Podcast
Saturday Morning Cereal
Hosted by Saturday Morning Cereal · EN
Saturday Morning Cereal is a weekend talk podcast that celebrates the stories, characters, and themes that shaped us—from Saturday morning cartoons to the pop culture that’s grown up right alongside us.
With exclusive interviews featuring pop culture icons and the creative minds behind the moments that defined generations, we dig deep into the bowl of nostalgia (no toy surprise needed) to explore the past, present, and future of fandom.
Now in our 12th season and counting, our archive is a time capsule of pop culture’s biggest moments, people, and events—hosted by Grim Shea, Marke, and contributors Retro Cool Nerd’s Jimmy “The Gent” and Johnny Heck.
The cereal might be different, but the magic is still the same. Long before streaming queues and prestige TV, there was Saturday morning—cartoons, cereal, commercials, and that unfiltered childhood joy. We’re not just remembering it—we’re reimagining it, one crunchy, sugar-coated memory at a time.
With exclusive interviews featuring pop culture icons and the creative minds behind the moments that defined generations, we dig deep into the bowl of nostalgia (no toy surprise needed) to explore the past, present, and future of fandom.
Now in our 12th season and counting, our archive is a time capsule of pop culture’s biggest moments, people, and events—hosted by Grim Shea, Marke, and contributors Retro Cool Nerd’s Jimmy “The Gent” and Johnny Heck.
The cereal might be different, but the magic is still the same. Long before streaming queues and prestige TV, there was Saturday morning—cartoons, cereal, commercials, and that unfiltered childhood joy. We’re not just remembering it—we’re reimagining it, one crunchy, sugar-coated memory at a time.
17episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
ElectricNOW? More Like ElectricWOW! The Summer Blockbuster Episode with Dean Devlin
1w ago01:00:01Tap to summarize🥣 Season 13, Episode 7Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings — when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.This week on Saturday Morning Cereal, hosts Grim Shea and Marke climb aboard the summer blockbuster roller coaster for a massive conversation with legendary producer, writer, director, and occasional 1980s leading man, friend of the show Dean Devlin.Best known as one of the architects of the modern blockbuster era through films like Independence Day, Stargate, and Godzilla, Devlin joins the cereal boys to discuss the creation of ElectricNOW, his motivation for building a free streaming destination for genre fans, and why classic television comfort food still matters in a fractured entertainment world.Joining the interview from parts unknown is The Retro Cool Nerd Jimmy Leszczynski as the crew dives into the rise and evolution of the summer blockbuster, from packed theaters and line-around-the-block premieres to the uncertain future of modern event cinema. Along the way, Devlin reflects on his television success with series like Leverage and The Ark, while the gang debates whether Hollywood can still “fix” the blockbuster experience audiences once lived for every summer. The conversation also taps into the memories and magic of event movies before taking a wonderfully unexpected detour into Devlin’s brief but gloriously credited acting career, including his appearance in Real Genius.Past the interview, Grim Shea and Marke continue the conversation with a deep dive into the history, culture, and future of summer blockbusters themselves. From the golden age of event movies to today’s streaming wars, this episode asks the big question:What happened to the summer blockbuster… and can we get that feeling back?It’s the greatest hour in podcast history, and it could be yours for less than the price of a 1975 summer movie ticket.(Free. This episode is free.)Saturday Morning Cereal celebrates the pop culture that raised us — cartoons, comics, TV, movies, toys, and the magic of Saturday mornings we’re still chasing today.Stay crunchy, my friends. 🥣🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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Blinded by the Blight: The Toxic Avenger Returns with Matt Bors and Tristen Wright
Mar 1401:02:15Tap to summarize🥣 Season 13, Episode 6Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings — when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.This week, the Saturday Morning Cereal crew dives headfirst into radioactive sludge as The Toxic Avenger returns… and he’s aiming at the Capitol. Hosted by Grim Shea, Marke, Johnny Heck, and Jimmy “The Gent” Leszczynski from Retro Cool Nerd, the gang explores the newest chapter in Toxie’s long, weird, and wonderfully grotesque legacy. The timing couldn’t be better. AHOY Comics recently released Toxic Avenger Volume 2: Love and Blight, the trade paperback collecting the latest comic book adventures of the mop-wielding mutant hero from the classic Troma Films universe.Written by two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Matt Bors, with art by legendary Toxie artist Fred Harper and contributions from a lineup of talented creators, the new volume sends Toxie shambling through horror, crime, science fiction, romance, and fantasy. The Toxic Avenger remains the perfect radioactive antidote for a toxic world.But what is “toxic,” anyway? The crew gets into the generational shift that makes Toxie such an interesting character to revisit today. In the 1980s, toxic meant sludge, pollution, chemical waste, and the looming fear of the ozone layer disappearing — the kind of environmental nightmares that gave us Tromaville in the first place. Today, the word toxic often points to behavior, politics, culture, and the way we treat each other. Different decades, different anxieties, and somehow Toxie still fits right in the middle of it all.To celebrate the release, Grim Shea and Marke sat down with writer Matt Bors and artist Tristen Wright to talk about reviving the Toxic Avenger for a new generation, balancing satire with mutant mayhem, and why this bizarre cult hero still has something meaningful (and messy) to say about the world we live in.Grab a bowl of cereal, crank up the cartoons, and join us. Because when the world gets toxic, sometimes it takes Toxie to clean it up.Stay crunchy, my friends. 🥣🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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Be Mine: The 1985 Valentine’s Day Movie Draft
Feb 1501:18:39Tap to summarize🥣 Season 13, Episode 5Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings, when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.And this week? We’re firing up the DeLorean and heading straight back to 1985 for our “Be Mine: The 1985 Valentine’s Day Movie Draft,” a hostful celebration of the films that defined one of the greatest years in movie history. Join Grim Shea, Mark E., Johnny Heck, and Retro Cool Nerd’s Jimmy “The Gent” Leszczynski as they throw down in a five round serpentine draft, building their ultimate love letters to the movies of ’85. Each pick comes with two minutes to make the case, not film school fancy, not cinema snob analysis, just the real reasons these movies mattered to us growing up. The memories. The moments. The VHS rewinds. The lines we still quote today.1985 wasn’t just a good year, it was stacked. Blockbuster adventures, teen classics, sci fi icons, fantasy quests, underdog stories, and soundtracks that still live rent free in our heads. The big question is… which titles will make the draft board, and which beloved favorites will heartbreakingly fall into the honorable mentions pile? Expect surprises, nostalgia bombs, and plenty of “How did THAT last until round three?!” energy.This episode is a Valentine to a single year, the movies we rented, recorded off cable, watched until the tape wore thin, and still carry with us four decades later. 🥄 So pour yourself a bowl and come draft 1985 with us.Stay crunchy, my friends. 🥣🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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ROBERT KIRKMAN Sparks the Energon Universe
Dec 1301:22:20Tap to summarizeTransformers, G.I. Joe, and Void Rivals from San Diego Comic-Con 2025 🥣 Season 13, Episode 4Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings — when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.And this week? We brought the whole damn toy box.Straight from San Diego Comic-Con 2025, Saturday Morning Cereal goes inside the Energon Universe with exclusive roundtable conversations featuring ROBERT KIRKMAN — yes, that Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead, Invincible, Void Rivals, TRANSFORMERS) — alongside an all-star creative lineup:Daniel Warren Johnson (TRANSFORMERS)Joshua Williamson (G.I. Joe)Sean Mackiewicz (SVP & Publisher, Skybound)We crack open the packaging and dig into Transformers, G.I. Joe, Void Rivals, and the bold new shared comic book cosmos that’s striking the perfect balance between nostalgia and next-level storytelling.Hosting duties fall to Grim Shea, Marke, Johnny Heck, and Jimmy “The Gent” from Retro Cool Nerd, with a special assist from guest host and friend of the show Slick McFavorite of the Open Your Toys Podcast — our resident expert on the four greatest action figure franchises of the ’80s and beyond: G.I. Joe, Transformers, Star Wars, and Masters of the Universe.We break down what makes the Energon Universe work, where new readers should jump in, and why this feels like the kind of shared universe that’s absolutely begging to leap from comics to streaming, animation, or the big screen. (Seriously, Hollywood… are you watching?)This episode was recorded immediately following Skybound’s SDCC panel “Transformers & G.I. Joe: All Out War in the Energon Universe”, and you can feel the energy, excitement, and creative momentum pouring off the page.So pour another bowl, open your toys, and join us as we celebrate giant robots, real American heroes, and the creators who are redefining what shared universes can be.Stay crunchy, my friends. 🥣🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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The Art and Anatomy of HYDE: When Comics and Cinema Collide — A Franken Berry Season Show!
Nov 101:12:17Tap to summarize🥣 Season 13, Episode 3Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings — when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.And this time, it’s back The 10th Annual Franken Berry Season Show! So grab your monster cereals while you can, because this year’s spooky special is our sweetest yet.Recorded live at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, host Marke sits down with the creative minds behind HYDE — the bold new entertainment universe from Johnny Depp, Ridley Scott, and Mechanical Cake. Creator Jesse Negron, editor Dave Elliott, and producers Tom Moran, Jason Forman, and Anthony Francisco join us to talk about building a new original world from the ground up — where Mr. Hyde wins and the madness begins.We’ll talk about where movies, comics, and nightmares collide, and how HYDE is taking a creator-first leap straight to fans.Plus, as tradition demands, a brand-new Monsterpiece Theater asks the question: “Why isn’t there a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Monster Cereal?” Expect chocolate, berry sweetness, and 20% more dickin’ around than the leading podcast competitor.So dim the lights, pour yourself a bowl of Monstermallows, and press play — it’s Franken Berry Season, y’all!Hosted by Grimtales Shea, Jimmy the Ghoul, Johnny Hackedyourheadoff, and Markeeeekaghost!🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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Late Night’s Last Laugh? With Al Madrigal
Oct 1800:45:11Tap to summarizeSeason 13, Episode 2 🥣 Show Description:Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings — when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.This week, we get topical (for once) and stay up late to talk late night TV — its past, its present, and whether it even has a future. Can late night survive in a world where everything’s a clip, a stream, or a meme? Can it still take on attacks on free speech from President Moldamort? And what happens when the hosts themselves go podcasting?To help us make sense of it all, we’re joined by Al Madrigal — comedian, actor, writer, producer, and veteran of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. You’ve seen him in Night School with Kevin Hart, The Way Back with Ben Affleck, and you might even have his comic book Primos on your shelf (if you were lucky enough to grab the first printing).Fresh off his appearance at San Diego Comic-Con 2025’s “Real Stories, Real People” panel, Al sat down with our own Saturday Morning Cereal co-host Johnny Heck for a one-on-one press room roundtable interview. Between the Comic-Con chaos and the cereal talk, we got into his time on The Daily Show, the wild evolution of late-night TV, his leap into podcasting, and what still makes him laugh after all these years.So pour another bowl, stay up way past your bedtime, and join Grim Shea, Marke, and Johnny Heck as we get nostalgic for the talk shows that raised us — and wonder if they’ll ever be that good again.🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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Beyond Pac-Man: The Legacy of Postal with directors Jason Sikorsky and Tad Sallee
Sep 1301:08:05Tap to summarizeSeason 13, Episode 1🥣 Show Description: Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings—when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.This week, we’re kicking off Season 13 with a bang! Directors Jason Sikorsky and Tad Sallee join us to talk about their brand-new feature-length documentary, Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold—a deep dive into the 25-year history of the cult-classic video game franchise Postal, created by Running With Scissors.Going Postal: The Legacy Foretold isn’t just a documentary—it’s a wild, grown-up Saturday morning adventure for the first video game generation. Long after the cartoons ended and the cereal bowls sat empty, we picked up controllers and discovered that video games were growing up right along with us. And few franchises embody that rebellious, over-the-top evolution better than Postal.The film brings together an unforgettable cast of voices from across the gaming and entertainment world—including our friend of the show Zach Ward, along with Vince Desi, Mike Jaret-Schachter, Jon Saint John, Uwe Boll, Carter Cruise, David Eddings, and Larry Thomas. Their stories paint a picture of not just a controversial cult classic, but of the culture that dared to push the boundaries of what games could be.Join hosts Grim Shea, Marke, and Johnny Heck as we talk with Jason and Tad about bringing this wild gaming legacy to the screen, revisit our own history as the very first video game generation, and share a few of our personal must-play titles.Season 13 is here—let’s play. 🎮🥣🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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Ahsoka Lives in Us All: A Conversation with Ashley Eckstein
Jul 2301:16:49Tap to summarizeSeason 12, Episode 7 🥣 Show Description: Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings—when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.This week, we welcome back a true legend of the modern Star Wars galaxy—the voice and soul of Ahsoka Tano herself, Ashley Eckstein! As the Her Universe Fashion Show celebrates its 11th year at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, Ashley returns to Saturday Morning Cereal for a special third appearance (hat trick unlocked!).We first spoke with her way back in 2019—before the Dark Times—then again during the pandemic with a massive three-hour Clone Wars retrospective (yep, it’s still in our feed). Now, she’s back to talk geek chic, the evolution of fandom fashion, and reflect on the lasting legacy of Ahsoka Tano—the padawan who walked away and inspired a generation.From Jedi ideals to runway rebellion, this joyful and inspiring conversation taps into everything Ahsoka represents: strength, individuality, compassion—and the courage to forge your own path. Whether you walk the light side, the dark side, or the catwalk, this one's for you.So—who do you wear: Jedi or Sith?Join hosts Grim Shea, Marke, Retro Cool Nerd’s Jimmy “The Gent” Leszczynski, and Johnny Heck as they keep the cereal frosty and the fandom strong.📲 Follow us: @StayClassySDCC, @SDBatMan66,🌐 Visit mattypradio.com for our full archive and the geeky stuff we care about.🎧 Listen on Spreaker.com or wherever you get your pods!🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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All The Single Riders: A Disneyland Hack
Jul 1201:03:38Tap to summarizeShow Description: Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings—when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time. This week, with Comic-Con eating up all the bandwidth and no major capes or cowls grabbing headlines (wink wink, hi Superman), we decided to take a step back and do what all great fandoms do when the hype meter’s rising—head to Disneyland. But for co-host Grim Shea, this trip was more like hyperspace travel—he hasn’t been in over 20 years. That means no Galaxy’s Edge, no Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, no Rise of the Resistance, no Oga's Cantina, and no overpriced blue milk. Join hosts Grim Shea, Marke, and Jimmy “The Gent” for this hostfull episode, as they relive the magic (and the mayhem) of Disneyland’s ever-expanding Star Wars galaxy—what’s changed, what’s still worth the wait, and how the single rider line might be fandom’s last great cheat code (especially for all you Solo’s). Strap in—this ride’s going straight into the Saturday Morning Cereal time capsule. 🎧 Now streaming on Spreaker and wherever you get your pods. 📲 Follow us @StayClassySDCC @RetroCoolNerd 🌐 Visit MattyPRadio.com for full episode archives, guest lists, and blog posts about the stuff we care about.🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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The Gene Hackman Draft – A Tribute to the Legend Who Raised Us
May 2400:47:47Tap to summarize🎧 Show Description:Remember your first happy hour? Saturday mornings—when you’d wake up with the sun, grab a bowl of chocolatey cereal, and lose yourself in a world of cartoons, commercials, and pure, unfiltered joy. We’re still chasing that feeling, one episode at a time.Join hosts Grim Shea, Marke, Jimmy “The Gent,” and Johnny Heck as they launch a brand-new chapter of Saturday Morning Cereal—now on Spreaker and wherever you get your pods.In this hostfull episode (no guests, just your Saturday Morning squad), we pay tribute to the cinematic legend, Gene Hackman. From Superman to Hoosiers, from The French Connection to The Royal Tenenbaums, Gene helped shape the movies that raised us. To honor the man, we roll up our sleeves and draft The Gene Hackman Movies We Grew Up With—one pick at a time.It’s a nostalgic, heartfelt, and slightly competitive look at the films that made Hackman a household name and a generational icon. So pour a bowl, press play, and let’s Hackman it up.🥣Saturday Morning Cereal — the show that celebrates the themes of Saturday Morning TV that we not only grew up with, but that grew up with us.We talk with the talent and creatives who continue to shape the pop culture we love.🎙️ Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and visit mattypradio.com for more episodes, interviews, and Comic-Con and pop-culture coverage.
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