No Bad Ideas

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Goddammit, Bobby! Apr 02, 2021

Show notes

This week on No Bad Ideas: Airplanes! Stowaways! Performance art! Carbon dating!

For our first bad idea, Gabriel brings us the story of a woman who has made a habit out of sneaking into airplanes all over the world. The gang does their best to turn it into an epic space western opera of one woman's struggle to preserve her freedom from the evil empire. Then, Sarah presents the story of a woman who is trying to decide whether she should break up with her immature boyfriend or not. The team turns it into a tale of an epic relationship drama in the world of archeology.

All of that, plus: people who just want to be left alone, crude etchings, little kids who meet mythic figures, radical new origin stories, and the worst version of Carmen Sandiego in the world.

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Lies All the Way Down Mar 28, 2021

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Today on No Bad Ideas: road trips, excellent names, super villains, and gritty reboots!

In our first idea, Sarah brings us the story of an unforgettable man who took a very ill-advised plane ride with an extremely ill-advised cargo. The gang does their best to turn it into a modern, dark, gritty reboot of a beloved 90's family comedy film. Then, Zach presents the tale of a mother who crosses some terrible lines to help her daughter get ahead in life. The team reconfigures it into a story of mother-daughter bonding against the backdrop of an epic superhero-supervillain rivalry.

All of that, plus: money of undisclosed origin, evil ice cream, the name of a franchise character, the drug master of wherever, and the most inevitable article that's ever existed.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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Do Not Dungeon Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

We’re back - with some of the most extreme bad (and good!) ideas we’ve had on the show in a while.

First, Zach brings us one of the worst kidnapping stories we’ve heard and we decide to ignore the awfulness entirely and build a tavern in a fantasy world where dumping annoying adventurers in a dungeon is much more understandable. Then Gabriel has a story made possible by Facebook, and having a fairly common name. We take a bad idea that turned out impossibly well and complicate it with some of the ambitions and heartrending drama of a band that wants to go big.

Plus: an Indiana Jones opening, dares from the Universe, Kafkaesque bureaucracy, #content, and the casino business.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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High-Touch Heists Mar 12, 2021

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Today on No Bad Ideas: social media, bad dates, vaccines, and grandmas!

In our first bad idea, Sarah brings us the story of a man who seeks a very distasteful kind of "justice" after a bad date. The gang tries their best to turn it into a romcom-y scheme involving a completely fictional pop star that isn't based on anyone in the real world. Then, Gabriel presents the story of two women who dressed up as grannies for the most timely heist of the year. Can the squad find a way to turn them into the unlikely heroes of a progressive crime film?

All of that, plus: our least sympathetic protagonist ever, ingenious medical knowledge, inside men, a year of absurdity, and high effort/low reward scams!

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Pull Me Over (If You Can) Mar 04, 2021

Show notes

Content Warning: this episode's second idea contains mention of suicide. If you would like to avoid this content, please stop listening at the 19:00 mark.

Today on No Bad Ideas: high-speed business opportunities and medical chatbots giving people dangerous advice!

In our first bad idea, Sarah brings us the opportunity of a fast and furious lifetime: the chance to buy a rocket car at a steal. The gang feels the need - the need for speed - and does everything they can to turn it into an unlicensed sequel to Drive. Then, Zach brings us the story of a medical chatbot that gives some questionable advice. The gang does their best to turn it into the tale of an AI that goes rogue when it needs to impersonate a powerful gangster's psychiatrist.

All of that, plus: Urbina-Landia, the boardroom of bad startups, Evird Garage, perfect grammar, and Simulated Bernie.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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A Superhero of Terribleness Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

Today on No Bad Ideas... Rings! Thieves! Railroads! Mind Control! Clowns! Ecology Professors!

In our first story, Gabriel brings us the latest exploits of No Bad Ideas's favorite superhero: Florida Man! What's he been up to? Proposing to his girlfriend... with his secret lover's rings. The gang turns it into a Western about a group of badass wronged ladies who are out for revenge. Then, in our second story, Zach brings us the tale of a conference discussing censorship... which was then censored! The gang does their best to turn it into a new take on the concept of a society where the government controls absolutely everything, even who is allowed to exist!

All of that, plus: maximum suspense, the champion we deserve, a supernatural curse, a party of a sort, and better television shows.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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Traditional... But Underwater Feb 18, 2021

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Today on No Bad Ideas, feline lawyers and extreme nuptials!

In our first bad idea, Sarah brings us the story of a lawyer who's video chat turns against them, and makes them look like a cat. The gang does their best to turn it into a high stakes, high pressure, public relations-based thriller. Then, Gabriel presents the tale of a couple who got married sixty feet beneath the surface. The team does their best to turn it into the next fish-out-of-water romantic comedy, with the added twist of a Martian setting!

All of that, plus: the cesspool of all the bad things humanity has done, the Iguana President, mysterious weekend activities, Big Mars Productions, and pitches that are bought in the room.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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Stuck In The System Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

We’re back with two more bad ideas from The Future… and the future is now.

Zach starts us off with an entrepreneurial idea that will surely have no unintended consequences and we turn it into a thriller that starts with the Stasi and ends among the stars. Then Sarah has a dilemma from the world of online education, which we turn into a con that brings a whole university together.

Plus: our ten minute TedTalks, a week of white void, nearly-there technology, the reference squad, and the five least believable words in the English language.

Today’s Bad Ideas™:

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Gotta Improvise, Baby Feb 04, 2021

Show notes

We’re wasting no time and jumping from zero to sixty with the bad ideas this week. Gabriel starts us off with a car thief who found way more than they bargained for in a stolen vehicle. A deeply strange riff on the buddy comedy ensues. Then Sara raises, if not the dead, then a standoff between man and ghost. We turn it into a story full of supernatural misunderstandings and misplaced confidence.

Plus: the weirdest meet-cute, Ghostbuster merch, blinding nativity, small things going wrong, and a sublime lack of self-awareness.

Today’s Bad Ideas™: