Director Watch Podcast Ep. 91 – ‘Angels in America’ (Mike Nichols, 2003)

Ryan McQuade March 25, 2025

Welcome to Director Watch! On this AwardsWatch podcast, co-hosts Ryan McQuade and Jay Ledbetter attempt to breakdown, analyze, and ultimately, get inside the mind of some of cinema’s greatest auteurs. In doing so, they will look at their filmographies, explore what drives them artistically and what makes their decision making process so fascinating. Add in a few silly tangents and a fun game at the end of the episode and you’ve got yourself a podcast we truly hope you love. On episode 91 of the Director Watch Podcast, the boys discuss a miniseries event for their Mike Nichols series, the multi-Emmy winning Angels in America (2003).

There were a lot of films and stage productions that made Mike Nichols the household name that he was in Hollywood, but when HBO’s Angels in America came out in the early 2000s, he introduced himself to a brand new audience with one of the most important pieces of television to ever be created. Following the lives of multiple individuals as they navigate life in 1980s New York City during the AIDS epidemic, Nichols examined the social, sexual, and religious implications of the deadly illness, and delivered a profound piece of art that remains just as vital today as it was back in 2003.

Led by an all-star Emmy-winning cast of Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Jeffrey Wright and Mary-Louise Parker, who swept all four main acting wins, Angels in America is a definitive achievement found within Nichols’ career and there was no way the boys were going to pass up the chance to talk about it. Ryan and Jay break down their thoughts on the six-hour television event, who they think gave the best performance, Nichols direction, what the show is trying to say about humans, AIDS, and forgiveness, and tease their upcoming series on the films of Elaine May.

You can listen to the Director Watch Podcast wherever you stream podcasts, from iTunes, iHeartRadio, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music and more.

This podcast runs 2h21m. The guys will be back next week with to begin their next movie series covering the films of Elaine May with a review of her first film, A New Leaf. You can rent it via iTunes and Amazon Prime rental in preparation for the next episode of Director Watch. Till then, let’s get into it.

Music: MUSICALIFE, from Pond5 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

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Ryan McQuade

Ryan McQuade is the AwardsWatch Executive Editor and a film-obsessed writer in San Antonio, Texas. Raised on musicals, westerns, and James Bond, his taste in cinema is extremely versatile. He’s extremely fond of independent releases and director’s passion projects. Engrossed with all things Oscars, he hosts the AwardsWatch Podcast. He also is co-host of the Director Watch podcast. When he’s not watching movies, he’s rooting on all his favorite sports teams, including his beloved Texas Longhorns. You can follow him on Twitter at @ryanmcquade77.

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