Tag Archives: Patrick Mahomes

The Toy Department – Episode 377

  By toyAdmin | February 15, 2024 - 11:51 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 377, Madden and Kolsky have an in-depth Kylian Mbappe discussion before pressing record, then address Kolsky’s terrible Valentine’s Day before locking in for:

  • The first episode of TJ’s Final on The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion (1:50) and the cathartic joy of seeing Jay sent home with nothing to show for his embarrassing display over the course of the season…
  • Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show (33:20) and whether it’s a worthy pursuit in the depressing chaos of 2024…
  • The new season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud, covering Truman Capote v. The Swans (45:35) and another chapter in the seemingly weekly serial Why Are We Doing This???
  • Apple TV+’s fashion/WWII show The New Look (53:00) and how it distinguishes itself in this current TV landscape simply by feeling like it has something worthwhile to say…
  • Some final thoughts on Super Bowl LVIII (57:45) and whether Kyle Shanahan bears the brunt of responsibility for another 49ers defeat on the biggest stage in sports…
  • Homework for next week (1:09:50), including: the (hopefully) thrilling conclusion of The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, two Oscar-nominated films — Oppenheimer and Past Lives — and on a lighter note, the Taika Waititi film Next Goal Wins (now on Hulu)…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 353

  By toyAdmin | August 11, 2023 - 10:03 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 353, Madden and Kolsky discuss the Kolsky family’s bizarre living (and recording) arrangements before moving on to:

  • The return of The Challenge!! It’s the second season of The Challenge: USA (2:35) and it offers a lot of promise, despite a climax-less first episode and a questionable release schedule… The guys discuss some old favorites and some new blood…
  • Max’s Steven Soderbergh-directed kidnapping drama Full Circle (28:35) and how it asks its viewers to remain engaged with obvious puzzle pieces missing…
  • The Netflix docu-series Quarterback (34:50) and just how impressive those who play the position are (even Kirk Cousins)…
  • The return of pod favorite Reservation Dogs (45:40) and how the Hulu series continues to be utterly unique on television and wildly enjoyable…
  • The premiere of season two of Winning Time on HBO (52:15) and the Magic/Kareem relationship that appears to be at its core…
  • A few thoughts on the English Premier League (58:15) and Kolsky’s potentially heartbreaking hope surrounding Chelsea’s season…
  • Homework for next week (1:04:15), including: more of The Challenge: USA Season 2, the Netflix movie They Cloned Tyrone, the Wes Anderson film Asteroid City (now on Peacock) and Netflix’s Untold: Johnny Football doc…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 331

  By toyAdmin | February 10, 2023 - 3:52 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 331, Madden and Kolsky do a quick debrief on their long time apart before shifting into gear to discuss:

  • The latest from The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:40) where we seem to be past the halfway point of TJ’s Final and there are LOTS of incidents and accidents to discuss…
  • A quick check-in on The Last of Us (33:40) to acknowledge the excellence of Episode 3…
  • Peacock’s new Natasha Lyonne vehicle Poker Face (35:10) and how her charm carries the viewer to an awful lot of fun…
  • Hulu’s superpower show Extraordinary (38:45) and how it really is extraordinarily enjoyable, with excellent writing and some delightful young unknown performers…
  • Apple TV+’s Bill Lawrence/Jason Segel joint Shrinking (44:05) and how the combination of its two creators makes for an oddly enjoyable cocktail, plus — Harrison Ford…
  • The Netflix rom-com You People (51:30) and how there’s not much Rom and Eddy Murphy is largely wasted but it’s not so terrible in the end…
  • A few thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl LVII (1:00:55) and the recently passed NBA Trade Deadline (1:05:10)…
  • Homework for next week (1:16:25), including: four movies — TÁR (streaming on Peacock), Wakanda Forever (streaming on Disney+), Meet Me in the Bathroom (streaming on Showtime and Paramount+) and Somebody I Used to Know (streaming on Amazon)… and OF COURSE the last episode (we think) of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 288

  By toyAdmin | January 25, 2022 - 11:34 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 288, Madden and Kolsky have a little laugh about the sadness of missing The Challenge before getting networky with:

  • The underwhelming How I Met Your Father on Hulu (2:20) and how it’s super networky, despite being a streaming-only show, and mediocre-at-best…
  • The more enjoyable Abbott Elementary on ABC/Hulu (8:25) and where it succeeds, though mileage may vary person to person on really loving it…
  • Fox/Hulu’s Pivoting (13:15) and the irrepressible charm of its cast…
  • The new Duplass joint Somebody Somewhere on HBO (20:25) and how nice it is to have the brothers back in their sincere, heartwarming wheelhouse…
  • The beginning of the final season of Netflix’s Ozark (29:00) and how the stakes just keep getting higher on a really great TV program…
  • Some thoughts on arguably the greatest weekend of NFL playoff football ever (40:55) and where we’re headed now that it’s down to the final four…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (59:15), including: Single Drunk Female on Freeform/Hulu, the film The Last Duel (now on HBO Max), The Afterparty on Apple TV+ and Netflix’s new Kristen Bell show The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window… plus hopefully another great weekend of NFL Playoffs!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 246

  By toyAdmin | February 2, 2021 - 10:59 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 246, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss Kolsky’s persistent physical malady before focusing on the pop culture of the week:

  • The new Amazon Prime show Flack (4:10), its star Anna Paquin and a level of watchability that led both hosts to watch all six episodes this week…
  • The second special episode of Euphoria (9:30) and how wonderful and original that show feels heading into its second season…
  • The French show Lupin (19:40), which is enjoyable and charming in some ways but doesn’t totally come together…
  • The film The Little Things (27:45) and, among other things, whether it’s possible for Rami Malek to be convincing as a relatively normal human being…
  • A little Super Bowl LV chat (38:35) focused primarily on some good-value prop bets to make your party-less Super Sunday a little more entertaining…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (57:50), including: the new Sam Levinson/Zendaya/John David Washington film Malcom & Marie on Netflix, ESPN’s new 30 for 30 film Al Davis vs. The NFL, the Ted Danson network sitcom Mr. Mayor and the new Marvel series WandaVision on Disney+; plus a Super Bowl wrap-up and more NBA basketball… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 245

  By toyAdmin | January 26, 2021 - 10:52 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 245, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss a mediocre basketball game they both watched last night before focusing in on:

  • Alex Wheatle (3:15), the fourth film in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series on Amazon Prime, and how the series has lost some momentum as it has gone on…
  • The new Netflix film White Tiger (10:00) and how it turns some very dark material into a pretty thrilling ride…
  • The new HBO Max film Locked Down (16:55) and why its weirdness appealed more to one of our hosts than the other…
  • Some NFL Playoff thoughts (25:40) on both Packers-Bucs and Bills-Chiefs, plus what the Brady v. Mahomes Super Bowl might look like…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (42:55), including: the new Denzel Washington film The Little Things, the new Amazon Prime show Flack, the second special episode of Euphoria (focusing on Jules) and the new French Netflix show Lupin; plus a little more Super Bowl preview and more NBA basketball… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 244

  By toyAdmin | January 19, 2021 - 10:54 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 244, Madden and Kolsky once again flirt with the concept of a short show before lengthy discussions about:

  • Sports!! Including some NFL postseason thoughts (1:15) and a brief chat about early-season NBA drama (4:20) after a big MLK Day of games…
  • The conclusion of HBO Max’s Tiger Woods documentary (9:00) and how fascinating the story of his rise and fall (and rise again) is…
  • The third film in Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series, called Red, White and Blue (20:15), and why it may have been the least satisfying of the movies so far…
  • The Amazon Prime film One Night in Miami (26:25) and the impressive debut directorial outing of Regina King…
  • The exciting new film Promising Young Woman (34:10) and all the things that make it so fantastic and unique…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (53:50), including: the new HBO Max film Locked Down, the next Small Axe film (called Alex Wheatle) and the new Netflix movie White Tiger; plus the NFL Conference Championship games and more NBA basketball… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: Double Agents on Thursday!!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS