logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2014
1h 18m

Episode 55: Rooting for Evil (With Paul ...

Tamler Sommers & David Pizarro
About this episode

Paul Bloom joins us to talk all things villainous -why we sometimes root for the bad guys, why we admire them even when we don't, why they are much more compelling than some of our heroes.  Then more evidence that we're really a movie podcast at heart: we list our top 5 villains and antiheroes from TV and film.  Plus, more on the benefits of religious rituals and how to make a sitcom about Himmler.    

Our Top 5 Villains

Paul Bloom 

  1. Todd Alquist (Breaking Bad)
  2. Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)

  3. The Joker (The Dark Knight)

  4. Bridgette Gregory (The Last Seduction)

  5. Agent Smith (The Matrix)

Tamler Sommers

  1. Daniel Plainview (There Will be Blood)/Tony Montana (Scarface)
  2. Willie (Bad Santa)

  3. Tommy  (Goodfellas)

  4. Alonzo Harris (Training Day)

  5. Go-Go (Kill Bill Vol. 1) 

David Pizarro

  1. Tom (Tom & Jerry)

  2. Keyser Soze (The Usual Suspects)

  3. Vic Mackey (The Shield)

  4. Harry Lime (The Third Man)

  5. Hal 9000 (2001 A Space Odyssey)

Clips: 

"You need people like me.  The bad guy." 

"I'm sorry Dave.  I'm afraid I can't do that." From 2001: A Space Odyssey [youtube]

"Come on Mr Ed.  Let's see it." From The Last Seduction [youtube]

"A good narcotics agents loves his narcotics." From Training Day.  [youtube]

"I loved a woman who wasn't clean."  "Mrs. Santa?"  "No, her sister."  From Bad Santa [youtube]

"He showed these men of will what will really was." From The Usual Suspects. [youtube]

"Funny how?" From Goodfellas [youtube]

Special Guest: Paul Bloom.

Support Very Bad Wizards

Up next
Jul 1
Episode 311: The Way to Dusty Death (Shakespeare's "Macbeth")
David and Tamler screw their courage to the sticking place and talk about their first Shakespeare play – The Tragedy of Macbeth. Plus we select 16 topics for our first VBW topic tournament suggested and voted by our beloved Patreon patrons. 
1h 26m
Jun 10
Episode 310: Bayes, Brains, and Buddhists
David and Tamler try to wrap their heads around the predictive processing theory of the mind and brain function and talk about a paper that applies the framework to meditation practices. But first a new Psychological Science article expresses skepticism about the existence of peo ... Show More
1h 14m
May 27
Episode 309: Dissolving Into the One
David and Tamler heed the call to journey into the realm of Joseph Campbell. What are the unifying elements shared by myths and religions across time and culture? Does myth give us a portal into the hidden cosmic forces of the universe? Can it take us into depths of our unconscio ... Show More
1h 23m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2021
S11: Episode 528 - Bad Boys for Life
On this week's episode, the gang wraps up Worst of 2020 month with a chat about the totally unnecessary sequel, Bad Boys for Life! Why can't poor Marcus just retire already? Is Mike Lowery becoming an even more deranged serial killer? And wow, you never thought you'd miss Michael ... Show More
2h 3m
Jan 2021
S2 Ep8: Alan Rickman: Part One
What’s it like being one of Hollywood’s greatest villains - with a heart of gold? Alan Rickman played a professor, a doctor, an angel, a terrorist - but above all - he was a brother, son, husband and friend.  Actress and collaborator Juliet Stevenson and brothers David and Michae ... Show More
46m 9s
Apr 2022
Very Bad Gurus with David Pizarro & Tamler Sommers
In the most ambitious crossover since the Fraggles met the Muppets, this week we have a special joint episode with moral psychologist David Pizzaro and famed philosopher and ghost detective, Tamler Sommers. Also known as the hosts of a small academic podcast Very Bad Wizards.Stea ... Show More
2h 15m
Jun 2023
The Sopranos with David Chase
“Lately, I’m getting the feeling I came in at the end. That the best is over.” 24 years ago, a man stepped into a therapist’s office and with those few words, transformed television forever. That man was, of course, Tony Soprano – a great big brooding bull of a mob boss, whose vi ... Show More
49m 51s
Apr 2022
'Moon Knight' Episode 2 Instant Reactions | The Midnight Boys
The Midnight Boys are back to break down their thoughts on the latest episode of 'Moon Knight'. First, they address the controversy behind "Screener-gate" (02:21) and then break down the need-to-know in the Midnight Manifest (11:16). Later, they ponder the question about some of ... Show More
1h 16m
Dec 2020
Tom Cruise’s Tone Crossed a Line. Plus: Glynn Turman on Working With Chadwick Boseman.
Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay are joined by legendary actor Glynn Turman to discuss his six-decade career and working with Chadwick Boseman on his last film (13:00). Then they discuss Tom Cruise’s rant on the set of 'Mission: Impossible' (34:00), Tyler Perry’s thirst trap (47:30) ... Show More
1h 30m
Sep 2015
2015 LA Podfest Bonus: Paul Scheer, Aisha Tyler, Ann Friedman
Folks! We’re unleashing here a special BONUS EPISODE, taped this past Sunday at the Los Angeles Podcast Festival. Funnyman Paul Scheer (“The League” and “How Did This Get Made?“) explains what makes awful films awful, and tries really hard to make Russell Crowe laugh. Comedian Ai ... Show More
54m 10s
Jun 2023
Super Soul Special: Michael B. Jordan: Exceeding His Dreams
Original Air Date: February 13th, 2019Award-winning actor and producer Michael B. Jordan discusses his skyrocketing career and why he says his life has already "exceeded his dreams.” Michael’s breakout performance came in 2013’s “Fruitvale Station,” directed by visionary Ryan Coo ... Show More
40m 12s
Oct 2019
Episode 31: Supervised Consumption: Narcotica Breaks Down Safehouse Ruling with Av Gutman
Safehouse is safe, for now. On Wednesday Oct. 2, a federal judge in Philadelphia ruled that a supervised injection site proposed by the nonprofit Safehouse would not violate a provision of the Controlled Substances Act, known as the “Crack House” statute, authored by none other t ... Show More
51m 48s