Clutch Power – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

Clutch Power

Eric Crittenden

Leisure

News

Frequency: 1 episode/13d. Total Eps: 25

A Show about the Ways We Love LEGO. In-depth conversations about LEGO. Hosted by Emmy-nominated reporter Eric Crittenden.

Site

RSS

Apple

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
21/08/2026
#86
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
20/08/2026
#74
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
19/08/2026
#65
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
18/08/2026
#81
🇺🇸 USA - crafts
18/08/2026
#85
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
17/08/2026
#75
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
16/08/2026
#57
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
15/08/2026
#57
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
14/08/2026
#44
🇬🇧 Great Britain - crafts
13/08/2026
#56

Spotify

No recent rankings available

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Links found in episode descriptions and other podcasts that share them.

See all

https://clutchpower.substack.com/p/www.nihilore.com
23 shares
https://clutchpower.substack.com/p/clutchpower.substack.com
4 shares
https://clutchpower.substack.com
3 shares

https://www.youtube.com/@RRSlugger
2 shares
https://www.youtube.com/@slopesgameroom
1 share

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all

RSS feed quality

Good

Score global : 83%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Year

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

LEGO's Weird 90s Phase

Season 1 · Episode 1

Monday, October 6, 2025 • Duration 40:14

Look at any LEGO set from the 90s, and it'll be pretty weird. Unique pieces, insane printing, tech like fiber optics, light sensors, or electric motors...there is something incredibly special about this era of LEGO. Join me as I do a deep dive into the themes of the 90s, and explore what changed in the decades since.

Today's guest: the wonderful and inventive R. R. Slugger! Slugger's videos explore the lesser-known areas of LEGO with a sincerity that is not touched by nostalgia. A few of my favorite videos:

Please show Slugger some love! There aren't enough content creators like him.

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Bells
Without Fear They Flew
Alter Ego
Truth and Justification
Haven
Semantic Satiation
Our Monstrous Purpose

Read moreCollapse

Clutch Power FAQ

Season 1

Saturday, September 27, 2025 • Duration 09:21

Seven questions to help you learn more about Clutch Power, me, and my goals for the show. Think of this like a intro course!

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Alter Ego
This Time is Precious
Without Fear They Flew

Read moreCollapse

Clutch Power Trailer

Season 1

Friday, September 26, 2025 • Duration 02:48

Clutch Power is an NPR-style show about the ways we love LEGO. Each episode, Emmy-nominated reporter Eric Crittenden will take a deep-dive into one aspect of LEGO fandom, from the highs of LEGO Star Wars to the lows of Galidor.

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com)

Warmth

Read moreCollapse

Hooks and Hot Takes: LEGO Short Form Content

Season 1 · Episode 2

Monday, October 20, 2025 • Duration 34:01

LEGO on social media is represented by loud voices, sound effects, and hot takes. It can be easy to dismiss this stuff as clickbait, but an enormous amount of work goes into grabbing and keeping your attention. Join me as I take a look at the hooks and hot takes that make up LEGO short-form content.

Today's guest: the brilliant SamWyattBricks! Sam is the king of what he calls "hooks": the first five seconds of his videos are designed to catch your attention. His videos showcase an extraordinary creativity working within current trends. He tries to post a short every two days, so go check out his most recent stuff!

And spend six minutes watching his only long form video (to date). Sam says he wants to do more of these, and I really like the more lowkey vibe he gives with a longer runtime.

EVERY LEGO STAR WARS COMPLETE SAGA MINIFIGURES IN REAL LIFE!!!!

American Psychological Associate episode on shrinking attention spans: https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/attention-spans

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Haven
Everything You Say is a Lie
The Author Never Dies
Our Monstrous Purpose
We Are Already Dead
Alter Ego
Home

Read moreCollapse

The Great LEGO Spill of 1997

Season 1 · Episode 3

Monday, November 3, 2025 • Duration 41:03

In 1997, a giant wave hit a cargo ship, knocking 62 containers into the ocean. One of those containers held over four million LEGO pieces. It wasn't long after that the pieces began to wash up on the British shoreline. Even now, you can still find pieces from 28 years ago, which paint a stark picture of plastic waste, ocean currents, and human habits.

Today's guest: Tracey Williams of LEGO Lost at Sea! Tracey is a beachcomber, an activist, and an artist who uses LEGO and other plastic debris that washes up on shore to raise awareness about plastic consumption. Her Instagram page chronicles the LEGO found along the beaches, from the common flippers and flowers to the extremely rare octopi and black dragons.

Tracey is also the author of Adrift: The Curious Tale of LEGO Lost at Sea. This book is extremely poignant and effective with its message, not to mention contemplative and almost...peaceful? In a way. She selects certain poems and quotes that evoke the gentle roar of the ocean.

I know this episode explores a lot of difficult ideas. I felt very overwhelmed while editing this episode, so I want to link you to the resource that helped me: Gameplan: It’s time to beat plastic pollution.

Here's the link to the image of woman standing on beach full of plastic.

And here's Ted Danson speaking at a U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources subcommittee.

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore ():

LEGO and Minecraft: A Match Made in Heaven

Season 1 · Episode 4

Monday, November 17, 2025 • Duration 52:41

A lot of folks say LEGO Minecraft sets are ugly, too simplistic, and too blocky (I may or may not be one of them). But after giving it some thought and talking through my feelings, I came to realize: LEGO and Minecraft are kinda perfect for each other.

Today's guest: the very fun Cheesey Studios! Caleb has spent the last three years working on a giant LEGO Minecraft build, and his YouTube channel shows the entire process of the build: from its very humble beginnings to the behemoth it is today. His other videos are also a lot of fun: looking at modern LEGO sets, or diving back into themes from childhood. He is endlessly entertaining, and I am so happy I got to talk to him about LEGO and Minecraft!

Here are some of my favorite Cheesey Studio videos:

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Dead City
The Days That Flee By Without Any Mercy
The Dissolution of Collusion
Alter Ego
Garden
Broken in Two
Oblivious

Read moreCollapse

The Man Behind the Mask: Creating Bionicle

Season 1 · Episode 5

Monday, December 1, 2025 • Duration 45:15

Bionicle has a life of its own: defensive fans, deep lore, and a unique building system. But before all that, 25 years ago, Bionicle was a three-page concept in the hands of Alastair Swinnerton. And that’s when he helped to create something magical.

Two guests on today’s episode. First, Alastair Swinnerton: screenwriter, novelist, and co-creator of Bionicle. Alastair takes us back in time to his screenwriting “gang” that ran across the original Bionicle pitch: BoneHeads of Voodoo Island.

The second guest is Garrett O’Donnell of Atlanta Brick Co, one of the largest second-hand LEGO stores in the world. Garrett is an expert on all-things Bionicle, and in the Patreon bonus we explore the wild world of Bionicle mask collecting - from the most common masks to the rarest and most valuable.

This episode took a ton of work and collaboration and I’m so proud of it. It’s both goofy and heartfelt, just like Bionicle. This themes was such a huge part of my childhood and it was so much fun traveling back and time and reminiscing about days past.

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Alter Ego
Building Nest in the Ruins
Defective
Hearts and Minds
Behind the Mask
Creative Destruction

Read moreCollapse

When Did Minifigs Get So Complicated?

Season 1 · Episode 6

Monday, December 15, 2025 • Duration 40:29

Over 26 years, LEGO has put out over 1,700 Star Wars minifigs, ranging from classics like Darth Vader to deep cuts like Kithaba. But obscure or not, Blue Milk Figs collects them all, having one of the only complete LEGO Star Wars minifig collections, tucked away in a hidden, climate controlled room.

Today’s guest: Blue Milk Figs! Boasting a complete minifig collection, along with every Star Wars animal, big fig, creature, and droid, BMF is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to LEGO Star Wars. He can literally look at his wall and see how LEGO’s design trends have changed over the years, and he has such an expertise in not only LEGO collecting but also LEGO preservation.

If you’re looking to get into collecting LEGO Star Wars minifigs, a good first step is Bricklink, but you’ll want to supplement that with other online catalogs. They are ever-shifting and you can never claim one is “correct”.

My recommendations:

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Alter Ego
Phantasms
Climbers in the Dark
Hands Clasped at the End of the World
Katabasis
Man Alone Chimes the Hour

Read moreCollapse

LEGOTY 2025

Season 1

Monday, December 29, 2025 • Duration 55:52

In the video games industry, there’s a concept known as the Game of the Year (or GOTY). This is that, but for LEGO: proving scientifically, without a doubt, the very best LEGO set that came out in 2025.

But there’s more to it than just choosing the best set. I created several categories to discuss:

Best Minifig
Best Collectable Minifig
Best Polybag
Best Set Under $50
Best Gift with Purchase (GWP)
Best Original IP LEGO Set
Best Licensed LEGO Set

Today’s guest: Caleb from Cheesey Studios! He’s back! You might know Caleb from Episode 4 of Clutch Power: LEGO and Minecraft: A Match Made in Heaven or from his much, much more successful YouTube channel. Caleb is an absolute gem and a real LEGO nerd like me, and I had so much fun talking about the highs and lows of LEGO in 2025.

But Caleb isn’t the only guest! You’ll also hear from three other past and future Clutch Power guests.

Find episode notes and more at clutchpower.substack.com.

All music by Nihilore (www.nihilore.com):

Tricks
Untitled

Read moreCollapse

Just How Smart IS this Brick? (with Graham E. Hancock and Fairplay!)

Season 1 · Episode 7

Monday, January 12, 2026 • Duration 33:04

LEGO's new Smart Play System is very controversial. And everyone’s got an opinion. But I wanted to talk to some people with credibility - beyond just “adult LEGO fan”: someone who's actually USED the Smart Brick, and someone who's dedicated to children's well-being.

Two guests on today's episode!

First, Graham E. Hancock of Blocks Magazine! Graham was at CES in January when LEGO unveiled the Smart Brick, and he spoke to me about his initial impressions, and his excitement of the Smart Brick's potential.

If you haven't checked out Blocks Magazine before, it is absolutely worth your time. It is in-depth, beautifully designed, and just a treat for the uber LEGO nerd like myself.

I also spoke to Rachel Franz of Fairplay, a children's well-being advocacy group that works to "put kids' needs ahead of corporate greed". Rachel raised some fascinating points about the Smart Play System and LEGO's marketing and she's a wonderful counter-balance.

My goal with this episode is to give you multiple perspective on the Smart Brick. Right now it seems like every LEGO YouTuber is sharing their thoughts, though only a few have actually played with the brick.

A few who have:

And there are a few others out there as well.

I also want to link R. R. Slugger's great opinion piece on the Smart Brick. As always, Slugger always has well-thought-out opinions, and he shares a perspective different than most I've seen.

Clutch Power – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Clutch Power – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other50

Youtube69

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other50

Youtube69

Patreon1

Apple Podcasts

Spotify