Episode 55: Rooting for Evil (With Paul Bloom)

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]