Now We Know

Kicking off Season Five—and celebrating the life of the late Sidney Poitier, Academy Award winner, knighted in the UK, onetime Ambassador of the Bahamas, and all-around man about town—Kevin brings forth Sneakers, a 1992 thriller starring Robert Redford and a stacked ensemble cast. A preemptive word of advice: never trust a man who says he's with the NSA.

Ringing out the season, Kevin and Chris look back at The Santa Clause, a 1994 Christmas romp in which Tim Allen (I guess inadvertently) kills old St. Nick and hops into his place.

Merry Christmas! Callooh! Callay! Tucked far beneath your tree, in that little spot not even the light reflecting off the ornaments quite reaches... why, it's a present from your friends Chris and Kevin. A Christmas morning bonus episode! Aren't they just the best, you think, clasping your mug of cocoa in hand. Come along with us for a look back at Christmas Nights Into Dreams, a 1996 winter seasonal promo game for the dearly departed Sega Saturn.

This time, Kevin and Chris are joined by an extra special guest from clear across the United States — space guy, maple syrup maven, and all-around raconteur Dave Prosper! Dave brings with him tales of the seminal American anime localization Robotech, originally known as Macross in Japan. Full of intrigue, suspense, and a surprising amount of darkly accurate commentary on propaganda and crisis fatigue, you'll be clamoring to climb into your Veritech in no time.

This time Chris escorts Kevin back to the halcyon days of 1995, when syndicated cartoon powerhouse DIC—known to some in the industry as "Do It Cheap"—decided to import Sailor Moon, Japan's prototypical magical girl anime, to western shores. This was the first introduction little Chris had to the wide world of anime (or as Americans called it in those days, Japanimation), but the question looms: was it any good?

Whether you're feeling celebratory, stressed, cozy, or stuffed, Kevin and Chris are here to share a Thanksgiving meal with you. The boys relive some memories of Thanksgivings past, and invite you to eat along with them!

Deep in the heart of November, Kevin pulls a Thanksgiving classic out of his back pocket — 1987's Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, starring Steve Martin and John Candy, both at or near the height of their respective powers. Will Neal Page make it home by Turkey Time? Is Del Griffith really an honest man, or is he actually a witting, canny con artist? Also, the boys definitively figure out what's in Del's trunk.

Rounding out Halloween season 2021, Kevin and Chris are joined by three-time returning guest Evan Tognotti—the most prolific sibling in Now We Know history—to examine My Boyfriend's Back, a 1993 comedy/horror (kind of?) flick that bravely asks: what if a clingy loser won Traci Lind's heart simply by decomposing in her arms? Featuring several early performances by big names—Philip Seymour Hoffman, Matthew Fox, and Matthew McConaughey all make appearances, as well as the mayor of Tinseltown, Paul Dooley.

Spooky season continues as Kevin and Chris gaze back, with longingly erotic, vampiric intensity, at Canadian TV series Forever Knight, which ran from 1992 to 1996. Centered on 800-year-old vampire Nick Knight, who joins the Toronto police force to atone for his past sins and depravities, this show has it all: Vamps! Unethical 12-step sponsors! Bisexual lighting! Panicked 90's attitudes toward video games! And, last but not least, a humble man named Skanky.

In a special spooky season bonus episode, Kevin and Chris look back at an oft-forgotten relic of early 90's Halloween animated specials — Tales From The Far Side, featuring macabre meanderings straight from the brain of Gary Larson. Come for the cow Bride of Frankenstein, stay for the saddest wolf in recorded history.

Hot on the heels of Now We Know's look back at its spinoff series Count Duckula, the boys turn their gaze to Danger Mouse, the 1981 British cartoon hit that made David Jason (or at least his voice) a beloved companion of millions of children the world over. Featuring villainous toads, militarized washing machines, controversially Italian crows, and yes, a certain vampire duck, you're in for a treat.

In the heart of Transylvania, in the vampire Hall of Fang-ya, there's supposedly not a single vampire zanier than Count Duckula. Kevin and Chris look back at the Thames Television children's cartoon—a spin-off of another Cosgrove Hall animated hit, Danger Mouse—which was a ubiquitous fixture on Nickelodeon in the late 80's and early 90's.

Chris and Kevin are joined by four-time conquering guest Miranda for a look back at gothic horror classic Candyman—infamous on 90's elementary school playgrounds everywhere—on the occasion of the release of a brand new remake. All the stars are here—Tony Todd! Virginia Madsen! Kasi Lemmons! Xander Berkeley! So why not pop some popcorn, say Candyman up to four times, and settle in with Now We Know?

With Chris disabused of some foundational misunderstandings in our earlier G.I. Joe cartoon series episode, Kevin returns to the well for the 1987 animated movie—sadly, not a theatrical release, but a familiar pick on the home video market. What follows is a rollicking, at times macabre tale of soldiers, secrets, spores, and the utter denigration of Cobra Commander, a magnificent man who truly deserved better.

This time, Kevin and Chris are joine by first-time guest Rachel Beach to discuss Gallavants, a 1984 children's movie (technically, somehow, a Marvel movie?) combining cartoon ants, the voice of Optimus Prime, and a vernacular so pointlessly complicated you'll feel like a Scientologist by the end. Content advisory: this episode is intended only for listeners who already have their kabumps.

Crash, boom, bang! It's the third installment of Now We Know's ballyhooed Commercials of the 80's and 90's series! This time Kevin brings forth a bevy of exciting, confusing, controversial, and memorable TV ads from his youth, some of which Chris remembers, and some of which are brand new. Time to fire up your cathode ray tubes gang, we're goin' back!

Kevin and Chris enter the video zone in this inaugural installment of Video Games of the 80's and 90's. Fate calls upon Kevin to run a gauntlet of 11 video games across the NES and SNES — all of them "Chris classics," though some, perhaps, not actual classics. Also, a devout Indiana Jones fan calls the Now We Know hotline, and he's got a bone to pick.

With a Tony Scott-less sequel right around the corner, Kevin and Chris revisit 1986 high-octane thrill ride (and military recruitment propaganda vehicle) Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise and Tom Skerritt — the Toms. Also featuring Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, and three gallons of artificial sweat. Prepare to enter the danger zone!

Kevin and Chris return to a mystical jungle of their youths, complete with familial wolves, scolding panthers, smooth layabout bears, swingin' monkeys, and aristocratic, homicidal tigers. That's right, it's 1967 Disney animated film The Jungle Book, based on the 1894 Rudyard Kipling tome of the same name. Oh, there are also some vultures who kinda sorta seem they were going for a Beatles thing.

What time is it? Muppet time once more! This episode Kevin revisits the 1981 follow-up to the classic subject of a prior episode, The Muppet Movie ― it's The Great Muppet Caper, featuring the whole gang plus Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg, and a host of familiar faces in cameo roles. But does it live up to the first film's lofty standards?