Podcast Review: On The Screen

I’m always interested in what is on the screen, unless it’s some sort of creepy hokum!

On The Screen

The Gist

A member of The Criterion Cast Network of podcasts, On The Screen has been around for a little under a year. The regular hosts are James McCormick, Travis George, and Ryan Gallagher, although they are regularly joined by guests hosts. The format is a simple one, the hosts engage in a loose discussion of what films they have been watching recently. The episodes vary in length, anywhere from a half an hour to over two hours. The podcast also lacks a definite release schedule, new episodes pop up every now and again is the best release schedule I can provide.

Episodes Listened To

#11: Skyfall
#12
#13: The Best Films Of 2012

My Thoughts

At this point there is very little I can say about a podcast like On The Screen. My thoughts are echoed in my reviews for The Criterion Cast, Off The Shelf, and The Newsstand. Over time I have grown to really enjoy the time I spend with the guys from The Criterion Cast Network. That is the biggest compliment I can give Ryan Gallagher, Travis George, and James McCormick. I wasn’t super hot on them at first, but with every episode from all of their podcasts that I have listened to I grew to enjoy their way of discussing film more and more. On The Screen is no different, as I enjoyed every second that I spent with those three gentlemen, and some guests, discussing the films they had recently seen.

In the past I have written about how I’m not a huge fan of new releases. For that reason it takes a critic I like in order for me to care about a new release centered podcast. That’s why I make time for Mark Kermode And Simon Mayo’s Film Reviews week after week. As much as I enjoy all of the hosts of On The Screen, none of them fit the authoritative critic mold of Dr. Kermode. What makes their podcast worth coming back to week after week is that they don’t limit themselves to new releases. I enjoy their discussions a great deal, but if they focused on new releases only I know that my level of enjoyment would be significantly dampened. Luckily that is not a problem I have to deal with, as every episode of On The Screen offers up bite sized discussions of movies from every era and time in film.

Again, I apologize if I’m not saying a whole lot about On The Screen, or if I’m not saying anything I haven’t said in any of previous reviews of The Criterion Cast Network podcasts. But, I only have positive things to say about Misters Gallagher, George, and McCormick at this point. My vote is to subscribe to On The Screen, but that shouldn’t come as any kind of surprise. I’ve almost reviewed all of the films from The Criterion Cast Network, and regardless of what I think of any that are to come, On The Screen is further proof of how great The Criterion Cast Network is when it comes to film discussion.

The Bottom Line

Subscribe

Cheers,
Bill