Tag Archives: Marvel

The Toy Department – Episode 351

  By toyAdmin | July 14, 2023 - 4:32 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 351, Madden and Kolsky get right into things after some apologies for not completing their homework, covering:

  • Netflix’s new mediocrity The Out-Laws (1:10) and how the new Netflix creative model seems to be flailing at best and outright failing at worst…
  • Marvel’s new series Secret Invasion (9:35) and how, once again, one of our hosts liked the Marvel stuff better than the other (lol) along with a discussion of Disney+ and its major properties…
  • A rave review for season two of The Bear (26:00) and just how few TV shows are operating at that high of a level…
  • A wrap-up of season six of Black Mirror (32:45) and how the new season doesn’t quite follow the traditional Black Mirror formula, to varying degrees of appreciation from our hosts…
  • A few minutes on The Challenge and Top Chef (49:30), the two show favorites that will be returning relatively soon…
  • Homework for TWO weeks from now (55:30), including: the new Negro Leagues documentary The League (available to rent digitally), the Wilt Chamberlain doc Goliath on Showtime/Paramount Plus, the BJ Novak movie Vengeance on Amazon Prime Video, the return of Justified on Hulu and the Wham! documentary on Netflix…

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The Toy Department – Episode 310

  By toyAdmin | August 12, 2022 - 3:52 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 310, Madden and Kolsky refuse to waste time before diving into this week’s pop culture smorgasbord:

  • The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:25) and whether these CBS competitors are using the wrong strategy, plus the Fear of Tyson that seems to be pervasive in the house…
  • The latest Disney+ Marvel release, I Am Groot (32:00) and how it’s relatively insubstantial but largely enjoyable, plus a discussion of Vin Diesel’s voice-over workflow…
  • The second season of HBO’s Industry (37:40) and what makes it so interesting to Derek while Kolsky can’t get into it…
  • The newest season of All or Nothing, focusing on the Arsenal football club (46:20) and how entertaining a watch it is, thanks in large part to the wild insanity of Arsenal’s last season, which Madden experienced live as a die-hard fan…
  • The new Netflix fantasy series The Sandman (57:25) and how it’s really quite good and incredibly entertaining and watchable…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:08:00), including: Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of A League of Their Own, the Netflix film The Man from Toronto and the limited series Black Bird on Apple TV+, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

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The Toy Department – Episode 296

  By toyAdmin | April 8, 2022 - 11:19 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 296, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s hangover and potential parody songs about it before getting their act together to talk about:

  • The completely watchable but generally unimpressive Moonshot (2:50), a middle-of-the-road-to-the-moon romantic comedy that’s nothing special but not awful, though it does threaten to pigeonhole Lana Condor into a remarkably small niche…
  • The utterly awful Netflix movie The Bubble (9:20) and just how bafflingly bad it is, particularly given the often funny and definitely talented people involved…
  • The new Disney+ entry to the MCU — Moon Knight (16:40) and how it definitely leaves a lot of unanswered questions through two episodes, led by Oscar Isaac’s madcap performance as the central character…
  • This week’s episode of Top Chef: Houston (30:20), the new leaderboard, the remarkably high level of competition and a very cool challenge honoring trailblazing women from Texas…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (51:10), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the return of Better Call Saul, the new Apple TV+ series Roar, the new season of Netflix’s Natasha Lyonne vehicle Russian Doll, Hulu’s second season of Woke (starring Lamorne Morris) and the new HBO Max joint Tokyo Vice…

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The Toy Department – Episode 253

  By toyAdmin | March 23, 2021 - 10:51 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 253, Madden and Kolsky hit the ground running with a short show in mind, covering:

  • The new Marvel show The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (1:45) and how it is essentially exactly what you would expect it to be, however far that gets you…
  • Netflix’s Operation Varsity Blues documentary (6:10) and some of the interesting choices they made to tell the story of the country’s biggest college admissions scandal…
  • The Steven Yeun-starring Minari (21:50) and how it’s a quiet family drama but a very good one, despite both hosts finding Yeun’s Oscar nomination a little curious…
  • The also Oscar-nominated Another Round (28:35) and the fascinating ride it takes the viewer on…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (36:25), including: the HBO Max show Beartown out of Sweden, Nate Bargatze special The Greatest Average American, the new Tina Turner documentary on HBO and the Netflix documentary The Last Blockbuster… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 251

  By toyAdmin | March 9, 2021 - 11:19 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 251, Madden and Kolsky’s show-opening distraction turned into such a big conversation that it gets its own bullet point below, along with:

  • A contentious conversation about WandaVision (1:20) and the broader contents and implications of the Marvel Cinematic Universe…
  • Disney’s new animated film Raya and the Last Dragon (22:10) and how it’s great, but will probably be equally great in a few months when it’s not an extra $30…
  • The Eddie Murphy sequel Coming 2 America (31:15) and just how far enjoyable nostalgia will get you…
  • Netflix’s Notorious B.I.G. documentary Biggie: I Got A Story to Tell (44:25) and some of its more interesting and enlightening moments…
  • Paramount+’s big new Real World Reunion show (54:55) and how it hit differently for our two hosts based on their age and memories…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (1:08:20), including: the new high school flick Moxie! on Netflix, finishing up The Morning Show on Apple TV+ and the new season of Last Chance U on Netflix (covering a basketball team for the first time)… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 247

  By toyAdmin | February 9, 2021 - 10:37 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 247, Madden and Kolsky once again confront Kolsky’s infirmity before attempting an elusive short episode covering:

  • ESPN’s embarrassing 30 for 30 film Al Davis vs. the NFL (2:45) and how a goofy gimmick torpedoed what could have been a tremendous documentary…
  • Marvel’s new TV series WandaVision (9:45) and whether a creative approach is enough to soften Madden’s distaste for superhero content…
  • The new Netflix film Malcom & Marie (18:30) and what exactly director Sam Levinson and star Zendaya (who reportedly had significant input) are going for…
  • Some thoughts on the new NBC sitcom Mr. Mayor (27:10) and what makes it funnier than the average network fare…
  • A few quick thoughts on the Super Bowl (32:40) and what an unpleasant experience it was…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (35:35), including: the NYT-made documentary Framing Britney Spears, the third To All The Boys movie (which drops Friday on Netflix) and the new film Judas & the Black Messiah (available Friday on HBO Max)… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

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The Toy Department – Episode 124

  By toyAdmin | July 3, 2018 - 12:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 124, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky talk a little Fourth of July before they dive into:

  • The wild weekend of NBA free agency (4:50) including LeBron James going to the Lakers and Boogie Cousins heading to the Golden State Warriors…
  • The 2018 FIFA World Cup (19:45) and just how delightful it has been through most of the Round of 16…
  • A quick discussion of Drake’s new album Scorpion (28:15) and how the Canadian pop artist continues to disappoint…
  • The new season of GLOW (32:45), how wonderful the show is and how great a job it does of honoring the diversity and complicated nature of humanity…
  • A check-in on I’m Dying Up Here (41:05) and a chat about how it has really climbed up the TV rankings for both Madden and Kolsky…
  • A check-in on Succession (49:25) and how it presents a world of miserable, terrible people that somehow both guys still want to watch…
  • Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger (53:50) and how it differs from most superhero fare and whether Derek liked it enough to continue watching through the first season…
  • Homework for next week (1:01:40), including: HBO’s new Amy Adams-starring series Sharp Objects, more World Cup and NBA offseason discussion and some subset of films currently in theaters (like Ant Man & The Wasp, Jurassic World 2, The Incredibles 2, Sicario 2 and Tag)…

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 42

  By toyAdmin | October 12, 2016 - 11:23 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 42, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly address Kolsky’s in-progress Yom Kippur fast before delving into:

  • The San Francisco Giants’ elimination from the MLB playoffs (3:50) and some discussion about baseball at large (10:20)…
  • Kolsky’s homework assignment for Madden – Netflix/Marvel’s Luke Cage (20:35) and Madden’s anti-superhero/comic book bias…
  • Madden’s homework assignment for Kolsky – the previously British and now Netflix-owned Black Mirror (32:40) and how it really inspires thought and discussion like few other television experiences…
  • HBO’s new comedy Insecure (43:50) and how it brings another original perspective to the increasingly diverse television landscape…
  • Madden’s experience at a recent Kanye West show (52:20) and the big stadium show experience in general…
  • A bit of talk about last week’s You’re the Worst (1:01:05) but MOSTLY just because it leads into Madden’s experiences at fancy, exclusive bars as a big time radio star in Los Angeles…
  • Homework for next week (1:08:05) wherein Kolsky assigns the new Solange album to Derek…

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.

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