I was quick to write off both "The Undoing" and "The Flight Attendant" only months ago, but after finally bingeing both, I found reasons to appreciate both shows--specifically, some fine actressing from Nicole Kidman, Lily Rabe, Noma Dumezweni, Rosie Perez, Zosia Mamet and most of all, Kaley Cuoco. Expect plenty of spoilers of "The Undoing" and no spoilers of "The Flight Attendant" as I queen out on some prime acting choices and micromoments, before giving some long overdue love to "Enlightened," a show I deeply identify with and greatly appreciate as a sort of companion piece of "The Comeback."

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 60: The Undoing of the Enlightened Flight Attendant

After an extended spring break and summer vacation, I'm back this week with some thoughts on Malignant, Bernard Hermann's score for Sisters, the shows Work in Progress and The Other Two, and Sarah Paulson's Linda Tripp, before a necessary celebration of the best 8 and a half minutes you'll see all year, "Brenda Vaccaro is having a good time."

Brenda: https://youtu.be/L-kFa74FovY

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 61: Oh Mo, We Gotta Touch This

I’m kicking off a month of Spooky Nuances with the 1950 film noir classic “In a Lonely Place,” a tense and twisted vehicle for superstars Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame that also features a face journey by actress Jeff Donnell as the suspicious Sylvia, the amazing Hadda Brooks as a lounge singer who gets a Moment, and Martha the no nonsense masseuse. We wrap things up with an unmissable interview Donnell did with Skip E Lowe that features my new favorite Barbara. 

Skip E. Lowe interview: https://youtu.be/Wn8f7tVUrVQ

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 62: A Spooky Masseuse and a Suspicious Spouse

One of the rings of hell is likely a New York City subway station in the 80's. And it probably looks like the 59th Street stop depicted in 1980's super sleazy "Maniac." I can't say I recommend the movie, but the subway scene with the nurse is a terrifying glimpse into a bygone era of the MTA. (Subway station bathrooms!) But first: I have attended "Mass" and I have a gospel to preach.

Maniac scene: https://youtu.be/7I6Mf-UPYv4

"Man on a Train" short movie: https://youtu.be/k0poUY6B7aM

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 63: Panic on the Platform

Just in time for Halloween, I've curated a fantasy movie marathon of some of the more questionable choices in the horror movie aisle of yesteryear's video store. These are not just bad movies (though I don't know if any of them would qualify as good), they're surreal and delirious and sometimes totally fascinating. And they're all available on Youtube! Before we get into it, I spend a few minutes hating on "Halloween KIlls." It's the worst.

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 64: Fever Dreams on VHS

In the Details is back this week/month/year to queen out on Pedro Almodovar's homage to mothers, actresses and the modern melodrama, 1999's "All About My Mother." Joining me this week is the always brilliant Leanne Kubicz to help me dive into the world of Almodovar, his themes and references and of course, his chicas, as well as his nuanced and compassionate representation of trans people and HIV/AIDS. Plus a bevy of references, from Douglas Sirk to All About Eve to some of his previous movies, as well as the most beautiful shade of red you've ever seen, Best Supporting Agrado and a wonderfully unexpected ending.

Follow Leanne: @lianemarieK (Twitter)
Leanne's Origami: @leannekpaper (Instagram)

More of Leanne and her amazing taste in movies!:
http://leannek.substack.com
http://lmkfilmpicks.wordpress.com

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 65: All About All About My Mother (w/ Leanne Kubicz!)

I've developed an unhealthy obsession with the Real Housewives, let's face it. But for as much vapid bickering over white wine as there is on any iteration of this show, every once in a while it gets refreshingly real. This week I'm diving into all the micro-moments of RHONY icon Bethenny Frankel's Season 11 meltdown in Miami over LuAnn's caba-razy behavior while in supposed recovery for her alcoholism. Not to be missed is Best Supporting Tinsley, sad old Barbara, the mirrored martini glass, that napkin, and the scooping of the hair. It's melodramatic, it's campy, it's dark and it's absolutely fascinating reality television.

Radio Andy RHONY Live Reading: https://bit.ly/3mXJXE0

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 66: Life is Not a Cabaret

On the very first episode, I am diving into five face journeys in film that truly take you somewhere new. I briefly queen out on the birth of the trope in film and TV before focusing in on some truly nuanced examples.

Movies discussed this week:
The Wind (1928)
Sunrise (1927)
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
Birth (2004)
Lady Bird (2017)
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Vera Drake (2004)
 
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker

Episode 1: Five Essential Face Journeys

Let's just say--I didn't LOVE Call Me By Your Name. But I think it's a phenomenally well-made movie, and among other things, features a very emotionally intelligent performance by Michael Stuhlbarg. But I more than take issue with the Elio/Oliver love story before shifting the focus back to Stuhlbarg's heartfelt monologue towards the end of the film. 

Films discussed:
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Edge of Seventeen (1998)

Want to get in touch?
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker

Episode 3: Call Me By Your Dad's Name

In many ways, "The Comeback" feels like a documentary about fame, how addictive it is, and the lengths fading sitcom actress Valerie Cherish will go to get it back--to be relevant again. To be heard.

In Part One of a 3-part series, I explore the world of television Valerie came from, including some kooky parallels with another canceled workplace comedy of the early 90's, what might have happened after "I'm It" went off the air, and the addictive reward system built into reality television and reflected in the first episode of "The Comeback."  

Music:
"Valerie"
Original songs and covers by:
Steve Winwood
Athol McGregor
RaRa Riot
The Brothers Comatose
Jerry Garcia
 &
Amy Winehouse

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker

Episode 7: Cherishing Valerie - Part One: TV's It Girl

First things first: spoilers everywhere! I expected to love the new "Halloween," but I think I loved my idea of what it should be. This week, I'm not quite queening out so much as royally reading the new official sequel to the 1978 classic, and exploring the concept of the Final Woman, which I saw much more of in 1998's "Halloween: H20." 

I also fangirl out on my new favorite podcast, Gaylords of Darkness. Their Halloween recap (Episode 6 -  Two Crabs in the Mud) is SO much truth, and also so much fun.

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 16: Laurie Strode & the Final Woman

One of my favorite movie nuances, especially in horror movies, is the soundtrack. A good score can elevate even the worst movie,(which I discovered just recently). This week, I'm queening out on some surprisingly effective and somewhat obscure soundtracks, and especially the early use of synths in movies like "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" and my newest slasher obsession.

Movies Discussed:
Don't Go to Sleep (1982)
Hereditary (2018)
Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971)
Final Exam (1981)
The House on Sorority Row (1983)
The Deadly Intruder (1985)
He Knows You're Alone (1980)
Halloween (2018)
Tourist Trap (1979)
Carrie (1976)
Blood Rage (1987)

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 17: Spooky Synths & Other Soundtrack Surprises

How exactly did Valerie Cherish get back on TV after almost a decade of circling the drain? The first episode of Season 2 does an amazing job of navigating the narrative nuances that take Valerie from desperately seeking stardom to nailing an audition at HBO playing, well, herself. This is truly her Comeback. 

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 21: Cherishing Valerie - Part 5: "Well, I Got It!"

We're knee-deep in awards season and about a week too late for a 2018 Year in Review episode, so I'm combining both for The 1st Annual Nuancies, looking back on some of my favorite nuances from 2018's episodes of In the Details, as well as the first recipient of the Beatrice Straight Award for Excellence in Nuance!

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 22: BONUS! The 1st Annual Nuancies

I didn't really expect Toni Collette to get recognized by the Academy for "Hereditary," but a girl can dream. This week, my thoughts on the five performances that were nominated for Best Actress instead, as well as--OF COURSE--the 2019 nominees for Best Supporting Actress. 

(Also, the first 15 minutes of this episode are just me talking about things like whether I should buy an apartment in Fort Lauderdale and what I thought about people who attended the Fyre Festival despite very little evidence of what they were paying for....)

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 23: And the Nominees Are...(missing Toni Collette)

"Jane? Jane? Sound familiar?"

Jane Benson returns to Valerie Cherish's life because she needs to. She needs the money, first of all, but she also needs an opportunity to tell the truth about Valerie. The truth, however, is something Valerie does not always need to see,  especially if it makes her look ugly or old. But what if it's seen as brave?

Also: my thoughts on Glenn Close in "The Wife" and Alyssa Bresnahan as Louise in the Ivo von Hove production of "Network" on Broadway.

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 24: Cherishing Valerie - Part 6: The Assassination of Valerie Cherish

You may not know the name Barbara Harris, but you probably should. She is not only a founding member of the Second City and a Tony Award winning stage actress, but she's also given some of the most nuanced performances in 20th century American cinema--and especially in her Oscar-nominated role (for Best Supporting Actress!) in the relatively obscure 1971 experimental flop "Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?"

This week we're doing a deep dive into her tour de force performance (in about 12 minutes of screen time) to celebrate every little nuance, and also spend some time sorting through some thoughts and feelings on the Best Actress upset/delight at this year's Oscars...

Link to movie: (Go to an hour and 12 minutes in to get to BH's scenes): https://youtu.be/coCS3f1adwU

Get in touch!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/colindrucker

Episode 25: Who is Barbara Harris and Why Is She Saying Those Nuanced Things About Me?

A couple months ago, I scripted an episode about a viral video from five years ago of an older woman in Coventry, Rhode Island, recording a local ad the Quality Curtain Outlet--and doing a bang-up job, by the way! It was almost to the archives of my Google Drive, but alas--this week I am proud to present to you a wackadoo exploration of a woman named Rose having a Lynchian crisis of curtains in Rhode Island.

The original video: https://youtu.be/3z9qrs_5b8s

The desert monologue from The Comeback: https://youtu.be/XaPmxDV3EZg

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 28: BONUS! The Curtain Queen of Coventry

This week, I'm joined by Leanne Kubicz to queen out on 1994's Muriel's Wedding! We share our love for Toni Collette and ABBA, our appreciation for Rachel Griffiths' presence in this movie, and of course, we celebrate the deeply nuanced performance of Muriel's mother Betty by Jeannie Dryden. We go deep on Muriel's journey from lonely pathological liar to grown woman, talk about the tragic circumstances of her iconic sister Joanie and both have so much to say about Rhonda's mom at the end of this movie. 

Follow Leanne at @lianemarieK!

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 29: Attending Muriel's Wedding (with Leanne Kubicz)

Fun Mom Dinner and Broadchurch--just a couple of modern meditations on grief, denial and facing the looming inevitabilities of one's fate. Well, okay, not really--Fun Mom Dinner is actually a meditation on mediocrity, but just as compelling as Olivia Colman trying to solve a seaside murder. 

Joining me this week is Jonathan Foster, the artistic director of Thicket & Thistle (among other things!). We talk about his upcoming horror comedy musical "Death Cruise," before diving into the horrors of Fun Mom Dinner--spare the welcomed comedy of Paul Rudd--and Olivia Colman's Sad Mom Interrogation in the final episode of Season 1 of Broadchurch. (SPOILERS AHEAD!)

Death Cruise TICKETS: bit.ly/deathcruisetickets
(Promo Code: 666)

Follow Thicket & Thistle:
Instagram, Twitter: @thicketnthistle
www.thicketandthistle.org

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 31: Fun Mom Broadchurch (w/ Jonathan Foster)

Fosse/Verdon is, first and foremost, an amazing showcase of Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon. And the episode “Nowadays”  really lets her shine--but the devil in the details is Chita Rivera (Bianca Marroquin) lending incredible emotional nuance to the series’ best scene, which we’ll dive into beat by beat. But first, I queen out on Olivia Colman’s tour de force moment of maternal rage in Series 2 of Broadchurch!

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 33: Chita in the Middle

Watching a mother and her son try to wait out a rabid dog from the relative safety of a broken down Pinto in "Cujo" wouldn't be so compelling if not for Dee Wallace's intensely emotional performance as Donna. This week, I queen out on some of her most powerful nuances and how she exemplifies the Final Mom archetype. I also highlight a similar showdown in 2018's "He's Out There," with Handmaids Tale BSA Yvonne Strahovski.

Speaking of BSA's, the Best Supporting Podcast, with co-host Nick Kochanov, premieres October 9th!

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 34: Cujo and the Final Mom

How about a Halloween bonus episode, whaddya say?! One of my favorite gaylords of darkness, Stacie Ponder, joins me to point and scream at Ruth Gordon's wacky and wicked turn as Minnie Castavet in "Rosemary's Baby." We also queen out on Mia Farrow in a phone booth, Patsy Kelly out of the closet, and then just a full on tangent about Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because I can't not.

Follow Stacie!
Blog: finalgirl.rocks
Podcast: Gaylords of Darkness
Instagram: @finalgrrl

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 37: Rosemary's Neighbor (w/ Stacie Ponder!)

Canadian cult favorite "Schitt's Creek" went out on a high--not only with a satisfying final season but a post-series documentary/love letter "Best Wishes, Warmest Regards." (I spend the whole episode calling it "Best Wishes, Warm Regards," I know.) My Best Supporting Podcast co-host Nick Kochanov joins me this week to queen out on the most emotional moments, from the filming of Ted and Alexis's final dinner to The Letter from the moms to the heartbreaking Sarah Levy. We discuss the ways in which we both identify with David on an emotional level, our appreciation of the appreciation of Moira Rose as a gay icon and the sheer Canadianness of it all.

Follow Nick on Twitter/Instagram:
Nick: @NickKochanov
The No Good Very Bad Gay Podcast: @badgaypod
Squirrel Friends Cocktail Hour: @SFCHpodcast
Best Supporting Podcast (with me!): @bsapod

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 47: A Tearful Goodbye to Schitt's Creek (w/ Nick Kochanov!)

The North Avenue Irregulars is an admittedly obscure 1979 Disney family film, and an unlikely source of nuance. But not only is the movie teeming with double entendre and a delightfully 70's color palette, it's filled to the brim with wackadoo set pieces featuring pitch-perfect comedic actressing from like Cloris Leachman, Kim Valentine, Virginia Capers, the infamous Patsy Kelly, and patron saint of the podcast herself, Barbara Harris, as a ragtag group of church ladies banding together to bring down organized crime in their town. I'm joined this week by Craig Filar, a longtime listener who is responsible for bringing this movie and Barbara Harris into my life.

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 48: The North Avenue Character Actresses (w/ Craig Filar)

Rose Nylund may seem like the least nuanced of the Golden Girls gals, but in one Season 6 episode, she got a whole scene to herself to prove otherwise. Betty White hand acts and self-interrupts and eventually even talks through tears in a brilliant flashback to her final birthday in St. Olaf, and this week I'm breaking it down beat by beat.

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxhwuLKMhAI

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 49: Rose's Last Birthday

I've been wanting to celebrate Rue McClanahan's nuanced Golden Girl Blanche from the moment I first watched her figure out what "lesbian" meant. Blanche is more than just the original Samantha Jones--while she's best known for being a vivacious sexpot, Blanche has moments of wackiness, dismay, anger and confusion that make me love her even more. This week I'm highlighting ten different scenes in the series that show just how genius McClanahan's performance is (with some cameo moments from Bea and Betty!).

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 50: The Blanche Devereaux Episode

It's just too much! This episode I'm queening out on Meryl Streep and Jeff Daniels' emotionally precarious minutes together in "The Hours." Julianne Moore's talking through tears and Nicole Kidman's raspy grasp of an Oscar get moments of appreciation, but it's an un-nominated Meryl melting down in her kitchen much to Jeff Daniels' effortlessly fey dismay that I've held dear all these years. I also discuss just how gay this movie is, how important that was to 17 year old me first discovering it, deep appreciation for Allison Janney as Sally, the tradition of cataloging references, Bad Hostess Syndrome, San Francisco as a city people tell you to like and which straight actors are the best at playing gay.

The Louis Waters scene from "The Hours": https://bit.ly/33cjHwn

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 53: Meryl Crying Against the Dishwasher

Few actors can play drunk as convincingly as Eileen Heckart does in 1956's "The Bad Seed." Heckart won the Golden Globe and was nominated for both the Oscar and a Tony in the Broadway production a couple years earlier for her heartbreaking portrayal of Mrs. Daigle, grieving the death of her son and in desperate need to find out what happened to that penmanship medal. This week I'm going practically beat by beat through her two scenes to break down why this is such a pitch perfect performance.  Plus we get a little more of the marvelous Nancy Kelly as the profoundly overwhelmed Christine Penmark!

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 57: A Visit From Mrs. Daigle

Awards season has officially begun this year! My fake award show looking back at a years' worth of episodes, plucking out the highlights, then ranking them on a purely emotional basis is back for a third year. The Nuancies are bigger than ever, even if my episode output in 2020 was smaller than ever. We're not just counting down the top five acting choices and micro-moments, but celebrating some hall of fame favorites from years past and honorable mentions that didn't make the list. Plus: musical breaks that can't get their shit together, a melodramatic guest montage, a decidedly strange memorial and the third recipient of the Beatrice Straight Award for Excellence in Nuance is announced! Brace yourselves.

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 58: The 3rd Annual Nuancies

The much anticipated next chapter of "Cherishing Valerie" is here! This week we're breaking down Val's biggest meltdown, the Season 2 desert monologue. And perhaps it's perfect timing--never more have I identified with a woman in a track suit making beef rollatini and completely losing her shit.

Get in touch with me!
Email: inthedetailspod@gmail.com
Twitter: @colindrucker
Instagram: @colindrucker_

Episode 59: Cherishing Valerie - Part 7: Valerie Loses It

Each week, I explore micro-moments, acting choices and all of the magic in the minutiae--the nuances, if you will--that make a scene great. Take a drink every time I talk about a Best Supporting Actress nominee.

Popular tracks by In The Details: a Celebration of Nuance