Do By Friday

Merlin Mann and Alex Cox

A weekly challenge show hosted by Alex Cox and Merlin Mann.

  1. 2d ago

    Catered Intervention

    Links TK  🫡—The Management

    Catered Intervention

  2. Nov 5

    Our Very Special Boy

    Off Menu with Andi Osho — [00:02:29]Merlin’s latest Off Menu listening leads to Blue Lights, Gerry, and a Game of Thrones name that becomes its own joke. This is Osho’s November 4 episode. Blue Lights — BritBox Trailer — [00:02:29]Andi Osho’s Off Menu appearance prompts a detour through Blue Lights, Gerry, and Richard Dormer’s other familiar role. International Order of the Rainbow for Girls — [00:06:40]Remembering his mother’s Rainbow Girls involvement leads Merlin to measure the age of his own references. DeMolay International — [00:06:40]DeMolay joins Rainbow Girls in the conversation about old organizations and family memories. You Can See Everything — A24 — [00:08:04]The previous member show’s challenge is held for the aftershow so the hosts can discuss the film with spoilers. Steve Kornacki’s 2026 Election Livestream — [00:11:49]The central recommendation: the full 10-hour, 38-minute Kornacki Cam stream, including the production around the broadcast appearances. Merlin wants Kornacki and Adam back in the same room. Hanna-Barbera Sound Effects Library — Demonstration — [00:13:17]A misunderstood cartoon noise becomes a tour of familiar sound effects, including the quick entrances and exits Merlin recognizes in Portlandia. Hanna-Barbera Sound Effects Library — Sound Ideas — [00:13:26]The collection behind the sound-effects detour. Merlin recalls acquiring a CD of the familiar cartoon noises. Making a Murderer — [00:15:44]Wisconsin election geography reminds Merlin of the series, which concerns Manitowoc County. Shepard Fairey’s Barack Obama Portrait — National Portrait Gallery — [00:16:44]Alex recalls Grant Park in 2008; the Obama campaign imagery takes a darker turn in Merlin’s “Hope Drones” variation. Kurt Vonnegut — Slaughterhouse-Five — [00:21:53]Late vote counting brings Vonnegut’s “mopping up” description to Merlin’s mind. Instacart’s Carrot and Arrow — [00:26:15]Merlin explains the green arrow inside the carrot, while Alex’s difficulty spotting hidden arrows produces Arrow Blind. Paul Rand’s UPS Identity — [00:27:13]The old UPS package tied with string supplies the neighboring logo example. This page shows Rand’s actual identity work. The Man Behind the FedEx Logo — Lindon Leader Interview — [00:27:16]Alex’s difficulty seeing the hidden arrow supplies “Arrow Blind.” The logo’s designer explains how the arrow emerged between the E and x. Harry Nilsson — Me and My Arrow — [00:27:39]The logo conversation becomes a song through the word arrow. Harry Nilsson — Without You — [00:27:56]Merlin sings the refrain while asking Alex about Nilsson, before the Lennon anecdote. The Beatles — Penny Lane — [00:29:08]The Lennon and Nilsson story reaches a Beatles-song punch line. The Beatles — Yesterday — [00:29:16]The spoken Scrambled Eggs reference is taken as an allusion to Yesterday’s working title; the identification is an inference. Gus’s Community Market — Its History — [00:29:57]Merlin explains the Sunset grocery trip that supplied the election-night charcuterie board. John Mulaney — Long Victorian Nightgown — [00:30:56]The rushed grocery trip recalls Mulaney’s bit about being handed an enormous Billabong T-shirt. The Mountain Goats — The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton — [00:31:30]Denton is one of the places Merlin knows through songs, starting the Texas portion of the playlist. The Mountain Goats — All Hail West Texas — [00:32:20]Merlin names the album while the musical map of Texas moves from Denton to El Paso. Marty Robbins — El Paso — [00:32:21]Merlin’s musical map of Texas reaches Marty Robbins. This is the full-length recording. The Blues Brothers — Rawhide Scene — [00:32:49]The country-and-western exchange recalls the Blues Brothers playing behind chicken wire at Bob’s Country Bunker. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys — San Antonio Rose — [00:33:07]A Bob Wills classic to accompany Merlin’s distinction between country and Western music. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys — Take Me Back to Tulsa — [00:33:07]More Western swing from Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks — I Feel Like Singing — [00:33:08]Merlin follows Bob Wills with Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, then names “I Feel Like Singing.” Do By Friday 473 — Songs Mentioned — [00:33:15]The episode’s musical detours, from Nilsson and the Beatles through Western swing, Fleetwood Mac, and the Rolling Stones. Savannah Guthrie’s Donald Trump Town Hall — NBC / Telemundo — [00:35:48]The hosts recall Guthrie questioning Trump in the 2020 town hall, including the staging with both of them on stools. The Newsroom — [00:36:45]Aaron Sorkin’s newsroom becomes a comparison for the election broadcast’s set and the people working around Kornacki. Fleetwood Mac — Rhiannon (The Midnight Special, 1976) — [00:43:53]Stevie Nicks introduces the song about an old Welsh witch in this 1976 Midnight Special performance. Fleetwood Mac — Gypsy — [00:44:00]Alex questions the song’s title, and Merlin answers with Honorable Roma. The Rolling Stones — She’s a Rainbow — [00:45:28]A colorful-Mac detour supplies the final identifiable song in the main recording. Patrick Stewart’s Circumcision Story — The Graham Norton Show — [00:47:20]The late conversation recalls Stewart learning that he had misunderstood his own circumcision status.

    Our Very Special Boy

  3. Oct 29

    Bent Necklady

    We talked about the film. Links TK

    Bent Necklady

  4. Oct 22

    Ghosts of Bad Expectations

    LinksHow Did Amelia Earhart Die? And Was She Eaten By Crabs?Crew searching for Amelia Earhart plane lands at remote island infested with carnivorous crabsChicago - 25 or 6 to 4 (Live at Tanglewood 1970)Some Very Good Live Performances viia MerlinChicago (discography)The BoxIllinois (album)"Everybody's Mad!"Sam Reich Launches Dropout America | Breaking NewsThe Musical Theater Episode! | Um, ActuallyNathan For You - The Price-Match PlanNathan For You - Gas Station Rebate - Daniel's AdviceNathan For You - 'Smokers Allowed' PremiereYou Can See Everything | Official TeaserAlex needed to know the size of Coconut Crabs

    Ghosts of Bad Expectations

  5. Oct 15

    Zero S***s and Half Coffee

    LinksAn Interview with a Very Important Motivational SpeakerKimberly Guilfoyle tried to blame her money-requesting texts on AI to save her job: report | The IndependentDonald Trump Deciding Whether To Fire Kimberly GuilfoyleGrouch | SNLGeorge Leaves A Bad Message | The Phone Message | SeinfeldMisophoniaYou Can See Everything | Official TrailerThe Social Reckoning – Official TailorMUSK | Official TrailerHow 'Musk' director Alex Gibney became a critic | KPBS Public MediaAlex GibneySteve Jobs: The Man In The Machine - Official TrailerSexually transmitted diarrhea is morphing into a superbugDropout | Vimeo Customer SpotlightMaria Bamford's One-Hour Homemade Christmas SpecialFreemasonryShrinersKnights of ColumbusColumbiettesUnforgettable Uri Geller Appearance | Carson Tonight ShowThe B-52’s - Rock Lobster on Saturday Night Live January 26 1980Bridge and tunnelJunk journalReadwise Reader | The first read-it-later app built for power readers.Logging symptoms associated with a medication | Apple Developer DocumentationSaving links to Tot - All thisSimple wrapper for Apple Reminders API (WIP)Obsidian plugin to import Apple Journal exports as Markdown notesLocal Apple Reminders for Codex and Claude: shared MCP tools and skills, with a self-contained Claude Desktop installer for macOS.A Confederacy of Dunces Graphic Novel

    Zero S***s and Half Coffee

  6. Oct 7

    It's Mostly Gambling

    Links10 Minutes till BedtimeGood Night, GorillaPeggy RathmannPi-holeRelay MembershipGeorg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelMatthew 18:21–22Where's Wally?I Want My Hat BackJon KlassenDropoutGame Changer Animated: Brennan's "Yes or No?" MonologueMake Some NoiseDropout | Vimeo Customer SpotlightBrennan Lee MulliganVic MichaelisSam ReichRobert ReichGame ChangerVery Important PeopleCollegeHumorFunny or DieThe LandlordBetween Two FernsZac OyamaAlly BeardsleyBreaking NewsTaskmasterDimension 20The Adventure ZoneNolzur's Marvelous Miniatures: OwlbearMichael WinslowNumismaticsCatch a FireExodusI Shot the SheriffPeter ToshThe Social ReckoningChris Evans Is Having Second Thoughts | GQChris EvansScott Pilgrim vs. the WorldKnives OutRian JohnsonStar Wars: The Last JediKathleen Kennedy16-inch softballSocial deduction gameStuart Brown: Play is more than just funMille BornesWhite elephant gift exchangeChristmas Party (The Office)Junk journalWhat is junk journaling? A free, lightly feral hobby that is perfect for 2026 | VoxWreck This JournalRobert ShieldsBay WheelsRobert MosesThe Power Broker

    It's Mostly Gambling

  7. Oct 1

    Stress as a DLC

    LinksThe Magic School BusValerie FrizzleWarioThomas the Tank EngineSir Topham HattThe Railway SeriesWilbert AwdryIsland of SodorNarrow-gauge railwayUGK feat. Outkast — Int’l Players AnthemApollo 13180-degree ruleKelvin waveSylvanian FamiliesLawn dartsCurious GeorgeCurious George — George Takes a Job (official clip)ArthurGreen LanternMacWhisperParakeet TDT 0.6B v3Entrance of the GladiatorsKenneth ParcellKing of the HillNasal stripIntake BreathingNeti potNaegleria fowleriFrank GorshinLouisiana PurchaseLindsay Ellis — I Tested Every Cruise Line to Find the Least EvilThe Flop HouseRoyal CaribbeanTriangle of SadnessTim & Eric — Cinco Food TubeNosediveBlack Mirror — Nosedive (full episode; unofficial upload)MelittaHomes & LandMean GirlsSumacAvailability heuristicDropout · Free videos on Dropout’s YouTube channelMerlin's Shared Dropout Clips - YouTubeEmotional laborNickel and DimedTHINK (IBM)Getting Things DoneDavid Allen — The Natural Planning ModelMaria BamfordSafeWater LiliesAlan Watts — The Wisdom of InsecurityGene KranzFight ClubProject management triangleFor All MankindZZ Top — LegsVic MichaelisVery Important People · YouTube: Princess Emily — free full episodeVery Important People — Augbert (Dropout) · YouTube: 18 official Augbert clipsGame Changer · YouTube: The Sound Impression Challenge — free full episodeMake Some Noise · YouTube: A Celebrity’s Unflattering Wax Figure Reveal — free full episodeBreaking News: No Laugh Newsroom · YouTube: Amy Vorpahl Simply Loses Her Mind — free full episodeStefonGame Changer — Count the Rice (Dropout) · YouTube: first 14 minutes — free previewGame Changer — Lie Detector (Dropout) · YouTube: free full episodeZac Oyama as Tommy Shriggly — Very Important People (Dropout) · YouTube: free full episodeVery Important People — Princess Emily (Dropout) · YouTube: free full episodeBrennan Lee MulliganMy Mom’s Having a Baby — ABC Afterschool Special and title themez

    Stress as a DLC

  8. Sep 23

    Super Measles

    LinksI Tested Every Cruise Line to Find the Least Evil - Lindsay EllisWhy is Cats? - Lindsay EllisA Visual History of Every Interplanetary MissionHalf as InterestingProject FarmOffhand DisneyThe Spectacular Failure of the Star Wars HotelKuleshov effectHitchcock on Editing and the Kuleshov Effect - YouTubeYou Can See Everything | Official Trailer HD | A24Kuleshov Effect / Effetto KuleshovThe DropoutPareidoliaCoax — Channel-surf your Plex, Jellyfin, or Emby serverJellyfinPlexEarly Access & Beta Releases | Plex SupportInfuse - Video Player for Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac & VisionLaw And Order And Mr. Jerry Orbach - John MulaneyAudapolis | Prototype FundGitHub - bugbakery/audapolis: an editor for spoken-word audio with automatic transcriptionAI Transcription | Accurate Audio & Video to Text | DescriptVictor Garber on ‘Godspell’ and Playing JesusYou Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution Official TrailerDARVOBiblical MagiAu hasard BalthazarCharles and D.I.A.N.A. | SNL UKWeekend Update: Ed Sheeran, Robert Kraft and Diana's Swan Song | SNL UKSeries 7 | Taskmaster Wiki | FandomTaskmaster Season 22 - Full EpisodesShooting Stars Matt Lucas SupercutThe Young Ones (TV series)Bob Mortimer & Richard toilet story | Travel ManMan Down (TV series)House of Fools (TV series)Rik Mayall in Man DownRik Mayall: Lord of Misrule (Documentary, 2014)

    Super Measles
See All (484)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
44 Ratings

About

A weekly challenge show hosted by Alex Cox and Merlin Mann.

Information

  • Creator
    Merlin Mann and Alex Cox
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    484
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    Do By Friday

You Might Also Like