Podcasts about cliffhangers

You mean we've gone this long doing the podcast without an episode about Stallone? Sylvester Stallone? Well, we're rectifying that in a big way with a two-part extravaganza, both with guests! For this, part one, we've got longtime Demolition Man Matt, the DTVC on board. Are we ending this podcast on a Cliffhanger? Tune in to find out!

Why does a pencil work so perfectly? Why does graphite leave marks on paper instead of just crumbling apart? And what do pancakes, honeycombs, geckos, and intermolecular forces have to do with any of it? This week we follow a simple pencil all the way down to carbon atoms, graphene sheets, and the weirdly satisfying chemistry that makes writing possible. Plus: final exam horror stories, missed alarms, and why reading the syllabus might save your GPA. Support this podcast on Patreon Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Timestamps 0:00 – The strangely satisfying feeling of fresh pencils 1:03 – So… how do pencils actually work? 2:07 – A “polymer eraser” sparks this whole episode 3:10 – Are pencils disappearing for Gen Alpha? 4:35 – Graphite, graphene, and carbon structures 6:20 – What graphene actually looks like 7:10 – Carbon bonding and tetrahedral shapes 8:10 – Double bonds and flat molecular structures 9:40 – Electron highways and conductivity 10:20 – Melissa's graphene model demonstration 13:10 – Why graphene could replace silicon chips 13:30 – Carbon nanotubes explained 14:40 – What holds graphite layers together? 15:00 – Intermolecular forces return 17:10 – Quick refresher on intermolecular forces 18:50 – London dispersion forces and temporary dipoles 19:30 – Why graphite is brittle 20:00 – How pencils leave marks on paper 21:20 – Why graphite is basically perfectly designed for writing 22:00 – A detour into paper, parchment, and writing history 24:00 – Pencil hardness and clay mixtures 26:30 – Jam attempts a chemistry-heavy recap 33:20 – Cliffhanger: how erasers work 34:00 – Final exam disaster stories 36:50 – Oversleeping a college final 39:10 – Melissa's sprint across campus in pajamas 41:00 – Read the syllabus. Seriously. 43:10 – Teasing next episode: erasers and other forms of carbon Support this podcast on Patreon Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife References from the Episode: Thanks to our monthly supporters Kelly D. Bri Summer Alden Amanda Raymond Kyle McCray Justine Ash Vince W Julie S. Heather Ragusa Autoclave Dorien VD Scott Beyer Jessie Reder J0HNTR0Y Jeannette Napoleon Cullyn R Erica Bee Elizabeth P Rachel Reina Letila Katrina Barnum-Huckins Suzanne Phillips Venus Rebholz Jacob Taber Brian Kimball Kristina Gotfredsen Timothy Parker Steven Boyles Chris Skupien Chelsea B Avishai Barnoy Hunter Reardon Support this podcast on Patreon Buy Podcast Merch and Apparel Check out our website at chemforyourlife.com Watch our episodes on YouTube Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Maybe only Tom Cruise himself goes as far in earning a paycheck as an outstanding and, no doubt, severely bruised Chalize Theron does in this near great genre thriller. Think the hunting humans as sport genre via Cliffhanger via Wolf Creek.

Welcome back book besties to What the Smut Are You Talking About Podcast, your weekly dose of romance books, bookish chaos, and completely unhinged conversations about fictional men we absolutely should not trust but definitely do.Today we sit down with debut indie romance author Laiken Rhodes for her first-ever podcast interview. And yes, we did everything in our power to make it memorable.Laiken dives into her dark, twisty romance world filled with unreliable characters, secret societies, morally gray chaos, and enough plot twists to make your Kindle smoke. We talk about everything from her chaotic writing process (plotter? feral gremlin? answer: yes) to her obsession with tiny details readers will absolutely miss.We get into: Writing dark romance with unreliable narrators and morally questionable decisions Building a secret society full of lies, betrayal, and emotional damage  The very questionable things she had to Google for research (yes, FBI watchlists were discussed)  Hidden details in Deceiving Their Minds that only Laiken is currently obsessed with  Cliffhangers, rapid releases, and why Book 2 is going to emotionally ruin you Of course, Cort and Mary also bring their usual chaos: Diet Coke vs. water vs. “is coffee still acceptable at noon?”  Unhinged thoughts about laundry, gender double standards, and fictional immortality  Book recs, current reads, and why Kindle chargers are a myth created to torment us all If you love:  romance book podcasts  indie romance authors  dark romance, mafia romance vibes, and secret society chaos  unfiltered bookish conversations  morally gray men who should be arrested immediately…then this episode is your new personality.Grab your snacky snack, your beverage of choice (hydration optional), and come hang out with us as we officially ask the very important question:What the smut are we talking about this week?Follow Laiken Rhodes on InstagramLaiken Rhodes BooksLaiken Rhodes Website..Apply to be a Guest on our showSign up for our Substack Newsletter..Support Our Show (May Include Affiliate Links)Amazon Product Links (Books, Shows, Products mentioned)Sponsorship or Ad Affiliate InquiriesWell Read Candle Company - WhatTheSmut10 saves you $$Audible Free TrialKindle Unlimited Free Trial..Where to Find UsWe are the most active on InstagramWhatTheSmutPodcastCortneyMarySend us a DM, because we would love to hear from YOU!Send us a voice noteWell Read Candle Co10% Off WHATTHESMUT10 Support the show

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Jim and John tackle the Season 24 finale and the show's 150th story, featuring Bonnie Langford's abrupt departure, Sophie Aldred's introduction as Ace, the return of Sabalom Glitz, and one of the most infamous cliffhangers in Doctor Who history. Jim struggles to find redeeming qualities in a season he considers possibly the worst in Classic Who, while production issues and budget constraints become increasingly evident. The 150th Story Milestone: Written by Ian Briggs (who will later write fan-favorite "The Curse of Fenric"), directed by Chris Clough (completing his second "last two stories of a season" after Trial of a Time Lord). Originally pitched as story about an intergalactic shopping center owner wanting the TARDIS for the ultimate shopping experience. The BBC counted Trial of a Time Lord as one story arc, so technically this should be story 153. Andrew Cartmell brought writers into his office for collaborative discussion—closest thing to a "writer's room" Doctor Who ever had. Cartmell considered this the best story of Season 24, which Jim finds bewildering given his own assessment of the season. The Infamous Umbrella Cliffhanger: Everybody fixates on McCoy lowering himself over a parapet by his umbrella, stopping mid-descent and hanging there looking confused. The scene has become legendary for all the wrong reasons—why did he do it in the first place when he wasn't trapped? According to Briggs, the script called for the Doctor to lower himself because he was trapped with nowhere to go, and the actual cliffhanger was supposed to be the dragon appearing. The awkward execution wasn't the writer's fault. Director and production team share blame for one of the series' most criticized moments. Sophie Aldred as Ace: Cast at age 26 to play 16-year-old Ace (10 years younger than her actual age—more than Burt Ward's 6-year gap playing Robin). Actually two years older than Bonnie Langford despite playing significantly younger. Sophie auditioned for Ray in "Delta and the Bannermen" but didn't get it—worked in her favor as Ace became iconic. Character is human from late 20th century Earth who arrived on Iceworld when chemistry experiment triggered time storm in her bedroom. Uses homemade explosive "Nitro-9" and shouts "Ace!" frequently (which doesn't work for Jim). Calls the Doctor "Professor" which he tries to discourage. John admits he initially hated Ace in this story—found her annoying and grumpy, a "miserable brat." But promises a "Richter scale" shift in appreciation with the next story, suggesting maturation between seasons and genuine chemistry developing with McCoy that was absent with Mel. Bonnie Langford's Awkward Exit: Mel's departure makes no narrative sense—no setup, no telegraphing, completely out of nowhere. She suddenly decides to stay with Glitz to "keep him out of trouble" with zero romantic hints or friendship development to justify it. The farewell scene wasn't written by Briggs—it was McCoy's audition piece that he loved so much he convinced Cartmell to insert it into the script. Both later regretted this decision. Briggs washes his hands of it: "I didn't write that." Bonnie had to act opposite her replacement throughout, standing back while production sells Sophie/Ace hard, often getting relegated to the background. Classic Who pattern of treating departing companions poorly. Jim notes tiny bit of charm finally emerging between McCoy and Bonnie right at the very end—too little, too late. Bonnie's Post-Who Career: Didn't get the serious acting career she hoped Doctor Who would provide. Continued successful musical theater and light entertainment work but remained the butt of jokes for years—including a 1990s condom commercial depicting her parents with slogan "if only they'd used a condom." Public perception shifted when she appeared on "Strictly Come Dancing" (British dance competition) alongside John Barrowman. Fans hoped for Doctor Who face-off but she was injured during rehearsal and had to withdraw; Barrowman voted out shortly after. Her bravery with the injury softened public opinion—now considered a "national treasure" in Britain. This is why she was brought back for New Who, not just fan service. The Glitz Problem: Tony Selby returns as Sabalom Glitz—JNT read the script, liked having Tony Selby (who was "hot" at the time appearing on other British TV), and suggested using Glitz instead of similar character. Glitz owns the Nosferatu (referenced in Trial of a Time Lord). Jim couldn't stand Glitz's hair. Compares him to Star Trek's Cyrano Jones/Harry Mudd. Softened for this story, lost whatever bite he had before. No chemistry with anyone—not Ace, not the Doctor. Tony Selby passed away in 2021 at age 83. In New Who, Mel references traveling with "Sabalom Glitz" until he was 107, slipped on a bottle, cracked his head and died. She returned to Earth by "hopping on a Zingo" (running joke—no one knows what a Zingo is). Kane and the Ice World Setting: Edward Peel plays Kane, the villain who controls Iceworld trading colony on dark side of planet Svartos. His touch is so cold it can kill. Marks employees with his symbol iced into their flesh. Basically "Mr. Freeze redux" per Jim. Kane is half of Kane-Xana criminal gang from planet Proamon. Xana killed herself to avoid arrest; Kane was exiled to cold dark side of Svartos. Iceworld is actually a spacecraft—the "treasure" is a crystal that activates the ship to end his exile. Kane's head-melting death scene well-executed (reminds Jim of Star Trek TNG's "Conspiracy" but actually inspired by Toht/Belloq melting in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Jim wishes they'd lingered on the effect a second or two longer—it was actually done well. Patricia Quinn as Belazs: The only character Jim cared about in Part One. Reminded him strongly of Glynis Johns. Plays officer who realizes Kane won't release her, tries to escape, attempts to overthrow Kane by raising temperature in his chambers. Patricia Quinn interviewed on Blu-ray—now a British Duchess with purple hair, incredibly eccentric despite aristocratic status. Behind the Sofa caught her looking off-camera for cue cards "like a Saturday Night Live skit." Belazs killed by Kane, goes out "like a chump" when Jim thought she deserved to be the one to dispatch Kane. New lackeys introduced in Part 3 waste screen time that could have developed her character better. The Derivative Dragon: Jim catalogs extensive borrowing from other sci-fi properties: Dragon is blatant Alien/Aliens ripoff—H.R. Giger's xenomorph design copied almost exactly (long thin arms, fingers, back protrusions, head shape like Alien Queen) Described as "biomechanoid" (Giger's biomechanical design philosophy) Superman Fortress of Solitude hologram crystal stolen wholesale—hologram woman appears to conveniently explain backstory exactly like Lex Luthor scene in Superman II Alien tracker guns copied from Aliens (complete with "it should be right on us" suspense) Zombies added to cliché pile Jim notes the show stopped ripping off Star Wars and moved on to Alien franchise and Superman movies. This is "perhaps never more" derivative than in this story. Production and Budget Collapse: "Batman Season 3 worthy sets"—budget clearly ran out by season's end. Station sets not impressive, doesn't sell the Ice World concept. Model of planet surface done well, but interior sets very lacking. Shot brightest possible lights, no atmosphere or mystery. Dragon walks around "like a costume character at Disney World." Almost entirely studio-bound with minimal location work. Cliffhanger at end of Part 2 "one of the most horribly dull ever"—Kane just declares "the dragonfire shall be mine" with no tension whatsoever. The McCoy Problem Continues: Jim still doesn't know who McCoy's Doctor is. An engaging Doctor can carry even poor stories (citing Colin Baker), but McCoy isn't doing that. Not a force within the show, just reacting. Both McCoy and Mel "treading water" all season. This is McCoy's "freshman year" but with a producer trying to rebuild without reaching out to anything—soft reboot that plays it safe with half the budget. Jim sees all the tropes and clichés but not innovation. Brief moment of crankiness when McCoy yells "SILENCE!" at the girls—is this the temperamental side promised? Tiny bit of charm emerges at very end with Mel but too late. No chemistry with Bonnie throughout until final seconds. John's thesis: "These three seasons walked so New Who could run." Season 24 feels like desperate attempt to make it a kids' show again but dumbing it down ("Uncle Miltie's Carnival of Fun"). Philosophy discussion scene interesting but "puts everyone in the audience asleep." Cast Notes: Tony Osoba (Kracauer) played Lan in "Destiny of the Daleks," returns in New Who episode "Kill the Moon" Sharon Duce (customer with milkshake dumped on her) was the camper killed by Ogri in "Stones of Blood" (the scene that scandalized Jim and John for depicting unmarried relations) Little girl Stellar played by Miranda Borman—wearing a dress Bonnie Langford wore at that age for a role. Hosts wonder if this was a stage mother situation Large cast overall—perhaps one of the largest in Doctor Who history The Cartmell Philosophy: Andrew Cartmell doesn't like interior TARDIS scenes, so "we're not gonna see the console room much moving forward." Jim outraged: "That's inane... good writing doesn't drag a scene down." Lost opportunities for insightful TARDIS interactions between Doctor and companions. Fandom Division: By end of Season 24, fandom most divided over show's direction. Fanzine DWB went on crusade to get JNT sacked—he considered suing but BBC told him to leave it. BBC willing to let him go after 25th season (which he wanted to see through) but he stayed on longer than that. Jim's Season Assessment: Can't think of another time the show has felt this low overall. Rough, a slog. Still not sure who McCoy is as a Doctor. Compares unfavorably to Colin Baker era—at least Colin was consistent and worth watching even in poor stories. Sees Season 24 as show desperately wanting spunky girl companion (keeps trying over and over) but not knowing what to do with them when they get one (Mel being prime example). Both agree it's not a good way to end the season. Coming Up Next: Patreon Exclusive 170: Music selection, Season 24 retrospective, at least one Season 25 spoiler for Jim, comic strip reviews of "Redemption" and "The Crossroads of Time" (both one-parters), and Memory TARDIS wheel spin. Hiatus Special (Patreon early): "Wartime" shorts featuring the return of Sergeant Benton with the interesting behind-the-scenes story of how this fan production came to be (approximately 30-35 minutes). (Main feed) BBC audio drama "Slipback" with Colin Baker and Nicola Bryant. Hashtags: #DoctorWho #Dragonfire #150thStory #SylvesterMcCoy #SeventhDoctor #BonnieLangford #Mel #SophieAldred #Ace #SabalomGlitz #TonySelby #Season24Finale #KaneTheVillain #UmbrellaCliffhanger #PatriciaQuinn #IanBriggs #ChrisClough #ClassicWho #CompanionDeparture #NewCompanion #ProductionProblems #BudgetIssues #DoctorWhoPodcast

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The finale is here! Vader shows up! Death has arrived! Cliffhangers galore! Let's discuss!

The finale is here! Vader shows up! Death has arrived! Cliffhangers galore! Let's discuss!

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Gene Simmons and Renny Harlin join Nerdtropolis Mayor Sean Tajipour on Reel Insights to talk about Deep Water, the intense new survival thriller from the director of Cliffhanger and Die Hard 2. In this conversation, Simmons opens up about getting his feet wet as a producer on the shark-infested thriller, why the project stood out to him, and why he believes movies like this belong on the biggest screen possible.Harlin also breaks down the challenge of turning a plane crash in the middle of the Pacific into a nonstop, nail-biting theatrical ride. He talks about balancing spectacle, fear, character drama, and emotional truth as the survivors quickly discover the sharks are only one of many dangers waiting for them in the water.Deep Water stars Aaron Eckhart, Sir Ben Kingsley, Molly Belle Wright, Angus Sampson, Kelly Gale, and Li Wenhan. Directed by Renny Harlin and produced by Gene Simmons, the film follows survivors of a flight from Los Angeles to Shanghai as they fight to stay alive after crashing in the Pacific.Deep Water is now in theaters.Visit Nerdtropolis.comFacebook.com/nerdtropolisInstagram.com/nerdtropolisTwitter.com/nerdtropolisTikTok.com/@nerdtropolis

"You want to kill me don't you Tucker? Well take a number and get in line." Episode 132 of Absolute Cuts sees hosts Mark Nelson and Ryan Cullen discuss the 1993 girlfriend dropping, human sledging, stalactite maiming classic Cliffhanger. Ryan and Mark talk Cullen's worst ever meal, breast reductions and why no one in this film is good at their job.  Please get in touch and let us know if you enjoy the podcast, what guests you'd like to see on in future episodes and to suggest a film. Email : absolutecutspodcast@hotmail.com You can follow the podcast on social media here - Twitter : @AbsoluteCuts Instagram : @AbsoluteCutsPod   Please leave a 5 star rating and review if you have enjoyed and recommend us to anyone you think might enjoy the pod.   The Absolute Cuts soundtrack can be found here :  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7y4PQxrbJk7PJLz3IJKIot?si=1d999a719b17409b You can also find both Nelson and Cullen at the various places below -    Mark Links LIQUID GOLD Tour 2025/26 Tickets https://linktr.ee/marknelsoncomic BBC SPECIAL https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0026gr4/mark-nelson-live-from-dumfries Twitter : @marknelsoncomic Instagram : @marknelsoncomic Facebook : MarkNelsonComic Youtube : Mark Nelson - YouTube LINKTREE : marknelsoncomic | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree   Ryan Links NEW SPECIAL https://youtu.be/_EIdRCFlCqk?si=jyznUrONsrcgfztP Twitter : @RyanCullen90 Instagram : @ryancullen90 Tik Tok : @ryancullencomedy Tour Tickets  : https://linktr.ee/ryancullen90 Bookings : ryancullen90 | Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok | Linktree

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Tom Duncan and Sara Shea continue their journey through Season 1 of The West Wing, this time with episode 1.22 - the first season finale. We are joined by friend of the show, Klarissa Beckstead (I've Seen That One podcast). In this episode, Sara is given a difficult choice, our intrepid hosts grade The West Wing - Season 1, and they pick what's to come next for Season 2.Chapters:00:00 Introduction02:45 Recap of Season One and Episode 22 of The West Wing05:59 Emotional Reactions to the Season Finale08:52 Character Development and Plot Predictions11:48 Political Themes and Real-World Parallels14:45 Interpersonal Relationships and Character Dynamics17:47 Discussion on the Iraqi Plotline20:52 Reflections on Historical Context and Relevance26:12 Character Favorites and Dynamics28:42 Exploring Toby's Depth and Complexity29:44 Emotional Resonance of Space Tragedies31:34 Cliffhangers and Viewer Reactions33:44 Anticipation for Future Episodes39:39 Navigating Choices, Decisions, and Chaos48:39 Overview of Season Ratings and Rankings51:33 Acting Performance Evaluation54:33 Writing Quality Assessment57:36 Intangibles and Emotional Impact01:00:35 Cinematography and Visual Presentation01:03:30 Narrative Structure and Cohesion01:06:34 Character Development and Dynamics01:20:27 Character Development and Mistakes01:22:41 Ratings and Expectations for Season One01:25:03 Editing and Pacing in Aaron Sorkin's Work01:28:15 Final Thoughts on Season One Ratings01:29:30 Choosing the Next Show: Options and Decisions01:41:27 Deciding on 'The Good Wife' for Next SeasonKeywords:The West Wing, TV analysis, character development, political drama, episode review, emotional impact, storytelling, season one, character analysis, show notes, TV show analysis, binge-watching, season finale, show grading, streaming options

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My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Laura Van Wormer, and we are going to talk about her project of serializing a soap opera about her high school class.   Laura Van Wormer is the creative force behind "The Class of '74," a serialized fictional podcast that blends nostalgia, drama, and meticulous historical detail. Set in 1971–1974 in a well-heeled Connecticut suburb of New York City, the show has been praised for its authenticity and period-accurate setting, detail and events, and draws on Laura's decades of experience as a novelist, editor and researcher, with a specialty in the ways the past informs the present.   Her storytelling style is rooted in a good sense of humor, character psychology, the rhythms of small-town life, and creates a world listeners fall in love with. She herself was a member of the Class of '74 in Darien, Connecticut and was infamous for stopping high school parties to read stories she had written.   Laura started her career at Doubleday as a secretary (in the era Jackie Onassis worked there) and worked her way up to editor. She left to pursue her own writing and while learning how to write a novel, supported herself by creating books with the creators of the hit night-time TV serials, "Dynasty," "Dallas" and "Knots Landing."   Laura's first novel, RIVERSIDE DRIVE, was a bestseller when it was published in 1988. She published 13 more novels with major houses but in 2015 she was on her way to the airport to visit Betty White in Los Angeles when a drunk driver going the wrong way on the Merritt Parkway in CT hit her head-on. She woke up a month later in Yale New Haven hospital with a crushed collar bone, 16 broken ribs, torn diaphragm, broken knee, and a severed foot that required four surgeries to save.   Ten years later she attended her 50th high school reunion and was sad because no one could hear her. When she went home her other half suggested why didn't she write a story as a podcast so her classmates could hear her – and THE CLASS OF '74 was born, a weekly narrative soap opera about teenagers starting high school in 1971. While the story is fiction, it faithfully recreates the fascinating time before cell phones existed and is guaranteed to take the listeners' minds off their problems – at least for half an hour each week. Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   You can follow Author Laura Van Wormer Website: https://classof74podcast.com/ FB: @Laura Van Wormer LinkedIn: @Laura Van Wormer   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #lauravanwormer #serializedbooks #theclassof74podcast #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Okay, listener, we know we have a slight Obsession with these summer preview episodes, but we also know it's our duty to disclose which films are lurking in the Backrooms. And it seems today is Disclosure Day. Zack, The Breadwinner of Baconsale, is going to guide Joel and Kent through their lists as this Odyssey unfolds. First, we will talk about a few films that should mercilessly be sent to the (Animal) Farm. But which movies will be Masters of the Universe? Don't worry, we won't leave you on a Cliffhanger. Eventually we'll begin a Brand New Day of positivity where we present films that we think will be Super(girl). We'll even include a Scary Movie or two, just for good measure.   Press play to hear the full (Toy) Story (5).

Lal Chand Bisu started Kuku in audio in 2018. Almost everyone in the press wrote them off — the louder competitor was getting the headlines, the VCs didn't believe vernacular India would pay, and the assumption was that short-video would flatten audio. None of that aged well. Kuku FM did ₹242 Cr in FY25 at 175% YoY growth, with roughly 10 million paying subscribers. This is the conversation Bisu, who is just not the kind of founder who walks around telling you these numbers, finally agreed to do.In Part 1, we get into the company history, the pivots, the contrarian decision to cut the free tier, and what 40 million Hindi listens to Rich Dad Poor Dad really mean.Chapter list00:00 — How old is Kuku FM, and what Bisu was doing before (Easy Prep, two and a half years at Toppr)00:02 — June birthdays, coincidence, and Bisu's definition of luck — "most things are out of control"00:04 — The three pivots: podcast aggregator → UGC → PUGC. What killed each one and what was kept constant00:09 — Why vernacular audio IP didn't exist, and why Kuku had to become a studio rather than an aggregator00:14 — January 2021: cutting the free tier and charging ₹399 a year. The investor pushback. Why no ads, ever00:23 — Rich Dad Poor Dad in Hindi: 40 million listens. What that number tells you about the listener that English-first publishers have been missing00:27 — How Kuku's content mix has shifted from entertainment to educational and inspirational00:30 — Audio first, then video. Why audio is roughly 50x cheaper to produce and 50x cheaper to stream00:33 — AI in the marketing pipeline: 500 ads/month → 5,000 ads/month, same cost00:42 — The competitor we don't name. What being the also-ran in the press for years cost — in hires, partnerships, and inside Bisu's own head00:45 — The fundraising history: ~$156M raised, the Granite Asia round, and how much of the last cheque is actually still untouched00:50 — Biggest learnings from unsuccessful fundraising. Why nos are usually the harder, better answer00:55 — Kuku TV: from launch to #1 on India's App Store in four months. Microdrama, the ReelShort wave, MS Dhoni01:01 — Cliffhanger: the Indian Institute of Zombies theatrical bet — and why an audio platform wrote, produced and AI-assisted its own film instead of licensing one. Bisu's answer to this is in Part 2.Things mentioned in Part 1People: Vinod Kumar Meena and Vikas Goyal (co-founders, IIT Jodhpur batchmates); Hansa Bisu (Bisu's wife); MS Dhoni (Kuku FM brand ambassador); Nandan Nilekani / FundamentumCompanies & investors: Mebigo Labs, Toppr, Easy Prep, Pocket FM (the unnamed competitor), Granite Asia, Vertex Ventures, Krafton, Bitkraft, IFC, 3one4 Capital, Shunwei, India QuotientContent & references: Rich Dad Poor Dad (Hindi); Ankur Warikoo's Hindi book; ReelShort; Kuku TV To listen to all of First PrinciplesIf you'd like to listen to all 54 First Principles episodes — that's close to 110 hours of conversations with founders and leaders building India's most interesting companies — please subscribe to The Ken directly, or to our premium channel on Apple Podcasts.Correction: During the conversation, Bisu mentions that the total amount of venture capital raised by Kuku is $170 million. The company has subsequently clarified that the correct figure is $120 million.

If people are listening to your podcast, but not clicking your links, joining your list, or buying your stuff, your listener journey is probably missing a few key steps. Luckily it's fixable.Vance Morris spent years behind the scenes as a Disney exec learning how to engineer user behavior, and he's back in the studio to show you how to apply those same principles to your own show so you can design moments that lead people to take action and feel good doing it.If you're ready to fix the gaps in your listener journey so more people hit play, follow your show, and buy from you, and let's dive in.…2:10 – Audit Your Listener Journey So You're Not Blocking Listens, Signups, or Sales9:05 – Train Your Listeners to Click by Building Interaction Into Your Podcast12:18 – Use Open Loops and Cliffhangers to Hold Attention Through Your Episode16:40 – Why Your CTA Feels Awkward (And How to Make It Feel Like the “Duh” Next Step)23:11 – Use Deadlines to Increase Follow-Through Without Sounding Pushy…Episode Links:Meet Vance Morris: Website | LinkedInListen to Vance's Podcast: Systematic Magic …Other Episodes You'll Love: The Disney Playbook Behind Podcasts Listeners Actually Follow and Come Back To…Got Podcasting Questions? Send them to me here.Love this show? Say thanks in true podcasting style by leaving a review or share it with your podcasting friends.Podcast Health Score™ See exactly where your show is losing listeners.Podcast SEO Mastery Optimize your show so that it gets found 24/7.Apply for a spot on the show to get live podcasting help for your show.Want more podcasting advice? See what I'm testing right now on Substack...Special thanks to Resonate Recordings, our exclusive implementation partner for PodLaunch® Accelerator. If you're podcasting but aren't seeing listeners, leads, or sales from your show, book a free strategy call to find out what's not working and how to fix it.Follow Courtney for more podcasting insights:  LinkedIn | PodLaunchHQ.com©Ⓟ 2018–2026 by Courtney Elmer. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome one and all to a very important podcast! This week we discuss both The Bride! And also War Machine, a movie only one of us has seen. Plus we talk the first trailer for Lanterns, the DCU Green Lantern series, trailers for Scary Movie 6 and The Boys Season 5, a Game of Thrones movie in the works, a new Lord of the Rings Trilogy and more! Thanks for listeningGet ready for James & Maso on MUGG this week on the Grouse House YouTube Channel.New Weekly Planet movie commentary track for Cliffhanger out now on bigsandwich.coPLEASE be aware timecodes may shift up to a few minutes due to inserted ads.00:00 The Start06:10 Game of Thrones Movie Announced13:48 New Lord of the Rings Trilogy18:08 The Boys Final Season Trailer20:13 Scary Movie 6 Trailer26:02 DC's Lanterns Trailer34:15 The Bride Movie Review (Scream spoilers last 2 mins)58:10 The Bride Spoiler Segment01:02:47 Surprise Returning Segment01:18:31 What We Reading, What We Gonna Read01:25:50 Letters, It's Time For LettersSUBSCRIBE HERE ►► http://goo.gl/pQ39jNJames' Twitter ► http://twitter.com/mrsundaymoviesMaso's Twitter ► http://twitter.com/wikipediabrownPatreon ► https://patreon.com/mrsundaymoviesT-Shirts/Merch ► https://www.teepublic.com/stores/mr-sunday-moviesThe Weekly Planet iTunes ► https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-weekly-planet/id718158767?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4The Weekly Planet Direct Download ► https://play.acast.com/s/theweeklyplanetAmazon Affiliate Link ► https://amzn.to/2nc12P4 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.