Lazarus Episodes 1 "Goodbye Cruel World" and 2 "Life in the Fast Lane" | NYSQ

Your fellow nerds have started Lazarus on Max, a new anime from the creator of Cowboy Bebop! 

Lazarus (Japanese: LAZARUS ラザロ, Hepburn: Razaro) is an original anime television series produced by MAPPA and Sola Entertainment that was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe. The series premiered in Japan on TV Tokyo and its affiliates and in the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block in April 2025.

The series was announced by Adult Swim in July 2023, and is directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, most notable for directing the Cowboy Bebop anime television series. Chad Stahelski, who is notable for directing the John Wick film franchise, designed the action sequences. For music composition, the series features a score by jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, and producers, DJs, and musicians Bonobo and Floating Points. Animation for the series is done by MAPPA, while Sola Entertainment handles general production.

A teaser trailer for the series was shown at Adult Swim's "Toonami on the Green" panel at San Diego Comic-Con two days later on July 22. In July 2024, it was announced that the series would air in 2025.

In an interview conducted in October 2024, Watanabe said that the opioid crisis was one of the inspirations he had for creating the anime. He mentioned that the production team worked closely with Stahelski so they could be provided with fight scene choreographies and on how the team needed to recruit animators outside of Japan due to a lack of experienced animators they could recruit domestically for such sequences. In a November 2024 interview, Watanabe mentioned that he held the John Wick films in high regard on how the fight scenes were done.

In December 2024, a new visual was released along with the announcement that Kamasi Washington would compose the opening theme song "Vortex", while The Boo Radleys perform the ending theme song "Lazarus". "Dark Will Fall" performed by Bonobo featuring Jacob Lusk was used as an insert song at the beginning of the first episode.

In January 2025, it was announced that the series would broadcast in Japan beginning in April 2025 on TV Tokyo and its affiliates, accompanied by the release of a new visual. Adult Swim followed up with an announcement shortly thereafter on Instagram that the series would also air the same month on its network. In February 2025, it was announced the series would air on April 6, 2025, in near-simultaneous broadcasts in both Japan and the United States.

Each episode title is directly named after music albums, singles or extended plays from around the second half of the 20th century.

The Last of Us Season 2 finale "Convergence" Discussion | NYSQ Breakdowns

The season 2 finale of The Last of Us dropped last night and we have thoughts! So come join us! 

The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the series is set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and causes the collapse of society. It follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who travel across the United States in the first season, based on 2013's The Last of Us. In the second season, based on 2020's The Last of Us Part II, they have settled in Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Ellie's friends Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino).

Guest stars include Rutina Wesley as Tommy's wife Maria, while the first season features Nico Parker as Joel's daughter Sarah, Merle Dandridge as resistance leader Marlene, Anna Torv as Joel's partner Tess, Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard as brothers Henry and Sam, and Melanie Lynskey and Jeffrey Pierce as resistance leader Kathleen and her second-in-command Perry. The second season introduces Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, who seeks revenge against Joel, and Spencer Lord, Tati Gabrielle, Ariela Barer, and Danny Ramirez as her friends Owen, Nora, Mel, and Manny, respectively.

The first season was filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022, while the second season was filmed in British Columbia from February to August 2024. One of the most expensive television series, it is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, the Mighty Mint, and Word Games. Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the games, assisted Mazin with scriptwriting for the first season's nine episodes, joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote the second game, and Bo Shim for the second season's seven episodes. The score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed for the games, and David Fleming.

The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, writing, production design, direction, and score; several called it the best adaptation of a video game. It won several awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations. Across linear channels and HBO Max, the series premiere was watched by almost 40 million viewers within two months; the series averaged almost 32 million viewers per episode by May, and it became HBO's most watched debut season. The second season premiered on April 13, 2025, and a third season is in development.

Rogue One Retro Review | NYSQ Breakdowns

After finishing Andor Season 2, we decided to go back and watch Rogue One a Star Wars Story, like veryone else, and we have thoughts so come join the discussion! 

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards and written by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the first Star Wars anthology film and a prequel to Star Wars (1977).[a] It stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, Jiang Wen, and Forest Whitaker. Set a week before the events of Star Wars, Rogue One follows rebels who steal the schematics for the Galactic Empire's ultimate weapon, the Death Star. It details the Rebel Alliance's first effective victory against the Empire, as referenced in the Star Wars opening crawl.

John Knoll, who served as the visual effects supervisor of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, pitched Rogue One's story as an episode of the unproduced television series Star Wars: Underworld in 2003. He pitched it again as a film following Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012; Edwards was hired to direct in 2014. Edwards sought to differentiate Rogue One from previous Star Wars films and approach it as a war film, omitting the opening crawl and transitional screen wipes used in the main "Skywalker Saga" installments. Principal photography began at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, in early August 2015 and wrapped in February 2016. The film went through extensive reshoots in mid-2016. The score was composed by Michael Giacchino, rather than the Skywalker Saga composer John Williams. With an estimated production budget of $200–280.2 million, Rogue One is one of the most expensive films ever made.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story premiered in Los Angeles on December 10, 2016, and was theatrically released in the United States on December 16. It received positive reviews, with praise for its acting, story, visuals, musical score, cinematography, and darker tone than previous Star Wars films, but criticism for its pacing, characters, and digital recreations of the deceased actors Peter Cushing and Carrie Fisher. Rogue One grossed over $1 billion worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2016, and received two Academy Award nominations for Best Sound Mixing and Best Visual Effects. Andor, a prequel television series focused on Luna's character Cassian Andor, aired on the streaming service Disney+ for two seasons from 2022 to 2025.

The Last of Us E6 "The Price" Discussion | NYSQ Breakdowns

Episode 6 of the Last of US, "The Price", dropped last night and we have thoughts about the flashback episode so come join in the conversation. 

The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the series is set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and causes the collapse of society. It follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who travel across the United States in the first season, based on 2013's The Last of Us. In the second season, based on 2020's The Last of Us Part II, they have settled in Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Ellie's friends Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino).

Guest stars include Rutina Wesley as Tommy's wife Maria, while the first season features Nico Parker as Joel's daughter Sarah, Merle Dandridge as resistance leader Marlene, Anna Torv as Joel's partner Tess, Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard as brothers Henry and Sam, and Melanie Lynskey and Jeffrey Pierce as resistance leader Kathleen and her second-in-command Perry. The second season introduces Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, who seeks revenge against Joel, and Spencer Lord, Tati Gabrielle, Ariela Barer, and Danny Ramirez as her friends Owen, Nora, Mel, and Manny, respectively.

The first season was filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022, while the second season was filmed in British Columbia from February to August 2024. One of the most expensive television series, it is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, the Mighty Mint, and Word Games. Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the games, assisted Mazin with scriptwriting for the first season's nine episodes, joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote the second game, and Bo Shim for the second season's seven episodes. The score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed for the games, and David Fleming.

The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, writing, production design, direction, and score; several called it the best adaptation of a video game. It won several awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations. Across linear channels and HBO Max, the series premiere was watched by almost 40 million viewers within two months; the series averaged almost 32 million viewers per episode by May, and it became HBO's most watched debut season. The second season premiered on April 13, 2025, and a third season is in development.

Andor S2 Episodes 10, 11 & 12 & Superman and Ironheart Trailers | NYSQ Breakdowns

Andor is done and we have a lot to discuss so please join us to talk about the best Star Wars show to date and we got a new Superman trailer and we finally got an IronHeart trailer! 

Andor, also known as Star Wars: Andor and Andor: A Star Wars Story for its second season, is an American science fiction television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016), which in turn is a prequel to the original Star Wars film (1977). The series follows thief-turned-rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years that lead to the events of the two films, exploring how he becomes radicalized against the Galactic Empire and how the wider Rebel Alliance is formed.

Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor from Rogue One and serves as an executive producer. The series also stars Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O'Reilly, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, and Elizabeth Dulau. Lucasfilm announced a series focused on Andor in November 2018, with Luna attached and Stephen Schiff hired as showrunner. Schiff was replaced by Rogue One co-writer Gilroy as creator and showrunner in April 2020. Filming took place at Pinewood Studios in London and on location around the United Kingdom, with Neal Scanlan returning from Rogue One to provide practical effects. The first season, which tells a year of Andor's story when he first becomes a revolutionary, was filmed from November 2020 to September 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second season covers the next four years leading up to Rogue One, and was filmed from November 2022 to February 2024 with breaks and delays due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Nicholas Britell composed the series' original score.

Andor premiered on September 21, 2022, with the first three episodes of the first season. The other nine episodes of the season were released weekly through November 23. The first season received positive reviews as well as several accolades. It was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series. The second and final season premiered on April 22, 2025, and received widespread critical acclaim, with three episodes releasing weekly until May 13.

The Last of Us S2E5 and Peacemaker Season 2 Teaser Discussion | NYSQ Breakdowns

Episode 5 of season 2 of The Last of Us is out and your fellow nerds have thoughts, we also got a teaser trailer for Peacemaker season 2 so we have a lot to discuss so please join us! 

The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the series is set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform into zombie-like creatures and causes the collapse of society. It follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), who travel across the United States in the first season, based on 2013's The Last of Us. In the second season, based on 2020's The Last of Us Part II, they have settled in Jackson, Wyoming, with Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Ellie's friends Dina (Isabela Merced) and Jesse (Young Mazino).

Guest stars include Rutina Wesley as Tommy's wife Maria, while the first season features Nico Parker as Joel's daughter Sarah, Merle Dandridge as resistance leader Marlene, Anna Torv as Joel's partner Tess, Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Montreal Woodard as brothers Henry and Sam, and Melanie Lynskey and Jeffrey Pierce as resistance leader Kathleen and her second-in-command Perry. The second season introduces Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, who seeks revenge against Joel, and Spencer Lord, Tati Gabrielle, Ariela Barer, and Danny Ramirez as her friends Owen, Nora, Mel, and Manny, respectively.

The first season was filmed in Alberta from July 2021 to June 2022, while the second season was filmed in British Columbia from February to August 2024. One of the most expensive television series, it is a joint production by Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Naughty Dog, the Mighty Mint, and Word Games. Druckmann, who wrote and co-directed the games, assisted Mazin with scriptwriting for the first season's nine episodes, joined by Halley Gross, who co-wrote the second game, and Bo Shim for the second season's seven episodes. The score was composed by Gustavo Santaolalla, who composed for the games, and David Fleming.

The Last of Us premiered on January 15, 2023. It received acclaim from critics, who praised the performances, writing, production design, direction, and score; several called it the best adaptation of a video game. It won several awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations. Across linear channels and HBO Max, the series premiere was watched by almost 40 million viewers within two months; the series averaged almost 32 million viewers per episode by May, and it became HBO's most watched debut season. The second season premiered on April 13, 2025, and a third season is in development.

Andor S2 Episodes 7, 8 & 9 | NYSQ Breakdowns

The Ghorman Massacre Changes Everything | Andor Season 2 Episodes 7-9 Livestream Discussion

We're going live to break down episodes 7, 8, and 9 of Andor Season 2, and there's a lot to unpack. These episodes mark a major turning point for the series, with the Ghorman Massacre shaking the galaxy and pushing Cassian closer to the rebellion.

We'll be covering:
• The Ghorman Massacre and its fallout
• Syril's descent into the Empire's grip and Dedra's manipulation
• Cassian's emotional spiral after Bix and the chaos on Ghorman
• The formation of the Rebel Alliance on Yavin IV
• Mon Mothma's infamous speech against the Emperor 
• A possible first look at K-2SO? 

Andor Episodes 4, 5 and 6 and Thunderbolts* Discussion | NYSQ Breakdowns

We are halfway through season 2 of Andor and we have so much to talk about so get in here!!

Andor, also known as Star Wars: Andor and Andor: A Star Wars Story for its second season, is an American science fiction television series created by Tony Gilroy for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the Star Wars franchise and a prequel to the film Rogue One (2016), which in turn is a prequel to the original Star Wars film (1977). The series follows thief-turned-rebel spy Cassian Andor during the five years that lead to the events of the two films, exploring how he becomes radicalized against the Galactic Empire and how the wider Rebel Alliance is formed.

Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian Andor from Rogue One and serves as an executive producer. The series also stars Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O'Reilly, Adria Arjona, Kyle Soller, Denise Gough, Fiona Shaw, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, and Elizabeth Dulau. Lucasfilm announced a series focused on Andor in November 2018, with Luna attached and Stephen Schiff hired as showrunner. Schiff was replaced by Rogue One co-writer Gilroy as creator and showrunner in April 2020. Filming took place at Pinewood Studios in London and on location around the United Kingdom, with Neal Scanlan returning from Rogue One to provide practical effects. The first season, which tells a year of Andor's story when he first becomes a revolutionary, was filmed from November 2020 to September 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second season covers the next four years leading up to Rogue One, and was filmed from November 2022 to February 2024 with breaks and delays due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Nicholas Britell composed the series' original score.

Andor premiered on September 21, 2022, with the first three episodes of the first season. The other nine episodes of the season were released weekly through November 23. The first season received positive reviews as well as several accolades. It was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Drama Series. The second and final season premiered on April 22, 2025, and received widespread critical acclaim, with three episodes releasing weekly until May 13.

Thunderbolts At The Theater Review [Spoiler Free]

We are at the theater for Thunderbolts* and are sharing our spoiler free thoughts on the last movie of Phase 5.

Thunderbolts* is a 2025 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the team Thunderbolts. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Jake Schreier from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo, and stars an ensemble cast featuring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. In the film, a group of antiheroes are caught in a deadly trap and forced to work together on a dangerous mission.

Marvel Studios first teased the formation of a Thunderbolts team within the MCU in 2021. The film was revealed to be in development in June 2022, when Schreier and Pearson were attached. The main cast was revealed in September, with additional casting through early 2023. Lee Sung Jin joined to rewrite the script by March 2023, one of several creatives who returned to work with Schreier from the Netflix series Beef (2023–present). Production was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, causing some cast changes in early 2024. Calo joined by then for further rewrites. Filming took place from February to June 2024 at Trilith Studios and Atlanta Metro Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, and also on location in Utah and Kuala Lumpur.

Thunderbolts* premiered on April 22, 2025, at the Empire Leicester Square in London, England, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on May 2, as the final film of Phase Five of the MCU. The film received positive reviews from critics.