In Episode 275, Madden and Kolsky return from an unplanned absence with very little memory of what they intended to talk about when they left each other last, so today:
It’s pretty much all about The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies!!! (2:45) There’s three weeks of content to catch up on, lots of drama and a big turning point for game strategy in the most recent episode…
There’s just a touch of concert talk (42:25) as Derek heads to Austin City Limits…
Homework for next Thursday (47:05), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, plus the Sopranos prequel The Many Saints of Newark on HBO and the debut of The Problem with John Stewart on Apple Plus…
And a bit of baseball (49:35) to round things off…
In Episode 103, Derek Madden has once again failed to do his homework, yet he and Matt Kolsky power through to cover:
The nominations (3:25) for the 2018 Academy Awards and how well-represented the year in movies is, for a change…
Kolsky’s experience at the St. Vincent concert (26:40) and how incredible her staging is versus other shows…
The return of HBO’s Crashing (32:15) and how it’s really cruising in the early parts of its second season…
The premiere of this year’s American Crime Story (37:15) and whether the Gianni Versace murder has enough to carry the season…
The results of the NFL Playoffs (44:40) and a look forward to Super Bowl LII…
A mid-season check-in on the NBA (55:50), including thoughts on the “collapsing” Cavs, Thibodeau’s T-Wolves and the Baby Bulls…
Homework for next week (1:10:25) including: Derek actually watching Mudbound and I, Tonya, plus everyone checking out the new Paul Thomas Anderson joint Phantom Thread to prepare for the Oscars, and checking back in on Showtime’s The Chi after four episodes…
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.
In Part 2 of the Two-Part Holidaytastic Spectacular Episode 99, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are back with the second half of their year-end discussions, covering:
The BEST OF 2017 in television (2:05), wherein Madden and Kolsky both struggle mightily to reduce their Top Ten lists to less than twenty shows…
The BEST OF 2017 in music (41:55), which turns out to have the most differentiation between the two hosts’ lists…
Homework for next week: HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR’S EVE!!! And get ready for Episode 100, which might be somehow special (and will definitely include the announcement of the Toy Department’s 2017 Spotify Playlists) and even if it’s not is a nice, big, round number…
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.
In Episode 90, Matt Kolsky and Derek Madden bravely fight through a Skype failure at Madden’s Minneapolis studios to break down:
Kolsky’s disappointment with the critically-acclaimed Blade Runner 2049 (2:00) and the state of film criticism…
Madden’s experience at the Imagine Dragons show (11:40) and the merits — or lack thereof — of backloading your concert set list…
The season premiere of Mr. Robot (17:10) and the split feelings of the hosts…
HBO’s The Deuce (22:40) and why you should stick with it, even if the lack of major plot developments have you concerned…
Showtime’s new comedy White Famous (31:20) and where its first two episodes fail and succeed…
The new St. Vincent album MASSEDUCTION (40:35) and all the things that make Annie Clark a star…
The start of the NBA season (45:25) and how it’s going to be a great one despite the championship being somewhat of a foregone conclusion…
Homework for next week (1:14:10) including: Beck’s new album Colors, the new Billie Jean King/Bobby Riggs film Battle of the Sexes, and new Netflix series Mindhunters and American Vandal…
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.
In Episode 89, Matt Kolsky and Derek Madden have switched roles to some degree, as Kolsky records the audio from his home studio while Madden motors around the midwest in his new Lexus, but otherwise things are pretty standard as they discuss:
The US Men’s National Team’s World Cup qualifying process (3:05), specifically their game against Panama and what the talented, young roster means for the future…
The now seemingly inevitable intersection of sports and politics (18:25) and the specifics of the Jemele Hill suspension from ESPN and the current administration’s behavior towards the NFL and its players…
Two Netflix cartoons: Bojack Horseman (33:15) and Big Mouth (37:50), and the guys’ (but especially Kolsky’s) differing reactions to them…
A brief detour into James Harden’s appearance on NBC’s The Voice (44:40)… NOTE: The guy says he just looks like James Harden but he is pretty clearly actually just James Harden.
Two new albums: Alvvays’ Antisocialites (47:40) and Death From Above’s Outrage! is Now (51:15), both of which get pretty positive receptions…
Homework for next week (57:10) including: a new album from St. Vincent (nee Annie Clark) called MASSEDUCTION, the new Showtime show White Famous and of course the ongoing action in the sports world with NFL, MLB playoffs and the looming start of the NBA season…
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.
