Tag Archives: FX

The Toy Department – Episode 174

  By toyAdmin | July 17, 2019 - 2:56 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 174, Derek Madden finds Matt Kolsky on paternity leave and without a high quality microphone to record into, but they still manage to cover:

  • The new American version of the UK hit Love Island (2:25) and whether it makes the grade for continued enjoyment…
  • Kolsky’s dive into the old Madden favorite The Shield (17:05) and what an early ’00s classic looks like in 2019…
  • Madden’s attempt to enjoy old Kolsky favorite Deadwood (27:45) and his insurmountable western roadblock…
  • A discussion about the Emmy Award Nominations (33:35) and TV’s biggest awards program in general…
  • Homework for next week (1:01:30), including: the new Showtime docu-series Shangri-La focusing on Rick Rubin, the new Raconteurs album Help Us Stranger, hopefully getting to the new movie Stuber and catching up on HBO shows Big Little Lies (which is already ending!) and Euphoria (which is only beginning)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 162

  By toyAdmin | April 10, 2019 - 2:35 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 162, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk about Madden’s rough day and Minneapolis’s impending blizzard before making their way through:

  • The series finalé of FX’s You’re the Worst (3:35) and how it will go down as a personal favorite for one host and a great peak tv comedy for the other…
  • The premiere of Season 3 of IFC’s Brockmire (16:25) and its incredible hit rate of hilarity…
  • HBO’s documentary The Inventor (25:25) and the way it tells the bizarre story of Elizabeth Holmes…
  • The return of BBC America’s Killing Eve (34:55) and how excited both guys are to return to the world that Season 1 established…
  • Showtime’s The Chi (40:10) establishing itself as a well-executed premium drama as it begins its second season…
  • The first episode of FX’s Fosse/Verdon (48:35) and whether there’s more here than enthralling acting performances…
  • Some thoughts on the NBA MVP debate (54:35) between Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden and a quick preview of the playoffs (which begin this weekend)…
  • Homework for next week (1:14:45), including: GAME OF THRONES IS BACK!!! plus Billie Eilish’s new album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and watching Schitt’s Creek and Our Planet on Netflix…

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The Toy Department – Episode 161

  By toyAdmin | April 3, 2019 - 11:17 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 161, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky literally make small talk about weather before getting serious on:

  • Derek’s viewing of Jordan Peele’s Us (3:25) and whether Kolsky is being a big ol’ wimp about seeing it…
  • The TV premiere of What We Do in the Shadows (17:05) on FX, and how it compares to the film it is based on…
  • The start of the seventh season of Veep on HBO (21:00) and how the show has changed over time…
  • The return of HBO’s Barry (26:25) in a somewhat pilot-y fashion, resetting the world we got to know in Season 1…
  • The end of Miracle Workers on TBS (29:05) and how it made an enjoyable little treat…
  • The end of Season 1 of Black Monday (33:55) and whether there’s enough on the bone to bring an effective satire back for a second season…
  • The end of HBO’s documentary series The Case Against Adnan Syed (38:50) and the ongoing injustices of the story we first heard through Serial…
  • Homework for next week (54:40), including: the return of several show favorites on TV — Killing Eve, Brockmire and The Chi — plus the series finale of You’re The Worst, the series premiere of Fosse/Verdon and a few movies for the back burner: The Inventor and Native Son (both on HBO) and The Highwaymen on Netflix…

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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 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 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 116

  By toyAdmin | May 1, 2018 - 1:21 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 116, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky ignore the small Venezuelan woman knocking on the door of Kolsky’s room and get right into:

  • Kanye West’s apparent Trump support (6:20) and whether it changes the receptiveness to his music…
  • The season 2 premiere of The Handmaid’s Tale (14:45) and whether the guys are prepared to depress themselves for another season of television…
  • The return of IFC’s Brockmire (25:55), how much fun the show is and how hopeful both guys are for the future of this season…
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Crashing (33:15), an originally British show that is now available on Netflix and brings some filthy fun to the table…
  • FX’s Legion (43:05) and whether things have gotten too insane to handle for either of the hosts…
  • The second round of the NBA Playoffs (52:50) including thoughts on LeBron, the 76ers, the Celtics and the Raptors…
  • Homework for next week (1:03:15), including: Dear White People on Netflix, checking in on Westworld, Billions and Atlanta, the return of Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here, the new Janelle Monáe album (plus the movie she released on YouTube along with it) and John Mulaney’s new Netflix stand-up special…

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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The Toy Department – Episode 114

  By toyAdmin | April 10, 2018 - 4:11 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 114, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky open with a distressingly un-fun chat about Facebook before returning to the appropriate purview of the podcast to get into:

  • A check-in with FX’s Atlanta (7:10) to sort through Derek’s feelings about Episode 6 of the second season, Teddy Perkins…
  • The second season premiere of FX’s Legion (13:40) and whether it can keep Madden’s attention if it doesn’t lock into a more straightforward approach to plot and story…
  • The first episode of the new TBS sitcom The Last O.G. (25:45), starring Tiffany Haddish and Tracy Morgan, which both guys are hopeful about after watching the pilot…
  • The new album from Cardi B (34:15), Invasion of Privacy, and how it may represent the culture passing Derek by…
  • A quick description of Madden’s experience at Cafe Spiaggia (53:10), Top Chef Winner Joe Flamm’s restaurant in Chicago…
  • A wrap-up discussion on the Netflix documentary series Wild Wild Country (57:45), despite some technical difficulties…
  • The Al Pacino-starring HBO film Paterno (1:08:45), and the difficulties of making a movie about the short period of time that it focuses on…
  • Homework for next week (1:22:20), including: getting to the film A Quiet Place some time in the next two weeks, the Andre the Giant documentary on HBO, BBC America’s new Sandra Oh-starring series Killing Eve and the new album from the indie/psych-rock band Unknown Mortal Orchestra…

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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