Tag Archives: television

The Toy Department – Episode 219

  By toyAdmin | July 9, 2020 - 11:26 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 219, Madden and Kolsky discuss their relative levels of exhaustion and coronafear before excitedly discussing:

  • This week’s epic, EXCELLENT episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (5:40), the elimination of Dee and an unprecedented moment of friendship…
  • Kolsky’s list of the Top Ten Bay Area Athletes (30:20) and the methodology that went into his selections…
  • The musical Hamilton (49:55), which is now available on Disney+ and is clearly an impressive achievement if not especially appealing to either host…
  • The new Cate Blanchett-produced Netflix show Stateless (1:03:50) and how it doesn’t generate as much excitement as depression…
  • Homework for next week (1:10:45), including: another episode of The Challenge, the Charlize Theron superhero movie Old Guard on Netflix, the new Hulu film Palm Springs (starring Andy Samberg), Eric Andre’s new standup special Legalize Everything and an attempt at watching the new Peacock app show Brave New World…

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The Toy Department – Episode 218

  By toyAdmin | July 2, 2020 - 2:55 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 218, Kolsky gives Madden the scoop on a mildly disastrous start to his road trip vacation before discussing:

  • The new Netflix/Will Ferrell movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (7:05) and its star-powered cast…
  • The first episode of HBO’s I’ll Be Gone In the Dark (14:00) and its twin storylines of Michelle McNamara and her subject…
  • The first two episodes of HBO’s Perry Mason (21:20) and how few redeeming qualities the show has…
  • The third season of Search Party (26:55) now on HBO Max, and what remains appealing about this weird little show…
  • The return of The Chi on Showtime (31:35) and settling into a new season minus a couple of ostensibly major characters…
  • The last two weeks of action on The Challenge: Total Madness (41:05) and the departure of Aneesa and Josh…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:25), including: another episode of The Challenge, checking out Hamilton on Disney+, Cate Blanchett’s new show Stateless on Netflix, and probably some other stuff too…

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The Toy Department – Episode 217

  By toyAdmin | June 18, 2020 - 11:17 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 217, Madden and Kolsky somehow get into Frank Zappa’s Baby Snakes before focusing in on:

  • The Top Chef All-Stars LA finale (2:55) and its many moving moments…
  • An odd detour into the idea of the universal DH in baseball (13:15) before a return to Top Chef chatter…
  • ESPN’s 30 for 30 doc Long Gone Summer (24:40) and its perplexingly fluffy coverage of the Mark McGwire/Sammy Sosa home run race of 1998…
  • Another episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (38:10), the awkwardness of the Dee edits and the (fast-approaching?) final…
  • The new Spike Lee joint Da 5 Bloods (50:00) and the greatness of Delroy Lindo…
  • Judd Apatow’s new movie The King of Staten Island (57:40) and the prospect of Pete Davidson as a leading man…
  • Dave Chappelle’s surprise special 8:46 (1:07:45) and the value of his voice at this time in America…
  • Homework for next week (1:17:35), including: another episode of The Challenge, the return of The Chi on Showtime, the debut of Perry Mason on HBO and the new season of Search Party on HBO Max…

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The Toy Department – Episode 216

  By toyAdmin | June 11, 2020 - 10:57 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 216, Madden and Kolsky are once again compelled to briefly address the issues of the day before spinning off into less pressing concerns:

  • This week’s penultimate episode of Top Chef (7:50) and how a stacked final stacks up…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge (23:40), the many dramas of Dee Nguyen and the prospects for the home stretch of this season…
  • HBO’s new series I May Destroy You (41:05) from Michaela Coel and how interesting it appears at first blush…
  • ESPN’s latest 30 for 30 doc Be Water (44:10) and whether it does its subject (Bruce Lee) justice…
  • The new Run the Jewels record (56:15) and its potential place as a soundtrack to what is hopefully a pivotal time in history…
  • Homework for next week (1:03:25), including: the season finale of Top Chef, another Challenge episode, ESPN’s new 30 for 30 Long Gone Summer about Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, the new Spike Lee joint Da 5 Bloods, and the new Judd Apatow/Pete Davidson collab The King of Staten Island…

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The Toy Department – Episode 215

  By toyAdmin | June 4, 2020 - 11:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 215, Madden and Kolsky can’t avoid a short discussion of the serious issues going on in the world before jumping back into the Toy Department with:

  • This week’s episode of The Challenge (9:15) and the epic elimination between Wes and Johnny Bananas…
  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (34:20) and the fearsome foursome heading towards the final…
  • Netflix’s new Steve Carrell show Space Force (48:10) and how it fails to distinguish itself…
  • Season 2 of Ramy on Hulu (51:50) and how it hits better for one host than the other…
  • HBO Max’s Love Life (55:05) and the irrepressible charm of Anna Kendrick…
  • Homework for next week (1:02:05), including: the latest from both The Challenge and Top Chef, HBO’s I May Destroy You, the new Run the Jewels record (RTJ 4) and ESPN’s Bruce Lee documentary Be Water…

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The Toy Department – Episode 214

  By toyAdmin | May 29, 2020 - 11:52 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 214, Madden and Kolsky spend a few minutes lamenting the state of America before turning to the lighter fare of:

  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (4:05) and how things look as we head to a new country and towards the finalé…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge (22:45) and the prospects for players still in search of their red skull…
  • Hulu’s new show The Great (44:15) and how it is a bundle of fun in the vein of The Favourite, among other things…
  • A few quick words on Patton Oswalt’s new comedy special (52:30), but it’s nothing special…
  • Far more words on Hannah Gadsby (54:40), her new special Douglas and the excitement of a talented new comedic voice…
  • Season 2 of Homecoming (1:06:05) and whether or not it even really needs to exist…
  • TNT’s Snowpiercer (1:10:20) and whether its potential is weighed down by its TNT-ishness…
  • Homework for next week (1:15:05), including: more from both Top Chef and The Challenge, HBO Max’s initial offering Love Life (with Anna Kendrick), Netflix’s new show Space Force, the return of Ramy on Hulu and ESPN’s 30 for 30 on Lance Armstrong…

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The Toy Department – Episode 213

  By toyAdmin | May 14, 2020 - 11:22 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 213, Madden and Kolsky waste little time before jumping into:

  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (1:40) and Kolsky’s triumph as his nemesis is finally eliminated…
  • The latest two episodes of The Last Dance (14:25) and Madden’s distaste for Michael Jordan the person…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (37:35) and the dangers of underestimating the Barbie Beast…
  • Jerry Seinfeld’s new Netflix special 23 Hours to Kill (50:30) and how it fails to reach Seinfeldian heights…
  • HBO’s new Mark Ruffalo vehicle I Know This Much is True (52:20) and the concept of bad-time tv during a pandemic…
  • The second season of Netflix’s Dead to Me (58:20) and just how enjoyable the two lead actresses are…
  • The end of IFC’s Brockmire (1:02:00), a show everyone should go watch IMMEDIATELY, and the fate of real baseball…
  • Homework for TWO weeks from now (1:14:25), including: Hulu’s new Catherine the Great show The Great, TNT’s Snowpiercer, new comedy specials from Patton Oswalt and Hannah Gadsby, and season 2 of Homecoming on Amazon Prime…

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The Toy Department – Episode 212

  By toyAdmin | May 7, 2020 - 11:11 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 212, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky dive right into:

  • This week’s restaurant wars episode of Top Chef (1:40) and the unsuspenseful upset that it delivered…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge (17:10) and the many dangers of Total Madness…
  • Two more episodes of The Last Dance (34:50) and the singular maniacal drive of Michael Jordan…
  • The return of Showtime’s Billions (52:40) and whether there’s enough growth to keep the show’s momentum going…
  • HBO’s new skater show Betty (56:15) and whether a pilot episode with no pilot can grab your interest…
  • Upload on Amazon Prime (1:00:40), where it falls short and why it remains a reasonably enjoyable watch…
  • Hulu’s new show Normal People (1:04:20) and its unique, perhaps novelistic style…
  • Homework for next week (1:08:10), including: new episodes of Top Chef & The Challenge, two more episodes of The Last Dance, finishing this season of Brockmire, the second season of Dead to Me and Jerry Seinfeld’s new stand-up special (plus HBO’s new show I Know This Much is True, which was not mentioned)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 211

  By toyAdmin | April 30, 2020 - 11:32 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 211, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky literally discuss the weather and their pets before navigating through:

  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (2:20) and Leanne’s impressive cockroach impersonation…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (15:05) and the incredible level of danger this season’s challengers are facing…
  • Episodes 3 & 4 of the Michael Jordan/Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance (31:25) and the Bulls’ epic battles with Detroit…
  • The season finale of Jason Segel’s Dispatches from Elsewhere (47:10) and what to take away from a bizarre adventure…
  • Mindy Kaling’s new Netflix creation Never Have I Ever (54:10) and whether it distinguishes itself in a crowded landscape of high school-based entertainment…
  • A very special quarantine episode of Parks & Recreation (57:30) and how much fun it is to hang with the characters we love so much…
  • The HBO movie Bad Education (1:01:15) and whether good performances can elevate a story without a lot to like…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:45), including: new episodes of Top Chef & The Challenge, two more episodes of The Last Dance, Hulu’s new show Normal People, HBO’s new skater show Betty, and Upload on Amazon Prime, plus the return of Billions on Showtime…

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The Toy Department – Episode 210

  By toyAdmin | April 25, 2020 - 2:47 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 210, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk a little NFL Draft before blazing through:

  • The first two episodes of the new Michael Jordan/Chicago Bulls documentary The Last Dance (6:40) and what we have to look forward to in the 10-part series…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (17:25) and Ashley’s implosion in the bunker…
  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (26:40) and the elimination of some Toy Department favorites…
  • The season finale of AMC’s Better Call Saul (34:25) and how it sets us up for an explosive final season…
  • The new Netflix show #BlackAF (39:45) and how Kenya Barris is embracing his new home on a streaming network…
  • Netflix’s new comedy specials from Middleditch & Schwartz (45:30) and whether the improv format translates to a streaming comedy special…
  • A few thoughts on Netflix’s new sex-ban reality show Too Hot to Handle (48:20) and how stupidity can be incredibly watchable…
  • The new Steve Kerr/Pete Carroll podcast Flying Coach (51:30) and the insights two champion coaches can offer in audio format…
  • Homework for next week (53:55), including: new episodes of Top Chef & The Challenge, two more episodes of The Last Dance, the season finale of Dispatches from Elsewhere, the HBO movie Bad Education, Mindy Kaling’s new show Never Have I Ever on Netflix and a very special episode of Parks and Recreation…

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