The Toy Department: Recent Episodes
The Toy Department
In Episode 462, Madden and Kolsky are having a hell of a week, so it’s an ACTUAL SHORT EPISODE, focusing on:
- The return of THE CHALLENGE: CUTTHROAT (1:35)!! That’s it, that’s all, with thoughts on the format, the new contestants and all the shenanigans that have already gone down in the first two episodes…
- Homework for next week (31:15): which is mostly just last week’s homework, but adding the Hulu show Furious to the slate…
In Episode 461, Madden and Kolsky begin by acknowledging a first-time occurrence in pod history as they get into:
- Steven Soderbergh’s Full Circle (2:05) which as it turns out, our hosts watched several years ago when it was released and simply forgot about…
- Apple TV+’s new action show Lucky (8:05) and how it has a lot of good qualities—Anya Taylor-Joy, an interesting story, some good characters—but in light of the Full Circle experience it’s hard to say whether it will be memorable…
- The film Project Hail Mary (13:25) and how it is an absolute home run of a summer blockbuster, with an incredible acting performance from Ryan Gosling and pitch-perfect storytelling that left both our hosts in tears…
- Some sports talk (20:25) with Derek’s disgust for the Argentine National Team and a look forward to an exciting World Cup final and Kolsky’s excitement about the Caleb Era in Chicago sports…
- Homework for THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY (8/7), after a well deserved break (39:50), including: the newest season of The Challenge with a return to the Cuthroat format, the new Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey, the returns of beloved TV shows Ted Lasso and Special Ops: Lioness, and the new Amazon Prime show Ride or Die… Enjoy the rest of July!!
In Episode 460, Madden and Kolsky get in a little earthquake talk before moving on to:
- Boots Riley’s new film I Love Boosters (3:40), the particular madcap style that he works in, and whether it has diminishing returns…
- The somewhat disappointing Eric Andre/John Cena Netflix comedy Little Brother (18:10) and how it simply doesn’t reach the necessary level of laughs-per-minute…
- The rather disappointing Amazon’s Legally Blonde prequel series Elle (22:25) and whether our hosts are just too old for this shit…
- The wildly disappointing HBO series Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (29:10) and whether it might play better in an elementary school classroom…
- The extremely exciting (and largely not disappointing) WORLD CUP (33:25), with our hosts’ thoughts on the tournament overall and the future of American soccer specifically…
- Homework for two weeks from now (1:5:5), including: the Ryan Gosling movie Project Hail Mary (available on Amazon), the Soderbergh-directed, Olyphant-starring series Full Circle, the Apple TV+ crime thriller Lucky, and of course some more World Cup action…
In Episode 459, Madden and Kolsky pay some quick attention to their upcoming schedule before getting into:
- An extended visit to the SPORTS WORLD, where the World Cup is in full swing (1:30) and the NBA is turning from draft to trades and free agency (22:05)…
- Colin Farrell’s Apple TV+ show Sugar (42:20), which is totally enjoyable as just a neo-noir detective show, but also happens to includ an utterly additive ALIEN TWIST… Good times!
- Questlove’s brilliant new documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) [46:00] and the fascinating story of the band and frontman Maurice White…
- Homework for two weeks from now (53:25), including: Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness on HBO, the John Cena/Eric Andre comedy Little Brother on Netflix, the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle on Amazon and the now-available-to-rent-at-home Boots Riley film I Love Boosters… and a HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO YOU ALL!!!
In Episode 458, Madden and Kolsky figured out a way to get this thing on tape, which should be enough, as they talk through:
- The somewhat underwhelming season finalé of Top Chef (0:50) and how not leaving the Carolinas for the final felt strange…
- The new Apple TV+ series Cape Fear (16:30) and how one of our hosts just isn’t here for this sort of thing, but the other is ALL IN…
- A look back at a few show-favorite series that wrapped up for good in the last couple weeks: the enjoyable endpoint of The Boys (26:05), the only-sometimes-beautiful mess that was Euphoria’s last season (29:55) and the triumph of Hacks (41:30)…
- Homework for some time in a couple weeks (48:30), which is TOTALLY UP IN THE AIR other than World Cup and NBA Finals (if necessary), but may also include the return of Colin Farrell’s Apple TV+ show Sugar…
In Episode 457, Madden and Kolsky missed a week, so no time is wasted before discussions of:
- An eventful two weeks on Top Chef (1:00), which sets us up for a humdinger of a finalé next week…
- Tatiana Maslany’s new Apple TV+ show Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (30:50) and how her magnetism is at the center of an entertaining experience…
- Netflix’s new Duffer Brothers-produced series The Boroughs (35:00) and how there are some pretty good pieces but neither host is particularly interested in the central storyline…
- Netflix’s new crime thriller Nemesis (39:05) and how it’s a good version of a broad, good v. evil sort of populist TV show…
- A look at the world of sports (45:45) with the NBA set for a Spurs-Knicks Finals, Arsenal winning the Premier League (but not the Champions League!) and the World Cup on deck…
- Homework for some time next week (1:04:20), including: the finalé of Top Chef, the new Apple TV+ series Cape Fear and Kolsky catching up on the series finalés of Hacks, Euphoria and The Boys…
In Episode 456, Madden and Kolsky discuss their mutual inability to drink alcohol like in the good ole days before snapping their focus to:
- Netflix’s documentary Untold UK: Jamie Vardy (4:10) and the absolutely incredible story of his rise to the Premier League and eventual league title with Leicester City FC…
- Amazon Prime’s heist thriller Crime 101 (15:20) and how it’s a fun and pretty great version of a certain sort of movie…
- A quick show detour to discuss the totality of HBO’s DTF St. Louis (20:55) and how it was a long journey to get there, but it ended up in a pretty solid place…
- Netflix’s Martin Short documentary Marty: Life is Short (29:35) and how it does a great job of covering the public life of a venerated comedy entertainer…
- This week’s relatively underwhelming episode of Top Chef (37:15), the ascension of Sherry and Seiger, and wondering whether we’ll ever leave the Carolinas…
- Homework for next week (48:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, Apple TV+’s new Tatiana Maslany show Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, the new Netflix show The Boroughs and the new hit Nemesis (also on Netflix)…
In Episode 455, Madden and Kolsky navigate a new recording system as they meander through:
- A fish-themed episode of Top Chef (1:40), the danger of a simple error and the race to the finish with a good collection of chefs…
- The brilliance of The Bear’s new mini-movie Gary (25:40) and how the show’s creators continue to build beautiful, vibrant stories…
- BBC’s Lord of the Flies adaptation on Netflix (31:35) and how it feels like a direct page-to-screen printing of William Golding’s book…
- The Noah Kahan documentary Out of Body (38:25) and how it does nothing to explain the Noah Kahan phenomenon…
- Sports talk (44:05) with a bit of Premier League and some NBA playoff thoughts…
- Homework for next week (1:00:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the Amazon Prime movie Crime 101, the Martin Short documentary Marty: Life is Short on Netflix, Untold UK: Jamie Vardy (also on Netflix), and—naturally—more playoff hoops…
In Episode 454, Madden and Kolsky poo-poo Derek’s birthday before hustling through:
- The latest from Top Chef: Carolinas (1:45) where there was too much mayo for one of our hosts and too much heat for some of the chefs…
- Netflix’s new action show Man on Fire (19:50) and all the things it gets right…
- HBO’s new drama Half Man (21:15), from the creator of the highly-acclaimed Baby Reindeer, and how it’s very well done but relentlessly traumatic…
- Apple TV+’s new show Widow’s Bay (34:10) and whether it can truly be called a mystery or whether it’s a comedy or what the heck is generally happening here…
- NBA Playoff thoughts (43:10) after a wild first round and a big upset at the start of the second round…
- Homework for next week (1:08:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, GARY (Hulu’s surprise drop from The Bear universe), BBC’s Lord of the Flies adaptation on Netflix, and the new Noah Kahan documentary Out of Body (also on Netflix), plus—of course—more playoff hoops…
In Episode 453, Madden and Kolsky react to another missed show countdown before diving right into:
- The long-awaited and pretty weird Restaurant Wars episode of Top Chef: Carolinas (1:15) and the outlook for the remainder of the season…
- Netflix’s new series This Is A Gardening Show (24:05), which is DEFINITELY a gardening show, but also a Zach Galifianakis show, and rather delightful if you’re into that sort of thing…
- The new Sandler Family comedy Roommates (29:00) and how it’s a pretty good version of a particular type of Netflix fodder…
- Glen Powell’s The Running Man (35:15) and how it’s a little more self-serious than our hosts would hope, particularly from director Edgar Wright…
- A few sports thoughts (46:20) as the NBA rolls along through the first round of playoff action…
- Homework for next week (56:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the new HBO show Half Man from the creator of Baby Reindeer, the new Apple TV+ show Widow’s Bay, Netflix’s new Man on Fire series, and much more playoff basketball…
In Episode 452, Madden and Kolsky are HAVING A WEIRD DAY, independently and also together, complete with technological difficulties as they attempt to fully attend to:
- The most recent episode of Top Chef (1:05), featuring weird departures and weirder returns and the weirdest quickfire challenge…
- The return of the Netflix series Beef (23:30) for its second season, and what distinguishes the anthology-style series from its first go-round…
- Apple TV+’s new Elle Fanning vehicle Margo’s Got Money Troubles (28:15), its somewhat unexpected delights, and how Apple seems to be doing much of its best work in the complicated comedy zone…
- Sports thoughts—on Chelsea and Arsenal competing in Premier League misery (34:35) and a so-far-so-good first round of NBA Playoff action (42:25)…
- Homework for next week (47:00), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the new Netflix series This Is A Gardening Show (with Zach Galifianakis), the new movie Roommates (also on Netflix), Glen Powell’s The Running Man on Amazon Prime, and much more playoff basketball…
In Episode 451, Madden and Kolsky are up late for a special after-dark edition, so don’t worry if everyone sounds a little punchy as they chat about:
- The latest from Top Chef (2:45) where a BIG BBQ challenge brought out the best in the chefs and there’s a hanging mystery heading into next week…
- The Netflix doc UNTOLD: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom (24:10) which has a fascinating subject but doesn’t entirely come together as a documentary…
- The new Jonah Hill-directed movie Outcome (32:15) on Apple TV+, where the camp is high, the ambitions are relatively low, and one of our hosts is very annoyed…
- Netflix’s new Dan Levy comedy Big Mistakes (41:50) and how the frantic nature of the whole thing makes it tough to enjoy…
- A hard pass on talking soccer (47:30), but a few thoughts on the NBA as we head into the playoffs…
- Homework for next week (53:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the Apple TV+ series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, the return of Netflix’s show Beef (as an anthology series) and a WHOLE LOT of playoff basketball…
In Episode 450, Madden and Kolsky return from an extended, travel-filled layoff to get into:
- The last few episodes of Top Chef: Carolinas (3:25) and how the group is seemingly not living up to its own standards over that time…
- Apple TV+’s new sexy psychological drama Imperfect Women (26:35) and the sudden plethora of sexy psychological dramas on streaming services…
- The third season of Lisa Kudrow’s HBO series The Comeback (37:45) and how it’s mostly more of the same (other than a clever little AI storyline) but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing…
- The return of Amazon Prime’s “Jury Duty” with Company Retreat (41:35) and how it’s quite funny even if it can’t quite reach the hilarity of the original season…
- A few thoughts on the NBA (44:50) as we head into the postseason…
- Homework for next week (57:55), including: the next episode of Top Chef, AMC’s new show The Audacity, the new Dan Levy comedy Big Mistakes on Netflix, and UNTOLD: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom (also on Netflix)…
In Episode 449, Madden and Kolsky have a brief and unfortunate conversation about Arsenal’s star-in-the-making Max Dowman before putting soccer away to discuss:
- The second episode of Top Chef: Carolinas (2:15), with a very high level of cooking all around and an emerging favorite, plus a few thoughts on Padma’s new show America’s Culinary Cup…
- HBO’s new Bill Lawrence/Steve Carrell show Rooster (31:10) and its charming combination of comedy and drama…
- Netflix’s new horny dramedy Vladimir (35:25) and the now-incredibly-overused trick of showing us a potential endpoint in the first ten minutes of a series…
- Nicole Kidman’s new Amazon show Scarpetta (43:05) and the weird middle ground it finds between police procedural and family drama…
- The ABA docu-series Soul Power (50:50), the wild and crazy ’70s times in basketball’s upstart league and where the show may have missed some things…
- Homework for THREE weeks from now, April 8 (1:04:05), including: the next few episodes of Top Chef, Apple TV+’s Imperfect Women, Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat and the third season of Lisa Kudrow’s HBO series The Comeback…
In Episode 448, Madden and Kolsky are arriving on Wednesdays for the foreseeable future, as they respond to:
- The premiere of a new season of Top Chef (1:50), this one in the Carolinas and off to a rip-roaring start with a very dramatic elimination challenge…
- The final Best Picture nominee on the list, Hamnet (30:25), complete with Kolsky’s predictable distaste for the film and some general Oscar talk…
- The new HBO show DTF St. Louis (48:50) and how it’s got all the pieces of a good show, but at least one of our hosts is struggling with all the misery on television…
- Homework for next week (1:03:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the ABA docu-series Soul Power on Amazon Prime Video, HBO’s new Steve Carrell/Bill Lawrence show Rooster, the Netflix series Vladimir, and Nicole Kidman’s new show Scarpetta (also on Prime Video)…
In Episode 447, Madden and Kolsky address an upcoming pod schedule change before wading through:
- The Oscar-nominated film Marty Supreme (2:20) and all of its great acting performances, plus Kolsky’s discomfort with the Safdie style…
- The Oscar-nominated performance of Rose Byrne (13:00) in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and the distinctly not-oscar-worthy nature of the film itself…
- A sort of combined discussion about two network sitcoms (22:00): the Tracy Morgan/Daniel Radcliffe vehicle The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, and the reboot of Scrubs from pod favorite Bill Lawrence & Co…
- A few thoughts on Chelsea FC and premier league football (32:15), because the hosts can’t help themselves…
- Homework for WEDNESDAY of next week (39:05), including: the premier of the new season of Top Chef, Hamnet (the final Oscar nominee for the pod), and the new HBO show DTF St. Louis…
In Episode 446, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss Derek’s homework apology before (angrily) diving right into:
- The widely acclaimed Best Picture nominee The Secret Agent (1:10) and how neither of our hosts can figure out why that acclaim exists…
- Richard Linklater’s new film Blue Moon (12:45), which was abjectly hated by one of our hosts and marginally appreciated for its good qualities by the other…
- Ethan Coen’s 2025 film Honey Don’t (21:10) and how it simply doesn’t rise to the standard of the work he’s done with his brother…
- The new Netflix series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (31:05) and how Northern Irish murder mystery capers apparently appeal more to one host than the other…
- Homework for next week (37:30), including: the Oscar-nominated films Marty Supreme and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the Tracy Morgan show The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins on NBC/Peacock, and the Scrubs reboot on ABC/Hulu…
In Episode 445, Madden and Kolsky briefly address the results of the Toy Department Derby (if it can be so called) before moving into:
- Kolsky’s dad’s recommendation, the Bert Kreischer show Free Bert on Netflix (4:15), which neither of our hosts disliked, per se, but nobody here can exactly recommend…
- This week’s Oscar film Sentimental Value (11:25) and how Madden and Kolsky’s differing expectations may have contributed to their differing experiences with the film…
- The good-time action flick The Wrecking Crew (24:25) and the value of having some fun at the movies…
- The return of Shrinking (33:05), the emotional journey that makes it one of the best shows out right now, and the work of creator/showrunner Bill Lawrence…
- Some sports thoughts (40:00) with the Super Bowl on deck and the NBA’s trade deadline just passed…
- Homework for TWO weeks from now (53:10), including: the Richard Linklater film Blue Moon (with Oscar-nominated Ethan Hawke), the Best Picture-nominated Brazilian film The Secret Agent, the new-to-Netflix Ethan Coen movie Honey Don’t, and the new Netflix series How To Get To Heaven From Belfast…
In Episode 444, Madden and Kolsky have a breezy chat about whether or not they’ll have a breezy chat about some not-so-breezy content (does that make sense?) before having an [arguably breezy] chat about:
- The Oscar-nominated Train Dreams (1:35) and how it does a lot of things right, even if it ultimately is more of a tone poem than a narrative film…
- The distinctly not-a-tone-poem Netflix film The Rip (20:10) and the value of the Damon/Affleck let’s-have-a-good-time-at-the-theater attempt…
- Amazon Prime Video’s crime thriller series Steal (28:05) and how it has all the pieces to be a good show but somehow isn’t quite coming together…
- The new Marvel series Wonder Man (32:25), the enjoyability of a different sort of show within the context of the broader universe, and Derek’s continued distaste for MCU content…
- A few thoughts on the upcoming Toy Department Derby (41:05) and the prospects of Chelsea and Arsenal…
- Homework for next week (46:05), including: the third season of Shrinking on Apple TV+, the new Bert Kreischer sitcom Free Bert on Netflix (recommended by Kolsky’s father), the Amazon Prime Video action flick The Wrecking Crew and the Oscar contender Sentimental Value…
In Episode 443, Madden and Kolsky discuss the various challenges presented by the sub-zero temperatures they’re experiencing before launching into:
- Netflix’s new dramatic thriller His & Hers (5:30), and how it fails to reach the quality of a lifetime movie despite some heavy hitters in the cast…
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (13:20) and the wisdom of major IP properties telling small, disconnected stories…
- The Night Manager (19:20), which came out ten years ago, but is really great and the guys needed to watch Season 1 before they could get to the brand new Season 2…
- Peacock’s new Moscow spy series Ponies (23:55), the indelible charm of its leads and the desire for more high-quality shows like this one…
- Some thoughts on the Oscar nominations (34:00) and what they say about the state of movies in 2026…
- Homework for next week (44:45), including: the Oscar-nominated Train Dreams on Netflix, the new Damon/Affleck movie The Rip (also on Netflix), the Amazon Prime Video show Steal, and the new Marvel series Wonder Man…
In Episode 442, Madden and Kolsky are FINALLY back after a LOOOOONG winter break to bring you the best in pop culture conversation, specifically regarding:
- A couple minutes on the Toy Department Derby—Chelsea v Arsenal—that happened shortly before our return (2:30) and how nobody left satisfied…
- The HBO documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley (6:50) and Kolsky’s bizarre cultural blind spot when it comes to this particular musician…
- HBO’s other music documentary from the holidays, Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately (15:15) and how the film was less impactful despite a greater love for the band…
- The movie F1 (30:10) and how it is essentially a classic sports film with plenty of good-looking and entertaining actors and also pretty predictable and not particularly memorable…
- Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film Bugonia (36:10), how it differs from some of his previous work, and how much both of our hosts enjoyed it…
- Dave Chappelle’s new special (43:40) and how he still has his fastball but he’s also still making some frustrating and disappointing choices…
- Homework for next week (53:45), including: getting into The Night Manager (ten years late but on time for Season 2, on Amazon Prime Video), Netflix’s thriller series His & Hers, HBO’s latest Game of Thrones spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and the new 70’s spy thriller show PONIES on Peacock…
In Episode 441, Madden and Kolsky are in a REAL time crunch, so after briefly addressing Kolsky’s predictable failure with a specific (Jeff Buckley-sized) portion of the homework, it’s right into:
- The 50 Cent-produced Sean Combs: The Reckoning () on Netflix and whether it paints a complete picture of the monster that is Puffy/Diddy/Whatever you wanna call him…
- George Clooney’s excellent performance in the Noah Baumbach Netflix film Jay Kelly (13:50) and whether the movie around him stands up to it…
- The Darren Aronofsky movie Caught Stealing (20:00) and how it’s quite a departure from his usual fare, in that it’s more just fun than weird or interesting…
- The latest Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man (22:30) and how there’s not much to complain about other than the length of it…
- HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! We don’t have HOMEWORK per se, but We WILL BE BACK in the New Year, some time in mid-January, to talk about a variety of pop culture goodness—likely including the Jeff Buckley and Counting Crows documentaries on HBO, the full season of Pluribus on Apple TV+ and some festive fixtures in the English Premier League…
In Episode 440, Madden and Kolsky have a lot to discuss and very little time, so it’s right into:
- The two episodes of TJ’s Final on The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (1:00), wrapping up an excellent 41st season with some high drama…
- Netflix’s surprisingly delightful historical drama Death By Lightning (28:35) and the bizarre nature of history and legacy…
- The second season of A Man on the Inside (34:50) which picks up right where the lovable first season left off…
- The new Netflix thriller The Beast in Me (36:35) and how Claire Danes’ character (along with most of the others, frankly) is pretty unpleasant to be around…
- Peacock’s missing child drama All Her Fault (40:15) and how it’s All Just Bad…
- The Benedict Cumberbatch/Olivia Coleman rom/hate-com The Roses (45:05) and why one of our hosts liked it more than the other…
- A few thoughts on last weekend’s Toy Department Derby (52:10) where Chelsea managed to fight to a draw despite going a man down in the first half…
- Homework for TWO weeks from now (1:00:10) including: Noah Baumbach’s new Netflix movie Jay Kelly, the new Darren Aronofsky film Caught Stealing (also on Netflix), Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (yes, it’s on Netflix too), the HBO Music Box documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley and the 50 Cent-produced docu-series Sean Combs: The Reckoning (say it with me—IT’S ON NETFLIX)…
In Episode 439, Madden and Kolsky get started with Derek issuing the dreaded short-show curse before a futile attempt to break it while discussing:
- The last pre-final episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (1:15) where Nany’s determination to play the game “honorably” got the best of her, leaving a stacked field for TJ’s Final…
- The return of Landman on Paramount+ (22:05) and how it’s one of the most enjoyable and well-written shows available, whatever you might think about its oil politics…
- Netflix’s documentary Being Eddie (27:15) and whether the filmmakers managed to get deep enough with the enigmatic and private Eddie Murphy…
- Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (44:15) and how it utterly failed to reach either of our hosts…
- Derek finally watched Sinners! (51:00) He didn’t love it.
- Homework for TWO weeks from now [we are off for Thanksgiving, and a HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU] (58:50), including: a final report on The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, Netflix’s Claire Danes show The Beast in Me, Peacock’s missing child drama All Her Fault, the Cumberbatch/Coleman film The Roses (available on Hulu), Netflix’s historical drama Death By Lightning, and the second season of A Man on the Inside…
In Episode 438, Madden and Kolsky get right down to business to avoid Kolsky’s scheduling conflicts:
- The last two weeks of action on The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (1:11) where the latest episode featured some delightful high drama, continuing rookie behavior from a vet and a fascinating new elimination… and we are set up for a heck of stretch run!
- Tracy Morgan’s new Paramount+ sitcom Crutch (23:25) and how it is really for people who love the old-school, traditional sitcom format (and apparently the show The Neighborhood with Cedric the Entertainer)…
- The new HBO Max comedy I Love LA (26:30), Derek’s developing distaste for Rachel Sennott and an interesting comparison to a long-running and beloved show in a different city…
- Netflix’s new Colin Farrell film Ballad of a Small Player (30:25) and how our hosts wish the movie was better, because Farrell’s performance is typically awesome…
- Vince Gilligan’s new Apple TV+ show Pluribus (35:25) and how Rhea Seehorn should be in everything and we should cherish our television masters while we have them…
- A few thoughts on Victor Wembenyama (55:15) and the place of dynasties in sports…
- Homework for next week (1:04:05), including: another episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, the Eddie Murphy docu-series Being Eddie on Netflix, the return of Landman on Paramount+ and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (also on Netflix), plus MAYBE season 2 of A Man on the Inside (time permitting) and Sinners (Derek-watching-it permitting)…
In Episode 437, Madden and Kolsky hurry through an intro after Derek applies the dreaded short-show curse, so they can get to:
- This week’s action from The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (2:35) and how bizarre it is to see the vets panic over gameplay when the rookies are handling it reasonably well…
- The second season of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This (26:20) and how it remains compulsively watchable and driven by excellent characters…
- Netflix’s new Kathryn Bigelow film A House of Dynamite (33:05) and how it’s a dynamite mood piece that doesn’t totally come together as a narrative film…
- DEREK FINALLY SAW One Battle After Another (41:10) and both our hosts loved it, so that’s the conversation…
- Homework for next week (53:10), including: another episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, the new HBO Max comedy I Love LA, Tracy Morgan’s new sitcom Crutch on Paramount+ and the new Netflix movie Ballad of a Small Player…
In Episode 436, Madden and Kolsky must address Derek’s continued truancy at the movie theater before they can get deeper into:
- The latest from The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (4:35) where there are increasingly fewer vets (especially on the men’s side) but plenty of threats all over…
- The Shane Black film Play Dirty (20:50) and the joys of watching Lakeith Stanfield, plus a spoiler that we forgot to pre-alert, so look alive …
- The Hulu documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (26:15) and the importance of the festival, in retrospect, plus Kolsky’s irrational distaste for Sarah McLachlan…
- Colin Hanks’ documentary John Candy: I Like Me (36:10) and the relative ambitions of a bio-doc versus an event doc…
- The new Naked Gun movie on Paramount+ (43:45) and how Liam Neeson & Co. did well to capture the essence of the franchise but could have provided a few more laughs…
- A handful of sports thoughts (48:20) from gambling in the NBA to Arsenal’s spot atop the EPL favorites…
- Homework for next week (1:10:00), including: another episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, actually making Derek get to the theater to see One Battle After Another, plus Season 2 of Nobody Wants This and the new Kathryn Bigelow movie A House of Dynamite, both on Netflix…
In Episode 435, Madden and Kolsky return from an extended absence with Derek running on fumes to discuss:
- Three weeks of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (4:15) which featured lots of content but maybe not a whole lot of action…
- The Chair Company on HBO (26:05) and why both of our hosts are all the way out on Tim Robinson…
- Hulu’s football comedy Chad Powers (33:35) and what it looks like when a movie star is in a middling TV comedy…
- Netflix’s new period drama House of Guinness (38:05) and whether it will pick up enough to draw one of our hosts in…
- Mae Martin’s new Netflix thriller Wayward (43:25) and its extremely chaotic energy…
- Derek’s failure (49:30) to watch One Battle After Another…
- Homework for next week (51:30), including: another episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, actually getting to talk about One Battle After Another, the new Naked Gun movie on Paramount+, the new Shane Black movie Play Dirty on Amazon Prime Video, the Hulu documentary Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery (despite Kolsky’s sexism) and the Colin Hanks-directed documentary John Candy: I Like Me on Amazon Prime Video…
In Episode 434, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s upcoming trip to Austin City Limits before zeroing in on:
- The latest from The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (7:45) and the product of the Lock In, plus Derek’s feelings about an elimination-free episode…
- Netflix’s new series Black Rabbit (28:30) and whether it’s their attempt at a prestige show (and whether it’s successful, if so)…
- Sterlin Harjo’s new Ethan Hawke-led series The Lowdown (35:35) and where FX stands in the theoretical prestige TV rankings…
- Homework for THREE weeks from now (50:45), including: another episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, Netflix’s new drama House of Guinness, the Mae Martin-created Wayward (also on Netflix), Hulu’s new comedy Chad Powers, and Tim Robinson’s The Chair Company on HBO, plus (hopefully) movies The Naked Gun and One Battle After Another…
In Episode 433, Madden and Kolsky literally discuss the weather before they finally get into it with:
- The latest from The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (3:35) after the demise of the Justice for Leka movement…
- The new Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest (24:40) and whether Denzel is too old for this sh*t…
- Prime Video’s new thriller The Girlfriend (35:50) and how (and why) it doesn’t quite rise to the level of must-watch…
- The return of Gen V (43:20) and further thoughts on The Boys cinematic universe…
- Homework for next week (we forgot to actually mention it in the episode ), including: the next episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, Netflix’s new show Black Rabbit and Sterlin Harjo’s new series The Lowdown on FX…
In Episode 432, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s imminent vacation to Vegas, and general Vegas strategy, before diving into:
- The latest from The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (5:00) where, as so often happens, the rookies are flailing and failing at forming a working alliance to oppose the vets…
- Peacock’s Office spin-off The Paper (22:00) and the potential pitfalls of trying to re-capture the magic…
- Amazon Prime Video’s teen band dramedy The Runarounds (25:55) and how one of our hosts (bet you can guess which) is an instant Stan…
- HBO’s new Sunday night offering Task (34:00) and the mysteries that abound in the first episode of the new show from the creator of Mare of Easttown…
- Homework for next week (47:55), including: the next episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, the new Spike Lee joint Highest 2 Lowest on Apple TV+, and two Amazon Prime Video shows: Season 2 of Gen V and the new show The Girlfriend…
In Episode 431, Madden and Kolsky discuss their IRL meet-up between podcasts before getting down to brass tacks on:
- The last two weeks of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (7:00) and the thrilling elimination that crowned the most recent episode…
- The baffling and distinctly not funny comedy The Pickup (22:50) and how exactly we end up making things that make no sense…
- The disappointing film The Phoenician Scheme (28:40) and whether the career of Wes Anderson has ceased to be a source of interest…
- The excellent Freaky Tales (34:30) and its love affair with Oakland…
- A revisiting of Apple TV+’s insane show Smoke (43:05) and how the not-especially-good-but-totally-ridiculous blueprint seems to be working for them…
- Homework for next week (51:45), including: the next episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, the Office spin-off The Paper, HBO’s new crime drama Task and the Amazon Prime teen band show The Runarounds…
In Episode 430, Madden and Kolsky are chomping at the bit after a week off, so it’s right on into:
- The last two weeks of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (1:20) and whether Johnny Bananas was right when he said “I AM the Challenge!”
- Apple TV+’s Chief of War (24:10) and why neither of our hosts expect to keep watching…
- Noah Hawley’s Alien Earth on FX (28:55) and how he just keeps making compelling television…
- Peacock’s John Grisham adaptation The Rainmaker (33:30) and how it’s pretty darn good for a network-y sort of show…
- Netflix’s documentary series America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys (39:20) and how much Kolsky loves Michael Irvin…
- Homework for TWO weeks from now (53:00), including: the next two episodes of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, revisiting the Apple TV+ show Smoke and three movies —The Pickup on Amazon Prime Video, Freaky Tales on HBO Max and The Phoenician Scheme on Peacock…
In Episode 429, Madden and Kolsky get into their relative appreciation of getting pounded with heavy metal before they buckle down on:
- The new FX show Welcome to Necaxa (3:20) and how the Eva Longoria project resembles but is also very different from the Rob & Ryan project in Wrexham…
- Kolsky’s failure to watch Chief of War (15:00) thanks to a miscommunication on last pod (so maybe it’s homework now?)…
- Netflix’s bat-guano insane The Hunting Wives (16:30) and the utter mediocrity of its nudity-heavy nonsense…
- The five hours of Billy Joel documentary on HBO (22:05), whether he deserved that length and where his legacy lands…
- Amazon Prime Video’s teen drama sensation The Summer I Turned Pretty (46:35) and whether our hosts should suffer through the first season or two to get to the apparently very good third season… or are we just very old and out of touch?
- Another exciting episode of The Challenge 41: Vets & New Threats (54:45) and an absolute banger of an elimination between two small rookie women who left everything they had in the ring…
- Homework for TWO weeks from now (1:09:35), including: the next two episodes of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, perhaps revisiting the well-reviewed Chief of War, Noah Hawley’s new FX show Alien Earth, the John Grisham television adaptation The Rainmaker on USA/Peacock and the new Dallas Cowboys/Jerry Jones documentary on Netflix…
In Episode 428, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s visit to Chicago and assign some extra homework that they forgot about before locking into:
- The first episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats (5:55) and also the weird and mostly annoying 0th episode, with lots of excitement for the season to come…
- The reasonably enjoyable Happy Gilmore 2 (30:55), how far you can fly on the wings of cameo appearances from terrible actors and Adam Sandler’s career choices…
- Hulu’s new show Washington Black (39:50) and the relative usefulness of fantastical historical fiction…
- Homework for next week (44:05), including: the next episode of The Challenge: Vets & New Threats, checking in on the apparently very popular The Summer I Turned Pretty on Amazon Prime Video, Netflix’s new series The Hunting Wives, Eva Longoria’s Wrexham spinoff Necaxa and the Billy Joel documentary And So It Goes on HBO Max…
In Episode 427, Madden and Kolsky chat a bit about Kolsky’s new recording setup (which did not work as well as hoped) and recent oral surgery before homing in on:
- Netflix’s Charlize Theron action sequel The Old Guard 2 (3:40) and whether it deserves a Part 3, plus thoughts on Netflix’s ouevre…
- Michael C. Hall’s return to old haunts on Dexter: Resurrection (10:25) and streamer’s looking for mileage on friendly, well-worn trails…
- Amazon Prime Video’s Bosch spin-off Ballard (17:40) and how it landed with two dudes who never watched Bosch…
- Lena Dunham’s new Netflix show Too Much (22:50) and the goofy fun of Meg Stalter, plus the difference between Netflix and HBO…
- A few pre-season comments on The Challenge (28:15) and what our hosts are looking for in Season 41…
- Homework for next week (38:15), including: the return of The Challenge for Season 41, the new Happy Gilmore sequel on Netflix, the British show Assassin on Amazon Prime and the Sterling K. Brown show Washington Black on Hulu…
- Some English Premier League thoughts (40:40) before preseason gets fully underway…
In Episode 426, Madden and Kolsky spend entirely too long on Kolsky’s new cold brew coffee formula before shaking it off to discuss:
- The police-procedural-style crime drama Dept. Q on Netflix (4:30) and why one of our hosts loved it and the other turned it off…
- Apple TV+’s fire-crime-drama Smoke (10:05) and how, again, one of our hosts loved it and the other turned it off…
- Some love for the newest season of The Bear (18:00) and what it looks like to make essentially perfect television…
- Some soccer transfer talk (31:20) as the Club World Cup Final against PSG looms for Chelsea…
- Homework for TWO weeks from now (44:00), including: the return of Michael C. Hall in Dexter: Resurrection, the new Charlize Theron action movie The Old Guard 2, Lena Dunham’s new show Too Much on Netflix and the Bosch spinoff Ballard on Amazon Prime Video…
In Episode 425, Madden and Kolsky wish everyone a Happy Juneteenth before jumping into a holiday recording with:
- The excellent documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin on Netflix (2:50) and how it tells a fascinating and compelling story about a great rock band…
- The harmless Amazon Prime film Deep Cover (12:45) and why it seems to be getting so much love…
- The Netflix series Tires (15:50) and a general discussion about Shane Gillis…
- A few NBA thoughts on the way out (23:05) as our hosts just want everyone to get to the offseason safely…
- Homework for THREE weeks from now (28:50), including: the newest season of The Bear on FX, the new Apple TV+ show Smoke and probably some other stuff to be determined later…
In Episode 424, Madden and Kolsky are aiming for a short show, so it’s more or less right into:
In Episode 423, Madden and Kolsky make haste with pleasantries and hustle their way through:
In Episode 422, Madden and Kolsky have a quick Chelsea FC digression before they dive on in to:
In Episode 421, Madden and Kolsky return after too long of a break to get into a wealth of pop culture, some of it very excellent, at least whatever they can remember of:
In Episode 420, Madden and Kolsky get into some dentistry (and periodontistry?) before circling around to:
In Episode 419, Madden and Kolsky are squeezing a taping into a naptime, so it’s right on into:
In Episode 418, Madden and Kolsky return from an unscheduled absence to revisit the world of pop culture, blasting through:
In Episode 417, Madden and Kolsky get right down to business because Kolsky has important activities to get to (specifically a 3-year-old’s dance performance):
In Episode 416, Madden and Kolsky get into the transition from winter to spring and the many traps this season presents before shifting over to:
In Episode 415, Madden and Kolsky briefly recount Derek’s London experience before diving into:
In Episode 414, Madden and Kolsky are pressed for time after missing last week, so it’s some quick pleasantries and right into:
In Episode 413, Madden and Kolsky give you everything they’ve got about the Super Bowl (which amounts to approximately 47 seconds of content) before locking in on:
In Episode 412, Madden and Kolsky have a quick chat about vacations and the city of New Orleans before focusing in on:
In Episode 411, Madden and Kolsky spend some time whining about the cold weather and their various maladies before sucking it up and getting to:
In Episode 410, Madden and Kolsky are both suffering from a little case of winter doldrums, but buck up after a few minutes of whining to get into:
In Episode 409, Madden and Kolsky have a quick post-holiday catch-up before diving right into:
In Episode 408, Madden and Kolsky catch up after a week off, including a brief description of Kolsky’s London Getaway, before locking in on:
In Episode 407, Madden and Kolsky return after an extended break and before another one, and now need to apologize to everyone who may be offended by a bumpy open and the loss of Kolsky’s primary microphone after approximately seven minutes, but nevertheless pursue conversations about:
In Episode 406, Madden and Kolsky spend a few minutes discussing mixtapes with an air of nostalgia before they lock into:
In Episode 405, Madden and Kolsky are on the clock and in their feelings, so it’s a sprint through:
In Episode 404, Madden and Kolsky hit the ground running after an off-air election conversation with a little Halloween recap before getting into:
In Episode 403, Madden and Kolsky briefly address their respective levels of exhaustion before jumping right into:
In Episode 402, Madden and Kolsky discuss their great lost episode, and attempt to recreate some of the magic you missed last week as they cover:
In Episode 401, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s work-cation and his exclusive property on Haven’t-Seen-Harry-Potter Island before locking in on:
- The latest from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras (7:00) including the rapid demise of Era 1 and whether or not strategy dictates finishing them off or shifting focus…
- Netflix’s enthralling WWE docu-series Mr. McMahon (29:15) and how to reckon with the broader cultural impact of professional wrestling…
- The ripped-from-Kolsky’s-heart rom-com Nobody Wants This (43:10) and how Netflix has constructed a show that’s hard to imagine not loving…
- The film Killer Heat on Amazon Prime Video (48:00) and the comfort of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s face and propensity for voice-over…
- A few random sports thoughts (52:25) as Kolsky eulogizes his baseball fandom…
- Homework for next week (57:45), including: another episode of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, the Pitt/Clooney movie Wolfs on Apple TV+, the Mark Duplass show Penelope on Netflix, the documentary Will & Harper (also on Netflix) and the new HBO comedy The Franchise…
In Episode 400, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s San Francisco escapades and marvel at the longevity of this silly podcast before getting into:
- The latest from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras (6:10) where Era I continues to burn to the ground, despite Rachel’s best efforts, and Era II continues to weather the storm that is Cara Maria and Laurel…
- The baffling film Challengers (33:05) and what the people involved thought they were doing…
- Netflix’s new action movie Rebel Ridge (38:45), the increasingly popular one-man-with-a-grudge format and the leading man ascension of Aaron Pierre…
- A check-in on FX’s The Old Man (43:10) and whether the story of Jeff Bridges’ chaotic past is enough to carry a second season…
- The Max/DC series The Penguin (45:50) and whether the gritty, gangster-noir style and transformative performance from Colin Farrell were able to draw in our resident comic skeptic…
- Homework for next week (49:35), including: another episode of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, Netflix’s new Adam Brody/Kristen Bell series Nobody Wants This, the WWE documentary series Mr. McMahon (also on Netflix), and the film Killer Heat on Amazon Prime Video…
In Episode 399, Madden and Kolsky prepare to overcome a late recording time and Derek’s long week before diving into:
- The latest from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras (1:50), CT falling, Laurel spiraling and whether the 40th season is living up to expectations so far…
- The Alex Garland film Civil War (25:50) — how it is ultimately just a movie about photo-journalism and whether it leaves things on the table by not wading deeper into more significant themes…
- Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber’s rote Netflix rich-people-and-murder drama (35:35) and whether its insignificance hurts its watchability…
- Peacock’s Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist (41:50) and our hosts curiously split views on the end product…
- The spectacular Alex Gibney documentary Wise Guy: David Chase and The Sopranos (46:55), all the wonderful tidbits it delivers on one of the greatest television shows of all time and the price of genius…
- Homework for next week (57:50), including: another episode of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, actually watching the film Challengers, Netflix’s new action flick Rebel Ridge, Max’s new DC Comics effort The Penguin and a check-in on the second season of FX’s The Old Man…
In Episode 398, Madden and Kolsky are doing it after dark again, with LOTS to catch up on, beginning with a recap of their IRL meetup for a Pearl Jam concert, but moving on to:
- Two episodes of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras (7:50) and dealing with the fact that heavy hitters (or at least major characters) will be headed home on a weekly basis…
- Jeff Goldblum & Co.’s interpretation of Greek mythology in the Netflix show KAOS (41:15) and whether our hosts could deal with the chaotic nature of the show’s storytelling…
- FX’s new comedy English Teacher (46:05) and what a high-quality sitcom looks like in 2024…
- The return of the undeniable Slow Horses (51:35) and the many joys of Jackson Lamb…
- Homework for next week (57:50), including: another episode of The Challenge: Battle of the Eras, the Peacock show Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, Nicole Kidman’s new Netflix effort The Perfect Couple and checking out the film Challengers, now available on Amazon Prime…
In Episode 397, Madden and Kolsky are staying up late again, so it’s right on into:
- An absolute banger of an episode in Season 40 of The Challenge (1:05) with wall-to-wall physical eliminations that delivered some classic battles and some intriguing upsets…
- Vince Vaughn’s new Bill Lawrence-created show Bad Monkey (43:20) and whether we finally have an official “gourmet cheeseburger”…
- A few thoughts on Chelsea and the English Premier League (51:30) after Derek drags Kolsky into the conversation…
- Homework for two weeks from now (1:00:05), including: two more episodes of The Challenge Season 40, Netflix’s new Greek mythology dark comedy KAOS, the return of Slow Horses on Apple TV+ and the new FX show English Teacher…
In Episode 396, Madden and Kolsky don’t bother with small talk because somebody is UPSET as they get into:
- The opening episode of The Challenge’s 40th season (1:05) and how the opening salvo (or lack thereof) in the Battle of the Eras left one of our hosts quite upset…
- The Matt Damon/Casey Affleck film The Instigators (43:15) and whether it qualifies for the much-discussed (on this pod, anyway) “gourmet cheeseburger” designation…
- Steph Curry as Steph Curry in Mr. Throwback (48:45) and whether or not Steph Curry should quit his day job …
- A few thoughts on Steph Curry at his day job (56:35) or whatever you would call what he did at the Olympics…
- Some distinctly non-expert opinions on Olympic Breaking (1:09:05) and the apparent controversy around it…
- Probably more talk about USMNT soccer and Chelsea Football Club (1:12:10) than anyone asked for…
- Homework for a light show next week (1:28:30), including: another episode of The Challenge Season 40 and the new Apple TV+ show Bad Monkey…
In Episode 395, Madden and Kolsky talk a little Lollapalooza before homing in on:
- Apple TV+’s comedic entry Time Bandits (7:10) and Derek Madden’s distaste for the rather specific Monty Python vibe…
- The new Apple TV+ drama Lady in the Lake (14:15) and whether it qualifies as a “gourmet cheeseburger…”
- A few thoughts on the idea of the gourmet cheeseburger (22:10) and shows enjoying second life via the algorithm…
- The Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black (24:40) and how and where it falls flat…
- A brief Olympics discussion (31:50) as the games have dominated our hosts’ attention for the last couple weeks…
- Homework for next week (40:25), including: the return of The Challenge for a (hopefully) epic Season 40, the Matt Damon/Casey Affleck movie The Instigators (on Apple TV+) and the Steph Curry mockumentary Mr. Throwback on Peacock…
In Episode 394, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s new fitness challenge and a radio contest involving Fred Durst before jumping into:
- Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (7:40) and how both our hosts would prefer that he did something more interesting…
- The equally unnecessary but significantly funnier Sausage Party: Foodtopia (17:20) and how a little bit of cleverness and thoughtfulness can go a long way…
- The WTF sensation of Apple TV+’s Rashida Jones vehicle Sunny (24:15) and how both hosts are all in despite not really knowing what’s going on…
- The Julio Torres movie Problemista (30:20) and how it’s a quirky good time…
- Homework for a few weeks from now (4:05), including: the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black (available to rent), the two new Apple TV+ series(es) Lady in the Lake and Time Bandits, plus whatever else Madden and Kolsky come up with in the meantime…
In Episode 393, Madden and Kolsky discuss their canned-champagne problems (including Kolsky’s urgent need of a plumber) before conversations about:
- The third season of Hulu’s flagship dramedy The Bear (4:35) and whether it stands up to the incredibly high standard set by its first two seasons…
- The Dakota Johnson film Am I Ok? (19:15) and the text message Derek sent to Kolsky while he was watching it…
- The sickle-cell-superhero show Supacell on Netflix (33:15) and the cultural value of message-driven shows in this particular genre…
- The stand-up comedy of Ali Siddiq (39:50) and his recent four-special series about his life…
- A few thoughts on the state of USA Men’s soccer (48:25) as they seek to replace Gregg Berhalter…
- Homework for next week (1:13:05), including: the Rashida Jones show Sunny on Apple TV+, the new film Problemista on Max, Eddie Murphy’s return in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F on Netflix and the new Sausage Party show on Amazon Prime Video…
In Episode 392, Madden and Kolsky nail down what day it is and what city Derek is in, talk a little about Soul Coughing and concerts, and then get into:
- The return of The Boys on Amazon Prime (4:40) and some how an even darker tone that finally gave some morons a wake-up call about the themes…
- Hacks star Hannah Einbinder’s stand-up special (14:45) and comparing her stage persona to her television character…
- The Andrew McCarthy-led documentary Brats (18:10), all the feels of the Brat Pack Era and some interesting filmmaking choices…
- The new AMC series Orphan Black: Echoes (42:05) and how it appears to stand up to the original Orphan Black series after just one episode…
- Apple TV+’s sexed up thriller Presumed Innocent (45:25) and Jake Gyllenhaal’s fascinating career…
- The Dev Patel feature Monkey Man (57:45) and the industry’s commitment to the revenge tour action flick…
- Homework for next week (1:05:25), including: THE BEAR is back on Hulu, the Dakota Johnson film Am I Ok? on Max, the British superpowers show Supacell on Netflix and Ali Siddiq’s stand-up specials on YouTube…
In Episode 391, Madden and Kolsky are back from an unplanned hiatus (thanks to Derek’s unnamed coworkers) to dive deep into:
- The last two episodes of Top Chef (2:05) including a cheese-and-fishy quickfire, great chefs cooking scared in the pre-final and a final cook that saw three great chefs do their thing…
- The the end of The Challenge All-Stars 4 (22:40) including a purge, a rad paintball shooting challenge to kick off TJ’s Final, a friend-ly twist to end it and a big win for a bigger legend…
- The HBO docu-series Ren Faire (36:05) and whether the Succession comparisons go deeper than the obvious surface narrative…
- The intense and emotional Godzilla Minus One (44:00) and whether it transcends the standard monster-flick label…
- Bob Marley: One Love (49:15) and the life and legacy of reggae music’s GOAT…
- The Glen Powell/Richard Linklater team-up Hit Man (55:45) and what a winning rom-com it ends up being…
- A few thoughts on the end of the NBA season (1:00:30) and the championship-winning Boston Celtics…
- Homework for next week (1:10:55), including: Hannah Einbinder’s stand-up special (on Max), the documentary Brats on Hulu, Ophan Black: Echoes on AMC, Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent, the Dev Patel feature Monkey Man (now on Peacock) and the return of The Boys on Amazon Prime Video…
In Episode 390, Madden and Kolsky talk a TEENSY bit about the NBA Finals matchup before moving out of the sports world and into:
- The last Wisconsin episode of the current season of Top Chef (7:35), the chefs who made it to the final four and the interesting choice for the location of the season’s end…
- A topsy turvy week of The Challenge All-Stars 4 (22:05) that saw a strong competitor head home and leaves a lot of questions as TJ continues to threaten a final…
- Hulu’s new Donald Sterling/V Stiviano show Clipped (39:10) and whether the fall from “grace” of a racist piece of garbage makes worthy television entertainment…
- Netflix’s bizarre Benedict Cumberbatch drama Eric (52:10) and what on Earth it’s trying to do…
- The triumphant return of Peacock’s We Are Lady Parts (57:15) where the only reasonably complaint is there’s not enough of this show!!!
- Disney+’s new Star Wars adventure The Acolyte (59:35) and what it says about what the studio’s approach to one of the biggest intellectual properties in entertainment…
- Homework for next week (1:05:45), including: new episodes of Top Chef Wisconsin and The Challenge All-Stars 4, a few movies — Hit Man (on Netflix), Godzilla Minus One (also on Netflix) and Bob Marley: One Love (on Paramount+) — and the HBO docu-series Ren Faire…
In Episode 389, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s travels in the name of ROCK before attempting to swiftly get through:
- A triumphant return on Top Chef Wisconsin (6:30) and how the chef’s stack up as we head towards the final few episodes and a likely imminent location change…
- The departure of a heavy hitter on The Challenge All-Stars 4 (27:35) and where it leaves the leaderboard of the competition…
- Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt in The Fall Guy (40:25) and Kolsky’s love for the action-rom-com genre…
- Another swing at American history from Apple TV+ with The Big Cigar (48:00) and the performance of show favorite Andre Holland as Huey P Newton…
- Homework for next week (53:50), including: new episodes of Top Chef Wisconsin and The Challenge All-Stars 4, the new Donald Sterling Clipper show Clipped on Hulu, the return of Peacock’s We Are Lady Parts, the new Star Wars adventure The Acolyte (on Disney+) and Netflix’s Benedict Cumberbatch vehicle Eric…
In Episode 388, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s busy schedule before locking right into:
- The latest from The Challenge: All-Stars 4 (2:45) where Killa Queen Kam is making moves and dominating political gameplay (not to mention a bouncy elimination challenge) as the show heads into the home stretch…
- This week’s Savannah roller coaster on Top Chef Wisconsin (24:00) plus the dominance of Danny and what to expect from the second Last Chance Kitchen winner…
- The utterly bizarre (and possibly sneaky Christian?) The Book of Clarence (39:50) and what exactly the cast and crew set out to do when they started this film…
- The feels-inducing delight of Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza (47:30) and the incredible musical legacy of Perry Farrell…
- A quick chat about the end of the Premier League season (1:07:10) and Chelsea FC’s Commitment to ChaosTM…
- Some thoughts on the NBA Playoffs (1:13:30) with the conference finals in progress…
- Homework for next week (1:23:10), including: new episodes of Top Chef Wisconsin and The Challenge All-Stars 4, the now-rentable The Fall Guy and The Big Cigar on Apple TV+…
In Episode 387, Madden and Kolsky are meeting up late night for some Toy Department After Dark to get into:
- A new episode of The Challenge All-Stars 4 (3:35) that saw a very messy Brad season come to an end and a theatrical turn for Ace…
- This week’s episode of Top Chef Wisconsin (23:05) where a competitive final eight had to deal with more changes to the game format in addition to a fascinating native foods challenge…
- Apple TV+’s multi-versal Dark Matter (36:10) and whether it tells its story quickly enough to draw in its viewers…
- Netflix’s Will Forte true-crime-pod-mock-umentary Bodkin (43:50) and whether it connects with its bizarre small-town mystery vibe…
- The third season of HBO’s Hacks (47:30) and the brilliance of Jean Smart…
- Some English Premiere League thoughts (51:15) as we head into the final weekend of the season…
- Our weekly NBA check-in (1:02:10) mere hours after Minnesota’s utter dismantling of the Nuggets to force a Game 7 in Denver on Sunday…
- Homework for next week (1:14:45), including: another episode of Top Chef Wisconsin, more of The Challenge All-Stars 4, the newly-on-Netflix movie The Book of Clarence, the Amazon Prime Video Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black and the Paramounnt+ documentary Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza…
In Episode 386, Madden and Kolsky discuss the content of and response to the Tom Brady Roast on Netflix before diving into:
- A thrilling episode of The Challenge All-Stars 4 (9:15) and where things stand as we pass the halfway mark of the season…
- Top Chef Wisconsin’s Restaurant Wars (29:15) and some slight format changes, focusing on the challenges of staying consistent through a full night of service…
- The much-discussed Netflix show Baby Reindeer (47:40) and the emotional intensity it delivers…
- John Mulaney’s limited live Netflix series (57:05) and what exactly in the name of all things holy is even going on there…
- Elisabeth Moss’s new Hulu spy series The Veil (1:04:40) and whether it has enough about it to stand out in a crowded espionage TV landscape…
- A check-in on the NBA Playoffs (1:08:20) and the ascension of Ant-man as Round 2 rolls along…
- Homework for next week (1:28:15), including: another episode of Top Chef Wisconsin, more of The Challenge All-Stars 4, Apple TV+’s Dark Matter, Netflix’s new true-crime-pod-mock-umentary Bodkin and Season 3 of HBO’s Hacks…
In Episode 385, Madden and Kolsky discuss the baking project happening in Kolsky’s house before locking in and moving through:
- A baseball-themed team challenge on Top Chef Wisconsin (3:25) and an episode that ended with a classic good-food-goes-home moment…
- A spicy elimination matchup on The Challenge All-Stars 4 (18:35), the perils of making enemies in the game and a format that takes some power from the winners…
- The Lily Gladstone-starring series Under the Bridge (35:50) and whether it transcends a potential bad time TV designation…
- The 80s-style thriller Love Lies Bleeding (41:00) and Kristen Stewart’s interesting career choices…
- Some NBA Playoffs chatter (51:10) as the first round is beginning to wrap up…
- Homework for next week (1:07:10), including: another episode of Top Chef Wisconsin, more of The Challenge All-Stars 4, John Mulaney’s “live” show on Netflix, the buzzy Baby Reindeer (available on Netflix) and the Elisabeth Moss series The Veil on FX/Hulu…
In Episode 384, Madden and Kolsky open with a long conversation about Kolsky’s visit to The Sphere in Las Vegas to see Phish before snapping out of it to cover:
- The latest from The Challenge All-Stars 4 (15:55) including an elimination where heavy hitters swung and missed repeatedly…
- A twisty, dairy-filled week of Top Chef Wisconsin (35:10) wherein two chefs (re)entered the competition and one early star departed…
- HBO’s new Sunday centerpiece The Sympathizer (49:10) and whether our hosts are impressed after two episodes…
- A wrap-up discussion on HBO’s The Regime (1:00:25) and what the hell was going on there…
- Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of the popular Fallout video game (1:04:25) and whether it actually makes sense as a “television” show…
- A few NBA thoughts (1:08:15) after a few games from the first round of the playoffs…
- Homework for next week (1:19:20), including: more Top Chef Wisconsin, more of The Challenge All-Stars 4, the Lily Gladstone-helmed show Under the Bridge and the Kristen Stewart-helmed film Love Lies Bleeding…
In Episode 383, Madden and Kolsky bicker about who bears more responsibility for their bizarre technical difficulties before jumping into:
- This week on The Challenge All-Stars 4 (2:10) and old heads showing their muscles…
- The latest from Top Chef Wisconsin (24:35) with a rough week for some good chefs and some badly cooked meat…
- Michael Douglas’s turn as Ben Franklin for Apple TV+ (45:10) and whether the resulting Franklin makes enough of statecraft to have a worthwhile show…
- Colin Farrell’s turn as a noir-style private detective (52:40) and what exactly seems to be going on in a broader sense on the Apple TV+ show Sugar…
- The documentary Steve! (57:15) and the wild and crazy (and suddenly serene) life of Steve Martin…
- Netflix’s new film Scoop (1:04:45) and the choice to tell a story the Prince Andrew story through the lens of “journalism”…
- Homework for next week (1:10:20), including: more Top Chef Wisconsin, more of The Challenge All-Stars 4, HBO’s new Sunday night centerpiece The Sympathizer and Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout adaptation…
In Episode 382, Madden and Kolsky have a LOT to catch up on, from Matt’s new debilitating addiction to Derek’s busy concert schedule (with plenty of stops in between) but eventually get around to:
- A new season of Top Chef (10:20), a midwest location that infuriates Derek and all the insight our hosts have gleaned over the first four episodes…
- A two-episode debut of The Challenge All-Stars Season 4 (31:40) and a cast of true stars that reaches all the way back to the very first season of the Challenge universe…
- The surprisingly entertaining BlackBerry (55:45) and the simple pleasure of a good story told with good acting, writing and directing…
- Netflix’s new sci-fi big swing 3 Body Problem (1:02:30) and whether (to torture the idiom) it makes contact with the ball…
- Apple TV+’s new Kristen Wiig vehicle Palm Royale (1:13:15) and what exactly they’re trying to do here…
- The Jake Gyllenhaal-helmed Roadhouse remake (1:17:10) and how it swings and misses (to further torture the same idiom from before)…
- Homework for next week (1:26:55), including: more Top Chef Wisconsin and The Challenge All-Stars 4, a gaggle of Apple TV+ content — the shows Sugar (with Colin Farrell as a detective) and Franklin (with Michael Douglas as Ben Franklin); and the documentary Steve! (about Steve Martin) — and the Netflix movie Scoop…
In Episode 381, Madden and Kolsky mention their upcoming international break before diving right into:
- The 2024 Oscars (2:15) and the sweeping dominance of Oppenheimer and Poor Things…
- HBO’s new Sunday night centerpiece The Regime (14:50) and Kate Winslet’s performance as a dictatorial chancellor in a show that’s difficult to place within a genre…
- The very Peter Farrelly flick Ricky Stanicky (21:55) and whether it has enough behind the dumb laughs to make it worthwhile…
- Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen (26:30) and whether his particular style is well-suited for a streaming series…
- Derek has a few sporty things for Kolsky (29:50) ranging from Women’s Super League soccer to the changing college basketball landscape…
- Homework for April 4 (43:25), including: the first couple episodes of this season of Top Chef (in Wisconsin), the movie BlackBerry (available on Hulu), the new Apple TV+ show Palm Royale, the Netflix show 3 Body Problem and the Roadhouse remake with Jake Gyllenhaal…
In Episode 380, Madden and Kolsky discuss the big house-dad day at the Kolsky home and Matt’s various dad behaviors before locking in to cover:
- The second and final episode of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion reunion (4:00) and a wrap-up on a less-than-thrilling season of the pod’s favorite competition show…
- The Zone of Interest (31:15) which Kolsky couldn’t bring himself to watch and Madden didn’t particularly enjoy…
- The bizarre and oversexed Poor Things (40:30) and our hosts very different views on a very weird movie…
- The new Hulu/FX adaptation of Shogun (1:03:00) and how it won over a skeptical and reluctant Derek Madden…
- Apple TV+’s new comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin (1:06:50) and the varying mileage of incredibly stupid jokes…
- Homework for next week (1:11:45), including: the Oscars broadcast, HBO’s new Kate Winslet-starring miniseries The Regime, Netflix’s new Guy Ritchie series The Gentlemen, Amazon’s new British thriller-comedy Dead Hot and the Peter Farrelly movie Ricky Stanicky…
In Episode 379, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s busy schedule and Matt’s various maladies before jumping into:
- The first of two reunion episodes for The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (2:20) and how one week probably would have been enough to cover everything if they had just limited some of the shouting matches…
- The Vince Staples Show (19:00) and how it’s difficult not to see it as a second-rate version of our beloved Atlanta…
- Apple TV+’s new show Constellation (22:40) and whether it is compelling enough to stick around for answers to the its many mysterious questions…
- The Oscar-nominated Anatomy of a Fall (25:45) and how it is very French and pretty good but not necessarily on par with some of its opponents in the Best Picture category…
- Homework for next week (32:05), including: the conclusion of the reunion for The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, Hulu/FX’s Shogun, the remaining two Best Picture nominees — Zone of Interest and Poor Things — and the new Apple TV+ comedy The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin…
In Episode 378, Madden and Kolsky have a lot to cover, so there’s no time for pleasantries before discussions on:
- TJ’s Final on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (0:45), casting a bit of shine on at least two worthy competitors after a season filled with distasteful main characters…
- The dramatic, intense and somewhat mystical conclusion of True Detective: Night Country (21:40) and the some of the interesting reactions to the series…
- The Oscar-nominated Oppenheimer (33:15) and how Christopher Nolan’s opus stacks up to the other Best Picture nominees…
- A fellow potential Best Picture — Past Lives (41:35) — and how it works as a much smaller and quieter film than most of its peers in the category…
- The exceedingly light Next Goal Wins (49:25) and how Taika Waititi has fun with a story that feels worthwhile despite its frequent silliness…
- Homework for next week (57:30), including: all the drama of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion reunion show, The Vince Staples show on Netflix, the Best Picture-nominated Anatomy of a Fall and Apple TV+’s new space show Constellation…
In Episode 377, Madden and Kolsky have an in-depth Kylian Mbappe discussion before pressing record, then address Kolsky’s terrible Valentine’s Day before locking in for:
- The first episode of TJ’s Final on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (1:50) and the cathartic joy of seeing Jay sent home with nothing to show for his embarrassing display over the course of the season…
- Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show (33:20) and whether it’s a worthy pursuit in the depressing chaos of 2024…
- The new season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud, covering Truman Capote v. The Swans (45:35) and another chapter in the seemingly weekly serial Why Are We Doing This???
- Apple TV+’s fashion/WWII show The New Look (53:00) and how it distinguishes itself in this current TV landscape simply by feeling like it has something worthwhile to say…
- Some final thoughts on Super Bowl LVIII (57:45) and whether Kyle Shanahan bears the brunt of responsibility for another 49ers defeat on the biggest stage in sports…
- Homework for next week (1:09:50), including: the (hopefully) thrilling conclusion of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, two Oscar-nominated films — Oppenheimer and Past Lives — and on a lighter note, the Taika Waititi film Next Goal Wins (now on Hulu)…
In Episode 376, Madden and Kolsky pause to celebrate Chelsea FC’s successful FA Cup match before focusing on today’s topics:
- An action-packed episode of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (6:05) and the Challenge-fan-villain origin story that transpired this week for one of our hosts…
- The latest entry in the ever-expanding why?! canon, Apple TV+’s Masters of the Air (28:15) and how maybe it’s time to usher Hollywood’s old guard into a not-even-actually-early retirement…
- Donald Glover’s new take on Mr. & Mrs. Smith (34:00) and how his art continues to surprise and delight…
- Jake Johnson’s bizarre opus Self Reliance (39:25) and the value of full commitment to a wacky premise…
- Netflix’s new (old) dour addiction recovery comedy Loudermilk (44:25) and the all-time That Guy rankings, featuring Ron Livingston…
- Homework for next week (48:45), including: the long-awaited arrival of TJ’s Final on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, Apple TV+’s fashion/WWII show The New Look, Ryan Murphy’s new show Feud: Capote v. The Swans and Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show…
- A few football thoughts (50:20) as we head into what should be ann extremely entertaining Super Bowl weekend…
In Episode 375, Madden and Kolsky address Derek’s road location and failure to shower — with a weird detour to the film Wonka — before splashing into:
- A thrilling and dramatic episode of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (3:05) that leaves the show in an unfortunate place moving forward towards the final…
- The fifth and final season of Fargo (35:30) and what a spectacular show it was throughout its run…
- Netflix’s Emmy Award-Winning limited series Beef (42:05), which both hosts only returned to recently and ended up really enjoying…
- The new series Sexy Beast (50:50) and the fundamental but still-unanswered question of why??
- The excellent Best Picture nominee American Fiction (57:10) and some thoughts on the upcoming Oscar race…
- Homework for next week (1:07:40), including: another episode of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, Apple TV+’s new World War II show Masters of the Air, Donald Glover’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith on Amazon, Netflix’s dour comedy Loudermilk and the film Self Reliance on Hulu (written/directed/starring Jake Johnson)…
In Episode 374, Madden and Kolsky sort through the topics and decide it’s important to get right into:
In Episode 373, Madden and Kolsky are finally excited about something that happened on their favorite show so it’s RIGHT into:
In Episode 372, Madden and Kolsky waste no time diving into some divisive pop culture as they cover:
In Episode 371, Madden and Kolsky totally forget to wish each other (or you) a Happy New Year and instead discuss the elastic nature of time before getting into:
In Episode 370, Madden and Kolsky have an in-depth discussion of sinus procedures and overall nasal health before ending their year with:
In Episode 369, Madden and Kolsky spend a few minutes on Derek’s immediate future, including a rock concert and programming a Christmas music station, before launching into:
In Episode 368, Madden and Kolsky lament the existence of Daylight Savings Time and the depressing 4:30pm sundown in the Midwest before turning to:
In Episode 367, Madden and Kolsky discuss the arrival of really cold weather in the Midwest and lament their life choices before diving in to:
In Episode 366, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s propensity for failing to do his homework properly before getting into the things he DIDN’T screw up:
In Episode 365, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s rock-and-roll travels before getting to today’s pod business:
In Episode 364, Madden and Kolsky exchange only brief pleasantries before diving into the week’s homework:
In Episode 363, Madden and Kolsky discuss Kolsky’s recent positive COVID test and its myriad of ripple effects before locking in to:
In Episode 362, Madden and Kolsky lament the sickness passing through the Kolsky household (and the overall joys of parenthood) before diving in on:
In Episode 361, Madden and Kolsky talk about the breakfast tacos that Derek is anxious to get to before locking in to this week’s only subject:
In Episode 360, Madden and Kolsky talk a little bit of Chicago Bears football and Wrexham soccer before getting down to business with last week’s homework:
In Episode 358, Madden and Kolsky celebrate a (relatively) problem-free recording environment before getting right into:
In Episode 358, Madden and Kolsky lament Derek’s illness before he pushes through to discuss:
In Episode 357, Madden and Kolsky briefly address their literal physical proximity before diving right into the culture with:
In Episode 356, Madden and Kolsky are both exhausted and threatening each other with falling asleep mid-sentence as they prepare to discuss:
- This week’s episode of The Challenge: USA Season 2 (2:15) and how the change to an individual game changed the dynamic in the house…
- A trip to the movie theater to see Barbie (22:55) and how Greta Gerwig snuck a feminist text into the brains of the masses…
- Adam Sandler and family in the Netflix movie You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (35:15) and how it’s the most Jewish teen comedy our hosts have ever seen (and also very enjoyable)…
- The surprising and intense Special Ops: Lioness (45:55) and how the Taylor Sheridan/Paramount+ galaxy continues to be more than expected…
- Some disparate thoughts on the various Hollywood strikes (50:45) and some of the issues at hand…
- Homework for next week (1:03:15), including: another episode of The Challenge: USA Season 2, The Changeling on Apple TV+, the second season of Welcome to Wrexham on Hulu and another season of The Morning Show on Apple TV+…
In Episode 355, Madden and Kolsky lament some technical issues before jumping right into:
- The last two weeks of action from The Challenge: USA Season 2 (1:45); and there is A LOT of action to cover!
- Tracy Morgan’s new stand-up special Takin’ It Too Far (38:40) which is pretty quintessential Tracy Morgan content…
- The Ringer-produced documentary Destination NBA: A G-League Odyssey (40:20) and how it was interesting and informative but didn’t quite come together as brilliantly as our hosts hoped…
- The latest Star Wars series, Ahsoka (47:10) and how Rosario Dawson and a generally good cast is not necessarily enough to save the franchise for our less sci-fi-inclined host…
- Homework for next week (51:35), including: another episode of The Challenge: USA Season 2, Special Ops: Lioness on Paramount+, the Netflix film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah and the boys are gonna head to the theaters to see Barbie(!!)…
In Episode 354, Madden and Kolsky reflect once again on Kolsky’s family couch-surfing, plus the ultimate basement destination, before locking into:
In Episode 353, Madden and Kolsky discuss the Kolsky family’s bizarre living (and recording) arrangements before moving on to:
In Episode 352, Madden and Kolsky talk about life getting in the way and the challenges of moving a family across the country before getting to the business of the day:
In Episode 351, Madden and Kolsky get right into things after some apologies for not completing their homework, covering:
In Episode 350, Madden and Kolsky discuss the moving process for Kolsky’s family and the generally unsettled nature of his life before zeroing in on:
In Episode 348, Madden and Kolsky get into the difficulties of the moving process — especially for weird old semi-hoarders — before locking into the pop culture of the week:
In Episode 348, Madden and Kolsky are working on a Saturday, one at home and one in a hotel suite with an old man and a toddler (sorry for any weird audio stuff) but it doesn’t deter them from discussing:
In Episode 347, Madden and Kolsky are working on a Sunday, JUST FOR YOU, chatting about:
- The first Paris episode of Top Chef: World All-Stars (1:35) and what a wonderful episode of the series it was, plus the guys give their thoughts on Padma’s impending departure from the show…
- The series finalé of Succession (25:45) and how rare it is for a show to be so consistently great throughout its entire run…
- The Apple TV+ comedy Platonic (40:25) and the delightful chemistry between Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne…
- Another Apple TV+ comedy — High Desert (43:20) and the powerhouse performance of Patricia Arquette…
- The HBO/Max movie Reality (47:50) and how it left both of our hosts with more questions than answers; both about its subject Reality Winner and the choices of the filmmakers…
- Homework for next week (57:50), including: the new HBO series The Idol, The American Gladiator Documentary on ESPN+, and the surfing docu-series 100-Foot Wave on Max… PLUS the finalé of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo… and some NBA Finals talk as well!
In Episode 346, Madden and Kolsky convene early for a late-night-Thursday episode, giving you the goods on:
- The final London week of Top Chef: World All-Stars (1:25), a microwaved sponge cake, tricks of the eye and what to look for in the upcoming trip to Paris…
- Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s new movie Air (17:55) and how it manages to create tension, suspense and drama out of a true story that everyone knows the ending of…
- Hulu’s Jack Harlow-starring White Men Can’t Jump (24:55), watchable mediocrity and the remake-obsessed world we are all living in…
- The Shea Serrano-penned series Primo (30:10) and the delight of a family comedy written with love…
- A few NBA playoff thoughts as we sit on the doorstep of the Finals (34:55), whether the Heat can finish off the Celtics and whether either of them have a shot against the Nuggets…
- Homework for next week (43:15), including: the series finale of Succession, the new Apple TV+ shows Platonic and High Desert and the HBO movie Reality… PLUS the first episode of the Paris Portion of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 345, Madden and Kolsky have a Challenge final to discuss, so it’s right down to the business:
- TJ’s Final for The Challenge: World Championship (0:45), the design of an intriguing final, how this CBS/Paramount+ version fits into the Challenge Universe and Jordan’s ascension among the all-time greats…
- The double-elimination Wellington episode of Top Chef: World All-Stars (22:55) and how brutal it was on all of the chefs, and thoughts on how the competition stacks up heading to Paris…
- Hulu’s Tupac docu-series Dear Mama (36:50) and how Allen Hughes has crafted a beautiful marriage of historical document and artistic film piece…
- The Amazon Freevee show Jury Duty (44:25) and how James Marsden and a well-cast unknown centerpiece make this unique show entertaining…
- Peacock’s new Pete Davidson series Bupkis (48:40) and how the weird state of TV criticism led to unnecessary criticism of a perfectly good show…
- A couple minutes on the NBA Playoffs (54:20) after two games of each conference finals series…
- Homework for next week (56:45), including: Hulu’s new White Men Can’t Jump remake (starring Jack Harlow), the Ben Affleck/Matt Damon film Air (available on Amazon Prime) and Shea Serrano’s new show Primo (on Amazon Freevee)… PLUS another week of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 344, Madden and Kolsky somehow compare Derek to LeBron James before getting back to reality and into:
- The latest from The Challenge: World Championships (2:20) and how Sarah and Danny’s nutty gameplay somehow worked out for them as we have reached TJ’s Final…
- This week on Top Chef: World All-Stars (26:15) and an absolutely stacked field heading into the final few weeks…
- The new FX/Hulu show Class of ’09 (39:00) which features more questions than answers over its first couple of episodes…
- Apple TV+’s new series Silo (43:55) and how it feels awfully and uncomfortably incomplete in its storytelling…
- A few thoughts on the continuing drama of the NBA Playoffs (50:45) and some Nikola Jokic appreciation…
- Homework for next week (1:12:05), including: Pete Davidson’s new Peacock show Bupkis, the new Amazon Freevee show Jury Duty and the Tupac docu-series Dear Mama on Hulu… PLUS the FINAL of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND another week of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 343, Madden and Kolsky open with a quick detour about Derek’s friend Steven Hyden and the Seattle grunge scene of the ’90s before focusing on:
- The latest from The Challenge: World Championships (4:45) and how Sarah was saved from outing herself as a snake by Yes and Emily’s daily win, plus whether our hosts have underestimated her strategic game thus far…
- A twisty restaurant wars on Top Chef World All-Stars (20:20) and how it didn’t stop Top Chef’s top chef from distinguishing himself as the favorite in the competition…
- The deeply emotional HBO series Love & Death (35:35) and the heavy lifting its actors are doing over the first few episodes…
- The Watergate comedy White House Plumbers (40:20) and how the buffoonish nature of conservative operatives…
- The new Amazon Prime Video thriller/spy drama Citadel (45:05) and the role of action entertainment in our TV landscape…
- A few thoughts on the NBA Playoffs (52:05) and just how wide open the field is with eight teams still remaining…
- Homework for next week (1:06:05), including: Apple TV+’s new show Silo and the FX/Hulu show Class of ’09, with a healthy portion of NBA Playoffs on the side… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 342, Madden and Kolsky are working around Kolsky’s 20th college reunion, so it’s a quick attack of:
- This week on The Challenge: World Championship (2:00), the continuing drama of Danny and Sarah’s weird strategy and the hole in our hearts with some of the favorite characters absent…
- A quick week of Top Chef Season 20 (17:25) and just how high-level the competition is at this point, plus thoughts on the classic mise en place challenge…
- Peacock’s confounding new show Mrs. Davis (35:50) and whether or not Betty Gilpin can hold our hosts’ interest long enough to figure out what’s going on here…
- The wildly intense Dead Ringers (40:00) and the remarkable acting job of Rachel Weisz…
- Keri Russell’s new show The Diplomat (46:05) and what it says about Netflix’s approach to new television content…
- Homework for next week (52:40), including: two new HBO shows — Love & Death (with Elizabeth Olsen and Jesse Plemons) and White House Plumbers (about Watergate), and also Amazon’s new sci-fi show Citadel… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 341, Madden and Kolsky are trying to move quickly before Derek’s voice gives out to his cold, so it’s right into:
- The return of HBO’s Barry (1:40) and how it continues to deliver an utterly unique, genre-bending experience in its fourth season…
- Netflix’s WWII escape drama Transatlantic (9:05) and how it’s a surprisingly fun show given the subject matter…
- The gloriously ridiculous Cocaine Bear (15:00) and how one of our hosts gets more mileage out of dumb stuff than the other does…
- This week on The Challenge: World Championship (21:50) where strange strategy plays and bickering partners continue to dominate the landscape…
- The latest from Top Chef Season 20 (40:15) where the competition is remarkably fierce and anyone could go home at any time… but usually it’s the chef that goes too far outside their comfort zone!
- A few thoughts on the NBA Playoffs (51:50) as the first round rolls along…
- Homework for next week (1:05:00), including: Peacock’s new show Mrs. Davis, The Diplomat on Netflix and the David Cronenberg show Dead Ringers on Amazon prime… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 340, Madden and Kolsky talk a little grilled cheese before locking in on:
- This week’s monumental episode of Succession (2:50) and all the little pieces of brilliance that went into it…
- Hulu’s NYT J Dilla documentary (13:55) which is reasonably interesting and relatively informative but feels like it leaves a lot on the table…
- HBO’s Music Box documentary about Jason Isbell (23:45) and how it paints a really complete emotional picture of a pretty interesting man and musician…
- Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things (30:35), the magnetism of Kathryn Hahn and how the series brings together a multi-generational story of moms and daughters…
- Netflix’s Beef (34:40) and the intensity of watching people attempt to express their ultimately impotent rage…
- This week’s episode of The Challenge: World Championship (39:35) and a significant elimination…
- An apparently easily-judged episode of Top Chef (58:05) and the incredibly high level of talent remaining on this season…
- A few thoughts on the NBA (1:10:15) as we head into the playoff season…
- Homework for next week (1:24:45), including: the return of Barry on HBO, Netflix’s new World War II show Transatlantic and Cocaine Bear (now available on Peacock)… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 339, Madden and Kolsky revisit Derek’s mom’s letter to Matt (which you may remember being mentioned a couple weeks ago) before getting to the business of the day:
- The latest from Top Chef Season 20 (9:25) and how a home cooking challenge put some of the top restaurant chefs on the bottom…
- This week’s action on The Challenge: World Championship (24:45) and the critical strategy mistakes made by strategy master Wes…
- Hulu’s delightful new sitcom Unprisoned (46:10) and the positive effects of a powerhouse cast…
- The new Amazon Prime drama The Power (54:40) and whether this is a superpower show that Derek can stomach…
- Apple TV+’s new film Tetris (58:55) and the incredible story behind the making of one of the most popular games of all time…
- The return of FXX’s Dave (1:04:20) and how it seems to be peaking, in part because the show is understanding itself better than ever…
- Homework for next week (1:11:40), including: Netflix’s new series Beef, Hulu’s new series Tiny Beautiful Things and two music documentaries – Music Box’s Jason Isbel doc on HBO Max and the Hulu/New York Times doc on J Dilla… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 338, Madden and Kolsky complain about the Kolsky children’s germs and the Minneapolis weather before locking in on:
- This week in The Challenge: World Championship (4:25) and how this season’s penchant for cliffhangers is bothering both of our hosts, despite an episode that was otherwise very entertaining…
- The latest from Bravo’s Top Chef Season 20 (33:25), the relatively light touch of Tottenham propaganda and the tournament-style challenge that sent a very good chef to Last Chance Kitchen…
- The return of HBO’s Succession for its final season (51:20), the fact that it is absolutely firing on all cylinders and a couple thoughts on a potential spin-off…
- The return of Showtime’s Yellowjackets for its second season (1:03:25) and how much faith each of our hosts have in the show’s ability to stay at a high level…
- Apple TV+’s new charming comedy The Big Door Prize (1:09:55) and how the streamer seem to consistently produce pretty good stuff…
- A few thoughts on the totality of the first season of Shrinking (1:13:40), how well Bill Lawrence and Jason Segel seem to fit as the creators of this show and Harrison Ford’s tremendous work (especially for an 80-year-old)…
- Paramount+’s new spy thriller Rabbit Hole (1:22:10) and how Kiefer Sutherland is right in his wheelhouse in the midst of mysterious espionage…
- Homework for next week (1:27:15), including: Apple TV+’s new movie Tetris, the return of Dave on FXX/Hulu, Amazon Prime Video’s new show The Power and Hulu’s new sitcom Unprisoned… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 336, Madden and Kolsky recognize the longevity of American Dad and engage in a quick detour about British tv-watching habits before locking into today’s primary subjects:
- Donald Glover’s new Amazon Prime Video horror show Swarm (6:30) and just how bizarre the first couple/few episodes are…
- The new AMC/Bob Odenkirk show Lucky Hank (18:30) and how it seems to be a sort of meditation on middle age and mediocrity that happens to take place at a middling university, which both our hosts are on board for…
- Disney+’s teen flick Chang Can Dunk (22:20) and how it’s a near-flawless execution of a high school basketball dramedy…
- This week’s episode of The Challenge: World Championship (27:40) and the remarkable talent level of the remaining teams…
- The latest from Top Chef Season 20 (48:15) and how even pub food turns into a beautiful thing in the hands of a remarkable group of chefs…
- Homework for next week (1:03:45), including: the return of Succession on HBO & Yellowjackets on Showtime, the new Paramount+ spy thriller Rabbit Hole and Apple TV+’s The Big Door Prize… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
- A few thoughts on Major League Baseball (1:06:05) and the rule changes heading into the start of the 2023 regular season…
In Episode 336, Madden and Kolsky chat about Kolsky’s crowded house before distracting him with:
- A few thoughts on the Oscars (1:50) and what was a largely satisfying — if unremarkable — experience…
- The return of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso (8:40), the heel turn of Nate the Great and what is in store for the final season…
- A wrap-up of the first season of HBO’s The Last of Us (16:20) and what an excellent season of television it turned out to be…
- Netflix’s Luther film (26:30) and how it is essentially just a longer episode of Luther, which is perfectly good!
- The second week of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo (30:55), the rise of May and the fall of Dawn…
- A rather lackluster episode of The Challenge: World Championship (51:15) and the impending (and insane) Wrath of KellyAnne…
- Homework for next week (1:07:15), including: Amazon Prime Video’s new Donald Glover comedy/drama/thriller/horror show Swarm, Bob Odenkirk’s new AMC show Lucky Hank and the Disney movie Chang Can Dunk… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 335, Madden and Kolsky address Kolsky’s complaint about Bravo’s programming schedule deception and Derek’s potential relationship with Padma before launching into:
- The debut episode of Top Chef Season 20 (5:25), the old favorites who have returned as All-Stars and the exciting crop of international chefs who have joined the proceedings…
- The premiere of Paramount+’s The Challenge: World Championship (31:50), a very impressive field of contestants (other than the Argentine contingent) and how the partnerships shaped up after the first night of episodes…
- The Oscar-nominated film Women Talking (55:40) and how a great cast and heavy premise don’t quite get to the point of making a particularly interesting or exceptional viewing experience…
- The surprisingly enjoyable and well-executed Daisy Jones and the Six on Amazon Prime Video (1:04:35) and how sometimes just doing an established thing at a really high level is enough to be a really good show…
- Mel Brooks’ History of the World, Part II (1:07:40) and how it’s a lot like Part 1 — which is to say incredibly stupid and pretty damn funny, though one of our hosts enjoyed it more than the other…
- Homework for next week (1:11:15), including: the end of the first season of HBO’s The Last of Us, the premiere of the final season of Apple’s Ted Lasso and the Luther movie on Netflix… PLUS another week of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 334, Madden and Kolsky toy with the concept of a baseball discussion they are not yet ready to have before getting into today’s business:
- The conclusion of The Challenge: Ride or Dies Reunion (2:50) and a look ahead to next week’s debut of The Challenge: World Championship…
- The return of Party Down on Starz (18:40) and how it is just as laugh-out-loud funny as it ever was, with some exciting new guest appearances to boot…
- The Oscar-nominated film The Woman King (23:00) and how — like most of this year’s nominees — it left our hosts wanting more and wondering if there was a standout film to be had in the bunch…
- Amazon Prime’s incomprehensible thriller-comedy The Consultant (27:00) and whether anything has ever made less sense…
- Homework for next week (34:55), including: the Oscar-nominated Women Talking (rentable for streaming), Hulu’s The History of the World Part II from Mel Brooks and company, and the fake-band bio-series Daisy Jones and the Six… PLUS the premiere of The Challenge: World Championship on Paramount+ AND the premiere of Top Chef Season 20 (World All-Stars) on Bravo…
In Episode 333, Madden and Kolsky are on a deadline, so they jump straight into:
- Part 1 of The Challenge: Ride or Dies Reunion (1:20) and all the many dramatic spats therein…
- Netflix’s new teen crime series Fakes (18:25) and how it’s going for a quirky-and-lovable style that it simply doesn’t execute as well as some recent British comedies of a similar ilk…
- Marc Maron’s new HBO stand-up special From Bleak to Dark (25:30) and how he is operating at an incredibly high level as a comedian…
- Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical film The Fabelmans (30:00) and how it is exceptionally well-executed but not particularly ambitious or interesting beyond it being the story of a very famous filmmaker…
- Homework for next week (36:20), including: Oscar-nominated The Woman King (now on Netflix), Amazon Prime’s new thriller-comedy The Consultant and the return of Party Down on Starz… PLUS the second reunion episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 332, Madden and Kolsky get stuck in a lengthy discussion of playing FIFA and watching the English Premiere League before focusing in on the topic(s) at hand:
- The season finalé of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (15:10) and the crowning of two new champs in Devin and Tori, plus a look forward to the jam-packed future of The Challenge Universe…
- The critically celebrated film Tár (58:00) and just what exactly it has to offer other than a predictably incredible performance from Cate Blanchett…
- The Ryan Coogler-directed superhero film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (1:03:55) and how it doesn’t live up to its predecessor but still makes for a pretty good time…
- Showtime’s new 90s/00s indie rock scene documentary Meet Me in the Bathroom (1:08:35) and how it has some great shots and archived footage but not enough information about its subjects…
- The Dave Franco-directed Somebody I Used to Know (1:21:05) and the magnetic lead actor energy of his wife and star Allison Brie…
- Homework for next week (1:26:50), including: the Oscar-nominated Spielberg film The Fabelmans, a new Netflix series called Fakes and Marc Maron’s new HBO special From Bleak to Dark… PLUS the reunion episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 331, Madden and Kolsky do a quick debrief on their long time apart before shifting into gear to discuss:
- The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:40) where we seem to be past the halfway point of TJ’s Final and there are LOTS of incidents and accidents to discuss…
- A quick check-in on The Last of Us (33:40) to acknowledge the excellence of Episode 3…
- Peacock’s new Natasha Lyonne vehicle Poker Face (35:10) and how her charm carries the viewer to an awful lot of fun…
- Hulu’s superpower show Extraordinary (38:45) and how it really is extraordinarily enjoyable, with excellent writing and some delightful young unknown performers…
- Apple TV+’s Bill Lawrence/Jason Segel joint Shrinking (44:05) and how the combination of its two creators makes for an oddly enjoyable cocktail, plus — Harrison Ford…
- The Netflix rom-com You People (51:30) and how there’s not much Rom and Eddy Murphy is largely wasted but it’s not so terrible in the end…
- A few thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl LVII (1:00:55) and the recently passed NBA Trade Deadline (1:05:10)…
- Homework for next week (1:16:25), including: four movies — TÁR (streaming on Peacock), Wakanda Forever (streaming on Disney+), Meet Me in the Bathroom (streaming on Showtime and Paramount+) and Somebody I Used to Know (streaming on Amazon)… and OF COURSE the last episode (we think) of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 330, Madden and Kolsky do a LITTLE bit of housekeeping before jumping right into:
- The fact that Derek failed to complete his homework when he forgot about Treason (1:40) which is a nice little spy drama/thriller that Kolsky can still tell us a bit about…
- The most recent episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (5:40), including thoughts on elimination selection strategy, some great Burns of the Week and a preview of what looks to be a GRUELING final…
- The new horror/satire/comedy film The Menu (39:55) and how it is carried along by a group of excellent acting performances…
- The Billy Eichner/Judd Apatow-created rom com Bros (45:50) and how both hosts thought it hit all the Romantic Comedy pleasure spots…
- Homework for TWO WEEKS from now (52:15), including: the new Netflix comedy You People, the new Peacock show Poker Face, Apple TV+’s new show Shrinking, Hulu’s British superpower show Extaordinary and OF COURSE the final of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
- A few quick thoughts on this weekend’s NFL Conference Championship games (56:35)…
In Episode 329, Madden and Kolsky have a brief bundt cake discussion before getting down to the business of the day:
- HBO’s new Sunday night series The Last of Us (3:40), and how it was perfectly watchable but didn’t totally live up to the hype for either of our hosts…
- The despicably bad NBC Night Court reboot (10:55) and how disappointing it was…
- The warm, inviting Netflix re-imagining that is That 90’s Show (15:25) and how it proves the concept of a nostalgic sitcom reboot…
- Netflix’s new tennis docu-series Break Point (22:10) and how it worked much better for one of our hosts than it did for the other…
- The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (29:10) which is NOT yet at TJ’s final, but still gave us a highly entertaining episode this week… and also the latest from Kolsky’s experience with one of Rachel’s Challenge Workouts…
- Homework for next Friday (53:30), including: the movie The Menu on HBO Max, the comedy Bros on Peacock and the limited series Treason on Netflix… plus, OF COURSE, the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies!!
In Episode 328, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s tough day at the office before getting into the pop culture content of the week:
- The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2:50) as we have reached the doorstep of TJ’s Final and likely seen our final major twist of the season…
- The new season of Last Chance U (35:55) on Netflix, which stays with East LA College and coach John Mosley as he rebuilds the program after COVID killed their previous season…
- The film She Said (41:20), now available on Peacock, and how it takes a specific and successful angle on covering the reprehensible Harvey Weinstein, plus some thoughts on the excellent lead performances…
- The new Netflix show Kaleidoscope (49:35) and how when its elaborate gimmick turns out to be nothing special, what’s left is a decidedly not special heist show…
- A few thoughts on the impending Wild Card Weekend (59:45) and who the guys see ending up in the Super Bowl in February…
- Homework for next Friday (1:09:40), including: HBO’s new show The Last of Us (), Netflix’s new tennis docu-series Break Point, the NBC reboot of Night Court and Netflix’s 70’s Show reboot That 90’s Show… plus, OF COURSE, the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies!!
In Episode 327, Madden and Kolsky debrief on Kolsky’s weird morning before locking in on:
- The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2:40) and the critical error made by the Underdogs in the latest daily challenge…
- The documentary Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair on Peacock (19:20) and how the apparently-still-not-retired wrestler makes for a very compelling subject, even if many of the stories have been told before…
- The Netflix film White Noise (27:05) from director Noah Baumbach and how it fails to really finish any thoughts despite starting an awful lot of them…
- Netflix’s new spy series The Recruit (32:35) and Noah Centineo as a leading man/action star…
- Homework for next Friday (37:00), including: the movie She Said on Peacock, the new series Kaleidoscope and the newest season of Last Chance U (both on Netflix)… and OF COURSE the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 326, Madden and Kolsky wonder whether Derek’s jinx powers are enough to bring about the end of the world before dismissing that danger and locking in on:
- The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2:00), including the heartbreak of another Nelson loss and what might be in store as we head towards TJ’s Final…
- The Banshees of Inisherin (24:00) and how it infuriated one of our hosts beyond belief…
- The largely enjoyable sloppy mess that was Amsterdam (37:50) and how it was too convoluted to be particularly good…
- The harmless fun of Glass Onion (42:50) and how it left the guys wanting a bit more…
- The bizarre approach of Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio (47:30) and the needlessness of Nazis…
- Homework for next Friday (55:05), including: the movie White Noise on Netflix, the documentary WOO! Becoming Rick Flair on Peacock and The Recruit (the Noah Centineo CIA show) on Netflix… and OF COURSE the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 325, Madden and Kolsky try to figure out what day it is before locking into this year-end-style episode covering:
- The latest episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (5:30) and the tragic mismatch of Team Fessy v. Team Moriah, plus thoughts on trivia and Amber’s underrated career…
- Each of the guys has their Top 20 Pop Culture Things of the Year (21:45) and they make their way through, including a whole bunch of honorable mentions…
- Homework for next Friday (1:27:35), including: MOVIES!! Specifically — Amsterdam and The Banshees of Inisherin on HBO Max, along with Glass Onion (A Knives Out Mystery) and Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio on Netflix… and OF COURSE the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 324, Madden and Kolsky missed each other deeply but equally deeply they long to discuss the two weeks of Challenge action on the docket so it’s straight into:
- Two action-packed weeks of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:20), whether that name still fits the season and all the various strategic fallout from the game’s big twist(s)…
- Showtime’s George & Tammy series (24:20) and how neither of our hosts much enjoy the country music but one of them definitely enjoyed this show more than the other…
- The second season of Apple TV+’s Slow Horses (29:55) and how it remains a highly entertaining spy drama with some really excellent characters and a fantastic lead performance from Gary Oldman…
- A few World Cup thoughts leading up to Sunday’s final (36:30), from the beauty of Messi to the messiness of Fox’s coverage…
- Homework for next Friday from now (50:00), including: the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies… AND NOTHING ELSE!! Because it’s going to be Best of 2022 Week!! But feel free to get started on Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, which Derek forgot to watch this week
In Episode 323, Madden and Kolsky discuss Kolsky’s upcoming vacation and the challenges of parenthood before locking into pop culture to cover:
- The group stage round of the World Cup (5:00) and some thoughts on the USMNT’s overall performance…
- The Netflix documentary series FIFA Uncovered (16:50) and the rampant corruption that has polluted the soccer world’s governing body…
- The Netflix documentary film Stutz (30:45), which was a terrible experience for one of our hosts and an intriguing experience for the other…
- Hulu’s new series Welcome to Chippendales (39:35) and how it takes a couple episodes but becomes an awful lot of fun with some excellent acting performances…
- Tim Burton’s new Netflix series Wednesday (44:15), whether its charm is enough to carry it and some thoughts on Burton’s poor record with actors of color…
- The last two episodes of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (50:05), what the guys think of this season’s format after hearing some criticism, the many bad decisions of Nelly T and a look forward to the coming twist…
- Homework for TWO Friday’s from now (1:17:50), including: the new Paramount+ rom-com show The Flatshare, season two of Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, Guillermo del Toro’s stop-motion Pinocchio on Netflix, Showtime’s George & Tammy series and OF COURSE the next TWO episodes of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
In Episode 322, Madden and Kolsky discuss the Kolsky-family-induced pivot in their recording situation before transitioning seamlessly into: The new Hulu/FX show Fleishman is in Trouble (2:15) and how engaging the story and acting performances are… Sylvester Stallone’s new show Tulsa King (10:20) and what a surprising delight it turned … Continue reading →
In Episode 321, Madden and Kolsky are fighting the clock again, this time thanks to Kolsky’s mediocre parental planning, so it’s straight to the important business of the day: The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (2:55) after a Laurel-heavy episode filled with embarrassingly bad strategy from many of … Continue reading →
In Episode 319, Madden and Kolsky rush into things (because Madden has places to be!) so it’s right off the bat with: The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:15) where there was some TERRIBLE daily challenge strategy and some really interesting bigger game strategy to break down, plus … Continue reading →
In Episode 319, Madden and Kolsky have a few not-so-spooky Halloween thoughts before they circle back to pop culture and get into: The new Apple TV+ film Raymond and Ray (7:50) and how enjoyable it is to watch a fun, quirky movie for adults (particularly when it features such enjoyable … Continue reading →
In Episode 318, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s work trip to the casino before locking in on: The latest episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:55), Turbo’s heel turn and the ace strategy from the game’s newest veterans, the notorious Johnny Bananas and his incomparable partner Nany Gonzalez… Netflix’s … Continue reading →
In Episode 317, Madden and Kolsky have a new season of The Challenge to get to, so no time to waste before diving right in to: The premiere of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:00), including thoughts on the Episode 1 surprises, the rookies, the quantity of absentee teams and … Continue reading →
In Episode 316, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss the soon-to-be-ridiculously-busy sports schedule before moving on to: Netflix’s new Ryan Murphy show Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2:30) and just what exactly is the goal of so close an examination of an admitted monster… The new Interview with the Vampire series … Continue reading →
In Episode 315, Madden and Kolsky have a bumpy open when Derek makes a surprise verbiage change before the usual pop culture coverage on: The Allison Janney/Jurnee Smollett Netflix thriller Lou (1:30) and how it just didn’t really come together… Netflix’s teen camp flick Do Revenge (9:15) and how both … Continue reading →
In Episode 314, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s parking problems before locking into pop culture for: The premiere episodes of The Challenge: Untold History (2:50) and how much the guys are enjoying taking a stroll through the history of America’s Third Sport… The first few episodes of the final … Continue reading →
In Episode 313, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss their varying vaccination adventures before pushing viruses aside to share views on: The conclusion of The Challenge USA on CBS/Paramount+ (2:20), how the baffling finish to the final struck our hosts and where are they at on the Challenge Universe’s expansion plans… … Continue reading →
In Episode 312, Madden and Kolsky have just a little slander for the recently departed Queen of England before locking into pop culture to go through: The intrigue and excitement from several weeks of The Challenge: USA (5:35), some of the questionable strategic decision-making and the show’s place and role … Continue reading →
In Episode 311, Madden and Kolsky have an uncomfortably specific discussion about the Kolsky family’s recent bout with hand-foot-mouth disease before shaking it off and diving into: A few thoughts on the ending of AMC’s Better Call Saul (6:55) and what a truly spectacular show it turned out to be… … Continue reading →
In Episode 310, Madden and Kolsky refuse to waste time before diving into this week’s pop culture smorgasbord: The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:25) and whether these CBS competitors are using the wrong strategy, plus the Fear of Tyson that seems to be pervasive in the house… The … Continue reading →
In Episode 309, Madden and Kolsky are eager to get into their pop culture topics today, including: The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:20) and how Tyson continues to separate himself from the competition despite a questionable strategy for elimination nominations… The second season of FX/Hulu’s Reservation Dogs (22:40) … Continue reading →
In Episode 308, begin with a long detour into Dave Chappelle before focusing in on last week’s homework, specifically: The latest from The Challenge USA on CBS (18:50) after an early trivia episode, and how the Big Brother players are stuck on Big Brother strategy while The Challenge plays out … Continue reading →
In Episode 307, Madden and Kolsky get re-acquainted after a pretty long break before returning to what they love best and talking pop culture: The finalé of The Challenge All-Stars 3 (11:55) and what it represented for the show, the overall Challenge franchise and the two big winners… The newest … Continue reading →
In Episode 306, Madden and Kolsky are sneaking in a late-night Thursday recording before they each go on (very different) vacations, so it’s right into: The penultimate episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (1:50) and how it sets up for a very exciting finalé (despite the unforgiven transgression of the … Continue reading →
In Episode 305, Madden and Kolsky begin with some personal sadness before moving on to the beautiful distractions of: A totally unacceptable ending to this week’s episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (3:10) and all the drama that would have made it a great episode if not for that travesty… … Continue reading →
In Episode 304, Madden and Kolsky begin with a Toy Department pod tradition, breaking off into a sports topic for an insanely long time, as they get into: The Warriors’ latest NBA Championship (1:00), wherein Derek allows Kolsky to do 30 minutes of the show he would have done today … Continue reading →
In Episode 303, Madden and Kolsky are tremendously delayed by an overlong pre-show discussion and Derek tempts fate by predicting a short show, so they hop in with: The latest from The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (1:55) and the tragic errors from Sylvia and the Treehouse in a week of wanton … Continue reading →
In Episode 302, Madden and Kolsky discuss a new addition to the Kolsky family before switching over to their critical pop culture concerns: The newest entry in the Star Wars canon, Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi (5:30) and how it just isn’t nearly as enjoyable (or original) as our hosts had hoped… … Continue reading →
In Episode 301, Madden and Kolsky are dealing with the world in their own ways and also by focusing on the toy department of life, specifically: The return of the Kids in the Hall (2:25) and how their stuff is just as good and funny as it was the first … Continue reading →
In Episode 300 (!!!) Madden and Kolsky have too much to talk about for idle banter, so it’s directly into: The series finale of Ozark (0:45) which has Kolsky DEEP in his feelings… The return of Hacks on HBO Max (28:20) and the specific lane that it fills to great … Continue reading →
In Episode 299, Madden and Kolsky open with a disturbingly detailed discussion of the horrors of vomiting (sorry about that), before moving on to less disgusting topics, including: The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (3:15), how they seem to have really found the sweet spot for the “Senior Circuit,” and the prospects … Continue reading →
In Episode 298, Madden and Kolsky are back after a two-week break to deliver the pop culture commentary you’ve become accustomed to, covering: Hulu’s Jon Krakauer adaptation Under the Banner of Heaven (1:50) and how its spooky darkness does not detract from its quality… The return of HBO Max’s Kaley … Continue reading →
In Episode 297, Madden and Kolsky have been extremely busy since we last spoke, but managed to find time to watch: The start of the final season of Better Call Saul (2:55), its continuing tremendous qualities and just how thrilling the show has become… A few thoughts on the controversy … Continue reading →
In Episode 296, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s hangover and potential parody songs about it before getting their act together to talk about: The completely watchable but generally unimpressive Moonshot (2:50), a middle-of-the-road-to-the-moon romantic comedy that’s nothing special but not awful, though it does threaten to pigeonhole Lana Condor into … Continue reading →
In Episode 295, Madden and Kolsky spend a couple minutes on the pitfalls of parenting before hustling through: This week’s episode of Top Chef: Houston (2:00), and epic barbecue challenge and who’s thriving so far this season… The return of Donald Glover’s Atlanta (15:30) and how it continues to be … Continue reading →
In Episode 294, Madden and Kolsky briefly address Derek’s disappointment with US Soccer before moving through: Reaction to last night’s Top Chef: Houston episode (2:30), the remarkable technical skills needed for the doppelgänger challenge and who’s in the driver’s seat moving forward… The absurdity of the psycho-erotic thriller Deep Water … Continue reading →
In Episode 293, Madden and Kolsky touch a little bit on a thrilling Day 1 of the college basketball tournament before moving on to: This week’s episode of Top Chef (2:50), Sam Kang’s potato problems and just how competitive this season is after just three episodes… Apple TV+’s Ben Stiller-directed … Continue reading →
In Episode 292, Madden and Kolsky briefly address the sad news of the passing of Derek’s dog before brightening everyone’s spirits with: This week’s episode of Top Chef: Houston (1:50) and just how high the level of execution appears to be in the early part of the season… HBO’s new … Continue reading →
In Episode 291, Madden and Kolsky return from a Kolsky-forced hiatus to celebrate (or denigrate) all the pop culture they consumed while away, specifically: The premiere of Top Chef Houston (2:25) and who the guys fell in love with in the first episode, plus thoughts on the first elimination and … Continue reading →
In Episode 290, Madden and Kolsky get straight into the content because Derek is having a tough day and Matt doesn’t want to make it worse: Netflix’s new Aziz Ansari stand-up special Nightclub Comedian (2:50) and how it has it’s hilarious moments but isn’t particularly personal or essential… Hulu’s new … Continue reading →
In Episode 289, Madden and Kolsky have a somber philosophical rumination about dogs getting old before snapping out of it and getting into: The film The Last Duel (4:25) and the difference between the hosts’ opinions on whether it’s worth watching… Apple TV+’s new comedy The Afterparty (17:55) and how … Continue reading →
In Episode 288, Madden and Kolsky have a little laugh about the sadness of missing The Challenge before getting networky with: The underwhelming How I Met Your Father on Hulu (2:20) and how it’s super networky, despite being a streaming-only show, and mediocre-at-best… The more enjoyable Abbott Elementary on ABC/Hulu … Continue reading →
In Episode 287, Madden and Kolsky are BACK (at long last!) to cover a MYRIAD of pop culture topics… and don’t worry, we cut out most of the COVID conversation so it’s basically straight into: Aaron Sorkin’s Amazon Prime film Being the Ricardos (4:35) and how it’s a poorly cast, … Continue reading →
In Episode 286, Madden and Kolsky are wrapping up another hideous year in style with a loooong episode, covering: The best, most thoughtful and considered coverage of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (2:05) and arguably the greatest final in the tremendous history of the series… Some thoughts on The … Continue reading →
In Episode 285, Madden and Kolsky have far too much to talk about to be “jerking off” in the studios (you’ll get that joke later) so it’s straight on into: A few quick thoughts on musician Jacob Collier (2:10) and how Madden failed to follow the instructions for his homework … Continue reading →
In Episode 284, Madden and Kolsky spend a few minutes talking about a musician Kolsky just discovered before getting to: Kevin Hart’s new Netflix series True Story (4:55) and how a lot of good acting is not really enough to save a mediocre plot… The absolutely insane conclusion to Season … Continue reading →
In Episode 283, Madden and Kolsky talk a little turkey in honor of the recent Thanksgiving holiday before turning their focus to… The new Netflix film Red Notice (6:45) and how it’s a pretty good time despite lacking any sensible plot line… The new Mindy Kaling-produced HBO Max show The … Continue reading →
In Episode 282, Madden and Kolsky pushed through the technical difficulties common to olds of their age in order to bring you their thoughts on… The newly Disney+-watchable Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2:35) and how it hits all its marks and ends up a … Continue reading →
In Episode 281, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s morning drinks and Kolsky’s morning show appearance before remembering to talk about… Tom Hanks’ new Apple TV+ film Finch (3:15) which is not a bad movie but forgettable enough that Derek can’t keep the title in his head for more than seven … Continue reading →
In Episode 280, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s exuberance in the afterglow of his Braves’ World Series Championship before moving into… Netflix’s new show Colin in Black & White (6:05) from Colin Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay, and how it doesn’t quite live up to the expectations that collaboration might inspire… … Continue reading →
In Episode 279, Madden and Kolsky congratulate themselves for managing to record the podcast on schedule before quickly getting down to brass tacks with… The new film Dune on HBO Max (1:20) and how mileage may vary depending on your familiarity with the story… The return of the HBO/Issa Rae … Continue reading →
In Episode 278, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s continuing music-based travels before moving on to… The Todd Haynes documentary Velvet Underground on Apple TV+ (2:20) and how it’s not so good that it demands the attention of non-Velvet Underground fans… The return of HBO’s Succession (8:05) and how the … Continue reading →
In Episode 277, Madden and Kolsky are anxious to get to the Challenge, so get right down to business with… Dave Chappelle’s controversial new Netflix stand-up special The Closer (1:45) and how it’s all mostly just disappointing and a little frustrating… The Netflix sensation that’s sweeping the nation, Squid Game … Continue reading →
In Episode 276, Madden and Kolsky get into a little Austin City Limits story time before diving into: HBO’s The Many Saints of Newark (7:20), how much THIS show enjoyed it and how far it goes beyond fan service… Jon Stewart’s new Apple TV+ show (19:15) and how the format … Continue reading →
In Episode 275, Madden and Kolsky return from an unplanned absence with very little memory of what they intended to talk about when they left each other last, so today: It’s pretty much all about The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies!!! (2:45) There’s three weeks of content to catch up … Continue reading →
In Episode 274, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss Kolsky’s plan to head off marital distress at the pass with a football babysitter before moving to more pop-culture-relevant concerns, including: The new season of American Crime Story on FX/Hulu — Impeachment (3:15) and how one episode may not be enough to … Continue reading →
In Episode 273, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky chat a little about QB depth charts before getting into the weeds with: The Hulu film Vacation Friends (3:15) and how the highly enjoyable cast of John Cena, Lil Rel Howery, Yvonne Orji and Meredith Hagner makes it a highly enjoyable watch… … Continue reading →
In Episode 272, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are interrupting Kolsky’s family bonding leave to nitpick with each other about: Netflix’s new Sandra Oh vehicle The Chair (1:45) which is entertaining and features a charming performance from the lead actress but also troubles one of our hosts from a thematic … Continue reading →
In Episode 271, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky reconvene after a week off with a MASSIVE list of pop culture topics, including: The just-completed HBO Max series The White Lotus (3:25) and how the soundtrack and the acting were both tremendous, even if our hosts had different views of the … Continue reading →
In Episode 270, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk a little about the crowded sports calendar before turning their focus to: The return of Behind the Music (7:15) and whether the now-MTV property is doing enough with new content to be worth watching… The new Iliza Schlesinger Netflix movie Good … Continue reading →
In Episode 269, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky start by chatting about recent Olympic events and the recent trend of athletes stepping away to prioritize their mental health, then move through: Season 2 of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ (16:20) and how the show remains tremendously charming but the release … Continue reading →
In Episode 268, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky open with some Ted Lasso Season 2 excitement before discussing some currently available pop culture, including: The new season of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever (3:40) and how it remains charming and enjoyable but doesn’t necessarily feel essential… LeBron’s Space Jam (8:15) … Continue reading →
In Episode 267, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly debate who is responsible for their totally irrelevant delay in recording the episode before diving into: The newly-available-on-the-CW show Wellington Paranormal (2:45) and whether or not the first two episodes are enough to warrant continued viewing… The CW/HBO Max reboot of … Continue reading →
In Episode 266, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky CAN’T WAIT to start talking pop culture, so it’s straight into: The finalé of Top Chef in Portland (1:00) and the post-series drama surrounding the winner, plus the premiere of Top Chef: Amateurs (23:45) and the impressive talent and quirky personalities therein… … Continue reading →
In Episode 265, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss a soccer game that will be long over by the time you listen to this podcast, then get into: The latest episode of Top Chef in Portland (3:40), whether or not the non-elimination elimination was the right decision and thoughts … Continue reading →
In Episode 264, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into some NBA Playoffs issues before jumping out of the sports world and into some television to move through: The latest from Top Chef: Portland (11:40), and how it took a miscarriage of justice to get us to the final three … Continue reading →
In Episode 263, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss Madden’s challenging recording circumstances before jumping into the week’s content, including: The Michael B. Jordan movie Without Remorse (2:15) and how the Tom Clancy film formula falls a little flat in 2021… The show Startup (9:55), how it is exactly … Continue reading →
In Episode 262, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky plunge immediately into this week’s content, because Kolsky has a take he’s been anxious to share about: The new Peacock series We Are Lady Parts (1:20) which is Kolsky’s clubhouse leader for SHOW OF THE YEAR in 2021… Some thoughts on The … Continue reading →
In Episode 261, Madden and Kolsky have a log list of subjects, so time-wasting is eschewed in favor of: The latest from Top Chef: Portland (1:10) and FINALLY the elimination of bad-pasta-Chris, plus thoughts on the recipe challenge and the hosts’ favorites heading down the stretch… The Friends reunion on … Continue reading →
It’s Part 2 of the Challenge All-Stars final, and they’re putting these old folks through the ringer… Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk about the mild upset winner, which competitors are really up to the Challenge and what the future of the franchise might look like, plus lots of other … Continue reading →
In Episode 260, Madden and Kolsky are attempting a short episode per scheduling needs, so they dive immediately into: The new Tina Fey/Peacock show GIRLS5EVA (1:20) and how the one episode available to non-subscribers isn’t quite enough to draw in our non-subscriber host… The new HBO Max show Hacks (6:05) … Continue reading →
It’s Part 1 of the somewhat sudden Challenge All-Stars final, and it is no joke… Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into the tragic early elimination of Derrick (and Jisela), the various strategic approaches and their relative ability to consume spicy foods, among many other things…
In Episode 259, Madden and Kolsky are back from a Kolsky Paternity Break to catch up on their favorite pop culture, specifically: A couple weeks of thrilling action on Top Chef (5:30) with the elimination of the much-hated Gabriel and a pretty distinct top four chefs emerging; now restaurant week … Continue reading →
Another double Challenge week, with All-Stars ratcheting up the competition — and the hookups!! — in its fifth episode, and the drama on high at Part 1 of the Double Agents reunion… There’s enough Alton mishegas and Fessy bashing for everyone!!
In Episode 258, Madden and Kolsky dive right into the deep end of pop culture topics with a shocking admission from Derek as they discuss: The latest in Top Chef () including Madden quitting on Last Chance Kitchen and the difficulty of finding oneself as a chef on a reality … Continue reading →
It’s finally the finalé of The Challenge: Double Agents, and it’s a doozy (although not particularly a competitive final challenge)… Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into the greatness of the victors, the failure of the Fessy, Leroy’s last ride and more after an incredibly emotional final episode. Then it’s … Continue reading →
In Episode 257, Madden and Kolsky endeavor to record a short show, so it’s straight into: The new Disney+ series Big Shot (1:25), which features an interesting John Stamos performance but suffers from mediocre basketball and a weekly release schedule… HBO’s new Kate Winslet vehicle Mare of Easttown (12:20), Winslet’s … Continue reading →
The Challenge: Double Agents final has begun, and it was action-packed in its first day!! There are new versions of old challenges, a dramatic injury, a gigantic wimp and of course some off-field drama, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are here to break it all down, with an eye … Continue reading →
In Episode 256, Madden and Kolsky are feeling fresh and ready to get into: This week’s episode of Top Chef in Portland (1:25), featuring a really tough and incredibly entertaining quickfire challenge, more greatness from Shota and the potential coining of the term “chefsplain”… The new Netflix comedy Thunder Force … Continue reading →
Another two-Challenge week, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are here to break down all the action and intrigue… A tremendous episode of The Challenge: Double Agents produced an epic week for Kyle and a pathetic week for Fessy, despite their ultimate fates. We’ve got at least one challenger who … Continue reading →
In Episode 255, Madden and Kolsky discuss potential audio issues resulting from Kolsky’s excitable 2-year-old and the zoom-related behavior of certain dogs before getting into: A basketball check-in (2:35) mostly focused on the NCAA tournament, with a little NBA detour to start… Netflix’s new Sherlock Holmes-adjacent series The Irregulars (17:15) … Continue reading →
The twists and turns of The Challenge Double Agents Episode 16 have Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky in knots over all the permutations of potential elimination decisions as they dive deep into the strategy of this season’s endgame… Then it’s a BRAND NEW SEASON as The Challenge All-Stars debuts on … Continue reading →
In Episode 254, Madden and Kolsky do a little pandemic life check-in before getting into: HBO Max’s Swedish series Beartown (1:25) and how it is both gripping and also somewhat difficult to watch… HBO’s Tina Turner documentary Tina (10:10) and the extraordinary woman whose life story it tells… Nate Bargatze’s … Continue reading →
Episode 15 of The Challenge: Double Agents was a DOOZY, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky break down all the drama of a thrilling daily challenge and a heartbreaking elimination… Some great Burn of the Week candidates, tremendous in-game analysis by Nany and a clear power dynamic setting us up … Continue reading →
In Episode 253, Madden and Kolsky hit the ground running with a short show in mind, covering: The new Marvel show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (1:45) and how it is essentially exactly what you would expect it to be, however far that gets you… Netflix’s Operation Varsity Blues … Continue reading →
The 14th episode of The Challenge: Double Agents is 90 minutes of solid, if unspectacular, fun — so Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are here to cover all the intrigue!! TJ is being cagey, so the guys wonder how much longer this season will run, and briefly get into the … Continue reading →
In Episode 252, Madden tries to waylay Kolsky with a “fuck Woody Allen” message to open the show, but they quickly move on to: The new season of Last Chance U (3:00) covering the East LA College basketball team, what moving to basketball does for the series and some of … Continue reading →
This week brought a fairly straightforward episode of The Challenge: Double Agents, but one that lays out the path to the final pretty clearly… Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into what happens from here, who’s still in jeopardy and how long the road to completion will be… Plus, as … Continue reading →
In Episode 251, Madden and Kolsky’s show-opening distraction turned into such a big conversation that it gets its own bullet point below, along with: A contentious conversation about WandaVision (1:20) and the broader contents and implications of the Marvel Cinematic Universe… Disney’s new animated film Raya and the Last Dragon … Continue reading →