Tag Archives: Fred Armisen

The Toy Department – Episode 235

  By toyAdmin | November 10, 2020 - 4:11 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 235, Madden and Kolsky are taking advantage of Baby Kolsky’s nap, so they get right into:

  • Showtime’s new space comedy Moonbase 8 (3:25) and how it’s funny at times but doesn’t seem to amount to much…
  • The new Song Exploder show on Netflix (11:55) and how interesting and worthwhile the show remains in visual form…
  • HBO’s The Undoing (19:30) and how it’s an intriguing mystery at the three week mark…
  • HBO’s new financial world show Industry (25:30) and the surprising directorial effort in the first episode…
  • Homework for next week (3:50), including: catching up on The Bachelorette and checking out the big controversy, the debut of the newest season of The Crown on Netflix, a catch-up on the current season of Fargo, a check-in on Good Lord Bird and a wrap-up of The Queen’s Gambit… plus Week 10 of the NFL season…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 234

  By toyAdmin | November 3, 2020 - 10:54 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 234, Madden and Kolsky dance around the big non-toy-department event of the day before diving into frivolous pop culture to discuss:

  • Sarah Cooper’s Netflix sketch comedy special Everything’s Fine (2:30) and the hosts’ differing opinions on its successfulness…
  • The Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher (9:30) and how the incredible visual experience wasn’t quite enough for one of our hosts…
  • Season 2 of The Mandalorian (20:50) and how it dives right back in to deliver more space cowboy fun…
  • Amazon’s new series Truth Seekers (27:45) and how Simon Pegg and Nick Frost seem to be building another good horror-comedy…
  • Some binging ideas for the masses (31:40) in the event that one needs to spend the next several days in bed watching television…
  • Homework for next week, assuming we still exist (43:50), including: the new HBO show Industry, a check-in on HBO’s The Undoing, Showtime’s new space comedy Moonbase 8 and Netflix’s new Song Exploder show… plus Week 9 of the NFL season…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 156

  By toyAdmin | February 27, 2019 - 11:23 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

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)…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 137

  By toyAdmin | October 11, 2018 - 10:48 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 137, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are either one or two days late, depending on your perspective, and Madden is miserable in the Minnesota weather, but they still manage to squeeze in chats about:

  • The Jimmy Butler drama (2:55) with the Minnesota Timberwolves, and just who is at fault in this situation…
  • A wrap-up discussion on Amazon’s Forever (14:30), which sparks a significant disagreement between the two hosts…
  • A wrap-up discussion on Netflix’s Maniac (29:30), which sparks a less significant disagreement between the two hosts…
  • A sad breakdown of The Cool Kids (39:10) on Fox, and what a typically bad network sitcom looks like, despite having a star-studded, hope-inspiring cast…
  • The start of Season 2 of Netflix’s Big Mouth (47:20) and the standout star power of Maya Rudolph as the Female Hormone Monster…
  • The season finale of AMC’s Better Call Saul (56:30) and how it was the best show on television all summer, thanks in large part to the incredible performance by Rhea Seehorn…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:55), including: heading to the movie theaters to see A Star is Born and Bad Times at the El Royale, checking out a couple episodes of the new NBC drama Manifest and watching the series premiere of Camping on HBO, plus possibly a check-in on The Deuce…

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 134

  By toyAdmin | September 18, 2018 - 11:08 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 134, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky belabor their show introduction before jumping headlong into:

  • Amazon’s new streaming show Forever (2:15) and why they guys’ views on it differ so extremely…
  • Hulu’s new Sean Penn vehicle The First (27:05), where Penn plays a very muscular (former?) astronaut and brings a dramatic weight that is not necessarily enjoyable…
  • Some thoughts on (probably) bad new shows (34:15) including A Million Little Things and Rel, plus plenty of re-made “classics”…
  • A check-in on Derek’s active-ish (40:00) NFL boycott and the league’s many problems, starting with its commissioner…
  • Season 2 of Netflix’s American Vandal (49:20) and how the mock-umentary is still immensely enjoyable despite somewhat diminishing returns on the concept…
  • A quick check-in on Season 2 of Ozark (54:55) and how both guys are having a blast with it despite a less glowing critical reception than Season 1…
  • Homework for next week (1:02:05), including: finishing the aforementioned season of Ozark, the premiere of Maniac on Netflix, the album Master Volume by The Dirty Nil and an attempt to get to the theater for the new Predator movie…

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 44

  By toyAdmin | October 26, 2016 - 7:49 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 44, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky have recovered enough from the release of new Black Mirror episodes JUST in time to bring you discussions about:

  • Last week’s homework assignment: the Test Pattern episode of IFC’s Documentary Now (2:30), and how Kolsky just can’t get over his deep distaste for Fred Armisen…
  • The aforementioned Netflix property Black Mirror (12:55) — Madden and Kolsky rank the original 7 episodes (17:15) by quality and by how disturbing they are, and also discuss the first of the newest episodes (47:10) that hit Netflix last Friday… WARNING: Spoiler-Heavy discussion, especially about the original 7 episodes…
  • A few thoughts on the last couple episodes of FX’s Atlanta (57:55) and how it returned to a more straightforward narrative arc over the last couple episodes… But still maintains the quality and innovation that makes it so wonderful… And a few words on Donald Glover’s casting in an upcoming Star Wars film (1:03:45)…
  • It’s ROCKTOBER, so Kolsky talks about a couple of concerts he saw last weekend: Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring World Tour (1:05:40) and Anderson .Paak (1:11:40) at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 43

  By toyAdmin | October 19, 2016 - 11:28 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 43, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky fight through a weird Lipton Brisk detour and some audio technology issues to bring you discussions about:

  • Last week’s homework assignment: the new Solange album A Seat at the Table (1:30)… specifically its originality and some general thoughts about the Indie R&B genre, and a new idea about future music homework (10:00)…
  • This year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees (12:20) and how the Hall decides who is an appropriate candidate for induction…
  • NFL replay review, specifically with regards to pass interference penalties (19:00) and the disappointing end to last week’s Falcons-Seahawks game… and some thoughts on using technology for sports officiating in general (27:30)…
  • The NBA’s upcoming season (31:00) and whether the fact that the Warriors and Cavaliers are prohibitive favorites is a problem for the entertainment value of the league…
  • A few general thoughts on movies and the movie business (46:55) after Kolsky noticed some things when he went out to see The Accountant…
  • Homework for next week (51:30): Madden assigns a particular episode of the IFC show Documentary Now! to Kolsky…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 39

  By toyAdmin | September 15, 2016 - 10:47 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 39, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky return just a day late thanks to scheduling conflicts and bring you discussion of:

  • Their collective disappointment with USA’s Mr. Robot (1:15) and its apparent disinterest in moving the plot along…
  • The start of the NFL season, from Terrell Suggs’ amazing appearance on HBO’s Ballers (19:10) to the love they have for the return of regular season football (22:35) despite the discomfort some NFL issues cause to a quick look at a couple of specific teams and situations…
  • The end of the MLB season (32:10) and how it seems like almost nobody is watching it at all… Plus a little love for home-run-hitting machine Brian Dozier of the Minnesota Twins (41:50)…
  • A few thoughts on EPL Soccer (45:40) and it’s availability as a pregame show for NFL football…
  • CM Punk’s UFC debut (50:55) and whether he actually has any chance to make any progress in the new phase of his career…
  • FX’s new show Better Things (55:55) and how it allows Pamela Adlon to do what Louis CK did before her… and how it relates to Louie and FX’s other new show, Atlanta (57:00)…
  • An assorted mishmash of topics to end the show (1:03:15), including discussion of homework and Kolsky’s distaste for Fred Armisen…

By the way, if you like this podcast, TELL A FRIEND!! 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS