Tag Archives: Derek Madden

The Toy Department – Episode 158

  By toyAdmin | March 13, 2019 - 11:11 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 158, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk about the onslaught of peak television before focusing in on:

  • HBO’s The Case Against Adnan Syed (3:05), the frustrations of watching authorities bungle a case and a heartfelt look at a heartbreaking story…
  • Netflix’s new docu-series Losers (15:10) and how the episodes tell heartwarming tales of human triumph from the sports world…
  • Ricky Gervais’ new show After Life (24:40), also available on Netflix, which tells the story of a heartbroken and initially somewhat charmless widower finding his way back to being human…
  • The Canadian show Workin’ Moms (29:45), ALSO available on Netflix, and how it didn’t quite connect with either of the guys despite a lot of appealing aspects…
  • A check-in on FX’s You’re the Worst (35:41), a true pod favorite, in the midst of its final season…
  • Some assorted thoughts on peak tv and upcoming shows and movies (44:20) including Crashing and Deadwood on HBO…
  • Homework for next week (49:15), including: wrapping up Crashing and trying to get Derek into Deadwood, the Ben Affleck-fronted Netflix film Triple Frontier, the return of Showtime’s Billions, a new season of Catastrophe on Amazon and the season finalé of Top Chef (and perhaps watching the show Schitt’s Creek at some point in the not-too-distant future)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 157

  By toyAdmin | March 6, 2019 - 10:56 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 157, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky tempt fate with the prediction of a short show (spoiler alert — it actually came true!!) before breaking down:

  • The return of FX’s Better Things (1:25), a pod favorite, and how its brilliance appears intact after the departure of co-creator Louis C.K…
  • The Netflix film Paddleton (8:45), how it manages to be enjoyable and distinctly Duplass-y despite a persistent sadness and what it says about the movie industry’s changing status quo…
  • The HBO film O.G. (25:05), featuring a typically tour de force performance performance from Jeffrey Wright in a clinical look at incarceration…
  • Gary Clark, Jr.’s new album This Land (34:10) and how its eclectic mix of blues-tinged genre-jumping makes for a really good album that may not do much for his popularity…
  • Homework for next week (45:10), including: The Case Against Adnan Syed on HBO, Losers and Workin’ Moms on Netflix and check-ins on HBO’s The Shop and FX’s You’re the Worst…

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The Toy Department – Episode 156

  By toyAdmin | February 27, 2019 - 11:23 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 156, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky rap briefly about Kolsky’s bizarre schedule before delving into:

  • Some debriefing on Sunday’s 91st Academy Awards (1:20) including winners, losers and over-reactors…
  • The premiere of the third season of Documentary Now on IFC (30:30) and what turned out to be a hilarious take on Wild Wild Country…
  • A wrap-up discussion of HBO’s True Detective Season 3 (37:00) and why Derek really didn’t like it at all…
  • The new film Fighting With My Family (46:55) and how it was a charming, if not entirely true-to-life, look at the early life and career of WWE’s Paige…
  • The first episode of Desus & Mero in their new home on Showtime (56:35) and how both guys think it can be a huge success and will make an interesting test case for new-look late night television…
  • Homework for next week (1:01:55), including: actually seeing the new HBO film O.G, the return of Pamela Adlon’s Better Things on FX, and the Netflix movie Paddleton (plus whatever else pops up during the week)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 155

  By toyAdmin | February 20, 2019 - 9:25 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 155, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss their irregular recording time before spreading out over:

  • The question of Netflix programming v. Hulu programming (1:30) and what that even means…
  • Hulu’s new middle school comedy/drama PEN15 (5:10) and how it has some appeal but falls flat in comparison to other shows covering similar territory…
  • Netflix’s new sci-fi/fantasy drama The Umbrella Academy (12:40), which Kolsky talks himself even more into as he attempts to convince Derek it’s worthwhile…
  • Hugo Blick’s Black Earth Rising (20:05), also available on Netflix, and how the high level of execution on all parts does little to make it easier to watch…
  • A check-in on Top Chef (27:45) after the fried chicken and Muhammad Ali episode…
  • Some NBA chatter (42:00) as the league heads out of the All-Star Break and into the home stretch, including whether or not the league has a player empowerment problem…
  • Homework for next week (56:55), including: actually seeing Fighting With My Family in theaters, the end of True Detective’s third season, an episode of Documentary Now (allegedly mocking Wild Wild Country), the premiere of Desus and Mero on Showtime and the new HBO Film O.G…

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The Toy Department – Episode 154

  By toyAdmin | February 13, 2019 - 11:03 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 154, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky start with a quick back-and-forth about Madden’s recent weather and dog experiences before breaking down:

  • The new Netflix show Russian Doll (3:30) and the many delights of creator/lead Natasha Lyonne…
  • The new Netflix film High Flying Bird (13:50) and the many delights of director Steven Soderbergh and stars Andre Holland and Zazie Beetz…
  • The Valentine’s Day special episode of Netflix’s Big Mouth (22:45) and how the show is at the absolute peak of its powers…
  • The return of MTV’s The Challenge (29:10), its explosive first episode, plus the appeal of this season’s specific format…
  • A check-in on Top Chef (37:15) and the current front-runners, plus Kolsky is unnecessarily critical of Kentucky Sarah…
  • The premiere of Miracle Workers on TBS (49:45), its bizarre Game of Thrones-parody theme song, and how it’s not quite what the guys expected (but it certainly gave them enough to come back next week)…
  • Homework for next week (56:25), including: watching Hulu’s PEN15, trying out Umbrella Academy on Netflix, actually watching Black Earth Rising on Netflix and seeing the new film Fighting with my Family about WWE wrestler Page (plus Kolsky watches the NBA All-Star game and has fun, whether you like it or not)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 153

  By toyAdmin | January 30, 2019 - 11:25 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 153, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky begin by addressing Derek’s horrifying weather predicament, before staying calm and carrying on through:

  • The season finale of The Good Place (3:50) which satisfied one host more than the other…
  • Killer Mike’s Trigger Warning (9:25) on Netflix, and whether or not it thinks itself through properly or delivers enough punch to have real impact…
  • Lifetime’s YOU (20:55) – available on Netflix – its odd tone and addictive nature, and the prospect of a step up (or sideways?) for future seasons…
  • The delightful premiere of the final season of Comedy Central’s Broad City (27:40) and the guys’ hopes for a thrilling conclusion…
  • Comedy Central’s new show The Other Two (31:05) and whether it bears further consideration…
  • Some thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl (37:00) and the more intriguing of available prop bets…
  • Homework for next week (57:55), including: the shows Black Earth Rising and Russian Doll, both available on Netflix, and the new albums by Sharon Van Etten (Remind Me Tomorrow), Toro y Moi (Outer Peace) and Malibu Ken (self-titled debut from Aesop Rock/Tobacco collaboration)…

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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 150

  By toyAdmin | January 9, 2019 - 11:33 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 150, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky cruise past a hiccup — or, more accurately, a giggle-cough — at the start to cover:

  • The Lifetime docu-series Surviving R. Kelly (1:45), which Madden watched and about which he gives an impassioned address to both Kolsky and the audience…
  • Top Chef’s Restaurant Wars episodes (13:15) and how the show continues to be wildly entertaining, the peak of reality television…
  • A wrap-up of Escape At Dannemora (30:20) and whether it has enough to it to be a really good show…
  • The award-winning film The Favourite (38:35) and the guys’ mildly differing opinions on how well it pulls off a satirical look at England of old…
  • Some quick thoughts on the Golden Globes (47:45) and their predictably bizarre results…
  • A check-in on the NFL playoffs (53:35) after a Wild Card weekend that left Kolsky near tears, a look forward to the Divisional Round and some thoughts on team-building…
  • Homework for next week (1:18:40), including: watching more NFL Playoffs, the return of You’re the Worst on FX, season two of Friends from College on Netflix and season three of True Detective on HBO…

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The Toy Department – Episode 149

  By toyAdmin | January 2, 2019 - 12:01 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 149, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky lament the ever-increasing speed of the passage of time before discussing:

  • Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (3:10) and how it’s an interesting idea that ultimately falls short in terms of story and character…
  • The new film Vice (20:25) and how despite a non-linear plot and rather unlikable characters it very much succeeds as a film…
  • Ellen’s new standup special Relatable (31:10) and how Madden and Kolsky are very much split on how funny it is…
  • The Netflix film Private Life (36:40) and how much both guys enjoyed the honesty of its storytelling and the tremendous performances of its lead actors…
  • Barry Jenkins’ new movie If Beale Street Could Talk (42:55) and how it is a cinematic masterpiece that should be appreciated far more than some lesser but over-appreciated Oscar contenders…
  • The start of the NFL Playoffs (58:25), covering Kolsky’s Bears feelings and a Wild Card Weekend slate that looks tantalizing…
  • Homework for next week (1:07:45), including (but not limited to, because the guys gotta do some research on what to consume): watching the aforementioned NFL Playoffs and the film The Favourite, plus Restaurant Wars on Top Chef…

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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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