Tag Archives: HBO

The Toy Department – Episode 151

  By toyAdmin | January 16, 2019 - 10:48 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 151, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky once again tempt fate by suggesting they might produce a short podcast, then engage in lengthy discussions of:

  • Season 2 of Netflix’s Friends from College (1:30) and how the guys have slightly different reactions to a highly enjoyable television program…
  • Season 3 of HBO’s True Detective (14:55), the brilliance of Mahershala Ali and whether the show is worthy of its current cultural attention…
  • The Season 5 premiere of You’re the Worst (30:45) and how the guys are feeling about the pod favorite as it heads into its final handful of episodes…
  • A check in on the NFL Playoffs (35:55) after a fun Divisional Round set us up for the final four we expected all year long…
  • Homework for next week (46:50), including: Netflix’s Fyre Festival documentary Fyre, and the new show Sex Education (also on Netflix), Showtime’s Black Monday and the return of Crashing on HBO…

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The Toy Department – Episode 147

  By toyAdmin | December 19, 2018 - 11:29 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 147, Derek Madden laments his frozen midwestern existence to former midwest sufferer Matt Kolsky before they break down:

  • How Alfonso Cuarón’s Netflix film Roma (4:20) fails to deliver on the hype, and what it says about the world of movie criticism… 
  • Another great episode of Top Chef (27:15) — who takes the blame for a shopping SNAFU, the lovability of NiNi and love for the Makers Mark chef… 
  • The brilliance and beauty of Momentum Generation (41:40) an HBO Sports documentary about a crew of surfers who changed the sport forever, led by all-time greatest Kelly Slater…
  • The Amazon series Patriot (51:20) and how neither host feels like they can make a definitive ruling after just two episodes of the first season…
  • Prodigious music phenom Billie Eilish (55:45) and what is most intriguing about her early output…
  • Homework for next week (1:02:40), including: watching Ellen’s new standup special on Netflix and prepping 2018 Top Ten lists (plus some mention of movies to watch over the holiday season)…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 141

  By toyAdmin | November 7, 2018 - 11:09 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 141, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky ignore their mandate by mentioning this week’s elections before shuffling into the Toy Department to get into:

  • Kolsky’s shallow dive into Samantha Bee’s Full Frontal (3:25) and how it doesn’t quite rise to appointment television for him…
  • A wrap-up discussion on Season 2 of The Deuce (13:00) and how both guys continue to love the show and have deep attachments with the characters…
  • More thoughts on the British show Bodyguard (22:05) which is available on Netflix, and how it turns out to be more like 24 than something like Luther…
  • The Queen/Freddy Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (27:55) and all the reasons it was a bitter disappointment to both Madden and Kolsky…
  • Homework for next week (50:50), including: seeing the new movies Widows and Green Book, the new Julia Roberts show Homecoming on Amazon, the return of Room 104 on HBO and the new Vince Staples album FM!…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 140

  By toyAdmin | October 31, 2018 - 11:02 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 140, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly address the HOWLiday before hustling into a long list of topics, including:

  • Three new albums: Esperanza Spaulding’s 12 Little Spells (2:35); Open Mike Eagle’s What Happens When I Try To Relax (7:10); and Robyn’s Honey (9:55)…
  • The new film Mid 90’s (17:15), Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, and an impressive one at that in the opinion of both Madden and Kolsky…
  • Adam Sandler’s Netflix stand-up special 100% Fresh (27:45) and the guys’ wildly diverging opinions on it…
  • Hasan Minhaj’s new Netflix show Patriot Act (33:55) and how it’s another high-quality entry in an admittedly crowded late-night genre…
  • Bodyguard (41:20), a new British action drama available on Netflix, which has its ups and downs but proves an exciting watch…
  • A quick dip into the sports world (46:25) to discuss the most tortured fan bases across the big American leagues…
  • Homework for next week (52:50), including: a couple episodes of Samantha Bee’s Full Frontal on TBS, the new Queen/Freddy Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody and the Neil Armstrong film First Man… Plus, PLEASE REMEMBER TO VOTE!!!
  • A discussion of LeBron James’ The Shop on HBO (54:10), which the guys almost forgot to discuss, but enjoyed very much…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 138

  By toyAdmin | October 17, 2018 - 10:54 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 138, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky open with digressions into Kolsky’s sports injury and Madden’s new foster dog before picking the meat off the bones of:

  • The new film A Star Is Born (10:05) and the achievements of both actor/director Bradley Cooper and co-star Lady Gaga…
  • Another new film, Bat Times at the El Royale (33:30), and how it doesn’t fail to entertain but does fail to amount to anything significant…
  • Another sampling of network television with NBC’s Manifest (44:30), which at the very least is an awful lot better than last week’s effort from The Cool Kids…
  • HBO’s new Sunday night offering Camping (47:20), and the disappointment of an unlikable pilot from a group of creators that both guys like a lot…
  • A quick check-in on HBO’s other big Sunday nighter, The Deuce (55:25), which continues to be some of the best that peak TV has to offer…
  • Homework for next week (59:25), including: Matthew Weiner’s new Amazon show The Romanoffs, Season 2 of Making a Murderer on Netflix, and two new albums — 21 Pilots’ Trench and Greta Van Fleet’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 136

  By toyAdmin | October 2, 2018 - 10:40 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 136, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly banter about their inability to execute a short version of the podcast before long-winded discussions centering on:

  • The world of baseball (1:30) as the playoffs begin, which — in a bad sign for baseball — devolves into a brief discussion of the Atlanta Hawks…
  • An attempt to find new network television worth watching (16:00) which ends with the selection of one new drama and one new comedy that Kolsky and Madden will try out for at least two episodes…
  • The return of NBC’s The Good Place (30:25) and how incredible a job it does of playing to all audiences while also remaining incredibly smart and original in today’s network climate…
  • FX’s new Australian offering Mr. In-Between (37:10) which both guys find intriguing after an episode or two…
  • Lil Wayne’s new album (42:20) and how its highlights show off Wayne’s skills but aren’t enough to prop up 23 tracks…
  • The season finale of HBO’s Insecure (48:05) and the unique lack of particular excitement or cliffhangers…
  • Homework for next week (53:40), including: finishing Forever on Amazon, starting The Cool Kids on Fox, the return of Big Mouth on Netflix and the season finale of AMC’s Better Call Saul…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 132

  By toyAdmin | September 4, 2018 - 10:17 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 132, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are at it early thanks to Kolsky’s new radio schedule, covering:

  • Amazon’s new show Jack Ryan (2:15) and how terribly flat it falls for both guys…
  • The return of Netflix’s Ozark (10:15), the engaging and exciting nature of the characters and the great acting performances it creates space for…
  • The new film To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (16:35) and how Netflix has a huge hit on its hands in the delightful romantic comedy…
  • Drew Michael’s new standup special on HBO (25:30), the ways it is original and interesting, and where it fails to stand out…
  • Nearer My God (36:50), the new album from the indie rock band Foxing, and how both guys think it is one of the year’s best…
  • The return of the NFL (44:15), Derek’s decreasing interest in the league and some thoughts on how the season will turn out…
  • Homework for next week (1:10:05), including: Showtime’s new Jim Carrey/Michel Gondry collab Kidding, the return of The Deuce on HBO, a wrap-up of Orange is the New Black (Season 6) and a check-in on Better Call Saul…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 131

  By toyAdmin | August 28, 2018 - 2:05 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 131, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky open the show with an announcement about Kolsky’s life and career that you won’t want to miss before diving into less pressing concerns in the world of pop culture, including:

  • The season/series finalé of HBO’s Sharp Objects (6:25), how the last-minute twist felt for each of the guys and how they view the series as a whole…
  • A check-in on HBO’s Insecure (26:15) and whether it has gotten a little bogged down over the last couple of episodes…
  • AMC’s new show Lodge 49 (29:05) and whether it has piqued the interest of Madden and Kolsky…
  • Travis Scott’s new album Astroworld (38:40) and what it says about him as a popular artist and rapper…
  • Some thoughts on Louis CK’s return to the comedy stage (46:15) and whether the guys are interested in new material or willing to watch another act from him…
  • Homework for next week (55:50), including: the return of Ozark on Netflix, an NFL preview coming next week, Amazon’s new show Jack Ryan, the Netflix film To All the Boys I Loved Before, music from Foxing and a standup set from Drew Michael… GET BUSY WATCHING!!!
  • A quick report on Derek’s experience seeing Hamilton (1:00:05) and discussion of the art form of musicals in general…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 129

  By toyAdmin | August 14, 2018 - 1:51 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 129, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky return for a varied pop culture discussion covering:

  • Two returning HBO shows — Insecure (1:35) and Ballers (9:50) — and how not much has changed with either show, though that means very different things for each…
  • The new Spike Lee joint BlackkKlansman (12:15) and how it successfully creates a vibe and feeling from a different era that says a lot about today…
  • Another new film, Eighth Grade (29:10), written and directed by Bo Burnham, and how it took both Kolsky and Madden back to the turbulent times and emotions of that period in their lives…
  • The return of AMC’s Better Call Saul (42:15) and how it continues to build on its sturdy foundation, heading towards the inevitable crash before the start of the Breaking Bad timeline…
  • Madden confronts Kolsky over a golf tweet (49:00) before challenging his enjoyment of golf with a variety of alternative sporting events…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:20), including: the first few episodes in the new season of The Sinner on USA (starring Carrie Coon), plus whatever else Madden and Kolsky come up with during the week…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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The Toy Department – Episode 128

  By toyAdmin | August 7, 2018 - 12:41 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 128, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky fire up the iPhone reggae horn for a wild conversational ride covering:

  • The season finalé of HBO’s Succession (5:15) and how it steadily improved from the start of the season to a critical darling and future powerhouse by the end…
  • Kolsky’s attempt to get into the now-completed AMC show Halt & Catch Fire (24:25) and what appeals about that show in 2018…
  • Kolsky’s less successful attempt to get into the old NBC classic The West Wing (28:25) and his inability to stop thinking about modern politics in watching early 20-year-old political wish fulfillment…
  • Derek’s attempt to get into Love Island (37:50) and how it might take a few shows to get into its rhythm…
  • The new Mission:Impossible film (47:45) and how it functions as a microcosm of the full scale Tom Cruise experience…
  • Derek’s experience at Lollapalooza (58:45) and the state of pop music and festival audiences…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:45), including: the first two weeks of Better Call Saul’s fourth season, the films Eighth Grade and Three Identical Strangers, and the return of Insecure on HBO… plus, STAY TUNED FOR (SILLY) BONUS CONTENT!!!

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! And if you want to subscribe via iTunes/Stitcher/Google Play/etc. you can just click on the link below the player (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

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