Podcast Summary: Holmberg’s Morning Sickness - Entertainment Drill: TV Shows That Turn 50

Date: January 6, 2026
Hosts: John Holmberg (primary unidentified male voice), Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely
Segment: Entertainment Drill

Episode Overview

This segment of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness dives into pop culture nostalgia, focusing on a list of iconic TV shows turning 50 in 2026. The hosts banter about recent entertainment news, provide tongue-in-cheek commentary on TV, music, and sports, and reminisce about the shows that shaped American TV in the mid-1970s. The conversation is lively and irreverent, filled with playful jabs, personal anecdotes, and classic radio morning show energy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stranger Things Discussion (01:55 - 04:16)

• Brady reports on fan rumors and upcoming content:
  • "Overeager fans think that there's another episode of Stranger Things coming out tomorrow?... there is a documentary coming out Monday about the making of season two." (01:55)
• John Holmberg launches into a comedic rant about the show’s characters and narrative disbelief:
  • He admits to not keeping up with season discussions because the characters “all have intensely punchable faces.” (02:06)
  • Criticizes the show’s logic: “These kids have been stuck in hell… for the last 10 years. Right? And then they all graduated from high school… When did they go to school?” (03:13)
• Holmberg’s Opinion on Series Finales:
  • “Did you like the ending? The ending sucked. It’s very Mad Men. Are you satisfied that you spent ten years following the story for that ending? You’re lying to yourself. That’s called sunk cost.” (04:02)

2. NFL Playoff Prospects (04:16 - 05:22)

• Brady brings up SB Nation’s Super Bowl probabilities—Seattle Seahawks are favorites per their ranking system.
• Holmberg and Brett share thoughts about their teams (Bears and others), poking fun at the unpredictability of the playoffs:
  • “My team's the drunk uncle. My team shows up and everybody’s like, what are you doing here?” (04:50)
  • “You could be terrible and stumble through to this new tournament and just turn it on. We’ll see.” (05:13)

3. TV Shows Turning 50 in 2026 (05:22 - 07:05)

• Brady introduces the segment’s main list:
  • “Here’s a list of TV shows turning 50 this year: Family Feud, Three’s Company, The Muppet Show, Charlie’s Angels, Laverne and Shirley...” (05:28)
• The group reminisces about the era, variety shows, and their impact:
  • On Quincy, M.E.: “Quincy was 76. I still watch old Quincy episodes.” (05:43)
  • On the “Bionic” craze: “Man, we were obsessed with Bionics for a minute, weren’t we?” (05:50)
  • Variety Shows: “Captain and Tenille Show… Donny & Marie… Battle of the Network Stars.”
  • Holmberg jokes about lost possibilities: “They don’t have network stars anymore. It’d be great to bring Battle of the Streaming Stars back.” (06:06)
• Oddities:
  • The Brady Bunch Hour and “Fake Jan,” musical and variety formats, random recasting: “They replaced Jan for some reason with some girl and pretended everybody… acted normal about it.” (06:30)
  • “Then you found out how gay the dad actually was. I think he was behind the variety show because there was a lot of gay.” (06:49)
• The new Dick Van Dyke Show was notably filmed locally with a studio in Cave Creek, Arizona (06:18).

4. Music News: Morrissey and Bruno Mars (07:05 - 07:39)

• Brady brings up Morrissey’s reputation for canceled shows:
  • “Morrissey has canceled or postponed more than 200 concerts since 2012.” (07:05)
  • “According to the data, he's played about 70% of his scheduled concerts…” (07:14)
  • Holmberg: “30% of concert goers should consider themselves lucky.” (07:20)
• Brady notes: “Bruno Mars says there’s a new album in the can. Nice. But he hasn’t put a release on it.” (07:25)
• Brett: wishes for more Silk Sonic content, hosts reminisce that “real” music is wanted over AI tracks. (07:33-07:39)

5. NFL Locker Room Reactions and “The Joy of Hate” (07:40 - 09:11)

• Holmberg and crew riff on post-game NFL moods, focusing on the Baltimore Ravens' heartbreak and their personal joy at the misfortune of rivals.
  • “The joy in my heart leaps through the microphone… It’s based on the hate I have festered for years for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens franchise, and they bring me more happiness than anything could ever…” (08:38)
• Holmberg’s tongue-in-cheek life advice:
  • “Find something to hate in your heart and do it well and hate it hard. And when that thing has a bad day, you’ll experience joy like you can’t imagine. Hate breeds love. Without one, you cannot have the other.” (09:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stranger Things:
  • "I watched the first two episodes… and I wanted to punch every character directly in the face just based on their faces..." – Holmberg (02:06)
  • “You guys have been in the upside down for 10 years... When did you study? Never. Once they go, 'Oh geez, I’ll get back to Vecna. I’ve got homework.’” – Holmberg (03:19)
• On fandom and finales:
  • “You’re lying to yourself. That’s called sunk cost. You’re in a sunk cost relationship.” – Holmberg (04:02)
• Nostalgia for 70s TV Variety:
  • “They don’t have network stars anymore. It’d be great to bring Battle of the Streaming Stars back.” – Holmberg (06:06)
  • “Then you found out how gay the dad actually was. I think he was behind the variety show because there was a lot of gay.” – Holmberg (06:49)
• On Joy and Hate in Sports:
  • “Find something to hate in your heart and do it well and hate it hard. And when that thing has a bad day, you’ll experience joy like you can’t imagine.” – Holmberg (09:11)

Timestamps for Significant Segments

• Stranger Things Critique: 01:55 – 04:16
• NFL Playoff Talk: 04:16 – 05:22
• TV Shows Turning 50 List & Discussion: 05:22 – 07:05
• Music News (Morrissey & Bruno Mars): 07:05 – 07:39
• NFL Locker Room Talk & The Joy of Hate: 07:40 – 09:11

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode maintains the irreverent, sarcastic, and self-aware banter characteristic of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness. The hosts bounce effortlessly from pop culture nostalgia to sports banter, dropping in casual zingers and engaging in affectionate mockery of beloved (and hated) public figures, shows, and sports teams. The mood is light, tongue-in-cheek, and highly relatable for longtime fans and new listeners alike.