This week’s main topic is Follow-Up. John has strong feelings about properly crediting the provenance of this segment, and, honestly, he really asks for so little in life. This leads to a discussion of how one’s ideas often develop a life of their own.

This week kicks off with John analyzing Merlin’s various mouth noises, self-styled music cues, and personal sound effects. Both hosts get songs stuck in their heads. John lays a trap for Merlin, and Merlin shares an important new dream with the Ancient Bird.

At length, your hosts get a little meta, with follow-up on things Merlin still hasn’t watched. Many mini topics are considered, discussed, and/or discarded, but what John wants—what’s most important to him—is that Merlin just pick one damned topic already.

Credit is also reassigned for things your hosts didn’t actually invent. General-purpose strategies for the proper deployment of bits is discussed.

Things wrap up with a meditation on Aimee Mann, the layers of performance, plus an important adjustment to Merlin’s ongoing directive for eventually introducing John to famous people.

Recorded on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Many thanks to Jim Metzendorf for editing this episode!

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin tie up some loose ends from the TV show before talking about backups, the onus on Apple to make them work, Apple's past and present attempts, the failings of external hard drives, personal backup regimes, and online backups.

John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin end the Hypercritical podcast with a discussion of the show itself, followed by a final Q

Merlin's updated take on Inbox Zero.

"Once you’ve dedicated yourself to making the things you love, every inbox can and should become a well-monitored servant rather than a merciless master."

MICHAEL: What I want... what's most important to me is that I have a guarantee: no more attempts on my father's life.

"Not gonna lie. This was a special moment."

A weekly challenge show hosted by Merlin Mann, Alex Cox, and Max Temkin.