The Worst of All Possible Worlds

223 - A Thief In The Night II: The Me2al Age: 2 A 2 Distant 2 Thunder

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The lads return to the New Year just in time for the end of the world as they kick off their annual Rapture Ranuary with a follow up to one of the most influential Christian films of all time: A Thief in the Night: A Distant Thunder. Topics include the origins of premillennial dispensationalism, the trustworthiness of mustaches, and what it means to be shaped by a world view where you live in constant fear of the U.N. beheading you with a guillotine.

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• A Distant Thunder. Dir. Donald W. Thompson. 1978.
• Evangelical Millenialism in the trans-Atlantic world 1500-2000 by Crawford Gribben
• Judgement Day by Joshua Hill Foster
• Mine Eyes have Seen the Glory by Randall Ballmer
• Raptured by Ernest Angley
• That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis
• The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsay
• Titan, Son of Saturn: The Coming World Emperor: A Story of the Other Christ by Joseph Birkbeck Burroughs
• Writing the Rapture by Crawford Gribben
• ReligionfForBreakfast: the origins of the rapture
• ReligionForBreakfast: Who are the 144,000 in the book of Revelation
• The Bart Ehrman Blog: The Community Behind the Gospel of John

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “Slasher Jesus” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. A.J. Ditty as “Announcer/Jesus/Big Al”, David Armstrong as “Flurk/Mayor”, and Eleanor Philips as “Timmy/Reporter” // Music: “Something’s Not Right” by Lucas Quinn Creations

59 UNLOCKED - Chess: The Musical (feat. Jake Beckhard)

Time to reach once more into the ol' Cool Vaultaire. If you still can’t get enough Chess, check out our BRAND NEW BOBUS (with Jake!) about the new Broadway revival on our Patreon here.

Jake Beckhard (Blue Balls NYCFC) challenges the lads to the match of the century as they try to outmaneuver the bopping songs and confounding political intrigue of the infamous Tim Rice/Benny Andersson/Björn Ulvaeus flop musical: Chess. Topics include the many different versions of the show, the innate appeal of a broken musical, and the ever increasing eccentricities of one Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice.

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!

Jake Beckhard

• Website: jake-beck.com

• Bluesky: @jakebeckhard.bsky.social

• Instagram: @jakebeckhard

Blue Balls NYCFC: You’ve got Blue Balls! How lucky for you. Check in every week for rapturous pod talk on all things NYCFC. With NYC Hosts Jake Beckhard and Trey Fillmore.

• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Podomatic

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• Get Onto My Cloud: The Tim Rice Podcast: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Google Podcasts

• “Chess Seeks to Shed Its Checkered Past” by Stephen Holden, NYTimes

• Chess (1986 London Concept Cast): Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon

• Chess In Concert (2008): AppleTV / YouTube / Letterboxd

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: brendan-dalton.com / brendandalton.bandcamp.com

187 UNLOCKED - Sky King: The Story of Richard Russell (feat. Caleb from Kill The Computer)

Caleb @BirdRespecter (Kill The Computer, 60 Minute Drill) joins Brian and Josh to tell the story of Richard “Beebo” Russell, a man who walked off his job as a baggage handler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport one day in 2018 to steal an airplane. Russell and his ill-fated flight quickly became a cause célèbre among some of the darkest corners of the internet, continuing to this day. This episode tries to figure out how and why that happened.

Note: This episode deals with suicide and racist extremism.

Caleb: Bluesky // Twitter // Linktree

Kill The Computer: June and Caleb talk about the ways in which internet culture spills out into the real world; good and bad. Patreon // Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Bluesky // YouTube

Media referenced this episode:

• “The Sky Thief: Beebo Russell’s Last Flight” by Tim Dickinson. Rolling Stone, June 24, 2021.

• “I Worked With Richard Russell at Horizon Air, and I Understand Why He Did What He Did” by Todd Bunker. The Stranger, August 17, 2018.

• “‘Airplane of opportunity’? Richard Russell raised pilot’s suspicions a year before Sea-Tac plane heist” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, September 12, 2018.

• “Sea-Tac air traffic controller faced ‘one in a million’ scenario with stolen plane” by Daniel Beekman and Michelle Baruchman. The Seattle Times, August 11, 2018.

• “FBI: Richard Russell, who stole plane from Sea-Tac, acted alone, crashed on purpose; motive a mystery” by Lewis Kamb. The Seattle Times, November 9, 2018.

• “Human remains, flight data recorder found among wreckage of stolen plane on Ketron Island” by Stacia Glenn. The News Tribune, August 13, 2018.

• “Airline job was way for man who crashed stolen plane to visit Alaska” by Adam Lynn, Alexis Krell, Sue Kidd, Lauren Smith and Craig Sailor. The News Tribune, August 12, 2018.

• “White nationalists and the ‘Sky King’” by Martin McKenzie-Murray. The Saturday Paper, August 18, 2018.

• FBI press release on investigation from November 2018

• Redacted FBI report from the investigation

Music used in this episode:

• Anticipation by Drill Folly

• Lookin’ For That Orca (Beebo’s Song) by Johny Maudlin

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: The first seven pages of “The Hidden Enemy,” written and performed by Josh Boerman with music by Sean Callery from 24

222 - 2025: A Year In Review

It is time once again for our cherished annual tradition: taking calls from listeners and guests, then stitching them together with your favorite moments from the year. (Plus, very special messages from A.J., Brian, and Josh starting at the 1:51:02 mark.)

Thanks to everyone who called in, and hold on for 2026. We will find a way.

221 - The Muppet Christmas Carol

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The lads grab their tiny red scarves and head for Fozziwig’s Rubber Chicken Factory as they cover Brian Henson’s 1992 holiday classic: The Muppet Christmas Carol. Topics include the arch prose of Dickens, the cutting of “When Love is Gone”, and what it means to create a staple of the holiday season that involves Michael Caine throwing a wreath at a tiny puppet.

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• The Muppet Christmas Carol. Dir. Brian Henson. 1992.
• “Michael Caine Loves The Muppet Christmas Carol as Much as You Do” by Laruen Larson. GQ. December 15th, 2016.
• “Brian Henson on What Makes ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’ So Special and His Father’s legacy” by Alyssa Fikse. Uproxx. December 23rd, 2015.
• “How we made: The Muppet Christmas Carol” by Ben Beaumont-Thomas. The Guardian. December 21st, 2015.

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “A Letter from Charles Dickens to His Son, Edward ‘Plorn’ Dickens, on the Day of His Departure to Australia, September 26th, 1868" // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. Brian Alford as “Charles Dickens” // Additional Text by Charles Dickens in a Letter to his son, Plorn

220 - Death Stranding 2 (feat. Workers’ Lit)

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Jacob and Lenore of Workers’ Lit join the lads down under for some ghost busting and coffin surfing as they cover Hideo Kojima’s 2025 delivery simulator: Death Stranding 2. Topics include the unmatchable gameplay loop, the polarity of Dollman, and the horrors lurking under the surface of a game where evil is defeated through the power of dance.

BUY JACOB’S BOOK HERE

Workers’ Lit: A podcast about books and the news with Lenore, Aysha, Jen, and Jacob. Books/Culture episodes on Mondays! News/Politics episodes on Wednesdays! Read good books, tell bad jokes, and fight for a better future!

• Spotify // Apple Podcasts // Youtube // Bluesky

Media Referenced in the Episode:

• Death Stranding 2. Kojima Productions. 2025.

• TWOAPW #104: Death Stranding (feat. Drew Toothpaste)

• Ladscast 13: Somehow, More Death Stranding

• Workers’ Lit: “On The Beach, ft. Brian Alford”

• Hideo Kojima presents Brain Structure #15 Hideo Kojima x TGA Special: DEATH STRANDING [ENGLISH]

• “Hideo Kojima on ‘Death Stranding 2,’ the Sequel’s Big Changes and Improvements Post-Pandemic, and How He Hoped to Cast David Lynch in a Game” by Nick Newman. Indiewire. August 7th, 2025.

• “Hideo Kojima on How His Illness Affected ‘Death Stranding 2,’ Developing A24 Film Adaptation and Why His Collaboration With GU Is About More Than Fashion” by Jennifer Maas. Variety. June 19th, 2025.

• “Hideo Kojima Says Death Stranding’s Now Had Over 20 Million Players and The Fact Folk Are Still Playing ‘Makes Me the Happiest’” by Rich Stanton. PC Gamer. April 2025.

• https://liberationnews.org/child-labor-in-alabamas-hyundai-supply-plants/

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “A Message from Tobogganman, Prime Minister of the Canadian Autonomous Network of Underground Cities” // Written by A.J. Ditty // Feat. David Armstrong as “Tobogganman”

219 - Bram Stoker’s Dracula (feat. Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

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Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry (Night in the Woods) join the lads aboard the Demeter and double back to Transylvania as they cover Francis Ford Coppola’s vampiric 1992 fever dream: Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Topics include the gorgeous aesthetics, the terrors of Gary Oldman, and what it means to create a movie that can only be described as CINNNEEEMMMMAAAA!!!!

Scott Benson: Bluesky // Instagram

Bethany Hockenberry: Bluesky // Instagram

Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods Merch

Media Referenced in this Episode:

Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Dir. Francis Ford Coppola. 1992.
Bram Stoker's Dracula (published 1897)
Bram Stoker's Dracula. Williams. Designer Barry Oursler. 1993

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

Interstitial: “Tom Waits” // Written and Performed by A.J. Ditty // Music: “Grapefruit Moon” by Tom Waits.

Fancy Movie Time #35: Broadcast News (1987)

THIS IS A PREVIEW. FOR THE FULL EPISODE, GO TO Patreon.com/worstofall

On this episode of Fancy Movie Time with Brian and A.J., the Fancy Lads unplug their phones and have a good cry as they cover James L. Brooks' 1987 ode to the joys of work: Broadcast News. Does the electric chemistry of the three leads make this movie a Fancy Feast? Or does its overlong runtime make it a Failure to Fancy? One thing's for sure: that Gracie Films' tune sure is catchy.

 

Next episode: Ordet (1955).

EMERGENCY POD - Remembering Tom Stoppard (feat. Abigail Thorn)

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Tom Stoppard, the acclaimed, prolific playwright behind Arcadia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Rock 'n' Roll and so many other plays, along with the screenplays to Shakespeare in Love, Brazil, and Anna Karenina, has died. He leaves behind a staggering, inspiring, often frustrating body of work that will continue to be seen long after we are gone.

We are joined today by Abigail Thorn (The Acolyte, House of the Dragon) to look at the corners of his oeuvre that have spoken to us over the years, and discuss what we can learn from him going forward.

 

Abigail Thorn: Bluesky // Instagram

The Prince: A transformative new play that has everything: sword fighting, lesbianism, Hamlet, and disappointed parents. Available on Nebula.

 

Philosophy Tube: Giving away philosophy degrees for free! Youtube // Nebula // Patreon

 

Kill James Bond! is a comedy film review/ pop culture commentary podcast about the portrayal of masculinity in cinema. November Kelly, Abigail Thorn, and Devon have watched Bond movies, War on Terror movies, Eurospy movies, and now they take on their biggest task yet: Heist Movies. What can Heat, Oceans’ 11, and the Fast and Furious movies teach us about how masculinity was imagined by the people who created them? What does that say about Society? Free episodes are released every fortnight on all major podcast platforms and bonus episodes are released for supporters on Patreon on the interstitial weeks.

• Website / Twitter / Patreon
• Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcast

218 - Steven Spielberg’s 1941 (1979)

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On their fourth annual remembrance of Pearl Harbor, the lads hop in their B-17’s and throw Los Angeles into chaos as they cover Steven Spielberg’s notorious 1979 WWII flop: 1941. Topics include the duality of Jon Belushi, the real-life horror of the Zoot Suit Riots, and the difficulties of delivering a punchline when everyone around you is screaming.

 

Media Referenced in this Episode:

• 1941. Dir. Steven Spielberg. 1979
• “Civilian Casualties: Pearl Harbor”. National Park Service. Last updated September 18th, 2024.
• “How Pearl Harbor created a climate of fear” by Daniel Greene. CNN. December 7th, 2016.
• “Inn Owner Tells of Shelling; SUBMARINE SHELLS A CALIFORNIA PLANT U.S. MAINLAND SHELLED” by The New York Times. February 24th, 1942.
• Remember Pearl Harbor! By Thomas Blake Clark. Modern age books. 1942.
• Steven Spielberg’s 1941 | The Making Of.
• “The 1942 Battle of L.A.” by Scott Harrison. The Los Angeles Times. February 23rd, 2017.

 

TWOAPW theme by Brendan Dalton: Patreon // brendan-dalton.com // brendandalton.bandcamp.com

 

Interstitial: “Something Special” // Written and performed by A.J. Ditty // Music: “Inkwell Hell” by Kristopher Maddigan