CHICKS IN THE OFFICE
Ep: DWTS Finale Preview, 'Special Forces' BTS w/ Shawn Johnson & Andrew East + ‘All Her Fault' Series Recap
Date: November 24, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode of Chicks in the Office, hosted by Ria and Fran, covers an eclectic pop culture roundup: a deep dive into the DWTS (Dancing With The Stars) finale, an exclusive interview with Shawn Johnson and Andrew East about their transformative journey on Special Forces, and a thorough, spoiler-rich discussion of the twisty thriller series 'All Her Fault.' As always, the Chicks mix humor, honesty, and relatable banter, tackling everything from Eagles football misery to Thanksgiving plans, beauty confessions, and recaps of their latest TV binges.
Key Discussion Points & Highlights
1. Personal Catch-Up: Football Heartache, Friendsgiving & Thanksgiving Plans
Time: 02:32–19:19
- Fran processes the Eagles’ devastating loss ("Clock hit zero. I went power off..." – Fran, 05:24). She blames the coaching staff more than the players and finds solace in watching Netflix’s Frankenstein ("Putting on Frankenstein. Me mad." – Fran, 06:03).
- Ria hosts an impromptu Friendsgiving, experimenting with new recipes (shoutout to Teeny’s mac & cheese from TikTok). She reflects on the highs and lows of sweet potatoes and playful game night drama.
- Both co-hosts celebrate the cozy nothingness of a lazy fall weekend, with Ria discovering the joys of cold plunges and sauna therapy ("Who would have thought me and Matt are looking at each other. Like, who would have thought us two would like a cold plunge?" – Ria, 12:09).
2. Beauty Confessions: “I Have Grays!”
Time: 20:27–32:26
- Fran comes clean about coloring her hair for gray coverage at age 31, sparking a hilariously vulnerable conversation about aging, plucking that one gray hair ("At the root of it all, there's grays." – Fran, 22:00), and debunking the myth that pulling a gray makes more grow. (“No, that's a myth. Pulling out a gray hair does not cause more gray to grow…” – Fran, 25:58)
- Spirited debates about dream hair shades and color filters, but both agree to stick to their signature looks.
3. Thanksgiving Anecdotes & Anticipation
Time: 32:27–41:36
- Ria shares her intent to claim the coveted family “antipasto board” at her in-laws’ Thanksgiving, reflecting on funny family food rivalries and the high-stakes etiquette of holiday cooking.
- Both mourn their bygone days of Thanksgiving Eve bar crawls ("Thanksgiving Eve, by the way, doesn't exist in my book anymore." – Ria, 39:46), now preferring PJs, wine, and low-key get-togethers.
4. Dancing With The Stars Finale Preview
Time: 41:37–46:59
- The Chicks preview an unpredictable DWTS finale, pondering "popularity votes" and the possible upset if Dylan Efron snags the win.
- Refer to online theories and rumors (including Dumois gossip and preemptive Google search results) about the intensely competitive finale, and discuss whether the outcome is rigged or simply fan-driven. (“There was also a Dumois entry that said crikey and said that they had their winner picked out from the beginning.” – Ria, 46:29)
5. DWTS Couples & Support Discourse
Time: 47:00–49:57
- Debate erupts about Braxton Berrios' perceived lack of support for girlfriend Alex on DWTS. The hosts analyze NFL schedules, public expectations of partners at reality finales, and speculate about behind-the-scenes support versus visible, performative support.
6. Weekly Watch Report
Time: 53:19–109:21
A robust, rapid-fire segment where Fran, Ria, and Noah review what they've been watching:
Ria:
- Squid Game: The Challenge (B-) – Strong start, but lost steam.
- Eddie Murphy documentary (A) – “Loved learning about early days of Eddie Murphy.”
- Jonas Brothers Christmas Movie (C+) – Enjoyed the brothers but underwhelmed by the musical format.
- Sebastian Maniscalco’s special (C+) – Not as good as his classics.
- All Her Fault (A) – Gripping, unpredictable thriller. (“I love a show that ropes you in like that and makes you want to not go to sleep.” – Ria, 66:31)
- Kardashians (C+) – Entertaining, “Courtney’s got some problems.”
- The Beast in Me (B) – Good, but less captivating after All Her Fault.
Francesca:
- Selling Sunset (C-) – She’s no longer hooked but can’t stop watching.
- Selling the OC (C) – Sometimes more fun than flagship series.
- RHOSLC (B+) – “Salt Lake City’s been fantastic.”—Fran, 84:50
- Special Forces (B) – Impressed by women’s mental toughness.
- Frankenstein (Guillermo del Toro) (B) – Visually arresting, less horror than expected. “Leave it to Jacob Elordi to make that monster, like, still attractive.” – Fran, 88:22
- Wicked: For Good (B+) – Enjoyable, though two parts may have stretched content.
- Task (B+) – Strong, but emotionally heavy.
Noah:
- All Her Fault (B) – Preferred first half (“Got a little crazy at the end for me.” – Noah, 101:35)
- PLURIBUS (A-) – “Pretty crazy…kind of shocking that no one's done this idea.”
- Murdaugh (B) – The story’s wildness outweighs the show’s quality.
- Dancing With The Stars (B+) – Fun live event.
- The Beast in Me (B-) – Claire Danes is “a little bit too much quivering for me.”
- The Town (rewatch) (A)
- Ojai (Oh, Hi) (C) – Short, but lacked a likable character.
- Skipped full Jonas Brothers movie: “Not gonna grade that off the five minutes I had on…”
7. In-Depth Recap: ‘All Her Fault’ (SPOILERS)
Time: 66:31–78:13
- All Her Fault gets an enthusiastic A grade from both Ria and Fran. The hosts dissect the show’s masterful handling of red herrings, family secrets, and explosive final reveals, marveling at Jake Lacy and Sarah Snook’s performances and the emotional complexity surrounding child custody, trauma, and moral choices.
- On the ending: “The title’s All Her Fault, when really it’s all his fault.” – Ria, 69:34
- Everyone is in awe of child actor Duke McLeod (“Milo — cutest kid I’ve ever seen in my life.” – Fran, 76:47).
8. Interview: Shawn Johnson & Andrew East on ‘Special Forces’
Time: 109:21–141:14
Key Insights:
- First time as a couple: Sean explains she’d been asked to do the show from season one, but was finally able to – and pushed for Andrew to join. “They lowered their standards. They let me come on the show as the bargaining chip.” – Andrew, 111:13
- The Mental Game: Andrew is praised for his empathy and inability to lie in brutal interrogations; Shawn credits her Olympic training for her “flip the switch” mentality (“So much of this show is something that we would literally pay to do. I am an adrenaline junkie.” – Shawn, 123:28).
- Physical vs. Mental: Both praise the toughness of Gia Giudice (“Mentally, they [the women] were the quickest to think on their feet…” – Andrew, 125:52) and emphasize the uniquely non-glamorous, unscripted, unsupervised military environment.
- Family Impact: Shawn shares how completing the challenge revived confidence lost since her Olympic days, and Andrew hopes their daughter finds inspiration in the journey.
- Marriage & Podcasting: Their podcast, ‘Couple Things,’ is built on their determination to present honest, nuanced takes on marriage. They’re mindful about not “emotionally vomiting everything” for content, and instead discuss things they’ve worked through. Laughs ensue at the notion of podcasting about unresolved arguments (“Wouldn’t recommend it.” – Andrew, 133:36).
- Both stress continual growth and support as pillars of their partnership: “You always need to be trying to learn about your spouse and do better for them.” – Shawn, 135:50.
Memorable Moments:
- Fran, starstruck: “We have watched you since we were young girls. Being able to sit with you now and just see you finish this course was incredible.” – Fran, 121:44
- On podcast boundaries: “Whatever we talk about, we’ve worked through already.” – Andrew, 132:54
- On marriage: “The stronger I can help Shawn become, then the better she can help me…” – Andrew, 137:15
9. DWTS Finale Predictions (with Shawn & Andrew)
Time: 139:14–140:54
- All are shocked by Whitney’s elimination (“She is a phenomenal, magical dancer.” – Shawn, 139:32).
- Robert is named “star power” frontrunner; Dylan and Alex are rising contenders.
- Ria: “But I think Robert’s got this... just got this spark.” (140:11)
Notable Quotes by Timestamp
- Fran on Eagles’ Loss (05:24): "The game ended, clock hit zero. I went power off."
- Ria on holiday game night (10:06): “He’s a game dictator.”
- Fran on gray hair (22:00): “At the root of it all, there’s grays.”
- Ria on holiday etiquette (33:04): “I wouldn’t want to step on boards. Step on toes.”
- Ria on sweet potatoes (08:46): “And I like sweet things, but sometimes it’s just too sweet.”
- Fran on child actors (76:47): “Milo—cutest kid I’ve ever seen in my life.”
- Fran on ‘All Her Fault’ (66:31): “I love a show that ropes you in like that and makes you want to not go to sleep.”
- Ria on DWTS finale (44:59): “You never know. Dancing With the Stars, Dylan Efron. You never know.”
- Andrew East, on Special Forces couple dynamic (111:18): “They lowered their standards. They let me come on the show just as the bargaining chip.”
- Shawn Johnson, on finishing Special Forces (122:44): “Being able to finish, that gave me a confidence back that I kind of have lost for a while.”
- Andrew East, on marriage (137:15): “The stronger I can help Shawn become, then the better she can help me become stronger.”
Important Segment Timestamps
- Football/Life Update: 02:32–07:42
- Gray Hair/Beauty Chat: 20:27–32:26
- Thanksgiving Discourse: 32:27–41:36
- DWTS Finale Preview: 41:37–46:59
- Braxton & Alex DWTS Discussion: 47:00–49:57
- Weekly Watch Report: 53:19–109:21
- ‘All Her Fault’ Spoiler Recap: 66:31–78:13
- Special Forces Interview (Shawn & Andrew): 109:21–141:14
- Shawn & Andrew on DWTS Finale: 139:14–140:54
Tone & Language
The Chicks’ signature humor is on full display, mixing sharp pop cultural observations with confessional, best-friend energy and unfiltered candor. The interview with Shawn and Andrew is warm, supportive, and genuinely insightful, with plenty of mutual admiration and lighthearted self-deprecation throughout.
Summary Takeaways
This episode serves as a lively primer on what (and who) to root for as DWTS wraps up, delivers earnest relationship wisdom courtesy of Shawn and Andrew, and enthusiastically breaks down TV’s latest buzzy dramas (with ample spoilers). For listeners who missed the episode, this recap captures the vibe, heart, and humor of the Chicks, making you wish you were hanging out in the studio, glass of wine in hand, ready to rehash it all for Thanksgiving.
