Zach & Tavie's Marvelous Adventure

About Zach & Tavie's Marvelous Adventure

Join Zach Woliner, a seasoned Marvel fan/expert, and Tavie Phillips, a relative newcomer to all things Marvel, as they take a journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as a result of Pedro Pascal being cast as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps, and aim to have her as caught up on things as possible before its debut (and ideally after that too). Plot is discussed, so this your SPOILER WARNING.

Publisher

Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips

Category

tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

22 Jul 2025

Latest episode

3 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

18 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   3 Sept 2026

   Episode 18 – Jessica Jones – Season 1

   Zach & Tavie dive back into the seedy underbelly of the Netflix side of the MCU’s New York City as they check out the darkest, most mature project to date, the first season of Jessica Jones.  Be warned now that some serious content is discussed in this one, details of which are mentioned early on. In this show, we follow the super-strong private investigator, Jessica Jones, as wonderfully brought to life by Krysten Ritter, previously of Breaking Bad & Don’t Trust The B In Apartment 23 fame.  She is doing what she can to get by while also dealing with PTSD imposed upon her by the truly awful Kilgrave, as brilliantly portrayed by David Tenant, as one of the truly worst of the worst super-villains in the MCU so far, even if lacking his comic-accurate purple skin. It’s got a strong female lead, tackling sensitive subjects, a same-sex relationship that’s not a cliché or stereotype, and of course some superheroic action along the way.  Unfortunately, it’s also got some fat-shaming and supporting characters that can come off as cartoonish caricatures, but nothing’s perfect. Beyond that, you’ll get more of Tavie’s NYC-based observations and fact-checking, spotting Broadway stars, not one but two connections to a non-Marvel piece of superhero TV that recently ended its run, Jessica stretching her voice acting skills, a truly AWFUL euphemism, that blah expression in slo-motion over and over, continued attempts to not directly refer to more prominent MCU superheroes, and maybe even a stray camera guy in there at a point. We also explore questions such as “How many terrible things can you remember Kilgrave making people do?”, “How awful is Hogarth?”, “Did they sound like Alvin & The Chipmunks?”, “Who is the best Scrooge McDuck?”, “Could Kilgrave defeat Thanos?”, and plenty of others. All of that, plus our usual SPOT THE STAN and MARVEL TRIVIA segments.  Of course, there’s no PENNY’S CORNER this time around, as the content of the show required a 100% no-Penny zone.  Maybe she can check it out when she ‘s older.  You, however, can tune in right now!  So, please do! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso Dedicated in loving memory of Fred Phillips

2. 

   6 Aug 2026

   Episode 17 – Ant-Man (with special guest Tom Scharpling)

   Zach & Tavie welcome their very special FIRST EVER GUEST, the host of The Best Show and national best-selling author, TOM SCHARPLING, to the show to discuss 2015’s Ant-Man starring Paul Rudd and directed by Peyton Reed. Without Tom, our two hosts would likely have never met. In an incredibly fun and funny installment, Tom discusses his friendship with Reed, how his visit to the set turned into filming a scene, and how that scene was unfortunately left on the cutting room floor. Tom also shares his history with Marvel comics and media, as well as insights from his perspective as a pro in the industry on choices made on the film, directors who probably influenced certain scenes in the movie, and just how accurate to the comics these films should be. Also explored are questions such as “What other Marvel property was Peyton set to direct at a point?”, “When was the Bronze Age of comics?”, “Why all the alliterative character names?”, “How did directing Bring It On prepare Peyton for making this film?”, “Why is HE in this?”, “What’s Weird Al got to do with anything?”, “How long does it take for Zach to read a book?”, “How do Slurpee cups figure in?” and plenty of others. All of this plus the usual segments of SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, and PENNY’S CORNER, as well as revisiting Zach & Tavie’s “secret origin”, Tom’s views on Marvel vs DC, Corey Stoll’s villain vibes, Zach’s chance encounter with Paul Rudd himself, how handsome and ageless Paul is, if he should have been a redhead in the film, tangents about Muppets, Star Wars, and Street Fighter, wrapping everything up with a sort of  mini-Best Show featuring an embarrassing story from Zach’s Comic-Con past, and SO MUCH MORE! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

3. 

   8 Jul 2026

   Episode 16 – Avengers: Age Of Ultron

   In this episode, Zach and Tavie discuss the second (and quite possibly least popular) Avengers film, Avengers: Age Of Ultron. Yes, the whole family is back together, facing off against James Spader’s Tony Stark-modeled evil robot, at least initially joined by the Maximoff twins previously teased in the Winter Soldier mid-credits tease, Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Quicksilver (though he is definitely never referred to as such within the film). Joss Whedon returns to direct this, bringing along his typical overly quippy dialogue, some other lines that are incredibly cringe-worthy, and a few obnoxious teases/fake-outs.  We’ve got plenty of setup for the MCU’s future, maybe to the film’s detriment, a family reveal as a substitute for genuine character development, more character origins tied to Tony Stark, the return of “Stellar Skateboard”, some eerie foreshadowing of Jeremy Renner’s real life injuries and treatment, another example of fish being put in danger, even while human lives are saved, a line teasing a future Avengers movie’s subtitle, a confusing mid-credits scene with Thanos, and plenty more! We explore the answers to such questions as “Exactly how long is an age?”, “Who’s Rebecca?”, “What were the sleeping arrangements at the farm?”, “Why all the extraneous lines in some character designs?”, “Why did they switch which arm is missing?”, “What happened to Betty Ross?”, “Is Steve Rogers getting progressively less blonde?”, and a plethora of others. All this, plus the usual segments of SPOT THE STAN (potentially Tavie’s favorite spotting yet), MARVEL TRIVIA, and PENNY’S CORNER, plus a whole lot more.  Join us as we tackle this team-up, heading into the finishing line of Phase 2. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

4. 

   13 May 2026

   Episode 15 – Daredevil – Season 1

   Zach and Tavie stay television-focused in this one, as they enter the Netflix era of the street-level superheroes of New York City, starting off with Daredevil.  Join Matt Murdock, lawyer by day and costumed vigilante by night, as he works alongside Foggy Nelson and Karen page to bring down the criminal empire of The Kingpin, Wilson Fisk, and his various associates.  This is different, however, in that they tackle A FULL SEASON of 13 episodes.  Brace yourselves, as this is a big one. It’s a darker, grittier side of the MCU, and until recently, its canon status to the larger established world was debatable.  There’s violence and adult language and material aplenty in this one, hyper-focused on the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen.  Still, there was plenty to discuss. Join our hosts as questions arise such as “How do they come up with these supervillain names?”, “Is scotch whiskey?”, “Is he using echo-location?”, “What non-Marvel comic characters does Daredevil share an origin with?”, “Is this show an example of a Surf Dracula situation?”, “Just what is a Black Sky?”,  “What does an MSNBC anchor have to do with all of this?”, “What’s the Police Academy connection?”, “What made Tavie’s jaw drop?”, “What made Zach look exasperated?”, “Which death got to Tavie the most?”, “Which character can’t Zach’s wife stand?”, “How DO you spell the name of the Jewish festival of lights?”, “Is that that same buoy sound effect AGAIN?”, and plenty of others. Plus, there is a SPOT THE STAN segment, albeit one a bit unusual compared to the average ones, as well as MARVEL TRIVIA that Zach specifically came up with, due to the lack of cards in his game.  However, there is no PENNY’S CORNER for this one, due to both the more mature material covered in the show, as well as her lack of real interest in seeing the whole season through.  All of that and so much more in this super-sized episode, so tune in! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

5. 

   26 Mar 2026

   Episode 14 – Agent Carter – Episodes 1 & 2

   We make our way back to the small screen and join Agent Peggy Carter in her continuing adventures since her well received One-Shot, which we previously discussed. Hayley Atwell is back, once more showing that even a lady in 1946 can kick butt and take names, joined by names and faces old and new. Speaking of which, we learn a little more about the back-story of Howard Stark and his similarities to his future son.  Plus we get the all-too-spooky introduction of a character who is familiar yet new, Edwin Jarvis.  This episode covers so much, including Peggy’s multiple disguises, more fighting sexism, Tavie’s fondness for automats, massive ice cubes, orbs galore, Zach’s story of “meeting” Hayley at a convention, discussion of the early days of the internet, The Captain America Adventure Program, Chad Michael Murray, A BIG MUPPET TANGENT, and so much else. Plus looking into questions like “What is Leviathan?”, “How does this fit in the timeline in regards to the One-Shot?”, “How does that typewriter work?”, “How does that lipstick work?”, “What made Tavie go all Leo meme?”, “Where have I heard that sound before?”, “Is that Sarah’s profession or just a judgment of her lifestyle?”, “Won’t someone think of the fish?”, and several others. Additionally, though we are lacking in a SPOT THE STAN segment (as well as MARVEL TRIVIA), we do spot character actors aplenty, including James Urbaniak. That and we do have a PENNY’S CORNER, so one out of three isn’t so bad. Tune in and take a trip back in time with Zach and Tavie and see what they thought of the first two episodes of this action-adventure spy thriller. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

6. 

   4 Mar 2026

   Episode 13 – Guardians Of The Galaxy

   In this exciting installment, we go full sci-fi travel to various worlds (complete with matching title cards) across the galaxy and meet its new guardians. That’s right, it’s Guardians Of The Galaxy! We meet the unlikely team of heroes in James Gunn’s entry point into the MCU, Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, and the immensely marketable pair of Rocket Raccoon and Groot, as they deal with the threat of Ronan and the new Infinity Stone that we’re introduced to. Of course, on that note, we get to get more of Thanos ever before, as the MCU begins to truly establish him as the big bad he is. It’s a film seemingly MADE for Tavie, combining her fondness for sci-fi and her upbringing in the same era that young Peter grew up in while still on Earth.  It’s got a killer soundtrack, an early dual role in the MCU from an actor, Quill giving out Starkesque nicknames, a couple of “strong, butt-kicking women”, a moment ripped from Dragon Ball Z, unusual accent choices (in Tavie’s opinion), and the least likable Chris (who should definitely not have voiced Mario or Garfield, let alone both). Plus we dive into questions such as “Is there such a thing as a ‘nepo brother’ (also known as being ‘Clint Howarded’)? “, “What name did Tavie think was dumb?”, “What else was in the Collector’s cases?”, “What made Tavie tear up?”, “What made Tavie burst out laughing?”, “What’s Zach’s favorite type of Milano cookie?”, “Can you say ‘What a waste of Lee Pace’s face’ three times fast?”, “Do these characters have phone numbers?”, and plenty of others. All of this, our usual segments of SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, and PENNY’S CORNER, and SO MUCH MORE!  Come and join us for an interstellar adventure to remember with this found family of misfits and other colorful characters from outer space! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

7. 

   11 Feb 2026

   Episode 12 – Special The Fantastic Four: First Steps Check-In

   It’s finally here!  The whole reason for this podcast’s existence!  To celebrate, Zach and Tavie recorded a special check-in before and after they each saw Pedro Pascal’s Marvel debut, The Fantastic Four: First Steps.  It’s Tavie’s very first Marvel Studios theatrical viewing experience!  How exciting! While a shorter installment than usual, lacking the regular segments of SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, and PENNY’S CORNER, it’s still a very fun one, going over anticipation levels, cast, style, overall enjoyment, ties to the greater multiverse, as well as comparisons to the source material and prior live-action attempts at bringing Marvel’s First Family to life. What did Tavie think?  How was Pedro in the role?  Should it have been an origin story?  Was that cartoon real?  What was The Thing’s catch-phrase, again?  How will they tie in to the bigger picture of the MCU?  Has the Silver Surfer always been a lady?  Who’s Dr. Doom?  What was the name of the launch bay? All of this and plenty more in this culmination of our reason for being (until we actually do a full proper episode of it, down the line), being posted just days from the anniversary of learning Pedro would be in it, kicking off the chain of events that led us here. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

8. 

   22 Jan 2026

   Episode 11 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier

   It’s the second entry in the Captain America film series and one of the most highly-regarded films of the entire MCU, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The Russo brothers’ inaugural installment within this shared universe brings some great espionage thriller vibes, not to mention some great shield action (as well as plenty of SHIELD action). We join a post-Avengers Steve Rogers as he continues to find his way in the modern world as a man out of time, now working alongside Nick Fury and SHIELD, Natasha Romanoff (aka The Black Widow), and new friend and partner, Sam Wilson (aka The Falcon). Cap doesn’t always toe the line, however, questioning some of Fury’s methods, as they all soon become confronted with the Hydra rot from within and face off against the deadly and mysterious titular Winter Soldier. Join Zach & Tavie in their longest episode yet, with some fun discussion on this well-regarded superhero action film, including noting the male and female leads paired without forced romantic interest, the return of Bucky (as spoiled by Tavie’s co-workers), a betrayal from a character we were getting to know and live, not one, but two female characters in disguise, a new appearance from Senator Garry Schandling (as Tavie calls him), and perhaps the dumbest trivia card ever, and not just from within the podcast itself. All of this and exploring questions like “Is it called The River Potomac?”, “What does the J in Fury’s name stand for?”,  “Is that Gary Sinise?”, “Did Tavie spoil herself?”, “Could someone really shoot their arm through two straps on a shield as it shop up in mid-air?”, “What film criticism phrase does Zach hate?”, “Does anyone stay dead?”, “How could Zora’s algorithm ever predict that character’s life path?”, “Would Tavie’s dad be a threat to Hydra?”, “How did he know to stand right there in the road?”, “How did he get the shield back?”, and plenty of others. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without the standard segments of SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, and PENNY’S CORNER.  For all of that and a whole lot more to this exciting episode! *Yes, I know Spider-Man is a male character and that it’s Ezekiel 25:17. Slip-ups happen. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

9. 

   6 Dec 2025

   Episode 10 – Marvel One-Shots

   We are back with our VERY SPECIAL MILESTONE TENTH EPISODE! Aside from just hitting that number, it’s also special in that this is not about a movie nor a television series, but a selection of the MARVEL ONE-SHOTS! For those not in the know, these were short films included as home video bonus features to flesh out some of the gaps in the MCU continuity that wouldn’t fit into another media format. We’ve got The Consultant, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Thor’s Hammer, Item 47, Agent Carter (not to be confused with her later series which this was clearly a test run for), and All Hail The King.  We’ll see a whole bunch of agents throughout the majority of it, between Carter and her strong female empowerment, plenty of Coulson and Sitwell and their antics, as well as a few others.  Of course, it’s not complete without an out-of-work actor/former villain fakeout.  Plus, there are fun cameos and even a few of Marvel’s trademark post-credit scenes! We explore questions such as “Who was the consultant, again?”, “Just how good of a patsy IS Sitwell?”, “What’s Sondheim got to do with this?”,  “How could the robbers be so dumb?”,  “Should Tavie check out Billy Madison?”, “Who or what is Zodiac?”,  “Exactly when were bikinis invented?”, “Should you really ever trust the AI overview?” (Spoiler Alert: NO), “Where do we know these actors from?” “What’s all this Mike Post stuff about?”, “What major 1980’s franchises for boys did Zach not get into as a kid?”, and plenty of others. Of course, with these not being the traditional TV or film productions, we have neither our usual SPOT THE STAN nor MARVEL TRIVIA segments.  However, we make up for it with not one, two, three, or even four, but FIVE INDIVIDUAL PENNY’S CORNERS!  Yes, our go-to girl was able to pick up on some fun little tidbits for each and every one, regardless of their (quite varying) run-times.  All this, a song from The Cars, and so much more! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

10. 

    5 Nov 2025

    Episode 9 – Thor: The Dark World

    We are back with an all-new episode covering the first character to get a solo film sequel since Iron Man with Thor: The Dark World! In this new entry of the thunder god’s (but not really, as the film makes sure to hammer in) saga, we see him coming up against Malekith and the Dark Elves from the titular Dark World (seemingly the same place as Svartalfeim, accompanied by that truly cursed Algrim. During the course of events, Thor even teams up with Loki at a point, much to the dismay of The Warriors Three, as well as Lady Sif, who ever-so-briefly seems to be part of a potential love triangle, but other than that doesn’t get much to do. Meanwhile, Frigga gets MORE to do than before, even getting in on the action. This film also properly introduces us to the Infinity Stones, the MacGuffins that a decade plus of films was built around, including the not-really-a-stone Aether (or “Creepy Dark Energy”) that drives this movie, infecting Jane but also somehow empowering Malekith. There’s also more of Darcy doing her whole Darcy thing and a new direction for Dr. Erik Selvig. We also try to answer questions such as “Has Tavie’s opinion changed on Chris Hemsworth at all?”, “How DO you pronounce Thor’s mother’s name?”, “Are The Warriors Three part of the original mythology?”, “What’s Zachary Levi doing here?”, Where was Thor before he showed up mid-battle?”,  “How’d that phone still have a signal?”, “Did nobody proofread these trivia cards?”, “Where are the other Avengers?” and plenty of others. All of that plus SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER and SO MUCH MORE!  Tune in to find out where we feel this one falls on the MCU film quality spectrum! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

11. 

    9 Oct 2025

    Episode 8 – Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Episodes 1 & 2

    In a very different episode, Zach & Tavie jump from the big screen to the small, as they take a look at the first television show set within the MCU (or is it?).  That’s right, COULSON LIVES!  It’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., with a fan favorite, a couple of cool cameos, and an otherwise brand new cast of (conventionally attractive) agents in their Buffy-esque team. Join seemingly resurrected Phil Coulson, along with agents Ward, May, Fitz, Simmons, their new hacker recruit, Skye, as well as new plain-clothes superhero, Mike Peterson, for some fun new adventures.  It’s even got flying cars, long after Howard Stark’s initial attempts at getting that going. Also, learn of ZACH & TAVIE’S SECRET ORIGIN (unless you already heard their interview on People Are The Enemy), as well as the origin for Zach’s overall Marvel fandom and his massive action figure collection. Additionally, explore such questions like “What is a Chitauri neuralink?”, “Why did that woman in lingerie have no reaction to the events unfolding in front of her?”, “Just how high WERE Romanoff’s marks?”, “Do clothing particles get absorbed into the bloodstream?”, “Who is behind The Rising Tide?”, “Why is Tony Stark still being considered a consultant?”, and several others. All of that, but also in differing from previous episodes, sadly no SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, or PENNY’S CORNER.  Don’t worry.  They’ll be back next time.  Until then, enjoy exploring the TV side of things with our hosts for the first (but certainly not the last) time! Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

12. 

    24 Sept 2025

    Episode 7 – Iron Man 3

    Zach & Tavie check out the apparent Christmas movie and final installment of the Iron Man trilogy, as well as the last traditionally numbered sequel for a solo character in the MCU, Iron Man 3! It’s very different from what came before, no longer directed by Jon Favreau, but taken on by Shane Black, where you can definitely pick up some Lethal Weapon vibes at times. It’s also got some narration and for some reason treats the story as if it concluded a completely stand-alone trilogy for Tony Stark, not in a greater shared universe. Join our hosts as they break down Tony’s largely armor-free personal journey, dealing with the villain of problematic origins, The Mandarin, and discuss the very divisive plot twist that split the fan community (as well as the odd choice of his way of speaking). We also meet Aldrich Killian of AIM and Maya Hansen, as well as the then-president of the MCU. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention Tony’s kid sidekick, Harley Keener, and their often-contentious relationship. It’s got more for Pepper to do, tackles mental health struggles like PTSD and panic attacks, more nicknames (for humans and armor suits alike), a very early and silent appearance from a Netflix star, connections to Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Hot Shots Part Deux, and Sonic The Hedgehog, plenty of Jingle Bells, “lava people”, and a start of a dismemberment trend for Phase 2. Plus addressing questions such as “What is Yinsen’s first name?”, “What’s up with the big rabbit?”, “Who did Tavie boo?”, “Should Tony have built in a way to charge armor suits via USB?”, “Why was Harley carrying that paper?”, “Exactly how fast did the armor fly?”, “What does it mean to regulate?”, “What was that ice fridge’s door made of?”, “What does Dana Carvey have to do with all of this?”, and plenty of others, as well. All of this and SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER, and SO MUCH MORE! Get ready to wrap everything up for Tony Stark in a neat little bow (until a few movies later, when he’s inevitably back in action) and enjoy this episode. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

13. 

    10 Sept 2025

    Episode 6 – The Avengers

    Zach & Tavie reach a major turning point in this special GIANT-SIZE installment of the show, discussing what everything thus far has been building to in the MCU at this point, 2012’s team-up film, The Avengers (or Avengers Assemble, depending on where you live in the world). It’s an exciting one with a lot to take in and go over, as we come to the conclusion of Phase 1. We take a dive into addressing the problematic elephant in the room with director and co-writer Joss Whedon and his one-liners a-plenty. There’s also a whole bunch of Zach’s nerdy nitpicks of all sorts. Not to mention going down an Alice In Wonderland rabbit hole (appropriately enough) at a point. Additionally, the DC universe gets some attention, and unfortunately even current politics and real world super-villains rear their ugly heads (though only ever so briefly, we promise). Plus nicknames old and new, from both Tavie and Tony Stark, trivia cards giving away details too soon, a new Bruce Banner, a farewell(?) to a familiar face, Zach using the phrase tête-à-tête, and the story of his close encounter with Whedon and Kevin Feige. Of course, we also get into questions such as “Where does it currently rank in the all-time box office list?”, “Why doesn’t this lineup match the original comic team?”, “Whose idea was it to put an eyeball stabby device in a movie kids would see?”, “What’s a Chitauri?”, “Can Tavie keep up with all of the characters?”, “Is that a Marvel superhero over Tavie’s shoulder?”, “How is this like a beloved Muppet holiday classic?”, “What can’t be fixed by a good clonk on the head?”, “Why was the Avenger Initiative scrapped?”, “Is it worth avenging a world that hadn’t been saved?”, and “Exactly what did Pepper whisper in Tony’s ear?”. All of this plus SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER and SO MUCH MORE! Maybe bring a bunch of friends together and fight each other before eventually teaming up to listen to this one. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

14. 

    3 Sept 2025

    Episode 5 – Captain America: The First Avenger

    Zach & Tavie are in for a whole bunch of firsts this time, including the first Marvel Studios Captain America film, the first film in the MCU to have a subtitle, starring the first character that was not a Stan Lee co-creation, “the first of many”, etc. It’s a classic action-adventure World War 2 period piece showing how the 98-pound weakling, Steve Rogers, was transformed into that example of peak human perfection, the super soldier called Captain America, as brought to life by former Johnny Storm, Chris Evans. Listen and hear Tavie’s personal connection to the time and location that a fair amount of the movie takes place in, where Evans lands on the Hollywood Chris charisma scale, more of her fun nicknames for actors, and just who her favorite character was. See another strong female lead in Agent Peggy Carter, as portrayed by Hayley Atwell, joined as well by Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Steve’s best friend, as they fight Hydra (as well as the less mentioned Nazis that they are a part of) as led by Hugo Weaving’s dastardly Red Skull. Also, explore questions like “What do comic superheroes have in common with a yellow family from Springfield?”, “What does Steve Rogers have in common with a Disney princess?”, “What does a super soldier have in common with a mermaid and a man-eating plant?”, “What does Tavie have in common with Tommy Lee Jones’ character?”, “Where were these trivia cards made?”, “Is it regime or regimen?”, “What makes a landmark?”, “What other work of fiction features a tesseract?”, “Why was Odin so trusting of the people of Norway?”, “Which former Pedro co-star makes an appearance?”,  “Who drinks milk with steak?”, and “Just how many connections to Indiana Jones are there?”. If you like seeing Nazis getting punched (and who doesn’t?), this might just be the one for you.  It’s got everything listed so far, as well as SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER, a classic Zach nerd-out, as SO MUCH MORE!  Slap some wings on your head and join us for the MCU’s introduction to everyone’s favorite star-spangled man with a plan! *I know it was Odin’s TREASURE room, and not throne room.  Not sure how that came out wrong multiple times.  Additionally, the one cameo may not have been one at all, as I could only find a single tweet indicating it, with no further validation online. Featuring a clip from “My Comic Shop DocumentARy”, courtesy of Anthony Desiato & Flat Squirrel Productions. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

15. 

    27 Aug 2025

    Episode 4 – Thor

    Zach & Tavie take a trip to other realms within their larger journey through the MCU, specifically focusing on Asgard, though plenty of time is also spent on Midgard (even if it is barely ever referred to as such in the film). That’s right, it’s time for Thor! The film AND the character! Also, Odin, Loki, Frigga, Sif, The Warriors Three (which is easier to remember than they’re individual names, which also only get mentioned so often), and earthly figures like Jane Foster, Dr. Erik Selvig, and the primary relief figure of Darcy. We get fun nicknames, including one borrowed from another movie-based podcast, a Dave Foley connection (beyond Tavie, herself), an early example of daddy issues in the MCU, another female lead who gets an onscreen upgrade from her comic book counterpart, a satellite(?), Adventures In Babysitting talk, another new soon-to-be-Avenger in a small role, a potential new segment for Zach, SHIELD getting into some questionable territory and a bunch of other fun stuff in this analysis of these characters who may or may not be gods. Plus, delve into some questions with us like “How should TV shows be handled in the future of the show?”, “What makes an acceptable fat suit?”, “How tall should one be to be considered a true Frost GIANT (or is it “Ice Gargoyle”?)?", “How does one ‘serve Maleficent’?”, “Is ‘coronated’ a word?”, “Just how old ARE Thor and Loki?”,  “How do the physics of that dirt mound work?”, “Couldn’t we ALL use a little Odinsleep every once in a while?”, and plenty of others. All of this and SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER and SO MUCH MORE! So tune in and see if Zach and Tavie found this to be a worthy entry in the MCU, even despite what one might think of Chris Hemsworth’s charisma level. If you like it, please subscribe and leave a nice review on your preferred podcast platform, and be sure to follow us at @ZachTavieMarvel on all of the major social media sites and apps. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

16. 

    20 Aug 2025

    Episode 3 – Iron Man 2

    Zach & Tavie return to the world of Tony Stark and his suits of armor in their very first sequel, Iron Man 2!  We get a recast Rhodey in Don Cheadle, more Nick Fury and world-building in the lead-up to The Avengers, a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice connection, Walt Disney vibes before Marvel was even owned by Disney, Garry Schandling, childhood cartoon reminiscing, and cameos-a-plenty from real world figures, including an unfortunate one that didn’t age so well (and could maybe use a disclaimer, in today’s media landscape?). We also address questions such as “Has Tony slipped into his old ways a bit?”, “What’s the difference between a cockatoo and a cockatiel?”, “How much effort was put into establishing Black Widow’s cover story for her undercover identity?”,  “How many ancient languages can you think of?”, “What’s one of the perks of being a director with a role in the film and a sexy lady co-star?”, “Should fan theories really be validated?”, and “What exactly was Tony doing up there before making his superhero landing entrance at the Expo?”. All of this plus SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, PENNY’S CORNER, and SO MUCH MORE!  Join us on our continued journey, exploring the MCU from the beginning, once again experiencing the charisma of Robert Downey Jr. in this second solo entry to the whole greater mega-franchise If you like it, please subscribe and leave a nice review on your preferred podcast platform, and be sure to follow us at @ZachTavieMarvel on all of the major social media sites and apps. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

17. 

    13 Aug 2025

    Episode 2 – The Incredible Hulk

    Zach is joined once again by Tavie, as she decided that (at least so far) this journey was worth continuing. In this second installment, they take on 2008’s Incredible Hulk, featuring the first and last time Edward Norton would feature as the titular role’s human alter ego. Additionally, we meet several characters that we won’t see again for quite some time, some longer than others. Plus, an Iron Man addendum and answering questions like “Is this a requel?”, “What’s a requel?”, “How many allusions to the 1970s television show are featured?”, “What ties this film to a celebrated Christmas classic?”, “How do you pronounce ‘integral’?”, “Is the color-coding a little TOO overt?”, “Does changing the comics to match live action media actually bring in new readers?”, and most importantly of all, “Did Tavie find this film watchable?”. All of that, as well character code-name call-outs, hints of things to come, SPOT THE STAN (as well as a few other cameos), PENNY’S CORNER, and so much more! Sadly no MARVEL TRIVIA in this one, as the card game left it out, likely due to this film being distributed by Universal. Either that or its status as an oft-forgotten entry into the MCU canon. Join us for this fun chat about everyone’s favorite big, green rage monster with the stretchiest pants imaginable!  If you like it, please subscribe and leave a nice review on your preferred podcast platform, and be sure to follow us at @ZachTavieMarvel on all of the major social media sites and apps. Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

18. 

    22 Jul 2025

    Episode 1 – Iron Man

    Welcome to the first installment of ZACH & TAVIE'S MARVELOUS ADVENTURE! Join Zach Woliner, a seasoned Marvel fan and expert, as he guides Tavie Phillips, a relative newcomer to all things Marvel, on a journey through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, based on her fandom of all things Pedro Pascal, his being cast as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four: First Steps, and trying to get as caught up as possible prior to its release. This episode starts things off where it all began, with 2008's Iron Man, directed by Jon Favreau and starring Robert Downey Jr. Did Tavie find it watchable, and if so, at what point? How was she aware of Clark Gregg's ties to SHIELD already? Which few projects had she already seen prior to this? Are bald, goateed industrialists always suspect? What's the deal with sky beams? Which major reveals did Zach have spoiled for him (and not just when it comes to Marvel)? Find out by tuning in! All of that, plus exciting segments like SPOT THE STAN, MARVEL TRIVIA, & PENNY'S CORNER, not to mention Tavie's introduction to post-credits scenes live on the show, AND SO MUCH MORE! Plot is thoroughly discussed, so here is your *SPOILER WARNING*. Please join us for this fun and educational new endeavor! We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we did making it. *Yes, I know Superman was created in Cleveland, not Chicago, and I accidentally said "Obadiah Stone" at a point. We're just getting started and will aim to avoid such mistakes in the future. :-) Produced & co-hosted by Zach Woliner & Tavie Phillips Featuring Penny Woliner Edited by Zach Woliner Theme music by Luis Humanoide Cover art by Chris Giarrusso

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Contact Zach & Tavie's Marvelous Adventure

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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