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The Toy Department – Episode 168

  By toyAdmin | May 29, 2019 - 11:37 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 168, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss Madden’s tummy-ache before soldiering through and into:

  • The season finale of The Challenge (2:15) and why this is the absolute peak of reality TV entertainment…
  • The second season of Spike Lee’s Netflix show She’s Gotta Have It (15:45) and the undeniable charm of the film-making and lead actress…
  • The action thrill-ride of John Wick 3 (25:30) and how Derek probably should have just skipped it…
  • Derek’s experience watching Netflix’s horror-thriller The Perfection (46:45) and Kolsky’s decision to spend his time elsewhere…
  • The second season of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag on Amazon (49:40) and how nobody is better at being Phoebe Waller-Bridge than Phoebe Waller-Bridge…
  • The new reports detailing the rampant dysfunction in the LA Lakers organization (54:10) and just where the blame for the mess lies, plus some thoughts on Kevin Durant and people’s odd refusal to listen to what he actually says…
  • Homework for next week (1:16:30), including: wrapping up Season 2 of Killing Eve, heading to the theater to see Rocketman, the premiere of Good Omens on Amazon, the new Netflix show How To Sell Drugs Online Fast, the Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe, HBO’s new Deadwood movie and the NBA Finals…

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The Toy Department – Episode 167

  By toyAdmin | May 22, 2019 - 12:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 167, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into Kolsky’s new full time job as father to a tiny human before getting silly with:

  • The series finale of Game of Thrones (5:25), how both guys are relatively pleased, some thoughts on the haters and critics, and what comes next in big-time pop culture…
  • HBO’s new Monday night entry Chernobyl (28:15) and whether the dramatic circumstances and excellent performance from Jared Harris and others overcome the deeply disturbing events…
  • The final season of Easy on Netflix (34:45), and the particular success of Joe Swanberg in creating movies and shows that feel very authentic…
  • Amazon’s Sneaky Pete (38:30) and whether it is holding the guys’ interest in its third season…
  • An attempt to start with homework before a digression into the in-progress finale of The Challenge: War of the Worlds (45:00) and how intense the final competition of the season appears to be…
  • Homework for next week (48:35), including: the aforementioned Challenge final, the return of Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It on Netflix, Season 2 of Fleabag on Amazon, the new Netflix thriller Perfection, the now-in-theaters action blockbuster John Wick 3: Parabellum and MORE NBA playoff action…

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The Toy Department – Episode 166

  By toyAdmin | May 8, 2019 - 12:48 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 166, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky discuss the advantages of listening to podcasts at 1.5x speed before honing in on:

  • The third-to-last episode of Game of Thrones (4:40) and how its many critics are our surest sign of social decay…
  • The Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (32:05) and how its treatment of the Ted Bundy story makes for an odd and ultimately unsuccessful ride…
  • The new Netflix show Dead to Me (37:55) and how the charm of its lead actresses and some pitch perfect camp make it an extremely enjoyable experience…
  • A check-in on three show favorites: Billions on Showtime (42:05), Barry on HBO (49:00), and AMC/BBC America’s Killing Eve (55:05)…
  • A few thoughts on the NBA Playoffs (59:00), specifically the Warriors-Rockets series…
  • Homework for next week (1:03:50), including: HBO’s Chernobyl, the return of Sneaky Pete on Amazon, the return of Easy on Netflix, another episode of Game of Thrones and LOTS MORE NBA playoff action…

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The Toy Department – Episode 165

  By toyAdmin | May 1, 2019 - 11:36 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 165, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky waste little time with pleasantries (or unpleasantries) before covering:

  • Yet another return to Westeros (0:55), this time for the Battle of Winterfell, which delivered on the expectations of both hosts, leaving them perplexed at some of the negative response…
  • The Netflix film Someone Great (38:40) and how it is every bit as charming and enjoyable as the performance of lead actress Gina Rodriguez…
  • The new Lizzo album Cuz I Love You (51:25) and the promising future of a young pop artist…
  • The Baron Vaugh/Open Mike Eagle show The New Negroes (56:25) and how both guys were a little surprised by the format…
  • The sketch comedy disaster I Think You Should Leave (58:10) and Kolsky’s view that Tim Robinson represents the decay of society…
  • NBA Playoff talk (1:01:15) with special focus on the Warriors-Rockets battle in the Western Conference second round…
  • Homework for next week (1:14:30), including: the new HBO show Chernobyl, the Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile — starring Zac Efron as Ted Bundy, check-ins on pod favorites like Barry, Billions and Killing Eve, another episode of Game of Thrones and EVEN MORE NBA playoff action…

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The Toy Department – Episode 164

  By toyAdmin | April 24, 2019 - 12:00 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 164, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky obnoxiously reference their off-pod golf debate before getting back to business with:

  • The second episode of the final season of HBO’s Game of Thrones (1:50) and why Madden preferred the style of this week’s set-up to the premiere episode, plus an extended breakdown of who is likely to die this weekend…
  • Netflix’s animated anthology Love, Death & Robots (37:15) and how its short run time and ultra-realistic animation make for an interesting watch…
  • Amazon’s show Hanna (40:50) — based on the Saoirsie Ronan/Eric Bana movie of the same name — and what could make it stand out from the average action series or movie…
  • The Gad Elmaleh-starring Netflix series Huge in France (46:55) and whether its charm is enough to carry it without a lot of huge laughs…
  • The ongoing drama of the NBA Playoffs (50:50) with special focus on the greatness of Damian Lillard…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:15), including: Derek getting his act together and watching The New Negroes on BET/Comedy Central, another episode of Game of Thrones and EVEN MORE NBA playoff action…

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The Toy Department – Episode 163

  By toyAdmin | April 18, 2019 - 12:06 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 163, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky go through the nitty gritty of Kolsky’s new job as an in-home nurse before navigating through:

  • The return of Game of Thrones (8:50) and why one of our hosts liked the long-awaited season premiere more than the other…
  • The apparent binge sensation Schitt’s Creek (19:35) and whether it’s worthy of the recommendations the guys had been given…
  • Netflix’s Our Planet (23:50) and the joy of watching wildlife shot from incredible angles in brilliant high definition…
  • The debut full-length from young pop prospect Billie Eilish (35:20) and how she continues to show the makings of a star…
  • The start of the NBA Playoffs (423:05), with special focus on the Warriors’ massive collapse in Game 2 against the Clippers…
  • Homework for next week (54:45), including: more NBA Playoffs, the new Netflix show Huge in France, The New Negroes with Baron Vaugh and Open Mike Eagle on BET/Comedy Central, the Netflix anthology Love, Death and Robots, and Hanna on Amazon Prime…

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The Toy Department – Episode 162

  By toyAdmin | April 10, 2019 - 2:35 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 162, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk about Madden’s rough day and Minneapolis’s impending blizzard before making their way through:

  • The series finalé of FX’s You’re the Worst (3:35) and how it will go down as a personal favorite for one host and a great peak tv comedy for the other…
  • The premiere of Season 3 of IFC’s Brockmire (16:25) and its incredible hit rate of hilarity…
  • HBO’s documentary The Inventor (25:25) and the way it tells the bizarre story of Elizabeth Holmes…
  • The return of BBC America’s Killing Eve (34:55) and how excited both guys are to return to the world that Season 1 established…
  • Showtime’s The Chi (40:10) establishing itself as a well-executed premium drama as it begins its second season…
  • The first episode of FX’s Fosse/Verdon (48:35) and whether there’s more here than enthralling acting performances…
  • Some thoughts on the NBA MVP debate (54:35) between Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden and a quick preview of the playoffs (which begin this weekend)…
  • Homework for next week (1:14:45), including: GAME OF THRONES IS BACK!!! plus Billie Eilish’s new album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and watching Schitt’s Creek and Our Planet on Netflix…

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The Toy Department – Episode 161

  By toyAdmin | April 3, 2019 - 11:17 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 161, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky literally make small talk about weather before getting serious on:

  • Derek’s viewing of Jordan Peele’s Us (3:25) and whether Kolsky is being a big ol’ wimp about seeing it…
  • The TV premiere of What We Do in the Shadows (17:05) on FX, and how it compares to the film it is based on…
  • The start of the seventh season of Veep on HBO (21:00) and how the show has changed over time…
  • The return of HBO’s Barry (26:25) in a somewhat pilot-y fashion, resetting the world we got to know in Season 1…
  • The end of Miracle Workers on TBS (29:05) and how it made an enjoyable little treat…
  • The end of Season 1 of Black Monday (33:55) and whether there’s enough on the bone to bring an effective satire back for a second season…
  • The end of HBO’s documentary series The Case Against Adnan Syed (38:50) and the ongoing injustices of the story we first heard through Serial…
  • Homework for next week (54:40), including: the return of several show favorites on TV — Killing Eve, Brockmire and The Chi — plus the series finale of You’re The Worst, the series premiere of Fosse/Verdon and a few movies for the back burner: The Inventor and Native Son (both on HBO) and The Highwaymen on Netflix…

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The Toy Department – Episode 160

  By toyAdmin | March 27, 2019 - 2:44 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 160, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky address a recent major life event before discussing:

  • The NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend (2:15) and what the lack of upsets means for the remainder of the event…
  • The Dirt (8:35), Netflix’s Mötley Crüe biopic, and how it moves through the life of one of rock’s wildest bands…
  • Hulu’s new comedy Shrill (27:35) and how Aidy Bryant has created a really honest and honestly hilarious show…
  • The Act (35:05), also on Hulu, the intensity of its acting performances and compelling nature of its mysteries…
  • The career of the recently retired Rob Gronkowski (40:05) and how he stacks up with the all-time greats at the tight end position…
  • Homework for next week (56:10), including: Barry and Veep on HBO, the end of Miracle Workers on TBS and the Adnan Sayed docu-series on HBO, and the premiere of What We Do in the Shadows on FX, plus Derek tries to watch US…

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The Toy Department – Episode 159

  By toyAdmin | March 20, 2019 - 12:22 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 159, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky literally talk about weather before moving into the world of pop culture to break down:

  • The upcoming NCAA Tournament (1:35) and Kolsky’s decision not to fill out a bracket…
  • The season finalé of Top Chef (9:30), with thoughts on food, contestants, judges and (of course) Padma…
  • Netflix’s new movie Triple Frontier (21:05) and whether it’s worthy of its cast…
  • The return of Showtime’s Billions (26:25) and how well it has developed a big cast of interesting characters…
  • The premiere of the final season of Catastrophe (32:00) on Amazon and whether it is still breaking new ground in season four…
  • The series finale of Pete Holmes’ HBO show Crashing (35:30) and how the guys would have liked to see more…
  • Homework for next week (43:50), including: the Mötley Crüe biopic The Dirt on Netflix, plus two Hulu shows — The Act and Shrill, and LOTS of college basketball…

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