Tom's Top 3: February 3, 2026
There's Always Money In The Churro Stand
Hi everyone! Welcome to this week’s installment of Tom’s Top 3 Tuesdays, where I highlight three pieces of content (Podcasts/Shows/Songs/Articles/etc.) that I found interesting or noteworthy from the prior week.
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[TV Show] Marvel Entertainment - Wonder Man
Marvel didn’t do much to quell the “super hero content is dead” allegations in 2025. Instead, the year was full of forgetful projects. Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and Ironheart all failed to revive the Marvel machine.
Despite Marvel seemingly sweeping Wonder Man under the rug, the show has quietly impressed.
I loved the show, and it was a refreshing departure from the overly-plotted web weaving that has led to the Marvel fatigue since Endgame. Yes, one of the main characters has showed up in many Marvel movies, but it’s Ben Kingsley! He and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II work perfectly off each other, and it’s this dynamic that makes the show work, not super powers.
This is the first Marvel show in a while where I have happily clicked “Next Episode,” rather than begrudgingly letting the timer roll me into the next episode out of a sense of completist obligation.
Hopefully you enjoy it too.
[Podcast] The Town with Matthew Belloni - What Disney’s CEO Choice Reveals About Its Next Chapter
The game of thrones at the House of Mouse is finally over, for now. Bob Iger is stepping down in mid-March, with Josh D’Amaro beating out Dana Walden for the CEO spot at Disney. Walden was promoted to president and Chief Creative Officer. D’Amaro, head of Disney Experiences, is now the second parks guy to succeed Bob Iger (it did not go well the first time).
In this podcast, Matt Belloni and Rich Greenfield believe the decision foreshadows Disney’s strategy: doubling down on parks and experiences. If this were only a few years ago during the streaming boom, Walden would have likely been the top choice, but the money is in the parks these days.
Greenfield believes that D’Amaro should take a route similar to WBD, splitting up the company in two. Doing so would isolate the growth businesses from the dying linear business. D’Amaro could also invest further in gaming.
For now, time will tell if D’Amaro will try to make a splash when he takes the keys from Iger in March.
[Podcast] The Watch - Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn on the ‘Pluribus’ Season 1 Finale
It was a slow burn, but I finally made it through all 9 episodes of Pluribus’ first season.
It. Is. Well. Worth. It.
The show is awesome, Vince Gilligan has done it again, and Rhea Seehorn is the star she always was. In fact, Seehorn just won the Best Drama TV Actress award at the Golden Globes for her gripping performance.
Again, I just love any interview with Gilligan. He really seems like a mensch’s mensch.
The biggest surprise from the interview is that Gilligan confirmed that he and the writers of Breaking Bad did not have a plan for how they were going to “pay off” the pink teddy bear in Season 2 or the M60 machine gun in Walter White’s car in Season 5. They introduced those two objects in season premieres, not knowing how they were going to make it work in the story. Gilligan called this an act of hubris, saying he regretted the decision.
I think I speak for all Breaking Bad fans when I say thank you to Vince Gilligan for having a bit of hubris.
If you made it to this point, drop a comment to say hi. And as always, please like and consider sharing with a friend who you think would enjoy! I’ll be back next week. ✌️