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Our Mike Nichols 2000s miniseries continues with one of the director’s strangest career anomalies: Charlie Wilson’s War. Phil and Emily are joined by critic and writer Sonia Saraiya to unpack how Nichols, Aaron Sorkin, Tom Hanks, and Julia Roberts came together to make a political dramedy that feels breezy on the surface but carries enormous historical weight underneath.

The conversation digs into the true story behind the film Charlie Wilson, Joanne Herring, and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos and how their covert efforts armed Afghan fighters during the Soviet Afghan War. Phil breaks down the film’s compressed narrative and its reluctance to grapple with the long-term consequences of U.S. involvement, including the geopolitical chain reaction the movie only gestures toward. Sonia and Emily explore Sorkin’s ideology, the movie’s softened satire, and how the adaptation diverged from the darker, sharper script Nichols originally signed onto.

From Philip Seymour Hoffman’s electric performance to Nichols’ complicated, last-years-of-his-career filmmaking context, the episode traces how the movie became both an accessible studio comedy and a missed opportunity for deeper political reckoning. They also examine the infamous alternate ending, Nichols’ battle over the cut, and the creative tug-of-war between Hanks, Sorkin, and the studio.

Whether you’ve revisited Charlie Wilson’s War recently or haven’t thought about it since 2007, this episode highlights why the film is entertaining, frustrating, and uniquely revealing about the final chapter of Mike Nichols’ film career.

This week, we continue our Mike Nichols miniseries with a deep dive into Closer (2004), joined by Sean Fennessey of The Big Picture. It’s a film that captivated many of us in our early 20s only to unravel under rewatch with age, perspective, and healthier emotional boundaries.

We unpack why Closer once felt like “grown-up cinema,” how its theatrical origins shape its structure, and why its four leads Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen are all performing at maximum intensity inside a script that might not deserve them. From the infamous strip-club scene to the messy power dynamics, contradictions, and emotional violence embedded in Patrick Marber’s writing, we ask the question: does any of this actually work?

Sean brings insight into Nichols’ career, the film’s mid-2000s cultural footprint (including its unexpected influence on emo/screamo lyrics), and the era’s attempt to manufacture Jude Law into Hollywood’s next megastar. And yes, we talk about Damien Rice, the Oscars, and why Closer remains a fascinating artistic contradiction: a film full of great performances inside a story that collapses under scrutiny.

In the conclusion to their Mike Nichols miniseries, Phil and Emily welcome Joe Reid (Vulture, This Had Oscar Buzz) to unpack Angels in America: Part Two Perestroika.

The trio dives deep into how Nichols translated Tony Kushner’s monumental stage play into one of HBO’s most ambitious miniseries exploring its themes of prophecy, identity, queer resilience, and the intersection of politics and spirituality in 1980s America. They discuss the legacy of Angels as both a masterpiece of television and a cultural turning point for the medium itself, its sweeping performances from Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, and Mary-Louise Parker, and how Nichols closed out his career redefining prestige TV.

This episode caps a thoughtful look back at Nichols’ 2000s work, from Wit to Angels in America, examining how he brought cinematic intimacy to television storytelling.

This week on Podcast Like It’s The 2000s, Phil and Emily begin their deep dive into Mike Nichols’ monumental HBO miniseries, Angels in America with special guest Adam B. Vary (Variety).

Together, they unpack Tony Kushner’s sweeping adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize winning play, exploring how Nichols brought the AIDS crisis, politics, and spirituality to television with raw emotional power. From Meryl Streep’s transformative performance to Al Pacino’s chilling portrayal of Roy Cohn, the trio explores the artistry, ambition, and legacy of a project that redefined what prestige TV could be.

They also discuss how Angels in America marked the pinnacle of HBO’s early 2000s dominance, bridging the era between The Sopranos and Six Feet Under and setting the tone for the next two decades of prestige television.

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