What’s there to say about the 5s? Well…we have a whole lot. We are exploring the past 6 decades of years ending in 5s including a very hot Christopher Plummer tearing up the Nazi flag, video games, an iconic Sweet Valley High reference for the ages, celebrity gossip, and more. Did we cover everything? Of course not. But these were the things and events that were important to us, and we can’t wait to share them with you.
This week, we’re very grateful for Diane Keaton and The First Wives Club (1996). What a movie! An absolutely stacked cast, starting with our favorite ladies Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler. We chat the sudden hunkiness of Dan Hedaya (aka Cher’s dad on Clueless), Leslie Gore’s iconic “You Don’t Own Me”, and the reasons why this movie is such a classic Girl Sleepover Joint. Plus, the Spice Girls-ification of our lives, and Kaycee learns some surprising new facts about Ashley. This movie is an important part of our lives, and we can’t wait to share it with you, too!
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We’re having a major Keat Down over Diane Keaton in the month of Dianovember…and we’re starting with the often overlooked film Baby Boom (1987). What’s a high-powered businesswoman to do when she’s suddenly put in charge of a baby? Diane Keaton delivers all the best laughs and typical breakdowns as she moves from her high-rise NYC apartment to a farm in small-town Vermont, and meets the very hot and maddening Dr. Cooper, all while trying to find her way in this world. We talk the importance of the home and domesticity, the current branding of wife and motherhood as conservative, and the new ways we saw this movie as thirty something year olds. Plus, we try to explore why in the world a young Ashley would be so into movies marketed for 40 year old divorced women, and the way Diane Keaton was a big part of our early friendship as thirteen year olds.
Back in elementary school classrooms on late October days, we (and so many others) were being scared silly by the works of Alvin Schwartz…and now we’re digging into why.
From “The Green Ribbon” to “The Hook,” we’re revisiting Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and In a Dark, Dark Room, iconic horror collections that terrified an entire generation. We’re breaking down the stories that haunted us for years, potentially scarred us for life, and secretly taught us about fear, control, and the patriarchy.
Grab your flashlight and your drink, because we’re talking folklore, fear, and the freaky genius (and fastidious research) of children’s author Alvin Schwartz.
For this episode’s sources & further reading, plus other nostalgia, check out Kaycee on Substack: Paperback Retrospective.
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In this house, we love flawed, kind of evil female characters.
And that’s why this film is so complicated for us. Don’t just stand there with your 22 year old skin and tits like rocks, and help us figure out this movie! Bottoms up, we’re watching Death Becomes Her (1992) to kick off the Halloween season.
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For supplementary reading on this episode and other nostalgia, follow Kaycee on Substack: Paperback Retrospective
We grew up glued to the TV, and nothing stuck with us quite like the theme songs of our favorite childhood TV shows. But what really makes a great one?
This week on the pod, we’re putting 16 iconic intros head-to-head in the Ultimate TV Theme Song Bracket. From 90s TV sitcom favorites to retro classic cartoons, guest (and husband of the pod) Ryan joins us as official Brackateer to help crown the greatest TV theme song of all time.
The contenders:
Friends · Scrubs · X-Men: The Animated Series · Hey Arnold · Step By Step · The OC · Cheers · Doug · Fresh Prince of Bel-Air · The Brady Bunch · Tiny Toon Adventures · Muppet Babies · Sister Sister · Gilligan’s Island · The Nanny · The Jeffersons
Follow us on Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
For supplementary reading on this episode and other nostalgia, follow Kaycee on Substack: Paperback Retrospective
She had style, she had flair, and in 1993, Fran Drescher brought the hilarious Fran Fine to our television sets (and our hearts) in The Nanny pilot episode.
In this week’s episode, we talk sitcoms, from favorite theme songs to sloppy nineties TV dads to the classic trope of misunderstandings.
We also share our own pitch for a reboot of The Nanny, wander into some Saturday Night Live tangents, and discuss the eternal uncoolness of rich people. Fashion, analysis, and more come together in this deep dive into one of the most iconic, funny, and stylish sitcoms of the nineties.
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For supplementary reading on this episode and other nostalgia, follow Kaycee on Substack: Paperback Retrospective
It was 1995, but the Bradys never left 1975…and that was how we got the satirical parody The Brady Bunch Movie.
In this week’s episode, we’re diving back into both the 70s and the 90s to talk about watching old sitcoms via Nick at Nite, being obsessed with The Monkees, and our forever love for Shelley Long.
Plus, Gary Cole…hot!?! Revelations, critical analysis, and more in this goofy blast from the past.
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2007... what a year. We were stepping into our senior year just as Gossip Girl premiered. Sidekicks, MySpace, and Angels and Airwaves, this was the moment when technology, pop culture, and teen drama collided.
We’re back in NYC this week to talk about the nostalgic trip that was the pilot episode of Gossip Girl…and the surprising ways it mirrors today’s pop culture landscape. A little B & S, a little Lonely Boy, and a whole lot of DRAMA. You know you love us.
Note: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, suicide, and eating disorders.
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Theme Music:
Ghost Riders - Vince McGill
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
In the year 2000, two girls who couldn’t pirouette to save their lives found their center…not on stage, but on the couch watching Center Stage.
On its 25th anniversary, we are headed back to the American Ballet Academy to talk about Center Stage’s incredible soundtrack, Cooper Nielsen being a total loser, and how our feelings about some of the main characters have definitely shifted over time.
Note: This episode touches on the film’s portrayal of eating disorders.
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Theme Music:
Ghost Riders - Vince McGill
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
Grease has always been the word, and this week we’re going back to Rydell High to relive one of the greatest movie musicals of all time.
We’re rating every song on the Grease Soundtrack, falling even harder in love with The Pink Ladies, and celebrating Rizzo as the beautifully complicated character she is (Stockard Channing, we love you!).
Join us as we rediscover what made Grease such a beloved classic of our childhoods, and explore what it still means to us now, through the lens of nostalgia, character analysis, and one unforgettable soundtrack.
Works Cited:
Ebiri, B. (2004, March 14). Beyond Miss Dee: Sandra Dee grows up. RogerEbert.com. https://www.rogerebert.com/interviews/beyond-miss-dee-sandra-dee-grows-up
Miller, J. (2016, January 30). The secrets behind Grease, the movie that took over the world. Vanity Fair. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/01/grease-movie-musical-john-travolta-olivia-newton-john
Theme Music:
Ghost Riders
Vince McGill
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/vince-mcgill/ghost-riders
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Welcome to Just the Sip, bonus episodes where the conversation continues on the topics we had much more to say about.
In this episode, Clinton Kelly and Stacy London are back with a whole new show to right the wrongs of their fashion faux pas of the past in Wear Whatever the F You Want, and we're more than ready.
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Theme Music:
Ghost Riders
Vince McGill
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
It was the early 2000s, and cable TV was abundant with reality makeover shows. In a suburban midwest basement, two teenage girls watched in awe as Stacy London and Clinton Kelly showed us how to be fashionable…or as fashionable as you could be in 2006, when What Not to Wear season 5 episode 3 “Jenny C” aired.
Nineteen years later, we’re headed back to the 360 mirror to talk about fashion, feud, and what does Futuristic Victorian Pin-Up style even mean.
Also in this episode: Carmindy and her signature taupe smokey eye, tailoring (and Tayloring), and a lot of guff about tweed slacks.
Note: This episode includes discussion of bodies and body image, as it’s hard to talk about fashion (especially from this era) without touching on those topics.
Works Cited:
Southard Ospina, M. (2019, August 13). Pin-up makeup allows fat babes to reclaim visibility, boldness & beauty. Refinery29. https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/plus-size-women-pin-up-makeup-meaning
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
Welcome to Just the Sip, bonus episodes where the conversation continues on the topics we had much more to say about.
Today, Kaycee and Ashley implore you to watch the new documentary Not Just A Goof because we cannot stop thinking, talking, or singing about this absolute treasure of a pop cultural classic.
Works Cited:
Parachute Express. “Doctor Looney’s Remedy.” 1998.
https://youtu.be/KJyR8U_1Ecw?si=GoaYNMnBnIw4jJdh
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
As it turns out, the world could use a little more Goof. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of A Goofy Movie, we’re diving deep into what makes this film truly unforgettable… through every stage of our lives. From our teenage basement years to the lines we still endlessly quote, we unpack our friendship lore, go (way too) deep on possums, and share our totally earnest love for this sweet father/son road trip film.
Also in this episode: Goofy as a surprising role model for masculinity and learning to see things I2I. Join us as we talk about a movie that plays a big part in our multiple decades long friendship, and making us who we are today.
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Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
This week, Kaycee has requested a dive into the ultimate retro YA paperback series, and Ashley is more than happy to oblige. We talked about Who’s Who (Sweet Valley High #62). Join us as we revisit the iconic twin sisters Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield.
The Best:
We find out our own fake dating names (and you can too below!)
Daniella Fromage and Magenta Galaxy. Need we say more?
Everything connects back to Degrassi.
The Worst:
Um, a mall dating service for teenagers? We had a lot to say about our own adventures on the computer dating scene as teens and the things we lied about on the internet. A/S/L?
Don’t forget to grab your drink and get ready for a wild ride through the pages of Sweet Valley High!
Find out your own dating persona names!
Daniella Fromage:
https://wheelofnames.com/ap7-63c
https://wheelofnames.com/zvd-g6y
Magenta Galaxy:
https://wheelofnames.com/e6m-nu6
https://wheelofnames.com/zdf-ac7
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
This week, we’re diving into The Parent Trap (1998), where the 90s twin trend, questionable parenting choices, and fashion perfection come together to make a truly iconic film.
The Best:
Hallie Parker serving the coolest of cool girl energy in her poker-playing sunglasses and claw clip.
Your best friend piercing your ears under questionable circumstances (we may have some experience in that area).
Chessy & Martin, the true romance of this film.
The Worst:
Nick Parker’s (Dennis Quaid) need to get married at record speed.
Parents who decide the best custody arrangement is literally splitting up their twins and never telling them the other existed.
And how much do we love a throwback set at a summer camp? The most. Tune in for all this and more!
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Bluesky: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
Retro Reads Book Club is back with another deep dive into our reading past, this time tackling the dark and twisted classic Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews. Many of us first stumbled upon this book by raiding our mom’s bookshelves or passing it between friends, drawn in by its scandalous reputation. Now, as adults, we’re peeling back the layers of its complex female characters and its sharp commentary on American puritanism and wealth. And of course, we can’t ignore the wildly tangled Foxworth family tree.
Discussion questions:
How do characters deal with the fear of becoming like their mothers, especially when they both love and hate them? Can they ever truly escape their mother's influence? How does the father’s belief that he can buy his way into heaven challenge the notion of spiritual purity? What commentary does this make on the intersection of money and morality? How does the pressure to embody innocence and purity, especially for the children in the story, affect their perceptions of themselves? How do these constructs influence their behavior and their understanding of love, worth, and morality in such a confined and damaging environment? What is it about Flowers in the Attic and V.C. Andrews that continues to endure after all this time?Follow Us
Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Bluesky: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
The hair. The skinny jeans. The band tees. And, of course, the music. This week, we’re cranking up the nostalgia with our perfectly curated Elder Emo Playlist, a love letter to the emo anthems that defined the 2000s. From the raw energy of Taking Back Sunday’s “Cute Without the E (Cut from the Team)” to the heart-wrenching ache of Dashboard Confessional’s “Screaming Infidelities,” we’re taking a stroll down emo memory lane…and we’re bringing you with us.
Note: I’m Not Okay (I Promise) was accidentally skipped when talking about our favorite emo songs (resulting in confusion in our track numbering process), but is thoroughly represented by this week’s themed mocktail. We apologize to Gerard Way and My Chemical Romance for any hurt this might have caused. We love you!
Also in this episode: Kaycee uncovers shocking new Ashley lore that may just shake the foundations of our friendship (yes, it’s that dramatic). A debate over the best emo song of all time. We dive into Post Secret and what…whatever happened to it?
Watch and listen to our Elder Emo Playlist here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLypCCjU0K9yumfthaYiASxyPLE1uxzUXv&si=MHdYTnXTnEDR4SLU
Grab your eyeliner, crank up the volume, and let’s scream our little emo hearts out together
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Bluesky: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
Free Download/Stream: https://get.slip.stream/4iFFGA
Say it three times: Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! This week, we’re diving into the wonderfully weird world of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice and its late-’80s/early ‘90s cartoon spin-off. From Lydia Deetz’s iconic goth-girl aesthetic to the unexpectedly charming chaos of season 2 episode 2’s “Spooky Boo-tique”, we’re celebrating the eerie brilliance that made this franchise a staple of our childhoods.
Also in this episode: The fashion of Lydia Deetz—Winona vs. cartoon version (and some great Halloween costume ideas since it’s never too early). Tim Burton as our, and many spooky girls around the world’s, Goth Dad. And a very questionable friendship between a 600 year old repulsive man and a 12 year old girl.
Plus, we’re spilling our childhood connections to Beetlejuice, from PBS show tie-ins to Kaycee’s pink emo hair days, and pondering our next fashion evolution…goth revival or caftan chic?
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Instagram: @nostalgicnightcaps
Bluesky: @nostalgicnightcaps
Credits
Theme Music: "Bromance Chronicles"
Music provided by https://Slip.stream
Free Download/Stream: https://get.slip.stream/4iFFGA