TV Break: August 2025 - AppleTV Plus & HBO Emmys Domination; Paramount in Crisis; and Demon Slayer Season 1 Revisited

Welcome to TV Break, where Pop Break’s Podcasts Editor Alex Marcus is joined by editor-in-chief Bill Bodkin, and TV Columnist Josh Sarnecky to talk about the happenings in television.Here’s the format of the show:Newsbreak – This month, they discuss all the latest news swirling around Paramount as SkyDance’s merger goes into effect, including looming layoffs, strategic streaming pivots, Colbert’s firing, South Park’s revolt, and more.Streaming Wars – Alex, Bill, & Josh pick a streamer they think “won the month” based on new shows airing/upcoming shows announced etc. This month, everyone backed a different streamer, with Josh giving props to AppleTV Plus for its Emmy Nomination successes, including big support for Severance and The Studio, F1’s box office success, and the news that The Holiday is being rebooted for the service.Meanwhile, Bill handed his crown over to Netflix, thanks to the continued cultural dominance of KPop Demon Hunters, Stranger Things, and Happy Gilmore 2, and Alex celebrates the triumphant return of HBO Max.Anime Takeover – This month instead of highlighting current TV, the guys take a look back at a few anime series that hold a special place in each of their hearts. Episodes discussed include Digimon S1E39 “The Battle for Earth”, My Hero Academia S1E13 “In Each of Our Hearts”, and Demon Slayer S1E19 “Hinokami”. The episode ends with a more robust look back at Demon Slayer Season 1.