Pop Culture Happy Hour

Episode: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and What’s Making Us Happy

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Ronald Young Jr., Sam Yellowhorse Kessler

Overview

This episode dives deep into "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple," the freshly-released sequel in the storied British zombie franchise, and unpacks the film’s strengths, weaknesses, and place in the saga. The team evaluates the movie’s tonal shifts, character development, and how it balances franchise expectations with its own cinematic aspirations, offering both critique and praise. The show caps off with each guest sharing "what’s making us happy this week," a signature Pop Culture Happy Hour segment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Franchise Background & Sequel Setup

[01:03–02:41]

• The original 28 Days Later (2002) started the Rage Virus/zombie franchise, continued with 28 Weeks Later (2007), and was rebooted with the new 28 Years Later (2025).
• “The Bone Temple" is set directly after the 2025 film, focusing on teenage Spike, a new cult of humans known as "the Jimmies," and Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) sheltering in the eerie memorial known as the Bone Temple.
• Directed by Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels), written by Alex Garland (franchise originator).

2. First Impressions: Strengths & Weaknesses

[02:42–05:40]

• Sam (Jimmy) Yellowhorse Kessler:
  • Liked the film as a strong sequel more than as a standalone; praised the “cross-pollination” of directorial styles (DaCosta’s visual flair, Boyle’s horror energy, Garland’s cynicism).
  • Critique: “There just was not a ton of, like, character development in it.”
    (03:16)
• Stephen Thompson:
  • Emphasized the reliance on the previous film—viewers who haven’t seen “28 Years Later” would be confused.
  • “If I hadn't just watched 28 Years Later, I would have been so confused.”
    (03:43)
• Ronald Young Jr.:
  • Found the film “fine," citing enjoyment of Ralph Fiennes’ performance and that the movie lingered in his thoughts.
  • Criticized scenes of “gratuitous torture” early on.
  • “There are some scenes early in the film which feel like gratuitous torture, which… took me out of the film.”
    (04:21)

3. The “Bone Temple” Title Debate

[05:07–05:43]

• Ronald objects to the title, feeling it misleads viewers who haven't seen the last film.
• Stephen and Sam counter: “There is truth in advertising. There was a bone temple.”
  • Discussion about the lack of deeper explanation or utilization of the titular Bone Temple in this installment.
• Ronald jokes alternative titles: “28 Years Later: Jimmy and Them”, “Two Jimmy Two Furious”, “The Bone Doctor”.

4. Violence, Tone, & Genre Expectations

[06:05–09:05]

• The hosts tackle the film’s tonal whiplash—shift from intense human-on-human torture ("torture gore") to its signature zombie action ("jump scare horror").
• Stephen draws a stark line: “There is a huge, huge difference between zombie gore and torture gore… they really linger on the torture in the first portion of that film.”
  (06:41)
• Ronald appreciates the payoff for the violent opening but laments its prominence.
• Sam finds the cult (“the Jimmies”) subplot “Shakespearean”—but with muddy motivations and ambiguous leadership.

5. Pacing, Character Arcs & the “Middle Film” Problem

[09:05–13:53]

• Subplots (mistaken identity, cult leader's belief/hallucination) discussed. Ronald wishes some devices were handled more sharply rather than “like a sitcom hijink.” (10:09)
• Sam argues putting human violence up front (vs. lurking threat in previous films) gives the film a lopsided effect; not enough character depth for "Jimmy".
• The team identifies structural issues—this film is the “bridge” in a pre-planned trilogy, making it inherently unsatisfying on its own:
  • “Anytime you are telling a story that is the second part of a trilogy, you have to find a way to get past the ‘I am just trying to get you from point A to point C.’”
    (11:51)
• Ronald notes both this and previous film were shot back-to-back, impacting the storytelling and making “The Bone Temple” feel like a detour.

6. Directorial Identity & Franchise Challenges

[14:09–14:47]

• Sam relates the challenges DaCosta faces to Rian Johnson's Star Wars: balancing personal style and fan expectations.
• Sam: “You want to put your own stamp on it… but you also have competing demands… To me, it largely worked then didn’t work. But it sounds like for you guys, it largely didn’t work then it worked.”

7. The (Spoiler-Free) Payoff

[14:47–15:21]

• Stephen teases an “enormously enjoyable and satisfying” climactic scene: “If you can stomach the torture porn… I recommend this film for the payoff that exists late in this film… I found [it] enormously enjoyable. Extremely funny, great, vivacious filmmaking.”
  (14:49)
• General agreement: the ending is strong, and franchise fans are likely to enjoy the journey despite unevenness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “There are some scenes early in the film which feel like gratuitous torture… took me out of the film.”
  — Ronald Young Jr. (04:21)
• “If I hadn't just watched 28 Years Later, I would have been so confused.”
  — Stephen Thompson (03:43)
• “There is a huge, huge difference between zombie gore and torture gore.”
  — Stephen Thompson (06:41)
• “28 Years Later: Jimmy and Them. 28 Years Later: Two Jimmy Two Furious.”
  — Ronald Young Jr. (05:43; joked as alternative titles)
• “It is an investment that is finally seeing returns.”
  — Sam Yellowhorse Kessler (about “Industry” S4, 19:05)
• “I think it'll work as a great binge watch one Saturday morning.”
  — Sam Yellowhorse Kessler (on the trilogy’s future, 15:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:21] – Introduction to “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple"
• [02:42-05:40] – First reactions: strengths and weaknesses
• [05:07-05:43] – Discussion on the film’s title
• [06:05-09:05] – Tonal shifts, violence, and horror style
• [09:05-13:53] – Discussion on structure and pacing
• [14:09-14:47] – Directorial style and franchise challenges
• [14:47-15:21] – Spoiler-free discussion of the film’s climax and its payoff

What’s Making Us Happy This Week

[17:56–22:59]

- Sam Yellowhorse Kessler:

• Industry Season 4 is out; he praises its strong start and character evolution — “It is an investment that is finally seeing returns.” (19:05)

- Ronald Young Jr.:

• The Buffalo Bills’ NFL playoff run; shares lore about their Super Bowl history and hopes for victory — “Please clip this and remind us when the Buffalo Bills win the Super Bowl, that Ronald Young Jr. said it first.” (20:50)

- Stephen Thompson:

• The essay collection Sloppy or Doing It All Wrong by Rax King — praises her wit, candor, and voice, and encourages people to read her and follow her online.

Summary

The panel finds “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” a visually stylish and thematically ambitious sequel that struggles under the weight of serving as the middle film in a trilogy. While Ralph Fiennes’ performance and DaCosta’s cinematic flair are praised, the film’s intense early violence, muddled cult subplot, and lack of standalone impact are recurring critiques. The episode wraps with a trademark round of recommendations—from prestige TV and football lore to literary essays.

For newcomers and franchise veterans alike, this episode offers a thoughtful, candid, and frequently funny breakdown—balancing appreciation and skepticism, and closing with the always delightful “What’s Making Us Happy.”