The NewsWorthy – Special Edition: What to Watch (or Skip) this Awards Season

Host: Erica Mandy
Guest: Nick Schager, entertainment critic, The Daily Beast
Date: February 14, 2026

Overview

In this Special Edition Saturday episode, Erica Mandy is joined by Nick Schager, an acclaimed film critic, to unpack the must-watch (and skippable) movies and TV for the 2026 awards season. They dive into the Academy Awards’ front-runners, notable snubs, TV series flying under the radar, the evolving state of streaming, and how entertainment consumption is changing. This episode doubles as both a practical weekend watch guide and a discussion on the broader state of Hollywood and viewership trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Oscar Best Picture Contenders and Critical Standouts

• Personal Picks and Opinions

  • Nick Schager highlights Clint Bentley’s Train Dreams as the standout film of 2025:

    “My personal choice for the best film of the year is nominated for best picture. That's Train Dreams, Clint Bentley's film, which I think is really the great film of 2025.” – Nick Schager (01:29)

  • He admits less enthusiasm for Sinners in America and One Battle After Another, even though they are widely praised.

• Sinners in America: Record Nominations, Oscar Odds

  • Sinners in America scored a historic number of Oscar nominations due to its crossover appeal as both drama and special effects film, but Schager doubts its dominance at the ceremony:

    “We have a film that is both a drama and a special effects driven genre film… that's what really explains its record number of nominations. It just straddles all lines.” – Nick Schager (02:21)

  • Despite nominations, Sinners is not the frontrunner in major categories; One Battle After Another remains the critic favorite.

• Award Category Puzzles and “Comedy” Labels

  • The hosts discuss the oddity of dramas being nominated in “comedy” categories at the Golden Globes:

    “One Battle After Another certainly has comedic elements to it, but I wouldn't in general label it a comedy... They wind up having to fill in nominees... they really stretch things.” – Nick Schager (03:32)

  • Studios strategically choose categories to maximize their award chances, often leading to miscategorized performances or films.

• Notable Snubs

  • Schager calls out the complete snubbing of Wicked for Good as a major surprise given past success:

    “The fact that it was completely and utterly shut out after the first film did so well in terms of nominations is a big surprise and I think is almost inexplicable.” (04:54)

International Films on the Rise

• Foreign Films at the Oscars

  • Multiple internationally produced films, such as The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value, earned top nominations.
  • Actor Wagner Moura is the favorite for Best Actor and could make history as the first Brazilian winner.
  • The Academy’s efforts to diversify its membership are paying off:

    “We do have a more diverse array, even in the Best Picture cast... speaks to the work the Academy did to change its voting body.” – Nick Schager (06:46)

• Audience Appeal vs. Critical Acclaim

  • The balancing act between mainstream blockbusters (F1) and critical darlings remains, with the Oscars always considering how to honor both.

TV Series: Must-Sees and Overlooked Gems

• Underappreciated Series
  • Schager raves about The Lowdown (FX), calling Ethan Hawke’s performance “absolutely phenomenal” and lamenting its lack of awards attention:

    “Ethan Hawke, who I think gives the best performance of the year in the movies in Blue Moon, is also absolutely phenomenal in The Lowdown. I just think Ethan Hawke has had the year of years.” (08:41)

The Role and Relevance of Award Shows

• Audience impact is waning, with declining ratings and less influence on consumer choices:

  “I'm just not sure they move the needle in terms of viewership... as much as they did in the past.” – Nick Schager (10:25)

• Within the industry, major awards still drive careers and opportunities.

Streaming Trends & Binge vs. Weekly Release

• Bundling and Platform Overload

  • As more services emerge, bundling becomes common, but Schager questions long-term sustainability:

    “I'm not sure in the long run that's sustainable... I think there's got to be a breaking point…” (13:56)

  • Upcoming Netflix acquisition of Warner Brothers prompts questions about the merging of streaming and theatrical priorities.

• Live Experiments & Content Creep

  • Netflix is pushing into live events (sports, podcasts), blurring the channel/platform lines.

• Weekly vs. Binge Releases

  • Schager admits preferring to binge as a critic but believes weekly releases are better for cultural impact and ongoing conversations:

    “It is in general better for a TV show to come out weekly, because when these shows drop all at once, it's very hard to remain at the forefront of the cultural conversation.” (16:01)

  • Weekly series like The Pit benefit from sustained buzz; single-dump seasons fade fast.

Sequels, Remakes & the Fate of Originals

• Both hosts recognize the complaint that Hollywood favors sequels, remakes, and familiar IP:

  “...mainstream movie landscape... recently are all sequels. They're all things that you've heard about. They're remakes, they're reboots... And that has shrunk the mainstream movie landscape in a way that isn't good.” – Nick Schager (18:47)

• Streaming has absorbed much of the original, adult-oriented storytelling once dominant in cinemas.
• The draw of “safe” franchise movies appeals to both studios and audiences wary of financial/time risk:

  “It's a safer investment in every way to make Avatar 3... You just know what you're getting to some extent. And so it's a win win proposition.” – Nick Schager (20:18)

What’s Next: Anticipated Movies & Shows for 2026

• On TV: Schager points to ongoing seasons of critical favorites, such as The Pit.
• On Film:
  • Wuthering Heights (Emerald Fennell)
  • The Bride (Maggie Gyllenhaal, starring Christian Bale & Jessie Buckley)
  • The Odyssey (Christopher Nolan’s IMAX epic)
  • Franchise entries: Supergirl, new Spider-Man, Dune Part 3, Avengers: Doomsday, Hunger Games prequel
  • Michael Jackson biopic: marked as a likely “conversation starter” due to its complexity.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Magic of Movies:

  “I just think the movies continue to be an unparalleled form of not just entertainment, but art... Sometimes those things dovetail, and that's when it's really at its greatest.” – Nick Schager (23:45) “It is different and better to see things [in theaters]... When it works, being in the movie theater is one of those magical things.” – Nick Schager (24:54)

• On Awards’ Relevance:

  “Still a big deal to win an Emmy or to win an Oscar or even a Golden Globe in terms of enhancing your professional opportunities... But I'm not sure they move the needle… as much as they did in the past.” – Nick Schager (10:25)

• On Streaming Habits:

  “Every week we're continuing to talk about The Pit for three months. And I think that enhances its place in the spotlight.” – Nick Schager (16:16)

• On Oscar Trends:

  “We do have a more diverse array, even in the Best Picture cast… speaks to the work the Academy did to change its voting body that we now see a larger swath of films getting nominated.” – Nick Schager (06:46)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Oscar Contenders & Personal Favorites: 01:13 – 02:00
• Record Nominations & Golden Globe Drama: 02:00 – 04:16
• Award Category Oddities & Studio Tactics: 04:16 – 04:51
• Notable Snubs: 04:51 – 05:20
• Rising International Films: 05:27 – 07:23
• Oscars vs. Audience Appeal: 07:23 – 08:41
• Overlooked TV Series: 08:41 – 09:22
• Are Award Shows Still Relevant? 09:22 – 10:46
• Streaming Trends & Platforms: 13:56 – 14:51
• Netflix and Live Events: 14:51 – 15:54
• Binge vs. Weekly TV Releases: 16:01 – 17:53
• Sequel Saturation & Originality: 18:47 – 20:18
• Why Familiar Franchises Dominate: 20:18 – 21:25
• Most Anticipated of 2026: 21:33 – 23:24
• The Magic and Role of Movies: 23:45 – 25:43

Final Thoughts

Nick Schager reminds listeners that while the way we consume movies and TV is changing, great entertainment—whether comfortingly familiar or thrillingly original—remains vital, artful, and communal. From the rise of global cinema to the ongoing tension between awards prestige and audience tastes, this awards season and coming year in entertainment promise a diverse range of stories and experiences to savor, whether at home or, ideally, in the magic of a movie theater.