The Rank Podcast

The Rank Podcast

The Rank is a solo deep dive into ranking sitcoms, Best Picture nominees, comedies, action flicks, and more—one episode at a time. Sharp takes, smart laughs, and relentless rankings.

  1. 17H AGO

    Train Dreams (2025) - Best Picture Rankings

    🎙️🚂 In this episode of The Rank Podcast, John turns his attention to Best Picture Rankings with a look at the acclaimed 2025 Netflix drama Train Dreams, a richly atmospheric adaptation of Denis Johnson’s beloved novella. Starring Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier, the film follows a humble railroad laborer whose life unfolds across the rapidly changing American landscape of the early 20th century. From his roots in the remote forests of the Pacific Northwest to building a home with Gladys (Felicity Jones) and raising a daughter, Robert’s journey is a tapestry of love, hard work, loss, and reflection on a vanishing way of life. In this review, John breaks down the film’s standout sequences, its balance of visual poetry and narrative weight, and what makes Train Dreams a compelling contender for the top of the Best Picture Rankings — a quiet, devastating portrait of a life lived in the margins of history, and a testament to the power of storytelling itself. Tune in for John’s full critique, his ranking insight, and why this Netflix epic is resonating with audiences and critics alike. E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    18 min
  2. 1D AGO

    Married... With Children - A Three Job, No Income Family

    👊💸 John’s back on the couch with Sitcom Rankings for a look at Married… with Children Season 3, Episode 14: “A Three Job, No Income Family.” In this uproarious installment, money troubles hit the Bundy household, and Peggy decides the best way out of the family’s financial rut is to get Al a second job. When she finds a position selling Patty Bright Cosmetics on commission, she insists Al try it… only to discover that she makes far more than he ever does at the shoe store. Suddenly, Peggy’s hauling in huge commission checks, earning more than Al and turning the Bundy dynamic on its head. John breaks down why “A Three Job, No Income Family” is quintessential Married… with Children, taking a simple idea (money woes) and turning it into a showcase of ego, gender roles, and the Bundys’ uniquely dysfunctional approach to work and family. Tune in as John ranks this episode on the Sitcom Rankings, highlights the funniest beats (especially the chaos at Burger Trek), and asks the big question: Is this classic example of Bundy's struggle high comedy or just another day in the life of television’s most miserable family? E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    15 min
  3. 5D AGO

    Taxi - Fathers of the Bride

    👊🚕 John’s back at the Sunshine Garage for Taxi, Season 3, Episode 3: “Fathers of the Bride.” In this heartfelt and hilarious installment, Alex Rieger learns from a newspaper wedding announcement that his estranged daughter, Cathy, is getting married, yet he wasn’t invited to the ceremony. Feeling hurt, surprised, and determined, Alex decides he won’t miss it for the world and talks Elaine Nardo into coming along as his date so they can crash the wedding in New York. John breaks down why “Fathers of the Bride” works as a standout Taxi episode: its balance of blunt humor and unexpected emotional depth, Judd Hirsch’s nuanced performance as Alex, and the way the show mines real-life experiences (like divorce and strained family relationships) for laughs without losing humanity. Tune in as John ranks this classic on the Sitcom Rankings, highlights the funniest and most touching moments, and asks whether this emotional family story earns its place among the best Taxi episodes ever. E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    12 min
  4. 6D AGO

    The Mindy Project - Stanford

    🎙️📍 In this episode of The Rank Podcast, John dives into Sitcom Rankings with a look at The Mindy Project Season 3, Episode 12: “Stanford.” After Mindy Lahiri’s big holiday cliffhanger, where she learned she’d earned a prestigious fellowship at Stanford University, this episode follows her as she actually heads to Stanford and faces the realities of her new academic life. Mindy arrives eager, stylish, and ready to prove herself… but her first impression in her fellowship class doesn’t go quite how she hoped. What seems like a fresh start soon becomes awkward when she misreads academic culture, missteps at orientation events, and struggles to fit into the ivory tower world she’s dreamed of since her days in New York. Tune in as John explores the funniest and most telling beats of the episode, discusses how the Stanford arc expands Mindy’s character beyond her New York practice, and slots “Stanford” onto the Sitcom Rankings, a comedy that’s equal parts awkward collegiate journey and hilarious personal growth. E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    13 min
  5. FEB 12

    Married... With Children - Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me

    👊💃 John rolls into Sitcom Rankings with a look at Married… with Children Season 3, Episode 13: “Can’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me.” When Kelly (Christina Applegate) finds herself in trouble at Polk High for a prank that disrespected the school’s dance club, Principal Wicker gives her a choice: join the tap-dance club… or face harsher punishment. True to Bundy logic, Kelly reluctantly agrees — leading to laughter, awkward lessons, and one of the show’s most infamous on-stage moments. John breaks down why “Can’t Dance, Don’t Ask Me” stands out in Season 3: it gives Kelly a chance to shine (and surprise everyone with her unexpected performance), highlights the awkward Bundy family dynamic, and blends slapstick with social embarrassment in a way that epitomizes the show’s irreverent spirit. Tune in as John ranks this tap-tinged episode on the Sitcom Rankings, calls out the funniest moments and lines, and asks the big question. Does Kelly’s dance transformation earn this episode a top spot among the Bundys’ most unforgettable misadventures? E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    12 min
  6. FEB 8

    Taxi - Tony's Sister and Jim

    👊🚕 John’s back at the Sunshine Garage for Taxi — Season 3, Episode 2: “Tony’s Sister and Jim.” In this classic character-driven comedy, Tony Banta (Tony Danza) brings his newly divorced sister Monica to the garage with hopes of playing Cupid, specifically hoping Alex (Judd Hirsch) might be just the guy to help her get back out into the dating world. Tony’s protective instincts and matchmaking ambitions set the stage for all kinds of workplace banter and friendly chaos.But plans rarely go the way Tony imagines. While Monica waits and chats in the garage, she and Reverend Jim Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd) hit it off immediately — bonding over music, conversation, and Jim’s quirky charm. What begins as light dialogue turns into a genuine romantic spark that surprises everyone, especially Tony, who finds himself both jealous and bewildered as Jim and Monica’s connection strengthens. Tune in as John ranks “Tony’s Sister and Jim” on the Sitcom Rankings, highlights the funniest character beats (especially Jim’s wildly unexpected romance), and explores how Taxi continues to balance workplace comedy with genuine emotional stakes. E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    12 min
  7. FEB 8

    The Mindy Project - Christmas

    🎙️🎄 In this episode of The Rank Podcast, John unwraps a holiday favorite on Sitcom Rankings as he looks at The Mindy Project Season 3, Episode 11 — “Christmas.” As the holidays approach, Mindy Lahiri (Mindy Kaling) can’t help but wonder if this Christmas will finally be the one — you know, the one where Danny (Chris Messina) pops the question. She’s convinced he’s going to propose, and that belief starts shaping both her expectations and choices as she edges closer to making big career decisions. “Christmas” balances charming holiday vibes with real stakes: Will Mindy take her shot at a career-defining fellowship? Will Danny finally get the message? And does Morgan’s accidental perfect date point toward future love? Tune in as John highlights the funniest moments and most touching beats, and reveals where “Christmas” lands on the Sitcom Rankings — a season-favorite holiday episode that blends laughs, love, and a touch of festive self-discovery. E-mail your fan questions, comments, and suggestions to info@therankpodcast.com. Support the show by becoming a patron at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/TheRankPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Visit The Rank's website for up-to-date rankings at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TheRankpodcast.com

    16 min

About

The Rank is a solo deep dive into ranking sitcoms, Best Picture nominees, comedies, action flicks, and more—one episode at a time. Sharp takes, smart laughs, and relentless rankings.