5. The Three Mountains - What's Squeezing the American Middle Class?

5. The Three Mountains - What's Squeezing the American Middle Class?

Everything is getting more expensive today, but costs are spiraling most drastically in three key areas- healthcare, education, and housing. The Chinese have a catchy term for this phenomenon: "the Three Mountains." The Three Mountains are crucial for living a decent modern life, yet they keep getting less and less accessible. In this episode, Zach and Taylor kick off a new limited series in which they'll dive deep into each of the Three Mountains- why they're so important, why they cost so much, and how they could be fixed. They also share their own experiences in overcoming the millennial struggle through the magic of veteran's benefits.

4. Talking Politics Without Flipping Tables

To tackle America's deepening divides, Zach and Taylor break the first rule of polite discussion: "No politics and no religion." It turns out the two built their enduring cross-partisan friendship based on (gasp!) frank but respectful dialogue, and want to help others do the same. Along the way, they work through a more nuanced vision of America's political spectrum with the help of a typology test from Pew Research. You can take the Pew Research Political Typology quiz (highly recommended by the Angry Upvote crew) here: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/quiz/political-typology/ [https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/quiz/political-typology/]

3. Rings of Power - The Real Sauron Was the Friends We Made

Fresh off viewing the season finale, Taylor and Zach process the surprising twists and unresolved cliffhangers in a gloriously spoiler-rich breakdown of the series. Now that we've seen the end, what do we think of the Rings of Power as a whole? How did our mid-season predictions and theories hold up? Which classic Simpsons episode did the final reveal remind us of? All this, plus Zach and Taylor eating copious amounts of crow.

2. Rings of Power - Darkest Timeline Galadriel

Zach and Taylor dive into Episode 7 of the Prime series, highlighting where the new adaptation shines as well as where it misses the mark. They also reach out into the broader Tolkien legendarium- the stuff that Amazon can't directly portray, but references throughout the series- to answer burning questions about character motivations, future storylines, and RoP's many mysteries. Where is the series headed, and how does it compare to Tolkien's vision?

1. Rings of Power - Durin & Elrond's Excellent Adventure

Zach and Taylor (two very different kinds of Tolkien nerds) dive into Amazon's Rings of Power series- the highs, the lows, and the mid-season mysteries. Both come prepared with their hottest takes on everything from Halbrand's identity to Sauron's master plan. How does Rings of Power hold up against Tolkien's books and the iconic Jackson movies?