Hiatus, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Take a Break.
A special message for the List Nerds.
After 5+ years without missing a scheduled episode (outside of when I went weekly to bi-weekly) and well over 200 pieces of content, it's time I took a bit of a break. This is not a decision that was easy to make, and I don't even know what this looks like, but I can confidently say that this is not the end of Force Five.
First off, I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who has listened over the years. The messages and emails warmed my heart every time, even if it was just to tell me that you disagreed with me or I made a mistake on a show, because it meant you listened and cared enough to reach out. A special thanks to those who have donated to the Patreon, some of you through both iterations. I feel a special sense of responsibility to you for your support.
Second, I wanted to explain my decision, but I'll start with this - everything is fine. Health is good (as far as I know), family is good. What it comes down to is that I've just kind of lost the spark to put my everything into the show and I don't want it to suffer because of it. I think this happens with most hobbies. Sourcing guests, watching movies, taking notes, writing intros and ads, editing, posting, and social media all take a lot of time and I don't enjoy some of that stuff (editing and social media, in particular). With my kid getting into sports and a home remodel taking up most of my time after my day job, it leaves little time for the show planning and prep and even less time for my other hobbies, which include trying to sell a screenplay.
I've always looked at this show as my creative outlet, but it might be time to switch that outlet up, even if it's just tweaking it. Transparently, I don't know what that looks like - I've been kicking around transitioning to YouTube, different types of videos (reviews, physical media stuff, etc.). I'm still figuring that out. I still plan on doing Top 5 lists too, I have some annual ones that I want to keep going, including my top 5 physical media releases of the year and top 5 films of 2025, I might just be expanding and contracting parts of my portfolio.
I've enjoyed making this show for you and I want to continue making things to put out into the world that get people excited about movies. If you're subscribed to Force Five on your podcast feeds, I'd ask that you stay subscribed - it costs you nothing and that way when I do post the next thing, you'll be notified.
Jason
