recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Return Of The Podcast

**Return Of The Podcast** (also known as **Griffin and David Present: Return of the Podcast**) is episode 36, focusing on *Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi* as part of the podcast's continuing coverage of the Star Wars Sequels. Posted 16 Dec 2015.

## Summary

> Griffin and David return with an episode examining the 1983 conclusion to the ‘second’ trilogy Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Together, they discuss George Lucas’ former marriage, Princess Leia’s golden bikini, those lovable Ewoks, telling a dying Yoda to just get on with it already and more!
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It's the third movie of the Star Wars "Sequel Trilogy." Can Griffin and David be objective in evaluating this movie, which was exactly their favorite kind of movie as children? (As they gradually recover their memories, of course - no bits!)

So they come at it sideways. The new effects and scenes in the Special Editions. The secret weapon of Marcia Lucas, Editor and collaborator. Ben's favorite, The Max Rebo Band.

Here's where things get dicey. To get all the Star Wars sequel episodes done in keeping with the podcast's tight schedule before they see The Force Awakens, Griffin and David had to record several episodes in quick succession. The Marcia Lucas digression, combined with the anxiety inherent in waiting for The Force Awakens to come out, led to some tense moments in the broom-closet-sized studio. What producer magic does Ben have up his sleeve to corral #TheTwoFriends?

Back on track. Much discussion of the famous Leia metal bikini and whether pop culture's obsession with it has corrupted the movie's intentions, which on their own seem relatively benign and unsexualized. Boba Fett, Ewoks, the Emperor... and Darth Vader. Does his big moment equal redemption? Did Kathleen Kennedy at Disney discover what George Lucas' true inspirations for Star Wars were?

Spoiler alert: the Rebels win! Hurrah, Star Wars!

And as always, we love you George Lucas.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Number of scenes without special effects: like, two
* Rancor Keeper: sad
* Seasonal nickname for Ben Hosley: Santa Hoz
* Droopy McCool's real name: a series of unpronounceable flute-like whistles
The Matrix

*For the Patreon commentary episode, see The Matrix Commentary*.
**The Matrix** is episode 54 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the The Podchowski Casters miniseries covering the filmography of the Wachowskis. Recorded on 4/20 (nice). Posted 25 Apr 2016.

## Summary

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> This week, Griffin and David discuss the Wachowski's game changing 1999 film, *The Matrix*. Just how big of an influence was this movie on mainstream cinema? Other than the nu metal, has this film aged gracefully? How can this only be the siblings second film?! Together, they discuss the trajectory of Keanu Reeves’ career leading up to the Matrix, their shared love for Gloria Foster’s performance as the Oracle, the superb screenwriting, and the renowned martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping. Plus, box office stats, Y2K and another edition of the Burger Report.
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The movie that gave the Wachowskis a blank check that they just kept using.

Griffin and David and Ben and many of us have seen this movie so many times that it was difficult to look at it with fresh eyes. So they came at it from as many oblique angles as they could.

How many different actors were offered the lead roles in The Matrix - all of them?) How did the Wachowskis go about hiring their fight/stunts coordinator? Does Mouse sell any death sticks to Neo? Why in heaven's name was Director of Photography Bill Pope not even *nominated* for a Best Cinematography Oscar?

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Bit that did not land: Ben getting a phone call on a cool spring-loaded phone
* David Krumholtz!
* Merchandise Spotlight!
* Burger Report!
* Joey Pants!
* Box Office Game: Weekend of April 2, 1999
* In Avatarland/The Second Blank Check Mailbag, David lists this episode as his favorite that they'd done so far.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Matrix. Audioboom. Retrieved on August 28, 2021.
The Jericho Mailbag

**The Jerico Mailbag** is episode 20 of Blank Check: Special Features. The episode is both a mailbag episode and a discussion of the TV film *The Jericho Mile* as part of the Cast of the Podhicans miniseries. Posted June 11, 2019.

## Summary

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> In this month's grab-bag bonus episode #thetwofriends answer patron submitted questions, as well as, review the Michael Mann directed 1979 TV movie, *The Jericho Mile*!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The episode was released from behind the paywall on June 11, 2022.
* X-Men: Apocalypse — The original Gentleman’s Six.
* Mentions the Forky bet: if David likes Forky, he has to marry Forky and it’ll be very romantic.
* Did not get an invite to the Toy Story 4 fan event: Griffin Newman.
* The answer to one of the questions is “a Forky mask,” but you’ll have to guess which one (or listen to the ep).

### Sponsor

* After the “And as always” the episode ends with an extended ad read from a main feed episode. It’s for a bleeped company where Griffin voices a rhombus and a squiggle and Ben voices a Hexagon.

## Questions

* Ben: top 3 Ween albums?
* What kind of prep do you do for regular episodes?
* What is the one work of art you’d remove from history if you could?
* Bond is too long, but would you consider doing individual Bonds?
* Quickfire choose one of twin movies
* Any hot takes on the *Ad Astra* trailer?
* 1999 cast MVP speed round
* If you could see an actor or actress grow to Kaiju size to fight Godzilla, who would it be?
* Has anyone come close to Psyduck for the best supporting actor Blankie?
* Favorite *I Think You Should Leave* sketch?
* Biggest starring ingredient in an everything bagel?
* Favorite Soderbergh movie?
* *Master and Commander* reboot pitch.
* All time favorite Oscar wins?
* Any chance we’ll see the spreadsheet?
* How many movies does Jordan Peele have to make before you’ll cover him?
* Where is Fallout In your Mission: Impossible rankings?
* Dream cast and director for Fantastic 4?
* Any plans to dedicate an entire episode to studio logos/fanfare?
* Top 5 Trek properties?
* The new Godzilla movies: a new MCU style connected universe?
* DAVID WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
The Avengers Commentary

**The Avengers** is episode 11 of Blank Check: Special Features and a commentary episode on the Marvel Cinematic Universe film of the same name. Posted March 21, 2019.

## Summary

> Checkmates assemble! It's another installment of live MCU commentary recorded at Big Nice studios in New York City! This time, Griffin, David and Producer Ben discuss 2012's *The Avengers.*
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* **The movie starts at approximately 0:00:49**, because Griffin is going to see a movie afterwards.
* The episode was released from behind the paywall on March 21, 2022.
* In the Captain America: The First Avenger Commentary, Griffin is allergic to something in David's apartment. Griff and Forky agree: it's the Christmas tree.
* Ben had never seen it! Fresh takes.
* The X Factor: "What if movie very good?"
* Ben is on Raya now! So far not a lot of action.
* David's take on Loki: "He's like Ladybird."
* If Ben could have a superpower: energy orbs he could make into any shape.

## References

1. ↑ The Avengers on Patreon. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
Rachel Getting Married

**Rachel Getting Married** is episode 259 focusing on the film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme as part of the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted March 1, 2020.

## Summary

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> From Iconography, Ayo Edebiri and Olivia Craighead join Griffin and special guest the crypt keeper that is gravelly-voiced David. Get ready for a movie surprisingly starring Sebastian Stan, and a 20-minute long story about the saga of Marc Summers. How many sitcoms were about dads that are also another thing? How much family trauma comes out at a wedding? How muddy is this film?
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Rachel Getting Married. Audioboom. Retrieved on February 21, 2022.
Spider-Man (episode)

*This article is about the main feed episode on Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. For other episodes about the friendly, neighborhood superhero, see Spider-Man.*

## Spider-Man

### Audio link

Soundcloud
 Audioboom

### Sponsors

Sunday
PolicyGenius.com
ExpressVPN

**Spider-Man** is episode 376 focusing on the 2002 film of the same name as part of Podcast Me to Hell miniseries on the films of Sam Raimi. Posted May 22, 2022.

## Summary

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### Milestones and Ephemera

* At time of release, this episode became the third longest episode of the podcast.
* *Marvel's Spider-Man: From Amazing to Spectacular* from Simon & Schuster
* Box-Office Game: Weekend of May 3, 2002

### Sponsors

* The Green Goblin calls in.
* Bonesaw McGraw has pivoted from wrestling to data harvesting.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Spider-Man. Audioboom. Retrieved on May 22, 2022.
Planet of the Apes (disambiguation)

**This article is a disambiguation page for Planet of the Apes (disambiguation)**

The following is a list of links to pages that might share the same title.

Please follow one of the disambiguation links below or search to find the page you were looking for if it is not listed. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

**Planet of the Apes** may refer to:

### Main Feed

* Planet of the Apes (2001), episode 206 with Matt Singer as part of Podward Scissorcast on the films of Tim Burton.

### Patreon

* Planet of the Apes (miniseries), a commentary miniseries on the classic 1968-1973 series.
	+ Planet of the Apes Commentary, episode as part of the Planet of the Apes (miniseries) commentaries.
	+ Beneath the Planet of the Apes Commentary, episode as part of the Planet of the Apes (miniseries) commentaries.
	+ Escape from the Planet of the Apes Commentary, episode as part of the Planet of the Apes (miniseries) commentaries.
	+ Conquest of the Planet of the Apes Commentary, episode as part of the Planet of the Apes (miniseries) commentaries.
	+ Battle for the Planet of the Apes Commentary, episode as part of the Planet of the Apes (miniseries) commentaries.
Peter Labuza

**Peter Labuza** (@labuzamovies on Twitter, on Letterboxd, and on the web) is a film critic and film historian.

## Biography

He is currently a researcher with the International Cinematographers Guild. He previously worked as a film critic for *The Village Voice,* The LA Review of Books, *Variety*, *Filmmaker Magazine*, The AV Club, and other outlets. Additionally he hosted the podcast The Cinephiliacs from 2012 to 2020, which has even featured a few guests in common with Blank Check.

He earned a PhD from the University of Southern California and his dissertation examined the ways that law has shaped the discourse and entertainment coming out of Hollywood. Look for his book on the history of entertainment law in a few years; in fact it will kind of be about the birth of the concept of blank checks!

Peter appeared on the Ride with the Devil episode of Blank Check, where he got to talk about (gasp) his hands-down favorite Ang Lee movie. He loved the way that Ang Lee made a movie about this momentous historical event of the Civil War, but with characters who are going through their own things that are of almost no consequence in that historical event.
The First Blank Check Mailbag

**The First Blank Check Mailbag** is episode 112 and the first in a grouping of Mailbag episodes, where Griffin and David answer questions sent to them by listeners and friends of the show. Posted 11 Jun 2017.

## Summary

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> #thetwofriends use this episode to field questions from their listeners. Where do they get their bagels from? What did they think about Fate of the Furious? Does the voice actor who voices a Sith lord qualify as a full on Sith lord? What podcasts do they listen to? Is Griffin busy with filming The Tick? (Yes!) What nicknames would Ben give Griffin and David? Hear all the answers here and here alone.
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#TheTwoFriends let the messages pile up so long that they'd gone through two email accounts, dating from the beginning of the show. And now, time to answer the mail!

Where does Griffin get his bagels and where is David's go-to spot for sandwiches? How many hot takes on the *Fast & Furious* movies can they pile up? What movies are unexpectedly calming to watch for Griffin, David, and Ben? Will there be a new Blank Check miniseries re-emphasizing the 'mystery investigation' angle? Will #TheTwoFriends do a bonus episode on Avatarland? SPOILER ALERT.

Listen on as Griffin and David give shoutouts to at least a couple dozen ideas for future Blank Check miniseries' and episodes, discuss what their own family members think of their work and of the Blank Check podcast in particular, and come to terms with the idea that a blank check is often a mixed blessing for a filmmaker.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Burger Report! From David!
* Merchandise Spotlight! Griffin is going to be a toy!
* Holy cow, a lot of ideas for future miniseries all through this episode.
* new nicknames for David: Professor Frustrated, Our Finest Sandwich Critic
* new nickname for Griffin: Dr. Tangent

## References

1. ↑ The First Blank Check Mailbag on Audioboom.
Spirited Away

**Spirited Away** is episode 237 focusing on the film of the same name as part of the Howl's Moving Podcastle miniseries. Posted September 29, 2019.

## Summary

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> Humorist, David Rees, returns to Blank Check discuss one of the greatest animated films of all time, *Spirited Away*. Together they examine dream logic, Shrek, David Rees presents an important review of *Spirited Away* from Nigel Andrews at the Financial Times and plenty more!
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## References

1. ↑ Spirited Away on Audioboom. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Commentary

**Star Trek III: The Search for Spock** is episode 91 of Blank Check: Special Features, and is a commentary track for the 1984 film of the same. Posted March 21, 2021.

## Summary

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> Griffin, David and Ben get back to their Trek commentary with 1984's *Star Trek III: The Search for Spock*. Topics include: Leonard Nimoy's feature film directorial debut, Vulcan mating, dog puppetry, new ship design and more!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* *Not* a Classic Quette performance.
* Ben’s bullying is getting a little lackluster as he starts to enjoy Trek a bit more.
* Weekend of June 1, 1984

## References

1. ↑ Star Trek III on Patreon. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
Special Features March Madness 2023

**Special Features March Madness 2023** was a Special Features March Madness tournament for Patreon subscribers running in March 2023. The tournament determined an upcoming franchise commentary series to be covered. The winner was the Ocean's series and the resulting miniseries began in July of 2023.

## Summary

The tournament doesn't feature the same 'World Cup' theme as the main feed bracket, but instead a grab bag of stuff they'd like to cover.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Superman is on the bracket for a 4th time and after being defeated will likely be retired. Superman was the only franchise to appear in every Special Features March Madness bracket.
* The Apu Trilogy, The Exorcist, Rocky, and Police Story are on their 3rd appearance.
* Analyze This/That/Jelly Trilogy, Beatles, Bill & Ted, Bruce Lee, Final Destination, Hellraiser, Psycho, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are on their 2nd appearance.

## Tournament

### Semifinals

The Final Four

patreon -- 6,374 total votes -- reddit

patreon -- 6,528 total votes -- reddit

## Stats

 Round 2
 Round 3
 Round 4
 Round 5

## Featured Episodes

*Main article: March Madness 2023 - Featured Episodes*
The Special Features tournament is also discussed in the patreon episodes discussing the main feed bracket.
The Mummy (1999) Commentary

**The Mummy (1999)** is episode 110 of Blank Check: Special Features and about 1999 film of the same name as part of the The Mummy commentary miniseries.

## Summary

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> The curse has been lifted! BC:SF officially opens the tomb to a new commentary series with The Mummy franchise! Griffin, David, and Ben re-recorded their commentary of 1999 reboot after experiencing technical issues with the first session. Topics include: hotness, the casts's career trajectory, bug candy and more!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The movie starts at 5:48.
* This episode was Cursed. It was supposed to be posted the previous day, but the recording was lost. In lieu of an episode, the BC crew posted a 2018 photo of Producer Ben dressed up as a Mummy.
* Griffin's favorite Universal fanfare
* Box office: Weekend of May 7, 1999
* The friends promise Matrix commentaries!

## References

1. ↑ The Mummy (1999) on Patreon. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
2. ↑ The Mummy Episode Got Cursed on Patreon. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
Return of the Jedi

**This article is a disambiguation page for Return of the Jedi**

The following is a list of links to pages that might share the same title.

Please follow one of the disambiguation links below or search to find the page you were looking for if it is not listed. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

**Return of the Jedi** may refer to:

* Return Of The Podcast, episode 36 of the main feed focusing on *Star Wars: Return of the Jedi* as part of the continuing coverage of the Star Wars Sequels
* Return of the Jedi Commentary, episode 49 of Blank Check: Special Features
The Adventures of Tintin

**The Adventures of Tintin** is episode 105 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Pod Me If You Cast miniseries covering the filmography of Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks era.

## Summary

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> Joe Garden (The Onion) joins Griffin and David this week to discuss the mo-cap animated action/mystery, The Adventures of Tintin. But what was Peter Jackson’s involvement in the project? How is the character Tintin like a fine sparkling wine? Is Will & Grace really coming back? Together, they compare the film to the original children book series by Hergé, examine the lessons children were taught in the 1930’s, again revisit Mystery Men and also suggest what actor would make a good Professor Calculus for any future sequels.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box Office Game: Weekend of December 23, 2011
	+ The same box office game as Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol *and* We Bought a Zoo.

## References

1. ↑ The Adventures of Tintin on Audioboom.
Sleepy Hollow

**Sleepy Hollow** is episode 205 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the Podward Scissorcast miniseries covering the films of Tim Burton. Posted February 24, 2019.

## Summary

> Writer and director, David Lowery (*The Old Man & the Gun*, *A Ghost Story*) joins Griffin and David to discuss 1999's procedural horror, *Sleepy Hollow*. But when we die does the headless horseman come for us? Who are the cheek bone boys? Was Taylor Hicks a ten percenter? Together they examine the work of Emmanuel Lubezki, babies with mustaches, CGI deer and the crypt keeper.
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Sleepy Hollow moved in of the same studios that the first part of the Star Wars original trilogy was moving out of, but this time George's green screens were replaced by Tim's elaborate gothic sets. Burton had to clash with the studio to cast his guy Johnny Depp in the lead role as Daniel Day-Lewis and Liam Neeson were considered, but this was the last time any studio would say no to Depp working with Burton. And unlike some of his previous efforts, Sleepy Hollow was a hit, almost tripling its 70 million dollar budget worldwide.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box office game: Weekend of November 19, 1999

### Sponsors

* MUBI - Griffin likes to MUBI MUBI, with a curated rotated collection of art house films!
* Joybird - You may not be able to get an Iron Maiden, but you can get some good other furniture from Joybird!
* Brooklinen - Sleepy Hollow, well you got to go sleep, get a good sleep with Brooklinen sheets!
Pushing Hands/The Wedding Banquet

**Pushing Hands/The Wedding Banquet** is episode 171 that doubles up with TWO films - the first two features in this director's filmography - as part of the Podback Mountcast miniseries. Posted 1 July 2018.

## Summary

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> In the debut episode of our new mini series devoted to the films of director Ang Lee, Griffin and David start with his first 2 feature films: Pushing Hands and The Wedding Banquet. Join the hosts as they try to understand how these early attempts would affect Lee’s future films, what kind of dynamic they would have in a marriage together and play back-to-back Box offices games.
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#TheTwoFriends discuss two Mandarin-language films that Ang Lee wrote and directed: his first feature *Pushing Hands* which was released in Taiwan, and his sophomore effort *The Wedding Banquet* which got a USA release.

### Sponsors

* Dollar Shave Club
* Hims
* The Dumb People Town podcast

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Pushing Hands/The Wedding Banquet. Audioboom. Retrieved on May 12, 2022.
The Empty Man

**The Empty Man** is episode 194 of Blank Check: Special Features focusing on David Fincher associate David Prior's directorial debut as bonus for The Curious Pod of Benjamin Buttcast miniseries on the films of David Fincher. Posted November 11, 2023.

## Summary

> In this Fincher-Adjacent bonus ep Griffin, David and Ben discuss long-time Fincher documentarian and director David Prior's 2020 film “The Empty Man”. Topics include: How much does it cost to visit Bhutan, "When's He/She Bad Actors" and of course The Empty Man.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box Office Game: Weekend of October 23, 2020

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Empty Man. Patreon. Retrieved on November 11, 2023.
Sweet Charity

**Sweet Charity** is episode 382 focusing on the 1969(nice) film of the same name as part of Pod That Jazzcast miniseries on the films of Bob Fosse. Posted July 3, 2022.

## Summary

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> The minute you walked in the joint… I could see you were a man of distinction, A REAL PODCASTER! “Pod That Jazzcast” - our series on the films of Bob Fosse - kicks off with a real humdinger of an episode, as the boys discuss 1969’s swinging technicolor musical *Sweet Charity*. For folks unfamiliar with Fosse, we give an overview of his life and career in dance and theater leading up to his film directorial debut, and attempt to decipher his creative obsessions (women, fear of balding, isolated body movements, etc). Plus, Ben realizes he loves musicals, and the boys wonder which brass musical instrument has the most inherent humor.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* In the Spreadmaster's Delight episode, Griffin nominated Bob Fosse for Best Director 1969.

#### Box office

April 1969

1. The Love Bug
2. Funny Girl
3. Where Eagles Dare
4. Oliver!
5. The Lion in Winter

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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Sweet Charity. Audioboom. Retrieved on July 3, 2022.
The Fabelmans

* The Podcastmans
* Pod Me If You Cast

**The Fabelmans** (also known as **The Podcastmans**) is episode 402 focusing on the 2022 film of the same name as part of Pod Me If You Cast miniseries on the films of Steven Spielberg. The episode is the fourth revisit (after The Post, Ready Player One, and West Side Story) since the completion of the original miniseries. Posted November 20, 2022.

## Summary

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> For the first time in years, both Griffin and David are in agreement on a new Steven Spielberg film - what a picture! We’re playing both film critics and armchair psychologists in this episode as we unpack *THE FABELMANS*, a movie that is less sentimental and more complex than one would assume based on the poster. What sets this film apart from the ever-growing stack of filmmaker origin stories? Is this the de-facto Best Picture frontrunner? Why the hell was Griffin shooting on super 8 in the early 2000s when MiniDV was available?
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The A.O. Scott interview: Steven Spielberg Gets Personal
* Lots of TÁR talk. No Tar talk or TARS talk.
* A bonkers amount of griping on the reddit about covering the film before it opens wide. Scheduling is complicated!  It'll be fine!
* Benny used to make a VHS Jackass knockoff called *Poison Potpourri Patrol*.
* The sort of box office game: Weekend of November 11, 2022
* Includes some after-credits lunch ordering! Griffin orders a Cel-Ray which... is a choice.
* The movie was a multiple nominee and winner at The Eighth Annual Blank Check Awards including:
	+ Griffin: #1 in his top 10 for the year
		- Best Supporting Actress - Chloe East
		- Best Original Screenplay
		- Best Actor - Gabriel LaBelle
		- Best Director - Steven Spielberg
	+ David: #3 in his top 10 for the year
		- Best Supporting Actress - Chloe East
		- Best Original Screenplay
		- Best Director - Steven Spielberg
	+ Joe Reid: #6 in his top 10 for the year
		- Best Original Screenplay - Winner
		- Best Actor - Gabriel LaBelle
		- Best Director - Steven Spielberg

### Sponsors

* Sclusie revealed in the DadGrass ad! The boys will be covering the Qatsi Trilogy on Patreon in the new year! If they send a CBD dog bone, Ben will eat one during the commentaries?!

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Fabelmans. Audioboom. Retrieved on November 20, 2022.
2. ↑ A.O. Scott. Steven Spielberg Gets Personal. New York Times. Retrieved on November 21, 2022.
3. ↑ u/brotherfallout. doing our best!. reddit. Retrieved on November 21, 2022.
Politics

**Politics** is episode 19 and the seventh part of the Attack of the Podcast miniseries, about the film *Star Wars Episode II: Attack Of The Clones*. Posted 10 August 2015.

## Summary

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> Seven episodes in and co-hosts David and Griffin are fading. This week -- while attempting to discuss Senator Palpatine’s rise to power as Darth Sidious (the titular Phantom Menace), Count Dooku pulling strings for the separatists, and just exactly what the Galactic Senate does for the universe -- they hit a major detour: Griffin reads from his awful grade-school paper about racism, including a rant about the movie Beauty Shop.
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In a later mailbag episode in 2017, David reminisced about their "year of Star Wars" with the Phantom Menace, and it was implied that this episode topic was chosen last-minute because the co-hosts just felt like they had nothing. Kind of amazing, in that light, that the episode had anything entertaining at all. Thank goodness for the competitive advantage of #TheTwoFriends, I guess.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Abandoned Ben Hosley nickname: **Prodoery Ben**
* "Back in Blackface (Or, Can You Minstrel Show Me the Way to Racism Street)" by Griffin Newman: Ungraded
* This episode is dedicated to John Sims.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Politics. Audioboom. Retrieved on August 30, 2022.
Rogue One

**This article is a disambiguation page for Rogue One**

The following is a list of links to pages that might share the same title.

Please follow one of the disambiguation links below or search to find the page you were looking for if it is not listed. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

**Rogue One** may refer to:

* Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, episode 88 on the main feed.
* Rogue One Commentary, episode 44 of Blank Check: Special Features.
The Little Mermaid

**The Little Mermaid** is episode 311 focusing on the 1989 animated film of the same name as part of The Poddle Mercast miniseries on the films of Musker & Clements. Posted February 14, 2021.

## Summary

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> Esther Zuckerman (Thrillist) returns to discuss 1989’s massive hit, *The Little Mermaid*! Topics include: the musical contributions of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, the upcoming live action remake, Ursula in human form as Vanessa, and more!
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1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Little Mermaid with Esther Zuckerman. Audioboom. Retrieved on February 14, 2021.
The Curious Pod of Benjamin Buttcast

**The Curious Pod of Benjamin Buttcast** is a miniseries on the films of David Fincher beginning in September 2023.

## Summary

MISCHIEF. MAYHEM. PODCAST.

The miniseries was announced on Twitter on August 28, 2023. David Fincher's sole March Madness appearance was in March Madness 2018 where he was defeated in the finals by Nancy Meyers.

The titular inspiration is the film *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*. The miniseries art by the great Pat Reynolds, features the BC boys and Marie as Tyler Durden (Ben), Benjamin Button (Griffin), Lisbeth Salander (David) and Amy Dunne (Marie).

The series was preceded by I'm a Podcast, But That's OK on the films of Park Chan-wook. The series was succeeded by Podcastl on the films of Barbra Streisand.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Ben nickname: **Ben Mankiewicz** or **Seᗺen**. The first nickname was bestowed in The Killer episode while the second was given in the I Love You to Death episode, it's unclear which is preferred.
* Fincher is the second director covered on the pod to be spotted eating a burger and subsequently reported to The Burger Report.

## Ranking His Filmography

At the conclusion of the miniseries, the Blankies' rankings will be compiled from a voting thread found on the r/Blankies sub-reddit.

## References

1. ↑ @blankcheckpod. Tweet Aug 28, 2023. Twitter. Retrieved on August 31, 2023. “MISCHIEF. MAYHEM. PODCAST.
Coming September 10:”
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier Commentary

**Star Trek V: The Final Frontier** is episode 95 of Blank Check: Special Features, and is a commentary track for the 1989 film of the same. Posted April 21, 2021.

## Summary

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> Checkmates, we have come to the fifth film in our Star Trek commentary series, long considered the weakest in the franchise, 1989's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Topics include: Shatner's directing, marshmallow dispenser merch, the aging cast, space garbage, and more!
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> **The movie starts at...16:57**
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## References

1. ↑ Star Trek V on Patreon. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
The Avengers

**This article is a disambiguation page for The Avengers**

The following is a list of links to pages that might share the same title.

Please follow one of the disambiguation links below or search to find the page you were looking for if it is not listed. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

**The Avengers** may refer to:

* The Avengers Commentary, episode 12 of Blank Check: Special Features.
* Avengers: Age of Ultron Commentary, episode 21 of Blank Check: Special Features.
* Avengers: Infinity War Commentary, episode 33 of Blank Check: Special Features.
* Avengers: Endgame Commentary, episode 38 of Blank Check: Special Features.
Spider-Man 3

*This article is about the main feed episode on Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3. For other episodes about the friendly, neighborhood superhero, see Spider-Man.*

## Spider-Man 3

### Audio link

Soundcloud
 Audioboom

### Sponsors

Sunday
SplendidSpoon

**Spider-Man 3** is episode 378 focusing on the 2007 film of the same name as part of Podcast Me to Hell miniseries on the films of Sam Raimi. Posted June 6, 2022.

## Summary

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> If “Spider-Man 2” had the reputation of being the greatest superhero movie of all time, “Spider-Man 3” had the inverse - a bloated mess with too many villains, and a very goofy Peter Parker going to the darkside, if by “darkside” you mean a trip to Men’s Warehouse and Hot Topic. But is that reputation justified? We’re gonna air on the side of…not REALLY. Notable Spidey 3 defender Jamelle Bouie (The New York Times, his podcast “Unclear and Present Danger”) returns to Blank Check to praise this film’s focus on interpersonal relationships and quiet character moments. What else do we like? Griffin likes the “Editor’s Cut” (on Amazon Prime!). Ben \*obviously\* loves The Sandman. We all can agree that the much-memed sidewalk strut and jazz club sequences are a ton of fun. What doesn’t work? Let’s just say we have some issues with a lil guy named VENOM.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box-Office Game: Weekend of May 4, 2007

### Sponsors

* No characters this week, but Griffin establishes that he loves his Manhattan lawn. He's a Classic Manhattan Lawn guy.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Spider-Man 3. Audioboom. Retrieved on June 7, 2022.
The podcast description was edited to reflect the actual name of Jamelle's podcast.
Pee-wee's Big Adventure

**Pee-wee's Big Adventure** is episode 195 focusing on the 1985 movie of the same name, as part of the Podward Scissorcast miniseries covering the films of Tim Burton. Posted 9 December 2018.

## Summary

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> This week Griffin and David begin a new mini-series on the films of Tim Burton! Together they discuss the origins of the character Pee-wee and Burton's background in animation and being a goth boy from Burbank, California.
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"[Pee-wee Herman] is like an inside joke that everyone gets."

But where did the character of Pee-wee come from? Where did Tim Burton come from and how does his path cross over with Brad Bird's? How many Groundlings are in this movie? Why is this movie so inexplicably enjoyable?

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Screenwriting 101, according to Syd Field. Page 30 - he loses the bike. Page 60 - he finds where the bike is. Page 90 - movie over.
* Pee-wee Herman once hosted Saturday Night Live. No, not Paul Reubens - *Pee-wee Herman hosted*.
* expert on all things Ernest: J.D. Amato
* fan of all things Ernest: Producer Ben
* Box office game: Weekend of July 26, 1985

### Sponsors

* **Brooklinen** - Griffin is now shouting from the rooftops at the world about how great Brooklinen's bedding is. Promo code CHECK
* **Talkspace** - You don't want a Pee-wee Herman type just telling you "I know you who are but what am I" while giving you therapy. Promo code CHECK
* **We Hate Movies podcast** -

## References

1. ↑ Pee-wee's Big Adventure on Audioboom
Talking Maul Live @ DCM19

this is true art, Pat Reynolds

**Talking Maul Live @ DCM19** is episode 122, part of the podcast's continuing coverage of *Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace*. The interview with Peter Serafinowicz was recorded on June 24, 2017 live at the UCB Theater in New York City as part of the 2019 Del Close Marathon. Posted 20 August 2017.

## Summary

> Live from the 19th annual Del Close Marathon in New York City, Peter Serafinowicz (The Tick) joins Griffin and David for a serious conversation about Peter’s role as the voice of Darth Maul in *Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace*. This special episode marks a return to the podcast’s early days as exclusively a Star Wars prequels podcast. But what was Peter’s approach to prepare for 4 lines of voice over dialogue? Why weren’t there any songs in the *Phantom Menace*? Is it Producer Ben’s birthday? Together they discuss wrestling George Lucas, Peter’s upcoming autobiography Maul & Me, the film’s lack of ghosts and answer the Proust Questionnaire. Plus, be sure to watch the debut of the Tick August 25th on Amazon Prime Video!
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The episode is dominated by an extended bit about Peter's method-acting preparation and immersion for the role. And it was recorded live in front of an audience at the 19th annual Del Close Marathon, in the Upright Citizens Brigade party space which has been referred to as "the worst place to record a podcast."

More than a year later, during the Chosen - The Hire bonus episode, it was revealed that Benedict Wong attended this taping after flying up to NYC on Robert Downey Jr.'s plane on a lark. Griffin and David met him afterward and got to have a conversation with one of their favorite character actors while he was in the middle of filming Avengers movies. Pretty fun!

### Milestones and Ephemera

* It was revealed Chosen - The Hire and again during the Doctor Strange Commentary that Benedict Wong was in the audience for this show!
Philadelphia

**Philadelphia** is episode 253 focusing on the 1993 film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme as part of the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted January 19, 2020.

## Summary

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> Writer Richard Lawson joins the boys to talk about this WEIRD but poignant film that is actually streaming on Netflix. Why didn't they just make Tom Hanks whole family hate him? And who better to sing about the streets of Philadelphia than Bruce Springsteen? Plus a >>special<< merch spotlight.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Philadelphia with Richard Lawson. Audioboom. Retrieved on July 5, 2022.
The Empire Strikes Back Commentary

*This article is a stub. You can help Blank Check with Griffin and David Wiki by expanding it.*
*For the main feed episode, see The Podcast Strikes Back.*

## The Empire Strikes Back

### Reddit thread

Link

**The Empire Strikes Back** is episode 46 of the Blank Check: Special Features, and a commentary episode as part of the continuing coverage of the Star Wars Sequels. Posted February 21, 2020 and released from behind the paywall on February 21, 2023.

## Summary

> More OT Star Wars commentary! Presenting *Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back*. Together, Griffin, David and Ben discuss the look of being frozen in carbonite, meeting these great characters like Yoda, Lando Calrissian, Boba Fett, and continue to offer their au revoirs to Big Nice.
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* **The movie starts at 0:04:00.**
* George Lucas dated Tia Carrere?! More likely than you'd think.
* Ben wants to go to the North Pole. If only.
* Box office game covered in Oops! All Box Office.
* In the Spreadmaster's Delight episode, Griffin and David nominated it for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration 1980. David always gave it the award.
The Matrix Commentary

**The Matrix** is episode 127 of Blank Check: Special Features and about 1999 film of the same name as part of the The Matrix commentary miniseries and a supplement to The Podchowski Casters. Posted March 1, 2022.

## Summary

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> We are pleased to inform you that Blank Check has returned to *The Matrix*!
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> **Movie starts at...19:10**
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* The top selling albums game: 1999. Their guesses? Didn't impress David much.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Matrix. Patreon. Retrieved on March 1, 2022.
Stop Making Sense

**Stop Making Sense** is episode 248 focusing on the film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme as part of the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted December 8, 2019.

## Summary

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> Everyone wants to get to the pod with guest Demi Adejuyigbe, where The Blank Check Boys talk about Demme's Concert Film with the Talking Heads. What shows should get gritty reboots? Why did concert films stop existing? What is the song Heaven about (what isn't it about?) Have you seen DJ Khaled's Slack channel? And what would David Byrne sound like ordering a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese? One of the great things is that there's no talking heads about the Talking Heads, it's just a great show.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Stop Making Sense with Demi Adejuyigbe. Audioboom. Retrieved on July 5, 2022.
The Insider

**The Insider** is episode 222 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of The Cast of the Podhicans miniseries on the films of Michael Mann. Posted June 23, 2019.

## Summary

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> This week, Andy Levy joins Griffin and David to discuss 1999's 60 Minutes biopic, *The Insider*. Together they examine the performances of Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, and Christopher Plummer, go off on a *The Good Shepherd* tangent, present some Joe Camel casting options and more!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box office game: Weekend of November 5, 1999
* In the Spreadmaster's Delight episode, David nominated it for Best Adapted Screenplay 1999.

## References

1. ↑ The Insider on Audioboom. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
Shallow Grave

**Shallow Grave** is episode 409 focusing on the 1994 film of the same name as part of Trainspodcasting miniseries on the films of Danny Boyle. Posted January 22, 2023.

## Summary

>
> UK house music, a \*very\* active camera, and Ewan McGregor looking like a SNACK…that’s right, folks - we’re covering Danny Boyle! With the England bit retired, we’re finally giving dual citizen David Sims the time and space to actually reminisce about his very British upbringing. A sensation in the UK upon release, SHALLOW GRAVE introduced Boyle as the cinematic voice of “Cool Britannia” - yet the film remains an under-seen gem in the States. In this episode, the boys discuss what they would do with a dead body (wouldn’t cut it up) and a suitcase of cash (would only skim off the top for a cheeky Nando’s); plus, they gush over the film’s incredible apartment setting…or should we say “flat”?
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> Get tickets to Blank Check's 8th Anniversary Live show in Brooklyn, NY on March 23rd!
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### Milestones and Ephemera

* Box office game: Same opening weekend as The Quick and the Dead. Wider release: Weekend of March 3, 1995

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Shallow Grave. Audioboom. Retrieved on January 22, 2023.
Patton Oswalt

* Patton the Human
* Remy the Rat

**Patton Oswalt** is a stand up comedian and author. He is the third Blank Check guest to have starred in a film covered by the podcast after Jamie Bell and Rachel Zegler.

In that regard he joins the list of guests to have appeared in, or worked on, a film covered by the podcast.
The Incredibles

**The Incredibles** is episode 164 focusing on the movie of the same name, as part of the The Podcastibles miniseries covering the films of Brad Bird. Posted 20 May 2018.

## Summary

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> Writer and comedian Rebecca Drysdale (Key and Peele, High Maintenance) joins Griffin and David for a conversation on the animated superhero family adventure, The Incredibles. But what is Syndrome’s villainous motivations? Is Rebecca the Pixar of people? And, seriously, where is Frozone’s super suit? Together they discuss their favorite Pixar films, earning tears, turtlenecks and summer camp.
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> Music by Kevin MacLeod “Parisian” (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Rebecca Drysdale is in the studio to talk about Pixar!

This was at the time of its recording the longest episode of Blank Check to be recorded with a featured guest. It also was divisive among fans of the show, with some vocal Blank Check listeners opining that the tangents and asides finally went too far - with not enough discussion time being given to the movie itself or to the narrative of the director's career. Most notably, the episode is known for its plentiful discussion of Griffin's time at a performing arts summer camp he attended while growing up, where Rebecca was a camp counselor.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* There is a Toy Story Cafe in the middle of *nowhere* in Japan.
* Mushrooms can really mess with your ability to deal with a foreign environment.
* Rebecca: Grew up in Canada *and* France! (humblebrag)
* Did you know Griffin thinks Cars 3 makes Cars 2 look like Cars 1? Shockingly, it comes up yet again.
* Box Office Game: Weekend of November 5, 2004
* In the Spreadmaster's Delight episode, Griffin and David awarded it for Best Animated Feature 2004.

### Sponsors

* Zip Recruiter, go to ziprecruiter.com/blank
* WeTransfer, go to wetransfer.com, it's free!
* Starkey Hearing Foundation, go to listenincampaign.org for more info on this nonprofit's cause.

## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. The Incredibles. Audioboom. Retrieved on May 12, 2022.
Podcast News

Credit to Pat Reynolds as always for the miniseries artwork.

**Podcast News** is a miniseries focusing on the films of James L. Brooks. It is most definitely NOT called As Pod As It Casts.

## Summary

James L. Brooks was a television writer with a terrific run of critical success in that medium, creating shows like "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Taxi." Finally in the early 80's, with virtually no prior experience on a movie set, "Canyon Jim" directed his first film *Terms of Endearment* which he also wrote and produced.

I'll say that again so it sinks in: *Terms of Endearment* was his first time directing a movie. Whoa. Somehow this cancer drama made crazy money, won award after award, and earned him blank check director status practically right out of the gate.

So how did it happen? How did he invent a visual style practically *sui generis* with his very first film directing job? And more importantly, how did he use the blank check that he earned so quickly? He might have made a masterpiece his second time out, is what he did. Then he went off the rails so suddenly, completely, and spectacularly that #TheTwoFriends needed two episodes to talk about that disaster. He picked up the pieces for a bit but then dove right off the track again. What is going on here?

He often took several years between directing... how did that affect the end results? His movies are mostly trying to be character studies, diving in deep for personal drama based in specific sociological situations. Those kinds of stories have a shelf life, seemingly, so did he find ways to mitigate that - or did he lose his way as the world evolved around him? How did the most expensive rom-com budget ever, for *How Do You Know,* ever get approved?

Regardless of what Griffin and David discover in terms of the wax and wane of his movie career, Brooks shepherded "The Simpsons" onto TV and into the record books with 27 seasons and counting. So, you know, he'll always have that.

This miniseries is preceded by the Podship Casters miniseries on the Hollywood films of Paul Verhoeven. It is followed by The Podcastibles miniseries on the films of Brad Bird.

### Milestones and Emphemera

* Lots of Griffin doing his "best" (old) Albert Brooks impression.
* Producer Ben nickname: **Benglish**.
* Rejected miniseries nickname: As Pod as It Casts. Griffin pitches it throughout the miniseries, despite an overwhelming lack of support.

## Ranking His Filmography

* After the conclusion of the miniseries, the blankies' ranking order was compiled from the Reddit voting thread found on the r/Blankies sub-reddit. As you can see, with a short list there's not a lot of room for major differences of opinion. That is, except for...
* The bootleg musical cut of *I'll Do Anything* was included though it is unavailable to watch for the majority of blankies. It doesn't matter too much, since those who saw it and ranked it anywhere other than last seemed to do so because its awfulness seemed to cross over into novelty and fascination. A true train wreck.
Swimming to Cambodia

**Swimming to Cambodia** is episode 38 of Blank Check: Special Features focusing on the documentary/performance film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme and a bonus for the Stop Making Podcasts miniseries. Posted December 11, 2019 and released from behind the paywall on December 11, 2022.

## Summary

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> This is a very special episode with film producer, NYU professor and father, Peter Newman. Peter was the executive producer of 1987’s *Swimming to Cambodia*. He offers a fascinating look into the behind the scenes making of this film and shares stories from working in independent American cinema.
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## References

1. ↑ Blank Check Podcast. Swimming to Cambodia. Patreon. Retrieved on April 17, 2022.