Thanksgiving movie canon”—“Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Son In Law,” “Dutch,” “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” “Home for the Holidays,” “Grumpy Old Men” ([26:41]-[31:13]).
• The segment is a humorous lament that Thanksgiving movies simply don’t rival Christmas in volume or cultural impact.

Special Guest Interview: Matthew Daddario & Holland Roden (“Holiday Touchdown: A Bill’s Love Story”)

Hallmark NFL Movie Deep Dive ([38:22]-[76:26])

• Katie introduces Holland and Matthew, who share behind-the-scenes stories of the new Hallmark rom-com set in Buffalo and centered on the Bills fan experience.
• They discuss Buffalo’s unique fandom—“the Bills mafia diaspora”—and local traditions (ketchup/mustard stunts, bowling ball shots, wings cooked on car engines, and epic tailgates).
• Holland, a self-proclaimed “sports non-fan,” explains how her Dallas upbringing didn’t prepare her for Buffalo’s intensity ([39:13]):

  “I thought Cowboys fandom would be hard to top… oh man, [the Bills] trump them—tenfold!” – Holland Roden ([39:14])

• Real Bills personalities and players cameo, including coach Sean McDermott, Dion Dawkins, and Damar Hamlin’s fourth-grade “Peter Pan” stage debut reference gets a shout-out ([44:09]).
• The challenge (and horror) of the “bowling ball shot”:

  “You throw the bowling ball on the ground into the mud, and the next person takes the shot off the bowling ball. There’s no cleaning process…” – Matthew ([42:03])

• The movie’s love plot: best friends (Morgan, a pediatrician, and Gabe, VP of Stadium Development) struggle to acknowledge feelings amidst Bills mania and stadium construction ([60:07]-[62:49]).
• On Hallmark’s signature slow-burn romance:

  “The kiss is like the end of the movie almost always where it finally happens and then you go like, and then what?” – Katie ([33:39])

• Insider Hallmark production notes: filming in Buffalo, effects wizardry (artificial snow!), working at the real stadium, and the “scissor jib” camera innovation ([58:13]).
• Both stars improvise hilarious “build your own $15 sports rom-com casting” scenarios with Drew Barrymore, Method Man, Peyton Manning, Kim Kardashian, and others ([65:16]-[73:55]).
• Discussion of dating as/with sports fans—Holland’s hard “no” to die-hard fans, Matthew’s NYC team struggles, and the universal experience of “rebelling” from a family full of sports lovers ([48:38]-[53:16]).
• Holland on being convincingly Buffalo-obsessed for the role:

  “I was hoping I could be convincing as a sports fan… That was my goal.” ([54:18])

Holiday Sports Viewing, NFL & Hallmark Futures

• Brief rundown/satirical picks of this year’s Thanksgiving NFL games, tailored for listeners tuning in later ([80:07]-[82:03]).
• Speculation and pitching on what NFL teams should get the next Hallmark movie treatment: Patriots, Eagles, Bears, Jets (with a “butt fumble” plotline), Steelers (“high drama”), and more ([78:49]-[80:36]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Thanksgiving Food:

  • “It takes a lot for a little. And I’m just not into it.” – Katie on turkey ([07:07])
  • “Make [cranberry sauce] yourself. It takes five minutes.” – Brady ([08:05])

• On Buffalo Bills Culture:

  • “The Bills Mafia diaspora is the most impressive sports fandom diaspora in the world… Come at me about it.” – Matthew ([40:25])

• On Hallmark Movie Clichés:

  • “Everyone knows the best part is leading up to the relationship… once the relationship starts, the movie’s over!” – Katie ([33:39])

• On Holiday Movie Creation:

  • “We’re American Bollywood.” – Holland Roden ([57:37])

• On Being Sports Casuals:

  • “It’s very easy to get behind a team if the fan base is enthusiastic.” – Matthew ([47:06])
  • “Absolutely not is so mean. I’m sitting right here. My culture, and you’re saying absolutely not.” – Katie (re: dating sports fans) ([52:40])

• On Hallmark Film Production:

  • “Hallmark knows what they’re doing… they get it done quick.” – Matthew ([58:14])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Thanksgiving Pie & Food Debates: [00:47]-[10:42]
• Family Traditions, Cooking Anxieties: [11:58]-[17:44]
• Thanksgiving Activities & Football Viewing: [19:48]-[22:45]
• Thanksgiving Outfits & Table Talk Strategies: [23:15]-[25:54]
• Thanksgiving Movies: [26:41]-[31:13]
• NFL Hallmark Movie Chat and Guest Introduction: [32:29]-[38:22]
• Interview w/ Holland Roden & Matthew Daddario: [38:22]-[76:26]
  • Buffalo fandom: [39:13]-[41:13]
  • Tailgate traditions: [41:14]-[42:36]
  • Stadium & cameos: [43:01]-[45:59]
  • Love plot and rom-com tropes: [60:07]-[62:49]
  • Sports fan dating: [48:38]-[53:16]
  • “Build Your Own Sports Rom-Com” Game: [65:16]-[73:55]
• Speculation on Next Hallmark NFL Movies: [78:46]-[80:36]
• Thanksgiving Football Game Picks: [80:07]-[82:12]

Closing Sentiments

Katie wraps with holiday wishes, gratitude for the audience, and a reminder to survive those awkward dinner conversations––plus enthusiasm for the continuation of sports-themed rom-coms.

"We are so thankful for you… the thing we are most thankful for this year is what a fantastic audience we have. We love you so much. We really do mean it." – Katie ([83:08])

Listen to this episode for:

• The coziest, funniest Thanksgiving sports banter,
• Rose-tinted (and real) tales of football fandom,
• Insight into the intersection of holidays, sports, and pop culture,
• Playful, candid moments with Hallmark’s newest rom-com stars,
• Strategies for both surviving and enjoying your family holiday.

For more info, follow @CasualsThePodcast on IG & TikTok, and tune in every week for a mix of sports, comedy, and pop culture – with zero old men in suits yelling at you.