In this episode, we take a lighthearted stroll through the charming, not-at-all-horrifying political farce that is The Death of Stalin (2017). We explore how the film hilariously—and totally hypothetically—shows the chaos, sycophancy, and moral collapse that can follow when absolute power meets absolute fear. Good thing nothing like that could ever happen in a modern democracy, right? Right.
Join us as we unpack Armando Iannucci’s dark comedy, where top Soviet officials scramble like cockroaches in a spotlight after their dear leader suddenly kicks the bucket. We marvel at the way they lie, backstab, and perform loyalty theater with such grace you'd think they were auditioning for cable news.
No parallels to draw here, folks. Just a quaint historical romp through a time when government officials said one thing in public, another in private, and loyalty to the leader trumped reality. That’s definitely not familiar. Nope. Not even a little.
So tune in for laughs, gasps, and a subtle but totally unintentional look in the mirror. This is just history. Distant, irrelevant, and absolutely not a warning sign blinking in red neon.

Here’s a link to Michael Noland’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelNoland-TheBottomLine

0:00 - Intros
7:50 - Michael Noland: The Bottom Line
13:30 - Franz Ferdinand live
19:30 - Telescreens
22:35 - Yellowjackets (season 3)
24:45 - Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
29:50 - Captain America - Brave New World
39:15 - Nintendo Switch 2
42:30 - The Death Of Stalin (2017)