Hubert’s face wrinkles are floated for Great Shot Gordo; Harlan’s belief that his dog communicates feels familiar to devoted pet owners.
The zoom catching Coolidge and Lynch’s kiss, seen through Scott and Stefan’s television, receives agreement for Great Shot Gordo.

Most Rewatchable Scene

Cookie’s injury; Starbucks courtship; dinner with Max

In the discussion (23)

Approx. transcript time · 00:28:44Read transcript

The opening Swans therapy session is nominated, with the delayed reveal that the supposedly traumatized child is a dog praised as one of cinema’s great openings.
The Flecks’ introduction is nominated: Cookie corrects dozens of boyfriends to hundreds, Gerry’s ugly school photograph undercuts his Casanova claim, and his two left feet set up the finale.
Scott and Stefan’s meat-market introduction, college photo and hotel-room decoration are celebrated as consistently funny.
Leslie and Sherri Ann’s introduction, shared soup and snow-pea interests and conversational emptiness are favorite moments; Coolidge’s American Pie connection to Levy reportedly led to Guest’s ensemble.
Christy’s explanation of a supposedly functional family model, ending in her mother’s suicide, is a nominated scene.
Dinner with Cookie’s old boyfriend is the explicit scene pick, defended through Zach’s toy parachuter, the father’s hostage-negotiator boasting, Gerry’s breast compliment and the violent threats when Zach climbs outside.
The dinner scene receives dissent: Cookie’s brazen exes work better when encountered unexpectedly at the party or recording studio.
The pre-show party’s melting ice sculpture and another former lover praising Cookie’s waitressing are nominated; her repeated reassurance that Gerry is her future sustains the joke.
The missing Busy Bee sequence is nominated for Posey’s frantic performance, Hamilton entering the crate and the escalating demands to retrieve the toy.
The Swans’ two-Starbucks courtship and catalog upbringing are an explicit number-one scene choice.
The airport argument is another scene nomination and a recognizable portrait of a couple blaming each other over a pet’s needs.
Harlan’s long party story tormenting the Swans and Hamilton’s jacket question are additional pre-show highlights.
Willard’s Sherlock Holmes dog-costume idea, Christy’s makeup refusal and attempts to unsettle Harlan lead into the shih-tzu airplane joke.
Scott and Stefan mocking Christy while watching television is another highlight.
Willard’s priest aside, terrier count, miniature-dog breeding question and dog-bathing book title are praised as inspired commentary.
Meg’s toy-store search is nominated for its terrifying quiet rage, the bear-in-a-bee-costume rejection and her insistence she asked for an unavailable toy rather than an opinion; Posey is judged capable of more leading roles.
Beatrice attacking the judge inspires the ham and Shoeless Joe Jackson commentary; the Rhapsody-has-two-mommies line adds to Higgins’s flawless comic run.
Cookie’s injury and limp followed by Gerry handling Winky is an explicit favorite; Willard’s questions about the dogs knowing the stakes, Gerry’s feet and the repeated proctologist joke sustain the climax.
Every part of the six-month epilogue is praised, including the therapy bookend and the Flecks’ Captain and Cookie cassette; Busy Bee is the first memorabilia choice and the cassette second.
The epilogue’s dog songs anticipate A Mighty Wind, and recording engineer Bulge recognizing Cookie provides another payoff to her romantic history.
American Bitch magazine, dogs posed as classic-film characters and Kipper’s leg-humping therapy epilogue are closing-scene highlights; Casablanca is the favorite photo recreation.
The omission of Harlan from one scene list is acknowledged; the final choice between Busy Bee and Cookie’s injury settles on the injury because it is impossible to look away.
Cookie’s limp is proposed as an underused sports-injury meme; Joanna explicitly chooses the Starbucks-and-catalog scene.

The most "year the movie came out" thing

Starbucks and catalogs

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 00:48:55Read transcript

The Starbucks courtship and catalog upbringing are the most-2000 choice.

What’s Aged the Best?

Ensemble chemistry; pet-owner satire; Busy Bee; Rhapsody’s loss

In the discussion (8)

Approx. transcript time · 00:49:45Read transcript

Mockumentary filmmaking is an aged-best choice; its scarcity is attributed to the difficulty of sustaining good improvisation rather than lack of influence on Apatow-era comedy.
Everything is initially judged to have aged well, especially the satire of pet owners, whose social-media behavior now rivals parody.
The film is credited with increasing interest in dog shows, compared with spelling-bee documentaries and Rounders’ poker influence.
O’Hara and Levy’s enduring chemistry, the Swans’ yuppie caricature, Scott and the mismatched broadcast booth are singled out as aged-best elements.
Rhapsody’s upset loss, Busy Bee’s outsized importance and the dog treadmill are additional aged-best choices.
Levy’s uncomfortable teeth and crossed-eye commitment are praised.
The hotel rock-band story is identified as a Spinal Tap callback, and Begley’s attempt to sell the utility closet as accommodation is praised.
The AM Philadelphia broadcaster and the Swans’ elaborate coffee orders are aged-best details.

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

Harlan Pepper, disputed

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 00:57:03Read transcript

Harlan Pepper is proposed as weak link: his joke becomes apparent quickly and the ventriloquism is less appealing, though the nut monologue works; more Higgins and McKean is preferred.
Harlan is defended for matching Hubert’s mellow energy, his puppy-photo album and genuine love for a dog he calls noble; a future victory is predicted.
The Harlan criticism is clarified as excessive screen time rather than dislike; his solo scenes lack another character to play against, though a single owner’s pet relationship is valued.

What’s Aged the Worst?

Harlan’s ventriloquism; Mayflower officials

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 00:58:45Read transcript

Aged-worst suggestions are reluctantly limited to Harlan’s ventriloquism and the Mayflower officials’ interstitial scenes; more of the judge would be preferable, while the hotel-manager scenes remain valuable.
More time at the ice-sculpture party is desired; casting Don Davis as the distant judge prompts speculation about cut material.

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Michael Hitchcock as Hamilton

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 01:00:21Read transcript

Hamilton wins overacting with agreement, explicitly without treating the Swans’ heightened behavior as a flaw; Hitchcock reportedly used retainers and struggled against a lisp.

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

A television series could have earned much more

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:04:13Read transcript

The hottest take is that a television or miniseries version might have used the footage and earned much more, with the counterpoint that the compact film might otherwise have worn out its welcome.
A recurring dog-show series would retain the Flecks, Scott and Stefan, then also Christy and Sherri Ann; Harlan could be replaced by a new contestant.

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Patrick Cranshaw

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:05:31Read transcript

Patrick Cranshaw as Leslie Ward Cabot is the leading that-guy choice, with Malcolm Stewart as Cookie’s former lover also offered.
Rachael Harris, Don Davis and Larry Miller are additional that-guy candidates; Bob Balaban is considered too recognizably himself.
The that-guy threshold is challenged: Begley, Higgins, Willard and Balaban may be unnamed familiar faces to ordinary viewers; including O’Hara is disputed after Schitt’s Creek, though the cast’s 2000 status is acknowledged.

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Larry Miller as Max Berman

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:06:29Read transcript

Larry Miller as Max Berman is the heat-check pick, with Leslie Ward Cabot also nominated despite having almost no dialogue.
Harlan’s friends and the pet-shop owner are further heat-check candidates, the latter praised for holding steady opposite Posey.

Apex Mountain

Guest; Higgins; terrier songs; pet-owner movies

In the discussion (11)

Approx. transcript time · 01:11:40Read transcript

Guest receives an agreed Apex yes because this was when he had the most influence.
Willard’s Fernwood success in the 1970s complicates his Apex candidacy.
John Michael Higgins receives an Apex yes.
O’Hara receives no settled alternate peak, with Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Schitt’s Creek and After Hours discussed instead of this film.
McKean’s Apex is placed at Better Call Saul.
Coolidge’s Apex is The White Lotus, while Legally Blonde and Stifler’s Mom support the possibility of more than one peak; a confused Stacy’s Mom song reference is explicitly corrected.
Willard’s Apex is ultimately no; dog shows are qualified against Westminster itself, while goat roasting, AM Philadelphia, terrier songs, American Bitch and pet-owner movies receive affirmative responses.
Lynch’s Apex is Glee.
Posey’s peak is tentatively placed in the mid-1990s, with Dazed and Confused and Guffman mentioned, although her lack of a clear major peak is lamented.
Levy’s Apex is Schitt’s Creek, including the added significance of working with his son.
Best in Show is at least a top-ten comedy ensemble; Anchorman and Bridesmaids are comparison candidates, and Anchorman becomes the tentative best ensemble rather than an enumerated top-ten list.

Cruise or Hanks?

Hanks as Harlan or Hamilton

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:16:04Read transcript

Hanks wins over Cruise, potentially as Harlan or Hamilton.
Hanks’s Black Jeopardy persona is offered as a model for the film.

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Cookie Fleck prequel; new-generation sequel

In the discussion (3)

Approx. transcript time · 01:21:21Read transcript

A Cookie Fleck prequel following her early-1980s adventures, including the roller coaster, is the remake/prequel proposal.
Ariana Grande’s reported online recreation of the film, playing Coolidge and Gerry, is praised and inspires a new-generation version.
The new-version idea is clarified as a different story in Guest’s world rather than a direct remake; returning original characters as in Cobra Kai receives both interest and an objection to rehashing.

Is This Movie Better With…?

Danny Trejo; Sam Jackson; Wayne Jenkins; Tony Romo

In the discussion (4)

Approx. transcript time · 01:21:56Read transcript

Tony Romo as a commentator is floated in the better-with discussion.
Danny Trejo is proposed because his serious commitment could suit Guest’s comedy.
Sam Jackson is proposed, perhaps for a sequel, alongside a desire for more large dog breeds.
Wayne Jenkins arriving from Baltimore with a Rottweiler and confronting Hamilton backstage is another better-with proposal.

Just One Oscar

Catherine O’Hara; editing; Fred Willard

In the discussion (5)

Approx. transcript time · 01:23:33Read transcript

Guest’s directing and writing are considered for the single Oscar before editing receives support; improvisation is raised as a concern about choosing screenplay.
O’Hara is proposed for the Oscar because her comparatively understated performance grounds the more extreme caricatures, with the limp jokingly offered as her ceremony clip.
The contemporary supporting-actress nominees are compared, with disagreement over Kate Hudson versus Frances McDormand in Almost Famous.
Willard is proposed for supporting actor, then reconsidered against O’Hara after reviewing a strong field; another response agrees with Craig’s editing pick, and the O’Hara case gains support.
O’Hara is separated as the Oscar choice from Willard as an anticipated movie winner; Posey, Levy, Coolidge and Lynch are also considered difficult to replace.

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

Busy Bee

In the discussion (1)

Approx. transcript time · 01:33:39Read transcript

Busy Bee is the clear memorabilia choice, with the traveling quilt, framed American Bitch cover and the Swans’ vintage Sharper Image furniture or kickboxing dummy as alternatives.

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Keep a spare favorite toy; two left feet need not stop you

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:34:27Read transcript

Life lessons include hope despite two left feet, readiness to enter a dog show and a joking recommendation not to miss a chance with Cookie.
Keeping spare favorite pet or child toys and packing enough kimonos are further life lessons; multiple Murph wishbones and Halo mint sticks illustrate the toy advice.

Who Won the Movie?

John Michael Higgins; Fred Willard

In the discussion (2)

Approx. transcript time · 01:35:34Read transcript

Higgins is one explicit movie-winner choice; another response cannot settle among Higgins, Posey, O’Hara and Willard.
Willard is the other settled winner choice, favored over Higgins because his performance is the film’s most widely recognized; Higgins is characterized as the deeper repeat-viewing choice.

Podcast choices

Speaker not identified: John Michael Higgins
Speaker not identified: Fred Willard