The Rewatchables: A 2026 Mailbag

Podcast: The Rewatchables
Host: Bill Simmons (with Chris Ryan & Craig Horlbeck)
Date: January 6, 2026

Overview

In this special mailbag episode, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Craig Horlbeck answer an array of listener questions and workshop new ideas for Rewatchables categories. The show explores how the concept of a "rewatchable" movie has evolved, proposes hilarious and insightful new podcast categories, debates movie endings and re-evaluates films, and shares some riotous personal and listener anecdotes.

The overall mood is light, self-deprecating, and highly engaged with the diehard movie community that The Rewatchables has cultivated over the last decade.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. The Changing Nature of "Rewatchability" (Timestamp: 03:00–07:00)

• Decline of Channel Surfing:
  The hosts reflect on how streaming and YouTube have changed the concept of rewatching movies. Channel surfing is no longer the route for stumbling upon classics, as everything is now curated.

  "Now you can just watch the last big action scene from Top Gun Maverick on YouTube. The instant gratification of YouTube really changed it." – Craig (03:29)

• The "Comfort Watch" Shift:
  TV shows have replaced movies as the go-to comfort background watch:

  "I think the comfort watch has transitioned from movies to TV shows like The Office and Friends." – Chris (05:51)

• Host's Attachment to Channel Surfing:
  Bill and Craig admit they both keep cable mostly out of nostalgia for the guide/menu and the randomness it offers.

2. New Category Proposals and Mailbag Questions

The "Watch Party" Award (07:12–09:58)

• Suggested by Listener: Ideal setting/audience for viewing a film (first date, in-laws, solo, etc.)

  "The 'Fugitive' is the perfect in-laws movie. There's action but nothing awkward." – Craig (11:41).

The Technology-Ruined Movie Category (13:00–16:33)

• Inspired by Joanna Robinson's “Would a cell phone ruin this movie?”
• Expansion: What technology (cell phones, ring cameras, internet) would unravel a classic plot?

  "The Sarah Connor award: does technology ruin this movie? Like with cell phones, Die Hard’s over in 20 minutes." – Bill (14:06)

The "Replacement Cheerleader Tryout" Scene (17:00–18:15)

• The most awkward or incongruous scene for someone to walk in on, e.g., the stripper tryouts in The Replacements, or the "He Got Game hooker scene."

"Oven Movies" and Flip-Flopping on Films (19:25–21:48)

• Hosts debate movies that improved on subsequent viewings:
  Examples: Miami Vice, Blackhat, Public Enemies, The Nice Guys.

  "Movies aren’t quite flip-flops, just ones that needed to be in the oven a while. Limitless was like this for me, too." – Bill (19:35)

The Mega-Spoiler and Lazy Movie Endings (23:01–26:56)

• Listener Question: Have classic movies like 'Heat', 'True Romance', and 'Shawshank Redemption' been brought down a notch by their "safe" endings?
• Hosts' Take:
  • True Romance originally scripted Clarence to die: “They went for a happy ending.” – Bill (26:07)
  • Shawshank’s beach reunion is holy and untouchable to Bill.

The "Earn This" Awkward Quote Award (29:35–30:10)

• For movie dialogue or lines that should have been cut or edited by a pro.

3. Rapid-Fire Listener-Driven Category Ideas

Comedy Awards and Lighthearted Categories

• Best Hang/Worst Hang: Which character would be the best (or worst) to watch a game with? (32:33)
• Meme-Friendly Awards: (e.g., Best MCU-Style After-Credits Scene, 33:06)
• Overblown Interpretation Award: The "Robert Towne Award" for pseudo-intellectual plot analysis (58:18).

Flex Categories (Fun/Optional/Experimental)

• Phoebe Cates Award: For formative performances that “put young men through puberty” (43:29).
• The Chris Coughlin Award: “Would you throw it all away for this woman/man?” Debate for characters like Margot Robbie, Mila Kunis, Linda Fiorentino (88:26).
• Stanley Tucci Conclave Award: When did a recognizable actor take you out of a movie? (101:54)
• Dorfler’s Door (Midnight Run): How bad would that stunt/punch/kick hurt in real life? (85:22)

4. Fun "Movie Logic" and Nitpicking

• How Movies Fall Apart with Technology:
  Hosts cite examples like the plot of The Firm or Home Alone being impossible with email and Life360 (14:36, 14:58).

• Best Accidental Comedy in Movie Logic:
  Why did Heat’s meticulous Neil McCauley trust Waingro?

  "Neil's personnel management—he picked up his getaway driver on the day of the heist! Starting to wonder if Neil had some holes in his game." – Bill (98:56)

• Mega-Nitpicks:
  Listener rants about The Hangover's wedding merchandise being turned around in under 12 hours (84:05).

5. Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Craig on In-Law Movies:

  "Fugitive is perfect, Apollo 13 is perf." (11:41)

• Bill on Cable Nostalgia:

  "I still like going to the cable guide and zooming through..." (05:07)

• Chris on Comfort Viewing:

  "I got two hours to kill, I'm going to watch Friends or The Office." (05:51)

6. Timestamps for Segment Highlights

• 03:09–07:00: The demise of channel surfing, the comfort of TV rewatching
• 07:12–09:58: Watch Party Award and ideal movie settings
• 13:00–16:33: Technology ruining plots, naming the “Sarah Connor” Award
• 17:00–18:15: Most awkward walk-in scenes in movies
• 19:25–21:48: “Oven” movies and personal flip-flops
• 23:01–26:56: How endings affect great movies
• 29:35–30:10: “Earn This” awkward quote award
• 32:33: Comedy “Best Hang/Worst Hang” category
• 33:06: MCU-Style after-credits movie scenes
• 43:29: Phoebe Cates puberty award
• 85:22: Dorfler’s Door: stunt pain realism
• 101:54: Stanley Tucci Conclave: most distractingly famous castings

7. The Tone, Language, and Dynamic

The hosts are at their sarcastic, affectionate best, relishing feedback from super fans, rolling with oddball suggestions, and good-naturedly teasing each other (often at CR’s expense). Listener stories—sometimes deeply personal—are treated with equal parts ridicule and respect, keeping the episode lively and full of laugh-out-loud moments.

They also regularly quote or reference movies in the style of the podcast:

"I built this f***ing house for you, Peck walks out." – Bill (47:39, discussing Dennis Peck relationship test for The Notebook)

Notable Listener Stories

• The “Devil Wears Nada” Incident:
  A listener breaks up with his girlfriend after she rents the porn parody "The Devil Wears Nada" instead of "Prada" and can't laugh it off (91:54).

• Road House Blind Man Skinny Dipping Conspiracy:
  Listener notices a third person sitting on the grass during Road House’s nude swimming scene, theorizes it’s the blind band member (81:56).

Notable Quotes

• “The channel surfing part, the jumping in halfway, it’s pretty much dead now.” – Bill Simmons (04:47)
• "TV comedies have killed the comfort watch movie for young people." – Chris Ryan (05:51)
• “Limitless was fine, then five years later, I’m like, oh, Limitless.” – Bill Simmons (19:38)
• “I still have cable... it’s research.” – Bill (05:00)
• “It’s not your fault, it’s Black Hat’s fault. You need to watch it four times to fully figure out what happened.” – Bill (20:19)

Conclusion & The Future of the Show

The episode ends with the hosts agreeing to integrate several new categories—most notably the Watch Party setup, the "technology ruins movie" category, and the 100-minute Horlbeck Scale—while keeping several new listener-inspired awards cycling through the "flex" section. They also reaffirm their commitment to deeply nerdy, affectionate movie talk and encourage continued wild and creative listener input.

“We really need people to suggest new impressions for the Wayne Jenkins spot. We need a new batch.” – Bill (105:59)

For both die-hard Rewatchables listeners and newcomers, this episode is a treasure trove of film insight, nostalgia, and riotous movie debate—a testament to why the Rewatchables remains one of pop culture’s most lively movie podcasts.