The Universal Joint Podcast
1) Universal Wants to Be Your Week-Long Vacation (Ep. 92)
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey unpack Universal’s latest ticketing survey, the studio’s continued confidence in Wicked, and the surprising Epcot-inspired expansion that reshaped Universal Studios Hollywood ...Show More
2) The Direct-to-Video Dinosaur That Made a Billion (Ep. 91)
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey dig into Universal’s latest infrastructure plans, unpack Epic Universe updates, and then travel back to the late 1980s to reveal how The Land Before Time quietly reshaped the ...Show More
3) From American Tail to Littlefoot – Don Bluth and Spielberg’s Unlikely Alliance (Ep. 90)
Jim and Eric kick things off with breaking news from Universal’s Fan Fest - yes, there are now multiple colored Yoshis roaming around. From there, they dig into Universal’s bold Mummy 4 release date, ...Show More
4) When Universal Tried to Build a Theme Park in the Desert (Ep. 89)
Jim and Eric kick off this week’s show with a mix of snarky social media, surprising Super Bowl ads, and listener-driven questions before pivoting into a deep historical dive. From Universal’s well-ti...Show More
5) Miami Vice Goes to the Theme Park (Ep. 88)
This week, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey connect the dots between an MTV-inspired TV phenomenon and one of the most ambitious nighttime stunt shows ever staged at a Universal theme park. From Brandon Tarti...Show More
6) Fast & Furious Revs Up and the Strange Art of Faking Disaster at Universal (Ep. 87)
This week, Jim and Eric shift from breaking Universal news into a fascinating look back at how the company perfected the art of staged chaos. From the official confirmation of a Fast & Furious coaster...Show More
7) Tarzan Swings Back In, While the Universal Backlot Goes Up in Flames (Ep. 86)
Jim Hill and Eric Hersey kick things off with a generational pop culture moment before diving headfirst into a packed episode of Universal news, park planning, and studio history. From a newly announc...Show More
8) Universal’s Most Dangerous Tram Scene and Why It Disappeared (Ep. 85)
Jim and Eric kick off this week’s show with listener-driven updates and fresh speculation from the Universal parks beat, before pivoting into a deep historical dive on one of the strangest and most me...Show More
9) From Affordable Housing to a House on Fire – Universal News and the Tram Tour’s Burning Past (Ep. 84)
Recording on New Year’s Eve for a show that drops just as 2026 begins, Jim Hill and Eric Hersey cover a full slate of Universal news, rumors, and unexpected updates before shifting into a classic Jim ...Show More
10) Permits, Surveys, and Big Moves as Universal’s Next Era Points to Saudi Arabia (Ep. 83)
This holiday week episode of the Epic Universal Podcast was recorded on Christmas Eve, which means Jim and Eric are juggling last minute shopping, customer service horror stories, and a surprisingly f...Show More