A perfect Sunday with... Eric Eilersen
Watching squirrels fight jackdaws, escaping from Nazis and the ever-amazing Jessica Fletcher
Every week, a top writer, artist, actor or creator reveals how they’d fill their perfect Sunday, sharing their favourite comfort reads, movies, food… anything that would make their weekend great.
Today, it's the turn of Eric Eilersen, writer and podcaster for Youtini.
Eric's perfect Sunday… brunch
If I'm in a sweet mood, I love going to any local breakfast spot and seeing what kind of cinnamon pancake/french toast/waffle monstrosity they have available. The more sweet cream the better, and if they want to attempt to make a waffle into an actual cinnamon roll, then bless them for trying. If we're going savory, I love a bit of spice. We're talking eggs with any type of meat you can imagine all mixed with peppers, spices, and whatever else gives it a bit of kick.
Eric's perfect Sunday… read
The past couple years have been defined by my return to epic fantasy thanks to Brandon Sanderson. I was a big Eragon fan as a kid (and The Dragon Slayers' Academy if we're really going back), so getting into Mistborn and The Stormlight Archive have really reawakened that passion within me as a reader. It's hard to beat grabbing my coffee, sitting on my porch, and cracking open a tome that can also double as a doorstop. However, I recently caught up completely with Brandon's works, so I've been diving into the world of Sarah J Maas with Throne of Glass which has also been immensely enjoyable.
Eric's perfect Sunday… comic
If I'm feeling nostalgic on a Sunday, I'll often go back to my shelves and pick out two of my favorite comics of all time: Saga from Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples and Blankets by Craig Thompson.
I was in college when Saga started coming out, and every new issue completely changed what I thought was possible within the medium. A very adult comic, to be sure, but full of boundless creativity and some of the most stunning spreads you'll ever see (even though I've fallen behind since the hiatus).
Similarly, I read Blankets in college when I was going through a complete life overhaul, and I've never related more to a single character. It's part love story, part religious trauma experience, and all parts coming of age combined with unbelievable artistry courtesy of Thompson. He's one of a kind.
Eric's perfect Sunday... Movie
Somehow, this is the easiest question in the world, because my brain instantly went to A Knight's Tale. This is the movie I have seen most in my life by a country mile, and it is endlessly charming. Heath Ledger's charisma in this film should be studied for generations, and as a kid who grew up obsessed with knights and King Arthur, this couldn't have been more perfectly made for me in a lab. I can quote every word, I love spending time with every character, and I still get choked up at the ending. A man can change his stars.
Eric's perfect Sunday... TV binge
Like many of my answers here, I'm going to cheat a bit and give two ends of my binging spectrum. I'll start with Ted Lasso, because I rarely feel more hopeful than I do after watching any episode of that show. I'm a massive fan of sports in general, and the way that show honors the camaraderie inherent in sports while also acknowledging the need for tenderness - particularly in male friendships - just makes me feel wonderful.
On the other hand, my fiancée and I have binged every season of Bridgerton in a single day whenever they've been released. I've never read the books, and I don't really watch a lot of shows within the genre, but for whatever reason, we have accidentally created this tradition where we will literally spend an entire Sunday watching whatever season happens to drop. Both shows are filled with tremendous ensembles that I simply love watching, and I think that's the real secret ingredient of any good binge.
Eric's perfect Sunday… podcast
I have a borderline unhealthy obsession with the NFL, and during football season, I rarely miss an episode of New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce aka Taylor Swift's boyfriend. What started as a fun way to check in with players I like and get the latest updates on my favorite pop star's love life has turned into probably the most accessible sports show I've ever listened to. The Kelce brothers are wildly entertaining as presenters, they know more about the game than I could ever forget, and yet they make the entire show accessible to those who may not know a single thing about the sport. For an industry that is historically judgmental and uptight when it comes to people who aren't "the right kind of fans", this show presents a completely open and vulnerable look at why we love athletes so much.
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Eric's perfect Sunday… album
There are so many albums that have come and gone throughout my life, but the one that I will always listen to from top to bottom has to be The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. This emo banger came out 2 days before my 15th birthday, and even though I'm (hopefully) a bit more well adjusted emotionally than I was back then, I will still argue that it's a modern musical masterpiece. The songs are complex and orchestral yet instantly recognizable and digestible. They go from the highest adrenalised anthems to the softest piano interludes to a random appearance from Liza Minnelli! What's not to love? I regret to this day that I never owned one of those weird marching band outfits.
Eric's perfect Sunday… treat
During the aforementioned football season, my perfect Sunday treat is watching NFL RedZone for 7 hours while building a Star Wars LEGO - it's probably the most calm and collected I can be.
If we're out of season, then it's definitely sitting on the couch with my fiancée and playing video games together. Early on in our relationship, she decided that she loved watching me play single-player games, so that's our favorite activity as a couple! We've played almost all of the Assassin's Creed games this way, but lately, our weekends have been filled with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. I'll admit that I was skeptical of how well they could replicate the magic of Harrison Ford, but my gosh it's an absolute triumph of a game, and we have an absolute blast every time we fire it up.
Find Youtini on their website, instagram, X and bluesky.
Dr Eric is a senior writer and podcaster for Youtini where you can find everything Star Wars built on a foundation of intentional positivity. For years, Eric has been helping fans both old and new find the ultimate joy of falling in love with Star Wars by writing articles, hosting shows, conducting interviews with creators, and fostering a community where everyone is free to discover the best parts of being a fan of a galaxy far, far away. After reigniting his fandom during the launch of the Sequel Trilogy, Eric discovered the intense power of choosing joy in all aspects of life and continues to pursue that goal in every fan interaction as well as weekly on The Youtini Show where he keeps folks up to date with everything going in with his favorite franchise.