Description

Episode Summary:

Jaclynn jokes that the real reason we chose to cover Freakier Friday is because she was going to see it no matter what, but honestly we had a great time unpacking this box of "nostalgia cupcakes."

The entire episode and the film, itself, are also an active meditation on just how "meta" you can make a story without breaking the story's proverbial Easter eggs.

Once we got into it, we realized it's a story about empathy, grief, and growth, and on the technical story side, we had a serious discussion of when the rules of the world of a story matter and when they don't.

The episode's closing section, "Favorite Lines," is especially hilarious this week because this was one of the funniest films of the year.

CHAPTER TIME STAMPS & MUST-LISTEN MOMENTS:

00:00 - The Cold Open

00:21 - Why We Chose It, and Why Disney Made This Movie "Literally for Jaclynn"

01:44 - Old Guy Seeing The Film Alone In The Theater

02:40 - Robby Liked It?

03:11 - Jaclynn's Memory of the Original 2003 Film

04:50 - The Jane Goodall Theater Experience

07:46 - The Unkind Aging Jokes and Constant Yelling in the First Half

08:14 - Jamie Lee Curtis Deserves an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize

09:30 - The "Fantastic Four" Problem of Hitting Every Nostalgic Button

14:30 - Characters in Pain

17:30 - Real World Consequences of the Story & The Rules of the World

25:40 - The Almost Questionable Morality of the Story

28:00 - MUNA's Cameo

30:30 - Favorite Lines Sketch

31:40 - Favorite Lines

Key Credits & Facts: Freakier Friday (2025):

Director: Nisha Ganatra

Screenplay by: Jordan Weiss (Story by: Elyse Hollander, Jordan Weiss)

Based on: Freaky Friday by Mary Rodgers (1972)

Cinematography: Matthew Clark

Producers: Kristin Burr, Andrew Gunn, Jamie Lee Curtis

Cast (Returning): Jamie Lee Curtis (Tess Coleman), Lindsay Lohan (Anna Coleman), Mark Harmon (Ryan), Chad Michael Murray (Jake), Rosalind Chao (Mama P), Stephen Tobolowsky (Mr. Elton Bates), Christina Vidal Mitchell (Maddie), Haley Hudson (Peg)

Cast (New to Franchise): Julia Butters (Harper Coleman), Sophia Hammons (Lily Reyes), Manny Jacinto (Eric Reyes), Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Ella)

Notable Facts:

• Lohan's Return: The film marks Lindsay Lohan's first leading role in a wide theatrical release in 18 years.
• Curtis's Influence: The sequel was born out of Jamie Lee Curtis's own push to make the film after realizing the demand from fans while touring for the Halloween franchise.
• Casting Callbacks: Elaine Hendrix, who played the antagonist Meredith in The Parent Trap (1998), makes a cameo, reuniting her with Lindsay Lohan on screen.
• Box Office Success: The film achieved the biggest domestic opening for a live-action comedy in 2025.
• Veteran Comeback: It is Mark Harmon's first non-NCIS related role in a theatrically released film in over a decade.