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Episode 276: Screen Fast 2025, plus Wicked the Book

March 6, 2025

Lent is a season of fasting, which makes it a perfect time to participate in the Plugged In 2025 Screen Fast! The Plugged In team encourages you to look at your family's screen habits and see where you might be able to cut back. Paul Asay then speaks with Bob Hoose about the non-family-friendly book version of Wicked on which the popular musical is based.

 

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Read the full review:

·       Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

 

Sign Up for the 2025 Screen Fast:

·       Join us for the Plugged In Screen Fast!

 

The Plugged In Tech Guide

 

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1

How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family

 

Donate Now!

 

We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

 

If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.

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Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family: How to Navigate a Media-Saturated World--And Why We Should

How Do Christian Parents Keep Up with Their Children’s Screen Consumption? The expert media staff at Plugged In have compiled a must-read resource to help you understand the media your children consume. Years of researching and analyzing the latest media trends are compiled in Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family. Offering practical advice and strategies to help your children navigate the ever-changing landscape of pop culture, Becoming a Screen Savvy Family includes social media, music, streaming services, video games, movies, and more to help you dialogue with your children about the content that they are exposed to. The effects of technology and media consumption on children are far-reaching, impacting their mental health, sleep patterns, attention spans, and social skills. In Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family, you’ll learn - the effects on your children’s biology, behaviors, and beliefs; - traits of engaged parents, creating a game plan, and how to step in when needed; - how to screen those screens; and - practical strategies for limiting screen time and thinking critically about media. Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family will quickly become an essential tool to guide your family’s relationship with media and your child’s screen consumption.

Past Episodes

Every spring brings entertainment award season, which means it’s time for the Plugged In Movie Awards! The Plugged In team reveals their 2025 picks for last year’s movies in four different categories: Kids, Teens, Adults, and Christian. You’ll discover some great movies your family may enjoy together!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Out of My Mind ·       Juror #2 ·       Everything Everywhere All at Once ·       Deadpool and Wolverine ·       Nosferatu ·       Sing Sing   Check out the Plugged In Blog and the Plugged In Movie Award Categories: ·       Best Movies for Kids 2025 ·       Best Movies for Teens 2025 ·       Best Movies for Adults 2025 ·       Best Christian Movies 2025   The Plugged In Tech Guide Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
February 27, 2025
Biographical movies – also known as biopics – comprise a unique genre in the film industry. The Plugged In team looks at what makes these movies so compelling and how they sometimes take artistic liberties with the facts. Adam Holz then speaks with Paul Asay about the new based-on-a-true-story movie The Unbreakable Boy.   Click here to get your copy of the great Plugged In book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       A Beautiful Mind ·       Remember the Titans ·       Heroes ·       Better Man ·       Hidden Figures ·       The Imitation Game ·       Selma ·       Reagan ·       Oppenheimer ·       Bonhoeffer ·       Hamilton ·       Shazam ·       American Underdog ·       Wonder ·  The Unbreakable Boy   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
February 20, 2025
The beloved bear Paddington is back on the big screen—this time going to Peru! Paul Asay and Emily Tsiao give you a peek at this new movie. And between work, school, fun, and entertainment, your family probably spends a lot of time on screens. The Plugged In team looks at screen habits—both good and bad—and encourages you to consider joining Plugged In’s Screen Fast 2025. Get your copy of Plugged In’s helpful book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today! Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·        Paddington ·        Paddington 2 ·        Paddington in Peru   Check out the Plugged In Blog! ·        Live It Quiz: Technology Addiction Assessment ·        Screen Fast 2025 ·        Live It   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
February 13, 2025
Movies and the entertainment industry often portray intimacy in reckless and unbiblical ways. The Plugged In team discusses how Hollywood deals with sex and how you as a parent can springboard from that to teach the truth about God’s design. They then look at 2025’s upcoming video games and what your family needs to know about them.   Get your copy of Plugged In’s helpful book Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Civilization Revolution ·       Civilization Revolution 2 ·       Civilization Beyond Earth ·       Sid Meier’s Civilization VI ·       Civilization V ·       Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Rise and Fall ·       My Sims ·       Sims 2 ·       Sims 3 ·       Sims 4 ·       Sims Medieval ·       Grand Theft Auto IV ·       Grand Theft Auto V ·       Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City ·       Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ·       Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars ·       Fable ·       Fable II ·       Fable III ·       Fable: The Journey   Check out the Plugged In Blog! ·       Living in a Sims-ulation ·       GTA’s Nasty Hidden Hot Coffee is Back…Why Should Parents Care ·       Grand Theft Agony   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
February 6, 2025
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have released their award nominations for 2025. As we look toward Oscar time, the Plugged In team discusses the nominees and how they fare in family-friendliness. Adam Holz then talks with Bret Eckelberry about the new Christian-adjacent movie Green and Gold.   Connect with us!   www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Anora ·       The Brutalist ·       A Complete Unknown ·       Conclave ·       Dune: Part Two ·       Emilia Pérez ·       I’m Still Here ·       Nickel Boys ·       The Substance ·       Wicked: Part 1 ·       Green and Gold Check out the Plugged In blog! ·       The Plugged In Movie Awards 2025   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.  
January 30, 2025
TikTok, the short-form social media platform, has been at the center of plenty of controversy. The Plugged In talks about the type of content on the platform, the way kids use it, and what you need to know for your family. Paul Asay then speaks with Elizabeth Tabish, the actress who portrays Mary Magdalene in The Chosen about her new movie Between Borders.   Get your copy of Parenting Generation Screen by Jonathan McKee today!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ·       The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ·       The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ·       Raiders of the Lost Ark ·       The Wild Robot ·       The Chosen ·       Between Borders   Check out the Plugged In blog! ·       The Plugged In Show: Episode 240: The Dark Side of the Influencer World. Plus, a Conversation with Director Andrew Erwin ·       How Are Screens Affecting Our Sleep? ·       The Plugged In Show: Episode 253: An Interview With Wild Robot Director Chris Sanders. Plus, Navigating Sad (but Good) Movie     The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
January 23, 2025
A new game show starring YouTube sensation Mr. Beast has hit Amazon Prime. Between that and the second season of the Netflix thriller series Squid Game, game shows—real or not—can get out of hand. The Plugged In team looks at the fascination with game shows and what your family needs to know about these hit streaming shows. They then talk about the upcoming Academy Awards and if it’s still a cultural phenomenon.   Get your copy of Becoming a Screen-Savvy Family today!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Beast Games ·       Squid Game ·       MrBeast ·       The Substance ·          Check out the Plugged In Archives of Oscar-related content! ·       Plugged In - Oscars   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
January 16, 2025
Since the days of John Wayne, the western genre has a special place in our hearts. The Plugged In team explores why these stories are so popular and looks at Netflix’s new western series American Primeval. Paul Asay then speaks with Bret Eckelberry about Plugged In’s Screen Fast 2025.   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       American Primeval ·       Yellowstone ·       Hell or High Water ·       1883 ·       Open Range ·       Magnificent Seven ·       3:10 to Yuma ·       Logan ·       The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ·       Justified   Are you Addicted to Technology? Take our quiz to find out! ·       Technology Addiction Quiz   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.
January 9, 2025
Kids today have their eyes on their screens, and those screens are full of dangers. How can you protect them? Paul Asay speaks with author and screen expert Mandy Majors and her daughter Ella. They share some ways you can help your child learn healthy tech habits. Paul Asay then speaks with Bret Eckelberry about the new Netflix movie Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.   Get your copy of Mady Majors’ book Keeping Kids Safe in a Digital World: A Solution That Works today!   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.  
January 2, 2025
2024 was a big year in terms of entertainment and pop culture. As the year comes to a close, the Plugged In team looks back at some of the highlights and some of the low points. From YouTube to social media to the big and small screens, you’ll learn what you need to know for your family when it comes to media.   Connect with us! www.ThePluggedInShow.com Connect on Facebook Find us on Instagram EMAIL: team@thepluggedinshow.com PHONE: 800-A-FAMILY (800-262-3459)   Read the full review: ·       Moonfall ·       Werewolves ·       Dafuq!?Boom! (Skibidi Toilet) ·       Inside Out 2 ·       Deadpool & Wolverine ·       Moana 2 ·       Dune: Part Two ·       Beauty and the Beast ·       Lightyear ·       Despicable Me 4 ·       Ultraman Rising ·       Avengers: Endgame   Check out the Plugged In Blog: ·       What is Power Creep in Marvel and Why Does It Matter?   The Plugged In Tech Guide   Focus on the Family with Jim Daly Episode: How Your Family Can Manage Technology Well Part 1 How You Can Make Wise Entertainment Choices for Your Family   Donate Now!   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.   If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback.  
December 26, 2024
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About The Plugged In Show

The Plugged In team, led by Focus on the Family’s Director of Media and Culture, Adam Holz, comes together with humor and heart to deliver weekly insight on current media choices and culture-related topics.  These media experts will shine a light on the world of popular entertainment and technology trends while giving you and your family the essential tools you need to understand, navigate, and impact the culture in which we live. You’ll be encouraged to engage with your children and dialogue about the media they are consuming, sparking intellectual thought and spiritual growth.

About Adam Holz, Johnathan McKee, and Paul Asay

Adam Holz After serving as an associate editor at NavPress' Discipleship Journal and consulting editor for Current Thoughts and Trends, Adam now oversees the editing and publishing of Plugged In's reviews along with hosting The Plugged In Show and the Plugged In Entertainment Review radio feature.  

Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books. He has over 20 years youth ministry experience and speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, He can be heard each week on the Plugged In Entertainment Review radio feature and The Plugged In Show. You can follow Jonathan on his blog, getting a regular dose of youth culture and parenting help. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.

Contact The Plugged In Show with Adam Holz, Johnathan McKee, and Paul Asay

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