What better Christmas present could Monday Afternoon Movie offer you than a holiday special with special guest Lauren Graham? Not only is she one of the titular Gilmore Girls, she’s also a bona fide Christmas movie star in her own right as a result of starring in both Bad Santa and appearing in this year’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. And she’s…

We don’t like to brag on this podcast — we don’t, we swear! — but presented for your holiday delight is possibly the best union of guest and subject matter we’ve done so far: kickass drummer Patty Schemel and the 1968 made-for-TV Christmas classic, The Little Drummer Boy. Yes, this is a non-scary episode of the podcast, unless you find the Rankin/B…

Welcome to a special Halloween edition of Monday Afternoon Movie, in which we discuss not a hilarious made-for-TV gem that is enjoyable on a camp level but instead a TV movie that is actually scary. We speak of GHOSTWATCH, a 1992 BBC broadcast that took many an at-home viewer by surprise when it first aired. To say too much would ruin a first-time …

A hero returns just when we need him most! Is it Darren McGavin’s Carl Kolchak? No! It’s Sam Pancake, here to discuss the second of the Kolchak movies in which a host of crabby white men go on and on in the face of supernatural peril. This time, Sam is joined by professional funny-acting person Jack Plotnick, to discuss the highs and lows of the ma…

You might think that if anyone was going to follow up the iconic film Rosemary's Baby with further tales of the plucky Woodhouse family, they would do so with the skill and thoughtfulness that made the original so celebrated. Well, you woulnd't be correct, because the 1976 ABC TV movie LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ROSEMARY'S BABY tosses out the prestiga…

Have you ever been watching reruns of That Girl and felt like Ted Bessell seemed too villainous to be playing Marlo Thomas’s boyfriend? If yes, then we’ve got the movie for you. Originally airing in 1973, SCREAM, PRETTY PEGGY has Bessell starring opposite Bette Davis and Sian Barbara Allen in a thriller that sure wants to earn the adjective “Hitchc…

Also known as Night Drive, this 1974 made-for-TV thriller stars none other than Valerie Harper as a lady motorist pursued by a psychopath. Is it a distaff Duel or an even scarier Crossroads? Here to answer that question are two of Sam's comedy chums, performers Carrie Aizley and Christen Sussin. Sam Pancake's X (Formerly known as Twitter)…

Warning: This episode (and this TV film) concerns child pornography and might be upsetting for some listeners. What’s this? A return to the “teen trauma” wave of TV movies? YES! And it’s all thanks to this week’s guest, Margaret Cho, who made the suggestion that Sam look into this real doozy of a telefilm. FALLEN ANGEL stars Melinda Dillon as the m…

Will Shelley Winters finally have her revenge on Sam Pancake and the Monday Afternoon Movie? Now that we're back to the horror genre, Sam has invited iconic filmmaker and confirmed cult leader Peaches Christ into the fold to talk about REVENGE!, the 1971 ABC movie of the week starring Sam's nemesis, Dame Shelley Winters, Bradford Dillman, and Stuar…

Just like the Langoliers, the Monday Afternoon Movie marches on. Covering part two of the Stephen King (or Stephanie Queen if you prefer the drag version) two-part miniseries The Langoliers. The film stars some heavy hitters of television at the time: Bronson Pinchot from Perfect Strangers, Dean Stockwell from Quantum Leap, and three-time Emmy winn…

Let the horror continue on the new season of Monday Afternoon Movie, with your host Sam Pancake. We are bringing out Stephen King for this episode, specifically the 1995 TV mini-series THE LANGOLIERS, starring Patricia Wettig, Dean Stockwell, Bronson Pinchot, and Tom Holland (no, not Spider-Man). Joining Sam on this mysterious departure into the li…

Welcome back to the Monday Afternoon Movie! Sam's return to horror continues with this 1975 episode of ABC's Wide World of Mystery that features the premiere of the one and only Kate Mulgrew. Here to probe into this 70's television masterpiece is none other than drag queen, activist, actor and Drag Race veteran Nina West, aka Andrew Levitt. A lonel…

Let the new season of horror begin! Sam Pancake is here in the new year to get back to the Monday Afternoon Movie roots, which is all that is shocking and scary and sometimes ridiculous. He's asked actor and now returning guest Alec Mapa to sit down with him to watch the 1972 film THE PEOPLE, starring William Shatner, Kim Darby, and Diane Varsi. A …

OMG OMG OMG Bruce Vilanch! Okay, now that that is out of the way... Part two of the Monday Afternoon Movie holiday special has arrived, and it has brought with it not frankincense and myrrh, but definitely two wise men in Sam Pancake and THE legendary Bruce Vilanch. We just had to include him in any conversation revolving around the Star Wars holid…

It wouldn't quite feel like the holidays without a Monday Afternoon Movie holiday special. For that special, why not cover the infamous pinnacle of all holiday variety shows, The Star Wars Holiday Special?! The whole crew is begrudgingly and contractually back to bring a truly forgettable viewing experience to your late 1970's television sets. Mark…

It's the Halloween Special part two, covering the fourth installment of one of the most famous horror series ever. That infamous New England house is back in Amityville: The Evil Escapes aka A HIDEOUS GAY LAMP IS KILLING MY FAMILY aka DON'T STICK YOUR HAND IN A GARBAGE DISPOSAL aka DON'T OPEN YOUR MOUTH UNDER AN OPEN SEWER PIPE. Joshua Tonks is bac…

Ok y’all- for my Halloween episode(s) this year, I decided to take us on a trip to that fated Dutch Colonial Mansard-Roofed House of Horror with the Glowing Demonic Window/Eyes. I had never seen the fourth installment and first TVM iteration of the frenetic “Amityville Horror” franchise, 1989’s AMITYVILLE HORROR: THE EVIL ESCAPES aka AMITYVILLE 4: …

Time to drop back into the satanic panic of 1982 with the second half of the Tom Hanks led TV film Mazes and Monsters, also starring Wendy Crewson and Chris Makepeace. Joining Sam again is TableCakes own Meika Grimm, editor of this very podcast. She has also edited a number of our sister podcasts, including Smart Mouth. She is an L.A. based digital…

You're going to want to bring out the 20 sided dice, blacklights, and Mountain Dew for this one. We're staying in the year 1982, but after a string of teenage wasteland themed episodes, it's time to get back to the show's roots. That right! Horror! Specifically the Tom Hanks led film Mazes and Monsters, also starring Wendy Crewson and Chris Makepea…

We're back in good ol' 1982 for part two of the apex of the teenage wasteland movies, Desperate Lives, starring Helen Hunt, Diana Scarwid, and Doug McKeon. Joining Sam again for the conclusion is actor, writer, and comedian Arden Myrin (Secret Chef, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). Two high school kids from anytown, USA get involved with the wrong crowd and…

The pinnacle of the teenage wasteland made for TV specials is here and Sam has asked actor, writer, and comedian Arden Myrin (Secret Chef, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) to join him in breaking down the hard to find 1982 CBS movie Desperate Lives. It stars Helen Hunt, Diana Scarwid, and Doug McKeon. Two high school kids from anytown, USA get involved with …

The end of Summer Sam-a-thon continues with COTTON CANDY Part 2 with podcast giant Sarah Marshall! It's the conclusion of the 1978 Ron Howard film Cotton Candy, starring Clinton Howard, Leslie King, Charles Martin Smith, and Kevin Lee Miller. Fellow podcaster and writer Sarah Marshall returns to breakdown Torbin's fashion habits and lack of tact, C…

The movie of the week this time around is the 1978 Ron Howard film Cotton Candy, starring Clint Howard (naturally), Leslie King, Charles Martin Smith, and Kevin Lee Miller. Joining Sam is fellow podcaster and writer Sarah Marshall, of the popular podcast You're Wrong About. Listen as they talk about trying to make "flush you" a thing, as well as th…

The exciting conclusion! Rejoin Sam, his nephew Nic, and his niece Julia (real kids from the valley!) as they wrap up the second half of the 1979 made-for-TV movie The Survival of Dana, starring Melissa Sue Anderson, Robert Carradine, Marion Ross, & Judge Reinhold. When a high school girl's family moves from North Dakota to the San Fernando Valley …

Happy Monday Afternoon to you all. The troubled teens theme continues, this time with real teens as guests! Sam is joined by Julia and Nic, two actual teens from the valley who were forced to watch all 95 minutes of THE SURVIVAL OF DANA for this podcast. This CBS made-for-TV movie originally aired in 1979, and starred Melissa Sue Anderson, Robert C…

Sam Pancake and the amazing Gedde Watanabe are back for part two of their walkthrough of Angel Dusted, the NBC TV Special starring Jean Stapleton and Arthur Hill. An affluent family's son begins to have violent outbursts while away at college and they soon discover that he has fallen into drugs, specifically the dangerous new trendy drug called PCP…

This week, Sam is here to help teach us all about the dangers of PCP, through the 1981 NBC Monday Night at the Movies film ANGEL DUSTED, starring Jean Stapleton, Helen Hunt, and Arthur Hill. Who better to "sift" through this flick with Sam than someone who knows a bit about teen movies? Why not legendary screen and stage actor Gedde Watanabe (Prett…

We return with the thrilling yet ambiguous conclusion to The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, the 1976 ABC TV movie starring John Travolta, Diana Hyland, and Robert Reed. As usual, Sam is not tackling this task alone. Sarah Burns is back and ready to offer her perspective and opinions regarding horses with no names, toxic teenage traits, and who she cons…

Sam Pancake Presents: The Monday Afternoon Movie continues to roll along! Sam sets his sights this week on the 1976 ABC release The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, starring John Travolta, Diana Hyland, and Robert Reed. This week, Sam has called on his friend, the always talented and hilariously affable actress Sarah Burns (Barry, I Love You, Man, Drunk …

After a brief Patreon-only summer break, Monday Afternoon Movie is now officially back on the public feed! What better way celebrate the 100th episode than with a good old fashioned clip show? Join usual host Sam Pancake as he sits in the guest chair this time to discuss and reminisce about all of the laughs, scares, highs, and lows of the first 10…

The movie discussed in this episode depicts violent and traumatic physical and psychological situations, including rape, abuse, and self-harm. Please be advised. Sam and the amazingly talented Julie Brown are back for part two of their coverage of the highly controversial 1974 film BORN INNOCENT, starring Linda Blair. The second half of the movie i…

The movie discussed in this episode depicts violent and traumatic physical and psychological situations, including rape, abuse, and self-harm. Please be advised. Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie is back for the new year! Sam is beyond tickled to be sitting down with the legendary and always fabulous actress, comedian, and screen/tele…

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's time for the Monday Afternoon Movie holiday special with Sam Pancake! This week, Sam is joined by director & broadway aficionado Ben Rimalower as he take us on a whimsical journey through the 1992 Made-For-TV film MRS. SANTA CLAUS, starring Dame Angela Lansbury and Charles Durning. Mrs. Santa Claus longs for something different thi…

Part Two of our coverage of the 1973 TV movie Lisa, Bright and Dark, starring Anne Baxter and John Forsythe has finally arrived. Emmy Award winning Producer Lisa Stockdale is back this week to help Sam pick through the last half of this mental health driven made for TV movie. In the film, When Lisa starts having noticable breadowns at school, her f…

Sam Pancake has his notes lined up and is ready to analyze the 1973 TV movie Lisa, Bright and Dark, starring Anne Baxter and John Forsythe. He has brought on long time friend and Emmy Award winning Producer Lisa Stockdale to help him navigate this mental health focused flick. In the film, When Lisa starts having noticable breadowns at school, her f…

Actor and writer Pip Lilly returns to help Sam parse over the rest of this 1977 LeVar Burton made-for-TV special. Content Warning: This episode has a section that talks about an abortion scene in the film. The podcast discusses it in a sensitive fashion, but a general heads-up. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging a few bucks on our Patr…

It's Monday, which means another episode of Sam Pancake Presents the Monday Afternoon Movie. This week, Sam sits down with actor and writer Pip Lilly to dissect Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid, the 1977 film starring T.K. Carter, Ossie Davis, and national treasure LeVar Burton. Young Billy comes from the rougher side of town. Can he take advantage …

Sam Pancake is back with Monica Wyche to analyze the second half of The Loneliest Runner, starring Michael Landon and Lance Kerwin. What will come of young athlete John Curtis? Will his Mom finally stop being such an awful person? Will his Dad finally put her in her place? Listen to find out all that and more on this part 2 of 2. Help support Monda…

Who doesn't love a good Michael Landon flick? Sam Pancake returns with an all new movie to deep dive into, the Loneliest Runner, starring Michael Landon and Lance Kerwin. Why does little budding young athlete John Curtis wake up super early to go the laundromat? What is he hiding? "You're in" luck because this week Sam has invited long time friend …

It's that time of year again... the Monday Afternoon Movie Halloween Special with Sam Pancake is here! Sam sits down to discuss the 1979 two-part miniseries 'Salem's Lot, based on the Stephen King novel. Who better to join Sam to talk about a movie about vampires than Tom Lenk? HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledgi…

We're back this week with part two of Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn. Sam is joined again by comedian Jonny McGovern. The thrilling and obviously super gay conclusion awaits! P.S. Don't forget to wash the starfish out of your mouth. Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging a few bucks on our Patreon! Follow Sam Pancake on Twitter Visit th…

We're back this week with another teen runaway drama, this time re-visitng the Dawn universe with Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn. Sam is joined this week by longtime collaborator Jonny McGovern. What will come of Alexander after his knife encounter with Swan the pimp? Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging a few bucks on our Patreon! Fo…

Part two of Sweet Hostage, starring Linda Blair and Martin Sheen has arrived! Listen in as Sam and his guest, the lovely Claudia Lonow to tackle the 1975 made for tv film. Off to Xanadu! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon! Follow Sam Pancake on Twitter Visit the Monday Afteroon Movie website Facebook / Twitter / Sp…

We're in for another wild one as Sam is joined by guest Claudia Lonow to tackle the 1975 made for tv film Sweet Hostage, starring Martin Sheen and Linda Blair. What can go wrong when you get into cars with strange men? Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon! Follow Sam Pancake on Twitter Visit the Monday Afteroon Movie…

Part Two of DIARY OF A TEENAGE HITCHHIKER has arrived! Sam is joined again by super guest Naomi Ekperigin to discuss the second half of the 1979 TV movie DIARY OF A TEENAGE HITCHHIKER, starring Charlene Tilton. Who is the man in the scary car? Will anyone stop Dana from being a terrible friend? Which outfits does Sam adore and wish he had them in h…

It’s super funny how hitchhiking used to be a thing everyone did to get aroun, but once people got it in their heads that it was dangerous and people could die, we stopped. Yet the whole time America also has this whole gun thing, which is emphatically worse and more likely to result in people dying, and we’re like “IDK LOL.” Anyway! This week Sam …

Sam's latest adventure down the seedy streets of Hollywood Boulevard reaches its thrilling conclusion! And Daniele Gaither is here again too, though we're not sure if this one constitutes her fourth appearance on the show or just an extension of her third. Math is hard! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon! Follow Sa…

Sam’s adventure through his “Teenage Wasteland” series continues with the 1977 ABC movie LITTLE LADIES OF THE NIGHT, starring Linda Purl, David Soul and Louis Gosset Jr. At the time this movie aired, it was the highest-rated made-for-TV movie ever. Here to help decide if it holds up is Daniele Gaither, Monday Afternoon Movie all-star making her thi…

It’s part two of the 1973 telefilm adaptation of the (allegedly) true story of teenage ruin! Here to discuss how it holds up (and whether the real story actually happened) is Kirsten Vangsness! Help support Monday Afternoon Movie by pledging money on our Patreon! Follow Sam Pancake on Twitter Visit the Monday Afteroon Movie website Facebook / Twitt…

It’s the grandmama of all the “teens in turmoil” moves of the week: Go Ask Alice! Produced in 1973 to air on ABC, this telefilm adaptation of the 1971 (allegedly) true story stars Jamie Smith-Jackson alongside William Shatner, Ruth Roman, Andy Griffith, Robert Carradine and Mackenzie Phillips. Here to discuss how it holds up (and whether the real s…