The Worst of All Possible Worlds

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. Also, we have bits.

Recent Episodes
  • 186 - Showgirls (feat. Renee Olstead)
    Apr 23, 2025 – 02:09:55
  • 185 - The Last of Us Part II (Part 2)
    Apr 16, 2025 – 30:36
  • 184 - The Last of Us Part II (Part 1)
    Apr 9, 2025 – 02:46:19
  • 183 - The War Room (1993)
    Apr 2, 2025 – 30:05
  • INTERVIEW: Tim Faust on Defending Medicaid
    Mar 31, 2025 – 38:03
  • 182 - Video Redeemed The Radio Star: Definitive Edition (feat. Rosey Armstrong)
    Mar 26, 2025 – 02:36:10
  • 181 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons
    Mar 19, 2025 – 30:53
  • 180 - Do Coaches Pray for Electric Sheep?: Average Joe (2024)
    Mar 12, 2025 – 02:12:55
  • 179 - The Room (2003)
    Mar 5, 2025 – 20:39
  • 178 - Falling Down (feat. Justin Roczniak)
    Feb 26, 2025 – 02:19:28
  • 177 - Love in the Time of Conniera (feat. Devon) [Whit’s Endless Summer 42]
    Feb 19, 2025 – 30:37
  • 176 - The Social Network
    Feb 12, 2025 – 02:55:54
  • INTERVIEW: maia arson crimew on online privacy and operational security
    Feb 10, 2025 – 43:38
  • 175 - Final Fantasy VII [Part 2] (feat. Joe Kassabian)
    Feb 5, 2025 – 20:56
  • INTERVIEW: Knowing your rights in the face of ICE
    Jan 30, 2025 – 50:21
  • 174 - Final Fantasy VII [Part 1] (feat. Joe Kassabian)
    Jan 29, 2025 – 02:18:08
  • 173 - MASH on TV (Bangers of MASH #1)
    Jan 22, 2025 – 29:02
  • 172 - AOL Whitstant Messenger (feat. Colette Shade) [Whit’s Endless Summer #41]
    Jan 15, 2025 – 02:44:45
  • 171 - Left Behind World At War
    Jan 8, 2025 – 25:10
  • 164 UNLOCKED - God’s Not Dead 2
    Jan 1, 2025 – 02:46:26
  • 170 - 2024: A Year in Review
    Dec 25, 2024 – 02:08:41
  • 169 - Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life
    Dec 18, 2024 – 01:59:19
  • 168 - The Nostalgia Critic
    Dec 11, 2024 – 30:42
  • 167 - Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight”
    Dec 4, 2024 – 02:17:44
  • 166 - Wicked
    Nov 27, 2024 – 20:27
  • 165 - The Hunt for Red OctobWhittaker (feat. Tom Walker) [Whit’s Endless Summer 40]
    Nov 20, 2024 – 02:22:57
  • 164 - God’s Not Dead 2
    Nov 13, 2024 – 32:38
  • ESSAY: Standing
    Nov 12, 2024 – 28:54
  • 163 - The Blair Witch Project (feat. Tim Sutton)
    Nov 6, 2024 – 02:34:29
  • 162 - Skibidi Toilet (feat. Donovan Eyre)
    Oct 30, 2024 – 24:50
  • 161 - Silent Hill 2 (feat. Aysha U. Farah)
    Oct 23, 2024 – 02:42:31
  • 160 - Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
    Oct 16, 2024 – 23:36
  • 159 - Father Shades of Gilbert (feat. Kevin Vibert) [Whit’s Endless Summer 39]
    Oct 9, 2024 – 02:26:21
  • 158 - Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared
    Oct 2, 2024 – 25:40
  • 157 - Blasphemous II (feat. Tom O'Mahony)
    Sep 25, 2024 – 02:21:29
  • 156 - The Magic School Bus
    Sep 18, 2024 – 20:36
  • 155 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (feat. Mattie Lubchansky)
    Sep 11, 2024 – 02:30:50
  • 154 - When Dobson Met Bundy… (feat. I Hate James Dobson) [Whit’s Endless Summer 38]
    Sep 7, 2024 – 02:17:11
  • INTERVIEW: Jason Koebler on the origins of Shrimp Jesus
    Sep 2, 2024 – 43:13
  • 153 - Cities: Skylines (feat. Justin Roczniak)
    Aug 28, 2024 – 02:18:40
  • 152 - Tom Goes to the Mayor
    Aug 21, 2024 – 22:54
  • 151 - Moneyball
    Aug 14, 2024 – 02:06:34
  • 150 - The Worst of All Possible Parties (WAPP): The 150th Episode Spectacular LIVE from Colorado Springs
    Aug 7, 2024 – 21:11
  • 149 - A.I.: Artificial Intelleugence (feat. Juniper) [Whit’s Endless Summer 37]
    Jul 31, 2024 – 02:19:01
  • 148 - Barkley, Shut Up and Jam: Gaiden (feat. Data Transfer)
    Jul 24, 2024 – 20:54
  • 147 - Chrono Trigger (feat. Anime Sickos)
    Jul 17, 2024 – 02:02:06
  • 146 - Shrimp Jesus and the Death of Facebook
    Jul 10, 2024 – 21:09
  • 145 - Dragon Ball Z (feat. Alex Ptak)
    Jul 3, 2024 – 01:57:33
  • 144 - Dr. Dobson’s “Wooton Hears a Woo(ton)!” [Whit’s Endless Summer 36]
    Jun 26, 2024 – 20:48
  • 143 - Dennis Prager’s For Goodness Sake (feat. Tall Bart)
    Jun 19, 2024 – 02:06:28
Recent Reviews
  • jadekatt47
    Good host rapport
    More AJs horse corner.
  • DwuudZ
    Wow
    This is one of the best podcasts I’ve found in a while.
  • Msullivanboco
    AJ’s Horse Corner
    THE PEOPLE DEMAND MORE AJ’S HORSE CORNER!!
  • Orangewolf08
    Disgraceful
    Making light of evil child psychologists without even mentioning John Money… what happened to ethics in journalism
  • Teddyg563
    hooked on a whim
    Listened to the Sid Meier’s Civilization episode on a whim and was immediately hooked by the hosts’ rapport. Wit + humor + some thinking involved = a really fun, good podcast
  • BigGayCatDad024
    The Best of All Possible Podcasts?
    I was hooked within the first hour of the first episode I listened to. The hosts have amazing rapport with each other and they always seem to find ways to bring the guests into it. The media commentary is top notch no cheap Cinema Sins shots here. As someone who was raised secular Whit’s Endless Summer has been a trip. Deep dives into the conservative Christian ideology underpinning the show juxtaposed with legitimate good character moments is extremely entertaining and the boys are deft at moving between the two. There are no ad reads in this podcast which is always a plus! They do have a very reasonable patreon which I highly recommend.
  • Jimcarey89
    Horse corner
    Can we please get more of AJ’s horse corner??
  • Kikuichimonji
    Ep. 159
    Only one Lord’s Prayer? Anglican demons are made from paper maché apparently. Excellent podcast.
  • KFJ94
    Who Framed Roger Rabbit
    “I don’t let you hit because you’re Goofy. I let you hit because you’re Roger.” Also loved the Cyberpunk episode, the Neuromancer episode, just everything, including these frequent trips into Christian family programming. Absolutely wild stuff. Great fun, terrific guests, fascinating interpolations of political economy and historical materialism to examine culture. Good to have an archive for the art of the dying empire.
  • Goblin Barbarian
    Thoroughly Entertaining
    Informational, comedic, incisively critical. Highly recommend for people interested in media analysis
  • Maxtonator
    Three fun dudes having fun
    I found the podcast from trashfuture and I’ve loved it for a long while now! They have such a good way of finding the new topic each week, always keeping it varied and interesting. The theater episodes in particular are such a great introduction to the subject that have really given me a deeper appreciation for the art form! I really recommend the show for that reason.
  • Slimdickly
    Has Mr. Met ever been to a leather bar?
    Very fun show, got here from Trillbillies
  • Josa.S
    My favorite Christian podcast
    It’s good to see a podcast that is so Christian, what with wokeness and everything. My only fear is that one Day they will become crass
  • feathered
    smart and funny media criticism
    I am a member of the patreon and have listened to over 100 episodes and cannot reliably tell 2/3rds of the hosts apart! But it doesn’t bother me in this show; I only wish I knew which of the three makes references to LucasArts adventure games. This isn’t my usual type of show (I tend to prefer one or two hosts) but this crew is pretty good at not talking over or interrupting each other. I like the range of media they cover and especially appreciate their cultural critique of various religious media—as a born and raised atheist it’s really helped me understand America better. The show is smart and good!
  • angryundies
    Good shtuff
    Three weirdos, sometimes more, having a great time. Occasionally suffering, as well. I’m also slowly getting better at telling Brian and AJ apart.
  • cornerofmeh
    Just Fantastic!
    Love this podcast! Where else can you find such humorous and heartfelt takes (or takedowns) of Adventures in Odyssey episodes as well as in-depth looks at computer games, movies, and musicals? It fills quite the niche, but I think everyone could find something to enjoy here.
  • A tincan
    Listening for a while great show
    I bought a scrub daddy thanks to this show, They have great guests and have made live theater more approachable, bringing broadway back. Very funny with good bits. I am banned from saying scrub daddy around my friends.
  • Sunfish die often I suppose
    It’s good
    Hey that one guy sounds a lot like chandler bing from friends in voice and tone Idk which one but you’ll hear it
  • Snow Ocelot
    Who is this podcast for?
    It is for me
  • podcasts not quarantined
    this exists?!
    I came for the Adventures in Odyssey episodes, which are so niche and brilliant, and have been enjoying all the other episodes as well.
  • JudgeJW
    Favorite podcast hosted by Ray Liotta
    That’s who he is.
  • Hammurabi
    He
    WHAT?
  • Will.E.Boi
    Came for the chuckles, stayed for more chuckles!
    Now these fellas make me LAUGH!
  • verysmartguyonhere
    It's good actually
    Great pod, I feel like it will get bigger and it deserves it.
  • Zach O'Toole
    so many possible reviews but we got this one
    🎶so many possible reviews but we got this one🎶
  • Lev124592018
    Charming, Funny, and Cool
    There are a lot of podcasts out there, but this one is a funny, deep dive that is just at home in a car or at home. Had a lot of fun diving in––you will too.
  • TheAccuser87
    Loving it!!
    These guys are hilarious. Listening to their episode on Night Trap and this is a great combo of banter, humor, and deep dive trivia. Can’t wait to hear more!
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