Ship Tease is a romance recommendation podcast hosted by Jennifer Proffitt and Heather Waters, who take turns trying to convince each other to check out a show, book, or movie based purely on the shipping potential. If you’re constantly scanning the horizon (a.k.a. tumblr) for your next ship, you’ll love these weekly conversations—and may just discover your next OTP.
Stay tuned for new episodes as they’re released and be sure to subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5
Trailer: You never forget your first!
Do you remember the first moment you started shipping a couple for the very first time—and we mean the very first? Hosts Jennifer Proffitt and Heather Waters introduce Ship Tease, a new podcast where every week they take turns recommending television, books, and movies based purely on the romance potential. Get to know the hosts and learn about their first ships!
Season 1
Episode #1: “The X-Files, Part I: Can Heather make Jenn believe?”
Mulder and Scully are an ICONIC duo—and Heather’s all-time favorite OTP. Will Jenn take her recommendation and finally, for the love of MSR, try watching The X-Files again?
Listen to Episode 1 and read the show notes.
Episode #2: “Sex Education: Do It for Gillian’s Jumpsuits!”
As we’ve established, Heather has a well-documented weakness for Gillian Anderson. Can Jennifer tempt her to try the Netflix series Sex Education by making a case for the romance between Anderson’s Jean and her love interest? If not, Jennifer has a second ship in her back pocket.
Get the scoop on Episode 2 by listening to the conversation and reading the show notes.
Episode #3: “New Amsterdam: The fandom made me do it!”
Heather has no doubt that Dr. Max Goodwin and Dr. Helen Sharp (a.k.a. Sharpwin) will eventually give into the ~vibes~ between them in NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam. But can she persuade Jenn to hop aboard this (admittedly quite complicated) slow-burn ship?
Listen to Episode 3 and read the show notes for links to a blog post, fan vids, and tumblr gifsets that will help explain why falling for these two is inevitable…
Episode #4: “Feel Good: Tell me something Canadian”
Jennifer knows it’s a risk to recommend that Heather ship a couple who get together early on in the show’s run, but what if they’re really, really cute? Because that’s exactly the case with Mae and George in Netflix’s comedy series Feel Good.
Check out Episode 4 and view the show notes to discover two Mae/George gif sets that caught Heather’s eye while she was listening to Jenn make her case…
Episode #5: “Good Behavior: Dysfunctional in a healthy way”
Yes, okay, maybe it’s morally questionable to ship a (fictional) hitman and a thief. It sure is fun, though! Obviously, Heather needed to introduce Jenn to the wonders of Letty and Javier from TNT’s Good Behavior. Obviously.
Listen to Episode 5 and then explore the show notes to watch the trailer for Good Behavior and get a little more fannish about Letty/Javier.
Episode #6: “Anna the Detective: That’s the spirit!”
Jennifer has gone on a saga to watch the Russian supernatural mystery period drama Anna the Detective and wants Heather to join her. The problem is…Jennifer’s already tried once before to get Heather to watch and couldn’t get her to commit to watching the show for the romance between Anna and Shtolman. Does she have a ghost of a chance this time?
Listen to Episode 6 and read the show notes here for extras like the Anna the Detective trailer, fan video recommendations, and more…
Episode #7: “Simple Wild: Grumpy hero alert!”
Finally, a book rec! Heather’s crazy about the opposites-attract romance between city girl Calla and hot-shot pilot Jonah in K.A. Tucker’s Simple Wild book series. Can she entice Jennifer into a binge-read of her own?
Listen to Episode 7 and read the show notes.
Episode #8: “Beach Read: The perfect book?”
Jennifer describes Beach Read by Emily Henry as a nearly perfect read, but does that oversell it to Heather when she tries to convince her to fall for the rivals-next-door, Gus and January?
Listen to Episode 8 and check out the show notes for bonus content.
Episode #9: “Love, Victor: The fluffy fluff we deserve.”
Hulu’s sweet new show Love, Victor is essentially fanfic come to life, but that’s only one reason Heather’s feeling good about her odds of convincing Jennifer to give the teen rom-com a try. (Mostly it’s because Victor/Benji are completely irresistible.)
Listen to Episode 9 and read the show notes.
Episode #10: “Normal People: Caught in their orbit”
Normal People follows young lovers Connell and Marianne from their secret high school romance to their complex college relationship. But since they’re an established couple, does Jennifer have any hope of convincing Heather of falling for this Hulu show based on the novel by Sally Rooney?
Listen to episode 10 and read the show notes here.
Episode #11: “Season 1 Confessions: What did we actually watch?”
It’s the moment of truth: How many of the TV show & book recommendations from Season 1 did Jenn and Heather *actually* take? Do they now share a few more OTPs, or nah? Find out in this Ship Tease bonus episode.
Listen to episode 11 and read the show notes here.
Episode #12: “Our Top 10 Ships of 2020”
If there’s one thing Jennifer and Heather can agree on, it’s that escaping into fiction has never been more necessary than in 2020. Luckily, they managed to find plenty of ships to love. In this special episode, they each weigh in on their top 5 couples of the year.
Listen to episode 12 and read the show notes here.
Episode #13: “Our 2021 Wish List”
No matter how many swoon-worthy romances they consume, Heather and Jennifer always want more. Greedy shippers that they are, they have even dared to put their 2021 wish list out into the universe…
Press “play” on Episode 13 and check out the show notes here.
Season 2
Episode #1: “Bridgerton: Never Read the Reviews”
Despite anticipating Bridgerton for months, Jennifer still hasn’t finished watching it because of a controversial scene that carried over from Julia Quinn’s historical romance novel The Duke and I. Are Simon and Daphne’s best moments enough to overcome her hesitations about the wildly popular Netflix series?
Listen to our first podcast episode of Season 2 and read the show notes here.
Episode #2: “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: You Deserve Book!Peter K.”
Sure, you have totally fallen for Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky in the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie trilogy, but have you read the books by Jenny Han that started it all? Jennifer never has, despite loving the movies, and it’s time for Heather to prove that while the book series isn’t necessarily better, it’s equally delightful—and required reading!
Listen to Episode 2×02 and check out the show notes for more LJ/Peter goodness.
Episode #3: “New Girl: Jake Johnson Appreciation Society”
Nick Miller is the grumpy bartender we all wish we had in our lives and his romance with the simply adorkable Jess Day in New Girl is the dose of happiness we all need. While Heather loves the pairing, she’s never finished the show to see how they get their happy ending and it’s about time.
Listen to Episode 2×03 and check out the show notes for Jenn’s list of essential Nick/Jess episodes and more.
Episode #4: “Crash Landing on You: Baby’s first K-Drama”
A perfect mix of romance, drama, action, and comedy, the popular K-drama Crash Landing on You is Heather’s latest television addiction. She’ll never know peace if she can’t manage to tempt Jennifer and guest co-host Titi to try the show and meet star-crossed lovers Yoon Se-ri and Captain Ri Jeong Hyeok.
Listen to Episode 2×04 and view the show notes for bonus content, including the gifs we discussed.
Episode #5: “Dragon Prince: A Shipping Variety Pack”
Animated series are a hard sell for Heather. That said, Jennifer is confident the magic, drama, and world-building of Netflix’s Dragon Prince—not to mention the coming-of-age romance between human prince Callum and elf assassin Rayla—will be enough of a temptation to get her to try the show.
Go check out Episode 2×05 and discover the gifs & fan videos we reacted to in the show.
Episode #6: “Anne with an E: Who Doesn’t Like Shirbert?!”
L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables may be a children’s book series, but we all know that Anne/Gilbert (a.k.a. Shirbert) is one of the greatest ships OF ALL TIME. The Anne with an E television adaptation understands this perfectly, as Jennifer’s about to find out…
Listen to Episode 2×06 and feast your eyes on bonus content in the show notes.
Episode #7: “WandaVision: Romancing the (Mind) Stone”
Heather has been burned by Marvel in the past. Can Jennifer’s enthusiasm for WandaVision overcome her trepidation about trying the popular new superhero series featuring the Avengers‘ Scarlet Witch and Vision?
Cue up Episode 2×07 and see the show notes for gifs, extra credit reading, and more.
Episode #8: “Shadow and Bone: And HE’S the Sunshine One!”
In celebration of Netflix’s Shadow and Bone TV series, Jennifer and Heather dive into the inspiration behind it all: Leigh Bardugo’s popular Grishaverse books. Plus, Heather does her best to convince Jennifer to get on board with the Nikolai/Zoya relationship, which develops later on in this epic fantasy story.
Listen to Episode 8 and read the show notes for fun extras.
Episode #9: “Well Met: We Love One (1) Pirate”
Everybody loves a ren faire! Or at least, that’s what Jennifer is counting on this week with her recommendation of Jen Deluca’s rom-com novel Well Met. She’s totally smitten with the romance between renaissance faire organizer Simon and first-time volunteer Emily, who plays the saucy tavern wench to his dashing pirate. Can Jennifer convince Heather to join her in crowning these two shipworthy?
Listen to Episode 9 and see the book cover for Well Met.
Episode #10: “Ginny and Georgia: Give Me Hot People and a Mystery”
Guest host Saimah Haque joins Heather and Jennifer this week to pitch them on a show! Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia offers a little bit of crime, a little bit of mother-daughter bonding, and a whole lot of shipping potential for single mother Georgia. However, it’s small-town restaurant owner, Joe, who catches Saimah’s eye the most!
Check out Episode 10 and the show notes, complete with pretty gifs.
Episode #11: “Yellowstone: Ride or Die for Second-Chance Romance”
You wouldn’t guess it from the first few episodes, but Kevin Costner’s Montana-set TV show Yellowstone features an unexpectedly delightful love story. Heather makes a case for why Jennifer simply must meet Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler, whose second-chance romance just gets better and better.
Listen to Episode 11 and see what makes Beth and Rip an irresistible couple.
Episode #12: “Never Have I Ever: Team Ben vs. Team Paxton (But Not Really)”
Never Have Jennifer and Heather Ever… loved a love triangle! At least, not until they saw Netflix’s Never Have I Ever and totally fell for Devi’s chemistry with both Ben and Paxton. Now they each make a case for why they favor one boy over the other for Devi in this coming-of-age dramedy.
Discover Episode 12 and settle our debate over Paxton vs. Ben for Devi’s first boyfriend.
Episode #13: “Elite: Nadia and Guzmán Are Literal Fire”
Even if a Spanish teen soap/murder mystery doesn’t sound like your usual type of television show, Netflix’s Elite may just win you over with Guzmán and Nadia’s love-hate relationship. Heather and guest host Jen Wattley came to love the pair for their similarities to Logan and Veronica of Veronica Mars, but they are willing to bet that it’s Guznadia’s hurt-comfort scenes that will lure Jennifer into the fandom…
Listen to Episode 13 and gaze upon the hotness of Guznadia.
Episode #14: “Titans: We’re Here for the Emotional Porn”
DC’s Titans is the best superhero show you’re not watching. Why? Because Dick Grayson (aliases: Robin & Nightwing) and Kory Anders (a.k.a. Starfire) light up the screen in every scene they share. Jennifer’s hoping their undeniable chemistry will work its magic on Heather too…
Listen to Episode 14 and read the show notes to witness Dick and Kory’s chemistry for yourself.
Episode #15: “Season 2 Confessions: What Did We Actually Watch and Read?”
It’s the moment of truth: How many of the TV show & book recommendations from Season 2 did Jenn and Heather *actually* take? Do they now share a few more OTPs, or nah? Find out in this Ship Tease bonus episode.
Listen to Episode 15 for the scoop on which ships Jenn and Heather started shipping…or not.
Season 3
Episode #1: “Eternals: Our Beautiful, Beautiful Drukkari”
Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomers Druig and Makkari easily stole the show in The Eternals, and Jenn left the movie theater as a true believer in the great ship Drukkari. Now she’s going to do everything in her power to talk Heather into joining her on board…unless she already has?!
Listen to our Eternals episode to bask in the glory of Druig/Makkari.
Episode #2: “Nancy Drew: Nace Is on the Case”
Nancy’s steadily growing feelings for her friend and fellow amateur detective Ace has been one of the best parts of the CW’s Nancy Drew TV series. Can Heather use some of Nancy and Ace’s top moments to convince Jenn to pick up where she left off with the show and join the ranks of Nace Nation?
Hear the case for Nace and uncover the show notes.
Episode #3: “The Wheel of Time: (Lanaeve’s) Love Is a Battlefield”
When it comes to Amazon Prime’s TV adaptation of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series Wheel of Time, Jennifer only has eyes for Warder Lan Mandragoran and his reluctant ally, Nynaeve al’Meara. She feels confident she can win Heather over with this frenemies-to-lovers pairing, especially since their meet-cute involves a sexy sword fight!
Learn more about Lanaeve and find bonus materials in the show notes here.
Episode #4: “Starstruck: Like Notting Hill, but Funnier and Sexier”
With their gender-swapped Notting Hill vibes, Heather is sure she can persuade Jennifer to cast Starstruck’s Jessie and Tom as her new favorite rom-com pairing. The biggest obstacle is Jennifer’s aversion to the celebrity trope in romance novels. Does this charming British television series have a shot of winning her over?
Listen to the case for Starstruck and discover a few delightful interviews with the star/creator.
Episode #5: “Paladin’s Grace: Fake Makeouts Solve Everything”
T. Kingfisher’s fantasy romance novel Paladin’s Grace introduces us to Stephen, a paladin who’s struggling to find a new purpose until the day a tempting woman named Grace runs into his arms and shakes up his world. Can a fake makeout solve all their problems? Or at least convince Heather to read this book, one of Jennifer’s favorites?
Hear why Paladin’s Grace is worth the read.
Episode #6: “Upload‘s Nathan and Nora: A Match Made in (Virtual) Heaven”
Amazon Prime’s TV series Upload, from a co-creator of The Office, is a perfect mix of dark comedy and surprisingly sweet romance. Heather’s prepared to use Jennifer’s fondness for comedies to get her invested in the relationship between Nathan, an app developer starting his afterlife in a virtual heaven called Lakeview, and Nora, the “angel” who is charged with helping him adapt to his strange new reality.
Listen to what makes Nathan and Nora’s love so special in Upload.
Episode #7: “Abbott Elementary: Janine and Gregory Get an A+ in Chemistry”
ABC’s Abbott Elementary had the buzziest debut for a comedy in recent memory, winning viewers over with its charming documentary-style depiction of staff working at an elementary school in Philadelphia. But what captured our attention was the obvious chemistry between two teachers, bubbly Janine and a stoic new substitute teacher named Gregory. Jennifer educates Heather on their appeal and why she should head back to school for this grumpy/sunshine duo.
Learn why Abbott Elementary‘s Janine and Gregory could be the new Jim & Pam.
Episode #8: “The Cleaning Lady‘s Thony and Arman: So Wrong It’s Right”
Fans of surprisingly sexy crime dramas like Good Girls and Good Behavior shouldn’t miss Fox’s under-the-radar series The Cleaning Lady. Starring Elodie Yung (a.k.a. Elektra in Daredevil) as Thony, a mom who will risk everything to save her gravely ill son, and the criminally handsome Adan Canto as a mob boss named Arman, The Cleaning Lady really shouldn’t be romantic. So why can’t Heather stop wishing for Thony and Arman to leave their lovers and rule the criminal underworld together?
Get the scoop on what makes Armony worth rooting for despite certain…red flags.
Episode #9: “Bridgerton, The Sequel: Our Anthony and Kate Reactions”
Everyone on the internet seems to have an opinion about Netflix’s sensational Bridgerton series, and Heather and Jenn are no exception. The show’s much-discussed Season 2 features Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma’s slow-burn romance, but with some pretty big departures from the book that inspired it, Julia Quinn’s The Viscount Who Loved Me. In a special episode of the pod, Jenn and Heather share their complicated feelings about the show’s second season.
Hear what we loved and hated about Bridgerton Season 2.
Episode #10: Season 3 Confessions
Season 4
Episode #1: “Our Top 10 Favorite Slow Burns”
Jennifer and Heather discuss their love for slow-burn romances and share their 10 favorite ships, including Nancy/Ace from Nancy Drew, Tim/Lucy (aka Chenford) from The Rookie, Janine/Gregory from Abbott Elementary, Pacey/Joey from Dawson’s Creek, and many more.
Episode #2: “8 TV Couples Who Deserved Better”
Shipping involves risk, and we’ve all been burned by TV series that did their best relationship dirty. Penelope/Derek, Barney/Robin, and Veronica/Logan are only a few of the couples who deserved better endings. Buckle up for rants about Criminal Minds, How I Met Your Mother, Veronica Mars, and more!
Episode #3: “Outer Banks: Why Jiara’s Worth the Wait”
Heather waited a few seasons to pitch this couple to Jenn, but now the time has finally come to talk about Jiara (a.k.a. JJ/Kiara). Because let’s be honest: that “no Pogue-on-Pogue macking rule” was made to be broken.
Episode #4: “Lockwood & Co.: Let Locklyle Raise Your Spirits”
Netflix’s supernatural thriller Lockwood & Co. delivered on every level, from its riveting ghost stories to its delicious main couple, Lucy Carlyle and Anthony Lockwood (aka Locklyle). Join us as we relive some of Locklyle’s best moments in this dearly departed TV series.
Episode #5: “Our Top 10 Fantasy Ships, Part 1”
What’s not to like about a good fantasy romance? There are life-or-death stakes, heightened emotions, and–above all–MAGIC. In part 1 of this 2-part recommendation roundup, Jennifer and Heather discuss 5 of their all-time favorite fantasy ships, with 5 more to follow in the next episode.
Episode #6: “Our Top 10 Fantasy Ships, Part 2”
Heather and Jennifer pay their respects to 5 more iconic ships in the conclusion to a two-part roundup of their favorite fantasy romances. Expect send-ups to the classic pairing of Buttercup and Westley in The Princess Bride, enemies-to-lovers greats Geralt and Yennefer in The Witcher, K-drama royalty Kim Shin and Eun Tak in Guardian: The Great and Lonely God (aka Goblin), and more.
Listen to the season finale now.
Season 5
Episode #1: “Romance Fans React to the Mr. & Mrs. Smith Trailers”
Will the Mr. and Mrs. Smith TV series bring epic romance, or nah? Listen to Heather and Jennifer’s hopes and fears for the series, and, of course, predictions about whether they’re going to “ship it or skip it.”
Check out the season premiere.