How Did This Get Made?
A hilarious deep dive into the best bad movies ever made
Overview
How Did This Get Made? is a comedy podcast hosted by Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas that examines some of the most baffling and entertaining bad movies ever produced. Each episode breaks down a specific film's production, performances, and plot holes.
The format features the three hosts joined by a guest comedian or actor, watching and reacting to a chosen film. Live episodes recorded in front of audiences add an extra layer of energy and audience interaction.
How It Works
While primarily a comedy show, actors benefit from its implicit lessons about what makes performances work or fail. It is also a masterclass in comedic improvisation and timing from its incredibly talented hosts.
Free on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Who Uses It
A fun, entertaining listen that doubles as an education in film literacy and comedic performance. Actors will appreciate the sharp observational humor and the hosts' deep love of cinema. The show has been running since 2010 and has built one of the most devoted podcast audiences in entertainment, with live episodes regularly selling out large venues and the show's loyal fanbase creating a vibrant community around a shared love of cinema's most wonderfully misguided offerings. All three hosts are accomplished actors and improvisers — Paul Scheer is known for The League and Black Monday, June Diane Raphael for Grace and Frankie, and Jason Mantzoukas for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Big Mouth — which means their analysis of performances is informed by genuine professional understanding of acting craft. For actors, the show is both entertaining and subtly educational, demonstrating the art of comedic analysis while implicitly teaching lessons about what separates effective performances from ineffective ones.
Pricing & Plans
How Did This Get Made? is free on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and the Earwolf network. Standard episodes are completely free, while some bonus content and extended episodes may be available through premium podcast subscription services like Stitcher Premium. The show also produces live episodes recorded at comedy venues, with tickets typically ranging from $25-$50 depending on the venue and market. The free podcast episodes provide full value without requiring any purchase, and the live shows are an optional enhancement for fans who want the in-person comedy experience. The show's longevity and massive episode archive mean new listeners have hundreds of episodes to explore at no cost.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The show's greatest strength is its ability to entertain while implicitly educating listeners about filmmaking, performance, and storytelling. By analyzing why certain films fail — examining script problems, tonal inconsistencies, bizarre performances, and production mishaps — the hosts illuminate the principles of effective filmmaking through negative example, which is often more memorable and instructive than studying success alone. The three hosts' chemistry and comedic timing create a masterclass in improvisational conversation, demonstrating skills that are directly relevant to actors working in comedy, improv, and unscripted content. The show's guest roster reads like a who's who of working comedy actors, providing exposure to a wide range of comedic voices and performance styles. The live episodes demonstrate audience engagement and stage presence that theater and live performance actors can study and learn from.
What Could Be Better
The show is primarily entertainment rather than a career development resource, and actors looking for practical advice about auditions, technique, or industry navigation will not find it here. The comedic format necessarily involves criticizing performances and creative choices, which some actors may find uncomfortable or mean-spirited even though the tone is generally affectionate rather than cruel. The show's focus on mainstream, often genre-specific bad movies means it covers a narrow slice of cinema that may not align with every actor's interests or career aspirations. Episodes are long — typically 90 minutes or more — which requires a significant time commitment that could be spent on more directly career-relevant content. The humor is improvisation-heavy and relies on references and callbacks that build across episodes, which can make the show less accessible to new listeners.
Our Recommendation
Actors who love film, appreciate comedy, and want an entertaining way to develop their understanding of what makes performances and films work should subscribe to How Did This Get Made? — it provides genuine entertainment value while subtly developing your critical eye for performance quality. The show is best enjoyed as a complement to more directly career-focused podcasts rather than as a primary professional development resource. If you work in comedy, improv, or unscripted content, pay particular attention to the hosts' comedic technique, timing, and audience engagement, as these skills directly translate to your own performance work. If you prefer more serious, craft-focused content, this show may not be the best fit for your limited listening time.
Pro Tips
Watch the movie before listening to each episode to fully appreciate the hosts' observations and develop your own analytical perspective that you can compare with theirs — this practice of active viewing followed by critical discussion is itself a valuable exercise in developing your evaluative skills as an actor. Study how the hosts deliver their observations and jokes — their timing, their ability to build on each other's ideas, and their skill at reading the room during live shows are all applicable techniques for actors working in comedy and improv. Use the show as a gateway to exploring a wider range of cinema, as the obscure and unusual films covered expand your film literacy beyond the mainstream canon. When the hosts discuss specific performances, note the qualities they identify as problems — these observations illuminate what audiences and critics notice about acting choices, which informs your own self-evaluation. Attend a live taping if you have the opportunity, as the experience of watching accomplished comedic performers work a live audience in real time provides lessons about stage presence, energy management, and audience connection that cannot be fully appreciated through audio alone.