Episodes

Interview with Robert Hays: Part 1
May 11, 2026

Interview with Robert Hays: Part 1

This week, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast welcome a true legend—actor Robert Hays, the man who first delivered the immortal line that inspired the very name of the show: “Surely you can’t be serious....

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Daryl Hall and John Oates "Private Eyes" (1981): Track by Track!
May 4, 2026

Daryl Hall and John Oates "Private Eyes" (1981): Track by Track!

Jason and Dee wrap up their 3-part deep dive into the albums of 1981 with a look at one of the decade’s most hit-packed records — Private Eyes by Hall & Oates. In this final installment, the guys go track-by-track through the...

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Men at Work "Business As Usual" (1981): Track by Track!
April 27, 2026

Men at Work "Business As Usual" (1981): Track by Track!

Jason and Dee are back with Part 2 of their 3-part deep dive into the iconic albums of 1981, and this time they’re joined by special guest James Buckley to break down one of the decade’s most unexpected global smashes — Busin...

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J. Geils Band "Freeze Frame" (1981): Track by Track!
April 20, 2026

J. Geils Band "Freeze Frame" (1981): Track by Track!

On this episode of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious Podcast, Jason and Dee travel back to 1981 to break down the breakthrough album Freeze-Frame from Boston’s favorite party band, The J. Geils Band. Track by track, the guys di...

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"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 2
April 13, 2026

"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 2

Jason and Dee are back with Jill McCormick and Melissa Mingle for Part 2 of their deep-dive showdown between the final great teen films of John Hughes: Pretty in Pink vs. Some Kind of Wonderful.In this episode, the group turn...

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"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 1
April 6, 2026

"Pretty in Pink" (1986) vs. "Some Kind of Wonderful" (1987): Part 1

On this special two-part deep dive, Jason and Dee are joined by friends of the show and Patreon all-stars Jill McCormick and Melissa Mingle to tackle the final face-off of the classic John Hughes teen era: Pretty in Pink vs. ...

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Van Halen "5150" (1986): Track by Track!
March 30, 2026

Van Halen "5150" (1986): Track by Track!

Jason and Dee are back with another deep-dive episode of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, and this time they’re tackling one of the most pivotal albums in rock history — Van Halen’s 5150. Track by track, the guys brea...

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Van Halen "1984" (1984): Track by Track!
March 23, 2026

Van Halen "1984" (1984): Track by Track!

This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious Podcast, Jason and Dee plug into one of the biggest albums of the decade — 1984 by Van Halen. From the opening synth blast to the final notes, the guys break down every track and e...

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Top 5 Songs of 1986
March 16, 2026

Top 5 Songs of 1986

Jason and Dee take on what should be a simple task: ranking their Top 5 songs of 1986. Of course, there’s a twist. Thanks to past episodes and the upcoming podcast calendar, huge chunks of the year are completely off-limits—n...

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Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981): Track by Track!
March 9, 2026

Rush "Moving Pictures" (1981): Track by Track!

Jason and Dee roll out the red carpet for one of the most important rock albums of all time as they’re joined by Rush super fans Brad Moore and Tim Epp to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Moving Pictures. Together, they dive...

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REO Speedwagon "Hi Infidelity" (1980): Track by Track!
March 2, 2026

REO Speedwagon "Hi Infidelity" (1980): Track by Track!

Jason and Dee fire up the jukebox for one of the biggest albums of the MTV era as they welcome special guest Doug Gray, noted REO Speedwagon expert, to break down 1981’s chart-dominating blockbuster Hi Infidelity. Track by tr...

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Behind the scenes with the Surely Podcast
Feb. 23, 2026

Behind the scenes with the Surely Podcast

What really goes on behind the microphone? In this special crossover episode, Jeff Johnson steps in from the A Film Bypodcast to turn the tables on Jason and Dee, asking the questions listeners have always wondered about. How...

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Level 5: Defender! (1981) - The Game That Flipped Space Invaders Upside Down
Feb. 16, 2026

Level 5: Defender! (1981) - The Game That Flipped Space Invaders Upsi…

Defender! revolutionized arcade gaming in 1981 with its sideways-scrolling chaos and button-overload controls. In our series finale, we rank all five legendary 1981 games and reveal how we'd spend our last five quarters: Donk...

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Level 4: Ms. Pac-Man (1981) - College Kids vs. Gaming Giants
Feb. 9, 2026

Level 4: Ms. Pac-Man (1981) - College Kids vs. Gaming Giants

College students took on a video game empire—and won. Then they did the impossible: they improved the greatest game ever made. Hear how Ms. Pac-Man became the queen of 1981 arcades, outsmarted the ghost AI, and still looks am...

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Level 3: Frogger (1981) - The Untold Story Behind the Arcade Classic
Feb. 2, 2026

Level 3: Frogger (1981) - The Untold Story Behind the Arcade Classic

One young woman's courage changed video game history forever. Discover the secret origin of Frogger, explore every way to die (there are many!), hear the iconic music's story, and learn about a record-breaking high score that...

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Level 2: Galaga (1981) - How It Beat Space Invaders at Its Own Game
Jan. 26, 2026

Level 2: Galaga (1981) - How It Beat Space Invaders at Its Own Game

Galaga took everything Space Invaders started, added Galaxian's colors and sounds, and created a 1981 masterpiece. Discover behind-the-scenes secrets of this arcade legend, insider development stories, and why the Challenging...

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Level 1: Donkey Kong (1981) - The Popeye Game That Changed Nintendo Forever
Jan. 19, 2026

Level 1: Donkey Kong (1981) - The Popeye Game That Changed Nintendo F…

Donkey Kong almost starred Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Bluto. Learn the shocking origin story behind Nintendo's 1981 breakthrough hit: the near-fatal lawsuit, how Mario and Donkey Kong got their names, and why their lawyer became ...

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Level 0: The History of Video Games Before 1981 - Pong to Pac-Man
Jan. 12, 2026

Level 0: The History of Video Games Before 1981 - Pong to Pac-Man

Why was 1981 the greatest year in arcade gaming history? Before Jason and Dee dive into Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, Frogger, and Defender, discover the revolutionary games that paved the way. From Pong's simplicity to S...

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"The Breakfast Club" (1985) vs. "St. Elmo's fire" (1985): Part 2
Jan. 5, 2026

"The Breakfast Club" (1985) vs. "St. Elmo's fire" (1985): Part 2

The debate comes to a head. In Episode 2 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast finish their head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire. This time, the focus...

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The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. St. Elmo's Fire (1985): Part 1
Dec. 29, 2025

The Breakfast Club (1985) vs. St. Elmo's Fire (1985): Part 1

Two defining films. One generation. And a debate that still hasn’t cooled down. In Episode 1 of 2, Jason and Dee of the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast kick off a head-to-head breakdown of the iconic 1985 films The Breakf...

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Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 2 of 2
Dec. 23, 2025

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 2 of 2

The madness continues. In Part 2 of their deep dive into the now-infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, Jason and Dee of Surely You Can’t Be Serious are once again joined by the guys from the 30something Movie Podcast to finish ...

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Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 1 of 2
Dec. 21, 2025

Star Wars Holiday Special (1978): Part 1 of 2

What happens when a galaxy far, far away collides with late-1970s variety television and absolutely no one says no? In this very special (and possibly regrettable) episode of Surely You Can’t Be Serious, Jason and Dee are joi...

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No Doubt "Tragic Kingdom" (1995): Track by Track!
Dec. 15, 2025

No Doubt "Tragic Kingdom" (1995): Track by Track!

On this episode of Surely You Can’t Be Serious, Jason and Dee dive headfirst into one of the defining albums of the 1990s: No Doubt’s Tragic Kingdom. The guys trace the band’s painfully slow rise to fame — from the Orange Cou...

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Jewel "Pieces of You" (1995): Track by Track!
Dec. 8, 2025

Jewel "Pieces of You" (1995): Track by Track!

This week on the Surely You Can’t Be Serious podcast, Jason and Dee continue their 90s album trilogy by exploring the quiet, unconventional, and deeply heartfelt debut that turned a young Alaskan singer-songwriter into a glob...

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