Any takeaways from this episode?

Unrequited crushes. Questionable fiancés. Holiday hospital champagne. And one very comatose Peter Gallagher.

This week, we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of the 1995 rom-com While You Were Sleeping starring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman (currently streaming on Disney+), and let’s just say—this movie has feelings. And fiancés. And furniture.

Kira Sabin (healthy dating educator + certified coach) and Dr. Isabel Morley (licensed couples therapist) dig deep into:

💍 Why this movie is built on a mountain of lies
🧠 What loneliness really does to our brains (and relationships)
💔 How fantasy and unrequited crushes keep us stuck
🛋️ Why Peter is basically Big and Jack is Aidan (Sex and the City parallels, anyone?)
🧃 And yes—we're side-eyeing that 90s hospital New Year's Eve party with alcohol flowing...

We ask the big questions:

• Would you lie to a family because the grandma has a heart condition?
• Why did every ‘90s rom-com end in a rushed proposal?
• And seriously—why does no one feed the cat?

Plus, we rewrite the ending you deserve, call out rom-com tropes that need to go (looking at you, angry-truth monologues), and explore how media conditioned Gen X women to wait for someone else to rescue them.

Mic-drop truth? If you’re dating out of loneliness, you’re probably not building from love.
Hot take? Jack and Lucy needed therapy, not a wedding.
Love lesson? What starts in fantasy rarely grows into real intimacy.

📊 Stick around for Kira’s loneliness stats (spoiler: it’s officially an epidemic), and Isabel’s clinical breakdown of why Lucy needed way more than a boyfriend.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Bookstore Meet Cutes, Paparazzi Swarms & the (Infamous) ‘I’m Just a Girl’ Speech: This Week, We’re Rescuing ‘Notting Hill’!

Break out your travel books and awkward British charm—because this week on Romcom Rescue, Kira and Dr. Izzy dive headfirst into 1999’s iconic ‘Notting Hill’ (now streaming on Netflix). Julia Roberts is America’s Sweetheart. Hugh Grant is peak floppy-haired confusion. But do the love lessons hold up… or is this relationship doomed to end in therapy bills and emotional whiplash?

We tackle:

• The ultimate fantasy of bookstore meet cutes (do they actually happen? We have thoughts!)
• Power imbalances, celebrity privilege, and why “being mysterious” isn’t the same as “being emotionally available”
• Paparazzi plot holes, the world’s most expensive painting-as-apology, and whether grand gestures can really fix toxic dynamics
• The real MVP: Spike (plus why every romcom needs a lovable weirdo)
• Why we still love the soundtrack, the friends, and those dinner parties (seriously, bring them back!)

Kira’s hot take: Anna Scott might be the OG love bomber, and William Thacker… well, let’s just say his self-worth could use a boost.

Dr. Izzy’s reality check: Sure, Notting Hill is adorable—but let’s talk boundaries, trust issues, and what actually makes a healthy partnership (hint: it’s not just “floppy hair” and letting people walk all over you).

PLUS:

• Real-life “bookstore singles night” ideas you can steal
• Iconic lines, trivia, and why Kira can’t get behind this love story—no matter how good the Elvis Costello ending is
• Taco ratings, movie nostalgia, and your chance to vote: Romcom goals, or train wreck?

Your Turn:

Did Notting Hill give you butterflies… or make you want to block someone’s number?
Vote in our Instagram poll, DM us your spiciest takes, and let’s debate: Is this movie a classic, or is it just classic romcom B.S.?

Don’t forget to follow, subscribe, and leave a review—because the more you do, the more rom-com magic (and real talk) we can bring your way!

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Woohoo! It’s been one whole year of the Rom-Com Rescue podcast.
A year of movies, missteps, magic, and yes—more than a few rants about enemies-to-lovers.

In this special anniversary episode, Kira and Dr. Izzy reflect on:

• The rom-coms we loved (Rye Lane, Love at First Sight, Idea of You)
• The rom-coms we barely got through (Anyone But You, we're looking at you)
• Our favorite series of the year (and which ones deserved better)
• What we’ve learned from a year of love lessons on screen
• Why repair matters more than romance
• Our hopes, dreams, and manifesting Kristen Bell & Adam Brody as guests

And because this is Rom-Com Rescue, we of course go off on:

• Why trailers lie
• Why enemies-to-lovers needs to go to therapy (or just… go)
• How we really feel about the "soulmate myth"
• Why Hollywood and healthy relationships still aren’t speaking the same language

But beyond the laughs and hot takes, we’re celebrating something bigger:

🎉 A full year of doing this thing. Together.

This podcast started as a dream and has become a weekly deep dive into what love can be—messy, real, and worth talking about.

🎧 If you’ve ever disagreed with us, laughed with us, or yelled “YES” during an episode, help us celebrate:

✅ Follow the show
✅ Subscribe wherever you listen
✅ Leave us a review (seriously—it means the world)

✨ It helps us keep bringing the rom-com magic and the real talk.

Because at the end of the day…
We believe we create our own happily ever afters.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

We all say we know what boundaries are… but let’s be real: most of us weren’t taught how to actually set them—especially in relationships.

In this episode of RomCom Rescue, we’re breaking down the beautifully messy world of boundaries in romantic comedies. From the iconic (and sometimes problematic) classics to modern love stories that finally get it right, we’re unpacking how Hollywood has shaped our understanding of what’s romantic—and what’s actually just...a boundary issue.

🎬 We’re diving into:

• The early red flags in The Notebook 👀
• Creepy “romantic” gestures in Love Actually
• The absolute boundary dumpster fire that is Sixteen Candles
• Sneaky manipulation in My Best Friend’s Wedding
• And yes...we’re revisiting Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Big Sick for some surprisingly solid examples of what healthy can look like

Along the way, we answer:

• What are boundaries, really?
• Why are they so often misunderstood—or mislabeled as walls?
• How do boundaries protect emotional safety in relationships?
• What do healthy boundaries actually sound like in real life?

👯‍♀️ Join Kira Sabin, certified coach and healthy dating educator, and Dr. Isabelle Morley, licensed psychologist and EFT-certified couples therapist, for a real talk about love, safety, emotional autonomy, and how rom-coms have helped (and hurt) our understanding of healthy connection.

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Intrusive family members, making out in cars, fake pottery classes, and Windex...

That's right! This week we are breaking down 2002 classic rom com, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, with Nia Vardalos and John Corbett.

Currently streaming on Max.

What happens when love crosses cultural lines—and your entire family is along for the ride? In this episode of RomCom Rescue, we're breaking down the love lessons (and boundary blunders) in the iconic 2002 rom-com My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Kira Sabin, a certified coach and healthy dating educator, and Dr. Isabel Morley, a licensed psychologist and couples therapist, unpack what this movie gets right (and very wrong) about identity, in-laws, and choosing yourself while staying connected.

From overbearing relatives to unexpected romance and a whole lot of lamb, we’re diving into:

• Why Toula’s growth arc still resonates
• The psychology behind boundary-setting with family
• What healthy compromise really looks like in relationships
• And whether Ian and Toula would actually make it IRL

Whether you're Greek, geeky, or just tired of dodging your aunt’s matchmaking attempts, this episode is for you.

🎧 Tune in now—and remember, you create your own happily ever after.

Lanie Kazan' awesome videos

#1

#2

#3

🌮Taco Rating🌮

Kira

Overall Tacos – 🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮🌮🌮

Izzy

Overall Tacos- 🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Over the top Indian wedding, fortune telling, terrible blind dates, and no passport photos. EVER!

That's right, this week on the Romcom Rescue Podcast, we are breaking down 2025 rom com Picture This with Simone Ashley and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

🌮Taco Rating🌮

Kira

Overall Tacos – 🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮

Izzy

Overall Tacos- 🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮 (and a half)

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Neurotic bosses, parent trapping, New York pizza, and yet!

That's right, this week we are breaking down 2018 rom-com "Set It Up" with Zoey Deutch and Glenn Powell.

Currently streaming on Netflix

Kira –

Overall Tacos – 🌮🌮🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮🌮

Isabelle –

Overall Tacos- 🌮🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮

Next week, we will be talking about our favorite rom-coms with healthy boundaries!

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com

Any takeaways from this episode?

Penguin PJs, constant self-inflicted awkward situations, Hot teachers, and, thank god, Hugh Grant.

This week we are breaking down 2025 rom-com, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy with Renee Zellweger, Leo Woodall & Chiwetel Ejiofor

Currently streaming on Peacock.

Kira –

Overall Tacos – 🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮

Isabelle –

Overall Tacos- 🌮🌮

Love Lesson Tacos – 🌮🌮

Download Kira's Ghosting Scripts referenced in the episode here.

00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview

01:11 Initial Thoughts on the New Bridget Jones Movie

04:53 Critique of Bridget's Character and Plot Issues

07:27 Casual Attire and Personal Anecdotes

22:47 Dating as a Widow: Advice and Reflections

25:09 The Dangers of Online Dating

26:15 Understanding Ghosting

28:18 Proper Etiquette in Modern Dating

29:36 Scripts to Avoid Ghosting

32:49 Bridget's Relationship Struggles

37:32 Therapy and Boundaries for Bridget

44:17 Final Thoughts on the Movie

Come talk with us about your favorite rom-coms on instagram, tiktok, & youtube and Bluesky!

Get show notes, transcripts, and more information on at Rom-ComRescue.com