Tiger Cruise

Summary

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Pod Meets World – "Tiger Cruise"

Date: March 31, 2026
Hosts: Will Friedle & Sabrina Bryan
Podcast: Pod Meets World (iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Theme: A deep dive into the 2004 Disney Channel Original Movie "Tiger Cruise"—a rare, moving family drama set during and in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, exploring military family life, childhood perspectives on tragedy, and Disney's attempts at handling recent historical trauma.

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Will and Sabrina rewind to the early 2000s to review "Tiger Cruise," a Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) that stands out for its raw confrontation with 9/11. The hosts discuss how Disney balances serious subject matter with its trademark family-friendly storytelling, reminisce about their own memories of September 11th, critique the film’s technical execution (notably, its infamous green screen work), and reflect on the sacrifices of military families. The episode oscillates between heartfelt personal anecdotes, playful banter, in-depth film analysis, and audience-engaging games.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why "Tiger Cruise" Stands Apart in the DCOM Canon

• Will expresses anticipation for the film, citing his preference for DCOMs that tackle heavier issues, and lists others like “The Color of Friendship” and “Selma, Lord, Selma.”

  “I seem to like the ones that are about more serious subject matters... but done Disneyfied, if that makes sense, through the eyes of a child.” (Will, 03:37)

• Sabrina praises Disney's ability to handle weighty topics with sensitivity, especially for young viewers.

  "...Disney did it again. To be able to hit heavy topics … through the eyes of a child... So elegant and perfectly that you just go, wow.” (Sabrina, 04:02)

2. The Movie’s Real-World and Historical Context

• Released in August 2004, just three years after 9/11, featuring a story inspired by real military “Tiger Cruises” where families travel with Navy personnel.
• Will describes the authentic backdrop: the events onboard the USS Constellation during 9/11, though filmed on the USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz.
• Both hosts note the movie’s unusual “viewer discretion” warning, highlighting its rarity in DCOMs and the seriousness of the content.

  "Tiger Cruise is also one of the only three Disney Channel original movies to bear a viewer discretion warning at the start, purely based on conversations you might have to have with your child around 9/11.” (Will, 08:24)

3. Personal 9/11 Reflections

• The hosts share personal memories:
  • Sabrina recalls being a high school senior, watching the events unfold in her government class (55:42).
  • Will remembers being woken up in LA by his brother and knowing “instantly nothing was ever going to be the same” (57:41).
• They discuss the impact of 9/11 on their communities, knowing people directly or indirectly affected:

  "There was a girl in my high school… She was supposed to get married… and didn't want to go to the meeting that morning in the World Trade Center... all the awfulness that you hear about..." (Will, 14:27)

4. The World of Military Families and “Brats”

• Will shares first-hand stories as a Navy “brat,” admiring the immense size of aircraft carriers and the uniqueness of military community life.
• Sabrina points out the emotional toll on kids experiencing frequent moves and disconnection, an aspect reflected in Maddie’s character.

  “It's put on display…That’s why a lot of… characters that are Navy brats are very distant… There’s no point in making friends because you’ll just leave.” (Sabrina, 43:13)

5. Movie Breakdown & Critique

Plot Summary (25:57–68:57)

• The film follows Maddie Dolan (Hayden Panettiere), who joins her Navy pilot father on a Tiger Cruise, colliding with the real-time trauma of 9/11.
• Other character threads: Anthony, a NYC boy dealing with anger; Tina, a proud “military brat”; Joey, a younger kid whose family is also on board.
• The ship’s crew and families experience the aftermath of 9/11 together—confined, scared, and unsure if they are headed into danger or home.
• Most poignant is the transformation of the parent-child relationship against the backdrop of national crisis.

Technical Shout-outs and Gaffes

• Both hosts are aghast at the distractingly poor green screen work, despite being shot on actual carriers.

  “We’ve never seen green screen this bad in a decom, have we?” (Will, 33:33)

• Sabrina points out plot oddities and editing choices. She finds the “talent show” and kitchen jam session forced, though acknowledges they function as rare, light moments in a heavy story.
• Cast and crew highlights: Hayden Panettiere, Bill Pullman, Jennette McCurdy, Jansen Panettiere, direction by DCOM legend Duwayne Dunham (“Halloween Town”), and a script co-written by Anna Sandor and Bruce Graham.

Handling of 9/11 Events

• Praise for the tense build-up and nuanced depiction of confusion, fear, and delayed parental reunion during the crisis.
• Will and Sabrina commend Disney for not trivializing the trauma yet still keeping the focus on hope, courage, and empathy.

  “This is Disney doing what Disney does, which is taking a very difficult subject matter, making it palatable and not too scary for children while not completely watering down what actually happened.” (Will, 84:40)

Military Family Sacrifice & Appreciation

• Emotional discussion of the cost of service—frequent separation, risk, and resilience.

  “You fall in love with a person, and you're marrying a lifestyle. And it is a complete change.” (Will, 61:02)

• Sabrina reflects on the strength and adaptability of partners left at home, sharing the story of a friend newly married to a Navy man.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I no joke thought it was going to be about tigers. I thought it was going to be something with 911 and saving animals or something like that even slightly.” (Will, 05:21)
• “Disney once again did a great job showing us the eyes of a child going through a very hard situation. And I'm gonna give it nine terrible green screens.” (Sabrina, 84:32)
• “This country is an idea, but it's the best idea that's ever been here for the history of humans. And we’re working on it... [9/11] reminds us that we're all in this together…” (Will, 84:40)
• “Were you a Navy brat, Lisa?” (Will, 43:29)—the moment where Sabrina’s offhand question exposes the constant uprooting faced by military children.
• “I'm glad that [the creepy moment] with Hot Tom didn't happen, and I'm sure it was just a take they used, but they used a weird take where it looked like this was going to go somewhere.” (Will, 39:01)
• “The only reason I'm digging at the one point is because of the film problems which were glaring… but I just don’t care.” (Will, 84:40)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:19] – Introduction of the episode's focus: handling heavy real-life events in Disney films.
• [05:20] – Will and Sabrina discover the film isn't about tigers.
• [06:21] – Historical context, summary of filming and story’s real world anchor.
• [08:28] – Discussion of DCOM content warnings and why "Tiger Cruise" stands out.
• [09:48] – Film synopsis: the experience of Maddie, her father, and 9/11’s shock.
• [10:48] – Sabrina and Will’s initial reactions—nervousness about the subject, surprise at Disney’s sensitivity.
• [12:51] – Differentiating between stories set in the historical past and the immediate trauma of 9/11.
• [14:27] – Personal stories of 9/11 loss and community memory.
• [31:10] – Exploring the size of Navy ships and real-life Tiger Cruises.
• [33:33] – Harsh critique of green screen and technical execution.
• [38:08] – Analysis of parent-child tension and "Hot Tom" subplot.
• [43:13] – The realities of moving as a military child ("brat" life).
• [51:34] – 9/11 events unfolded on the ship—chaos, uncertainty, and coping.
• [55:38] – Will and Sabrina recount their own 9/11 experience.
• [63:10] – Maddie steps up to comfort younger children, showing the leadership learned on the Tiger Cruise.
• [66:45] – Discussion of kitchen jam session as a cathartic moment.
• [68:57] – The unfurling of the American flag and emotional farewells.
• [73:01] – Real reviews: one star for “propaganda,” five stars for a 9/11 reminder.
• [74:06] – Navy ranks game segment: “Pull Rank.”
• [76:52] – Sabrina’s “Sees” segment: nitpicks & praise.
• [82:22] – Final ratings: 9 out of 10 terrible green screens from both hosts.
• [87:58] – Reflection: the purpose of movies like this, hope for empathy and unity.

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Additional Fun, Games & Behind-the-Scenes

• "Pull Rank" Game: Sabrina is challenged to arrange Navy ranks in order (74:06).

  “They all sound so...badass.” (Sabrina)

• Sabrina’s "Sees" Segment: She critiques the film’s editing, green screen, and forced musical moments (76:52), but ultimately sees the value in the “kids laughing” scene.
• Lighthearted banter: Will jokes about never watching “Heroes,” and both mock the confusing “Hot Tom” subplot and the inconsistent costuming/editing in several scenes.
• Tease for Next Episode: The hosts announce an upcoming chat with Radio Disney's VP of Programming and an exploration of music's role in DCOMs.

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Tone & Style

The episode’s overall tone is a blend of heartfelt reflection, sincere gratitude toward military families, and the classic lighthearted humor characteristic of "Pod Meets World." Will is earnest and, at moments, emotional, while Sabrina anchors the discussion with relatable anecdotes and the perspective of a mother considering the film’s impact on her own child. Both keep a playful undercurrent throughout, especially during games and pop culture asides.

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Conclusion

Will and Sabrina agree that "Tiger Cruise" remains a unique and important entry in the DCOM library—one that demonstrates Disney’s (unexpected) commitment to grappling with fresh national wounds through the medium of accessible, moving children’s storytelling. Despite technical flaws (specifically, infamously bad green screen work), the film succeeds in opening doors to understanding military family life, national tragedy, and the role of empathy in healing.

“Disney once again did a great job showing us the eyes of a child going through a very hard situation … it would just give [my daughter] a lot of empathy.” – Sabrina, 84:32

“This is Disney doing what Disney does, which is taking a very difficult subject matter, making it palatable and not too scary for children while not completely watering down what actually happened.” – Will, 84:40

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Recommended for listeners who want:

• A sensitive but unflinching DCOM rewatch
• Honest reflection on 9/11’s impact
• Behind-the-scenes Disney and military insights
• Lighthearted rapport and trivia amidst serious themes

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Next episode: A dive into the musical synergy of Disney Channel—with tales from Radio Disney’s golden years and a High School Musical 3 rewatch on the horizon!

Transcript

[Cheekies]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Cheekies]

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[Freddie Prinz Jr.]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Will Friedle]

to know someone's in your corner.

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Like a good neighbor. State Farm is there.

[Will Friedle]

We got an interesting one today. Yeah, it was. This is an interesting one. And. And this is going to sound strange, but I was looking forward to this movie because I know it sounds so bizarre, but here's why. Because I seem to like the ones that are about more serious subject matters.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Sure, yeah.

[Will Friedle]

You know, Color of Friendship and Selma Lord, Selma. I mean, these. There. There are a number of these movies we've seen going to the Mat. A number of these movies we've seen now that kind of tackle more serious subject matter, but done Disneyfied, if that makes sense, through the eyes of a child. And I kind of like the way they tackle the more they do.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And it's one of those things where you go, God, Disney did it again. Right, Right. To be able to hit heavy topics, like you said, through the eyes of a child, get it to where you see the level of, like, the weight of it. But it also isn't so much that, like, you got to shield your kid from. You know what I mean? Like, it's done so elegant and perfectly that you just go, wow. Because I actually was going. I mean, this. You know, I feel like the Color Friendship and Selma were things that were so. Were far before I was around. This was a topic that I was not even a kid when it happened. I was like a senior in high school, you know, about to venture into, quote, unquote, like, the big world and this giant thing happens. And it was kind of like, oh, my gosh, I don't know if I'm ready. Like, how far are we gonna go? You know? And again, I'm just going, wow, Disney. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, here we go.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You know why I didn't trust you?

[Will Friedle]

Well, welcome back to Magical Rewind, the show that makes you want to grab your friends, your PJs and your popcorn, and go back to a time when all the houses are Smart, the wave, tsunamis and the High school's musical. I'm Will Friedle.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And I'm Sabrina Bryan.

[Will Friedle]

Well, Sabrina, as we were talking about, if you ever thought to yourself, ah man, I love dcoms, but I wish there was more about 9 11. Well, you're in luck. Cause today we're looking at the 2004 family drama inspired by real life events, Tiger Cruise, which I knew nothing of this movie going in and man, it was not what I expected it to be. I, no joke, thought it was going to be about tigers. I thought it was going to be something with 911 and saving animals or something like that even slightly.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I knew I only from seeing it. Now, recently this movie actually got placed on Disney well after we started this podcast because I remember this is a big one with obviously a big cast, a notable cast cast and huge cast. And it, and the producer is going, we can't find it anywhere. It's not on YouTube, it's not on this. It's not. So it was not on Disney plus before when we first started our, our podcast and it's since been been released on it.

[Will Friedle]

Well, we are back. Yes. And it was, as Sabrina was saying, it was released on August 6, 2004, originally just about three years after the September 11 terrorist attacks. And again, as Sabrina said, this one had some serious star power behind it, which is always nice to see. And yes, the story of the film is intertwined with real life events where the USS constellation did return from 2001 Western deployment after the planes hit the World Trade center with quote unquote, tigers on board, which is code for family and friends in military terms. Now, despite the film being set on the USS Constellation, the movie was actually shot on board the USS John C. Stennis, a nuclear powered Navy supercarrier, and the USS Nimitz, which is, well, one of the largest warships in the world. The movie was also shot on location in San Diego, a favorite west coast harbor town and with a ton of awful, awful green screen. Am I wrong? I mean it was distractingly bad.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Am I wrong?

[Will Friedle]

Unfortunately, unfortunately which they shot him on board these ships. So it's like, what's going on? They obviously had to shoot some stuff on stage, but yikes.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I understand that. But yes, yikes is right. Yikes is right.

[Will Friedle]

It was bad. But anyway. Now with a subject matter that involves one of the biggest tragedies in American history, critics noticed a change in the DCOM tone, of course, but with many of the tropes still intact, varieties, Laura Fries, which is a delicious name. It might be freeze, but I'm going to say fries. By the way, she wrote that Tiger Cruise carried many Disney hallmarks. Teen queen star, catchy theme song, predictable subplots, but it departed from the channel's usual fairy tale formula without diluting the message. While the Pittsburgh Gazette's barber Pizza sliced. I'm kidding. Everybody's still with me. Her name is actually Barbara Van Cherry, I believe. Hey, Cherry. She said it was a veritable recruitment film, but it's a pretty good movie with solid leading performances. Tiger Cruise is also one of the only three Disney Channel original movies to bear a viewer discretion warning at the start, purely based on conversations you might have to have with your child around 911 after viewing it. We've talked about these warnings once before. Do you remember the other two movies, Sabrina?

[Sabrina Bryan]

No.

[Will Friedle]

Don't look under the Bed was one of them, and Wendy Woo was the other one.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Wendy Woo.

[Will Friedle]

I imagine it was for the violent. For the quote, unquote violence. The fight scenes.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, the. The fight scene. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

Which we. Again, we said violent or action, not violence. But still for Disney, I could see why they would throw something up there.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Right?

[Will Friedle]

And musically, the theme song, My hero is you, plays during the end credits and is performed by the star of the movie. I'm gonna say her name wrong every time, people, but I'll go try it here. Hayden Panettiere. Did I say it right?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Hey, all right. That's right.

[Will Friedle]

I knew I got it. Hayden Panettone. And as is commonly the case, Tiger Cruise is available now to stream on Disney. Go watch it within the next eight hours, though, because after that it starts to spoil. Sabrina, I have to ask. It's a legal requirement of our show. Did you know of Tiger Cruise before it became part of our job?

[Sabrina Bryan]

I. Not before it became part of our job. No, me neither.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Sabrina Bryan]

No. But very quickly after I booked this gig.

[Will Friedle]

I love how you booked it. We called and we're like, sabrina, will you do a show with me? And that's. You is booking the gig. Okay.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I'm gonna say it every time. I quickly found out about it because, you know, of course, I went on socials and was like, give me all the good ones. And this one came up quite a bit. Quite a bit.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, that's great.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Not as much as Luck of the Irish, but, hey, how do you beat Luck of the Irish?

[Will Friedle]

Or Brink, But I can see why. Well, now let's unfurl the massive flag of this awesome country because it's time for the synopsis, a teen girl joins her Navy pilot father for a special friends and family sailing expedition on the USS Constellation. But the experience turns serious when the events of September 11, 2001 unfold and the ship is suddenly called into action. Sabrina, what were your early thoughts on the film?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Well, I, again, I was a little nervous and of course I, like I said, was surprisingly like, wow. It was to me done very, very well. I think that the subject matter is tough. I think also looking back and we kind of got a chance to see a link of like the interstitials that Disney was doing. It was like they were really giving a place for kids to kind of soak this in and see the world as it was actually happening. And I thought it was done really well. That was my first. What about you, Will?

[Will Friedle]

I, I agree, you know, I agree. I'm, I'm. My father was in the Navy for 25 years, might even be more than that, 30 years. So I mean, while I know nothing of the world of being an actual sailor on the ocean and my, my father was based out of. He was in. He was a reservist, but he was a very high rank in the reserves. So he was, you know, he loved being in the military. It was his just the joy of his life is defending his country. And so we were. I grew up in Connecticut and I spent a lot of time at the Grot Nuclear sub base. So my dad, like I would go there with friends and my dad would go to one of the people on the like, can, hey, can my boy just walk around this, the submarine? So I grew up like walking on, walking through submarines and going on to ships and stuff like that. So this was. I, I have been on a super aircraft carrier before and it's literally a floating city. There's like 5,000 people, five or six thousand people on there. One of them now. And I could be wrong, so check me if I'm wrong, but I believe one of them literally has a McDonald's on board. I mean they're incredible. So we always talk about the worlds that people are not always familiar with. So this is certainly an interesting world to do it to then know that it's a true story based around again, one of the greatest tragedies in our country. And to do it through the eyes of a kid. I agreed with you. I was like, here we go, Disney man, this could really be bad. But then I know their track record to where I'm like, they seem to do when, when you. When Disney for a decom Takes real story with something that's happened historically that is usually not great or very terrible. It usually works out pretty well. They do it pretty, pretty well. Couple that with then real story sports that maybe we wouldn't know about double teamed or, or you know, the Ender sisters in right on track. Things like that also seems to work out. They know what they're doing when it comes to these lanes. But man you are swinging when it comes to September 11th and a DCOM.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah. I mean to, to know exactly how to handle this subject matter because you're not talking like I said it's not like Selma, it's not like Color of Friendship where you're talking about the past. You are talking right now about what is happening within. Like people actually experience this.

[Will Friedle]

So it's like three years after 9 11. This was not like you said, not 20 years after. This is very much still fresh in, in the minds of everyone in our country.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And people literally still even after three years going through the repercussions that were actually involved or actually had family members that you know were happening. So it was very, very. I wish it was longer honestly.

[Will Friedle]

I know anybody that we that was lost in 9 11.

[Cheekies]

I.

[Sabrina Bryan]

No I didn't. I felt. It felt weird because I felt so like connected within being a kid wanting to be like connected but not having anyone actually involved. It wasn't until I did the Cheetah Girls and met Adrienne and Keeley who Adrienne lived in New York, Keeley lived in. Was in New Jersey. But like Adrienne telling me stories of her family members and having ash all over their bodies because they were in the streets when it happened, you know and going to school, having friends like on their way to school while, while this happened. So yeah, that was the closest that I had gotten. How about you?

[Will Friedle]

I did. Yeah. There was. There was a girl in my high school and I grew up in a very small town so she was the year behind me in high school. Her name was Amy Toy and I knew her with a small K. Everybody knew everybody but so yes I did know her and she the story. I since kind of deep dived her story and she was like the next day going to try on her wedding dress because she was going to be married and didn't want to go to the meeting that morning in the World Trade center and was thinking of canceling. It's like all the, the horrible things you hear about of maybe almost wasn't there then decided to go last minute then was there and right before her wedding. It was like all the awfulness that you hear about in, in every one of these stories. I mean, everybody who was affected by this had one of these stories. And so, yeah, in our town now, there's a. She was a voracious reader. And so in front of the Avon Public Library, where all the kids spent a ton of time, it's where we would go and hang out. There's a bronze statue of her at like 6 or 7, just reading a book. Just sitting there reading a book. So I go and I visit it. When I'm there, it's, it's. It still chokes me up. So, yes, it was. And my brother worked in New York City and you couldn't get in touch with anybody. And it was just, it was horrible. It was the uncertainty and it was such a. Just a crazy time. And I had friends that were my age that were like, like, I'm going to enlist right now. And what's. I mean, it was, yeah, it was a time like anything that anybody our age had ever experienced in this country because you heard about things obviously like Pearl harbor in school and, and the day that would live in infamy and, and these were abstract con, you know, concepts that were in your history book.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Right.

[Will Friedle]

And then you wake up one morning and it had happened and you're part of it and, you know, people directly affected and you're watching it all live on television. You're watching the second plane hit, you're watching the towers collapse. It was like nothing, God willing, anybody will ever experience again or had experienced since. Unless you were very old and had been, you know, around in. For, for the time of, of Pearl harbor, which was, you know, 1942. Unless you were a veteran at that point, you hadn't experienced anything like this. So, yeah, it was to then couple that with. We're going to now do a decom about it. Three years later, again, Disney was swinging for the fences and, well, let's get back into it and see how they did. And like I mentioned, the movie stars. Hayden Panettiere nailed it as Maddie Dolan, a child actress who began her career on One Life to Live, then bounced around to some very big projects. She was the voice of.in A Bug's Life, not ants. Don't get him confused. And appeared on Ally McBeal. But it was her role as Claire on Heroes that broke her into the mainstream. She would later star in the cult hit TV show nashv, which of course takes place in Texas. And we've. I'm kidding. It's Nashville. And we've already seen Hayden on magical rewind for the Disney movie Ice Princess. Meaning we've talked about her, but she's. I don't think she'll visit. I'd like her to visit, but I don't think she will. Were you a Heroes fan? Did you watch Heroes?

[Sabrina Bryan]

I wasn't, but I was a giant Nashville fan.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, there you go. I should be a Heroes fan because I'm such a nerd. I own the entire series and I've never seen it. I should pop it in and watch it.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You like the DVDs?

[Will Friedle]

I literally bought them at a garage sale, so. And I was like, I'm gonna watch this when I get home. That was like 14, 15 years ago. Never. Never actually seen it, but I should watch. I hear it's great, especially for nerds.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, I heard it's awesome.

[Will Friedle]

I actually heard the first season is awesome.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Okay, how many seasons were there?

[Will Friedle]

Three, I want to say. Or two. It was one of those that, like, ended on a cliffhanger and then they didn't pick up. So everyone was like, like, the fans were like, wait, what the hell? It was that one. Then we've got another familiar face and one that I say is an underrated actor, even though he's been in everything. Bill Pullman plays her dad, Commander Gary Dolan. Almost all of us know him as the president in Independence Day. Today will be our Independence Day. It was a classic role, but he also played Lone Star in Spaceballs. He was in the Grudge, Casper, Sleepless in Seattle, A League of Their Own, and David Lynch's Lost Highway. Also, I'm throwing another one on here. If you want to see an absolutely underrated film with an amazing cast where he is incredible, go watch. Watch him in zero effect. Absolutely great. And you'll see him soon in the big 2027 release, Spaceballs 2. This was a big get for Disney at any time because he is and was the man Troy Evans plays. Chuck Horner. He's an always working character actor who's played a cop or serviceman maybe a hundred times. You've seen him in Fear and Loathing, in Las Vegas, Under Siege, the Frighteners, Demolition man bosch, and over 125 episodes of ER as Officer Martin. And his biggest claim to fame ever, of course. He appeared in two episodes of Boy Meets World, most famously as park ranger and City Slackers. A moose can't be a ranger. And a security guard in the episode Security Guard. Two other names worth mentioning are Jennette McCurdy is Kylie Dolan McCurdy was a child actress who later became a Nickelodeon star on the show iCarly. She'd also star in the show Sam and Cat and is now known for her best selling memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died, currently being developed for TV with Jennifer Aniston and her recently released debut novel Half His Age. And finally, Jansen Pentier plays Joey Hayden's real life brother. Also appeared as an actor on Even Stevens, Blues Clues, robots and how high two. Tragically, Jansen passed away in 2023 from an enlarged heart and aortic valve complications. He was just 28 years old. Rest in peace Familiar name. Directed this one, one we've talked about many times on this podcast. Dwayne Dunham he's best known as the editor of Star Wars Return of the Jedi and he was a frequent collaborator with David lynch, most notably on Blue Velvet and Twin PE, which won him an Emmy in 1990. Now a fun stat about Dunham in 1978, at the San Anselmo County Fair in California, he was the first person to ever portray Star wars bounty hunter Boba Fett. It was the character's public debut. Sabrina laughs to me, it was like if I had a time machine, that'd be on my list of things to see. Just the nerd in me is like what people must have thought when the first time they saw Boba Fett. Are you kidding me? Yeah, so he'd already filmed a screen test in the costume, so it made sense that he be the one who actually debuted it. And on the directing side, Dunham was behind some classic dcoms. You can probably list them right along with their with us. He would certainly be in the hall of Fame for us and would love to talk to him. Halloween Town Right on track in the 13th year. Plus some outside the channel flicks like Homeward Bound, the Incredible Journey and Little Giants. Amazing, amazing resume. And on the writer's front, we have Anna Sandor, the creator of a Canadian show called Hanging In. Man, does that sound like a kid's Canadian show, doesn't it? It should just be called Hanging in, eh? And she was Emmy nominated for writing the 1992 TV movie Miss Rose White, starring Kyra Sedgwick and Amanda Plummer. Sadly, Sandor died from melanoma in November of last year at the age of 73, and she's joined by Bruce Graham, whose past credits include movies like Dunstan Checks in, Anastasia and two other DCOMs, right On Track and A Ring of Endless Light.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Mm.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, kids Enough of all this. Let's get down to what matters. How long is Tiger Cruise? Could this be a quick jaunt? Or is it a three hour tour? A three hour tour? Yes. I said it right. If you know, you know. And if you don't. God, you're young. We're hoping for 90 minutes as we always do, and this movie is 88 minutes too short of the target, but a very respectful number on the right side. We appreciate the ability to creatively express yourself in under an hour and a half. Blessings to you and your family.

[Cheekies]

Hi, it's Cheekies from Cheekies and Chill. Okay, today's vibe, new chapters and why is it when we level up in our lives, our ride stays the same? Make it make sense. If you're stepping into a new season with new goals, new possibilities, shouldn't your car match Your Energy and Cars.com is the perfect place to find your next ride. They've got over 2 million new and used cars to choose from with 50,000 added daily and I love that they make it easy. Their filters help you narrow it down fast by price, features, style to the C this so you're not scrolling forever, Jose. Who's got time for that? Check the real reviews from real people with real experiences and pick the keys to what's next. Are you in your upgrade season? Let's go tap into that new car energy and search cars.com hey it's honey

[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Cheekies]

It only takes 15 minutes with with

[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Cheekies]

in 15 minutes per line.

[Will Friedle]

Qualifying plan required.

[Cheekies]

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[Will Friedle]

all right y', all, let's report to the mess hall and show some courage. It's time to review Tiger Cruise. We open at the NAS North Island Naval Air Station. We pass military servicemen, fighter planes and aircraft hangars, eventually landing on a street of on base housing. It's September 2001 and young Maddie Dolan is packing her bags to go on a Tiger Cruise, an annual sea voyage for Families with relatives in the Navy. Her little sister Kylie, who, of course, has gone on a few Tiger cruises, jealous of her sister's upcoming trip on the USS Constellation. This will be her first ever. Their dad, he's in Hawaii, so Maddie is flying there to meet him, then getting on the ship where she'll share a room with another Navy brat, although she doesn't like that term. Before they leave, Maddie's mom makes sure she's actually excited to go on this trip because for years she has declined the invitation. Maddie tells her mom to just drop it, and we can assume that she has a strained relationship with her dad, and we think it's because of his career in the Navy, but we're not quite sure yet. And now we're in New York City with a very sad, clear view of the World Trade Center. We are in the car with a young boy named Anthony and his dad. Anthony is also on his way to the Tiger cruise to visit his older brother Kenny. He's nervous, but is also constantly drumming with his sticks he brings with him everywhere. Yes, he's got drumsticks and he ain't afraid to use them. Now we're at the St. Louis airport. Another young boy, Joey, is leaving to join the cruise to see his mom. His dad says goodbye and says he'll meet them when they dock in San Diego. And we're racking up even more frequent flyer miles here because now we're in Seattle. We meet another Tiger who's on her way, Tina Torres, who will be joining her sister Grace on the ship. She is a true military brat who wants to follow in her sister's footsteps, saluting and pretending to be a soldier in the mirror. It's now September 9, 2001, day one, and the Tigers are on their way to Pearl Harbor. We see Maddie and Anthony on the plane chatting, but Maddie gets annoyed by his constant drumming on the seatback. Tina is sitting next to an older woman, constantly talking about the Tiger cruise and the massive USS Constellation. She is very proud of her older sister. Maddie, still feeling Anthony's percussion problem, decides to take the seat next to Tina. And now we have the diarrhea mouth chatting with our main character. While Tina is honored to be a Navy brat, Maddie is offended by the grouping and eventually worn out by this girl's incessant yapping, as is the older woman sitting next to her. They're like, they just want this girl to shut up. You go from drumming to talking. I don worse on a flight.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, either. I was like, oh, yep, he's like,

[Will Friedle]

oh, man, this is gonna be a lot. It's also San Diego to Hawaii, so you got six hours of this. Oh, that is not. Yeah. That is not a quick jaunt. You're not going San Diego to San Francisco. No. Now landed in Hawaii. The kids have taken a bus to Pearl Harbor. Are you. You're a big Kauai person, right? Are you?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. So have you been to the Pearl harbor exhibit?

[Sabrina Bryan]

No, actually, we have never. I. My parents have gone, but every time that we were there on that island, for whatever reason, we never went. And it's something that I would love to go do now.

[Cheekies]

Yeah.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Like, especially as an older. Like just more of, like, you know, like, history buff and. Yeah. And be able to appreciate it more. I. I would love to do it.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. I've never. I've only been to Hawaii once, and it was for, like, three days, four days. So I've. I haven't had a chance to go. I'd like to see it as well. I hear it's very moving when you get there.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, that's what I heard too.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Maddie has moved seats again now sitting next to Joey, who is nervous his mom won't be there when they arrive. I. I would. I feel like they skipped the scene because it was. It was weird. She's sitting next to him on the bus, like, caressing his hair, like, we're gonna find your mom. And I was like, wait, have they met?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, it was. And it was interesting to see because I obviously recognized this little boy as Hayden's brother. And I was like, oh, you knew that was.

[Will Friedle]

You knew that was her brother? Okay.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes. And I was like, what? Wow. She in no way is, like, putting that, like, actor barrier in the fact

[Will Friedle]

that you can, like, literally, like, you

[Sabrina Bryan]

can tell, like, this is her little brother. And she just was like, he's on set with me protecting him. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it was, like, pretty. Pretty cute. I did actually love that part of it.

[Will Friedle]

I do. Would like to have had one more scene of them meeting on the plane or something like that. I felt like they cut something, but I. But it seemed like she is obviously there.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes, absolutely. It seemed like they've. Even though. Yeah, it was. It was very kind of confusing at first.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. They see the USS Constellation for the first time, and it is massive. And unless you have actually been next to one of these warships, it is. You can't comprehend the scope.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Have you been on a crew? Have you been on a cruise ship? No, like, on a bigger cruise ship. Okay. No, I mean, I really was trying to lock in because we've, I've done a lot of cruising and in my head still, even though cruise ships are so big, I still put this kind of ship even bigger. Like, so I'm going, I wonder how much bigger than like a giant. I've been on really big cruise ships. Like, how much bigger?

[Will Friedle]

Maybe the cruise ships now are getting so big that they're, they're starting to match similar size. But at the time, I mean, it's literally a working airport. So it's a floating working airport in the middle of the ocean with thousands of people on board, hundreds of planes, helicopters. I mean it is a massive, massive thing you do. You stand next to one and you're like, this can't be human made. I mean, it can't be. It's too big an engineering feat. And then you get on here, you realize it's like, wow, this is insane.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Well, not to mention when you're standing next to it, right, there's like levels and levels and levels that go even farther into.

[Will Friedle]

I think there's nine decks below the water. Damn. So, yeah, I mean it's, it's really, really amazing. I think it's called the draft size, which is how much wake the boat puts out and how much underwater it goes with the keel. I think it's called the draft size. It's massive. When it comes to one of these, these vehicles, it's really incredible.

[Sabrina Bryan]

That is so cool.

[Will Friedle]

You should be on what. They're really, they're really incredible. And I've been on them when they do this. I haven't seen the bombing runs that they do, but I've seen the Coast Guard rescue. So the helicopter will take off from the deck and they'll drop sailors into the water that then retrieve like a dummy that they attach to the thing and it goes up. It's really quite. I film of it. It's really quite remarkable to, to just to see this coordinated team and how every single person is so important and it's just, it's really, really amazing. I've always said the military, when you see these actions, you see what can happen when people decide to work together. It's really great. So, yes, it's huge. Thanks to Tina, we know it has a 100 aircraft on board and even its own church. But man, I wish they, she would just shut up because she's now been talking for like 20 minutes in this film. And you like her.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You do.

[Will Friedle]

But it's like, dude, yeah, give me a once off the bus, the tigers are sent to the forward bow, which is just the bow. I love how part of this you can tell is written by somebody who doesn't know the boats. So they're sent to the bow, which is in the front, to see their family members. And Maddie has taken to watching after Joey. After reuniting, Kenny rushes in, eager to hug his little brother. But Anthony barely reacts, dodging the embrace and keeping his distance. It's obvious that he does not want to be there. Another serviceman, Danny, meets up with his dad, an elder tiger named Chuck, who quickly reminds his son that he's due for a promotion. Especially with an uncle who works in the PAL Pentagon. The USS Constellation has been deployed in the Gulf for six months. So this five day cruise to San Diego is a great opportunity for family members to check in. Tina finds her sister Grace and they excitedly embrace and also dance. And Grace was a bad and so cool in this movie. Yeah, so I mentioned this up at the top, but this is truly, by this point I thought it was a mistake how bad the green screen was. We've never seen green screen this bad in a decom, have we? No, I mean the people, it, they were fuzzy, like around the border.

[Sabrina Bryan]

See? Yeah, you. Is that what you mean? Like you can see the coloration.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, they were like superimposed and people were bigger in the back. I mean, it was bad. It was really bad.

[Sabrina Bryan]

This cgi, it was pretty shocking because we had cgi.

[Will Friedle]

Sorry, green screen. It's not even cgi.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, no, it just was like, it was pretty shocking. And, and also because such a big amount of it looked like they really were filming on a ship, it was kind of like, why? What was the reason?

[Will Friedle]

So here's one of the things I was thinking of because I thought about this as I was watching the movie. When I would go on those, those sub submarines with my dad, when my dad would let me walk on board or the captain of that ship would take my dad and I on board, they would cover things on the ship like, you're not allowed to see this. This is classified. It's whatever, whatever it is, whether it's certain armaments or there's panels on the ship which I'm sure had to do with whether it's radar systems or whatever. You civilians are not allowed to see this. This is either code word or higher. But you can't see this. So I'm wondering if there are certain. I'm sure not wondering. There had to have been parts of the ship where they're like you're not filming.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You can't film here.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. You know, we give you as much access as possible, but there's certain things you're just. You can't set up a camera crew here. So I'm guessing there are certain parts of the ship where they're just like. But then it was like.

[Sabrina Bryan]

It was like them walking on the ship and it's like there was times they were. It looked like they were like, off of. Just like a balcony. Like, it didn't look like they were necessarily like. I could understand the actors also, it being unsafe for them to be around, like, the actual planes or. What were they? Well, I guess planes. The jets. There we go, like, in front of them. Like, there was, like, also a safety issue type thing, but, like, there was things where it looked like it was just like, ocean in the background.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. The only other thing I thought was size. Like, again, like, if you're in his office, for instance, they do a lot of scenes in his office which are clearly green screened. That might be such a small area on the actual ship that they couldn't get a camera around to do the angles that they needed. So maybe they needed to build it bigger on a sound stage to then shoot it as an actual. Actual scene. But I don't know because they're. Man, there. It was just. Just. It was bad. They're clearly on a soundstage and it just. It just didn't look good. Anyway, Joey does find his mom and they reunite in a very big way just as Maddie's dad, Commander Gary Dolan, arrives. He's happy to see her, but as second in command of the ship or the xo, he has some serious work to do. They'll meet back up later. By the way, my dad was the same rank as the guy who runs the whole boat as the captain.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Wow.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. But a lawyer. So not quite on ships. My dad was in the JAG Corps, but that was his rank. Cool. Chuck. Danny's dad, who was a Marine back in his day, has found his bunk, or his rack. That's what they call it on the. On the ocean below. Little Joey. Maddie arrives and realizes she's bunked with chatty Tina, who is with her sister, talking about the importance of enlisting. We have a real odd couple here. One girl who absolutely loves the idea of being there and another who resents being a Navy brat. And though this is dichotomy, seems to be great on paper, it's awful. Kind of never mentioned again. They announced the flight deck is open, and Tina grabs Her new friend to check it out. And now we are no longer dependent on that brutal green screen. We're atop the aircraft carrier surrounded by fighter planes. Family members are very excited to tour the base, except for Anthony, who already looks bored. Maddie is a incredibly good artist, sketching the USS Arizona memorial as they go by on the captain's bridge. Matty's dad is hard at work ready to start the trek. They pull the anchor and start the engine and do whatever else ships need to do to depart. We get a small history lesson from Chuck the dad all about Pearl Harbor. He tells Maddie and Tina about the morning our country was attacked and that 1100 crew members died in this very harbor. It is quote unquote, a date that will live in infamy is what he says. Servicemen and tigers together all salute the crash site as they pass. Now out at sea, planes take off in an air power show where rescue tactics are on full display. Also, there's a kids rec room with tons of activity, including caricature drawings from Maddie. I love that word, caricature. We get a glimpse of the kitchen with hundreds of meals being prepped with Danny's help. And on the mess deck, his dad Chuck is reliving his glory days in the service. Little Joey is just thrilled to be eating soft serve ice cream, which they have this machine called the dog, which nobody knows why it's called that, but it's just 24 hour soft serve. And Maddie and Tina are getting to know each other a little bit better, more as friends. Maddie says she's never thought about joining the Navy because someday she'd like to have kids who aren't quote unquote brats. But then a cute lieutenant named Tom arrives to alert mad her dad can now see her. And then Tina flirts with him. She loves a man in the uniform, which is fine. I get the younger kids seeing the older guy kind of flirting. But the way he looked back creeped the hell out of. And I was like, please tell me this is not going to be part of the story. Am I wrong? Wasn't that just it never happened again.

[Sabrina Bryan]

It was like you said at first it's like oh, cute. Yeah, of course. Yeah, of course. Like good looking guy, uniform, whatever. But then he, it's like, oh, oh, sorry.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, he like lingered and smiled and I was like, dude, what? Walk away.

[Cheekies]

14.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, okay, okay.

[Will Friedle]

Super weird.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I did the same thing.

[Will Friedle]

Super weird. So yeah, I'm glad that didn't happen. And I'm sure it was just a take they used, but they Used a weird take where it looked like this was going to go somewhere.

[Cheekies]

And I was like, oh, my God, you're going.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Wait a minute.

[Will Friedle]

What is happening, happening? So thank God that was the only time that happened. Super weird. Tina joins Maddie on the command deck to visit the commander. And oddly, there is no introduction to the girl now glued to his daughter's side. Instead, Tina just goes off with Hot Tom. We enter another really bad green screen with Maddie being shown her dad's command station where he normally can be found. They catch up, but it's obvious he doesn't know much about his daughter. She makes him feel guilty about how many times they had to move and the fact that she went to five different elementary schools. It goes without saying that their small talk is, well. Well, let's just say very awkward. He knows their relationship is strained, so he wonders why she finally volunteered to join the Tiger cruise. Before she can answer, there's an announcement about a paper airplane contest. And Maddie scurries off. And in her rush, she left behind her sketchbook. Now, over at this paper airplane festival, it is all out chaos. Kids trying to catch him, fly them, compete with him. And yet Anthony is still bored. Sitting by himself. He decides to walk off on his own and bumps into a no hats area. Guy's like, dude, you can't wear your hat out there. And it just aggravates him even more. Seems like he has a big chip on his shoulder. He ignores the warning and once outside immediately, of course, loses his hat to the wind. That'll show him there's a reason we have rules, sir. And boy, just when you think you've seen the worst green screening, we're outside with Matty and Tina, who spot the hatless Anthony dancing around with hard gusts of wind. And I was like, what is happening? He's having a lot of fun, but he's. It's dangerous. And he's like, getting closer to the edge. It's unhinged. And then he trips and rolls off the aircraft carrier. The girls sprint after him, screaming for help. They assume he's falling into the ocean. But when they peer over the edge, they see that he's been caught by a safety net which is like two feet wide, right? This is not like he could have jumped 10ft and still hit the net.

[Sabrina Bryan]

No.

[Will Friedle]

One more roll and that guy's dead.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes. Yes. Crazy. When you've been on any kind of ship. Like I said, I've been on cruise ships. Like. Like when you go to the edge of a cruise ship and you're so high up from the water, all you can think of is, this is dangerous. Like, so dangerous. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. Where was the railing? Like, what, dude?

[Will Friedle]

Well, it's because most of the soldiers know not to jump up and let the wind jacket, like, you're in a wing suit take you off the back of the boat.

[Sabrina Bryan]

So dangerous.

[Will Friedle]

He thought it was cool, of course. Which, hey, that's what we do when we're kids. We do stupid, right? And then I'm like, hey, look what happened now. Later in the day, the kids are playing foosball and table hockey in the game room when Maddie's dad spots her looking out over the sunset. He returns her sketchbook and was very impressed with her skills. Seeing a drawing of their dog made him miss home. And I swear to God, my head went. When he's like, oh, man, I missed that mutt. I thought she was gonna be like, he's dead. Like, we had. And you don't know that because you're not home. It's where my head went. I was like, he's about to say, I. But she's about to say, like, we had to put the dog down. And you don't know.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You know why? Because we know this is a true story about an actual very sad. Like, we are ready for.

[Will Friedle]

We're prepared to be sad. Yes. And I was. I was like, that's what she's gonna say.

[Sabrina Bryan]

She had that face on when he left. I thought, oh, my God, he just got sucked under the thing. We're starting this off with a kid.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. It's awful. I know. We're ready to.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, we're ready to, like, be sad for it to hit and to be

[Will Friedle]

depressed

[Sabrina Bryan]

that everyone's up. Up for grabs.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. But, oh, God, I thought that's where she was going to go. And he was going to be like, I'm sorry. I didn't know that. But then, yeah. Oh, thank God that didn't happen. Jeez.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I know.

[Will Friedle]

She very emotionally asks him when he'll be home for good. And he explains that this is his job. Now, I imagine, again, I say, my dad was in the Navy. He was in the reserve. He did have to go for the first Gulf War. He was stationed in Italy for a while, but we never had to move around or do any of that stuff. And I know it can be a. Or I have heard from other brats, and I don't say other. I'm not a Navy brat by any stretch, but heard from Navy brats. On those bases, how difficult it is where it's. You're moving all the time, you have no connections. The second. The thing you always heard was the second you made a friend, you're pulled out. And I just kept hearing that over and over again. So I've heard this could be difficult.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah. And it's like it's put on display on like TV shows of the same thing. That's why a lot of them are shown their characters that are Navy brats, quote, unquote.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Are very distant. They don't like to make friends because it just. There's no.

[Will Friedle]

Because the second you meet somebody you're not. Yep. Terrible.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, so hard. Tough life. Such a rough, tough life.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Were you a Navy brat, Lisa? Air Force.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Air Force.

[Will Friedle]

So same thing. You. How many bases did you go to when you were growing up? Oh, man. Exactly. Oh, man, oh, man.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Wow.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, that's. Yeah. It's got to be very, very difficult. I couldn't, I couldn't imagine. Three elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools. Wow.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Three middle schools, middle schools. Like, like two or three years.

[Will Friedle]

That's tough, Lisa. That is tough. And. But it makes sense why you loved then things like Disney and the. Because those are, those are constants wherever you go.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Staples. Yep.

[Will Friedle]

So, yeah, that makes tv. Was your friend. Yeah. Oh, God. It makes total sense. Wow. Yeah. Because you can take that with you anywhere you go. Yeah. Very tough life. I've been. I've been told. So. She obviously begs him to take a different job, but he explains that the Navy is his way of life and it comes with many, many sets of sacrifices. Maddie argues that he's defending strangers, and she's been made fun of at school for being, quote unquote, the new Navy brat. He says after Friday he'll be home for a while, but she wants something permanent. The commander admits he doesn't know what to think, but he's willing to keep talking about it. It's now day two at sea. September 10th, 2001. We're thrown right into the kitchen to witness the intense amount of cooking needed to feed the ship 15,000 meals every day. And Danny is one of the hard working cooks. His dad Chuck is observing and again pitching that his uncle in the Pentagon can get his son a promotion. But Danny likes his job, so back off, dad. Meanwhile, Joey has become addicted to the soft serve machine, which again, we've. He realizes why they call the dog because it just looks like dog poop, which is a terrible thing. But he thinks the. Yeah. Maddie and Tina are learning about the fighter planes from Grace, but are relegated to a far away observation deck for when they take off. This, of course, makes Tina mad, because she. She loves the military and wants a real experience. But her sister isn't having it. It's not safe. And these are a reason there are rules like this on a ship. But Maddie thinks maybe her dad can get them even closer. So at the flight deck control center commander Gary is showing off a large map to the kids, dealing with Anthony's disinterest and explaining the importance of the ship. Eventually, the girls arrive and ask if they can be on the flight deck for the takeoffs. But even Gary calls it too dangerous. And there are no exceptions. That is strike three. But guess who does have an idea. Anthony. That little.

[Sabrina Bryan]

The one that almost died. Let's go with his.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, let's go with that guy.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Let's see where that guy's gonna take us.

[Will Friedle]

That guy seems to know what's up. And so, as the air show is starting, Anthony sneaks the girls to a hidden, clearly not safe area on the deck after getting dressed up like they belong there, which is like a double. Yikes. The planes perform some impressive water bombings and flybys and other cool things that Tom Cruise doesn't. Top gun Anthony. Maddie and Tina are in full flight attire right there on the Runway. Tina is feverishly taking photos, but Maddie knows this is not a great idea. And then the kids are spotted by a soldier. So they sprint off and hide below deck. And right when we think the coast is clear, they of course, get caught. Now in the captain's quarters, accompanied by their family members, they're being reprimanded and have been given a very final warning. If they fall out of line again, they will be confined to their rooms for the rest of the trip. Matty's dad doesn't know how to discipline his daughter because he thinks this was just a way to get his attention. And he lost a pilot seven weeks ago during a practice maneuver. And they could have lost her and other people today. This is not a game. Anthony's brother is even angrier. He says it was his idea for the Tigers cruise, and now he regrets it. He demands his little brother stay out of trouble for the rest of the trip, but their relationship is more on the rocks than ever, and rightfully so. It is now time for the Tiger Cruise talent show. And I'd like to point out we're an hour in and there's still no 911. They're really building it up. Up so. And you're just kind of on edge waiting for it to happen. Some officers are kind of doing hip hop dance moves for the. For the Tigers. And Anthony apologizes to Tina and Maddie for getting them into trouble. So at least he knows that he did bad. But they all take the blame. And Maddie admits her dad's response was more disappointed than angry. And that kind of hurt her more than being yelled at. I think as kids, we all know what that means. Small note. Joey is still eating ice cream and making himself sick. Later that day, Maddie is checking out a crew photo taken for New Year's Eve on Y2K and realizing that her dad was having a blast with his work family. His real family was in a cheap motel at the same time. That hurts. The hot lieutenant. Tom just keeps popping up. Reminds her he just keeps. Hi. Tom just keeps. Hot Tom keeps popping in and keeps reminding her that these cruises are lonely and dangerous, and her dad makes them bearable because he's actually, quote unquote, like a father to the soldiers, which absolutely the wrong thing to say to his actual daughter.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Read the room. Hot Tom like, come on. Hot Tom like, come on. That was just like, ouch. I mean, I felt for her in this moment, too.

[Will Friedle]

He was really being Tom. Deaf. Huh?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Huh?

[Will Friedle]

I will show myself out.

[Sabrina Bryan]

But, yes, thank you. See you later.

[Will Friedle]

I'll take over. You take over from here. I'm out, everybody.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Mic drop.

[Will Friedle]

But yes, it's true. But the guilt still sends her back to her dad's command center. She apologizes for earlier, and he explains it's all behind them now. But many of the things she said when she was angry are actually true. He knows he's basically a stranger who's missed out on much of her life. If he could, he'd go back in time to catch up. But he's in line to take over his own ship soon. The thing he's worked his entire life for. And if you know anything about the military being in the command of a. Of a ship that size, It's. There's like 10 people that do that in the military, 20 people that do. It's impossible. And something you do work from the time you're like, 17 to do so. Yeah, this is a massively big step for. For him. For the XO to become the CEO, it takes 30 years. I mean, it's like. Yeah, it's huge. Okay.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I can't imagine what it would be to be a family man as well. Oh, this kind of job. Brutal, brutal, brutal.

[Will Friedle]

But he says his family means the world to him. So he's not going to re up. He's coming home for good. He had a long talk with his wife the night before and that's when he was like, okay, so he would have known if the dog was dead. So he talks to his wife all the time. So long talk with her. He's gonna be coming home for good. Matty is of course thrilled, embracing him in yet another terrible green screen show shot. But now the Chiron reads, It's 9-11-2001, day three at sea. And I assume those smiles are going to fade very soon. Maddie is awoken by a loud ship alarm at 5:15 in the morning. Planes are taking off and soldiers are running to their stations. Maddie sees her dad in the hall in full emergency mode. She sees Tina's sister who's also too busy to respond. The control room is packed and working at full tilt with Commander Gary at the helm. And that's when the second plane hits the tower. And you just, if you were there, watched it, anything, it brings you right back. We see our first footage of 911 on a nearby TV and Gary knows he has to inform the Tigers of what's going on. Back in the bunks, Maddie wakes up Tina just as all the Tigers are asked to report to the fo'. C'. Sle. So all the kids and Chuck, the dad, they feverishly pour out of the barracks. They know it's some sort of an emergency. The commander knows that the family members will be reaching out to make sure the ship and their Tigers are safe. But the USS Constellation is in a holding pattern. They don't know if they're staying in the United States or if they'll be sent on a mission. They have to get ready for battle at any moment, which is hard to do with 800 civilians on board. It is unprecedented in the history of the Navy, apparently. Crazy. The Tigers have all congregated together and Maddie attends to young Joey who's totally freaking out, rightfully so. Maddie's dad speaks to the Tigers, asking them to react as calmly as possible. He announces the airline hijackings and says the nation is on full alert in real life at this time. No one had any idea at this point who was behind the attacks or if there'd be more. It was was just a insane feeling. You had to have been there. And the people that were know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Cheekies]

Hi, it's Cheekies from Cheekies and Chill. Okay, today's vibe, new chapters and why is it when we level up in our lives, our ride stays the same. Make it make sense if you're stepping into a new season with new goals, new possibilities, shouldn't your car match your energy? And cars.com is the perfect place to find your next ride. They've got over 2 million new and used cars to choose from with 50,000 added daily and I love that they make it easy. Their filters help you narrow it down fast by price, features, style tudecides so you're not scrolling forever Jose. Who's got time for that? Check the real reviews from real people with real experiences and pick the keys to what's next. Are you in your upgrade season? Let's go tap into that new car energy and search cars.com Magical Rewind is

[Sabrina Bryan]

brought to you by T Mobile Last night I treated myself to the coziest movie night blanket on lights low and that one movie I can always count on. You know the one, the one you've seen a hundred times but still delivers all the feels. And honestly, the whole thing flowed because of T Mobile. Ever since I switched I don't overthink anything. I sit down, get comfy and enjoy Hulu and Netflix on them. No buffering, no stressing, just vibing. And the best part? T Mobile has all these perks like $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees with doordash. So yeah, movie night turned into movie night with snacks. Way to keep things magical. T Mobile. If you have T Mobile like I do, movie nights like these are just the beginning. You won't believe all the benefits you get when you switch. Switch today and shop online, in store or on the app. Visit t mobile.com receive hulu with ads Netflix Standard with ads while you maintain a qualifying Better Value Plan in good standing. Redeem one year free DashPass in t life within 30 days of activating Better

[Cheekies]

Value Plan no one knows what the future holds, but you deserve a weather app that can help. Weatherbug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need, from storm warnings to pollen levels right at your fingertips. Tips get the fastest local alerts and comprehensive 10 day forecasts wherever you are. Its hyperlocal real time customizable alerts make sure the weather never takes you by surprise so you can plan every day with confidence. Download the free Weatherbug app from the App Store today and start getting accurate weather forecasts 24. 7 Imagine never having to buy gas again. Sounds like a dream. Except it's real. That's everyday life with an electric vehicle. No long lines at the pump, just plug in at home and go EVs are as easy to charge as your phone and built for real life. Most Americans drive about 40 miles a day and most EVs go 200 to 400 miles on a single charge. And with fewer moving parts, you've got fewer repairs and style. There are hundreds of new and used EV models to choose from. An EV to fit every lifestyle and every budget. Learn [e-mail] support for the show comes

[Freddie Prinz Jr.]

from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work in it screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comdisclosures

[Will Friedle]

do you remember where so you said you were a senior. What? A senior in high school. Do you remember where you were when

[Sabrina Bryan]

you heard I was coming down the stairs? When my parents were in our family room downstairs and they never are. They're always you know, walking around getting ready to like head out and they were just in shock and watching the TV and the T like I said the TV's never on like but they are watching the news and I that was the the first tower had been hit and then it was like oh my gosh. And so I still went to school, right? Went into school, my first period happened to be my government slash econ and that the TVs were out, you know the TV was out. We were just watching again. So I actually we watch the second tower get hit while in class and it was just like everyone looking around going what the hell. Yeah again being being young still never ever thinking our country could be under attack. Like this, like, like, who would do that? Like, you know what I mean? Like, it was so unbelievable that, you know, it was a very scary moment. Like, oh, my gosh. And then it was like, what is next? And so being in that government class, it was like, there's options now that these are. And so it was a very, like, open talk. It wasn't obviously not planned anything like that. And I feel really lucky to have such a great teacher to, like, he handled all of our questions really well and gave us very honest answers, you know, so he had done some time in the military and was just like, there are big changes that are going to happen. And you guys are, you know, this is. Is something. It's never going to be the same again. Like, and he called it too, flying will not be the same. Going to the airport. Nothing like that will ever be the way you guys have lived your life so far. And it was like, whoa, you know, it just such a heavy day.

[Cheekies]

Where were you?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Were you.

[Will Friedle]

I was home.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You were out here in la or.

[Will Friedle]

I was out here in la. No, I was out here in la. And I was living with my brother at the time. And he woke up a lot, lot earlier than I did. And he. So he woke me up early, early 5:30 in the morning, whatever it was, and said, you know, a plane crashed into the World Trade Center. I think we might be under attack. And so we were then up and watching the TV as the second plane hit. And then as the second plane hit, we both knew. We were like, oh, this is a. This is a coordinated attack, right? And so it was. And then you just sit there at numb for the rest of the day. I mean, you also know, so. So my generation, we all remember where we were when the Challenger exploded, because that was our moment of either you were in school or you were watching it with other kids because they literally would wheel. They wheeled a TV in because Krista McAuliffe was the first a teacher that was going into space. So it was supposed to be a teaching moment. So we're all sitting there as kids. I was actually homesick that day, but my brother and I were watching. It was such a big thing. So everybody watched this live and everybody remembers where they were at that time. And I instantly knew, like, oh, for this generation, that's this. Yeah, everybody's gonna remember but the kids, the kids that are in 86, when. When Chris McAuliffe died and the all seven astronauts died, of course I was 10. And so I knew, I was like, oh, this is. That's this for this generation and for the generation before that. It was when Kennedy was killed. So we. You all had those horrible markers in your life of you're going to remember where you were when and you knew it was this one and this is one where it was like. I knew instantly nothing was ever going to be same. The same like country's different forever. And it has been so. Yeah. While the commander announces everything he knows. Soldiers, crew members, and the kids, especially Maddie, everybody, of course, tears up and starts to cry. He assures everyone they'll be safe. But his speech is interrupted by news that the Pentagon was also hit. He runs off to attend to this new development, leaving his daughter behind, of course, very scared. In the kitchen, Danny sees the newly destroyed Pentagon wing. His dad runs in. He can't believe that the ship may be going into battle and his son is stuck making cookies. Danny defends his job again. But when loss of life is confirmed at the Pentagon, Chuck realizes his brother may actually be gone. Matty is still watching the day unfold on TV when her dad finds out about the fourth downed plane in Pennsylvania and that the White House has been evacuated. Anthony is also watching coverage of the destruction, terrified that his hometown of New York is under attack. Chuck, the dad is ready to bomb whoever he thinks is responsible, even without any evidence. But mostly he wants to know if his brother is safe at the Pentagon. But all communication to and from the ship is suspended until further notice. Chuck, you do. You. You apparently, you isolate yourself. You are a moving island. You are completely isolated. The only thing coming in is messages. That's it. From. From the higher ups. That's it. No messages out.

[Sabrina Bryan]

My girlfriend is just. She just married someone in the Navy and is now going through the process of understanding what it is.

[Will Friedle]

Like, yeah.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes. He just got deployed for 10 months, and it's like, that's like, there's gonna be times where I won't talk to him for, like, weeks. I'm like, yeah. Oh, my. If when Jordan goes on a, like a work trip and I don't hear from him for like three hours, I'm freaking out. Like, I'm like, what happened? You haven't responded to a text. And it's like, I was in a meeting and I'm like, I can't imagine how hard it is for these families. I kept thinking this over and over during this movie.

[Will Friedle]

Like, it's one of those things where, yes, you fall in love with a person and you're marrying a person, but you're also marrying a lifespan lifestyle.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes.

[Will Friedle]

And it is a complete change of lifestyle. This is going to be like. Unless you've experienced it. It's like. Which I have. Not to this extent in any way. Unless you've experienced it, you don't know what's up. I mean, Lisa would be able to tell us. You don't know what it's like unless you're there.

[Sabrina Bryan]

The more you find out about it for me and. And I hope everyone else, the more you have so much appreciation for the people that do take this on as a job. Like, oh, my goodness, we are so lucky because it is huge sacrifices.

[Will Friedle]

They're doing this so we can be free and safe. That's why they're doing this. And they're. It's insane. That's why whenever I hear anybody bashing the military, I'm like, you don't know. You do not know what these men and women go through. So, yeah, it's. Yeah, there. It's a whole lifestyle that is one that. Thank God they're there. That's all I can say. Yes. So Chuck gets loud. He needs to check on his brother. But Commander Gary gives him a final no and orders him to stand down. With all the tiger activities canceled, he also minimizes the news coverage on the TVs so kids can watch movies instead. Smart. He makes Maddie the liaison for the young tigers. Since he needs to keep updated on what he should be doing to keep everyone calm. Maddie is willing and ready to help. But Chuck will not give up about this one phone call. His brother was in the wing that was hit by the plane. He's completely breaking down. Maddie's dad gets his brother's name and rank tank. He'll let Chuck know if he hears anything. Back with the tigers, Maddie knows the scene is bleak. Some kids are obviously crying, and there's also boredom now, mixed with fear. She quickly takes the lead and hugs the kids who need comforting. Commander Gary is told that all air traffic has been suspended, so even if he could get the 800 civilians back to San Diego, he couldn't get him home anyway. He asks Maddie to get all the kids to go to bed, but she tells him they're scared and they want to stay together in the mess hall. He appreciates her advice and gives them another half hour. And it looks like they're finally on the same page and working together together. Before he leaves, though, she wants to know one thing. Is there anything he's not telling them? He says he doesn't know a lot of the facts, just that they must stay ready. She Admits she's scared and starts crying herself. He holds her and tells her it's going to be fine. And before she can fully break down, she's called back by one of the little kids. She wipes her tears and gets back to her job. And it was a nice little moment

[Sabrina Bryan]

for her and him, her being the

[Will Friedle]

captain, like she's the commander of the kids. And now I got to get back to work. And it was a very nice little moment. Moment. It's now September 12th, day four, and they're just 500 miles from San Diego. The ship is planning on rearming in two hours and the civilians must be below deck for the procedure. Maddie is back in the mess hall with the kids and she's drawing Anthony, who's still captivated by the footage. He can't look away. Other kids are angry that he's hogging the tv. They just want to watch a movie. Maddie steps in and agrees the kids should watch a movie. Anthony storms off to the kitchen. Maddie eventually joins him at a new TV to give him her drawing. He says he's watching the coverage because he's from Staten Island. He saw the towers every day and his friends parents worked in those buildings. He's also worried about his grandfather. He never thought the towers could just disappear. Life will be different from now on. Out at sea, an escort boat arrives with weapons and Chuck notices. And Chuck notices the delivery. The Tigers are taken below deck to basically avoid seeing warheads. But Chuck tells the older Tigers what he saw and scares everyone into believing they're all on their way to war. Maddie's dad explains that the ship always carries munitions. This is just in prep in case they have to go to battle. He needs everyone to stay calm and to take care of the kids. Commander Gary tells Maddy they're on course to arrive in San Diego a day early. But they have to slip into the port unannounced because their whereabouts are secret, so it won't be easy. Also, there won't be anyone there to meet them since the base is on lockdown. And then the worst. He won't be returning home after all. He's returning to sea because of what happens. His crew counts on him. He promises he will be home, but for now, he has a duty to complete. She kind of understands at this point, but still isn't happy about Spotted Chuck and Danny arrive to see if there's any news out of the Pentagon. Gary lets Chuck know his brother is missing, which of course is not a good sign. Chuck hugs his son and they start to Cry together. Maddie joins Chuck out on the deck to say she's sorry about his little brother. He thought the Pentagon was the safest place on earth. It makes him wonder what life will be like back on land. He asked Maddie to apologize to the commander for him. Her dad does a job that not many people would do and Chuck would be too. And Chuck was being too aggressive with him earlier. But the truth is he feels safer with the commander on Dec duty. Later on, Maddie is still looking out at sea. Now drawing a distinguished portrait of her dad. She decides to take it to him. Walking into the still buzzing control room, but there's Lieutenant Hot Dom who cuts her off. It's not a good time, but the tigers will be in San Diego soon. He compliments her dad. He compliments her dad, compliments her dad. He didn't. Oh, it's weird. Okay, let me try. Just change it. He compliments her dad on the incredible job on making all of this happen. She says she'll get him the drawing later and and leave. Okay, I'm sorry, I want to rewrite this. He compliments her dad on the amazing job he did trying to get all the civilians home when nothing is essentially running in the country. She says she'll get him the drawing later and she leaves him to do his work in the kitchen. Maddie, Anthony, Tina and Joey visit Danny, who's making cookies. Well, and actually tons of muffins. As you can tell, he's keeping busy so he doesn't have to think about his uncle. The Tigers all help him out and Anthony finally gets to play some drums. And this is when we're all thinking about Sabrina, who knows that we don't like when they just start tapping on things and then a band forms. But this is. This one was better than them. Like they were all doing different hodgepodge things. It wasn't like they made this amazing song and became a band. Is it still not okay?

[Sabrina Bryan]

No, it wasn't. And I was just so happy that it was so short lived. Thank God it was. I just. Because I'm going, oh God, we are gonna do this. We're gonna go into sing song format. Like they didn't though, but just some banging. It just was some banging there. We'll get into it with Sabrina Seas.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. Not your favorite. We know. Not your favorite thing started to twitch. I was like, I know. So they're banging on pots and pans. Eventually everyone joins in. They find some fun and laughs. During a very dark time, Maddie realizes there must be something everyone on board can do. To lighten the mood. And now it's September 13th, day five, and they're right off the coast of San Diego. Madison knows to how that mad. See, Maddie knows that all the Tiger activities were cancelled, but she tells the captain she has an idea. And with that, everyone on the ship walks out. To a humongous flag that takes up the entire air. To a humongous flag that takes up the entire aircraft carrier. And they unfurl it for display. Once laid out, the kids run under it and play tag. Commander Gary watches on, proud of his daughter's leadership. They arrive in San Diego, and the commander speaks to everyone before they touch the ground. He talks about the core values of the Navy and how each of the Tigers have also shown that type of courage and sel over the past few days. He calls their actions exemplary and mentions the unfurling of the flag as an important moment for the crew. Now on land, Chuck and Danny say their goodbyes. Danny's been given time off to deal with his uncle's death, but decides to stay with the crew and make sure they're fed. Chuck is finally really proud of him, saying, sailors gotta eat. Our main Tigers exchange phone numbers. They plan on keeping in touch. They'll need to stay with military families on base until their relatives. Till their relatives are allowed to come and get them. Joey says goodbye to his mom and is still scared. They decide to get some ice cream before she has to return to the ship. Anthony says goodbye to his brother, finally showing some love, thanking him for everything. Tina salutes Grace, and they also exchange one last hug. And finally, Maddie gives her dad the portrait. He loves it and says he'll frame it when he gets home. She's scared. What if something else happens? What if they have to go to war? He promises they'll be ready, but admits everything is different now. He says he remembers his promise to return home, but now Maddie doesn't want him to quit. She thinks he should stay, she'll be okay. He gives her one last hug and asks her to stop growing so fast. And with that, he returns to the ship. A passing soldier asks if the commander is her dad and wonders if she's a brat. Before answering, she salutes her dad, then proudly says, yup, I'm a brat. She smiles and we see the huge flag unfurled one more time. And that is our movie.

[Cheekies]

Hi, it's Cheekies from Cheekies and Chill. Okay, today's vibe, new chapter. And why is it when we level up in our lives, our ride stays the same? Make it make sense if you're stepping into a new season with new goals, new possibilities. Shouldn't your car match your energy? And cars.com is the perfect place to find your next ride. They've got over 2 million new and used cars to choose from with 50,000 added daily and I love that they make it easy. Their filters help you narrow it down fast by price, features, style tudecides so you're not scrolling forever. Oh, so who's got time for that? Check the real reviews from real people with real experiences and pick the keys to what's next. Are you in your upgrade season? Let's go tap into that new car energy and search cars.com Magical Rewind is

[Sabrina Bryan]

brought to you by T Mobile. Last night I treated myself to the coziest movie night blanket on lights low and that one movie I can always count on. You know the one, the one you've seen a hundred times but still delivers all the feels. And honestly, the whole thing flowed because of T Mobile. Ever since I switched I don't overthink anything. I sit down, get comfy and enjoy Hulu and Netflix on them. No buffering, no stressing, just vibing. And the best part? T Mobile has all these perks like $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees with doordash. So yeah, moving night turned into movie night with snacks. Way to keep things magical. T Mobile. If you have T Mobile like I do, movie nights like these are just the beginning. You won't believe all the benefits you get when you switch. Switch today and shop online, in store or on the app. Visit t mobile.com receive hulu with ads Netflix Standard with ads while you maintain a qualifying Better Value Plan in good standings. Redeem one year free dash pass in tealife within 30 days of activating better Value Plan.

[Cheekies]

No one knows what the future holds, but you deserve a weather app that can help. Weatherbug is easy to use and provides forecasts for your every need from storm warnings to pollen levels right at your fingertips. Get the fastest local Alerts and comprehensive 10 day forecasts wherever you are. Its hyperlocal real time customizable alerts. Make sure the weather never takes you by surprise so you can plan every every day with confidence. Download the free weather bug app from the App Store today and start getting accurate weather forecasts 24. 7 Imagine never having to buy gas again. Sounds like a dream. Except it's real. That's everyday life with an electric vehicle. No long lines at the pump, just plug in at home and go. EVs are as easy to charge as your phone and built for real life. Most Americans drive about 40 miles a day and most EVs go 200 to 400 miles on a single charge. And with fewer moving parts, you've got fewer repairs and style. There are hundreds of new and used EV models to choose from an EV to fit every lifestyle and every budget. Learn [e-mail] support for the show comes

[Freddie Prinz Jr.]

from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.com SL Disclosures

[Will Friedle]

Sabrina it was a journey. Can we do some real reviews? And I think, I think this week I have the one star and this is from Nick the Trojan. The only thing funnier than this obvious propaganda which makes up the bulk of the film is the fact that the Disney watching American public bought it hook, line and sinker. The film is a real dog. Although I do leave it with the disconcerting urge to unfurl an enormous flag on my way to the recruitment office. One star from Nick the which is the new official name. Sabrina, what do you got?

[Sabrina Bryan]

I've got the five star this week and it's M D W O B D

[Will Friedle]

I think that I think is what it is. Let's make it Dr. Woadpada.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Okay Dr.

[Will Friedle]

There you go.

[Sabrina Bryan]

All right, not bad. Reminded me about 911 which is good because I was told to never forget it again.

[Will Friedle]

Okay, five stars.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Wow. All right, we gotta just.

[Will Friedle]

Wow.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Jerks. I just can't. I can't do it.

[Will Friedle]

And now we have Sabrina's favorite portion of our program, which is our game that we play feature game every week, and this one is called Pull Rank. To honor the brave Navy seen in the film and making sacrifices every day for our country, we will be given different ranks. We're tasked with putting them in order. If we can correctly place them, lowest to highest, we want. Here's how I'm going to make it even worse for you, Sabrina.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, great. Thanks. Because this isn't going to be hard enough.

[Will Friedle]

I'm not going to play because I know the answers.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes, you know the answer.

[Will Friedle]

So here's the list, and we're going to see if you can put them in order. Who are we playing with today? I mean, I can do it, but I'd like to to make sure I'm right. Who are we playing with today?

[Cheekies]

It's Mikayla.

[Will Friedle]

All right, Mikayla, here we go. So Commander petty officer first class, warrant officer fourth class, Vice admiral, chief petty officer, and Captain. What do you got? What do you think? Let's start low to high.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Low to high.

[Will Friedle]

Low to high. What's the lowest rank on that list? Commander, Petty officer first class, warrant officer, fourth. Vice admiral, Chief petty officer or captain. What's the lowest?

[Sabrina Bryan]

They all sound so, like, I don't think regal's the name, but, like, awesome. Very cool.

[Will Friedle]

Badass. Yeah.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes. They all sound. Sounds so, like, wow.

[Will Friedle]

So what do you think's the lowest?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Ooh, I guess I'm gonna have to go with Petty officer First class would be the lowest.

[Will Friedle]

Okay. What is the Michaela. Is that correct? That's correct. Yeah. That is correct.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Will Friedle]

What is the next. What is the next one?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Chief petty officer. That then. Wow.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah. Correct. What would be third?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Warrant officer?

[Will Friedle]

Four. Correct. What would be fifth?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Captain. Not correct.

[Will Friedle]

What would be fifth?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Vice Admiral.

[Will Friedle]

What would be fifth?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Commander.

[Will Friedle]

Correct. You're killing it.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I can't leave it.

[Will Friedle]

Sure would be six.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Well, now I don't know which ones I.

[Will Friedle]

You have Vice admiral and captain left? Yep.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Okay. I think it'd be Vice Admiral.

[Will Friedle]

What would be sixth?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Is this the top one?

[Will Friedle]

Nope.

[Sabrina Bryan]

No, I still got to get six.

[Will Friedle]

Six is Captain. Correct.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Okay. This is Vice Admiral. All right.

[Will Friedle]

You did it without him. Without a single mistake. You got them all. As far as I'm concerned, that is. And your prize for winning is a Sabrina Seas. What do we got?

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah. All right. There we go. Okay, so really, all I had to say as far as nitpicking this apart, the green screen was just. It never.

[Will Friedle]

It's awful.

[Sabrina Bryan]

It was. It was continuously just jarring the whole movie. I just couldn't, couldn't. I couldn't take it. There was one part where it felt like there was a scene that was put in, like, out of order. Like, they redid it during, like, editing for some reason. And it was. She starts off in this yellow top, and then there's a scene where she's, like, drawing caricatures of the, like, little kids. Oh, the kids.

[Will Friedle]

Yep.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And then she ends up back in that yellow top. So it seems like that was filmed, but, like, not really meant to be. Where it was placed, it was, like, out of order. Like, she's just kind of drawing these characters and I'm like, I wonder if it was later on in the movie. Part of the original filming would have been. It would have made sense for it to be during the time where they're kind of trying to keep the kids busy and, like, off the tv. Like, after. After everything had happened. Happened.

[Will Friedle]

I don't know, though, because they seem very, very happy.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yeah, they were.

[Will Friedle]

She's happy in the caricature.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I don't know. It was just strange for her to be. For it to be where it was. It was kind of throwing me off. The 90 or the 2000s hair that was in this movie was pretty epic. I felt very well done. And then I had two things that I felt like there were. Was zero reason to have in this movie. The talent show. Why?

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, I think it was probably just to show what actually happens during these tiger cruises, I imagine.

[Sabrina Bryan]

But a talent show is one of them. It's like, hey, let's get the. Who.

[Will Friedle]

Who.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Everybody who knows how to break dance.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, that would be my guess.

[Sabrina Bryan]

We're going to be entertaining. We're going to be entertaining the guests here.

[Will Friedle]

Really? I'll bet you that's exactly what it is. They say to everybody on all the. The crew members on the street where, hey, the tiger cruise. We're gonna have 800 kids juggle. Yeah, exactly. Who can juggle? Who can sing? Let's do. Because I. They. You're. You're on an island with 5,000 people, sometimes for months at a time. So I will bet you stuff like dance parties and. And, you know, comedy shows like let's do. I will bet you. Like, who can do stand up? Who wants to do five minutes? I will bet you that happens. I bet you that happens. I will guarantee it.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Oh, wow.

[Will Friedle]

Okay.

[Sabrina Bryan]

All right. Well, then I stand corrected. This one. I do not. There was absolutely no reason to be doing some banging and Popping and all that stuff on the pots and the pans. It didn't need to happen. It made me feel like we were about to jump into a random. I mean, after seeing the random talent show, I'm like, oh, God, now we're gonna just jump into some random music situation.

[Will Friedle]

I get it. I get it.

[Sabrina Bryan]

But it was an idea of, like, the kids laughing and then them saying, like, this is the first time I've actually laughed. And I do remember it going back to. Even though I was so separated from what was happening. I didn't have anyone that even lived in New York. I had never been to New York at that point, you know, of my life. Like, there was just this moment where I feel like we were all kind of just like holding our breaths for so long, and then not long after, you know, or when the time came to feel like happiness again was so far, you know, from the devastation that you just felt like our entire country was going through. So it was somewhat as. Although I know our listeners know how much I hate that kind of stuff, it was kind of ended up being like a nice moment because it was like these kids that were scared and how scary it would be to be on this ship. Right. Like, going for the crew, too. Like, thinking about even just what we saw so much. We were in the kitchen in this movie so often, and it being like, like, how are we. How long are we going to have these extra 800 people on the ship with us? How long do we have enough supplies for them to. To feed them as much as we're going to have to feed them for extra days or whatever? You know, just.

[Will Friedle]

You also, I'm sure, didn't know. Are we fully under attack? Is someone going to try to fly a plane into the ship?

[Sabrina Bryan]

That's what I mean. Right.

[Will Friedle]

You know what? Like, what is hap. Just nobody knew anything going on.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes. And especially to be a part. Like, none of us civilians didn't know. But to actually be on a ship of going, what is the next step?

[Cheekies]

Where.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Where is this going from here on out? And just how, again, how terrifying that. That time of.

[Will Friedle]

And if you're a kid, you're nine or ten, and you see the adults freaking out, and you might be like, does this mean we're going to war? Like, are they just going to turn the boat around and. And go off to fight somebody with us still on board? I mean, you just. You wouldn't know. You didn't have the idea to know. So it was, yeah, I can't. I can't imagine.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Very scary time.

[Will Friedle]

Yeah, absolutely. Well. Well, thank you. Did you have more?

[Sabrina Bryan]

That was it.

[Will Friedle]

All right. Well, thank you very much. We now come to the portion of our program where we score our film and that score rate, let's say radar film, we're gonna do one out of 10, one being the least unlike what we're gonna do from Petty Officer First Class to Vice Admiral. So one out of ten low to high. And here are options for the week. Do you Want to do 1 out of 10 terrible green screens? 1 out of 10 Laura Fries, 1 out of 10 Boba Fett costumes, 1 out of 10 diarrhea mouths? Please don't pick that one. 1 out of 10 Anthony's in very small safety nets or 1 out of 10 poop chocolates. Please don't pick that one either. Which one do you want? I'll leave it up to you.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I guess we'll have to do terrible

[Will Friedle]

green screens because it was so prevalent in the movie. It really was.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Kept happening. It just kept coming back. And you wanted to forget it because you, you know, you wanted to forget it.

[Will Friedle]

I agree. I can't remember who. Which one of us goes first this week.

[Sabrina Bryan]

I actually feel like you went first for. Because our last one was back on the board. So I feel like you did go first, right? Or did I?

[Will Friedle]

It's back on board. You did it again. I gave you my the. I gave you my the because I was saying it all the time. I gave you a case of the the down, too.

[Sabrina Bryan]

It's under because that's the under my Sabrina Sees. I've got that right under and I've got it written down like an idiot.

[Will Friedle]

The full name is Johnny Capahala. Back on the board. That never took off. That you can't buy anywhere else because nobody does Land boarding or whatever it's called is the name is the name of that film. So then, okay, yeah, if you go first, take it away.

[Sabrina Bryan]

All right. I liked this movie. I again, this was the first for me to see it, and it was a first for me to feel like the based on real stories. I was actually a part of understanding what was happening in the world at the time. And I was nervous. But again, as it came and went, it was a good watch. And it was something that I'm going. When there's a right age to kind of talk to Monroe about, this would be a great movie for her to see. A little bit more knowledge. It doesn't go too far into it, but it goes into the eyes of a child going through a devastating situation. And scary. But it wasn't overly scary. I don't think it would frighten her. I think it would just give her a lot of empathy of, like, seeing what it would have been like had she been around during this time. So that's how I'm watching this movie now as a mom, and I really liked it. I thought it was a great. Disney once again, did a great job showing us the eyes of a child going through a very hard situation. And I'm gonna give it nine terrible green screens.

[Will Friedle]

That's. I like that.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Which is hard, right?

[Will Friedle]

Terrible green screens. Terrible green screens.

[Sabrina Bryan]

It's hard to say, but nine of them.

[Cheekies]

Nine terrible green screens.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Because there's probably at least nine in this map.

[Will Friedle]

Oh, God. If not more. I agree with everything you said. Look, I. I am unabashedly biased towards the Navy. I. I saw the pride my father had every time he put on his uniform and how much it meant to him to defend his country. I grew up with that same pride in my country. Do we have problems? Of course we have problems. I've talked about it before. This. This country is an idea, but it's the best idea that's ever been here for the history of humans. And we're working on it. And it's. We're gonna hate each other and we're gonna love each other, and there are times where we hate each other so much. And then something like this, this day of 2001 happens, and we come together, and for a moment, we all feel like we're in this together, and we look at each other differently, and we act differently towards one another. And there's people out there now that disagree with you and are always going to disagree with you. And it doesn't mean that your first response needs to be hatred towards them. The second we start. We stop talking is the second you look for other ways to confront people. And if you stop using dialogue, you start using other things, and it's horrible. And it's days like this in the history of our country that remind us that we're all in this together and we all want the same things, no matter what you think we all want. I think it was Kennedy who said, we all want to breathe clean air. We all want to drink fresh water. We all want our children to have better lives than us. We all want the same. Same things. Yes, we might disagree on how we get there. And that's what this country is about, is electing people who agree with you. And even if you disagree with the people that are elected. That's what the next election cycle is for. And that's how you speak. And that's what we need. And so again, I am totally biased for, for movies like this. What the men and women who put their lives on the line every day for our freedom, for the things. Things to do. So I, I really enjoyed watching this movie. Maybe it was propaganda based. Do people always say after they watch Top Gun, oh, it's just recruiting fighter pilots? Maybe, maybe that's, that's a side effect of films like this is more people want to go and sacrifice for their country and and you know, we saw the lives, a little bit of the lives that these men and women live and the families they have to give up to go and make sure we're all free. And so that I'm down for that all the time. Time as a film, of course there are problems with it. The green screen is terrible. It's one of the worst green screens I've ever seen. And I just don't care because exactly what you said. This is Disney doing what Disney does, which is taking a very difficult subject matter, making it palatable and not too scary for children while not completely watering down what actually happened. Selma Lord, Selma. It wasn't. We're going to give you a cookie cutter version of what happened. It was just what happened through the eyes of a child. And this to me is when Disney is at their best, is when they do stuff like this. So I agree with you 100%. I'm. The only reason I'm digging at the one point is because of the film problems which were glaring and there were a ton of them and there were times it was slightly slow. I get it. I don't care. So I with you 100% where I gave this nine terrible green screens. It is, yeah, it is a great,

[Sabrina Bryan]

it's a great example of what Disney I really love does is gives us an insight to a world that we would not not necessarily know very much about.

[Will Friedle]

Right.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And being a family member of somebody who serves our country isn't something that everyone knows, you know, so it's, it's a great way to open that question, open that topic to ask questions to look into, to research after you watch. I mean I'm sure during this time like people that kids were starting to ask more questions. You saw on the interstitials of the care of the actors on Disney Channel opening the book, opening that page of asking questions and talking about family time, you know, during the as. As our. As our nation was Mourning, you know,

[Will Friedle]

I agree with you 100%. So just next time you're gonna have a conversation with somebody that you know completely disagrees with you, you have two completely opposing views of whatever, maybe have a 10 minute conversation about something you agree with to start. It's a great place to begin. Even if it's, hey, you, you like vanilla ice cream. So do I start there and then maybe go from something you disagree with because. Right again, we're all in this together, whether you like to think it or not. And one of the things that's going to keep us together is something like our next movie. Because it's a big one, people. Yes. We're finally doing it. We're getting into something that to me sounds, well, vaguely sexual. A threequel. That's right. And might be the biggest one ever on the channel.

[Sabrina Bryan]

We are watching a hundred percent. Ready? Because you just said all in this together twice.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't even realize the first movie. Well, there you go.

[Sabrina Bryan]

And I'm just sitting there going. I can see Kayla and Lisa's reaction.

[Will Friedle]

I didn't even realize I said it. But that's how perfect it is. It is so perfect. We are watching what I just like to call HSM3, people. That's right. High School Musical 3. I'm sweet. Or whatever the kids are saying now. There's words that I don't understand. Ryder and Danielle tried to take me. Yeah. I don't know what it is, but you can watch Disney's now. Mikayla and Lisa are now saying, we've taken over my brain. I think that's true.

[Sabrina Bryan]

You are in it officially.

[Will Friedle]

Yes. You can watch it early and prep for the recap because it's available to stream now on Disney. Of course.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Of course.

[Will Friedle]

But first, before we get there, we're gonna dive into a very vital component of the classic DCOM formula and that's the musical synergy. So many of these Disney films feature original songs, of course, performed by the actors in them or musicians signed to the Disney label. And a major avenue to get to these songs was one of Sabrina's favorite things ever. Radio Disney.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Yes, Radio Disney.

[Will Friedle]

So cool. I loved it myself. So we are maybe not to listen to because I didn't listen to it, but I went on a bunch of times and it was cool. So we are going to be talking to Robin Jones, the vice president of programming at Radio Disney from what we like to call the the Golden Years 1996-2007. She was instrumental in helping develop and break High School Musical. So yeah, obviously it was pretty awesome. We heard some great stories for her. Here's a little taste of what's to come.

[Sabrina Bryan]

He said, I got this girl and

[Will Friedle]

he showed me her headshot or something and he said, I promise you, you know, she's Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter. Like, are you kidding?

[Sabrina Bryan]

And he said, I think I have something. Something.

[Will Friedle]

So that was when we really started to get stuff in advance and really, you know, understand how we could work together. Man, that was cool. The only problem with the interview is she said some things that Sabrina's gonna walk away just like, oh. So I basically started the whole channel. Yeah. Yeah. It seems Sabrina's a little more instrumental in some stuff than I, I even realized. But it makes perfect sense because Cheetah Girls kind of change the whole ball game. So you are going to love that interview. And you know, we really love getting kind of the deeper behind the scenes stuff. And she was there for all of it. So make sure to check out the Park Hopper episode later this week on Magical Rewind dedicated feed. And for more info, of course you can follow us Magical Rewind pod on the Instagram machine. Bye everybody.

[Sabrina Bryan]

Bye.

[Cheekies]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Sabrina Bryan]

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[Will Friedle]

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[Cheekies]

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