S1E21: Toy Story 4

June 24, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons get their dad arrested so they can record the last episode of Season One on the brand-new film “Toy Story 4.”

They get into some of the murky making-of material, debate what the new film is about, discuss whether it should exist, and dive into the journeys of all the characters. They talk about it all — WITH SPOILERS! — and finally slot “Toy Story 4” into the Natural Selection Rankings.

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Click this link to see the video of the voice actors recording their lines.

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S1 Round 6: The Greatest Pixar Movie of All Time

June 10, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons gather for the final time to reveal the champion of the Natural Selection bracket.

First, they unveil their individual rankings of all 20 Pixar movies. Then, they announce the winner of the heavyweight match-up for the title of greatest Pixar movie ever made.

That’s all, folks. Thanks for listening.

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S1 Round 5: The Championship

June 3, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons finally reveal the championship match-up of the Natural Selection bracket on this week’s episode.

First, they break down the trailer for Pixar’s upcoming film “Onward,” sort through their individual algorithmic rankings they never knew they were creating, and listen to Taylor talk “Coco” with Patrick A. Jackson in this week’s “Unnatural Opinions” segment. Later, they announce the winners from Round 4 and dive deep on the Battle for the Crown.

Go vote right now, and help us determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time!

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S1 Round 4: The Final Four

May 27, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons narrow things down to four in this week’s ultra-important episode of Natural Selection.

First, they offer an analysis of the latest “Toy Story 4” trailer and take a look at their Rewatchability scores before Taylor talks “Incredibles” with Christian Torres in this week’s “Unnatural Opinions” segment. Then, they announce the winners from Round 3 and break down the unbelievable Final Four match-ups.

Go vote right now, and help us determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time!

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S1 Round 3: Sixteen to Eight

May 20, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons announce the Elite Eight Pixar movies in this week’s scientifically superior episode of Natural Selection.

First, they break down the individual films’ “Pixar Scores,” welcome friend of the pod Sam Hensel to debate the merits of “Cars” in “Unnatural Opinions,” and parse the Theme scores. Finally, they reveal the winning movies from Round 2 and dive into the four match-ups of Round 3.

Go vote right now, and help us determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time!

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S1 Round 2: The Madness Begins

May 13, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons open the voting for the Round of 16 in this week’s very special episode of Natural Selection.

First, they break down the Pixar Concept scores, hear from old
friend Levi Bradford on what they got wrong about “Monsters, Inc.” in the new segment
“Unnatural Opinions,” and discuss the Animation rankings. Then they reveal the four
winners from Round One and unveil the official match-ups for the second round.

Go vote right now, and help us determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time!

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S1 Round 1: The Play-Ins

May 6, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons bring everything together to kick off the official Natural Selection bracket.

In this episode, they wrap up the regular season, explain how voting will work, break down the Box Office and Critical rankings, analyze the Pixar Theory in full, and unveil the four match-ups in the play-in round.

Go vote right now, and help us determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time.

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Click this link to read Jon Negroni’s full Pixar Theory.

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S1E20: Incredibles 2

April 29, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons undermine their entire podcast series by recording their final regular episode on 2018’s “Incredibles 2.”

They talk about how it changed from their first viewing last summer, what happened to Mirage, how close we were to seeing Frozone’s wife in the movie, the frank adultness of much of the film, Brad Bird’s political commentary, the character shading hidden in the names of the movie’s foils, why the best villains are usually right, Jack-Jack’s 17 superpowers, Usher’s cameo in the movie, and much more.

On this episode, they also unveil the FINAL OFFICIAL Natural Selection rankings and seeding for the upcoming tournament to determine the greatest Pixar movie of all time.

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Click this link to see Bob’s “special” pancake recipe.

Click this link to see Jack-Jack’s 17 superpowers.

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S1E19: Coco

April 22, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons sing their hearts out in the second to last episode of Season 1 of Natural Selection for 2017’s “Coco.”

They discuss why the movie’s title had to be changed in Brazil, how it got past China’s Communist censors, Disney walking right into controversy early in production, the original plans for the film’s plot, THE MUSIC, the concept of Third Death (!), where Hitler lives in the Land of the Dead, the different uses of “Remember Me,” and much more.

Stay tuned til the end to find out where this movie falls in the Natural Selection rankings!

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Click here to read the Box Office Pro story mentioned in the episode.

Click here to read the Pixar Times piece on the animation mentioned in the episode.

Click here to read the Shea Serrano article mentioned in the episode.

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S1E18: Cars 3

April 15, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons are back on the track for one final victory lap as they lock in on 2017’s “Cars 3.”

They talk about how Pixar got Paul Newman into the movie posthumously, the movie’s sharp turn away from Radiator Springs, Lightning’s growth and self-reflection, whether Pixar was more embarrassed by “Cars” or “Cars 2,” demolition derbies, motivational speeches, statistical revolutions and more.

Stay tuned for a shocking session of the Natural Selection power rankings.

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S1E17: Finding Dory

April 8, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons gear up and dive into the great depths to take on 2016’s “Finding Dory.”

They discuss the original plans for the plot of a “Finding Nemo” sequel, replacing the voice of Nemo, whether Dory logically and emotionally makes sense as the main character, the employment status of fish, Pixar’s first war movie, the little crab who mows his lawn, what the movie has to say about disabilities, and much more.

Stay tuned for the latest in our Natural Selection rankings!

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S1E16: The Good Dinosaur

April 1, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler Bing Bong Commons are back — and still in 2015! It’s time for Pixar’s secret film, “The Good Dinosaur.”

The guys talk about how many people actually know that “The Good Dinosaur” exists, the tumultuous production of the movie, which dinosaur is the titular “good” dinosaur, the film’s utter predictability, Pixar’s most violent movie scene, Pixar’s druggiest movie scene, human dogs, and much more.

Stay tuned for the latest in our Natural Selection rankings!

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Link to drugged-out scene from “The Good Dinosaur”

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S1E15: Inside Out

March 25, 2019

In our longest episode ever, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons dive deep into the mind to break down 2015’s “Inside Out.”

They go inside a Pixar Braintrust meeting and debate whether the creative summit was successful, reveal some of the other emotions that were considered as characters, debate the scientific accuracy of the world of “Inside Out,” and examine Riley’s strange family dynamics. They also talk about why the movie actually works, islands collapsing, how to embrace sadness, and what it means to be vulnerable and make human connections. Things get real, you guys.

Stay tuned for a very special breakdown of the new “Toy Story 4” trailer at the end of the episode.

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S1E14: Monsters University

March 18, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons pack up their things and go back to school for Pixar’s 14th film, “Monsters University.”

They discuss the hilarious on-the-ground research Pixar did for the 2013 flick, what must have happened to Monsters University after “Monsters, Inc.”, how monsters reproduce, the movie’s awkward callbacks to the original, and Taylor embarrasses himself by bringing up “The Princess and The Bride.”

Stay tuned for a shocking twist in the Natural Selection rankings.

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S1E13: Brave

March 11, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons muster up everything they have to visit an alternate universe and the year 2012 for Pixar’s 13th film, “Brave.”

They do some unimpeachable accent work, reveal the movie’s original title, discuss the enigmatic replacement director for the film, debate “Wreck-It Ralph” vs. “Brave,” gape at the nudity in “Brave,” enjoy watching people learn to count, and much more. Stay tuned for the latest update to the Natural Selection rankings and hear about Ty liking things on Twitter.

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Here’s the episode of “The Front Row Network” podcast mentioned in the intro.

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S1E12: Cars 2

March 4, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons hit the ol’ highway again and drive on back to 2011 to talk about “Cars 2.”

They discuss everything from Michelangelo to Leonardo Da Vinci to Martin Luther to Puss in Boots to State Farm to murder to assholes to wasabi to much, much more. Stay tuned ’til the end to see if it can beat “Cars” in the Natural Selection rankings!

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S1E11: Toy Story 3

February 25, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons get back into the swing of things and kick of the second half of their Pixar journey this week with 2010’s “Toy Story 3.”

They reveal a near-disastrous plot turn the movie almost took, play a game called Summarize the Movie Last, debate whether Andy is a realistic character and break down Ken’s superb wardrobe. They also talk about the passage of time, old age, beauty in simplicity, late-stage capitalism and much more.

Listen until the end to see where “Toy Story 3” falls in the Natural Selection rankings.

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S1E10: Up

February 11, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons huff some helium and put their homes on their backs for the halfway mark of the series, 2009’s “Up.”

They reveal the several alterations to the movie’s plot prior to its release, break down whether a house could be lifted by balloons (with science!), and talk about just how insanely drug-addled “Up” feels. They also, of course, cry together over the saddest sequence in Pixar history, laugh together over Doug the dog, and yell at each other over where the movie falls in the Natural Selection rankings.

Stay tuned until the end to learn about the only movie Pixar had to can well into production.

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S1E9: WALL-E

February 4, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons go to space in this week’s episode for 2008’s “WALL-E.”

They talk about the movie’s original title and plot changes, what inspired the creators, the breathtaking dialogue-free opening, and do plenty of WALL-E and EVE impressions. The guys also discuss the most wonder-filled scene Pixar’s ever done, “2001: A Space Odyssey,” Tiny Cleaning Man, and corporations destroying our world.

Where will it land in the rankings? Stay tuned till the end to find out!

Watch the Ratatouille video Taylor references in the opening.

Watch the jet turbine video Taylor references in the outro.

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S1E8: Ratatouille

January 28, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons study abroad for the eighth episode of “Natural Selection,” diving deep into the recipe book for 2007’s “Ratatouille.”

For Brad Bird’s counter-cleanliness classic, the guys discuss Pixar’s trademark research trips, pet rats, the late Anthony Bourdain’s opinion of the film, making rats cute, and shooting up your own home. They also talk about the strangest split-second of any Pixar movie, vampire food critics, making a movie about rats and humans where the audience is rooting for the rats, and criticism’s presentation in movies.

Featuring: An exciting update to the Natural Selection rankings and a DRAMATIC READING.

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S1E7: Cars

January 21, 2019

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons ride the highway of life into the year 2006 on this episode to discuss Pixar’s seventh film, “Cars.”

Before diving into the movie, they discuss the word “literally,” the fact that there are three “Cars” movies, the real-life inspiration for its characters and events, and how close Lightning McQueen was to not having eyes. Later, they go deep on the film’s eternal runtime, Lightning being an asshole, the creepiness of John Lasseter directing “Cars,” how little chemistry the romantic leads had, and why Taylor was insulted by the movie’s portrayal of rural America.

Where will it land in the Natural Selection rankings? Stay tuned to the end to find out!

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S1E6: The Incredibles

January 14, 2019

On this week’s episode, it’s super time for another Pixar classic: 2004’s “The Incredibles.”

Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons break down how the creators of the movie saved Bob, Steve Jobs’ insults, where the director got distracted, incest jokes (?), and a murderers’ row of unbelievable characters. They also marvel at how Syndrome precluded the future of internet culture, amazing bits involving capes and bosses, and what truly makes “Incredibles” great. Stay tuned to the end to find out where it falls in the Natural Selection Pixar rankings.

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S1E5: Finding Nemo

January 7, 2019

On the fifth official episode of Natural Selection, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons dive into the big blue sea for 2003’s “Finding Nemo.”

They discuss the deep research that went into the film, how the story evolved during the movie’s development, their history with and nostalgia for Nemo’s journey, and how the movie feels in 2019. They also examine the saddest, most animalistic Pixar scene to date, the studio’s most complicated character relationship so far, and praise the incredibly expansive underwater world of the film. And, of course, they rank the movie in the Natural Selection categories to see where it winds up.

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S1E4: Monsters, Inc.

December 24, 2018

On the fourth episode of Natural Selection, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons take a trip into Monstropolis for the 2001 film “Monsters, Inc.”

They talk about how one of Pixar’s cutest characters was born a 30-year-old-man, the “Beautifully-Shaded Penny Problem,” the number of hairs on Sully’s body and debate which characters would make modern-day memes. They also label Mike as “problematic,” discuss their favorite deodorant flavors and see where the movie falls in the Natural Selection rankings.

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S1E3: Toy Story 2

December 17, 2018

On the third episode of Natural Selection, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons return to Andy’s world to re-animate 1999’s “Toy Story 2.”

They discuss memory versus reality in “Toy Story 2,” a terrifying work baby story, Buzz’s irrepressible sexuality, the increasingly confusing world of in-movie Pixar “production” and the unsettling Prospector outtake. They also find time to mention Blink-182, Y2K fears, Ty’s rapidly deteriorating exoskeleton, world’s best film “Arrival,” and whether or not toys feel pain before diving into their rankings. 

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S1E2: A Bug’s Life

December 10, 2018

On the second episode of Natural Selection, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons shrink themselves down to celebrate the 20th anniversary of 1998’s “A Bug’s Life.” 

They stack up the most interesting facts about the making of the film, debate whether the royal family should have been overthrown long before the events of the movie, and search for a message that people can take into their boring everyday lives. They also find time to discuss one-hit wonder Kevin Rudolf, the word “interesting,” Android vs. iPhone and the morality of killing mosquitoes.  

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S1E1: Toy Story

December 3, 2018

On the first episode of Natural Selection, Taylor Gaines and Tyler B. Commons get out their old toys and talk about the first ever Pixar movie — and classic — “Toy Story.”

They trace the history of Pixar that led to the film’s release, discuss how incredible the team was at making movies from the jump and dive into some of the still-resonant themes from the movie. They also discuss whether Sid is actually a bad guy, whether “You’ve Got a Friend In Me” is actually a good song, and slide the movie into its rightful spot in the rankings.

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