Tag Archives: Derek Madden

The Toy Department – Episode 316

  By toyAdmin | October 7, 2022 - 3:44 pm | Uncategorized
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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 on AMC (13:30) and whether this version of the telling stands up to its historical counterparts…
  • The Sanaa Lathan-directed Paramount+ film On The Come Up (19:15) and whether it is interesting enough to stand out in a crowded streaming landscape…
  • The Greatest Beer Run Ever on Apple TV+ (23:50) and the merits of an entertaining and engaging lead actor…
  • The last two episodes of MTV’s The Challenge: Untold History (31:05) and final thoughts on the documentary series, plus some prep for the upcoming start of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:02:20), including: the first episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies and the movie Significant Other on Paramount+…

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The Toy Department – Episode 315

  By toyAdmin | September 30, 2022 - 2:53 pm | Uncategorized
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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 guys found it super entertaining and thoroughly enjoyed the two lead actresses…
  • The NBC reboot of Quantum Leap (17:55) and how network television just seems to fall short in so many ways, arguably by design…
  • The latest episodes of The Challenge: Untold History (28:45) and all the incredible Challenge legends who were covered (or not) in the GOATs episode…
  • Homework for next Friday (59:55), including: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix, the Sanaa Lathan-directed On The Come Up on Paramount+, Interview with the Vampire on AMC, The Greatest Beer Run Ever on Apple TV+, and the last two episodes of The Challenge: Untold History…

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The Toy Department – Episode 314

  By toyAdmin | September 23, 2022 - 11:32 am | Uncategorized
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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 season of Atlanta on FX (20:35) and how it’s great to have the show back in the city it’s named for and focused on the main characters we know and love…
  • Dinsey+’s new Star Wars series Andor (25:40) and how it’s the best content coming out of that universe since The Mandalorian, at least…
  • Patton Oswalt’s new stand-up special We All Scream (31:20) and how it’s another good hour of Patton’s comedy, but maybe doesn’t demand a ton of in depth examination…
  • A few thoughts on the current scandal around Celtics coach Ime Udoka (34:40) and how it’s tough to understand exactly what’s going on…
  • Hulu’s new sitcom Reboot (38:30) and the actors who are bringing it together and bringing some laughs…
  • Homework for next Friday (43:05), including: the Quantum Leap reboot on NBC, two new Netflix movies – teen movie Do Revenge and kidnapping drama Lou – and a couple more episodes of The Challenge: Untold History…

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The Toy Department: Episode 313

  By toyAdmin | September 16, 2022 - 3:07 pm | Uncategorized
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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… plus a little tease for the new season of the flagship (21:55) which is right around the corner…
  • The brilliantly entertaining Bad Sisters (25:40) and how Apple TV+ continues to produce quality content, whether folks are watching it or not…
  • Peacock’s new movie Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (29:50) and how it comes up short of both expectations and the talent of its leading actors…
  • Showtime’s new series American Gigolo (34:45), the pure unbridled sexiness of Jon Bernthal and whether the guys believe in this series after just one episode…
  • Homework for next Friday (39:30), including: the return of Atlanta on FX for its final season, Hulu’s new comedy Reboot, Patton Oswalt’s new stand-up special We All Scream and the new Star Wars series Andor on Disney+…

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The Toy Department – Episode 312

  By toyAdmin | September 9, 2022 - 11:59 am | Uncategorized
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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 in the larger Challenge universe…
  • The new HBO fantasy epic House of The Dragon (35:40) and how it has engaged our hosts despite a somewhat narrow purview through the first three episodes…
  • Amazon’s big fantasy swing with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (42:55) and how it hits a solid double for Kolsky but strikes out hard for Madden…
  • The delightful documentary series Welcome to Wrexham (49:55) and how it’s much more than just a show about a downtrodden football club (aka soccer team)…
  • Hulu’s new drama The Patient (59:20) and how the lead actors are thriving and the show is throwing cliffhangers at you…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:04:25), including: Madden’s audible into Bad Sisters on Apple TV+, the new Peacock movie Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, and Showtime’s new American Gigolo series, plus the conclusion of The Challenge USA on CBS/Paramount+…

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The Toy Department – Episode 311

  By toyAdmin | August 19, 2022 - 2:41 pm | Uncategorized
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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…
  • Apple TV+’s new offering Black Bird (13:55) and how Paul Walter Hauser is a uniquely dynamic performer, particularly in the sort of creepy role he inhabits here…
  • Netflix’s forgettable film offering The Man from Toronto (20:45) and just what exactly is going on with the remarkable quality of bland content on that service…
  • Amazon’s new League of Their Own show (24:05) and how it’s watchable and not bad, but just doesn’t quite come together how one might hope…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge USA on CBS (29:00) and how Leo deserves some flowers (and also maybe some sympathy for his failing businesses?) plus thoughts on the latest twist in the game…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (41:50), including: HBO’s new Game of Thrones show House of the Dragon, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings show The Rings of Power, and Netflix’s Manti Te’o doc Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, plus the more of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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The Toy Department – Episode 310

  By toyAdmin | August 12, 2022 - 3:52 pm | Uncategorized
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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 latest Disney+ Marvel release, I Am Groot (32:00) and how it’s relatively insubstantial but largely enjoyable, plus a discussion of Vin Diesel’s voice-over workflow…
  • The second season of HBO’s Industry (37:40) and what makes it so interesting to Derek while Kolsky can’t get into it…
  • The newest season of All or Nothing, focusing on the Arsenal football club (46:20) and how entertaining a watch it is, thanks in large part to the wild insanity of Arsenal’s last season, which Madden experienced live as a die-hard fan…
  • The new Netflix fantasy series The Sandman (57:25) and how it’s really quite good and incredibly entertaining and watchable…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:08:00), including: Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of A League of Their Own, the Netflix film The Man from Toronto and the limited series Black Bird on Apple TV+, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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The Toy Department – Episode 309

  By toyAdmin | August 5, 2022 - 11:43 am | Uncategorized
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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) and how it transports the viewer right back to its totally unique and wonderful world…
  • The Peacock mystery/thriller The Resort (28:45) and how it just didn’t quite live up to our hosts’ expectations, despite a delightful cast and interesting premise…
  • The surprisingly excellent Paper Girls (34:35) and how the Amazon Prime time travel show has some wonderfully developed young characters…
  • Homework for next Friday (42:05), including: at least the first episode of Season 2 of Industry on HBO Max, the new season of All or Nothing on Amazon Prime (featuring Arsenal), the new Netflix series The Sandman (based on a Neil Gaiman comic) and Disney+’s I Am Groot, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…
  • A brief detour into the state of Disney+ television properties (48:15), particularly Marvel and Star Wars… (and you want want to miss the out-take from our pre-show meeting)

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The Toy Department – Episode 308

  By toyAdmin | July 29, 2022 - 11:14 am | Uncategorized
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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 around them…
  • The Peacock comedy Bust Down (32:00) and how it’s perfectly good but not necessarily compelling to either of our hosts…
  • Issa Rae’s new project Rap Sh!t on HBO Max (35:30) and how both guys are into it, but took a second episode to get there (perhaps because they’re getting old!)…
  • Nathan Fielder’s new HBO Max show The Rehearsal (40:20) and whether the pure absurdity and over-the-top nature of it is compelling and interesting or not…
  • The Netflix action flick The Gray Man (47:20) and whether it’s good enough to be the foundation of a big-time action franchise for them…
  • Homework for next Friday (58:50), including: The Resort on Peacock, Paper Girls on Amazon Prime and the second season of Reservation Dogs on FX/Hulu, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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The Toy Department – Episode 307

  By toyAdmin | July 22, 2022 - 11:25 am | Uncategorized
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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 entry in The Challenge franchise: The Challenge USA on CBS (18:35) and how it isn’t yet enough to grab one of our hosts, but definitely seems to have some potential…
  • A check-in on the tremendous final season of Better Call Saul (46:05), the story arcs that have reached their end and what treats are still to come…
  • Homework for next Friday (59:00), including: the new Nathan Fielder show Rehearsal on HBO Max, the Peacock comedy Bust Down, Issa Rae’s new project Rap Shit! on HBO Max and the Netflix action movie The Gray Man, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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