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.

'Button Mash': Ben Lindbergh and company discuss the latest in the world of video games, from headline-making new releases, to industry trends, to game swaps and nostalgic re-plays.

Follow the House of R feed for deep dives from Mal and Jo!

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56 episodes
Avg 1 hr 28 min
English

Episodes 56

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July 26 · 59 min
Comic-Con 2026 Wrap Up: Marvel, Lanterns, and More | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and they are at San Diego Comic-Con 2026! They’re fresh off of the Hall H Marvel panel and here to give you all of the juicy footage drops and announcements! Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Carlos Chiriboga, and Jon Jones Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 24 · 1 hr 54 min
'Halo: Campaign Evolved,' 'Splatoon Raiders,' and Steam Machine Reactions | Button Mash
As Master Chief said in 2001 and 2026: "I think we're just getting started." Ben brings on Matt James for a wide-ranging discussion of recent releases. First, inspired by Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' they examine why games aren't typically made, marketed, and analyzed through an auteurist lens like other media and whether that could ever change. Then they break down their experiences with two big-name shooters, original 'Halo' remake 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' and 'Splatoon Raiders,' before sharing their impressions of indie games 'Denshattack!,' 'The Incident at Galley House,' 'Zero Parades: For Dead Spies,' 'Esoteric Ebb,' and 'Tears of Metal,' as well as Netflix's new interactive experiment, 'Unhinged.' Finally, Steve Ahlman joins to describe his experience with Valve's Steam Machine so far. Intro (0:00) Directors discussion (3:27) 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' (23:20) 'Splatoon Raiders' (44:27) 'Denshattack!' and indie game impressions (59:37) Steam Machine reactions (1:31:14:) Outro (1:49:51) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James and Steve Ahlman Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 22 · 1 hr 1 min
‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Official Trailer Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re bringing you a special pod to go over the latest news in the MCU: the drop of the official ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ trailer! Plus, they give you all of the info on when and where the Midnight Boys will be at San Diego Comic-Con! (0:00) Intro (6:16) ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ trailer instant reactions (57:46) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jamie Yukich Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 20 · 1 hr 6 min
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 5 Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re starting off with the gold cloaks! They give you all of their thoughts on ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 5, diving into Criston Cole’s monologue, Helaena’s role in the show right now, and Aegon's and Aemond’s parallel crises. (0:00) Intro (14:38) Spoilers ahead (16:21) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 5 reactions (1:02:42) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Nintendo: Power up your play with Nintendo Switch 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 17 · 1 hr 42 min
‘The Odyssey’ Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and today, they’re traveling to Ithaca! They give you all of their thoughts on one of the most anticipated movies of the year, diving into the difficulties in retelling one of the oldest stories, how this was uniquely a Nolan film, and the acting performances in this star-studded film. Then they give you a little Nerd News on ‘The Batman Part II.’ (0:00) Intro (11:35) Spoilers ahead (15:01) ‘The Odyssey’ instant reactions (1:20:15) Midnight Meter: ‘The Odyssey’ (1:22:41) Outro (1:23:31) ‘The Batman Part II’ Nerd News Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, and Jacob Cornett Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 14 · 1 hr 27 min
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 4 Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re starting off in Tumbleton! They give you all of their thoughts on ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 4, diving into Daemon and Rhaena’s relationship, Rhaenyra’s waning patience, and Ormund Hightower’s schemes with Daeron. (0:00) Intro (19:15) Spoilers ahead (21:02) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 4 reactions (1:21:17) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 10 · 1 hr 32 min
Gaming's First-Half Highlights and Second-Half Hype | Button Mash
Ben brings on Polygon's Giovanni Colantonio and Oli Welsh to sum up the first half of 2026 in gaming and preview the remainder of the year. First, they discuss the odd dynamic of dire industry news coinciding with a glut of great games. Then, they each share their top 10 games of the first half of the year, and break down the differences and similarities among their respective lists. Finally, they assess the up-in-the-air race for Game of the Year, how the timing and rollout of 'Grand Theft Auto VI' could affect its fortunes, the late-summer pileup of pre-'GTA' releases, and their biggest questions about the upcoming calendar. Intro (0:00) Industry news (3:00) Game of the Year picks (16:53) Outro (1:28:20) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Giovanni Colantonio and Oli Welsh Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 9 · 23 min
‘Dune: Part 3’ Official Trailer Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they have a special pod for you today! They’re giving you their immediate reactions to the official ‘Dune: Part 3’ trailer and assess what may come from this epic conclusion of the saga. Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 8 · 2 hr
The Death of Disc-Based Gaming and 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' Reactions, With Sean Fennessey | Button Mash
Ben brings on Sean Fennessey, host of The Big Picture and champion of physical media, to discuss Sony's announcement that it's ending production of physical discs for new PlayStation games in 2028. They get into what led to this point; the ramifications for consumers, developers, and publishers; and how the decline of physical media affects cinephiles and gamers alike. Then Matt James joins Ben to analyze Microsoft's Xbox layoff news; review the new 'Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag' remake, 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced'; and pick their all-time top five pirate games. Intro (0:00) Sony's big announcement (4:42) 'Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced' review (58:56) Outro (1:57:30) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Sean Fennessey and Matt James Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 6 · 1 hr 27 min
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 3 Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re so in! They give you all of their thoughts on ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 3, diving into the politics of Westeros as it stands, the pressures Rhaenyra is dealing with from every direction, and the reveal of Team Black’s newest opponent on the game board. (0:00) Intro (13:49) Spoilers ahead (15:33) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 3 reactions (1:13:02) ‘Supergirl’ roundup (1:24:32) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 2 · 1 hr 6 min
‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2 Premiere Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back, and they’re ready to talk all things ‘X-Men ’97’! They dive into how Season 2 of the highly anticipated show has started off and discuss what we might expect from the rest of it. (0:00) Intro (5:04) Spoilers ahead (7:05) ‘X-Men ’97’ Season 2 premiere reactions (1:03:48) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris, Devon Baroldi, Jacob Cornett, and Jamie Yukich Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 30 · 1 hr 33 min
Ringer-Verse Recommends: June 2026 (Featuring an Animation Recommendation Roundup)
It’s an animated TV spree! Ben brings on Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, and Daniel Chin to talk about several animated shows that premiered or concluded in June, including ‘My Adventures With Superman,’ ‘The Legend of Vox Machina,’ ‘Adventure Time: Side Quests,’ and ‘Among Us.’ They break down DC’s animation expansion, preview a bunch of Batman shows, and compare and contrast DC and Marvel’s animated efforts. Also, Jomi tees off on and crashes out about Season 2 of Netflix’s live-action ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’ Then, Charles Holmes joins for an anime segment featuring Season 1 of the fantasy series ‘Witch Hat Atelier,’ and Ben closes with a few non-nerd-culture recommendations. (00:00) Intro (02:35) Jomi, Daniel, and Steve join (17:49) 'Joker: Laugh Riot' (21:38) 'Batman: Knightfall' (32:09) 'X-Men 97' (35:24) 'Legend of Vox Machina' (41:21) 'Among Us' (44:26) 'Adventure Time: Side Quests' (53:03) Netflix's 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' (65:48) Charles joins for 'Witch Hat Atelier' (01:35:00) Ben's final recs Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Jomi Adeniran, Steve Ahlman, Daniel Chin, and Charles Holmes Senior Producer: Steve Ahlman Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 29 · 1 hr 3 min
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 2 Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and they’re returning to the Red Keep! They give you all of their thoughts on ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 2 and go over where all of our main players stand by the end of it. (0:00) Intro (7:34) Spoilers ahead (9:52) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 2 reactions (58:33) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 26 · 1 hr 28 min
‘Supergirl’ Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and ready to dive into the DCU. They discuss their reactions to DC’s newest film: ‘Supergirl.’ (0:00) Intro (12:50) Spoilers ahead (14:24) Instant reactions to ‘Supergirl’ (1:17:36) ‘Supergirl’ Midnight Meter (1:19:13) Outro (1:20:14) Post credits Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 24 · 2 hr 11 min
Pricing Puzzles, 'Star Fox,' and the N64 30th-Anniversary Draft | Button Mash
Ben, Matt James, Steve Ahlman, and Rob Mahoney plug in their trident controllers for a four-player, 30th-anniversary celebration of a classic console from their youth, the Nintendo 64. First, in Patch Notes, they play a guessing game about what 'Grand Theft Auto VI' will cost as preorders begin, discuss whether the price is wrong for Valve's Steam Machine, and react to reports about upcoming Xbox layoffs and studio closures. Then they play "Mash or Pass?" with Nintendo's Switch 2 ‘Star Fox' remake and ‘The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales,' and they share what they want and expect from the upcoming ‘Ocarina of Time' remake. Finally, they assess the N64's legacy and draft their favorite N64 games across several genres. Intro (0:00) Patch Notes (5:00) Mash or Pass?: 'Star Fox’ (27:23) Mash or Pass?: 'The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales’ (35:26) 'Ocarina of Time' remake predictions (38:41) N64 Draft (47:48) Outro (2:07:13) Host: Ben Lindbergh Guests: Matt James, Steve Ahlman, and Rob Mahoney Producer: Devon Renaldo Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 22 · 1 hr 32 min
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Premiere Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Boys are back and they’re returning to Westeros! They give you all of their thoughts on the long-awaited Season 3 premiere and get into the pluck we’re already seeing this season. (0:00) Intro (8:01) Spoilers ahead (11:21) ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 premiere reactions (1:20:49) Outro Hosts: Van Lathan, Charles Holmes, Jomi Adeniran, and Steve Ahlman Producers: Aleya Zenieris and Devon Baroldi Additional Production Support: Arjuna Ramgopowell New 2k+ doorbells, coming to your front door Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Showing 41–56 of 56 episodes