No movie series travels in a straight line. And on Franchise Detours, host Robert Yaniz Jr. tracks the twists and turns of your favorite film series. Whether it’s the manic antics of The Naked Gun, the evolving continuity of X-Men, the horror-comedy balancing act of Child’s Play, or how Rocky transitioned into Creed, each episode digs into how these stories shift, grow, and sometimes completely reinvent themselves.
'Superman Returns' (feat. film critic Sara Michelle Fetters)
Just a year after Batman Begins relaunched the Caped Crusader back into Gotham's crime-ridden streets, Superman Returns flew into theaters, attempting to bridge the gap between Richard Donner’s Superman and the modern superhero era.
Starring Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel, the film honors Christopher Reeve’s legacy while paving its own path. Film critic Sara Michelle Fetters joins us to explore its ambitious vision, the risk of its nostalgia-fueled approach, and how it fits within Superman’s cinematic journey.
Join us as we bid farewell to the last son of Krypton with a Superman film like no other!
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6 Sept 2025
'Superman IV: The Quest for Peace' (feat. Dallin Curtis, The Film Fanatic)
For the penultimate stop on our Superman mega-series, Franchise Detours takes flight with 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
Christopher Reeve not only dons the cape once more but also contributes to the story this time around, though the result isn’t exactly what he had in mind.
Due largely to Cannon Films’ budget cuts, Reeve’s final flight became one of the most infamous superhero sequels ever made. Now we unpack why this well-intended effort fell so very flat.
Dallin Curtis, The Film Fanatic, joins us as we revisit perhaps the Man of Steel’s most controversial hour. Does The Quest for Peace deserve its reputation, or is there more to appreciate beneath the rubble?
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23 Aug 2025
'Supergirl' (feat. The Vern of Cinema Recall)
1984’s Supergirl attempted to expand the Superman cinematic universe with a new hero, fresh mythology, and a bold new direction. But did it live up to its promise?
On this episode of Franchise Detours, Robert Yaniz Jr. welcomes The Vern from Cinema Recall to discuss Helen Slater’s debut as Kara Zor-El, the film’s campy villain turn from Faye Dunaway, and where this underrated entry fits into the legacy of superhero cinema.
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Who has been a guest on Franchise Detours
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Jackson Smith
Dallin Curtis
Megan Kearns
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
65,828
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 78 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
96
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
77
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