The Watch – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Watch
Hosts: Andy Greenwald & Chris Ryan (The Ringer)
Date: December 5, 2025
Episode Title: ‘Pluribus’ Episode 6 and ‘The Chair Company’ Season 1 Finale

Episode Overview

In this episode, Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan dive deep into two standout TV series: the midseason arc of Pluribus (specifically Episode 6) and the season finale of The Chair Company. The hosts also discuss recent entertainment news, their personal influence on TV trends, the deluge of espionage content, and the evolving television landscape as the year draws to a close.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entertainment News & Industry Banter

• Spy Genre Resurgence
  • Chris shares excitement over new casting for the upcoming George Smiley universe, with Charlie Hunnam as Alec Lemis and Daniel Brühl as the East German counterpart, Jen Fielder (04:24).
  • Andy and Chris reflect on the glut of current spy shows compared to past years.

    "There's so many spy shows on the air. Like, really, there's very little time of a calendar year where we don't have a cool espionage show on." — Chris (04:12)

• How Much Have Andy & Chris Influenced TV?
  • They joke about their impact, claiming small credit for Industry's renewal and Colin Farrell’s Penguin casting.
  • Notable bit:

    "I think Casey Bloys and the folks at HBO Warner Brothers listened and they were like, let's get this guy in the penguin suit." — Chris (06:53)

• New Shows and Industry Rumors
  • Brian Koppelman and David Levine’s new Las Vegas-set series for Netflix, possibly joined by Martin Scorsese.
  • Industry chatter about Warner Brothers' sale and the complex media bidding landscape (12:25–14:48).

2. TV Year-End & Viewing Habits

• Selecting Best of the Year
  • The hosts tease their upcoming year-end Top Ten lists.
  • They confess to catching up on potential contenders, referencing obscure streaming titles and perennial British hits.
  • Andy notes the abundance of quality, pushing some old favorites off his list.

    "There's no space for that this year... A show that we have talked about on this podcast will not make my list this year, which is a sign of good health for the industry." — Andy (16:32)

3. The Chair Company Season 1 Finale

Viewing Experience and Structure

• Chris gained deeper appreciation by bingeing the final episodes:

  "Storing up several episodes and then watching them successively helped me feel like I was in the rhythm of the show a little bit more." — Chris (19:38)

The Show’s Comedic DNA & Surreal Style

• The hosts compare The Chair Company's structure to I Think You Should Leave but stretched over longform narrative.
• The finale’s outrageous opening — a child shooting a man in a hotel lobby — typifies the show’s commitment to absurd escalation.

  "There will be five minutes where I'm like: what the fuck am I watching? And then he'll just do one thing... and I'm irl lol-ing." — Chris (23:27)

• Andy argues it’s more than comedy, comparing its odd vibe and emotional undertones to Twin Peaks: The Return:

  "I think that this is the closest television has ever gotten to having the spirit of Twin Peaks just full stop." (24:10)

Commitment to the Bit & HBO’s Legacy

• Both hosts praise the show and HBO for nurturing unconventional talents:

  "They're making a show that they are doing — they are fully committed to." — Andy (27:41) "I just think that, like, we are on a different kind of ride." — Andy (27:05)

What’s Next?

• They wonder aloud if Season 2 will reset or develop ongoing weirdness, noting the show's unpredictability.

4. Pluribus Episode 6 ("The Big One") – Deep Dive

Mastery of Expectation & Cliffhangers

• The fake-out cliffhanger ending of episode 5 sets up big reveals, but sidesteps traditional television clichés:

  "One of the more perfect executions of a fake cliffhanger that I've ever seen." — Chris (34:19)

Plot Recap & Thematic Analysis

• Carol’s Discovery: She finds a massive freezer of human remains; initial horror gives way to a rational, if unsettling, explanation from Diabate — a community leader thriving in the post-apocalypse.
• Philosophical Dilemmas:
  • The show interrogates what counts as a dystopia or utopia, and the lack of shared social responses in crises.
  • Modern apathy and fractured collectivity underpin Carol's fraying sense of purpose.

  "One person's dystopia is another person's utopia... we've shattered this idea of a collective response." — Chris (36:34) "One of the great communal fictions of post World War II culture has been we are just one crisis away from a rallying cry." — Andy (38:18)

Character and Performance Praise

• Rhea Seehorn ("Carol") impresses with her near-solo performance:

  "I'm starting to be mesmerized by the littlest things that this person is doing on screen." — Chris (40:47)

• Andy highlights the show's willingness to linger on small lived-in moments for big emotional payoffs (42:07).

Subplots: Paraguay & Human Connection

• The "B" story of a character (possibly Carol’s counterpart) in Paraguay draws parallels to Carol’s journey, emphasizing trauma, skepticism, and alienation.
• Questions about shooting locations and production craft — Andy and Chris in awe of Pluribus’ cinematic scope on a TV budget.

The Gilligan Touch: Show Structure and Tone

• Vince Gilligan’s methodical pacing, refusal to indulge in high-concept sci-fi twists for their own sake, and focus on character-driven storytelling sets Pluribus apart.

  "It keeps surprising us. Like, what if there are the people who are the wrong people to be the heroes of a story? What if this is a story that doesn't require heroes?" — Andy (46:12)

Comparisons to Other Prestige TV

• The hosts compare Pluribus’ organic approach to Severance, noting Pluribus’ elegant, character-first mysteries over puzzle-box plotting (51:31).

On Artistic Risk and Medium Potential

• Closing thoughts celebrate Pluribus as a TV work that makes the hosts excited about the medium’s possibilities:

  "This is different. This makes me feel like there's still a lot we can do with this medium." — Chris (53:56)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Chris, on the spy genre resurgence (05:23):
  "We've never had it better in so many ways in our life. I mean, train commutes aside, we've never had it better."

• Andy, skeptical and philosophical about media mergers (13:18):
  "I am really on the wrong side of a lot of Saudi wealth funds, so I'm not the right person to ask about this right now."

• Andy, on The Chair Company’s finale (25:58):
  "I loved every second of it. I was glad it got the early renewal because there was no resolution whatsoever. There is very weird pathos."

• Chris, on Pluribus’ sophisticated use of cliffhangers (34:19):
  "One of the more perfect executions of a fake cliffhanger that I've ever seen."

• Andy, on dystopian storytelling (38:18):
  "One of the great communal fictions of post World War II culture has been we are just one crisis away from a rallying cry."

• Chris, on Rhea Seehorn’s performance (40:47):
  "I'm starting to be mesmerized by the littlest things that this person is doing on screen."

• Andy, on Pluribus’ character-driven writing (46:12):
  "It keeps surprising us. Like, what if there are the people who are the wrong people to be the heroes of a story? What if this is a story that doesn't require heroes?"

• Chris, on the creative state of television (53:56):
  "This is different. This makes me feel like there's still a lot we can do with this medium."

Important Timestamps

• 03:37–05:08 – Spy genre news, casting, and the hosts' personal industry influence
• 09:32–12:06 – New series announcements and Hollywood dealmaking gossip
• 15:55–16:57 – Behind-the-scenes looks at constructing year-end Top Ten TV lists
• 19:23–27:45 – The Chair Company Season 1 finale analysis, beginning with binge-watching (19:38) and ending with thoughts on HBO’s legacy (29:04)
• 31:17–53:56 – Pluribus episode 6 deep dive, including cliffhangers (34:19), character study (40:47), and Gilligan comparisons (46:12)

Summary for New Listeners

This episode of The Watch is a lively and insightful exploration of two of the most distinctive TV series of the year, blended with sharp industry banter and reflections on the current state of prestige television. Whether it's their admiration for Tim Robinson's bizarre world-building in The Chair Company or their awe at Vince Gilligan’s restrained, philosophical dystopia in Pluribus, Andy and Chris bring humor, honesty, and depth. This episode is essential listening for anyone following the best of 2025’s TV or interested in how great shows are changing the medium — and for fans who love hearing two friends riff on the weird, the brilliant, and the industry insiders’ perspective.