The Worst of All Possible Worlds

The lads make their long-awaited return to Odyssey as they bring special guest Nate Lamagna (@vrunt) along for some wacky adventures in dealing with the second coming of Christ, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the realization that your best friends’ dad has debilitating alcoholism! Topics include the business of rapture-mongering, the parallels between AiO and The Simpsons, and one of the strangest episodes of Odyssey ever as Dr. James Dobson comes to town. EPISODES DISCUSSED: #145 The Second Coming #222 The Jesus Cloth #150 Home Is Where The Hurt Is #167 Dobson Comes to Town Nate Lamagna Twitter: @vrunt TWOAPW Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS THE FIRST HALF OF OUR DISCUSSION. For the full episode, check us out on Patreon: patreon.com/WorstOfAll Special guest Trevor Beaulieu (Champagne Sharks) joins the lads as they solve a pretty boilerplate case and then dress up in fancy disguises for a negligible amount of screen-time to discuss the immensely popular and massively overlooked (by white people) Dick Wolf procedural: New York Undercover. They discuss the Network Wars of the mid-90s, the brilliant music and outdated storylines of Undercover, and the procedural empire of Richard D. Wolf. CW: contains discussions of episodes of television that involve rape/pedophilia. Trevor Beaulieu: Twitter: @rickyrawls Champagne Sharks: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rhjZsJeN2kQ6qNvSq8sFo?si=9f4c09af8ba04d98 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/champagne-sharks/id1242690393 Twitter: @ChampagneSharks Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/champagnesharks/posts TWOAPW Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

The lads and special guest Trevor Strunk (No Cartridge, Story Mode) take up the mantle of the Chosen Undead as they attempt to link the fire by climbing the trap-filled Snake Fortress of video game culture that is Dark Souls. They discuss difficulty settings in video games, the pernicious gatekeeping of gitting gud, and what Dark Souls can teach us about surviving an apocalypse. Trevor Strunk: Twitter: @Hegelbon No Cartridge: https://open.spotify.com/show/0nvqvbeKNXYnCngVWQwanL?si=d1d254ff82304435 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/no-cartridge-audio/id1212245244 Story Mode: Video Games & The Interplay Between Consoles and Culture https://www.powells.com/book/story-mode-9781633886803 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS THE FIRST HALF OF OUR DISCUSSION. For the full episode, check out our Patreon: patreon.com/WorstOfAll The lads and special guest Josh Sawyer (Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity) go beard to beard with the mob as they face down one of Shakespeare’s most brutal and overlooked tragedies: Coriolanus. They discuss Ralph Fiennes’ excellent 2011 film adaptation, the dehumanizing weaponization of soldiers in an ever-expanding empire, and the uncanny horror of Chekhovian Slendermen. Was Zizek right to say that this movie is "like God's eyes in an Orthodox icon?" You'll just have to listen to find out. Josh Sawyer Twitter: @jesawyer Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

The lads, along with special guest Ashleigh Stoneman (The Very Worst, The Merry Worst), venture off into the tall grass to do battle with the literal wild animal that is the Pokémon franchise. They discuss the pastoral origins of Pokémon, its literal demonization at the hands of the Christian Right, and the existential nightmare of being the very best, like no one ever was. Ashleigh Stoneman Twitter: @ashstoneman The Very Worst Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-very-worst/id1434474756 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1GC277C5qDCAUnzONwtTHh?si=d7134d571463416e Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall The lads knock back a few eggnogs and experience a true Christmas miracle as they cover the first actually good episode of Adventures in Odyssey: “Monty’s Christmas”. Topics include the power of empathy, Christmas angels, and the legacy of the late, great voice actor Will Ryan. Episodes Discussed: 87: Elijah Part 1 88: Elijah Part 2 97: Monty’s Christmas 98: The Visitors 115: An Act of Mercy Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

The lads enlist Nate Bethea (What a Hell of a Way To Die, TRASHFUTURE) to help battle their way through some of Adventures in Odyssey’s most patriotic episodes. They discuss the cliches of war stories, the manufactured outrage around flag burning, and getting uncucked at the hands of Dr. Beanes. Nate’s Twitter: @inthesedeserts Nate’s Podcasts: What A Hell of a Way to Die https://open.spotify.com/show/1XEfRCDbLKOB8naNbICU6q?si=6f0a8dfde3a54023 TRASHFUTURE https://open.spotify.com/show/4loPiV9XWjVOitg2XfzK7Q?si=ef69cc5a7b114333 Lions Led By Donkeys https://open.spotify.com/show/1Vw8AeyqBCI6R94FK3GBw9?si=62925b5cc9994609 The Bottlemen https://open.spotify.com/show/1tf9dAmIavUJxrzpMIbGuL?si=54b058ae28904e32 Kill James Bond! https://open.spotify.com/show/5kQS8cE6xF7rUzO2vtCZ3s?si=6fe11f17f1bb4793 Episodes of Odyssey: 93: Rescue from Manatugo Point 94: Operation: Dig-Out 149: By Dawn’s Early Light 164: Sixties-Something Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

One week ago, the world lost the greatest musical theater composer of all time. This week, we brought in Graham Techler (The New Yorker, Tooning out the News) to record an episode about Stephen Sondheim’s life and legacy. What started out with sharing favorite shows and tunes turned into a broader conversation about art, commerce, and the paradox of attempting to create work that can inspire and endure in a hopeless world. Everybody rise. Graham Techler Twitter: @gr8h8m_t3chl3r grahamtechler.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall Brian's (@spocks_brian) back in town and in our first in-person episode, he, Josh (@boshj) and A.J. (@thefuzzymask) go over his favorite holiday: T-Givez. Yes, that's what he calls it. Yes, he's called it that for years. No, he won't stop. In this episode we discuss the history of thanksgiving, the value of acknowledging your circumstances, and that one time a dead body was discovered in the basement of Whit's End. Episodes covered: 39, 40: The Case of the Secret Room, Parts 1 and 2 49: Thank you, God 173: A Thanksgiving Carol Full episode at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

The boys and special guest David Armstrong (The Omni Bilateral Panic Podcast) press X to Shaun as they clumsily stagger through the wasteland of David Cage’s 2010 damp catastrophe: Heavy Rain. They discuss the creative limits of video-game-as-movie, the allegations of Quantic Dream’s toxic work environment, and the pros and cons of weapons-grade cocaine. Omni Bilateral Panic: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6NGRu97Lto5fl81Kqjfdk3?si=196c041d046b4843 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/omni-bilateral-panic/id1586920943 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall Everybody’s gone to the rapture as Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), and A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) go on the slow helicopter ride into the apocalypse that is the 1972 evangelical fear-mongering classic: A Thief in the Night. They discuss the cult of rapture-pilling, California Christians, and the sexual magnetism of Chester A. Arthur. Full episode at Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

The Sinister Sisters, Felicia Lobo (@girlygorehorror) and Lauren Harris, join Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) to battle the forces of darkness, goths, and spiders (mostly spiders) as they face the 2003 movie adaptation of Frank Peretti’s evangelical horror disaster Hangman’s Curse. They discuss the power of spooky fonts, the demonic consequences of prayer in schools, and the subtle joys of being covered in spiders. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Sinister Sisters Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sinister-sisters/id1450842514 Girly Gore: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB58UzH4LMM1cydY4gb3eGA Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Grab your swords and belts and other things you need as Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) and former Christian ska artist/Night in the Woods co-creator Scott Benson (@bombsfall) kick off the Halloween season by larping their way through Adventures in Odyssey’s most scarring episodes. They discuss the insidiousness of the Satanic Panic, the perils of young Christian love, and the delightful consequences of summoning a demon. Episodes discussed: First Love Suspicious Minds Castles & Cauldrons parts 1 and 2 Recently Scott made a beautiful comic based on the album The Bridgewater Astral League by The World/Inferno Friendship Society. check it out here: https://bombsfall.itch.io/bwal Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Strap on your long tails and ears for hats, because Brian (@spocks_brian), A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask), Josh (@boshj), and special guests Jessie Cannizzaro (Puffs, @JessCannizzaro) and Eleanor Philips (Puffs, @ecphilips) are literally climbing up the Billboard Charts to talk about the 2001 cult classic Josie and the Pussycats. They discuss the legacy of the seminal soundtrack, the rampant sexism of film criticism in the early 2000s, and the mysterious origins of Avril Lavigne. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Unless you're a pinball enthusiast or keep an extremely close eye on SEC litigation, you've probably never heard the name Deeproot. But just a couple weeks ago, this fledgling startup got slapped with a massive civil lawsuit that sent shockwaves throughout the pinball collector community. Join Josh (@boshj) and Brian (@spocks_brian) as "Crazy" Levi Nayman regales us with a truly bizarre story that spans decades of lost time, millions of dollars of wasted investor money, and something called a PinPod. Links & Further Reading Levi's website: http://crazylevipinball.com/ Deeproot thread on Pinside: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/twip-is-deeproot-the-next-misadventure-or-a-pinball-revolution PinPod introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu6wxw9Tv8k RAZA/Pinbar walkthrough video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N5WB9g2vIY SEC complaint against Deeproot: https://www.sec.gov/litigation/complaints/2021/comp25179.pdf

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall There’s something rotten in the CORPORATION of Denmark??? Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), and A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) whip out their bodkins and throw themselves headlong into the morose, brooding world of literal corporate backstabbing that is Michael Almereyda's Hamlet (2000). They dissect the cultural significance of Mr. Moviefone, the perils and pitfalls of adapting Shakespeare for the screen, and the surreal perfection of contemplating one’s mortality in a Blockbuster. TWOAPW on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Rob Mobley (@VillainologyPod) joins Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), and A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) on their slow descent into the depths of evil as they face Adventure in Odyssey’s Biggest Bad: Dr. Regis Blackgaard, Child Psychologist. They discuss the nature of evil, the surprising careers of the voice cast, and the tragic story of a man whose wife leaves him for a horse. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/WorstOfAll Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com Villainology Podcast: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/villainology-rob-mobley-Q_oS1Hz9PWp/ Follow Rob on instagram @mobrobley, on twitch.tv/rob_mobley and Off the Beaten Path on twitter @obpmusical Episodes Discussed: Episode 77: The Nemesis, Part 1 Episode 78: The Nemesis, Part 2 Episode 83: The Battle, Part 1 Episode 84: The Battle, Part 2

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall Josh (@boshj), Brian (@spocks_brian), and A.J. (@TheFuzzyMask) get thrown headlong into Imagination Station as they continue their journey through Adventures in Odyssey as part of their Whit’s Endless Summer. They discuss the insidiousness of Evangelical brainwashing, the merits of the musical Godspell, and the unending glory of THE NOZZLE. Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com Episodes Discussed: Episode 66: The Imagination Station, Part 1 Episode 67: The Imagination Station, Part 2 Episode 68: Choices Episode 73: A Bite of Applesauce Episode 76: Eugene’s Dilemma

Join Josh (@boshj) and Brian (@spocks_brian) as they dive into the ambitious 2017 space-station spoop-fest Prey! They talk the joys of fake-out openings, the pitfalls of immersive combat, and the sticky beauty of a good ole fashioned GLOO cannon. They also delve into the depths of the infamous Bethesda/Kotaku brouhaha of the mid 2010s and the enduring push/pull between developers and game journalists. Theme by Brendan Dalton www.brendan-dalton.com https://brendandalton.bandcamp.com

THIS IS A PREVIEW. Check out the full thing at patreon.com/worstofall For our second premium episode, the boys (@boshj, @thefuzzymask, @spocks_brian) dive a little deeper into Odyssey. Maybe a little too deep.

A.J. and Brian take a relaxed trip through the walking simulator Gone Home, its influences and its legacy, which stretches beyond the medium of video games. We also discuss how the game gets used as a virtue signal among gaming's reactionary wing. For more listening, check out Steve Gaynor's GDC talk: https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1020376/Why-Is-Gone-Home-a

This is the inaugural episode of Whit's Endless Summer, a sub-series where we explore Adventures in Odyssey, Focus on the Family, and the history of evangelical entertainment. This time, we subjected A.J. to some of the first and worst episodes of Adventures in Odyssey, introducing him to Whit, Tom, Connie and everyone's favorite denizen of Campbell County: Patriotism. The episodes we listened to were: #4 - Connie Comes to Town #5 - Gifts for Madge and Guy #7 - Promises, Promises #19 - Recollections #28 - The Price of Freedom If you want to find these episodes, they're floating around the internet in a few places. There's a comprehensive torrent out there that has every episode (and then some) all the way through last year. Feel free to suffer along with us! And as always, we welcome your feedback.

In December of 1993, a congressional hearing takes place. The subject: violence in video games. The culprit: Night Trap. How did such a silly little game get so much negative attention? Who was behind this? What is Joe Lieberman's, like, deal? That's what A.J. and Brian try to solve as we dig into the morass of politics in the 90s.

Brian (https://twitter.com/Spocks_Brian) and A.J. (https://twitter.com/TheFuzzyMask) check out one of history's most notorious video games, and discover that it's really just some good clean fun. Well, depending on your definition of fun. But there are some cultural forces a-churning, and this campy, interactive Dana Plato vehicle might be in for some trouble.