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PODCAST

The Worst of All Possible Worlds

Josh Boerman, A.J. Ditty, and Brian Alford

The first and only podcast bringing you weekly case studies in the pop culture of a dying empire. Every Wednesday, co-hosts Josh, Brian, and A.J. dissect an artifact of popular culture, breaking down how its narrative choices reflect or subvert the reactionary political project. From video games to movies to theater to an apparently infinite supply of evangelical Christian radio drama, we expose the machinations of the worst of all possible worlds in order to figure out how to build a better one

society & culture video games

All Episodes

01:54:39

80 - Whittaker Knows Best [Whit’s Endless Summer #22]

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/03/29

The lads return to Odyssey for some thrilling adventures in daddy issues as they dive headlong into many trials and tribulations facing the fathers in Focus on the Family’s America. Topics include Phil Lollar at his best, Bill Kendall at his worst, and the ongoing manipulation/conversion of one Eugene Meltsner. TICKETS FOR OUR LIVE SHOW ON THURSDAY 4/27 IN NYC ARE AVAILABLE NOW! Get your tickets right now at this link. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes

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22:58

79 - Sunday in the Park with George

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/03/22

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads finally finish the hat as they cover James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s beautiful, pointillist musical: Sunday in the Park With George. Topics include the complexity of the score, the controversial second act, and the challenge of bringing order to the whole through design, composition, balance, light, and harmony. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus

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02:48:01

78 - The Last of Us

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/03/15

The lads strap on their gas masks and look for the light as they face down both the Infected and the evil heart of humanity in Naughty Dog’s 2013 mega-hit: The Last of Us: Part I. Topics include the history of zombie media, the tremendous performances, and the deeply cynical philosophy at the heart of the “greatest video game story ever told.” Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month

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22:38

77 - Who’s Afraid of Mr. Beast?

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/03/08

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall THE LADS WATCH 8 MRBEAST VIDEOS AND THEN TALK ABOUT THEM (Not Clickbait). Topics include MrBeast’s humble origins, the monetization of altruism, and the internet’s canonization of St. Jimmy Donaldson. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! Media Referenced

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02:07:53

76 - Hackers (feat. maia arson crimew)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/03/01

TSA hacker maia arson crimew (@_nyancrimew) teaches Josh and Brian how to hack the planet as they ride the internet superhighway straight into the eXtreme cyberpunk 90’s nostalgia of Iain Softley’s Hackers. Topics include the art of the 90s montage, the legacy of Hackers in the hacktivist community, and the paramount importance of pulling a righteous hack. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by

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37:56

75 - Gomorrah? I Hardly Know ’Er! (feat. Colby Day)...

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/02/22

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall Colby Day (@thecolbyday) is thrown into The Room of Consequences as he and the lads return to Odyssey for Adventures in Sodom, Gomorrah, and the most sinful place of all: the theater. Topics include the big swings of Phil Loller, the camp perfection of Edwin Blackgaard, and the paramount importance of keeping art weird. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes,

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02:07:41

74 - The Boss Baby (feat. Patrick Willems)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/02/15

Patrick Willems (@patrickhwillems) teaches the lads the ABC’s of corporate espionage as they slide down the deeply intricate lore rabbit hole that is Dreamworks’ 2017 fever dream: The Boss Baby. Topics include the scores of Hans Zimmer, the commodification of love, and the eternal and ever-growing rivalry between babies and puppies. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month

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21:21

73 - Hamlet in Canada: Slings and Arrows, Season One

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/02/08

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, CHECK US OUT AT Patreon.com/worstofall The lads hop into their ham trunks and floor it to the Great White North as they cover the trials and tribulations of the New Burbage Theater Festival in 2003’s hit Canadian TV show: Slings and Arrows. Topics include the series’ roots in the Stratford Theater Festival, magical Shakespeare harps, and the enduring legacy of one of the only successful TV shows about a life in the theater. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to

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02:21:02

72 - John Whittaker: Tomb Raider (feat. Trevor...

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/02/01

Trevor Strunk (No Cartridge Audio) and the lads grab their whips and commit a colonialism as they return to Odyssey for some rip-roaring adventures in treasure hunting, stranger danger, and French missionary pranksters. Topics include the defense of property rights, the treachery of false uncles, and the many, many, many jobs of John Avery Whittaker.Trevor Strunk Twitter / Story Mode No Cartridge Audio: Critical but casual approaches to current, past, and future video games six times a week. In

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17:21

71 - Max Payne 2, The Fall of Max Payne

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/01/25

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads dive deep into the gaping hole at the heart of Noir York City as they brave the nauseating, bullet-ridden world of Remedy’s Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. Topics include the Matrix-ization of video games, the tenets of Sam Lake’s storytelling, and the bafflingly acclaimed legacy of the pills and simile-addicted Maximilian Payne. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of

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02:08:32

70 - Company (feat. Patrick Flynn)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/01/18

Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Patrick Flynn (The Original Cast) as he and the lads celebrate Bobby’s infamous 35th birthday in the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth deep-dive into marriage: Company. Topics include the many revivals of the show, the superb score/uneven book, and the incomparable performance of Raúl Esparza. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the masthead of our website by

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22:04

69 - Uncut Gems

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/01/11

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads grab their opals and dive deep into the Diamond District as they cover the Safdie Brothers’ masterful two-hour panic attack: Uncut Gems. Topics include the sublime pacing, the proliferation of American gambling, and the career-best performance from Mr. Deeds himself: Adam Sandler. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the

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02:26:55

68 - Left Behind The Movie 2000

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2023/01/04

The lads start 2023 off right by hopping aboard an adulterous plane and flying straight into the Rapture as they cover the disastrous Kirk Cameron vehicle: Left Behind: The Movie (2000). Topics include the origins of the Tribulation, the clientele of leather bars, and the surprising endurance of the concept that, one day, the Lord will strike Christians nude and yeet them into Heaven. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the

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22:54

67 - A Year in Review

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/12/28

THIS IS A PREVIEW. CHECK OUT THE FULL EPISODE AT Patreon.com/worstofall On the eve of the New Year, we wind back the clock to our favorite moments of 2022 with the help of friends old and new. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full back catalogue of premium and bonus episodes, and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month at Patreon.com/worstofall! This episode contains audio from: 22 - Whit vs. the Fundies 24 - Richard Dichard

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02:38:25

66 - Hitman (feat. Alice Caldwell-Kelly)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/12/21

Alice Caldwell-Kelly (Trashfuture/Kill James Bond!/Well There’s Your Problem) inducts the lads into the World of Assassination as they do a suit-only, silent assassin run through IO Interactive’s pinnacle of video game design: Hitman. Topics include the richness of the game’s environmental storytelling, the tardiness of chandelier repairmen, and that beautiful, bald backstabber of the bourgeoisie: Agent 47. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add

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01:48:30

65 - Ladscast Goes Public (UNLOCKED)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/12/14

LADS LADS LADS LADS LADS! As we get ready for the holiday season (or is it the arguing season?), we settle down with some treats, some drinks, and ChatGPT as we go over the events of the last month. There are laughs, there is anger, and there is absolutely no editing. Check out Doors of Divergence, the immersive show Brian is in, here! Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for

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02:09:02

64 - Disney’s Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/12/07

The lads hop into their fighter planes and get trapped in the world’s most boring love triangle as they are suddenly and deliberately attacked by Michael Bay’s much-maligned historical epic: Pearl Harbor. Topics include Bay’s deeply uncurious filmmaking, the interminable three-hour run time, and the responsibilities of artists when tackling historical fiction. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by

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20:33

63 - How I Met Your Mother (feat. David Armstrong)

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/11/30

THIS IS A PREVIEW. CHECK OUT THE FULL EPISODE AT Patreon.com/worstofall David Armstrong (Omni BiLateral PANic) sits the lads down to tell them the fraught and incredibly lengthy story of the hit CBS sitcom: How I Met Your Mother. Topics include the infamous ending, the deck shenanigans of Josh Radnor, and the slow death of the American multi-cam sitcom. And don't forget to read A.J.’s HIMYM Spec Script/Nightmare - “Have Ya Met Ted?” Want more TWOAPW? Get access to the rest of this episode, our full

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02:03:56

62 - Minions

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/11/23

The lads grab their fart guns and lose their minds as they do battle against the highest grossing movie in the highest grossing animated film franchise of all time: Minions. Topics include Minion physiology, the horrific world of Minion memes, and the value of children’s entertainment in a world trapped in a neverending cycle of nostalgia. Want more TWOAPW? Get access to our full back catalogue of premium/bonus episodes and add your name to the masthead of our website by subscribing for $5/month

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19:20

61 - Disco Elysium: The Final Cut

The Worst of All Possible Worlds ·

2022/11/16

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall The lads throw on their finest alligator shoes and slap The Expression on their faces as they take to the mean streets of Martinaise for ZA/UM’s political and existential triumph: Disco Elysium. Topics include the dense and fascinating history of the game world, the perfection of Kim Kitsuragi, and finding glimmers of disco in a world on the brink of annihilation. **Spoiler Warning** If you want to experience every surprise Disco

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