The Rewatchables: "Another 48 Hrs"

Host: Bill Simmons
Guests: Chris Ryan ("CR"), Van Lathan, Craig
Date: January 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Rewatchables dives into "Another 48 Hrs" (1990), the much-debated sequel to the classic buddy-cop film. Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan explore the movie's troubled production, Eddie Murphy's career crossroad, Nick Nolte’s unexpected second act, and why—despite its flaws—the film remains oddly irresistible. The episode balances nostalgia, film criticism, behind-the-scenes lore, and signature Rewatchables humor.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Does Bill Keep Watching This Movie?

• Bill calls it a “karaoke sequel”—it hits the same beats as the original but with less energy and sense. Still, he can’t stop rewatching:

  “It feels like the same movie. It’s not as good, and yet I always watch it when it’s on. Why?” (04:56)

• Van saw "Another 48 Hrs" before the original, making his impression softer, but even he concedes the first is "like the fucking Godfather" by comparison. (05:24)

2. Eddie Murphy: Apex and Aftermath

• The crew delves deeply into Eddie Murphy’s stardom, the pressures of being a Black superstar, and his eventual retreat from stand-up and risky roles:

  • Bill:

    "This is the most fascinating time for Eddie, where he's as successful as he's ever going to be...and he's just miserable." (11:08)

  • Cites Murphy's own words about post-Harlem Nights career anxiety:

    “After doing a picture that was viewed as a shitty movie, I should have done a movie that was great as opposed to a movie that was all right.” (Eddie Murphy via Spin Magazine, 12:00)

  • Van on Eddie’s burden:

    "There's a whole other part...that stars do not have to deal with. Like white stars. ... At the end he's like, 'I just want to entertain.'" (13:22)

• Discussion of Eddie’s career choices post-1990: more lay-up comedies, less creative risk; “the Nutty Professor and Dr. Doolittle years” (14:30).

• They speculate on why he never returned to stand-up:

  • "There are not enough seats in the world for him to step on stage and people not to come." (Van, 14:14)

3. Nick Nolte’s Career: Nolte-Sance?

• Van argues "Another 48 Hrs" is the end of Eddie's peak, but possibly the launch of Nolte’s prestige run:

  • "...but you can argue that it's the beginning of the Nolte-sans." (06:55)

• Nolte’s next five years: Cape Fear, Prince Of Tides, Lorenzo's Oil, The Player—his critical ascent as Eddie’s star wanes.

4. The Butchered Cut

• The film’s nonsensical plot is explained: it was originally a 2.5-hour movie, cut to 95 minutes at the last minute to mimic "Total Recall's" successful runtime:
  • Bill:

    "Paramount panicked...and they just fucking brought the chainsaw out and chopped it." (33:26)

  • CR:

    "Definitely chopped this thing to shit. ... 25 minutes is like six scenes." (33:52)

5. Race, Fame, and Responsibility

• Bill references a revealing interview Murphy did with Spike Lee about the pressure to “use his power” and help others ("Why doesn't Eddie use his power? ... There's a tremendous amount of weight on him as a star.") (12:56-13:32)

• Discussion of representation and Eddie’s outspoken turn at the 1989 Oscars, feeling “too much was on my plate.” (16:27)

6. Buddy-Cop DNA and Legacy

• Van presents his canonical list of top Black/White movie duos (Running Scared, 48 Hrs, Pulp Fiction’s Vincent and Jules, White Men Can't Jump, Lethal Weapon), ultimately giving the title to Riggs and Murtaugh but admitting 48 Hrs is the "Dr. J" of the genre. (77:57-78:33)

• CR proposes the modern version is overdue:

  "Stars need to be more comfortable making movies like this because it's fun." (104:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (With Timestamps)

• Bill on movie’s flawed rewatchability:

  "This is a movie that drives me crazy, and yet I feel like I've seen it 30 times." (03:19)

• Van on Murphy’s pressures:

  "There's business, there's expectation, there are deals... and then there's this whole other part... that stars do, do not have to deal with. Like white stars." (13:22)

• CR on the sequel’s betrayal:

  "You feel the way about Another 48 Hours the way some people feel about the end of Game Of Thrones. ... This movie betrayed you." (04:02)

• Nolte’s mid-career “clean up”:

  "He looks a lot better in this movie than he did in the first one." (07:59)

• Bill on how the sequel’s plot gets mangled:

  "A week before the release, Paramount panicked...and they just fucking brought the chainsaw out and chopped it." (33:26)

• Van’s pitch for a prison transport film:

  "Prison transport bus gets attacked by fucking vampires." (50:19)

• CR on "karaoke sequels":

  "There's a couple things they do in this movie. ... Why didn't somebody on the set stop this?" (75:48)

• Van’s canonical buddy-cop list (and regret about Mel Gibson):

  "Number one is so fucking easy. It's Murtaugh and Riggs... Why fucking Mel, did you do it?" (77:50)

Episode Structure & Key Segments

0:00-4:00 — Housekeeping and Opening Thoughts

• Introduction; joking about podcast swaps, upcoming plans, and quick allusions to the Zodiac episode.
• Lead-in to "Another 48 Hrs," its infamous status as a love/hate sequel.

4:00-10:00 — Sequel Critique & Nostalgia

• "Karaoke sequel" breakdown—spotting recycled scenes, lines, and scenarios.
• Panel's varying personal histories with the movie.

10:00-30:00 — Eddie Murphy & Cultural Context

• Extensive analysis of Eddie’s career arc.
• Quotes from period Rolling Stone and Spin pieces.
• The challenge of being a pathbreaking Black A-list star.

30:00-39:00 — The Butchered Cut

• Insider info: the original version was 2.5 hours, cut for runtime, explaining missing plot threads.
• Host and guests lament missing footage, muse about director’s cut.

39:00-56:00 — Walter Hill, Action Craft, and Supporting Cast

• Breakdown of Walter Hill’s direction.
• Fun tangents on Walter Hill’s filmography ("The Warriors," "Trespass," etc.).
• “That Guy” actors in the supporting cast.

56:00-1:16:00 — Signature Rewatchables Segments

• Most rewatchable scenes: the bus attack, hospital explosion, bar fights, stunts.
• Classic Rewatchables "picking nits"—guns with infinite bullets, missing plot logic, continuity.
• Fun “what’s aged best/worst”: 1990s cop talk, convertibles, villain tropes, beer brands.

1:16:00-1:28:00 — Categories, Awards, and Flexes

• Scene-stealing performances and stunts.
• Walter Hill’s visual style.
• Fresh awards invented on-air (e.g., “Rickety Guard Meet Award” for the most random bystander death).

1:28:00-1:46:00 — Director’s Cuts, Buddy Movies, Modern Parallels

• “Release the Walter Cut!” segment: call for the 2.5-hour version to surface.
• Who would be the modern Murphy/Nolte? (Cam Paterson, Shane Gillis, Michael B. Jordan, Timothée Chalamet, etc.)
• Tangents on other “release the cut” movies (e.g., “Kingdom Of Heaven,” “Eyes Wide Shut”).

Memorable Category Winners

• Most 1990 Thing: Miller Genuine Draft, stage of Eddie Murphy’s career, convertibles, cop talk.
• Best Scene/Needle Drop: The Bird Cage strip club sequence; the hospital explosion; Eddie’s payphone hustle; action setpieces.
• Villain Ranking: Panel welcomes "Cherry Gans" as an awesomely one-note, truly psychopathic bad guy—a type they miss.
• Biggest Nit: The Iceman/Kehoe plot twist: even for a pulp sequel, it makes no internal sense.

Notable Insights

• A Mirror to Murphy & Nolte's Careers: The movie unintentionally chronicles the passing of the torch—from Murphy at his apex and burnout to Nolte's ascension to critical darling. Their careers are “ships passing in the night one more time, like in this film” (Van, 07:29).
• Behind the Scenes Turmoil: Most issues in the film—from dangling plot threads to underwritten supporting cast—are blamed on last-minute studio edits.
• Representation & Burden: Extensive and thoughtful discussion on how Eddie, during his peak, carried additional symbolic and cultural weight that shaped both his on-screen and off-screen choices.
• Sequel Clichés and Why We Love Them: Despite (or because of) obvious flaws, the formulaic pleasures of 1990s buddy-cop action, when done with charisma, are still catnip for the Rewatchables crew.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 04:23 – CR on fan betrayal and sequel nostalgia
• 11:08 – Bill on Eddie Murphy’s career crossroads
• 12:24 – Van on Murphy’s unique burden as a Black superstar
• 33:26 – The major plot hack job revealed
• 56:03 – Tangent about the 1969 moon landing (Van mocks Bill’s skepticism)
• 77:57 – Van Lathan’s Top 5 Black/White Buddy Cop Partnerships
• 80:03 – “Release the Walter Hill Cut!”
• 87:12 – Best quotes (Eddie’s lines, Reggie’s jokes, classic insult banter)

Episode Tone

Irreverent, deeply nostalgic, laced with inside jokes, tangents, hot takes, and self-deprecating humor. The hosts shift between film historian, comedian, fan, and critic with infectious camaraderie.

Useful for New Listeners

This summary covers episode structure, major themes, and how this (maligned) sequel serves as a microcosm of both the buddy-cop genre—and of 1990s changes in Hollywood. It illuminates the pressures Eddie Murphy faced, celebrates the goofy pleasures of action formulas, and offers both expert movie trivia and contemporary pop culture parallels. The chemistry between Bill, CR, and Van is pure Rewatchables gold throughout.

For more, check out future Rewatchables episodes—especially the upcoming "Zodiac"—as the crew continues to pair deep-dive criticism with love for big, messy, endlessly rewatchable movies.