In the debut episode of Going the Distance: The Rocky Series Podcast, brothers Ryan and Ruban Rebalkin launch an enthusiastic three-act breakdown of the Rocky franchise, kicking off with Act 1 of the original 1976 underdog masterpiece as a passion project born from Ryan's lifelong fandom and Ruban's reluctant-but-genuine appreciation (equating it to multiple viewings of Better Off Dead). Tangenting from Lou Ferrigno's Hulk temper to Always Hungry anecdotes, the duo unpacks the gritty Resurrection Gym opener—Jesus motif symbolizing Rocky's 30-year-old "resurrection" amid Catholic roots, barbaric street-fight chaos with Spider Rico (real boxer Pedro Lavelle), mid-round bets, and headbutt rage KO—before delving into Rocky's lonely $40 victory (~$175 today, bi-weekly supplement to loan-sharking), fixture status in decaying Philly (doo-wop "Take Me Back" singers as eternal routine), and poignant apartment solitude: practicing moss/fly "shell shock" dad jokes for shy Adrian, mirror-gazing at childhood photos evoking lost innocence, and quirky turtle chats (Cuff, Link, Moby Dick) underscoring his quirky, isolated heart. Blending trivia (Stallone's $70 bank account desperation, Party at Kitty and Stud's softcore debut), flubs (steam train anachronism, no South Philly El trains), and brotherly banter, they tease escalating stakes, Paulie dynamics, and Oscar-robbing speeches while inviting listener corrections via Facebook