Tag Archives: Breaking Bad

The Toy Department – Episode 311

  By toyAdmin | August 19, 2022 - 2:41 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 311, Madden and Kolsky have an uncomfortably specific discussion about the Kolsky family’s recent bout with hand-foot-mouth disease before shaking it off and diving into:

  • A few thoughts on the ending of AMC’s Better Call Saul (6:55) and what a truly spectacular show it turned out to be…
  • Apple TV+’s new offering Black Bird (13:55) and how Paul Walter Hauser is a uniquely dynamic performer, particularly in the sort of creepy role he inhabits here…
  • Netflix’s forgettable film offering The Man from Toronto (20:45) and just what exactly is going on with the remarkable quality of bland content on that service…
  • Amazon’s new League of Their Own show (24:05) and how it’s watchable and not bad, but just doesn’t quite come together how one might hope…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge USA on CBS (29:00) and how Leo deserves some flowers (and also maybe some sympathy for his failing businesses?) plus thoughts on the latest twist in the game…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (41:50), including: HBO’s new Game of Thrones show House of the Dragon, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings show The Rings of Power, and Netflix’s Manti Te’o doc Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, plus the more of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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The Toy Department – Episode 307

  By toyAdmin | July 22, 2022 - 11:25 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 307, Madden and Kolsky get re-acquainted after a pretty long break before returning to what they love best and talking pop culture:

  • The finalé of The Challenge All-Stars 3 (11:55) and what it represented for the show, the overall Challenge franchise and the two big winners…
  • The newest entry in The Challenge franchise: The Challenge USA on CBS (18:35) and how it isn’t yet enough to grab one of our hosts, but definitely seems to have some potential…
  • A check-in on the tremendous final season of Better Call Saul (46:05), the story arcs that have reached their end and what treats are still to come…
  • Homework for next Friday (59:00), including: the new Nathan Fielder show Rehearsal on HBO Max, the Peacock comedy Bust Down, Issa Rae’s new project Rap Shit! on HBO Max and the Netflix action movie The Gray Man, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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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 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 186

  By toyAdmin | October 17, 2019 - 1:00 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 186, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky apologize for any audio quality issues as Kolsky is en route from Sacramento to San Francisco, and then get into:

  • The new film Joker (2:30) and how both guys ended up confused and disappointed after watching it…
  • A much more enjoyable film, Netflix’s El Camino (20:45), the story of Jesse Pinkman and the delightful fan service of Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan…
  • The season finalé of HBO’s Succession (27:30) and how it is functioning at a tremendously high level, particularly given how difficult it is to describe…
  • Season 4 of USA’s Mr. Robot (45:10) and whether there’s anything new or interesting to see there…
  • A new album from a new band — the self-titled Black Pumas (48:40) — and whether they are worth following into the future…
  • A new album from an older band — Sturgill Simpson’s Sound & Fury (52:15) — and whether the guys are into his southern rock turn, plus some pretty unnecessary shots at country music…
  • Homework for next week (1:02:10), including: HBO’s new series Watchmen (from Damon Lindelof), Amazon Prime’s new series Modern Love, Jenny Slate’s stand-up special on Netflix and probably a check-in on MTV’s The Challenge, plus (not mentioned) a BIG NBA PREVIEW…

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The Toy Department – Episode 129

  By toyAdmin | August 14, 2018 - 1:51 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 129, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky return for a varied pop culture discussion covering:

  • Two returning HBO shows — Insecure (1:35) and Ballers (9:50) — and how not much has changed with either show, though that means very different things for each…
  • The new Spike Lee joint BlackkKlansman (12:15) and how it successfully creates a vibe and feeling from a different era that says a lot about today…
  • Another new film, Eighth Grade (29:10), written and directed by Bo Burnham, and how it took both Kolsky and Madden back to the turbulent times and emotions of that period in their lives…
  • The return of AMC’s Better Call Saul (42:15) and how it continues to build on its sturdy foundation, heading towards the inevitable crash before the start of the Breaking Bad timeline…
  • Madden confronts Kolsky over a golf tweet (49:00) before challenging his enjoyment of golf with a variety of alternative sporting events…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:20), including: the first few episodes in the new season of The Sinner on USA (starring Carrie Coon), plus whatever else Madden and Kolsky come up with 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 15

  By toyAdmin | March 23, 2016 - 10:09 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 15, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky follow up on the music they talked about at the end of last week’s pod (Thao & the Get Down Stay Down and Kaleo) which leads to a discussion of how we listen to and find new music in the modern age (5:00). Then TV takes over for an in-depth discussion of Better Call Saul (9:20) which features only a couple of small spoilers, before the boys jump back to music (22:20) with a chat about big stadium concerts in light of the upcoming Metallica show at the new Vikings’ stadium. Today’s sports segment (32:00) focuses on the ongoing NCAA Tournament and the fact that neither of our alleged sports fans can really stomach college basketball (so it inevitably turns back to the NBA, around 42:40, with some Wolves/W’s talk and some thoughts on Steph Curry). Things wrap up with some recommendations for your spare time (53:00) as Madden assigns homework.

Oh, and if you want to subscribe via iTunes you can just click on the link below the player… Some other links down there as well… And if you want to contact the Toy Department, it’s easy — find us at ToyDepartmentPod (at) gmail.com.

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