This is a great story, and yet another reminder that -- for something that felt like a fun goofy feature when it launched -- as we lose more and more actors, the AV Club's "Random Roles" has turned out to be an amazing oral history project.

Watching an upcoming streaming movie (under embargo, sorry) which begins at an intense moment of crisis. I've been conditioned to wait for the story to then jump back "12 Hours Earlier" or whatever, but no. The story just kept moving forward. Refreshing!

TOP TEN TOP TEN LISTS OF 2025: Top Ten Things I Wish I Had Worn To This Party Instead Top Ten Times I Thought I Had Gingko Berries On My Shoe Top Ten Starbucks Restroom Codes Top Ten Times I Tried To Typw wHull i wss drviing Top Ten Things I Should Have Said When I Saw Leslie

One of the greatest things to come out of the late 80s/90s revival of the 40s is the iconic nightclub floozies

When you’re watching a mystery-thriller miniseries and you’ve reached the final episode and everything seems to be all wrapped up but there’s still 20 minutes left… Well, better double-check your lap-bars and shoulder-restraints, friends, because there are some twists a-coming.

This all reminds me of the classic Steven Van Zandt bop, "Won't Somebody Please Think of the Casual Theater-Going Interests of the Esteemed Civilian Residents of Sun City!"

One of the best to ever do it

Saw👆after posting👇elsewhere: ❤️ the Pete Townshend story: “Oh, hello Dave, this is Peter Townshend here &I’m sitting with David Gilmour,&we’re trying to work out your song ‘Save It For Later,’ but we can’t work out the tuning » @theavclubgames.bsky.social www.avclub.com/dave-wakelin...

Watching PUSHING DAISIES again for the first time in around 15 years - and so glad to see that it completely holds up to my joyful memories of effervescent, dark whimsy! (It's on HBO Max if you want a delightful treat!)

Really enjoying The Celebrity Traitors (UK), which is chasing away the bad memories of the most recent US season. Fun fact! The real guy the movie Is This Thing On? is based on is one of the contestants in this season. (He looks and acts nothing like Will Arnett.)

Read the A Knight Of The Seven Kingdom novellas and enjoyed them greatly. It was odd though to read them after knowing for so long what the stories are about, given that one key element of those stories is held back as a surprise, sprung two-thirds of the way through the first one.

Coming out of a bagel place in NYC, was about to dig in to my toasted sesame and cream cheese but some guy roughly snatched it from my hand and took a big bite, then walked away backwards, giving me the finger as he wolfed down the rest (disgustingly). As you probably guessed, it was Kevin Costner.

Sunday Dinner: Roast beef w/horseradish sauce, green beans, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes w/gravy, rolls w/cherry jelly. (This was also the Christmas Dinner I forgot to post. We were away all weekend, so we’re having leftovers.)

Had an absolute blast with this Time Out exclusive: 'Die Hard' screenwriter @stevenedesouza.bsky.social ranking 10 'Die Hard'-inspired action flicks www.timeout.com/news/10-die-...

I just think it’s so much cooler and more interesting to try to be the best audio show rather than the shittiest television show

Buffalo Drive, by William R. Leigh, 1947, 📸 by @sickoscommittee.org

The awkward sloppiness of the anthropomorphic Pop Tart bake at the end of this year’s Pop Tart Bowl reminded me of how the Super Bowl “Bud Bowl” commercials kept adding more and more meta-narrative until they became decidedly un-fun. Don’t overcomplicate this!

might watch this video 100 times before the day is over

Read this headline too fast and thought Radiohead had released a watch

Good op-ed on the current pardon crisis, considering not just how bad things have gotten but also how the process is supposed to work. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/26/o...

This is Howard at OU, this country used to put people in a smoker on low at age 14

If anyone in the replies is looking: a site called TuneMyMusic transferred this over in seconds with no issues. I’m excited for this list! I’m a fan these days, but I actually got started with the AVC list you made years back, so I’m looking forward to some of the cuts I don’t know here.

When the new Mountain Goats album came out a couple of months ago, I figured the time had come for me to make my ultimate Mountain Goats playlist. Apple Music link below. Some notes to follow! music.apple.com/us/playlist/...

The USC-Notre Dame rivalry may be ending, but we'll always have that weird bowl game they played on Christmas Eve in Die Hard... bit.ly/3NhIf0j

Another excellent gift: ramekins made by my youngest in their pottery class.

New favorite T-shirt, courtesy of my wife.

Sampling different Yule Log cablecasts this morning while waiting for my family to stir and though I'm not a great fan of the Great American Family channel, I have to admit that their log is superior.

don't wait for the next holiday, buy the kid a birthday guitar in 2026. It won't take 12 months to research, most entry-level cheapos sound great and are easy to play, same with the amplifiers.

🎄🎁 ~thread~ 🎁🎄

This is 100% what it's like having a theologian in the house. Merry Christmas from the Bowman-Murray family to all of you.

People don't say Merry Christmas to the ol' Building & Loan like they used to.

The Ghost of Christmas Future Perfect: “You will have been visited by me.”

During year-end movie catch-up a few weeks ago, I went through a stretch where nearly every film I saw was well-directed and well-cast, but for whatever reason — either because of the script or subject matter — I just couldn’t bring myself to care about much of anything happening on-screen. 1/4

Everybody's waitin' for the man with the bag.

Please enjoy once again the college football comment of the year 🏆

My annual Christmas beard is at its fullest but temps are in the 70s here in Arkansas so I look like Santa on vacation.

Some finale, huh? Check out my last season 1 PLURIBUS review at Episodic Medium, unlocked for everyone. And subscribe or gift a subscription at a once-in-a-year discount!

thinkin about stuff

My AVC review of the Pluribus finale, in which I push back at some of the grumbling about the show I've been seeing online lately and praise the unexpectedly, delightful absurd comedy of a translator app. Really liked this season and can't wait for more.

For The Ringer, I spoke with Team Pluribus about the executive notes that led to that final line, how long it might be for s2, and, most importantly, why Carol never asks for the HamlinFone message to be shortened:

to me, carlos-manuel vesga is giving the best performance on PLURIBUS as manousos, who'd rather take on the Darién Gap alone than have anything to do with the Others who've taken over the world. we chatted about catholicism, language, & migration, for @vulture.com. www.vulture.com/article/plur...

After you’ve watched tonight’s (awesome) PLURIBUS season one finale, check out this 23-minute BTS video Apple just posted. It has Vince and the core four cast, and so many amazing details about the production. The cul-de-sac and ice hotel? All built from scratch. youtu.be/9C5Un2ikvLQ?...

The David Steinberg Show became historically notable, but the program itself is not particularly good. It utilized a labored CTV laugh track - a sound that'll make Canadians of a certain vintage cringe. Eugene Levy is missing from the series because he showed up stoned and failed the audition.

The Miser brothers aren’t getting along this year.

This is from a word scramble gameshow where the host of this show gave plenty of clues and the contestant still got the answer wrong.