Apex Mountain

Career peak debate for actors/directors.

Apex Mountain has run in 424 episodes. The most recent 40 are listed below — open any episode at its timestamp to hear the segment.

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‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’Bill Simmons

Heather Langenkamp's Balinese dream skills - 'not sure it's ever been done better', calling it apex mountain for that acting feat

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’Van Lathan

Questions whether A Nightmare on Elm Street is truly 'Apex Mountain' for 80s horror, arguing Freddy sequels (by end of 80s, with pop culture presence like 1-900 numbers, Will Smith records) could be considered apex, but ultimately leans toward this being the best entry

‘It Follows’Bill Simmons

Maika Monroe — no, her apex is probably Longlegs ('that vaulted her to another level'). David Robert Mitchell — yes ('I would have bought a lot of stock after this'). Playpen magazine — yes. Crazy tall guy — yes, could have been spun into his own sequel. Gross, terrorizing Detroit — the original.

‘It Follows’Chris Ryan

High-school horror movies — no (Scream). Backward-leg murders — yes, though not as good as the first death in The Ring. Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn — no.

‘It Follows’Joanna Robinson

Asks about above-ground pool scenes; nobody has one in mind

‘Friday the 13th’Bill Simmons

Adrienne King — definitely. 1980 drowning movies — Ordinary People makes it a big drowning year, so no. Jason — no. Kevin Bacon — no. Summer campsite movies — probably Meatballs. Halloween-ripoff movies — definitely.

‘Friday the 13th’Van Lathan

Dumbest kids who have ever lived in a horror movie — these are the ones: 'they're not scared enough from day one', 'truly imbeciles'

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’Bill Simmons

Tobe Hooper's apex mountain is Texas Chainsaw Massacre (over Poltergeist); also says Leatherface is apex mountain villain (10/10 on Hans Gruber scale) and Michael Myers is apex mountain movie murderer due to body of work

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’Chris Ryan

Debates final girls (Laurie Strode as most iconic vs. Ripley as underrated) but doesn't commit to single apex pick; agrees Leatherface/Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise discussion without naming a definitive apex entry

‘13 Going on 30’Bill Simmons

Jennifer Garner's Apex Mountain is 13 Going on 30 as an actress (makes ~$100M, dating Ben Affleck around this time), though notes she's more famous now due to Capital One ads and business ventures.

‘13 Going on 30’Bill Simmons

Mark Ruffalo's career now consists of 'beloved Hollywood lady' type razzle-dazzle roles, with this movie being the most prominent example.

‘13 Going on 30’Bill Simmons

Madonna's 'Crazy for You' apex was Vision Quest (mid-80s), not 13 Going on 30.

Episode	Host	Answer
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’	Bill Simmons	Heather Langenkamp's Balinese dream skills - 'not sure it's ever been done better', calling it apex mountain for that acting feat
‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’	Van Lathan	Questions whether A Nightmare on Elm Street is truly 'Apex Mountain' for 80s horror, arguing Freddy sequels (by end of 80s, with pop culture presence like 1-900 numbers, Will Smith records) could be considered apex, but ultimately leans toward this being the best entry
‘It Follows’	Bill Simmons	Maika Monroe — no, her apex is probably Longlegs ('that vaulted her to another level'). David Robert Mitchell — yes ('I would have bought a lot of stock after this'). Playpen magazine — yes. Crazy tall guy — yes, could have been spun into his own sequel. Gross, terrorizing Detroit — the original.
‘It Follows’	Chris Ryan	High-school horror movies — no (Scream). Backward-leg murders — yes, though not as good as the first death in The Ring. Charade with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn — no.
‘It Follows’	Joanna Robinson	Asks about above-ground pool scenes; nobody has one in mind
‘Friday the 13th’	Bill Simmons	Adrienne King — definitely. 1980 drowning movies — Ordinary People makes it a big drowning year, so no. Jason — no. Kevin Bacon — no. Summer campsite movies — probably Meatballs. Halloween-ripoff movies — definitely.
‘Friday the 13th’	Van Lathan	Dumbest kids who have ever lived in a horror movie — these are the ones: 'they're not scared enough from day one', 'truly imbeciles'
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’	Bill Simmons	Tobe Hooper's apex mountain is Texas Chainsaw Massacre (over Poltergeist); also says Leatherface is apex mountain villain (10/10 on Hans Gruber scale) and Michael Myers is apex mountain movie murderer due to body of work
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’	Chris Ryan	Debates final girls (Laurie Strode as most iconic vs. Ripley as underrated) but doesn't commit to single apex pick; agrees Leatherface/Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise discussion without naming a definitive apex entry
‘13 Going on 30’	Bill Simmons	Jennifer Garner's Apex Mountain is 13 Going on 30 as an actress (makes ~$100M, dating Ben Affleck around this time), though notes she's more famous now due to Capital One ads and business ventures.
‘13 Going on 30’	Bill Simmons	Mark Ruffalo's career now consists of 'beloved Hollywood lady' type razzle-dazzle roles, with this movie being the most prominent example.
‘13 Going on 30’	Bill Simmons	Madonna's 'Crazy for You' apex was Vision Quest (mid-80s), not 13 Going on 30.