Tag Archives: Hulu

The Toy Department – Episode 312

  By toyAdmin | September 9, 2022 - 11:59 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 312, Madden and Kolsky have just a little slander for the recently departed Queen of England before locking into pop culture to go through:

  • The intrigue and excitement from several weeks of The Challenge: USA (5:35), some of the questionable strategic decision-making and the show’s place and role in the larger Challenge universe…
  • The new HBO fantasy epic House of The Dragon (35:40) and how it has engaged our hosts despite a somewhat narrow purview through the first three episodes…
  • Amazon’s big fantasy swing with The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (42:55) and how it hits a solid double for Kolsky but strikes out hard for Madden…
  • The delightful documentary series Welcome to Wrexham (49:55) and how it’s much more than just a show about a downtrodden football club (aka soccer team)…
  • Hulu’s new drama The Patient (59:20) and how the lead actors are thriving and the show is throwing cliffhangers at you…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:04:25), including: Madden’s audible into Bad Sisters on Apple TV+, the new Peacock movie Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul, and Showtime’s new American Gigolo series, plus the conclusion of The Challenge USA on CBS/Paramount+…

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The Toy Department – Episode 309

  By toyAdmin | August 5, 2022 - 11:43 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 309, Madden and Kolsky are eager to get into their pop culture topics today, including:

  • The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:20) and how Tyson continues to separate himself from the competition despite a questionable strategy for elimination nominations…
  • The second season of FX/Hulu’s Reservation Dogs (22:40) and how it transports the viewer right back to its totally unique and wonderful world…
  • The Peacock mystery/thriller The Resort (28:45) and how it just didn’t quite live up to our hosts’ expectations, despite a delightful cast and interesting premise…
  • The surprisingly excellent Paper Girls (34:35) and how the Amazon Prime time travel show has some wonderfully developed young characters…
  • Homework for next Friday (42:05), including: at least the first episode of Season 2 of Industry on HBO Max, the new season of All or Nothing on Amazon Prime (featuring Arsenal), the new Netflix series The Sandman (based on a Neil Gaiman comic) and Disney+’s I Am Groot, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…
  • A brief detour into the state of Disney+ television properties (48:15), particularly Marvel and Star Wars… (and you want want to miss the out-take from our pre-show meeting)

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The Toy Department – Episode 306

  By toyAdmin | June 30, 2022 - 11:16 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 306, Madden and Kolsky are sneaking in a late-night Thursday recording before they each go on (very different) vacations, so it’s right into:

  • The penultimate episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (1:50) and how it sets up for a very exciting finalé (despite the unforgiven transgression of the previous episode)…
  • The new Apple TV+/Maya Rudolph show Loot (19:15) and how it’s a delightful comedy with a heart that really lets its lead actress shine…
  • The 90-minute dick joke Beavis & Butthead Do the Universe (23:25) and what reason there was for making this film besides Paramount+’s thirst for “new” content…
  • The Disney film Rise (28:20) and the absolutely unbelievable and wildly inspiring story of the Antetokounmpo brothers…
  • The return of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (35:50) and how the show remains very enjoyable, though it might not have a particularly long shelf life at its current speed…
  • Some thoughts on a turbulent week in the NBA (40:50) and potential destinations for Kevin Durant after his trade request in Brooklyn…
  • Homework for Friday, July 22 (1:01:30), including: the end of The Challenge All-Stars 3 and the beginning of the newest entry in the franchise – The Challenge USA on CBS… Have a great summer break, everybody!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 305

  By toyAdmin | June 24, 2022 - 11:06 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 305, Madden and Kolsky begin with some personal sadness before moving on to the beautiful distractions of:

  • A totally unacceptable ending to this week’s episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (3:10) and all the drama that would have made it a great episode if not for that travesty…
  • The new Netflix comedy God’s Favorite Idiot (21:25) and how it charmed both of our hosts and seems like a real keeper…
  • The two spy drama/thrillers The Old Man and Slow Horses (25:35), how they are both good but The Old Man seems to stand above and apart…
  • The 30-minute restaurant drama The Bear (35:00) and how its uniqueness and attention to detail make it a tremendously interesting show…
  • A few thoughts on the NBA Draft (42:45) and the disappointing television coverage thereof…
  • Homework for next Friday (50:05), including: potentially the finalé of The Challenge: All-Stars 3, the new Disney+ film Rise about the Antetokounmpo brothers, the new movie Beavis & Butthead Do the Universe on Paramount+, the return of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and the new Maya Rudolph show Loot on Apple TV+…

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The Toy Department – Episode 301

  By toyAdmin | May 27, 2022 - 11:55 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 301, Madden and Kolsky are dealing with the world in their own ways and also by focusing on the toy department of life, specifically:

  • The return of the Kids in the Hall (2:25) and how their stuff is just as good and funny as it was the first time around…
  • A check-in on Better Call Saul (10:55), the guys’ reactions to the first half of the final season and expectations for the final six episodes…
  • The Hulu series Conversations with Friends (23:50) and how it is from the same vein as Lenny Abrahamson’s previous series Normal People, which is to say very deep and interesting…
  • The latest from The Challenge: All Stars 3 (35:30) after an epic elimination and an unwelcome addition to the cast…
  • The penultimate episode of Top Chef: Houston (51:00) and the incredibly high level of cookery that has characterized the last few weeks…
  • A few thoughts on the NBA (59:55) as we head towards a likely Finals matchup between the Celtics and Warriors…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:13:00), including: the finalé of Top Chef: Houston, more of The Challenge: All-Stars 3, the Rhys Darby stand-up special Mystic Time Bird on Amazon Prime, the HBO Max show Our Flag Means Death and Disney+’s new Obi-Wan Kenobi show…

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The Toy Department – Episode 298

  By toyAdmin | May 6, 2022 - 11:20 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 298, Madden and Kolsky are back after a two-week break to deliver the pop culture commentary you’ve become accustomed to, covering:

  • Hulu’s Jon Krakauer adaptation Under the Banner of Heaven (1:50) and how its spooky darkness does not detract from its quality…
  • The return of HBO Max’s Kaley Cuoco vehicle The Flight Attendant (10:35) and how it remains a lot of fun despite being somewhat ridiculous…
  • The start of season three of HBO’s Barry (17:05) and how original and creative the show continues to be…
  • HBO’s new David Simon show We Own This City (20:25) and how it is, in many ways, The Wire — The Later Years, but is also incredibly well-done…
  • Showtime’s new show The Man Who Fell to Earth (29:05) and how it’s pretty damn entertaining and features some BIG and very enjoyable acting performances…
  • The latest in Top Chef: Houston (33:40), whether the right chef was eliminated and who has distinguished themselves as favorites heading into the final few episodes…
  • A few preliminary thoughts on the upcoming premiere of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (52:20) and all the excitement that awaits our hosts and all the dedicated Challenge fans out there…
  • Homework for next Friday (58:30), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with THE PREMIERE of The Challenge: All-Stars 3, the new Showtime show I Love That For You, the new Paramount+ show The Offer and the return of Made for Love on HBO Max…

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The Toy Department – Episode 297

  By toyAdmin | April 22, 2022 - 11:27 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 297, Madden and Kolsky have been extremely busy since we last spoke, but managed to find time to watch:

  • The start of the final season of Better Call Saul (2:55), its continuing tremendous qualities and just how thrilling the show has become…
  • A few thoughts on the controversy surrounding the HBO Max show Winning Time (12:50), and specifically the unhappy reactions of the people the characters are based on…
  • Some thoughts on two different season 2’s — Netflix’s Russian Doll and Hulu’s Woke (21:43), how one is more successful than the other and why…
  • HBO Max’s new Ansel Elgort vehicle Tokyo Vice (28:25) and how it is a surprisingly interesting and compelling show about a very richly drawn early-2000’s Tokyo…
  • Apple TV+’s latest show ROAR (34:10) and how it’s a really well-executed set of feminist fables starring some of the best women in acting right now…
  • Top Chef: Houston’s restaurant wars (39:55), featuring a chef who only tastes salt and arguably the greatest restaurant wars restaurant in Top Chef history…
  • A few early thoughts on a WIDE OPEN NBA Playoffs (55:20) after a few games in the first round…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (59:30), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the return of The Flight Attendant on HBO Max, the return of Barry on regular HBO, the new David Simon show We Own This City (ALSO on HBO), Showtime’s new show The Man Who Fell to Earth and Hulu’s Jon Krakauer adaptation Under the Banner of Heaven…

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The Toy Department – Episode 295

  By toyAdmin | April 1, 2022 - 2:59 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 295, Madden and Kolsky spend a couple minutes on the pitfalls of parenting before hustling through:

  • This week’s episode of Top Chef: Houston (2:00), and epic barbecue challenge and who’s thriving so far this season…
  • The return of Donald Glover’s Atlanta (15:30) and how it continues to be one of the best and most unique things on television…
  • Amy Schumer’s new Hulu show Life & Beth (22:30) and how the first two episodes are not particularly compelling but there’s hope for the future with Michael Cera still yet to show up…
  • A few minutes on The Oscars (25:00) without a mention of the slap…
  • HBO Max’s new DC-based series DMZ (31:25) and how Rosario Dawson in a post-apocalyptic war zone makes for very compelling television entertainment…
  • Homework for next Friday (35:45), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the new Marvel series Moon Knight, the HBO Max rom-com Moonshot and the new Netflix movie The Bubble…
  • Some thoughts on the upcoming Final Fours (40:15), particularly the big UNC-Duke matchup…

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The Toy Department – Episode 294

  By toyAdmin | March 25, 2022 - 2:23 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 294, Madden and Kolsky briefly address Derek’s disappointment with US Soccer before moving through:

  • Reaction to last night’s Top Chef: Houston episode (2:30), the remarkable technical skills needed for the doppelgänger challenge and who’s in the driver’s seat moving forward…
  • The absurdity of the psycho-erotic thriller Deep Water (25:25) and just how little sense the whole messy mess made…
  • The wonderful and rightfully Oscar-nominated CODA (32:15) and how this little movie charmed it’s way to big success…
  • HBO Max’s new Jake Johnson showcase Minx (41:50) and what a fun ride it is…
  • The Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources (46:40) and how it’s funny enough to watch but missing a lot of the original’s best features…
  • The latest in real-life-entrepreneur-gone-bad television, Hulu’s The Dropout (49:35), and how Amanda Seyfried’s phenomenal work is not enough to suck in one of our hosts…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:02:30), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the return of Donald Glover’s Atlanta on FX, the new Hulu show Life and Beth (starring Amy Schumer and Michael Cera), and HBO Max’s new limited series DMZ (starring Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 291

  By toyAdmin | March 4, 2022 - 5:56 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 291, Madden and Kolsky return from a Kolsky-forced hiatus to celebrate (or denigrate) all the pop culture they consumed while away, specifically:

  • The premiere of Top Chef Houston (2:25) and who the guys fell in love with in the first episode, plus thoughts on the first elimination and potential favorites to win…
  • The second season of The Righteous Gemstones (23:15) and how Madden is enjoying a slight shift in content…
  • The end of AppleTV+’s The Afterparty (24:55) and how ultimately it’s just a really good hang, even if it’s not always laugh-out-loud funny…
  • Season two of Euphoria (29:00) and how both hosts love this completely insane and wildly unbelievable show…
  • A quick take on The Girl Before (45:30) and how its particular brand of psychosexual melodrama is less than totally appealing…
  • A few thoughts on the Oscar-nominated film The Power of the Dog (47:00) and how neither host found it enjoyable, but for very different reasons than Sam Elliott…
  • Netflix’s new sensation Inventing Anna (52:15) and how it’s a very Shonda Rhimes show with some great acting and a fascinating story to tell…
  • The utterly “meh” Soderbergh joint Kimi (53:30) and how somehow it’s an empty enough effort to make both hosts indifferent towards Zoe Kravitz…
  • Potential future homeworks (55:30) Superpumped: The Battle for Uber and the Apple TV+ show Severance, directed by Ben Stiller; but those go on the back burner for now because we have…
  • Homework for next Friday (57:10), including: HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, the Oscar-nominated movie Nightmare Alley, the return of the original Law & Order and the new Prime Video cartoon The Boys Presents: Diabolical…

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