Screen Drafts - Podcast Rankings and reviews

This podcast has gotten me through endless commutes and long walks. The show introduction, banter, and rules recitations are usually just long enough for me to get to work so I can savor the actual game play on my commute home (I’m usually shouting the trivia answers to myself as I get to my office). It is the perfect way to discover films I’ve never heard of while also feeling the thrill of listening to people celebrate some of my familiar favorites. It’s a great release valve for high stress days, as you listen to people talking about art with such joy, insight, and humor while they take so seriously something that is fundamentally unserious.

Screen Drafts proves again and again to be an excellent source of film analysis and banter. I’ve always been a lover of cinema, and Screen Drafts has alerted me to films I might never have found otherwise. I appreciate a long-form podcast, and oh boy, can some of these episodes go on and on. You won’t even realize you’ve been listening for 5 hours and there’s still 90 minutes to go in the Planet Hollywood Mega Draft! The guest GMs are diverse, often hilarious, and many have their own film podcasts as well. You are equally likely to be appalled at a hot take #ghostrider and thrilled when your #1 makes it to the top of a list. #2023mega

There’s really nothing out there like Screen Drafts. That being said, like a rollercoaster it can be really great or really bad, and sometimes in the same show. Then, on certain episodes, you just want to get off the ride already, but you can’t. There are a few contrarian guests on Screen Drafts that make it almost unlistenable (BRB). You’ll know when you come across them. Aside from those episodes, this is a very fun, in-depth, silly, maddening, and at times insanely long (you can probably fast forward the first 20-25 minutes) podcast.

I’m adding making this podcast a drinking game. Every time the hosts Clay or Ryan say they haven’t seen a movie, take a drink. Actually, maybe don’t, you’ll be drunk pretty quick.

Clay and Ryan are great commishes! Very entertaining guest GM’s and fun topics. Come to Screen Drafts for the definitive top movies lists for any given topic!

Most shows have a preamble but this one really irks me. Instead of just launching into the game, we have to indulge in a lot of pre show “entertainment” that adds little to nothing. If this podcast just started the game right at the top, it would be a vast improvement. The game itself, been done before like on The Big Picture and Filmspotting but this one allows for guests to go on extended rants. Love the idea but sometimes the execution is sloppy depending on who is on and what the subject is. Has potential to be great but comes up short.