Dan wants to see Tom Waits, which is hard to explain. (Wait a sec. Lex, did you write this? I happen to like Tom Waits. Anyway…) Dana inherits a gun, which is also strange (OK, we both agree here). William H. Macy’s Sam gets a big storyline and a dramatic moment, and the substitute anchor filling in for Dan is so terrible that it — you guessed it! — beggars belief. We’re Sorkin’ In It all, though, so let’s discuss.

Lex Friedman and Brian Warren

It’s a spooky special edition of Biff! where we venture forth into a world of zombies and superheroes. In a four episode animated adventure we follow a rag tag band of survivors as they try to find a cure for the zombie plague that has engulfed their world. So, you know, pretty standard fare. Is there meat on these bones? Read along to find out what we think.

Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English

Bracket Case “vaaants to suck your bloooood!” New players gather for spooky season to determine who is the greatest of all-time vampire. Will the classics win out, or will the hot, sexy vampires take the day? Join us to find out.

Bracket Case 2

Annette Wierstra and Kathy Campbell with Monty Ashley, Jason Snell and Heather Berberet

Will the team steal a magic painting and get away scott free with zero consequences to return to accolades and riches? Not without generous dollops of magic, violence, and a grab bag of foes in our thrilling conclusion!

Keys from the Golden Vault - Masterpiece Imbroglio, Part 3

Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Annette Wierstra, Kathy Campbell and Monty Ashley

Edited by Warren Frey.

Listener Kev needs us to unpack John’s comment about “spiders and other bugs.” Does that mean spiders are bugs? And what are the other bugs? Spooky!

John Siracusa and Jason Snell

We celebrate the 50th anniversary of the longest-running theatrical run of all time—“The Rocky Horror Picture Show”! It’s an unapologetic musical about being yourself (and giving yourself over to pleasure). It spawned a cultural phenomenon that’s still evolving, and making some of us feel old! If you’re a weirdo, you’re welcome here.

"Rocky Horror Picture Show"

Erika Ensign with Monty Ashley, Shelly Brisbin, Antony Johnston and Brian Hamilton

Each season has its quota of film noir. So here we go. “A former boxer turned taxi driver earns the scorn of his nagging wife and gets mixed up with jewel thieves.” It’s a B picture with fun performances, one of my favorite things. Meet John Payne, Evelyn Keyes and Brad Dexter, a non-superstar lineup that nonetheless pops off the screen.

99 River Street

Shelly Brisbin with Philip Michaels, Randy Dotinga and Nathan Alderman

Get in touch with the show at [email protected], Mastodon or Bluesky.

Check out our new LTS BookShop.org page.

The Movie: review/commentary on a single classic film

The Self-Referential LTS

Next time, we’ll watch

Style and subterfuge intermingle as our heroes sweet-talk a gang of thieves into letting them infiltrate their headquarters and abscond with a painting that may or may not have magical properties.

Keys from the Golden Vault - Masterpiece Imbroglio, Part 2

Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Annette Wierstra, Kathy Campbell and Monty Ashley

Edited by Warren Frey.

On this episode we pull a bit of a Time Travelling Dad and jump way back thousands of years to learn the stories of some Wakanda’s famous War Dogs. From the Sea Peoples to the 20th century each episode takes a slice of history and explores through the eyes of a Wakandan agent out to keep the secret and power of vibranium from falling into the wrong hands.

Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English

We’re back on the Marvel movies with “Thunderbolts*”, a film that (to our surprise?) is not a nihilistic story about villains pretending to be heroes (see: Suicide Squad), but instead a story about some troubled not-quite-heroes learning that they can be better if they connect to other people and work on their own issues. But also with explosions and fights and stuff.

"Thunderbolts*"

Jason Snell with Lisa Schmeiser, Erika Ensign, Moisés Chiullán and Glenn Fleishman