← Back to episodes
The Social Network poster
Letterboxd →TMDB →
MOVIE

The Social Network (2010)

Directed by David Fincher•2h 1m•Published Sep 30, 2025•Episode length 3h 16m
Episode 298 - The Social Network
Drama

Top cast

scroll →
Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg
Mark Zuckerberg
Andrew Garfield
Andrew Garfield
Eduardo Saverin
Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer
Cameron Winklevoss / Tyler Winklevoss
Josh Pence
Josh Pence
Tyler Winklevoss (Body Double)
Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Sean Parker
Max Minghella
Max Minghella
Divya Narendra
Brenda Song
Brenda Song
Christy Ling
Rashida Jones
Rashida Jones
Marylin Delpy
John Getz
John Getz
Sy
David Selby
David Selby
Gage

Director

TMDB profile →
David Fincher
David Fincher
Director
LISTEN

Play the episode

Overview

In 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programmer Mark Zuckerberg begins work on a new concept that eventually turns into the global social network known as Facebook. Six years later, Mark is one of the youngest billionaires ever, but his unprecedented success leads to both personal and legal complications when he ends up on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one involving his former friend.

Show notes

jump ↓

“You don’t get to nearly 300 episodes without making a few enemies.” Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 298th episode as we log on, code furiously, and sue each other over The Social Network (2010). Megs? She’s not with us this week—she’s in “Facebook jail” for excessive poking (it was bound to happen). We're carrying ar…

Read full show notes

“You don’t get to nearly 300 episodes without making a few enemies.”

Join Ian, Liam & Kev for our 298th episode as we log on, code furiously, and sue each other over The Social Network (2010). Megs? She’s not with us this week—she’s in “Facebook jail” for excessive poking (it was bound to happen). We're carrying around a chicken for a week in our 298th episode as we discuss:

  • Our best day for downloads ever—and it’s not even close.
  • Our trip to an award show (well… kind of).
  • A new Patreon joins the fold—proof we’re building our very own social network.
  • Just how much credit should the money man get vs the idea man?
  • What is it that makes Aaron Sorkin’s writing so great—and why does this film feel like it moves at the speed of thought?
  • What’s the one part we think the film gets wrong?
  • Does the absence of errors make a film a masterpiece—or does it need a few rough edges to feel human?
  • Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg: sympathetic genius or socially awkward supervillain?
  • Fincher’s precision—how much of the film’s impact comes from direction versus dialogue?
  • And finally, whether The Social Network is the Best Film Ever—or just the sharpest film of the 2010s.

Become a Patron of this podcast and support the BFE at https://www.patreon.com/BFE


We are extremely thankful to our following Patrons for their most generous support:

  • Juleen from It Goes Down In The PM
  • Hermes Auslander
  • James DeGuzman
  • Synthia
  • Shai Bergerfroind
  • Ariannah Who Loves BFE The Most
  • Andy Dickson
  • Chris Pedersen
  • Duane Smith (Duane Smith!)
  • Randal Silva
  • Nate The Great
  • Rev Bruce
  • Cheezy (with a fish on a bike)
  • Richard
  • Ryan Kuketz
  • Dirk Diggler
  • Stew from the Stew World Order podcast
  • NorfolkDomus
  • John Humphrey's Right Foot
  • Timmy Tim Tim
  • Aashrey
  • Paul Komoroski

Buy some BFE merch at https://my-store-b4e4d4.creator-spring.com/.

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of Mistake by Luckydog. Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor, at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor.

Also, massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song. You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/