List Envy

We’re all standing on the shoulders of giants. And there are no more impressive shoulders to stand on than the great physicists of the 19th and 20th centuries.This week, Mark is in conversation with author and teacher Katherine Benfante, to determine who wins physics.(00:00) - We need physics! (00:32) - Introduction (02:37) - Katherine’s pick: Sir Isaac Newton (05:01) - Mark’s pick: Joseph Swan (07:29) - Katherine’s pick: James Clerk Maxwell (13:53) - Mark’s pick: William Shockley (15:41) - Katherine’s pick: Ernest Rutherford (19:13) - Mark’s pick: Heinrich Hertz (21:22) - Katherine’s pick: Albert Einstein (25:23) - Mark’s pick: Guglielmo Marconi (28:12) - Katherine’s pick: Stephen Hawking (33:26) - Mark’s pick: Alexander Graham Bell (35:32) - Midamble (38:28) - Building the final list (41:26) - Honourable mentions (42:13) - Katherine’s p ick: Sir Isaac Newton (45:08) - Scattered Find Katherine via her website, buy her book Scattered on Amazon, or follow her on Twitter.

Hands up who overthinks stuff? Did you really put your hand up? Is anyone else putting theirs up? Did you put yours up too quickly? Maybe you were too slow? And what is a hand meant to do once it’s up in the air, anyway? I mean, we’re always being told to wave them like we just don’t care… how does a person do that?And breathe.Kim Witten helps people turn their overthinking into expert thinking, and she joins Mark to build a top-5 list of ways to tame the gremlins in our brain.(00:00) - You are in charge (00:40) - Introduction (01:21) - Why the brain? (03:30) - The vice of advice (06:13) - Kim’s pick: Make a top-5 list of you (11:33) - Mark’s pick: Walk for a 10-song playlist (15:06) - Kim’s pick: Get some perspective (18:52) - Mark’s pick: Occupy your chimp (22:26) - Kim’s pick: Treat feelings as feedback (25:20) - Mark’s pick: Make the right thing the easy thing (28:28) - Kim’s pick: Get stuff out of your head (32:04) - Mark’s pick: Dance like nobody’s watching (34:33) - Kim’s pick: Be like Alice (39:00) - Mark’s pick: Meditate for 15 minutes (43:58) - Midamble (45:09) - Building the final list (46:27) - Honourable mentions (52:29) - Hold That Thought Find Kim via her website, and make sure to sign up for her newsletter to keep the journey of gremlin-taming going.PS: Mark doesn’t usually have coaches or coachy-type conversations on this podcast. But Kim’s one of the good’ns, and what she has to say is sound.

Staple a jelly doughnut to your ear, set your spleen to channel 27 and ask your favourite albino squirrel to a dance. Lex Friedman joins Mark to discuss their top-5 songs by “Weird” Al Yankovic that aren’t parodies.Lex is, among many things (musician, improviser, podcaster, game developer and consultant), a turbo Yankovic fan, and it’s quite possible that even Al himself might struggle to come up with a better list.(00:00) - Stay weird, Al (00:40) - Introduction (01:04) - Getting into Weird Al (05:52) - Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (08:02) - Lex’s pick: Word Crimes (11:06) - Mark’s pick: Everything You Know is Wrong (14:26) - Lex’s pick: Trapped in the Drive-Thru (18:16) - Mark’s pick: Albuquerque (21:41) - Lex’s pick: Hardware Store (24:04) - Mark’s pick: Christmas at Ground Zero (26:49) - Lex’s pick: Skipper Dan (28:33) - Mark’s pick: Your Horoscope for Today (31:04) - Lex’s pick: Frank's 2000" TV (32:49) - Mark’s pick: The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota (35:54) - Midamble (38:08) - Building the final list (39:23) - Honourable mentions (43:44) - The music of Liam & Lex (46:28) - More of Lex Friedman Find Lex online on his website, play one of his many word games, hang out with him on Mastodon, or buy one or all of Liam & Lex’s albums.

Rhythm is a dancer. The rhythm is gonna get ya. And you must not, under any circumstances, stop the beat.This week, Stephanie Fuccio joins Mark to pick their top 5 songs that drag them to the dance floor. At the end of this, you’ll either leave with an earworm or the need to jump on a mini-trampoline for a bit.(00:00) - We have to dance (00:17) - Introduction (00:58) - When do you dance? (05:41) - Steph’s pick: Missy Elliott - The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly) (08:40) - Mark’s pick: Brush Shiels – Fields of Athenry (10:37) - Steph’s pick: Girls' Generation – 소녀시대 (12:31) - Mark’s pick: Deee Lite – Groove is in the Heart (16:46) - Steph’s pick: Donna Summer – The Last Dance (18:43) - Mark’s pick: House of Pain – Jump Around (20:25) - Steph’s pick: Walk the Moon – One Foot (24:47) - Mark’s pick: Madness – Baggy Trousers (26:36) - Steph’s pick: Elderbrook – Glad I Found You (35:22) - Midamble (35:22) - Mark’s pick: Reef – Place Your Hands (37:25) - Building the final list (39:36) - Honourable mentions (45:50) - Ai and Podcasting If you have a podcast, you can work with Steph to make it better, or follow her AI and Podcasting newsletter to learn how to make ChatGPT do your bidding.

Whether they go “pew pew”, “what is this thing called ‘love’?” or “Give me your clothes, your boots, and your motorcycle”, androids have, it turns out, been a staple of sci-fi films for a century.This week, Ayesha Khan joins Mark to rank androids from sci-fi films.(00:00) - Cold open (00:19) - Introduction (02:00) - What is an android? (03:38) - Ayesha’s pick: The Terminator, from Terminator 2: Judgement Day (07:32) - Mark’s pick: Marvin, from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (10:29) - Ayesha’s pick: Ava, from Ex Machina (13:16) - Mark’s pick: Ash, from Alien (15:46) - Ayesha’s pick: Evil Maria, from Metropolis (20:58) - Mark’s pick: The Terminator, from The Terminator (24:33) - Ayesha’s pick: The Stepford Wives, from The Stepford Wives (26:54) - Mark’s pick: David, from AI (31:39) - Ayesha’s pick: Data, from Star Trek (35:10) - Mark’s pick: C-3PO, from Star Wars (37:56) - Midamble (39:55) - Building the final list (43:06) - Honourable mentions (46:31) - Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever* Ayesha is the host of the podcast Every Single Sci-Fi Film Ever*. You can follow her tireless work wherever you get podcasts, and on Youtube and Instagram.

Whether you like to bash away at them or tickle them gently, you can get a lot of beautiful noise out of 88 keys.Jon Hickman rejoins Mark to discuss their top-5 piano pop ac.(00:00) - Cold open (00:26) - Introduction (00:47) - Jon’s pick: Billy Joel (03:21) - Mark’s pick: Ben Folds (Five) (15:28) - Jon’s pick: Regina Spektor (19:12) - Mark’s pick: Elton John (24:20) - Jon’s pick: Sean Smith (31:14) - Mark’s pick: Muse (35:42) - Jon’s pick: Keane (41:12) - Mark’s pick: Stevie Wonder (48:23) - Midamble (50:41) - Building the final list (53:23) - Honourable mentions (59:44) - More of Jon Hickman Find Jon @jonhickman just about everywhere (but not on the hellsite), or visit his lovely website.

Nothing is ever quite as it seems in the world of spies. A watch isn’t just a watch – it’s a deadly weapon. That phonebooth? Also a weapon. Bag pipes? Weapon. This sandwich though, that’s just Q’s lunch. Don’t touch it.Valerie Paris rejoins Mark to discuss their top-5 Bond gadgets. Like Valerie’s previous appearance, it’s funny and charming. Unlike Mark’s previous Bond episode, it’s accurate and researched.(00:00) - Cold open (00:26) - Introduction (00:54) - Welcome to Bond (03:29) - Valerie’s pick: The rebreather from Thunderball (05:00) - Mark’s pick: Garrote watch from From Russia with Love (11:51) - Valerie’s pick: The Felix lighter from License to Kill (14:00) - Mark’s pick: Mini rocket cigarette from You Only Live Twice (17:03) - Valerie’s pick: Crocodile suit from Octopussy (18:54) - Mark’s pick: Ericsson JB988 from Tomorrow Never Dies (21:37) - Flip phone nostalgia (23:22) - Valerie’s pick: Grenade pen from GoldenEye (26:36) - Mark’s pick: Single digit sonic agitator from Day Another Day (31:33) - Valerie’s pick: The golden gun from The Man with the Golden Gun (33:38) - Mark’s pick: Smart blood from Spectre (36:54) - Bring back romantic Bond (42:01) - Midamble (44:00) - Building the final list (46:21) - Honourable mentions (49:24) - If Bond gadgets were real (50:13) - Bond’s silliest gadgets (53:26) - More of Valerie Find Valerie’s interactive novel and video games on her itch.io page, and follow her on Twitter.

The world faces a host of very real and serious dangers. But if you believe there’s nothing little ol’ us can do, it’s probably because that’s what certain people want you to think.No, this isn’t a conspiracy episode – just a collation of ways you can actually make a difference in your home, your street, your local area, and maybe a little further afield.Rebecca Bratspies, environment expert and law professor joins Mark to discuss their top-5 ways we can actually make a difference.(00:00) - Cold open (00:28) - Introduction (01:03) - More than trees and bunnies (03:06) - What’s the world’s problem? (04:51) - Mark rationalises his list (06:01) - Rebecca’s pick: Vote (08:05) - Mark’s pick: Ask before you judge (11:36) - Rebecca’s pick: Get involved locally (18:24) - Mark’s pick: Teach empathy (21:53) - Rebecca’s pick: Eat less meat (27:38) - Mark’s pick: Watch the Monty Python Argument Sketch (28:58) - Rebecca’s pick: Rethink your use of plastic (33:10) - Mark’s pick: Stop othering people (37:59) - Rebecca’s pick: Be a lifelong learner (41:22) - Mark’s pick: Spend time with people, not systems (44:30) - Midamble (49:03) - Building the final list (50:47) - Honourable mentions (52:31) - Keep up with Rebecca Find Rebecca’s work via her website, and follow @RBratspies on Twitter.

What should you do, eat, drink, look for or avoid while traveling alone to a new city?Arielle Nissenblatt, podcast maven and former List Envy guest, returns to decide on the top five ways to explore a new city while travelling solo.(00:00) - Sometimes it's better solo (00:33) - Introduction (01:03) - Guatemala was too hot (02:50) - Arielle’s pick: Join a free walking tour (07:35) - Mark’s pick: Follow the music (10:30) - Arielle’s pick: Go to a vegetarian restaurant (13:07) - Mark’s pick: Get lost (15:46) - Arielle’s pick: Look for the local coffee roaster (17:54) - Mark’s pick: Meet up with an acquaintance (21:44) - Arielle’s pick: Read Atlas Obscura (25:10) - Mark’s pick: Ask a local (27:46) - Arielle’s pick: Find the nearest body of water (30:14) - Mark’s pick: Buy some local street food (31:48) - Midamble (36:08) - Building the final list (36:35) - Honourable mentions (39:07) - More of Arielle Nissenblatt You can find Arielle in podcast form via Daily Tips That May or May. Not Help You, and Trailer Park, the podcast trailer podcast.Arielle does lots of other things too, so you can find them all on her website… which is best.

What do mechanical limbs, credit cards, and the atomic bomb have in common? They all had their roots in science fiction.Ashley Hamer joins Mark to rank real-world inventions inspired by sci-fi, and Mark reveals that he apparently went to school in a gadget factory.(00:00) - Cold open (00:11) - Introduction (00:41) - Guest (03:44) - Ashley’s pick: Autonomous cars (07:21) - Mark’s pick: World Wide Web (08:39) - Ashley’s pick: Atomic bombs (10:09) - Mark’s pick: Mobile phone (11:58) - Ashley’s pick: Video calling (17:26) - Mark’s pick: Helicopter (20:23) - Ashley’s pick: Credit cards (21:46) - Mark’s go-go gadget school (25:15) - Mark’s pick: Mechanical limbs (26:40) - Midamble (28:56) - Building the final list (29:32) - Honourable mentions (31:36) - Taboo Science Ashley is the host of Taboo Science, which examines taboos through a scientific lens. She’s also the author of The Weekly Tweak, which seeks to help your podcasting game improve, one tweak at a time.You can also find her pretty much everywhere online @smashleyhamer.

Just like every brand has a visual logo, every accomplished brand has an audio – or sonic – logo too. Everything from the Netflix “tudum” to the noise your computer makes when it starts up… even the cap on the bottle of soda; it’s all been designed to be memorable.Professional voice actor Jodi Krangle joins Mark to discuss all things sonic branding, and to pick their combined top 5 list of sonic logos.(00:00) - Your kettle has a sonic brand (00:30) - Introduction (00:53) - Why is audio branding important? (03:01) - Jodi’s pick: Intel (06:31) - Mark’s pick: Sega (09:00) - Jodi’s pick: McDonald’s (12:16) - Mark’s pick: KFC (13:14) - Jodi’s pick: Netflix (15:08) - Mark’s pick: macOS startup chime (17:53) - Jodi’s pick: State Farm (19:37) - Mark’s pick: Cadbury (21:34) - Jodi’s pick: Renault (23:55) - Mark’s pick: Xbox 360 (24:49) - Midamble (27:14) - Building the final list (28:14) - Honourable mentions (32:15) - Making people pay attention (35:16) - Pearl and Dean (36:15) - The Audio Branding podcast Listen to the Audio Branding podcast, and book Jodi for your next project.

Where can you go to get a goodnight kiss, see a big wienie, and drink your way around the world? Why, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom of course!This week, Mark is joined by Disney turbo-enthusiast James Smith, to create the definitive list of things you can do in the happiest place on earth.(00:00) - Cold open (00:14) - Introduction (01:42) - The changing parks (03:16) - James’s pick: The Haunted Mansion (08:21) - Mark’s pick: Space Mountain (14:55) - James’s pick: Pirates of the Caribbean (19:33) - Mark’s pick: Evening fireworks (22:48) - James’s pick: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (25:17) - Drink your way through Disney World (26:38) - Mark’s pick: Cinderella Castle (31:59) - James’s pick: Peter Pan’s Flight (35:21) - Mark’s pick: Parades (39:34) - James’s pick: Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (42:37) - Mark’s pick: Jungle cruise (45:31) - A brief sitdown (46:25) - The Big Minute (48:28) - Building the final list (51:11) - Honourable mentions (53:02) - Disney Facts and Figment Find James’ work at Facts and Figment, and follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

If they don’t leave you humming to yourself during your midnight pee, then they don’t qualify.Standup comic Luke Gallacher joins Mark to discuss films that give them the absolute ick, and put them in the correct order.(00:00) - We don’t want famous people in our horrors (00:12) - It begins (01:26) - In this house we do horror (02:46) - Luke’s pick: Nightmare on Elm Street (05:18) - Mark’s pick: Midsommar (07:46) - Luke’s pick: Paranormal Activity (10:11) - Mark’s pick: the Babadook (13:17) - Luke’s pick: Hereditary (17:50) - Mark’s pick: A Clockwork Orange (19:21) - Luke’s pick: Smile (24:42) - Mark’s pick: The Blair Witch Project (29:50) - Luke’s pick: The Conjuring (32:07) - Luke’s pick: The Witch (33:02) - Mark’s pick: Mama (35:13) - You can open your eyes now (37:22) - Get List Envy + (38:52) - Coming up (39:37) - Building the final list (42:04) - Honourable mentions (45:26) - The end…? Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.Find Luke at a comedy venue near you. If there’s an open mic or a competition, chances are he’ll be there.

“Let’s get away to this old European castle”, he said. “It’ll be romantic”, he said. Then you find your husband’s EVP meter in your carry-on luggage and you remember you married a writer of real-life ghost stories.John Olson, author of the Stranger Bridgerland book series joins Mark to discuss places that will creep you the hell out.(00:00) - The Stair Monster (00:07) - Introduction (00:53) - The 100 Year-old House (04:03) - The Man in the Hat (05:03) - Where is the evidence? (06:38) - John’s pick: the Queen Mary (10:32) - Mark’s pick: 284 Green Street (12:29) - John’s pick: The Stanley Hotel, Colorado (16:15) - Mark’s pick: The Catacombs underneath Paris (19:04) - John’s pick: Pavaglia (21:19) - Mark’s pick: Aokigahara (24:06) - John’s pick: Waverly Hills Sanatorium (26:44) - Mark’s pick: Zvíkov Castle, Czech Republic (28:21) - John’s pick: The Bigelow Hotel, Ogden (31:02) - Midamble (32:36) - Get List Envy + (34:22) - Coming up (35:11) - Building the final list (36:16) - Honourable mentions (36:55) - Stranger Bridgerland Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.Discover Stranger Bridgerland online and follow John on TikTok.The Stranger Bridgerland podcast

We’ve got some half-priced cracked ice, codpieces, yellow coats and goldfish shoals nibbling at toes. That can mean only one thing – your podcast app is on the blink again.Jon Bounds rejoins Mark to discuss their top-5 80s sitcoms from the UK. There is a very long long-list.(00:00) - Jon moved Dead Elvis (00:07) - Introduction (00:53) - What makes a sitcom? (02:27) - Jon’s pick: Only Fools and Horses (07:19) - Mark’s pick: The Young Ones (11:29) - Jon’s pick: Hi-de-Hi (15:08) - Mark’s pick: Blackadder (21:15) - Jon’s pick: Yes Minister (26:49) - Mark’s pick: Red Dwarf (31:15) - Jon’s pick: Colin’s Sandwich (33:54) - Mark’s pick: Auf Wiedersehen Pet (37:27) - You have been watching (38:18) - Get List Envy + (40:10) - Coming up (41:19) - Building the final list (43:06) - Honourable mentions (47:18) - Trigger’s Broom Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.Keep up with Jon via his website, and to know when his new podcast Trigger’s Broom drops.

Sequins, ethnic-sounding instruments, scantily-clad androgynous gimps, wolves in tailored suits. It’s here. It’s Eurovision. Get used to it.Cat Turner joins Mark to sift through all 37 Eurovision 2024 semifinalists to discover which are objectively the best 5.(00:00) - Who chooses hockey over Eurovision? (00:08) - Introduction (02:00) - Memories of Eurovision past (04:28) - How Mark got Eurovision wrong (05:13) - Cat’s pick: Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim (07:36) - Mark’s pick: Aiko - Pedestal (10:26) - Cat’s pick: Joost Klein - Europapa (12:39) - Mark’s pick: Bambie Thug - Doomsday Blue (14:22) - Sweden don’t want to host again (15:25) - Cat’s pick: 5Minust x Puuluup - (Nendest) Narkootikumidest ei Tea Me (18:24) - Mark’s pick: Nemo - The Code (21:17) - Cat’s pick: Electric Fields - One Milkali (One Blood) (22:57) - Mark’s pick: Ladaniva - Jako (25:05) - Cat’s pick: Olly Alexander - Dizzy (27:23) - Mark’s pick: Windows95man - No Rules! (29:51) - Vote now! (30:41) - Get List Envy + (31:43) - Coming up (33:00) - Building the final list (33:57) - Honourable mentions (36:32) - See you at the finals Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.Hear the full playlist on YouTube

Those “You had to be there” moments; the jokes that made you cry but you can no longer remember; the savage putdown of the ambitious heckler. These are the moments that distinguish live comedy from what you can get on Netflix.This week, new standup Dave Bond joins Mark to discuss their top-5 British standups you can currently see live… and simply must!(00:00) - A first (00:08) - Introduction (00:55) - Make ‘em laugh (03:55) - Dave’s pick: Peter Kay (08:01) - Mark’s pick: Daniel Kitson (10:25) - Dave’s pick: Jimmy Carr (13:58) - Mark’s pick: Sarah Millican (17:27) - Dave’s pick: Neil Delamere (19:55) - Mark’s pick: Ross Noble (23:03) - Dave’s pick: James Cook (24:05) - Mark’s pick: Nina Conti (27:13) - Dave’s pick: Greg Davies (28:41) - Intermission (31:52) - Get List Envy + (33:10) - Coming up (34:50) - Building the final list (38:44) - Honourable mentions (41:48) - More of Dave Bond Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.Watch Dave’s first piece of standup

Everyone’s pretty, everyone eventually gets down to it, no-one throws up, and occasionally steam comes out of someone’s ears. Is there more to cute Korean dramas than this?Turns out yes, yes there is, as positive psychologist and K-drama stan Anya Pearse explains.(00:00) - A lot of thought wente into this (00:11) - Introduction (00:57) - What makes K-dramas different? (04:39) - Anya’s pick: Extraordinary Attorney Woo (09:02) - Mark’s pick: I am Not a Robot (12:50) - Anya’s pick: Are You Human? (16:21) - Mark’s pick: Strong Girl Bong-soon (22:03) - Anya’s pick: Navillera (25:58) - Mark’s pick: Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (30:10) - Anya’s pick: Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (34:13) - Mark’s pick: It’s OK Not to be OK (38:27) - Anya’s pick: 100 Days My Prince (40:42) - Mark’s pick: Queen of Tears (42:31) - We’re on a break! (44:24) - Get List Envy + (45:37) - Back to the show (45:46) - Building the final list (46:45) - Honourable mentions (47:40) - Strong female leads need not apply Join List Envy + and get bonus content and an ad-free feed.If this episode has made you happy and you want to keep feeling happy, Anya’s Unlocking Happiness online summit is available to watch for free.

Stuart Moore joins Mark to discuss their top-5 characters from America’s longest-running animated show.Snowball II, Groundskeeper Willy, Frank Grimes. These are just some of the characters that get absolutely no mention in this week’s episode.(00:00) - Do the Bartman (00:25) - Introduction (01:22) - Changing voices of the Simpsons (04:40) - Stuart's pick: Homer Simpson (10:17) - Mark's pick: Ralph Wiggum (12:51) - Stuart's pick: Lisa Simpson (15:57) - Mark's pick: Hank Scorpio (18:00) - Stuart's pick: Disco Stu (20:01) - Mark's pick: Dr Nick Riviera (23:06) - Stuart's pick: Sideshow Bob (25:49) - Mark's pick: Professor Frink (28:52) - Stuart's pick: Mr Burns (31:28) - Mark's pick: Gil Gunderson (33:36) - Get List Envy + (34:58) - Back to the show (35:27) - Building the final list (36:09) - Honourable mentions (42:16) - More of Stuart Moore Find Stuart @StuartVincentMoore wherever you’re social, and check out the Dandelions Poetry Podcast.

Whether you’re 🤩, 😡, or 🫤 about them, emoji are a useful way to express in one tiny image what would take reams of text to express.So today, George Chachanidze rejoins Mark to pick their top 5 emoji reactions, and create a definitive list.(00:00) - 👋 (00:17) - Introduction (01:08) - History of the emoji (05:14) - George’s pick: 😂 (08:16) - Mark’s pick: 🤗 (10:16) - George’s pick: 🤔 (12:11) - Mark’s pick: 🙏 (14:09) - George’s pick: 👍 (17:03) - Mark’s pick: 👋 (18:49) - George’s pick: 👀 (20:31) - Mark’s pick: 😘 (24:11) - George’s pick: 👉👈 (26:14) - Mark’s pick: 🐴 (28:03) - ✂️ (28:56) - Join List Envy + (29:57) - Back to the show (30:11) - Building the final list (32:47) - Honourable mentions (36:57) - More of George You can find George all over the socials @GeorgeProbably, and via his blog.Also mentionedTextExpanderThe shrug emoticon: ¯*(ツ)*/¯

List Envy is returning, with a brand new set of comedians, writers, performers, and layabouts. Join Mark and his guests every week as they continue to rank things in order from 1 to 5, so you don't have to.

Indie music blogger Kamala Adams joins Mark to discuss all things modern indie, and to define what “modern” means.(00:00) - Introduction (05:22) - Kamala's pick: Porridge Radio (07:40) - Mark's pick: The Corteeners (10:28) - Kamala's pick: Wolf Alice (13:42) - Mark's pick: Maxïmo Park (16:28) - Kamala's pick: Blaenavon (19:04) - Mark's pick: Gerry Cinnamon (22:22) - Kamala's pick: The Vaccines (24:34) - Mark's pick: Nothing But Thieves (26:54) - Kamala's pick: Courting (29:26) - Mark's pick: Courtney Barnett (31:46) - Breakdown (38:30) - Building the final list (39:56) - Honourable mentions (43:56) - Honourable mentions Kamala setup and writes for The Indie Scene, a blog championing new music, with articles by a number of writers.

Mark talks vinyl and hunts down new music to enjoy, with music podcaster Elliott Farrar.(00:00) - Introduction (09:26) - Elliott's pick: Weird!, by Yungblud (13:04) - Mark's pick: RTJ4, by Run the Jewels (16:06) - Elliott's pick: Girlfriends, by Girlfriends (20:00) - Mark's pick: Women in Music Pt III, by Haim (21:24) - Elliott's pick: Grime MC, by Jme (32:50) - Mark's pick: Letter to You, by Bruce Springstein (36:30) - Elliott's pick: Fake it Flowers, by Beabadoobee (39:46) - Mark's pick: Saint Cloud, by Waxahatchee (42:50) - Elliott's pick: Foolish Loving Spaces, by Blossoms (46:02) - Mark's pick: Shore, by Fleet Foxes (48:58) - Turn over for Side B (51:30) - Building the final list (53:44) - Honourable mentions (56:04) - The Scratched Record Podcast Elliott is one half of the Scratched Record podcast, which you can find in all your usual podcast places, and which brings indie music artists out of the shadows and into your ears every Tuesday.

Mark is joined by super-talented singer-songwriter Bryony Williams. Bryony realised she could sing in her early teens, and spent most of her mid-to-late teens honing her craft. At nineteen she was in the electro-pop duo Field Harmonics, and has been recording solo since 2018.(00:00) - Introduction (05:50) - Bryony's pick: Cleaning (08:02) - Mark's pick: Over-planning the task (13:28) - Bryony's pick: Spontaneous trips out with pals (17:58) - Mark's pick: Organising and taxonomising (21:20) - Brony's pick: The mobile (27:32) - Mark's pick: Putting the kettle on (29:00) - Bryony's pick: Bingewatching (33:26) - Mark's pick: Bothering the cats (37:12) - Silhouette, by Bryony Williams (38:52) - Building the final list (41:16) - Honourable mentions (44:52) - Van conversions You can get a limited edition copy of Bryony’s EP Growing / Fading, and follow her on Instagram or Twitter for more.

Mark kicks off a music mini-season with artist manager Ella Gregg, who’s been supporting emerging music artists since she was a teenager.Tech has always been an important aspect of Ella’s work, including her early days helping artists get their work played in films or adverts.(00:00) - Introduction (07:20) - Ella's pick: Livestreaming (13:04) - Mark's pick: Loop pedal (18:22) - Ella's pick: Multi-participant video calling (23:50) - Mark's pick: Handheld SD card recorder (28:16) - Ella's pick: Digital audio workstations (34:58) - Mark's pick: Music distribution services (41:04) - Ella's pick: Music recognition algorithms (46:12) - MArk's pick: iPad (51:00) - Ella's pick: Social ads (56:48) - Mark's pick: YouTube (01:06:32) - Tech a break (01:09:16) - Building the final list (01:11:30) - Honourable mentions (01:13:06) - More of Ella Gregg You can find Ella at 321 Artists, where you can sign up for her mailing list to get exclusive downloads you won’t find elswhere.

Many people are intrigued by the depiction of their profession in popular fiction, and none more so than librarians, like this week’s guest Owen Stephens.(00:00) - Introduction (06:35) - Owen's pick: Bunny Watson (12:13) - Mark's pick: Horace Worblehat (18:33) - Owen's pick: Lirael (24:02) - Mark's pick: Mrs Phelps (28:26) - Owen's pick: Oswald Bates (34:32) - Mark's pick: Brooks Hatlen (39:06) - Owen's pick: Tammy 2 (45:22) - Mark's pick: Joe Bookman (48:00) - Breaktime (51:00) - Building the final list (52:16) - Honourable mentions (01:04:00) - More of Owen Stephens You can follow @ostephens on Twitter, or find him working on the Folio open source library project.

Whether they cover an entire life or centre on a pivotal moment, biopics are often Oscar fodder, and are frequently conic. In this episode, Mark and podcaster and web developer Aaron Conway get straight down to business, ranking the best biopics around.(00:00) - Introduction (02:29) - Aaron's pick: The Social Network (06:52) - Mark's pick: Shadowlands (11:44) - Aaron's pick: Rocketman (19:46) - Mark's pick: Stan and Ollie (21:50) - Aaron's pick: The Wolf of Wall Street (27:22) - Mark's pick: Hillbilly Elegy (30:46) - Aaron's pick: Dangal (36:38) - Mark's pick: Lion (39:24) - Aaron's pick: Marvellous (43:10) - Mark's pick: Private Parts (46:44) - Bio break (50:44) - Building the final list (52:46) - More of Aaron Conway You can follow @aaronconway7 on Twitter and on Instagram, and make sure to check out his podcast, The Third Wheel.

Journalist Eliza Lita is a self-confessed bookworm, but her early reading focused more on non-fiction work. As a result, she’s picked up a wide variety of useful knowledge, and kept her curiosity alive. She and Mark share an appreciation for good crime fiction, and Eliza has some tips to help Mark finish the books he keeps starting.(00:00) - Introduction (06:10) - Eliza's pick: Ikigai (10:14) - MArk's pick: The Chimp Paradox (12:14) - Eliza's pick: The Face (15:56) - Mark's pick: Self-compassion (18:56) - Eliza's pick: Sleep Well (24:28) - MArk's pick: The Infinite Game (27:08) - Eliza's pick: Beyond Mars and Venus (31:34) - Mark's pick: Three Men in a Boat (34:24) - Eliza's pick: Lady in Waiting (41:10) - Mark's pick: Alexander Hamilton (44:08) - Bookmark (46:56) - Building the final list (48:24) - Honourable mentions (52:32) - Goodbyes You can read Eliza’s writings on Medium, and follow @lita_eliza on Twitter. Eliza is also Europe Editor for The Meridian magazine, and you can read some of her contributions there.

Mark is joined by nature lover and avid walker Sue Burlton, and together they uncover the joys of a good stretch of the legs. If you’re planning a stroll, this will make excellent accompaniment.(00:00) - Introduction (03:40) - Sue's pick: Wildlife (06:46) - Mark's pick: Time to yourself (10:28) - Sue's pick: Green space (13:38) - Mark's pick: Get stuff done (19:46) - Sue's pick: The canals of Birmingham (21:28) - Mark's pick: Time offline (23:34) - Sue's pick: The Seven Wonders Way (29:26) - Mark's pick: Collecting things (31:32) - Sue's pick: Discovering history (34:34) - Mark's pick: Time with company (37:58) - A wee sit down (40:04) - Putting the final list together (42:58) - Goodbyes You can follow Sue on Twitter @sueburly.

Developer of horror video games including Butterfly Collector, Valerie Paris joins Mark to discuss point-and-click adventure games you’ll remember, and one or two you’ll never forget, no matter how hard you try.(00:00) - Introduction (46:55) - Honourable mentions (11:44) - Valerie's pick: Myst (27:42) - Valerie's pick: Loom (50:28) - More of Valerie Paris (23:49) - Mark's pick: Discworld (42:42) - Please insert disk two (19:45) - Valerie's pick: Still Life (38:21) - Mark's pick: Space Quest IV (07:11) - Valerie's pick: Grim Fandango (44:40) - Putting the final list together (08:59) - Mark's pick: Day of the Tentacle (16:39) - Mark's pick: Little Big Adventure (30:40) - Mark's pick: Under a Killing Moon (34:20) - Valerie's pick: Bad Day on the Midway You can follow @UncannyVallerie on Twitter and on Itch to experience her games, and look out for Apolysis when it arrives.

Mark is joined by the Creative Director at Worcester-based design, branding and development agency WeAreBeard, Dave Webb, to share his top tips for working in the kind of field that your mum told you you should have a backup for.Dave remembers the first day he was praised for drawing something good, instead of being made to feel like he was falling behind academically, which is where his affinity for creative work began.A creative person’s priorities often don’t fit in with a “professional” culture, which can lead to clashes, of which both Mark and Dave have experience.(00:00) - Introduction (06:32) - Dave's tip: Don't have a plan B (14:40) - Mark's tip: Be supportive (19:46) - Dave's tip: Be childlike, but not childish (22:58) - Mark's tip: Be stubborn (27:52) - Dave's tip: Be excited by your work (33:58) - Mark's tip: Run your own race (43:00) - Dave's tip: Failing is learning (49:42) - Mark's tip: Use what you have to hand (56:00) - Dave's tip: It's a numbers game (59:26) - Mark's tip: Take all advice with a pinch of salt (01:03:34) - Refer a friend (01:06:38) - Building the final list (01:09:00) - Honourable mentions (01:20:12) - More of Dave Webb Follow Dave on Instagram and @illustratteddave, and check out the wonderful WeAreBeard, of which he is Creative Director.LinksCompare the MeerkatMark’s meme thing@obscurestvinyl on Instagram

Time-travel films are often about fixing the big things, so says this week’s guest, Karl Hodge, but time-travel romance films address the small things that keep us awake at night.Mark and Karl begin by looking at some of Christopher Nolan’s work, from Memento to Tenet, and trying to figure out whether they qualify as time-travel films.(00:00) - Introduction (05:48) - Karl's pick: Groundhog Day (08:32) - Mark's pick: Back to the Future (12:02) - Karl's pick: The Time Travellers Wife (15:24) - Mark's pick: About Time (20:10) - Karl's pick: Kate & Leopold (23:50) - Mark's pick: Safety Not Guaranteed (26:14) - Karl's pick: The Lake House (32:18) - Mark's pick: Happy Accidents (33:54) - Karl's pick: Time After Time (38:34) - Time Break (44:26) - Building the final list (48:12) - Honourable mentions (49:48) - Goodbyes

This week’s guest is musician, DJ and producer Kevin Kerr, and on the list is top people from Birmingham in the UK, or as we have them, Brummies.(00:00) - Introduction (04:38) - Rusty's pick: Benjamin Zephaniah (07:14) - Mark's pick: Stewart Lee (10:12) - Rusty's pick: Tony Iommi (12:32) - Mark's pick: John Cadbury (15:50) - Rusty's pick: Mike Skinner (20:14) - Mark's pick: John Oliver (22:50) - Rusty's pick: Pat Malloy (28:52) - Mark's pick: Janice Connolly (31:10) - Rusty's pick: Joe Lycett (34:50) - Brummie in the middle (36:22) - Putting the final list together (39:24) - Honourable mentions (46:10) - More of Rusty Nails Follow @RustyNailsBeats on Twitter and listen to Titans of Doom’s latest single, Rise Up, in aid of the Northfield Community Partnership food bank.LinksGary Sambrook eats big dinners

This week’s guest is Liam Barrington-Bush, a Bristol-based activist who helps organisations think more like people, and has loads of real-world experience of how people can govern themselves, build their own systems, and get closer to achieving what they want, without having those systems handed down to them.After years of community activism and disillusionment with political systems, Liam discovered that people were capable of remarkable things when they weren’t being told what to do. Mark and Liam discuss the way the Internet has enabled or changed activism, but allowing information to spread to places that wouldn’t ordinarily be affected or invested. They also examine what happens after the dust has settled.(00:00) - Introduction (05:54) - Liam's pick: Argentine Occupy Factory movement (20:50) - Mark's pick: Indignados movement (24:10) - Liam's pick: People's uprising in Oaxaca, Mexico (31:10) - Mark's pick: Singing Revolution (37:02) - Liam's pick: Sweets Way regeneration (43:52) - Mark's pick: Inner-London squatting in the 70s (49:12) - Liam's pick: Rojava revolution (54:58) - Mark's pick: Sous les pavés, la plage! (56:36) - Liam's pick: Viome factory occupation (01:02:10) - Mark's pick: Rage Against the Machine for Christmas #1 (01:04:26) - Au milieu de la discussion, la pause! (01:09:48) - Putting the final list together (01:13:38) - Honourable mentions (01:17:32) - What happens next? Follow Liam on Twitter @hackofalltrades, and check out his website.LinksDavid Graeber, anthropologist, anarchist activist, and authorAccidental Anarchist, a film by Carne RossTeaching RebellionAnarchists in the Boardroom, Liam’s book

Today Mark is talking the golden age of arcade games, which ran from 1979 til around 1983. Mark and Nick start with their own childhood arcade memories, and Mark gets quizzical about the American quarter as a “unit of fun”. As this was recorded during the Quarantimes, conversation inevitably turned to the decline in in-person entertainment like arcades and cinemas.(00:00) - Introduction (10:38) - Nicholas's pick: Pac-Man (22:17) - Mark's pick: Space Invaders (26:57) - Nicholas's pick: Defender (32:44) - Mark's pick: Pole Position (36:41) - Nicholas's pick: Mario Bros (46:58) - Mark's pick: Paperboy (48:40) - Nicholas's pick: Galaga (53:22) - Mark's pick: Asteroids (56:17) - A primer on vector graphics (59:56) - Nicholas's pick: Robotron 2048 (01:03:32) - Dispatches from the past (01:08:38) - Building the final list (01:11:20) - Honourable mentions (01:13:08) - More of Nicholas Bond Nick blogs at the Retrogame Deconstruction Zone, and you can find him on Twitter @MrVGBrow.LinksHigh Score documentary series on NetflixPsygnosis (the video game publisher with the owl logo Mark was trying to think of)10 hours of arcade noiseMasters of DoomPodcast My Startup

Mark is joined once more by Cat Turner and Tom Clabon to swap spooky stories. If you haven’t already checked out part one, you can do so now.(00:00) - Introduction (01:10) - Mark's pick: The call is coming from inside the house (05:40) - Tom's pick: Boston Dynamics robot dog revenge (07:54) - Mark's pick: Petscop (16:16) - Mark's pick: The Young Ones' fifth housemate (27:42) - Honourable mentions (35:58) - Postamble

List Envy is back in the new year with a new slate of guests and lists. To get us back into the spirit, Mark called up previous guests Cat Turner and Tom Clabon to swap “scary ghost stories”, as is tradition, according to It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, which is a Christmas song.(00:00) - Introduction (03:22) - It's the most wonderful time of the year (04:04) - Cat's pick: Mothman (16:50) - Mark's pick: Cropsey (19:08) - Tom's pick: Talking Angela (24:15) - Cat's pick: Olivia Mabel (37:09) - Mark's pick: The body under the bed (39:45) - Cat's pick: Russian sleep experiment (45:16) - End of part one

Mark chats with casual birder Suzy Buttress about features, song and flight.Suzy has specific criteria she uses to judge the quality of birds (which makes her a List Envy natural): song, plumage, behaviour and impact on the garden. She also provides some great advice if you’re looking to feed the birds, without becoming the crazy pigeon lady from Home Alone, or spreading plants that shouldn’t be spread.(00:00) - Introduction (05:46) - Suzy's pick: Robin (09:10) - Mark's pick: Goldfinch (11:44) - Suzy's pick: Blue tit (13:58) - Mark's pick: House sparrow (17:00) - Suzy's pick: Blackbird (21:24) - Mark's pick: Chaffinch (29:18) - Honourable mentions (34:20) - Suzy's pick: Bullfinch (36:40) - Mark's pick: Magpie (40:42) - A cat amongst the pigeons (46:10) - Introducing Company Man (52:10) - Building the final list (55:58) - The Casual Birder Listen to the Casual Birder podcast, and get all Suzy’s contact details on her website.

Mark is joined by podcaster and self-confessed computer nerd Nick Moreton, to talk about films where people talk about mainframes and UNIX systems.There are quite a few swears in this episode, and more than a little discussion about a mutual friend, co-host of Nick’s podcast and Mark’s, and previous List Envy guest, Jon Hickman.(00:00) - Introduction (10:20) - Nick's pick: Hackers (16:26) - Mark's pick: The Matrix (21:44) - Nick's pick: The Social Network (26:16) - Mark's pick: Existenz (30:18) - Nick's pick: The Internet's Own Boy (33:30) - Mark's pick: The Net (37:40) - Nick's pick: Wreck-it Ralph (40:18) - Mark's pick: Ex Machina (43:54) - Nick's pick: Jurassic Park (47:34) - Mark's pick: Flight of the Navigator (50:48) - Honourable mentions (55:48) - 10: GO TO BREAK (59:00) - Building the final list (01:00:22) - More of Nick Moreton You can keep up with Nick on Twitter, and listen to his running podcast, You Don’t Look Like a Runner

We look down the barrel of a gun, at a besuited comedy magician called Thom Peterson. He enters centre-frame, aims his gun and fires. Red washes over the screen. Fade to black.Thom maintains that magicians just want to be Bond, and who can blame him? He and Mark talk about their favourite — and least-favourite — Bonds, the trouble with the E-on canon (which is not a villainous super-weapon), and much more.Expect swearing, Bond trivia, an extraordinary amount of incorrect information, and spoilers.(00:37) - Introduction (12:49) - Thom's pick: Francisco Scaramanga (15:59) - Mark's pick: Francisco Scaramanga (21:19) - Thom's pick: Gustav Graves / Colonel Moon (23:13) - Mark's pick: Alec Trevelyan (25:05) - Thom's pick: Xenia Onatopp (27:03) - Mark's pick: Auric Goldfinger (30:13) - Thom's pick: Max Zorin (33:47) - Mark's pick: Hugo Drax (35:33) - Thom's pick: Rosa Klebb (37:31) - Mark's pick: Renard (39:53) - Honourable mentions and villainous actors (43:03) - Finding the next Bond (46:01) - A View to a Break (48:57) - Building the final list (55:07) - The Amazing Guy Thom died in March 2023 after battling an illness. He was a good friend, a talented and funny performer, and an overall Amazing Guy. He is profoundly missed.

Mark gets to the truth, with political podcaster Karin Robinson, as they share their lists of films about the people who keep the presses running.Karin hosts the Primarily 2020 podcast, which tracks the ongoing story of the Democratic primaries (the thing where they elect the party’s Presidential candidate). She feels that films about journalism tell the best stories about people engaging with public life.(00:00) - Introduction (03:42) - Karin's pick: Spotlight (07:02) - Mark's pick: Network (11:26) - Karin's pick: His Girl Friday (15:24) - Mark's pick: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (19:02) - Karin's pick: Good Night, and Good Luck (23:56) - Mark's pick: Frost/Nixon (27:26) - Karin's pick: All the President's Men (30:58) - Mark's pick: Almost Famous (34:10) - Karin's pick: The Post (39:36) - Mark's pick: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (46:02) - A break in the story (48:12) - Building the final list (50:12) - Honourable mentions (54:24) - Primarily 2020 You can follow Karin on Twitter, and make sure to check out her podcast, Primarily 2020, available wherever you get podcasts.

Comedy writer and performer Steve Dawson gets nerdy — but not really that nerdy — and talks about the culture and stereotypes around the word “geek”. But also there’s lots of stuff with lasers and electronic music. (00:00) - Introduction (06:58) - Steve's pick: Star Wars (12:42) - Mark's pick: The Big Bang Theory (19:26) - Steve's pick: Synthesisers (26:32) - Steve's pick: Collections (31:52) - Mark's pick: Game of Thrones (40:16) - Steve's pick: Comic-Con (46:26) - Mark's pick: Board games (51:14) - Steve's pick: Knowing how to use gadgets (58:46) - Recess (01:00:40) - Building the final list (01:02:40) - Goodbyes Steve talks about the book Laughter, by Robert R Provine, which deals with in-group and out-group mentality, why we laugh and who we follow when we’re laughing, which comes into focus when we ask ourselves why certain things are cool to like, and other things just aren’t.You can follow Steve on Twitter, and check out the work of the Dawson Bros (that’s Steve and his writing-partner brother), who have written for Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, Walliams & Friend and Mitchell and Webb. You can — and simply must — also subscribe to the Mind Canyon podcast, a superb mix of improvised comedy and obsessive sound design.

Mark gets political and data-visual with data visualisation expert, Alberto Cairo.Alberto has a journalism degree and worked as a graphic designer for many years. He now teaches the subject, and quite literally wrote the book on it. Although a lot of what’s covered in this episode is US-centric, Alberto maintains that the misuse of graphics isn’t a partisan problem linked to whether someone’s in a blue state or a red state, but essentially that the right is guilty of bullshitting.Bullshit is a word you’ll hear a lot in this episode, and especially refreshing in a Spanish accent. But in this context, it has a very specific meaning, with its roots in a book by Harry Frankfurt.In Alberto’s latest book, How Charts Lie, he reminds us that “a chart shows only what it shows”, and nothing else.(00:00) - Introduction (09:34) - Alberto's pick: Choropleth map (14:02) - Mark's pick: Omitting the baseline (17:46) - Alberto's pick: Manipulation of line charts (21:02) - Mark's pick: Distorting the X axis (24:12) - Alberto's pick: Perspective effects (26:14) - Mark's pick: Real-world objects as bars in a graph (29:14) - Alberto's pick: Projection (34:06) - Surveys (38:30) - Alberto's pick: Sourcing of data (43:46) - Mark's pick: Reversing the Y axis (46:58) - A break along the axis of time (48:16) - Building the final list (51:08) - How Charts Lie (56:08) - Goodbyes In the discussion around Mark’s fourth pick — about 38 minutes in — Mark and Alberto discuss how the question of abortion is tackled within the US, in order to bias survey answers. They don’t get into the actual topic of abortion, but some of the language around it is a little bald.Mark mentioned a move by the Lib Dems in 2019 that raised a few hackles online, which was covered in the Guardian.You can follow Alberto on Twitter, check out his website, and read his blog, The Functional Art.

Newsletter editor, event organiser and podcast wonder Arielle Nissenblatt joins Mark to discuss an often maligned tuber.Arielle grew up almost exclusively on potatoes, although she admits her palate has broadened slightly since then. If you ever thought this vegetable (which is not a vegetable, it’s a tuber; we’ve covered this) was boring, prepare to have your mind exploded all the way off.You’ll also learn some interesting facts about potatoes, so strap in and get ready to carbo-load.(00:00) - Introduction (11:20) - Arielle's pick: Hash browns (13:28) - Mark's pick: Roast (15:14) - Arielle's pick: French fries (17:28) - Mark's pick: Chips (20:48) - Arielle's pick: Samosas (23:18) - Mark's pick: Jacket (25:10) - Arielle's pick: Latkes (28:16) - Mark's pick: Shepherd's pie (29:22) - Dinner break (31:34) - Building the final list (38:14) - Potato school (41:04) - Earbuds Podcast Collective (43:58) - Goodbyes Follow Arielle on Twitter, and check out the Earbuds Podcast Collective, a global listening movement perfect for those among us that love a list.

Mark is joined by one half of the literary podcast Your Own Words, voracious reader and Danish furniture fan, Becky Graham, to swap notes on badass women from the printed page.(00:00) - Preamble (01:26) - Meet Becky Graham (07:32) - Becky's pick: Maureen O’Hara (19:04) - Mark's pick: Lisbeth Salander (25:28) - Becky's pick: Matilda Wormwood (29:36) - Mark's pick: Granny Weatherwax (32:58) - Becky's pick: Miss Marple (38:00) - Mark's pick: Arya Stark (42:14) - Becky's pick: Lucy Pevensie (46:22) - Mark's pick: Clarice Starling (49:20) - Becky's pick: Elizabeth Bennet (53:20) - Mark's pick: Zoey Ashe (55:52) - Midamble (58:20) - Putting the final list together (01:02:04) - Your Own Words You can find Becky co-hosting the podcast Your Own Words, with Allison Dunnings, and you can follow them show on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Writer and podcaster Sara-Mae Tuson kicks off a double-bill of brilliant women in literature. This week, Mark and Sara-Mae discuss under-appreciated female authors.Sara-Mae is a writer who’s turned her natural storytelling abilities into podcasting magic. Her previous work, The Sugar Baby Confessionals picked won bronze in the Best Sex and Relationship Podcast at the 2019 British Podcast Awards, and she’s now working on a series all about the life and work of her first pick.Mark and Sara-Mae discuss the value of being talked up to in literature, the perception of romance in literature, and the industry’s apparent reliance on classifying work, and putting authors and their work in boxes.Sign up to the weekly newsletter so you never miss a list, and for Mark and Sara-Mae’s Goodreads recommendations.(00:00) - Introduction (06:15) - Sara-Mae's pick: Georgette Heyer (08:22) - Mark's pick: Victoria Wood (11:00) - Elizabeth von Arnim (14:52) - Mark's pick: Nicole Perlman (18:56) - Sara-Mae's pick: Mary Stewart (27:34) - Mark's pick: Gene Kemp (34:03) - Sara-Mae's pick: Barbara Pym (40:43) - Mark's pick: Abi Morgan (44:20) - Sara-Mae's picks: Cynthia Voigt and Nancy Mitford (51:42) - Mark's pick: Tamora Pierce (59:08) - Reading glasses off (01:03:26) - Building the final list (01:06:04) - Fable Gazers You can find Sara-Mae’s podcast work under the Fable Gazers banner. Her current series is Heyer Today, tracks the life and work of Georgette Heyer.

Thrill to the sounds of podcaster and movie-lover Ben Smith, sharing his top five shlockbusters with Mark Steadman. You won’t believe your ears! List Envy, in select theatres now.Ben is the co-host of the EuroWhat? podcast with previous guest Mike McComb, and hailing from the same state as Mystery Science Theater 3000 has a keen eye for a film that’s so bad it’s good. But that’s not all the Cannon studio had to offer; some of the work is surprisingly meaningful, if buried under piles of rubble caused by explosions set off by breakdancing ninjas.Sign up to the weekly newsletter so you never miss a list, and for some links to help you get your next bad movie night off the ground.Mark especially is quite liberal with the spoiler sauce in this episode, so if you plan on watching any of these films, just be warned that the element of surprise — at least in terms of plot — might be diminished.(00:00) - Introduction (04:46) - Ben's pick: The Apple (09:06) - Mark's pick: Lifeforce (11:14) - Ben's pick: Brekain’ (13:57) - Mark's pick: House of the Long Shadows (16:34) - Ben's pick: Ninja 3: The Domation (21:41) - Mark's pick: Runaway Train (26:12) - Ben's pick: Invasion USA (29:57) - Mark's pick: Barfly (33:22) - Popcorn time (36:18) - More of Ben Smith (37:38) - Building the final list (38:58) - Honourable mentions and goodbyes Ben is the co-host of the EuroWhat? podcast, and you can follow him on Twitter @benmsmith.

TV writer Mike McComb joins Mark to discuss the bizarre and beautiful magic of this European musical tradition. Enjoy this episode, and don’t forget to have a drink on Terry in song 9.Mike is a Eurovision aficionado, having come to it via the Sounds Like Teen Spirit documentary. He’s not let being American and thus being geofenced out of most live broadcasts steer him away, as his work on the EuroWhat? podcast will attest.Sign up to the weekly newsletter so you never miss a list, and for some unmissable Eurovision recommendations you won’t get elsewhere.(00:00) - Introduction (10:26) - Mike's pick: Stockholm, 2016 (16:52) - Mark's pick: Düsseldorf, 2011 (19:36) - Mike's pick: Copenhagen, 2014 (22:50) - Mark's pick: Tel Aviv, 2019 (28:36) - Mike's pick: Baku, 2012 (31:50) - Mark's pick: Oslo, 2010 (35:18) - Mike's pick: Malmö, 2013 (38:30) - Honourable mentions (41:14) - What makes a good Eurovision show? (44:30) - A break while we tally up the votes (46:44) - The EuroWhat? podcast (49:42) - Building the final list (50:38) - Goodbyes Mike is the co-host of the EuroWhat? podcast, and you can follow him on Twitter @rube_goldberg.

Mark gets wobbly-wobbly and timey-wimey with tech YouTuber George Chachanidze.The pair started by discussing their favourite incarnations of the Doctor, and then their favourite — or least favourite — companions.Spoilers aboundIf you’re not caught up with Doctor Whoand you intend to, be warned that Mark and George will spoil the hell out of it for you.(00:00) - Introduction (10:04) - George's pick: Heaven Sent (13:28) - Mark's pick: Father's Day (16:29) - George's pick: Blink (20:56) - Mark's pick: The Beast Below (25:19) - George's pick: Midnight (30:05) - Mark's pick: The Impossible Planet (36:27) - George's pick: Silence in the Library (42:32) - Mark's Pick: World Enough and Time (49:01) - George's pick: (54:40) - A break in time (57:10) - Building the final list (59:20) - Honourable mentions (01:07:31) - Goodbyes You can follow George on Twitter, find him and Paul on YouTube discussing tech, and follow his journey living a life without a smartphone.

The Christmas season begins with Mark talking to Daz Wright of Moselele, about the best songs to ring in the festivities.Daz is a musician, and a founder-member of the Birmingham-based ukulele group Moselele. He’s also a big fan of Christmas, and delivered a sack full of joy to the List Envy studio, along with an honest-to-goodness Christmas cracker and actual sleigh bells.(00:00) - Introduction (08:08) - Daz's pick: Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody (11:28) - Mark's pick: Greg Lake - I Believe in Father Christmas (13:14) - Daz's pick: Elton John - Step into Christmas (17:16) - Mark's pick: The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping (20:24) - Daz's pick: Wham! - Last Christmas (23:18) - Mark's pick: The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York (28:02) - Maria Carey - All I Want for Christmas is You (30:40) - Mark's pick: Johnny Mathis — When a Child is Born (33:12) - Daz's pick: Weathergirls - Dear Santa, Bring Me a Man this Christmas (Part 1) (35:56) - Mark's pick: Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews - Baby It's Cold Outside (40:22) - Honourable mentions (46:04) - Jingletime (49:58) - Building the final list (53:46) - And to all a good night Join Moselele twice a month at the Prince of Wales pub in Moseley, Birmingham, to play popular songs of the day. And be sure to join them on Sunday December 22nd where they’ll be singing Christmas songs in the beer garden of said pub. Mark will be there, and we hope you will too.