Tag Archives: Toy Department

The Toy Department – Episode 110

  By toyAdmin | March 13, 2018 - 2:58 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 110, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky quickly move past Kolsky’s morning of customer service hell and Madden’s mild illness to get into all of this:

  • The Netflix original film Mute (3:00) and how it fails to deliver on its promise and star power…
  • The return of the Netflix series Love (12:30) and how charming and wonderful it is to both guys…
  • Amazon’s series Sneaky Pete (23:35) after the release of the second season…
  • #PodChef time: the 15th Season of Top Chef (31:20) has come and gone, and there’s plenty to discuss…
  • NBC’s new series Good Girls (39:50) and whether it rises above traditional network fare…
  • Some NFL offseason talk (48:20) after reports that Kirk Cousins will sign a fully guaranteed contract…
  • Homework for next week (1:03:00), including: the start of Season 3 of Lifetime’s UnREAL, AMC’s McMafia and Netflix’s Collateral, plus all the NCAA action you can handle…

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 109

  By toyAdmin | March 6, 2018 - 2:29 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 109, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky jump right into the business to discuss:

  • The aftermath of the 90th Annual Academy Awards (0:50), the low ratings and the future of the awards show…
  • The Season 2 premiere of Donald Glover’s FX show Atlanta (14:00) and all the things that make it the best show on television right now…
  • Another FX show, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace (22:00) and how Madden and Kolsky differ greatly in their opinion of the show…
  • The Paramount Network show Waco (39:25) and how its handling of history struck Madden and Kolsky differently…
  • #PodChef time: the semi-finals episode of Top Chef (1:01:10) is in the books, and the guys have thoughts…
  • Homework for next week (1:09:40), including: the first three episodes of NBC’s Good Girls, the Netflix film Mute, the start of Season 3 of Lifetime’s UnREAL, plus the return of Jessica Jones and Love on Netflix and Sneaky Pete on Amazon…

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 108

  By toyAdmin | February 27, 2018 - 2:20 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 108, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky preview their Oscar discussion unnecessarily before diving into the following (in order):

  • The first three episodes of the new NBC sitcom AP Bio (4:15), and whether it stands out from the pack of network comedy…
  • Derek’s experimentation with the Season 4 premiere of iZombie (8:50) and how it probably is a show that requires starting from the beginning…
  • Kolsky’s experimentation with Season 15 of Top Chef (16:50), some of its most engaging characters, and how it really does provide the best of reality TV…
  • A run-down of the Oscars (35:50) and predictions for the actual winners (along with pleas for the real winners) heading into this weekend’s show…
  • The long list of shows returning or premiering in March of 2018 (57:55) and what of it will be worth watching…
  • Homework for next week (1:04:50), including: the first two episodes of NBC’s new dramedy Good Girls and the Season 2 premiere of FX’s Atlanta…

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 107

  By toyAdmin | February 21, 2018 - 4:12 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 107, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky try to figure out what the NBA’s proposed 1-16 playoff seeding idea would look like before jumping into the day’s assigned topics:

  • Marvel’s new movie sensation Black Panther (9:20) and its quality and importance, plus the awesomely unfolding career of director Ryan Coogler…
  • The soundtrack to the aforementioned Black Panther (25:25) and how it really is a companion piece to the film…
  • The new Chris Rock standup special Tambourine (30:30), how good it is and how important it is for comedians to have their space to consider ideas…
  • NBC’s new sitcom AP Bio (42:50), and whether it is worth watching or stands out from standard network fare in an interesting way…
  • Netflix’s new Queer Eye (48:35) and how it distinguishes itself from other reality television…
  • Homework for next week (1:00:00), including: giving AP Bio a couple more episodes to hit its stride, watching some Top Chef, checking out the first two episodes of The Joel McHale Show on Netflix and Derek giving iZombie a try as it begins its fourth 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 106

  By toyAdmin | February 13, 2018 - 5:36 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 106 Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky discuss their respective Valentine’s Day thoughts before settling into an episode designed mostly by Kolsky with the foremost intention of stretching Madden’s limits of entertainment consumption and discussing:

  • Showtime’s The Chi (8:00) and just what kind of show it seems to be at the midway point of its first season…
  • The Winston Churchill-focused film The Darkest Hour (14:30) and how it outshined its period piece contemporary Dunkirk…
  • The rebooted Jumanji (21:25) and how it wildly exceeded expectations to be a good movie…
  • The Netflix sci-fi series Altered Carbon (27:40) and whether Madden was able to swallow the fantasy world or not…
  • Three albums that Derek wouldn’t otherwise have listened to: Khruangbin’s Con Todo El Mundo (42:20), Ty Segall’s Freedom’s Goblin (44:10), and Nai Palm’s Needle Paw (47:20)…
  • Both guys’ weird propensity to tear up during entertainment (53:25)…
  • Homework for next week (56:30), including: the new sitcom AP Bio, Black Panther the movie AND the soundtrack to Black Panther, and whatever else they add to the pile 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 105

  By toyAdmin | February 6, 2018 - 2:00 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 105 Derek Madden finds Matt Kolsky freshly returned from Hawaii to discuss such delights as:

  • Super Bowl LII (0:45) and how any season where the Patriots don’t win is a relative success…
  • Justin Timberlake’s new album Man of the Woods (12:05) and how it seems to be a success despite being somewhat confusing…
  • The Netflix movie Mudbound (25:00) and how it’s a good example of quality bad-time entertainment…
  • Another Netflix film, A Futile and Stupid Gesture (30:55), which tells the story of the Doug Kenney and the rise of National Lampoon…
  • The season finalé of The Good Place (45:10) and the tremendous work of Michael Schur in the world of network comedy…
  • Homework for next week (52:00) wherein Madden pays off his losing Super Bowl bet and allows Kolsky to program the entire show, covering: the new superhero film Black Panther, the new Netflix sci-fi series Altered Carbon, and albums from Nai Palm (Needle Paw), Khruangbin (Con Todo El Mundo) and Ty Segall (Freedom’s Goblin)… Come back next week to hear about the torture!!

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 104

  By toyAdmin | January 30, 2018 - 2:55 pm | Uncategorized
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In a special, extra-long Episode 104 (hang in there, it’s totally worth your time) Derek Madden somehow earns another incomplete on his homework assignment, but he and Matt Kolsky still manage to dive DEEP into:

  • HBO’s Crashing (3:00) and the performance of Bill Burr on the excellent most recent episode…
  • The new Starz show Counterpart (9:15) featuring JK Simmons, and whether it’s compelling enough to convince people to pay for the network, which leads to a discussion of the modern TV landscape…
  • A check-in on Kolsky’s binge-watching of Parks & Rec (27:25) which is going swimmingly…
  • The Oscar-nominated film I, Tonya (33:15) and how its relationship with the facts and with real-life Tonya Harding might complicate a viewing of the film…
  • The new Paul Thomas Anderson film Phantom Thread (41:05) and all the things about it that are incredible, plus working through some thoughts and feelings about things that were confusing…
  • Super Bowl LII (1:13:35), specifically some of the delightful prop bets for this Sunday’s game, plus a fun bet on the game between Madden and Kolsky…
  • Homework for next week (1:39:05) including: Derek hopefully finally watching Mudbound and Darkest Hour, plus new albums from Justin Timberlake and Ty Segall and the new Netflix film A Futile & Stupid Gesture, about the early years of National Lampoon…

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 103

  By toyAdmin | January 23, 2018 - 5:54 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 103, Derek Madden has once again failed to do his homework, yet he and Matt Kolsky power through to cover:

  • The nominations (3:25) for the 2018 Academy Awards and how well-represented the year in movies is, for a change…
  • Kolsky’s experience at the St. Vincent concert (26:40) and how incredible her staging is versus other shows…
  • The return of HBO’s Crashing (32:15) and how it’s really cruising in the early parts of its second season…
  • The premiere of this year’s American Crime Story (37:15) and whether the Gianni Versace murder has enough to carry the season…
  • The results of the NFL Playoffs (44:40) and a look forward to Super Bowl LII…
  • A mid-season check-in on the NBA (55:50), including thoughts on the “collapsing” Cavs, Thibodeau’s T-Wolves and the Baby Bulls…
  • Homework for next week (1:10:25) including: Derek actually watching Mudbound and I, Tonya, plus everyone checking out the new Paul Thomas Anderson joint Phantom Thread to prepare for the Oscars, and checking back in on Showtime’s The Chi after four episodes…

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 102

  By toyAdmin | January 16, 2018 - 5:49 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 102, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are a few minutes late and spent a few minutes discussing Kolsky’s new job situation and bad television commercials before jumping into:

  • The new Netflix show The End of the Fucking World (4:25) and whether or not its lead female character is charming or off-putting or a combination of the two…
  • Kolsky’s experience with Making a Murderer (10:20) after finishing the binge last week…
  • The final two episodes of the newest season of Netflix’s Black Mirror (21:15) and whether the show has maintained its high level of execution…
  • The new Steven Spielberg/Meryl Streep/Tom Hanks collab The Post (31:35) and its resonance in 2018 America…
  • The much-ballyhooed film Call Me By Your Name (41:55) and its basic unremarkability despite the efforts of its cast…
  • A quick chat about the NBA (52:50), including the Rockets’ attempted assault on the Clippers and the universal appeal of free t-shirts…
  • Homework for next week (1:04:05) including: the return of American Crime Story (The Murder of Gianni Versace), the return of HBO’s Pete Holmes-created show Crashing, and the movies I, Tonya and Mudbound, if Madden and Kolsky can work up the nerve for the latter…

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 101

  By toyAdmin | January 9, 2018 - 4:36 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 101, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky jump right in with a new un-produced segment:

  • What Does Kolsky Think About Some Stuff (2:00): including Making a Murderer and the college football National Championship game…
  • A wild Wild Card Weekend in the NFL (24:00) and a look ahead to the divisional round…
  • Episodes 3 and 4 of Netflix’s new season of Black Mirror (36:35), one very good and one very, very bad…
  • The series debut of The Chi (49:35) on Showtime, and how excited both Madden and Kolsky are for the future of this ambitious new show…
  • The two new Dave Chappelle standup specials (55:40) on Netflix, and the difficulty Kolsky is having with processing comedy in 2018…
  • Homework for next week (1:15:05) including: watching the Oscar-buzzed films Call Me By Your Name and The Post, the Netflix show The End of the Fucking World and the continuing drama of the NFL 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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