Tag Archives: television

The Toy Department – Episode 126

  By toyAdmin | July 17, 2018 - 4:03 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 126, please excuse any audio issues AGAIN on the part of Matt Kolsky, as he joins Derek Madden live (to tape) from a DIFFERENT road trip, specifically on the road to Lake Tahoe, CA where he is scheduled to see the band Phish… The discussions cover:

  • Kolsky’s questionable life decisions…
  • The USA show Sinner (4:00) which is currently binge-able on Netflix — but is it worth binging??
  • The new Sacha Baron Cohen show Who Is America? (12:30) and how the same old Ali G schtick falls flat in 2018…
  • Hannah Gadsby’s standup special Nanette (26:55) and how she brilliantly crafts a show that is both hilarious and incredibly thoughtful and thought-provoking…
  • Boots Riley’s triumphant directorial debut Sorry to Bother You (37:15) and how amazingly original and insane and beautiful it is…
  • Homework for next week (50:45), including: well, nothing — the hosts were woefully underprepared for this portion of the show…
  • Derek’s experience at The Pretenders’ show (53:55) and how you should probably go see legends of music whenever you can…

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 125

  By toyAdmin | July 10, 2018 - 11:35 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 125, please excuse any audio issues on the part of Matt Kolsky, as he joins Derek Madden live (to tape) from a road trip, specifically from the side of the road near Needles, CA after a car breakdown, so they can discuss:

  • Kolsky’s absurd roadside predicament and dodgy recording situation…
  • The off-air Toy Department Experience (4:30) that took place in Chicago after an excellent Radiohead show on Friday (and some details about the concert itself)…
  • The soon-to-be-completed second season of The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu (15:15) and how it’s got some great stuff going on if you can handle the gut punch of its content…
  • A wrap-up discussion of the second season of Netflix’s GLOW (21:25), the many exciting possibilities heading into Season 3 and the greatness of Alison Brie…
  • A chat about HBO’s goal to increase content production (28:15) and what it says about the world of television…
  • HBO’s new limited series Sharp Objects (32:40) and how promising it feels after one episode…
  • Some brief thoughts on the World Cup (37:40)… until the tow truck shows up (40:50)…
  • Homework for next week (43:00), including: the Hannah Gadsby stand-up special Nanette and the new Boots Riley-directed film Sorry to Bother You plus perhaps another movie in theaters (like Ant Man & The Wasp, Jurassic World 2, The Incredibles 2, Sicario 2 or Tag)…

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 124

  By toyAdmin | July 3, 2018 - 12:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 124, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk a little Fourth of July before they dive into:

  • The wild weekend of NBA free agency (4:50) including LeBron James going to the Lakers and Boogie Cousins heading to the Golden State Warriors…
  • The 2018 FIFA World Cup (19:45) and just how delightful it has been through most of the Round of 16…
  • A quick discussion of Drake’s new album Scorpion (28:15) and how the Canadian pop artist continues to disappoint…
  • The new season of GLOW (32:45), how wonderful the show is and how great a job it does of honoring the diversity and complicated nature of humanity…
  • A check-in on I’m Dying Up Here (41:05) and a chat about how it has really climbed up the TV rankings for both Madden and Kolsky…
  • A check-in on Succession (49:25) and how it presents a world of miserable, terrible people that somehow both guys still want to watch…
  • Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger (53:50) and how it differs from most superhero fare and whether Derek liked it enough to continue watching through the first season…
  • Homework for next week (1:01:40), including: HBO’s new Amy Adams-starring series Sharp Objects, more World Cup and NBA offseason discussion and some subset of films currently in theaters (like Ant Man & The Wasp, Jurassic World 2, The Incredibles 2, Sicario 2 and Tag)…

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 123

  By toyAdmin | June 26, 2018 - 4:43 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 123, Derek Madden tells Matt Kolsky about his bad mood and warns everyone that he’s been drinking Haterade before they get into:

  • Showtime’s The Affair (2:25), which Kolsky jumped in on at the start of Season 4, and how well the central gimmick of the show functions…
  • Marvel’s Luke Cage on Netflix (14:40) and how Derek finds it to be very one-dimensional…
  • IFC’s Brockmire (26:00) after two seasons, whether the second season upheld the promise of season one, and what might be in store moving forward…
  • A brief detour into MTV’s The Challenge (36:30) and Kolsky’s new love for the show…
  • Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s new collaborative album EVERYTHING IS LOVE (39:25) and the guys’ wildly divergent opinions on its quality…
  • The World Cup (54:30): group stage results, the fun of the event and the growth of soccer spectatorship in America…
  • Homework for next week (1:05:40), including: Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger on Freeform, the return of GLOW on Netflix, and check-ins on Succession and I’m Dying Up Here…

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 122

  By toyAdmin | June 19, 2018 - 1:39 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 122, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky dispense with the pleasantries as they get into a shortened episode (due to time constraints) wherein they discuss:

  • Netflix’s show Lost in Space (1:15) and how it’s probably “B” television but both guys still enjoyed it…
  • Kolsky’s reaction to his first experience with MTV’s The Challenge (10:40) and some breakdown of the competition aspect on the show…
  • The opening week of the World Cup (24:00), the Ronaldo v. Messi debate and early impressions of the various competitors…
  • Some thoughts on the new Nas album Nasir (35:55) and KIDS SEE GHOSTS, with a preview of a discussion of the Jay-Z & Beyoncé album…
  • Homework for next week (38:30), including: a thorough listening to Everything Is Love, the Jay&Bey record, the season finalé of Brockmire, the second season of Luke Cage on Netflix and The Affair on Showtime…

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 121

  By toyAdmin | June 12, 2018 - 2:18 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 121, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky whine about their jobs briefly before discussing more interesting fodder, including:

  • The conclusion of the NBA Finals (3:25) including thoughts on LeBron’s hand injury and a look ahead to the offseason and beyond…
  • The new film Ocean’s 8 (16:40) and why it falls flatter than the guys hoped and expected…
  • Season 2 of Netflix’s Dear White People (26:45) and just how excited and hopeful both guys are for a potential Season 3…
  • The Season 3 finalé of Billions (31:20) and how it has risen to the top of current television options…
  • A quick return to Dear White People (41:00) to highlight the exceptional Episode 9 of the second season…
  • The new 4-episode documentary Evil Genius (44:20) and how it stands up in Netflix’s wave of documentaries…
  • Homework for next week (52:10), including: finally getting around to Lost in Space on Netflix, and Kolsky getting into MTV’s The Challenge…

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 120

  By toyAdmin | June 5, 2018 - 2:35 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 120, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky return after a week off to break down:

  • A few thoughts on Kanye West’s new album (3:20) and whether it’s really worth getting into…
  • Some closing thoughts on Killing Eve’s first season (11:30) and where the show might be headed for its second season…
  • Madden goes iso to talk about the series finalé of The Americans (21:15) and pleads for people to watch it…
  • Some final thoughts on the FX series Trust (34:45) and how it was an excellent single-season television effort that seemed to achieve all its goals…
  • HBO’s new series Succession (42:15) and whether a very pilot-y first episode did the job of getting the guys excited for the full run…
  • A few quick thoughts on I’m Dying Up Here (49:30) and how it’s a fun show hitting its stride…
  • An NBA Finals discussion (51:50) covering how long the series will last and the greatness of LeBron James…
  • A brief World Cup preview (59:40) as we head towards a tournament without the USMNT…
  • Homework for next week (1:07:05), including: the Netflix documentary Evil Genius, a wrap-up conversation for Dear White People (also on Netflix) and maybe even a chat about Lost In Space (once again – Netflix)…

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 118

  By toyAdmin | May 15, 2018 - 2:20 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 118, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky share their plans for the evening before focusing in on:

  • Some thoughts on FX’s Atlanta (2:35) after the finalé of its second season, with an aside on Donald Glover’s upcoming appearance in Solo…
  • The season finalé of Barry on HBO (10:55) and whether the writers have painted themselves into a corner for Season 2 with the way the first season ended…
  • David Letterman’s Netflix show (20:05) and whether it maybe should have just been a podcast…
  • The Arctic Monkeys new album, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (33:00) and how much of a tonal shift it represents for a band that broke out in popularity after their previous record…
  • A check-in with the NBA Playoffs (44:10) and an argument about whether either of the teams who lost Game 1 of their conference finals series still has a chance to advance to the NBA Finals…
  • The announcement of Netflix/ESPN’s new 10-hour documentary about Michael Jordan’s Bulls (1:00:55), how it’s time to remind the world of Jordan’s greatness and how Kolsky can barely contain his excitement…
  • Homework for next week (1:12:40), including: including Ali Wong’s new standup special on Netflix and the series finalé of the sitcom New Girl…

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 117

  By toyAdmin | May 8, 2018 - 11:23 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 117, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky do a bit of housekeeping from last week’s show (figurative housekeeping, not literal) before addressing:

  • The second season of Dear White People (4:40) on Netflix, and how it manages to be a lot of fun while still speaking to relevant social issues…
  • A return to HBO’s Westworld (13:00) to discuss both Madden and Kolsky’s fading interest in it…
  • The second season premiere of Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here (28:35) and how it succeeds in being a good hang despite some swings and misses on bigger themes…
  • A check-in on Showtime’s Billions (36:00), wherein Kolsky raves about just how wonderful a show it is…
  • Janelle Monáe’s awesome new album Dirty Computer (53:15) and the less-awesome 48-minute video released alongside it…
  • The new Childish Gambino video (1:03:30) and its powerful artistic statement about America…
  • John Mulaney’s Netflix stand-up special Kid Gorgeous (1:08:40) and his skill as a comedy writer…
  • Homework for next week (1:15:55), including: the season finalé of Atlanta, a few episodes of David Letterman’s show on Netflix and possibly a movie or two — come back next week to find out!!

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 115

  By toyAdmin | April 24, 2018 - 2:23 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 115, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky explain themselves for missing last week (spoiler alert — Kolsky had surgery) before getting down to business with:

  • The return of HBO’s Westworld (2:35) and whether the show is living up to the buzz that has surrounded it over its two years of existence…
  • A discussion of whether FX’s television lineup has surpassed HBO’s (9:25) as far as show quality…
  • The new Andre the Giant documentary (15:40), produced by Ringer Films for HBO…
  • The first few episodes of Killing Eve (27:45), a new show on BBC America starring Sandra Oh and created by young British super-talent Phoebe Waller-Bridge…
  • The new album from indie psych-rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra (36:40), called Sex and Food, and whether Kolsky has finally recommended music that Derek can enjoy…
  • A chat about Madden’s Beyoncé fatigue (42:10) and whether the cultural conversation around her is over-the-top and inappropriately devoid of any criticism…
  • A quick summary discussion about the first round of the NBA playoffs (57:20), including lots of Russell Westbrook thoughts and some boosting of the 76ers and Pelicans…
  • Homework for next week (1:11:15), including: checking out a few episodes of Crashing on Netflix (another Phoebe Waller-Bridge show), the Season 2 premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale, and the Season 2 premiere of Brockmire, plus exciting sports content with Champions League soccer and NBA Playoffs…

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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