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Listener Tim asks us about when a walk becomes a hike. Is it about topology? Degree of difficulty? Those seeking hard and fast rules may be frustrated by the result. John Siracusa and Jason Snell

William Shatner made his film debut in this Richard Brooks adaptation of the Dostoevsky novel. Bill is the youngest of the brothers, and he’s fourth-billed, behind Yul Brynner and some other people we’ve seen before on LTS. The Brothers Karamazov Shelly Brisbin with David J. Loehr, Nathan Alderman and Micheline Maynard Referenced Works The Brothers Karamazov Show Notes & Links Get in touch with the show at lts@theincomparable.com, Mastodon or Bluesky. Check out our new LTS BookShop.org page. The Movie: review/commentary on a single classic film The Brothers Karamazov trailer Available to stream, rent or buy digitally On disc: DVD Next time, we’ll watch On An Island with You trailer

What if “The Martian” but with an alien buddy? We break down “Project Hail Mary,” and marvel at what a good translation of a sort-of-unfilmable book it really is! Why do we love alien puppets so much? Why is Jason checking his watch at the end? We give this movie a thumbs down—by which we mean we liked it! Amaze amaze amaze! "Project Hail Mary" Jason Snell with Aleen Simms, Quinn Rose, Brian Warren and Casey Liss Referenced Works Project Hail Mary Show Notes & Links

It’s the end! Guess who’s coming back to Earth? Guess more times! Sergei’s loyalty to the Chief Designer is put to the test. Lyudmilla tries to get the upper hand on the (new) Chief Designer! Irina and Tania… appear! It’s a farewell to our Soviet comrades for now, but is there more to come? (We don’t know, but we sure hope so.) Dan Moren and Jason Snell Referenced Works Star City Show Notes & Links

What, two Carol episodes in a row? This is one of those episodes where Higgins bugs out under suspicious circumstances. But he can’t run away from his past. Also he is most definitely not Robin Masters, so all you conspiracy theorists need to give it up already. Jason Snell, Philip Michaels and David J. Loehr

It’s the 50th edition of Random Pursuit! Erika was too lazy to do anything that took extra work, so this is basically a regular episode. But we do have a new player — who even tried to study! Plus, it’s mostly Canadians — and all players who live in Commonwealth nations, so maybe we can call this a slightly belated Canada Day episode? Random Pursuit L Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky with Annette Wierstra, Ben Rice McCarthy, Jesse Reid, Sandra Wong and Sarah Murphy Show Notes & Links Annette Wierstra - Agents of SMOOCH Ben Rice McCarthy - Indigo - Obscura Jesse Reid Sandra Wong - We Contain Multitudes Sarah Murphy - Is It Camp?!

Just in time for Wimbledon, Listener Muhammad provides a “tennis robot” for us to judge. We issue a judgment, but we’re not particularly happy about it. John Siracusa and Jason Snell Show Notes & Links Acemate Tennis Robot Trajekt (baseball system)

This season finale features a good plan, a janky blankie, a lot of running, and some Gunk in the mix. Dragon Heist I, Part 7 Tony Sindelar with Aleen Simms, Dan Moren, Erika Ensign, Steve Lutz and Tiff Arment Show Notes & Links Edited by Erika Ensign. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

Time travel! We’re going back to ‘97 to rejoin our X-Men, who find themselves separated and trapped in the past and in the future. In ancient Egypt a nacent Apocalypse is just starting to find his strength while in the future his grip on the world is cemented. Meanwhile, in the ’90s, X-Force and X-Factor are being dicks to each other and to everyone else. Can nostalgia carry the day? Read along to find out! Dan Moren, John Moltz and Guy English Referenced Works X-Men '97 Show Notes & Links

Get out your PowerBooks and prepare to punch an alien in patriotic fashion! We celebrate Independence Day with a 30-year-old film, “Independence Day”! It’s a lot of movie. Is Jason ready to forgive it? "Independence Day" (1996) Jason Snell with Moisés Chiullán, David J. Loehr, Aleen Simms and Tony Sindelar Referenced Works Independence Day Show Notes & Links