Explore every episode of the podcast Anatomy of an Oscar
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010: BEST SCORE | 09 Aug 2026 | 01:33:15 | |
Get ready to hear the music, members of the jury! For this week's case, your detectives dive DEEP into the Best Original Score category from 2010. They examine how Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders collaborate on a very atmospheric work, what James Horner did with the sonic soundscape of Pandora, gab a lot about Sherlock Holmes, dig into Alexandre Desplat's Anderson collaborations, and generally get really heated about Michael Giacchino's Oscars history. You can follow the show @anatomyofanoscar on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky and @oscaranatomypod on Twitter and Letterboxd. | |||
| State of the Race: THE ODYSSEY | 24 Jul 2026 | 01:56:40 | |
So there's a movie that just came out. You may have heard of it. It's called The Odyssey. You probably saw it. It's pretty good and your hosts dig deep on the film, its themes, and its chances at this year's Oscars. They also dive deep on some other releases like The Invite and give a Top 10 of 2026 so far. You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on TikTok @oscaranatomy pod to keep up with the latest updates. | |||
| 2010: Episode 2-Best Costume Design | 17 Jul 2026 | 01:32:46 | |
We heard you like period pieces, members of the jury! For this week's case, your detectives go deep on the nominees for Best Costume Design of 2010. Sandy Powell is our winner and she is among our best to do period dress so she wins, but what about the other period outfits? Coco Before Chanel gets a nomination literally off its title, we LOVE Bright Star, and delve into the tragedies behind The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. And, finally... we ask what the hell is up with Nine. You can follow the show @anatomyofanoscar on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky and @oscaranatomypod on Twitter and Letterboxd. As always, we'd like to thank OliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2010: Episode 1-Best Director | 10 Jul 2026 | 01:34:53 | |
Welcome to the Era of the Ten, members of the jury! For this week's case, it is just Dean and Claire as they break down the 2010 race for Best Director! They get into how much they struggle with Precious even though Lee Daniels is doing good work, Ask the question "Did George Clooney actually direct Up In The Air?", declare Inglorious Basterds Tarantino's best, and examine all the crazy tabloid drama surrounding Bigelow and Cameron. All this and more for the new miniseries! You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod. As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| State of the Race: DISCLOSURE DAY | 02 Jul 2026 | 01:38:22 | |
Aliens are REAL, members of the jury! For this new BONUS episode, we're diving deep on Disclosure Day, as well as unpacking the HORROR BOOM of 2026. Obsession, Backrooms, the full nine yards! Thank you for bearing with us as I FINALLY get our audio under control. We will be back to a regular schedule soon! You can follow the show on Twitter and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod and on Instagram @anatomyofanoscar. | |||
| 1978 FINALE: Best Picture | 23 Jun 2026 | 01:18:24 | |
We've done it yet again, members of the jury! For the finale of our 1978 miniseries, we are digging yet again into the same nominees we've... kept talking about! Yep! Turns out The Turning Point still barely exists, the Goodbye Girl is fun, Dean still doesn't like Julia, Star Wars... is Star Wars and maybe Annie Hall SHOULD have won picture! You can follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter, TikTok, and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod. | |||
| 1978: Episode 4-Best Actress | 08 Jun 2026 | 01:00:51 | |
The Academy got it right, members of the jury! For this weeks trial, your detectives investigate the 1978 Oscars' Best Actress Race. Who *is* the Goodbye Girl? Did the double nom for The Turning Point rally do what they were hoping it would? Jane Fonda is here! But most important is Diane Keaton. You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod. You can follow your hosts' writing here: lightthescene.substack.com upsymaizy.substack.com beakerbarnes.substack.com As Always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| 1978: Episode 3-Best Sound | 29 May 2026 | 01:27:48 | |
Be ready to blast some eardrums, members of the jury! For this week's case, your detectives are investigating the wonderful and strange world of sound at the 1978 Oscars! There is talk about how the dance sequences in The Turning Point lead to interesting use of mixing, how you craft an underwater world with The Deep, and get BIG and LOUD with Close Encounters. There's a lot of Jawa noises but no noise more concerning than listening to Dean rant and rave about his love of Sorcerer for 20 minutes. You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod. You can find links to your hosts' work at: lightthescene.substack.com upsymaizy.substack.com beakerbarnes.substack.com | |||
| 1978: Episode 2-Best Costume Design | 22 May 2026 | 01:14:00 | |
Time to take your measurements, members of the jury! For this week's investigation your detectives are diving deep into the fascinating world of Best Costume Design of 1978! There are some true legends of the industry in this category doing some not amazing work. How does Julia translate the femininity of its characters through costumes? What's up with A Little Night Music just in general? Can we even consider the object that is The Other Side of Midnight when it both doesn't exist and is horrible? And, of course, STAR WARS!!! You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod. You can follow your detectives' writing at lightthescene.substack.com upsymaizy.substack.com beakerbarnes.substack.com As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| 1978-Episode 1: Best Director | 15 May 2026 | 02:08:58 | |
We're heading back to the 70s, members of the jury! For this week's inaugural case, your detectives are analyzing the Best Director nominees from the 1978 Oscars. How did Fred Zinnerman take his cultural cache to make Julia, a movie that is literally just great gowns? Herbert Ross directed two movies this year that are BOTH nominated for Best Picture? Spielberg's alien arrival epic clashes with another little movie about space (hint: It's Star Wars), and Annie Hall comes in with a surprise win! You can follow the show on Instagram and TikTok @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @oscaranatomypod. You can follow your detectives' newsletters at: lightthescene.substack.com upsymaizy.substack.com beakerbarnes.substack.com As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| State Of The Race: Michael and Project Hail Mary | 08 May 2026 | 01:21:20 | |
It's time to put on our prognosticator hats, members of the jury! For this special bonus episode, we're diving deep on two of the biggest releases of the year, Michael and Project Hail Mary. Your detectives discuss if they believe that either of those films have a chance at major Oscar glory. Project Hail Mary seems likely, but Michael seems like a real question mark as the race moves forward. Can Jafaar Jackson get this coveted nom? What about Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in Director? We shall see! You can follow Anatomy of an Oscar on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @OscarAnatomyPod. You can follow your hosts newsletters at- Dean: lightthescene.substack.com Claire: upsymaizy.substack.com Morgan: beakerbarnes.substack.com As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 1997 Episode 6: BEST PICTURE | 01 May 2026 | 01:45:04 | |
We are finally at the end, members of the jury! For the series finale of 1997 we are covering that hallowed category of Best Picture. We have a much more polite conversation about Jerry Maguire, talk about the importance of film festivals in particular this year, and unlock some new forms of understanding about The English Patient! We also announce our new series of bonus episodes and our next miniseries! You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter and Letterboxd @OscarAnatomyPod. You can follow your hosts' newsletters here: Dean: lightthescene.substack.com Claire: upsymaizy.substack.com Morgan: beakerbarnes.substack.com We'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 1997 Episode 5: Best Actor | 24 Apr 2026 | 01:33:44 | |
Call your agents, members of the jury! For this week's trial, your hosts are diving DEEP on Billy Bob Thornton, Woody Harrleson, Geoffrey Rush, Ralph Fiennes, and Tom Cruise in the case of Best Actor in 1997. What caused the sort of great explosion of Billy Bob Thornton? Does The People vs. Larry Flynt work as a movie? How does Geoffrey Rush, who's barely in a movie that has basically nothing to it, win against a pair of titans like Ralph Fiennes and Tom Cruise? Did we actually like Jerry Maguire? All this and more on this week's Anatomy of an Oscar! | |||
| 1997: Episode 4-Best Cinematography | 20 Apr 2026 | 01:02:54 | |
As we continue our investigation into what exactly happened with the 1997 Academy Awards, a new prime suspect emerges: A little musical called Evita! It's just Dean and Morgan this week members of the jury as they continue down the rabbit hole with Best Cinematography! They talk about vistas, geese, lens smudges, and Roger Deakins' Podcast. It's a bit of a wild one! You can follow our show on Instagram, TikTok ,and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod. We'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 1997: Episode 3-Score | 10 Apr 2026 | 01:16:15 | |
We're double-dipping this week, members of the jury! For this episode, your prosecutors are diving into the double sized categories for Original Score. That's right, the Oscars split score between dramatic and comedic for a while! It was... weird! There's a lot of movies here, and we don't particularly love any of the score options, but at least we get to reminisce about some childhood favorites, talk snubs, and have a wonderful digression about Hans Zimmer. You can follow the show on TikTok, Bluesky, and Instagram @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @Oscaranatomypod. As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 1997: Episode 2-Best Adapted Screenplay | 03 Apr 2026 | 01:53:05 | |
Welcome back to the stand, members of the jury! For this (slightly belated) case, we're diving into the nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay in 1997. What the hell happened with Sling Blade? Why was this not an absolute layup for The English Patient? Both play adaptations from this year are kind of weird and not good, but you know what is? Trainspotting. All this and more in this episode of Anatomy of an Oscar. You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod We'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 1997: Episode 1-Best Supporting Actress | 20 Mar 2026 | 01:23:10 | |
We're opening up a new case, members of the jury! For this investigation, we're looking back to the 1997 Academy Awards, covering the films of 1996. Hope you're ready to hear the words The English Patient a LOT. For this episode, we're looking to Best Supporting Actress. Juliette Binoche's surprise win, the absolute insanity that is The Mirror Has Two Faces, a pair of absolute snoozefests, and an incredible performance that may be category fraud abound! You can follow the show on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @OscarAnatomyPod. We'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| 2026: The Oscars Recap and Reactions! | 16 Mar 2026 | 01:10:17 | |
The season has come to a close, members of the jury! That's right, we are here to react and recap the 2026 Academy Awards for the final time. Your prosecutors share what they thought of the winners, how the show went, the surprises and upsets, and One Battle After Another's major wins across the board. We will be back to our regularly scheduled programming this upcoming Friday, but for now. Let's celebrate. You can follow the show @anatomyofanoscar on TikTok, Instagram, and Bluesky and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod. As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2026: Our Best Picture Predictions | 13 Mar 2026 | 01:18:51 | |
Time to lock in your picks, members of the jury! For this special bonus episode, your detectives are breaking down their picks for the 2026 Academy Awards! They dive deep into what they believe will and should win in every feature category this year. They talk about locks, toss-ups, potential upsets, and whether or not Sinners wave is real. Dean gets on a soapbox about Train Dreams, Morgan HATES KPop Demon Hunters, and Claire defends Varang. You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @OscarAnatomyPod. As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2018: Episode 5-Best Picture | 06 Mar 2026 | 03:11:03 | |
We are officially closing this case, members of the jury! For this episode, your prosecutors break down EVERY film nominated for Best Picture at the 2018 Oscars. They examine the release strategies, the narratives they had leading up to the Oscars, make a case for some and try to ignore others, discuss snubs and a few additional categories before they give their rankings. We then announce the future of the show going forward. You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod. As always, we'd like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2018: Episode 4: Best Adapted Screenplay | 20 Feb 2026 | 01:51:25 | |
We're adapting our own stories today, members of the jury! We are continuing our coverage of the 2018 Academy Awards by discussing Best Adapted Screenplay. Your council ponders what it means to have four of these films not be in Best Picture, how Call Me By Your Name is a peculiar winner, the merits of Mudbound, the split decision here about Logan, how The Disaster Artist is a bit of, well, a disaster, and that sometimes we should just let Aaron Sorkin have a little bit of fun! You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @oscaranatomypod. You can send us an email at anatomyofanoscar@gmail.com. We would like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2018 Episode 3: Best Actress | 06 Feb 2026 | 01:40:24 | |
We'd like every female member of the jury to please stand up! We are continuing our coverage of the 2018 Academy Awards by discussing Best Actress in a Leading Role. They ask important questions like "Does Sally Hawkins actually anchor The Shape of Water?" "What does it look like when Meryl isn't phoning it in?" and "Seriously what the hell were we thinking about with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri?" You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @OscarAnatomyPod. You can send us an email at anatomyofanoscar@gmail.com. We would like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music | |||
| 2018: Episode 2: Best Actor | 23 Jan 2026 | 01:34:38 | |
Welcome back to the stand, members of the jury! For this episode, your detectives are breaking down the clash of generations that is the Best Actor 2018 race. They dive deep into what happened when three legends over 55 duel against two up-and-comers in their 20s, why this category has historically been bad (and didn't change this year), and actors in fat suits. They also discuss what this may mean for the Oscar race in 2026. You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @OscarAnatomyPod. You can send us an email at anatomyofanoscar@gmail.com. We would like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||
| 2018: Episode 1: Best Director | 09 Jan 2026 | 01:57:58 | |
Welcome, people of the jury, to the inaugural episode of Anatomy of an Oscar! In this show, your hosts exhume the corpse of the 2018 Academy Awards and ask: Did the Academy get it right? For our first episode, we are diving headfirst into an exciting category: Best Director. What happens when five first-time nominees in this category go head- to-head? How are we able to contrast the three established names finally getting their industry recognition with two of the most exciting new voices in American film? What happened between the start of the season and nominations that bumped major players Martin McDonagh and Luca Guadagnino out of the race? And what does this year mean for the upcoming Oscars in 2026? all this and more in: Anatomy of an Oscar! You can follow the show on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesy @anatomyofanoscar and on Twitter @OscarAnatomyPod. You can send us an email at anatomyofanoscar@gmail.com. We would like to thank OlliePhresh for our theme music. | |||