Read it and Weep

Seconds Away (2025) with director Ben Kegan, NCAA Indoor Champion Colby Alexander, and NipGuard Enthusiast Dru Johnston

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:13:00 +0000

Vote on our next running movie!

This is a special one. Not only are we talking running, we're doing it with my friends Dru Johnston (NipGuards episode) and Ben Kegan. Ben made a whole incredible documentary about running. We even have NCAA indoor champion Colby Alexander joining us to talk about his experience in the movie. Check it out:

"SECONDS AWAY follows Belgian-American runner Peter Callahan and his longtime coach, Patrick McHugh, as they chase a qualifying time fast enough to make the Olympic Games. When Patrick is diagnosed with cancer, their pursuit becomes an unflinching look inside the sacrifices, devotion, and rare bond that define life at the edge of elite running."

If you liked this, the RIAW-lgorithm also recommends:

• Seeing Seconds Away. You can even host a screening!
• Dru's running substack
• Running with your arms out like in Weapons
• Across the Tracks (with Brad Pitt)
• Run Lola Run
• Without Limits
• Chariots of Fire
• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Murder She Wrote (1984) with Caitlin Gill & Amanda Leinbaugh

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:59:00 +0000

Quick: vote on what we're watching for our Time Travel Star Trek Episode.

No longer a tea pot, Angela Lansbury is mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, living in Cabot Cove, Maine, a lovely community except for all the MURDER!

We watched:

S4 E7- If it's Thursday, it must be Beverly
S7 E10 - Murder in F Sharp
S10 E5 - A Virtual Murder

Some bonus recs:

S2 E14 - Keep the Home Fries Burning
S2 E20 - Menace, Anyone?
S12 E16 - Murder Among Friends

Thanks to Caitlin Gill for bringing this one too us and for Amanda Leinbaugh for being our main Maine expert!

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
Magnum PI
The Stars!
Caitlin's show in LA!
Sue Grafton books
Knives Out movies
Murder, She Baked!
Diane Mott Davidson books
Living a full life past your 60s.

Next up, Star Trek: The Next Generation Time Travel episodes with Stephen & Caitlin!

Red Dwarf (1989) with Stephen Carter

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Like the show? Support the show!

Space. On a crappy mining ship in the future, everyone dies except for Dave Lister, a lowly technician, who survives for 3 million years in stasis.

Joining him are the suave descendant of his cat, the hologram of his dead pompous bunkmate, a low-polygon max headroom-looking android, and the ship's computer who, depending on the episode, is a man, a woman, an idiot, a genius. If you ever saw Star Trek and Doctor Who and thought–I want the opposite of this, you might just want to take a trip with Red Dwarf.

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

Avatars, but not complaining about it
A ball pit (but not that one)
Life on Mars
Dark
Bon Appetit, Your Majesty
The Lazarus project
11/22/63
Palm Springs
Kelsey Grammar Time-Travel
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Star Trek: TNG "Cause and Effect"
Encino Man
Captain America: The First Avenger
Blast from the Past
Blackadder
Dr. Who

Next up, Murder, She Wrote with Caitlin and Amanda!

Want to steer this show in some direction? Email us at podcasts@read-weep.com!

Tokyo Godfathers (2003) with Todd McClintock

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 05:36:00 +0000

Like the show? Support the show!

Three unhoused people try to return a baby on Christmas in Tokyo.

No notes. This Satoshi Kon film is just perfect. Strong recommend you watch it however/wherever you can (Tubi, Hoopla, however you can track it down).

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

Todd's shows Amphibia & Wylde Pak

Porco Rosso

Cruel Intentions/Dangerous Liaisons

Next up, Red Dwarf with Stephen Carter!

Want to steer this show in some direction? Email us at podcasts@read-weep.com!

See you in the new year!

Columbo (1971) with Amanda Leinbaugh & Caitin Gill

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:20:00 +0000

Like the show? Support the show!

Aw jeez, I'm real sorry to take up your time. Y'see I'm Lt. Columbo, and I just need to ask you a few questions.

It's the early '70s and I'm a detective in Los Angeles. Every week some famous '70s star who you might not recognize, but they look kind of familiar, see, they kill someone, takes 'em about 20 minutes, then for an hour or so they try and get away with it.

Great stars, you get Dick van Dyke, Donald Pleasence, Johnny Cash, aw, you're gonna love it. And they always underestimate me, the Grandpa from Princess Bride.

But there's a good twist and bam, sooner or later, I crack the case. Maybe it's my rumpled, disarming affect. I'm sorry for wasting your time.

And one more thing... if you liked this, you might just take up the case of Columbo."

If you liked this, the RIAWgorithm recommends:

Alex's Newsletter where I wrote about Mr. Rogers & Zombies

Caitlin's Space show in LA, next on 12/3/25 !

Giving Anthony things to plug (podcasts@read-weep.com)

New Matlock!

Murder She Wrote (will be episode 7.15)

Poker Face

Brick

Only Murders in the Building

Midsummer Murders

Throwback! Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 08:00:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving! We're revisiting one of the only Thanksgiving movies ever in this classic Read it and Weep episode from (checks notes) wow, 2022!

Enjoy, and here's wishing you a great holiday.

Fisk (2021) with Colleen Clancy

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 11:08:00 +0000

Like the show? Support the show!
Fan favorite Colleen Clancy (@JumpingCeliac, Running & Blogging About It) is back with one of her faves, Fisk!

This Aussie workplace comedy bring quirk, warmth, laughs and cultural references you won't exactly get, but will catch on. It's good for what ails you, which great news for Anthony who's battling a cold.

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

Girls5eva

The Gutter

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Bluey, especially Cricket

The Paper

Eastbound and Down

Frayed

Naps

Medicine

Next time: Columbo!

Anthony's episode recs:
S1 E4 Suitable For Framing. Love the ending of this one.

S3 E 2 Any Old Port in a Storm. Donald Pleasence loves wine and a little bit of murder.
S4 E2 Negative Reaction Dick Van Dyke kills his wife.

If you can watch more:

S1 E1 Murder by the Book Directed by a 24-year-old Steven Spielberg.
S2 E1 Etude in Black John Cassavetes is really good in this one.
S3 E7 Swan Song Johnny Cash is gospel singer, pilot and murderer. Good music in this one.

Eagle-Eye Cherry's Desireless (1997) & NipGuards with Dru Johnston

Sat, 18 Oct 2025 00:20:00 +0000

Man, this is a wild one.

We're talking Eagle-Eye Cherry's album Desireless EXCEPT for Save Tonight. And also NipGuards. Mostly NipGuards.

I don't know who this one's for, but it's the brain-child of Dru Johnston, one of the funniest humans I know.

Oh, also, we're doing a Nepo Baby Fantasy Draft.

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

🏃‍♂️Dru's Running Substack, I've Got The Runs

🎭 David Ives plays (Polish Joke and All in the Timing)

🎶 The part of Jumper when Third Eye Blind goes "Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"

🎶 Hans Zimmer or a White Noise Machine

Wellington Paranormal (2021) with Caitlin Gill

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 18:07:00 +0000

Support the show?

Things are about to get weird! It's X-Files meets Cops meets a person with a bed sheet over their head.

After 2014's What We Do in the Shadows, New Zealand cops Minogue and O'Leary get their documentary crew to lightly investigate near Wellington's most extreme paranormal activity.

'70s orgy ghosts, drunk werewolves, blood bag-stealing vampires, spitting cloning plant aliens, and 16 creep clowns are all ignored or gently reprimanded.

If you're in the mood for spoopy cozy vibes with occasional projectile fluids, you might just get glamoured by Wellington Paranormal.

-----

Caitlin's IG

Astronomy tours with Caitlin in Joshua Tree!
Space game show with Caitlin in LA!

Liked it?

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

🚓 Reno 911

🧛 What We Do in the Shadows (Movie/Show)

Recorded on 8/8/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn

Music by @mitrxxx

ZOMBIES (2018) with Sarah Hatheway & Stephen Carter

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 19:48:00 +0000

We now have a Patreon! Support the show–or don't! I'm probably making it either way!

Do you miss Glee? Are you bummed Warm Bodies wasn't a 4-movie franchise--and a musical? Are you all about West Side Story, minus the stabbies?

Then you're not just craving brains, you're also hungry for the 2018 DCOM ZOMBIES.

We've got sick flips, racism allegories, a song book with a surprising number of bangers, and necrophilia? Maybe!

So grab your cauliflower brains and your double vanilla froyo as we take a heapin' bite out of ZOMBIES.

Liked it?

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

👩‍🎤KPop Demon Hunters
⏰Time Capsules
🧟‍♂️Zombies 2 & 3
😈Descendants 1-4
🏔️The Sound of Music
⌛️The Lazarus Project
📺Paradise
📘Hyperion
📚All Dune Books Ever
💇‍♀️Tangled
🧟‍♂️⌛️28 Years Later

Recorded on 8/8/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn

Music by @mitrxxx

The Batman (2022) with Bri Pruett

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 09:00:00 +0000

An obscure comic book character finally gets the big screen treatment! For many of us who have never heard of him, Bruce Wayne is a rich orphan whose parents were killed. He's uncriming the city gritty dark block by gritty dark block. But no shooties, only punchies. That's his code. And hey, do you like animals? Oh man, we got rats, cats, bats! Ratas aladas, penguins, falcons–you name it, and it's a major plot point. Plus, another masked vigilante is terrifying this city with riddles, cyphers, and a digit-al thumb drive. But are they so different?

It's dark, it's punchy, and if you want to know once and for all "who is vengeance?", you just might take flight with... The Batman.

Liked it?

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

🧸 Paddington 3!
🔥 RRR

🏏 Lagaan

😈 Sinners

📺 Harley Quinn

Eddington?

Also check out:
Hunter's other podcasts: Old Gamer's Almanac, SCPT, Romp
Bri's Upcoming Stand-Up Special!

Recorded on 6/25/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn

Music by @mitrxxx

Only Connect with Alex Falcone & Stephen Carter

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Alex Falcone is back! And he's brought one of his faves–Only Connect.

Do you love the Great British, but could do without the Bake-Off?

Is your kink being asked questions that make you wonder "am I stupid, or am I just American?" Do you want to spend 30 minutes with a furrowed brow, mumbling wrong answers to yourself?

Then you might just love Only Connect.

This British quiz show, hosted by Victoria Coren Mitchell has run since 2008 for over 500 episodes. It features Egyptian hieroglyphs, and if you like your British culture with extra British, you are in for a TREAT.

Plus we have anglophile Stephen Carter to round out a newly-formed quiz team with Anthony and Ezra.

Play along with us!

Alex's Only Connect-Style Connections Board

Alex's NYT Connections-Style Board

Liked it?

The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:

📰 Alex's Weekly Newsletter (with some connections boards!)

🎣 No Such Thing as a Fish

🤔 QI
💰 For What It's Worth
⚽ Liverpool FC

📺 Coupling

🌊 Bidets

🧩 Crossword Puzzles

🤝 Actual Quiz Groups

Recorded on 5/30/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn

Music by @mitrxxx

Beyond Belief (1997) with Caitlin Gill

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:00:00 +0000

Do you wish the crypt keeper was bangable?
Is your CRT desktop overflowing with Riker fan fic?
Do you long for a time when fringe ideas didn't incite national chaos?

Then you might just love "Beyond Belief: Fact, or Fiction."
This '90s anthology lovingly preserved in its native SD, features Jonathan Frakes, dozens of visual metaphors, and acting that makes you say, "Wow. Just wow."

Fan-favorite Caitlin Gill is here for all the puns, faux-spookiness, and wholesome Canadian production vibes.

Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
🚀Lower Decks
✍️Murder She Wrote
🌌Caitlyn's Joshua Tree Astronomy Tours!
🎭 Good Bad Movies like Next

Recorded on 5/9/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx

All Systems Red (#1 Murderbot Diaries) - with Amanda Leinbaugh

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

What do you get when you mix:

🤖A rogue SecUnit who was programmed to kill, but just wants to binge-watch its soaps.
🧑‍🔬 Team of scientists on an alien planet overcoming their prejudices, surviving, and making bot friends and
👾 An evil survey team here to kill anyone who gets between them and their sweet, sweet alien remnant tech?

It's Martha Wells's hit novella, All Systems Red, #1 of the Murderbot Diaries, now a hit Apple TV+ show with infinity more Skarsgård!

The book's a fast, shooty romp with our sarcastic murderbot who longs to dip out of reality and watch its shows. Girl, same.

Liked it?
The RIAWlgorithm also recommends:
🍵 The Monk & Robot books by Becky Chambers (Amanda)
🕹️ NieR: Automata (Anthony)

🥇Golden Girls

🐸Amphibia

🦉The Owl House

✨ The Stars Now Unclaimed by Drew Williams.

📞Calling congress, protesting, and helping how you can.

Recorded on 4/25/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx

Paris is Burning (1990) with Bri Pruett

Tue, 27 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Why do we slay all day? Why do we serve? Why is it giving? It's all thanks to drag ballroom culture, and drag's permeation of mainstream is in large part thanks to Paris is Burning (1990).

Across the board, we loved this legendary documentary by Jennie Livingston, with its executive realness, vintage 80s b-roll, and giant trophies.

Also:
🌳Tree fan Bri Pruett is back and saw another good tree!
😪Anthony's suffering through sleep regression.
🦋Hunter's gotta watch out for moths

So if you're looking for some podcast realness and the origin for pretty much all of today's slang, you might just love Paris is Burning.

Liked it? The RIAWlgorthim says may also enjoy:

👀How Do I Look a Paris is Burning spiritual sequel

👑The Queen (1968) a Paris is Burning spiritual prequel

🌹 Funeral Parade of Roses (Hunter's pick)

🏁RuPaul's Drag Race (Bri's Pick)

👏Pose (Bri's Pick)

📺 I Saw the TV Glow (Anthony's Pick)

Other Recs:
🎲Molly House, the board game by Jo Kelly with additional design from Cole Wehrle & Ricky Royal with illustrations by Rachel Ford.(Hunter's pick)

🎲Hunter's hosting a tournament at Guardian Games in Portland 6/27-29 and doing shows!

🤩Bri's in an award-winning short film, " Relationship to Patient" with H. Jon Benjamin! (Bri's Pick)
🤩Also Bri's doing improv and standup in LA!

🌆 Pre-Giuliani, New York (Anthony's)
🛏️Sleep. Always sleep.

Recorded on 4/11/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx

The Thick of It with Stephen Carter

Tue, 06 May 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Feeling like a dive into the ultra-bleak world of politics... in 2003?

Welcome to The Thick of It! Before he saved the universe as The Doctor, Peter Capaldi starred as a foul-mouthed fixer in Armando Iannucci's proto-Veep set in the UK.

Shaky cams! Old cell phones! Resignations! It's got it all!

Also:
The Cat in the Hat is no angel.
OSHA in the Mushroom Kingdom.

So if you like your escapism to be nearly as depressing as reality, you might just find yourself in The Thick of It.

Liked it? The RIAWlgorthim says may also enjoy:
📰 The news
💀 Working a dead end job.

Other Recs:
😴 Sleep
🏋️🥦 Lifting weights and eating vegetables

Recorded on 2/11/25 (in case you're wondering what specific world craziness we were experiencing)

Editing by Zach Hahn
Music by @mitrxxx

An American in Paris with Sarah Hatheway

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 00:17:00 +0000

It's a new season of Read it and Weep!

Alex has graciously passed the hosting mic on to Ezra and it's gonna get a little weird.

This season, Ezra's trying to break out of his algorithms. He's looking for media that his friends love, but that no one's talking about these days.

First up, Sarah Hatheway brings us Gene Kelly's 1951 Technicolor musical, An American in Paris.

Dream ballets! Questionable 1950s romantic subplots! And rhythm? Yeah, we've got rhythm.

Who could ask for anything more?

(Also, the recording date was 1/28/25, thus the timely Oscars talk.)

Editing by Zach Hahn

Music by @mitrxxx

Holiday Miracle! Hot Frosty (2024)

Tue, 24 Dec 2024 19:24:00 +0000

Cold soup for the soul.

Dad Pod #02 - The Nature of Sleep

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:04:00 +0000

Wake up shot out of a canon

Dad Pod #01 - Declawing Babies

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 18:45:00 +0000

While Best Thing Ever is on break, we checked in with Anthony about being a new dad including lack of sleep, low expectations, and declawing babies. Parenting is fun and not that hard!

Mummy Minute #03 - Warm Bodies

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 23:59:00 +0000

Alex Falcone and Ezra Fox accidentally became mummy romance experts when they wrote their best-selling young adult novel (http://unwrapmyheart.com). For Spooktober they're reviewing three classic pieces of mummy pop culture and analyzing how good the mummies are if they can get it. Today they dive into a young-adult romance that is close to mummies but crucially different: zombies. With Warm Bodies (2016) we find out why zombies bit the love bug before mummies did. It's the gushy boys vs the bony boys on the finale of Mummy Minute. #podcast #moviereview #zombies #monsters #monstermovie #spooky #halloween

Mummy Minute #02 - Anne Rice

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 23:36:00 +0000

Part two of our mini-series about mummies for spooky month. This time we talked about the most famous mummy romance novel (besides ours): The Mummy or Ramses the Damses by Anne Rice.

Next week we'll wrap things up (sorry) with a slant rhyme on mummies, zombie romance.

Mummy Minute #01 - The Mummy (1932)

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:44:00 +0000

Alex and Ezra accidentally became mummy romance experts when they wrote their best-selling young adult novel (http://unwrapmyheart.com). For Spooktober they're reviewing three classic pieces of mummy pop culture and analyzing how good the mummies are if they can get it.

Season 1 Wrap | BTE 1.29

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:36:00 +0000

All good things must come to an end and so must all okay things! With that, we're calling this the official end of season 1. We talked about 27 things all of which could have been the best thing ever but today we decide once and for all which one is (you'll be surprised). Plus a mini ranking and a bunch of list stuff sure to annoy almost anybody. Enjoy! Thanks for the support this season and we'll see you again in a bit!

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% off w/ code ALEXFALCONE

Twilight Imperium is the best thing ever | BTE 1.28

Thu, 07 Sep 2023 22:38:00 +0000

Since 2017 our boy Hunter has been one of the most famous players of the uber-complicated boardgame Twilight Imperium. His show Space Cats Peace Turtles chronicled the game's evolution from 3rd to 4th edition and allegedly helped shape the rules that turned it into an internationally competitive game.

He takes us back through that history and carefully avoids explaining too much of the game. But we think it's about war? And furries? Hard to say. But it's final ranking will probably surprise you!

📺Watch on YouTube

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% off w/ code ALEXFALCONE

The Good Place is the best thing ever | BTE 1.27

Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:31:00 +0000

The bad news is that you're dead. The good news is that you're part of an exceptional cast on a surprisingly high-concept NBC sitcom with a high jokes-per-minute and good moral center.

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% off w/ code ALEXFALCONE

The Moon Landing is the best thing ever | BTE 1.26

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 16:16:00 +0000

In 1969 two men walked on the surface of the moon (and their friend waited in the car). It was without a doubt the greatest publicity stunt of all time. But even more than that, it was the only time everybody in the world watched TV at the same time because of good news. Plus we talk about why Michael Collins was a national treasure and guess how much shit we left on the moon.

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% off w/ code ALEXFALCONE

CHICKENS are the best thing ever | BTE 1.25

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 01:29:00 +0000

They outnumber us 3-to-1, they make breakfast possible, and they're cute as heck. They're chickens and they're everywhere. We welcome back comedian and writer Phoebe Bottoms to talk about her love of chickens plus we tell the story of their history from wild jungle fowl to backyard friends. It's a new top 10 topic!

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% off w/ code ALEXFALCONE

HALF ASSING IT is the best thing ever | BTE 1.24

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:14:00 +0000

Look, this definitely isn't an episode we slapped together because of a guest mishap. It was the plan all along to talk about the joys of taking the easy way out, of minimizing effort, of doing enough for it to still be called an episode.

We presented three mini stories this week about what really happened at Roswell, Scandinavian modesty culture, and Ezra's favorite middle school teachers. It was so fun we might half ass again in the future.

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

☕ Join the awesome coffee club and get 30% w/ code ALEXFALCONE

NU METAL is the best thing ever | BTE 1.23

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 16:50:00 +0000

What's uld is nu again as everybody's favorite mashup of hip hop and metal music (and costumes) is gaining in popularity for the first time since the 90s. Anthony takes us on a deep dive of the music's history including his favorite nu metal bands that actually hold up. It's never a serious contender for a top spot on the master list but at least we understand it better.

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL is the best thing ever | BTE 1.22

Thu, 20 Jul 2023 20:36:00 +0000

This week we've got comedian Monica Nevi here to tell us why women's basketball is the best thing ever. Along the way we'll learn about Iowa 6-on-6 and why Brittney Griner was in Russia in the first place.

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

STAR WARS is the best thing ever | BTE 1.21

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 23:48:00 +0000

We're not going to tell the story of how the movies were made (mostly) and we're not going to talk about whether or not their good (except a bit) but instead Anthony's going to tell the story of the different ways Star Wars was a watershed in film making. And then we'll talk a bit about how bad Attack of the Clones was.

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📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

HUMAN CHILDREN are the best thing ever | BTE 1.20

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 20:34:00 +0000

If there's one thing Ezra loves it's human children. In particular, his children. Ezra loves his children. Over the last 10 years he's learned a few things about raising kids that he'd like to share today such as "remember they're new here" and "you're always worried about the wrong thing."

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show:

💵 Support the Patreon

ZELDA is the best thing ever | BTE 1.19

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 21:53:00 +0000

The world has seen many heros over the years. But it has never seen a puzzle-solving sword-wielding short king constantly dressed for a night at a gay dance club until Link came along. We discuss a little history of the Zelda franchise, the different ways we each approached Tears of the Kingdom, and Alex's conspiracy theory about princess Zelda.

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📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

ARCADES are the best thing ever | BTE 1.18

Thu, 15 Jun 2023 17:01:00 +0000

Are arcades the best thing ever? For three guys raised in the 90s, we definitely think they could be. They've got games, they've got yelling, they've got variety. Lots of the things that are high on the list already.

Plus Hunter finally unveils his definitive list of the 11 best arcade cabinets of all time and number 1 will SHOCK YOU.

🌐 Listen to Hunter's video game podcast Old Gamer's Almanac

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📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

Variety is the best thing ever | BTE 1.17

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 19:30:00 +0000

We've got TikTok sensation and creator of wild projects Kyle Scheele on but he disagreed with the entire premise of the show. So instead of picking one best thing ever we just talked about four random interesting things: Ball Jars, the meta-sweater, tragedy themed commerce, and the hype cycle.

🌐 Learn more about Kyle and buy his books

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the show

💵 Support the Patreon

Advice Columns are the best thing ever | BTE 1.16

Thu, 01 Jun 2023 20:52:00 +0000

Brilliant comedian Myq Kaplan and RiaW favorite Amanda Leinbaugh joins us to talk about his favorite thing, advice columns. We do a shallow dive into the history from the first one ever to the sibling rivalry that defined advice for many decades. Then we play a new game called The Second Opinion where Ezra, Amanda, and Myq competitively answer advice questions not directed at us.

🌐 Learn more about Myq and watch his newest special

📺 Watch on YouTube

📊 Follow along with the Figma

📡 Subscribe to the pod

The NordicTrack Ski Machine | BTE 1.15

Thu, 25 May 2023 17:42:00 +0000

Comedian Liz Glazer loves the NordicTrack Ski Machine. She's bought and sold many over the years, has received them as gifts, and worked out on one this morning. Why does she like it so much? You'll have to listen to find out.

Plus we have a history of fad workouts and difficult ranking on the Master List.

💿 Listen to Liz's new album "A Very Particular Experience"

💻 Follow along with the Figma

📺 Watch on YouTube

Firefighters are the best thing ever | BTE 1.14

Thu, 18 May 2023 19:10:00 +0000

The podcast just keeps getting hotter and hotter and this week we tackle a job that can cool things off in just the right places: firefighters. The most respected civil servants, the rescuers of treed cats, the makers of pancakes. And sometimes they even fight fires. Learn about the history of firefighting as Anthony takes you from the Romans to present day.

📊 Take the BTE listener survey

💻 Follow along with the Figma

📺Watch on YouTube

🎙️Subscribe to the pod

💰Support us on Patreon

The sun is the best thing ever | BTE 1.13

Thu, 11 May 2023 20:21:00 +0000

The sun AKA the Evil Day Star AKA Sky Daddy. It shapes our days and burns our noses. There's nothing more powerful in our solar system (except maybe Emma Thompson). But is it the best thing? Find out as we give a complete history of the sun, a complete future of the sun, and a series of fun facts about the sun that will have you saying "I have to wear sunscreen those facts are so fun.

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Topic Draft II | BTE 1.12

Thu, 04 May 2023 20:59:00 +0000

What is the best thing ever? We've got 8 new nominees forged in the fire of a topic draft. Okay, it was more a friendly discussion but I think it was really interesting. Watch now to find out what the next era of BTE will look like.

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POWERLIFTING is the best thing ever | BTE 1.11

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 18:47:00 +0000

What do you bench, bro? Can you dead lift me? If I'm dead? It's powerlifting and it's good for you body and mind, apparently. At least Rachel likes it, and she's here to tell us why.

Learn the history of powerlifting, learn about a few cool powerlifters including a nine year old who can lift 3x her body weight, and learn about our new funding idea: a brain supplement called Triple Blind where you don't know if you're getting the real supplement or a placebo and we don't know if we own the company or not. Triple Blind Supplements: Bust a Nut In Your Cortex.

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WAFFLE HOUSE is the best thing ever | BTE 1.10

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 00:25:00 +0000

It's our first ever Hunter episode and he takes things in a slightly different direction, deeply personal journey across state lines to his favorite late night eatery, the one and only Waffle House. He teaches you how to order properly, the traps to avoid, and whether or not you should start anything with your server. Plus he calls out David. Seriously, David. What the hell man.

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ROMANCE NOVELS are the best thing ever | BTE 1.09

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:44:00 +0000

Writer Sarah Hatheway joins us to talk about a thing that's brought her so much joy over the years, romance novels. She loves them so much she's written her own (more on that soon, we hope). We learn about the history of the genre and a bit more about how genre works in general. It's a really good episode.

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STANDUP COMEDY is the best thing ever BTE 1.08

Thu, 06 Apr 2023 19:27:00 +0000

If there's one thing that's a shoe-in for Best Thing Ever it's the thing that our hosts have pursued for a combine 20+ years. But after a great history of standup comedy from Anthony, we prove that we're a lot more conflicted about our careers than even we knew. Is standup the best or is it stinky?

If you're enjoying the show please give us an honest 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and tell us if we're right or wrong in our placement of standup comedy.

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TREES are the best thing ever BTE 1.07

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:41:00 +0000

Trees. They're everywhere. Watching. Biding their time. Providing us everything we need to live but always threatening to take it away. They're the beauty and the danger, but are they the best thing ever? Alex gives a presentation on his 15 favorite trees in an effort to convince people they are but where do they end up? Find out.

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Please take a second and leave us an honest 5 Star Review on Apple Podcast and tell us which tree got overlooked in this episode.

is PRO WRESTLING the best thing ever? BTE 1.06

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 20:58:00 +0000

It's the moment you've been waiting for, that Anthony has been saving all his political capital for, it's time for the pro wrestling episode. Along with special guest Jamie Carbone, we go on a journey into the world of wrestling and how we can appreciate it more. We learn words and phrases like "the shine", "a work", "gaga", and controversially, "some color." We hope you learn something too and maybe even rank wrestling higher than you ever thought you would.

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are WARM BEVERAGES the best thing ever? BTE 1.05

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 20:01:00 +0000

As a beverage goblin I'm thrilled to present my strongest application for best thing ever so far, warm beverages. We give you a brief history of coffee and tea as well as a guide for how to find the best coffee shops.

PLUS we're joined by incredible standup comedian Irene Tu (irenetu.com) who recently opened for Patton Oswald and Sarah Silverman and has a new record out that's just the best.

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Is PLAYING HALO WITH THE BOYS the best thing ever? BTE 1.04

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 21:08:00 +0000

Everybody connect to your LAN and settle into your hunched-over position so we can tell you the tale of a transformational video game (and masculinity both good and bad). We're talking about communal video games generally and Halo specifically. Grab your Bawls and let's dive in!

Plus this week we've got a very special guest. Laser The Boy just dropped his debut LP and you can (and should) listen to it now.

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Is MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO the best thing ever? BTE 1.03

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 04:57:00 +0000

Our search for the best thing ever continues with a deep dive into one of the cuddliest movies of all time, Studio Ghibli's "My Neighbor Totoro." Will it unseat bread and cat videos? It's a tough call. Plus the briefest history of Japan you've ever seen and an update on bay leaves.

Explore the My Neighbor Totoro slide deck at your leisure

BTE 1.02 - Fresh Baked Bread

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 20:00:00 +0000

We're back for our second episode ever and the first one where we actually have a tough time ranking the topic. And this topic is a strong possibility for Best Thing Ever, it's fresh baked bread, featuring a complete history of bread written by Ezra Fox. Is it better than cat videos? Find out!

Plus we give advice to Ali on moving in with a partner for the first time. You can get really mixed advice by becoming a Meat Buddy!

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BTE 1.01 - Cat Videos

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 22:22:00 +0000

It's the first episode of our new show! After months of work we're here to launch our brand new podcast investigating all things to find the best one. And our first contestant out of the gate is Cat Videos.

Featuring a history of Cat Videos written by Anthony Lopez and and immediate first place ranking.

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RiaW 5.43 - Season 5 Wrap

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 01:14:00 +0000

And that's it. We've finished one full year of playing the game we made up, Kevin Bacon's Exquisite Corpse. It's a mixed success, so we spend the episode talking about how we could have improved if we'd thought about it earlier. Plus we re-rank a few movies on our master list to make it a little bit better but still pretty weird.

Next up: A VERY COOL THING WE'LL TELL YOU MORE ABOUT SOON

RiaW 5.42 - Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Thu, 22 Dec 2022 23:03:00 +0000

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS! Well maybe it doesn't since weather prevented Hunter from joining us today. But we watched his movie choice anyway, the Tom Cruise orgy movie Eyes Wide Shut and it was a fun chat.

Plus in the news, Tom Cruise jumped off a thing.

Next up: That's a wrap on season 5! We'll do a post mortem in early January and then talk more about where we go from here.

RiaW 5.41 - Magnolia (1999)

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 22:58:00 +0000

After much controversy, we travel back to PT Anderson's 1992 epic about chance and fate, Magnolia. It earns a pretty high place on our list of best films of all time.

Plus in the news, Alex's video finally worked.

Next up: Controversy continues and that ends in the weirdest way possible, and we're traveling through the Cruise Missile and watching Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

RiaW 5.40 - Batman Returns (1992)

Thu, 08 Dec 2022 19:52:00 +0000

Our second Batman movie of season 5 is also our third time visiting the 90s Batman series and it's probably our best stop on the bat train.

Plus in the news, Alex is performing in Austin, TX next week and Santa is a conspiracy.

Next up: After a LOT of rules lawyering, we're watching Magnolia (1999)

RiaW 5.39 - The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:03:00 +0000

Alex chooses Anthony's movie and Anthony chooses violence.

Plus in the news, a very important month is over, Alex posts a video, and the Wall Safe Wallsafe is on sale now.

Next up: Ezra moves through Danny DeVito to Batman Returns.

RiaW 5.b - Andor (Disney+)

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 22:48:00 +0000

Hunter had to leave for the Holidays early so we did a special bonus about the just-wrapped Disney+ Star Wars series Andor. Alex is less enthusiastic than the others would like but it's always nice to talk about how George Lucas sucks.

Plus in the news, Disney switches Bobs and donuts get real.

Next up: We finally watch Virgin Suicides (1999).

RiaW 5.38 - Anastasia (1997)

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 00:42:00 +0000

From a princess who wants to be a wolf to a princess who just wants to know her own name, we watch another 90s animated film not made by Disney, this one the oddly a-historical Bluth joint Anastasia. The panel isn't thrilled but it has its supporter(s).

Plus in the news, Alex gives a Zelda update and talks about his new project Fauxcella.

Next up: Ezra's gambit backfires as Alex steers us to Anthony's movie and everybody scores but Ez. It's Virgin Suicides (1999).

RiaW 5.37 - Princess Mononoke (1997)

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:01:00 +0000

Alex comes roaring back onto the score board with a complete 5-point play as we watch the Miyazaki film Princess Mononoke and talk about it's greater meaning about how many bullets it takes to kill god and when to date a wolf girl.

Plus in the news, Alex is haunted by Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

h/t Caleb for making sure I watched this video first so I didn't look like a complete idiot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLibXEawkTI

Next up: Ezra sets himself and Anthony up with Anastasia (1997)

RiaW 5.36 - Lost Highway (1997)

Thu, 27 Oct 2022 18:32:00 +0000

Hunter's back in tiptop so we can finish our journey down the Lost Highway to spooky David Lynchville. Plus a long discussion of Halloween decorations and the long-awaited exercise update.

Next up: Alex power-cards his way to points with a double move that lands at Princess Mononoke.

RiaW 5.bonus - Hunter's Sick Day

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 22:41:00 +0000

Hunter's out sick so the rest of the crew does a six-topic lightning round in slow motion. Topics include "What would media like look if we lived in a world with a Purge" and "Who took the Devil out of Halloween?"

Next up: Hunter recovers and we talk about Lost Highway (1997) with him.

RiaW 5.35 - Casper (1995)

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:12:00 +0000

Anthony takes the free point for picking a spooky movie as he moves via Cathy Moriarty to the 90s childhood crowd pleaser Casper, which holds up pretty well as long as you don't overthink the mechanics of the Lazarus Machine or Casper kissing a girl while she's sleeping and a couple other standard 90s cringe moments.

Next up: Hunter moves via Bill Pullman to the David Lynch film Lost Highway (1997)

RiaW 5.34 - But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 21:12:00 +0000

Alex comes roaring back onto the leaderboard with his fourth target movie, the 1999 classic of queer cinema, But I'm A Cheerleader. It's funny and heart warming and maybe we don't talk about it as much as it deserves because we just kinda loved it and didn't have many jokes about it. But we loved it.

Next up: Anthony wins the draw YET AGAIN and takes a bonus point for moving us to the spoopy movie Casper (1995), available to stream on Peacock.

RiaW 5.33 - Happy Together (1997)

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 23:29:00 +0000

After what feels like ages, Hunter scores his second points movie of the year with the Wong Kar-wai movie Happy Together. Anthony loves it but Alex and Ezra both feel like they're not smart enough to like it all the way. But they do love the cinematography and waterfall. Plus big news from Alex's TikTok and his newest video from his YouTube series about the future.

Next up: Alex joins the scoring bonanza as he power cards his way to But I'm a Cheerleader

RiaW 5.32 - Hero (2002)

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:40:09 +0000

I need a hero. He's gotta be brave, and he's gotta be bold, and he's gotta be sponsored by the propaganda arm of the Chinese Government. That's right, after 2 weeks of strategic slogging we finally got to a target movie, Ezra's 5th! And it's a good one, so long as you focus on the visuals and not the message.

Next up: the good movies (and bad news for Alex) continues with Happy Together (1997)

RiaW 5.31 - Rush Hour 2 (2001)

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 20:18:28 +0000

A guy who's good at fighting and a horny guy go on a racially insensitive journey across the world. There are two Jackie Chan stunts that briefly make the movie watchable but overall, it's clearly the worst movie we've seen all year.

Next up: the scoring bonanza (for everybody but Alex) kicks off with Ezra's 5th successful score, Hero (2002)

RiaW 5.30 - Chances Are (1989)

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:15:41 +0000

Chances are you haven't seen this 80s reincarnation rom-com that's like if Old Boy was an uplifting comedy. It's WILD. Ghost dad is in a random kid's body and he's in love with his former-wife but his daughter is in love with him and so he gets concussed and ends up with his daughter and his wife is just COMPLETELY COOL WITH IT.

Plus more donut news and a conversation about table top games.

Next up: everybody wins but Alex this month after his terrible draw. Part 1 of the strategy is watching Rush Hour 2 (2001).

RiaW 5.30 - Shrek (2001)

Thu, 01 Sep 2022 00:18:55 +0000

Shrek is the most important movie of all time, there's no denying that. But is it good? Who knows. It's impossible to tell. But it is farty, that part is known.

Alex forced everybody to travel via Eddie Murphy to figure out why people are so horny for Shrek and he didn't learn anything but it was still an interesting outing.

Next up: Hunter moves strategically via Kathleen Freeman to the 1989 romcom with a bonkers premise, "Chances Are" just because he's reincarnated doesn't mean he can't hit on his daughter, apparently? Weird. Weird one coming up.

RiaW 5.29 - Bowfinger (1999)

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 00:08:18 +0000

We're all kindof having a Steve Martin reawakening right now because of Only Murders in the Building, so we traveled through him to a film he wrote and Ms. Piggy Herself directed (Frank Oz). It's the 1999 Hollywood-skewering heartfelt comedy Bowfinger about a group of misfits trying to make a movie. It's got one of Eddie Murphy's best double roles and some great set pieces. And some cringey 90s stuff. You might like it though.

Next up: Alex sends us via Eddie Murphy to try to figure out why everybody's so horny for Shrek (2001)

RiaW 5.28 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 18:34:59 +0000

The constitutional crisis behind us, we plow ahead with Ezra's 5th point scoring movie but with a twist! He gets no points. Instead we just enjoy an 80s comedy that aged better than most and sadly reflect on how little travel has improved in 35 years.

Next up: Anthony sends us via Steve Martin to Bowfinger (1999)

RiaW 5.b - The Constitutional Crisis

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 20:37:10 +0000

We've sorted through all the potential outcomes of the constitutional crisis kicked off by Ezra's sneaky but clever play yesterday.

Next up: Planes, Trains And Automobiles (1987)

RiaW 5.26 - Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 21:52:48 +0000

It finally happened. Ezra's clever play and good partnerships helped him bring the game around to Alex's nightmare superhero clusterfest that is the last (for now) Avengers movie. Although nobody thinks it's a top-10 film, they still pile on Alex for not liking it.

Next up: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS WE DON'T KNOW

Still Processing: Top Gun: Maverick(2022)

Thu, 04 Aug 2022 00:17:07 +0000

How should I feel about the ad for the US military that is Top Gun: Maverick? Should I feel better or worse knowing that the movie is a really good movie? We process these questions in real time with (surprise!) another bonus episode about the new movie from the Cruise Missile himself.

Next up: We're going to (ugh) watch Avengers: End Game (for real!). You can watch us watch it live Tuesday 8/9 at 4pm PST and then listen to our episode at the normal time.

Still Processing: Nope (2022)

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 18:06:17 +0000

Ezra and Hunter are away for the week so Alex and Anthony sat down to discuss a movie they just watched in a new segment we're calling "Still Processing". They puzzled through several theories about Nope and what it means, gave awards to the best part of the movie, and talked more about Jordan Peele's filmography including the unveiling of Anthony's Grand Unified Theory of Us. Listen now, you will leave changed.

Next up: We're going to (ugh) watch Avengers End Game. You can watch us watch it live Tuesday 8/2 at 4pm PST and then listen to our episode at the normal time.