Podcast Summary: The Watch – January 16, 2026

Episode: The ‘Euphoria’ S3 Trailer, ‘Hijack’ and ‘The Night Manager’ Return, and ‘The Pit’ S2E2
Hosts: Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan

Overview

Andy Greenwald and Chris Ryan of The Ringer gather to break down a packed slate of TV news and premieres: the first look at "Euphoria" Season 3, the returns of "Hijack" and "The Night Manager," and their thoughts on "The Pitt" Season 2, Episode 2. The episode is rich with discussion about how TV is (and isn’t) evolving, the effects of platform budgets on show quality, and, of course, their signature tangents and banter.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening Banter and Announcements

• Chris announces a live podcast show in Boston with Yassi Salek and Pat Flynn for the "Something in the Way Fest."
• Humorous reminiscing about their rough early apartments and “mouse opportunities.”
• Running joke about Andy’s recently completed 800-page book on German history, which he references frequently throughout the episode.

2. The ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Trailer

[06:43–14:45]

• Chris and Andy discuss the long-awaited return of HBO’s "Euphoria."
• Chris is bullish: "For the haters and the losers and the doubters, you guys are wrong. The show is coming back. Levinson's coming back for his crown. And this show looks incredible." (07:01)
• Andy admits he's never seen "Euphoria," positioning himself as a blank slate ready to jump in this season.
• Trailer described as "Goodfellas meets Magnolia" (07:08), referencing Sean Fennessey's viral take.
• Cast additions include Sharon Stone, Natasha Lyonne, Danielle Deadwyler, Rosalia, Marshawn Lynch, and Homer Gere.
• Chris: “Rue, played by Zendaya, has been in some dire straits… it’s about her deepening descent into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles.” (08:31)
• Andy considers watching S3 cold; they discuss the broader normalization of jumping into TV shows midstream due to long franchise gaps.
• Both are excited, especially for Zendaya's performance: "She is so fucking good on this show." (12:09)
• Acknowledgment of the show’s humor amid dark topics: “Is the show funny?” “Yes.” (08:59–09:01)

Notable Quote

• Chris: “I think we need to normalize people jumping in in later seasons… as Hollywood has taken longer and longer to make shows, as movie franchises have stretched across decades…” (07:54)

3. TV News Roundup — New and Returning Series

A. Tell Me Lies S3

[14:50–23:04]

• Chris recaps "Tell Me Lies," a college drama described as “the darkest soap I think I’ve ever watched.”
• Tells an anecdote about a character, Steven, “psychologically terrorizing” his girlfriend Lucy on MDMA.
• Andy and Chris joke about the show’s wild moral lines and trauma cycles.
• The depiction of toxic relationships is extreme but compelling: “This is the greatest crime I've ever seen…” (19:50)
• Andy: “I have never pocketed drugs and allowed other people to go on a journey, but I have been guilty of ‘let’s get one more — good night.’” (21:44–21:54)

B. Streaming and Release Strategies

• Frustration with streaming multi-episode drops creating homework for viewers and confusion when catching up.

4. "Hijack" Season 2 Impressions

[25:36–36:10]

• Both enjoyed S1 for its simple "Idris Elba as super-negotiator on a hijacked plane" premise.
• S2 starts on a Berlin subway; both found the setup confusing, with a muddled "previously on" and complex new conspiracies.
• Andy’s theory: Streamers deliberately complicate returning shows to drive rewatching and time spent on platform (28:00).
• Critique of the premiere: "It's 40 minutes to get 30 seconds." (33:34)
• Questioned if show can recapture the simplicity and fun of S1, citing S2's more convoluted mythology and less claustrophobic setting (subway vs. plane).

Notable Quotes

• Chris: “My relationship to Hijack is not much different than my relationship to Speed the movie… I was just like, here's a cool character who's real good at negotiating.” (27:20)
• Andy: "I have to say I was not particularly optimistic after this first episode… I thought the cleverness of the twist was too heavily… invested in." (33:07)

5. "The Night Manager" S2 & Prestige Spy TV

[36:10–47:20]

• S2 of "Night Manager" is an Amazon production now, nearly a decade since S1 aired.
• Andy notes S2 pivots away from John Le Carré’s tone, losing some of the source material’s quiet detachment and wit: “It’s not just not your father’s John Le Carré… I don’t think it’s really John Le Carré.” (37:53)
• Chris: “Tonally... I associate with Le Carré a degree of detachment from the action.” (38:40)
• They critique the show's generic modern spycraft (CCTV, surveillance tech) vs. classic analog espionage.
• Cast is praised — Diego Calva and Camila Morrone singled out.
• Both will keep watching despite reservations about fidelity to the original’s spirit.

Notable Quotes

• Andy: “Everything is so hyper sexy, hyper literal, and just kind of clunky…” (37:53)
• Chris: “It just kind of feels a little bit more honestly like the Krasinski iteration of Jack Ryan in that show.” (40:52)

6. "Ponies" (Peacock) and TV’s Escalating Budget Divide

[47:20–52:46]

• Contrasts blockbuster budgets ("Night Manager") with mid-scale originals like "Ponies."
• "Ponies" is a Cold War dramedy starring Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson as CIA spouses in 1970s Moscow.
• The hosts observe a growing class divide in television: Apple, Amazon, and Netflix productions often look much more expensive, affecting audience engagement.
• "Ponies" praised for originality, self-awareness, and a fresh comedic spin on the spy genre, but Andy wonders if its lower budget will cap its impact.

Industry Takeaway

• Chris references his experience showrunning “Briarpatch”: imaginative ideas must match actual resources, otherwise the conceptual scope overshoots the feasible production (“…that episode would have been better if it had been written from the perspective of the people inside the house while things are exploding.” 50:05).

7. Smart TV Writing in a Budget-Conscious Era

[52:46–55:48]

• Andy cites “Seven Kingdoms” (the new HBO Thrones prequel) as a show that smartly chooses to “go deep, not wide.”
• Comparison: Shows like "The Pit," with their economical settings and focus on depth, succeed creatively despite not looking “expensive.”
• Both recommend giving new series a few episodes beyond the pilot, as resource allocation and creative focus often find their groove after the opener.

8. "The Pit" Season 2, Episode 2 Breakdown

[55:48–67:56]

• "The Pit" returns to its gnarly, medical horror roots: “Did we ask Casey Bloys if this show would be so fucking gross?” (56:03)
• This episode leans hard into medical body horror (maggots, bone and arm trauma), while maintaining deadpan humor and fast-paced character banter.
• Chris: “I have found there to be a heightened sense of humor in this season.” (58:05)
• Character work: Dana’s comic lines, Mel’s gross-out heroics, new recruits getting gradually more screen time.
• The tension between new management’s tech/AI push (Dr. Al Hashimi) and the ER’s old-guard gut instincts is set up as a major theme.
• Cast departures and replacements are handled matter-of-factly (“Oh, she doesn’t work Tuesdays.” 70:09).
• Both hosts marvel at the series’ unflagging rhythm and ability to deliver tension, humor, and character arcs far beyond genre expectations.

Notable Quotes

• Andy: “...this show is just absolutely clicking in its second season, but there it is. It's still not broke, and they have still managed to perfect it.” (67:40)
• Chris: “...there's a little more room for that [banter] before whatever the Pitfest that happens this season emerges.” (58:50)

9. Riff Zone: Crudité Platters, Generation X & Medical Trauma

[68:33–69:24]

• Extended bit on the dangers of eating raw broccoli ("a floret, as we say") and grocery store crudité platters: “I'm going to be honest — if I'm going to have a dip, I'm going to have a chip.” (69:01)
• Relate ER scenes to their childhoods, movies like “Lethal Weapon,” and how 1980s pop culture warped expectations of pain and bone trauma.
• Chris: “We grew up in the, in the era of guys getting shot by Uzis in the arm and being like, it's just a flesh wound…” (63:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:43] – Beginning of Euphoria S3 discussion
• [14:50] – “Tell Me Lies” S3, dark college drama
• [25:36] – Hijack S2 first impressions
• [36:10] – Night Manager S2 (and adaptation critiques)
• [47:20] – Ponies, budget gaps, and TV production class divides
• [52:46] – How clever writing and focused storytelling beat big budgets
• [55:48] – The Pit S2E2 detailed breakdown
• [68:33] – Broccoli, Generation X and medical trauma bit

Memorable Quotes

• Chris (Euphoria optimism):
  “For the haters and the losers and the doubters, you guys are wrong. The show is coming back. Levinson's coming back for his crown. And this show looks incredible.” – [07:01]

• Andy (on TV’s budget gap):
  "It is a very, very strange moment in television when, if you subscribe to multiple services, these all come through the same tube, but they could not be more different in terms of... their budget and execution." – [44:52]

• Chris (on "The Pit" s2):
  "I think that the story device of this is Robbie's last day for a while is good because it kind of gives his character a little bit of senioritis. Not that he's taking any time off of the intensity of his work, but..." – [59:57]

Tone and Chemistry

• Reflective, irreverent, and deeply knowledgeable, with easy banter and frequent inside jokes.
• Willingness to interrogate industry trends while poking fun at themselves.
• Genuine enthusiasm for TV that surprises or challenges them.

Final Thoughts

Andy and Chris provide a brisk, enthusiastic, and critical survey of premium television’s current landscape. “The Pit” stands out as a highlight, while returning thrillers ("Hijack," "Night Manager") are judged by both their legacy and by the realities of modern TV production. The episode is not just a review, but a lively ongoing conversation about what makes television engaging (or not) in the streaming age.