The Ringer-Verse
The Ringer
The Ringer-Verse is your go-to nexus podcast feed for all things nerd culture and fandom, featuring: 'The Midnight Boys': Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman react to the latest in fandom and share their instant reactions to the newest nerd culture releases, all while bringing the banter every week. 'Mint Edition': Steve, Jomi, and Jessica Clemons gather every other week to share their unique takes on the movies and shows that are animating the fandom. 'Button Mash': Ben Lindbergh and Jessica discuss the latest in the world of video games, from headline-making new releases, to industry trends, to game swaps and nostalgic re-plays. 'Splash Page': Jessica breaks down the latest Easter eggs and theories from all of your favorite content. Not sure if that was a Mephisto reference in the latest 'Loki' episode? Wondering what exactly that post-credits scene means? Eager to know how a new trailer sets up your most anticipated release of the season? Jessica will answer all of those questions and more in her video podcasts. Follow the new House of R feed for deep dives from Mal and Jo!
Location:
United States
Genres:
Arts & Culture Podcasts
Networks:
The Ringer
Description:
The Ringer-Verse is your go-to nexus podcast feed for all things nerd culture and fandom, featuring: 'The Midnight Boys': Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman react to the latest in fandom and share their instant reactions to the newest nerd culture releases, all while bringing the banter every week. 'Mint Edition': Steve, Jomi, and Jessica Clemons gather every other week to share their unique takes on the movies and shows that are animating the fandom. 'Button Mash': Ben Lindbergh and Jessica discuss the latest in the world of video games, from headline-making new releases, to industry trends, to game swaps and nostalgic re-plays. 'Splash Page': Jessica breaks down the latest Easter eggs and theories from all of your favorite content. Not sure if that was a Mephisto reference in the latest 'Loki' episode? Wondering what exactly that post-credits scene means? Eager to know how a new trailer sets up your most anticipated release of the season? Jessica will answer all of those questions and more in her video podcasts. Follow the new House of R feed for deep dives from Mal and Jo!
Language:
English
Website:
https://www.theringer.com
Episodes
The Racist Movie Characters Draft | The Midnight Boys
6/4/2025
The Boys are back to draft the most racist characters in film history, featuring five categories: action, comedy, Oscar, Tarantino, and wild card. (0:00) Intro (16:45) The draft (1:42:53) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:49:58
‘Elden Ring Nightreign’ Reactions and ‘Elden Ring’ Movie News | Button Mash
6/2/2025
Ben, Matt, and Steve party up for a three-person podcast about a three-player game! First, they discuss what the cancellation of Electronic Arts' Black Panther project portends for the future of superhero games and Triple-A licensed games. Then they have a spoiler-free discussion of FromSoftware's fascinating 'Elden Ring' spinoff experiment, 'Nightreign,' focusing on its difficulty, its genre-spanning appeal, and its technological drawbacks. After that, they react to the news that Alex Garland is writing and directing an A24-produced 'Elden Ring' movie and try to figure out what the adaptation could look like, before honoring 'Mission: Impossible' by identifying other major media properties that historically have been the most underserved by video games. Intro (0:00)Black Panther + Game Cancellations (2:40)Reactions to 'Elden Ring Nightreign' (11:13) 'Elden Ring' Movie Predictions Most Underserved Franchises in Video Games (56:46)Outro (1:16:48) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Steve Ahlman and Matt JamesProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:22:13
Ringer-Verse Recommends: May 2025
5/31/2025
It's been a busy month in nerd culture—so stacked, in fact, that some quality releases could have slipped through the cracks were it not for Ringer-Verse Recommends! Join your favorite Ringer-Verse and House of R hosts and friends as they gush about geek content in the latest installment of the monthly mini-pod about fandom favorites from TV, anime, movies, video games, books, comics, and beyond that were released recently but not yet covered in-depth on a full-length episode. (And yes, Ben's amateur trailers return.) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jomi Adeniran, Matt James, Steve Ahlman, Miles Surrey, Arjuna Ramgopal, Charles Holmes, Joanna Robinson, Van Lathan, and Jonathan Kermah Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Social: Jomi Adeniran Additional Production: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:35:16
The 'Last of Us' Season 2 Finale: The Gamer Guide | Button Mash
5/29/2025
Ringer-Verse listeners let Ben and Daniel live, and they don't waste it! First, they give their reviews of Season 2, Episode 7, "Convergence," and then they break down the episode's departures from and additions to the game before assessing the season as a whole. Then they forecast when to expect Season 3 and what it could look like, and they conclude by answering audience emails. Intro (0:00)Reactions to Episode 7 (3:50)Season 3 Predictions (1:10:00)Audience Emails (1:28:13) Outro (1:40:50) Hosts: Ben Lindbergh and Daniel ChinProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:46:17
'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' Reactions | The Midnight Boys
5/28/2025
'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' Reactions | The Midnight Boys The Boys are back and they’re diving into their thoughts on the final (?) installment of the franchise: ‘Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.’ (0:00) Intro (10:00) Spoilers Ahead (11:56) Instant Reactions to 'Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning' (35:13) Criticisms of 'Mission: Impossible' (1:05:51) Midnight Meter (1:08:36) 'Mission: Impossible' Rankings (1:17:39) Outro (1:18:52) Post Credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:27:23
'The Last of Us' Season 2 Finale Reactions, Plus 'Doomsday' Delay News
5/25/2025
The Midnight Boys are back to give all of their hot takes on and instant reactions to the season finale of 'The Last of Us.' They take a look at where Ellie's revenge tour leads and discuss what they can look forward to in Season 3. Later, they also react to the news of a delay to 'Avengers: Doomsday' that could clash with 'Dune,' and they talk about whether things are all right in the house of Marvel. (00:00) Intro (04:28) 'The Last of Us' reactions (01:12:27) 'Doomsday' delay Hosts: Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, and Van Lathan Social: Jomi Adeniran Producers: Steve Ahlman, Jon Jones, Jonathan Kermah, and Jomi Adeniran Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:49:26
‘Murderbot' Check-in, Episodes 1-3 | Mint Edition
5/23/2025
Jomi and Steve jump into the world of ‘Murderbot’ with instant reactions to the first three episodes! Later, the guys look at the news of Avatar, Hunger Games, and other series in fandom. (00:00) Intro (05:00) Murderbot (37:00) Nerd news Host: Jomi Adeniran and Steve Ahlman Producer: Jonathan Kermah Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:00:20
'The Last of Us' Season 2, Episode 6: The Gamer Guide. Plus, the Game's Guitarist! | Button Mash
5/22/2025
Ben and Daniel "do it all over again." First, they give their reviews of Season 2's penultimate 'TLOU' episode, "The Price," and then they break down the episode's departures from and additions to the game. Then they speculate about what could be coming in the season finale and beyond. Finally, Ben talks to Chris Rondinella, the musician who performed "Future Days," "Take On Me," and other songs in 'The Last of Us Part II,' about how he played Joel and Ellie. Intro (0:00) Reactions to Episode 6 (4:24) Interview with Chris Rondinella (1:19:08) Outro (1:32:59) Hosts: Ben Lindbergh and Daniel ChinGuest: Chris RondinellaProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:38:04
‘Doom: The Dark Ages’ Reactions and ‘Andor’ Writer Tom Bissell | Button Mash
5/20/2025
Ben, Matt, and Steve share their (non-spoiler-y) impressions of the new first-person shooter 'Doom: The Dark Ages,' focusing on the ever-evolving nature of the franchise, whether the series' latest experiments improve upon its tried-and-true formula, how they'd rank the three most recent 'Doom' games, and more. Then, Ben brings on video game writer and screenwriter Tom Bissell, who wrote the three-part finale of 'Andor,' to talk about the 'Andor' writers room; working within story constraints and established universes; tying the finale to 'Rogue One'; the future of 'Star Wars' and IP storytelling in the aftermath of 'Andor'; 'Andor' as a video game; the differences between writing for TV and video games; his work on 'Uncharted,' 'Gears of War,' 'What Remains of Edith Finch,' and 'Masters of Doom'; Hollywood's appetite for video game adaptations; and more. Intro (0:00)Reactions to 'Doom: The Dark Ages' (2:30)Interview with Tom Bissell (35:35)Outro (1:41:53) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Steve Ahlman, Tom Bissell, and Matt JamesProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:48:02
'The Last of Us' Episode 6 Reactions, Plus 'Superman' and 'Ironheart' Trailers
5/18/2025
The Midnight Boys dive into Joel and Ellie’s father-daughter relationship in their instant reactions to the penultimate episode of Season 2 of ‘The Last of Us.’ Later, they turn their focus to the ‘Superman’ and ‘Ironheart’ trailers in the latest edition of Nerd News. Hosts: Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, and Van Lathan Social: Jomi Adeniran Producers: Chris Thomas, Jamie Yukich, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:36:20
'The Last of Us' Season 2, Episode 5: The Gamer Guide, and Animating 'TLOU2' | Button Mash
5/15/2025
Ben and Daniel got here from Jackson just in time to talk about Episode 5, "Feel Her Love." They discuss the specifics of the action and the pivotal closing scene, then pull back a bit to comment on how the effort to adapt the game is going before forecasting what could be coming next. Then, Ben talks to longtime Naughty Dog game developer Almudena Soria Sancho, lead animator on 'The Last of Us Part II,' about her thoughts on the 'TLOU' adaptation, bringing the Stalkers and other infected to life, perfecting performance capture, the advantages and drawbacks of film and TV versus video games, what she's most looking forward to seeing the rest of this season and next season, and more. Intro (0:00)Reactions to Episode (3:50)Interview with Almudena Soria Sancho (1:05:50)Outro (1:32:18) Hosts: Ben Lindbergh and Daniel ChinGuest: Almudena Soria SanchoProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:37:27
Was 'Andor' a Perfect 'Star Wars' Show? ‘Andor’ Season 2 Finale Reactions | The Midnight Boys
5/14/2025
The Boys are back, and they’re diving into ‘Andor’ Season 2, Episodes 10-12, the season’s final episodes. (0:00) Intro (3:30) Spoilers ahead (6:10) Initial reactions (1:43:05) Outro (1:45:26) Post-credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, Chris Thomas, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:57:27
‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 5 Reactions! Plus, X-Men Director News | The Midnight Boys
5/11/2025
The Boys are back and they’re diving into ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 5. They discuss Ellie and Dina’s personality differences from the game and touch on some X-Men nerd news! (0:00) Intro (8:29) Spoilers ahead (10:13) Initial reactions (1:18:52) Nerd News (1:27:07) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:28:20
Taste-Testing Apocalypse Food | Midnight Munchies
5/10/2025
In honor of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, we’re trying four curated apocalypse meals and ranking them from best to worst. If you have the stomach for it, come along for the journey! (0:00) Intro (1:20) Steve’s Meal (6:54) Jomi’s Meal (11:28) Charles’s Meal (17:30) Van’s Meal (26:34) Midnight Collective’s Meal (30:46) Scoring and Prize Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal and Brian Averalo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:38:25
'The Last of Us' Season 2, Episode 4: The Gamer Guide | Button Mash
5/8/2025
Ben and Daniel pass the halfway point of the second season as they visit Seattle and take on Episode 4, "Day One." After sharing their brief reviews of the episode, they discuss several significant changes to core characters and scenes from 'The Last of Us Part II' before wrapping up with some speculation about the structure of the remainder of the season (and beyond). Intro (0:00)Episode 4 breakdown and reactions (2:30)Predictions for the rest of the season (40:00)Outro (54:43) Hosts: Ben Lindbergh and Daniel ChinProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:59:57
The Force Arrives on ‘Andor’: Reactions to Season 2, Episodes 7-9 | The Midnight Boys
5/7/2025
The Boys are back, and they’re diving into ‘Andor’ Season 2, Episodes 7-9. They discuss why these episodes feel monumental in the 'Star Wars' universe. (0:00) Intro (3:36) Spoilers ahead (6:25) Initial reactions (1:29:29) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:34:58
‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ Trailer, Details, and Delay Reactions | Button Mash
5/6/2025
Ben, Matt, Jomi, and Steve join forces for an emergency reaction to the second trailer for ‘GTA VI’ and the newly announced details about the game’s plot, characters, and setting. First, they share their thoughts on how the trailer affected their overall levels of hype for the game, and then they run through some of the highlights, new revelations, and questions they still have before analyzing the impact of the game’s delay to May 2026. Intro (0:00) Reactions to ‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ trailer (3:14)Character rundown and gameplay speculation (26:53) Potential setbacks from release delay (48:18) Outro (1:08:00) Host: Ben LindberghGuests: Matt James, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve AhlmanProducer: Devon RenaldoAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:13:17
‘Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld’ May the Fourth Reactions | Mint Edition
5/6/2025
To celebrate the 'Star Wars' holiday, Jomi and Steve are joined by Matt James to discuss the adventures of Asajj Ventress in the bite-sized animated series ‘Tales of the Underworld.’ (00:00) Intro (6:00) Spoilers ahead(20:30) The great heist adventure(54:30) Outro Hosts: Jomi Adeniran and Steve AhlmanGuest: Matt JamesProducer: Jonathan KermahAdditional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:00:42
Talking to 'Thunderbolts*' Director Jake Schreier | The Midnight Boys
5/5/2025
The Boys are giving you a special interview with 'Thunderbolts*' director Jake Schreier! (0:00) Intro (0:40) Interview (33:24) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Guest: Jake Schreier Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, Chris Thomas, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:00:39:17
‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 4 Reactions | The Midnight Boys
5/4/2025
The Boys are back and they’re diving into ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 4. They discuss Ellie and Dina’s new relationship dynamics, as well as the things they’ve never experienced since they were born in the apocalypse. (0:00) Intro (4:00) Spoilers ahead (5:38) Initial reactions (59:30) Outro (1:02:58) Post credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Jonathan Kermah, Chris Thomas, and Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Duration:01:10:46