The Toy Department – Episode 188

In Episode 188, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky dive directly into:

  • The new Netflix film Dolemite Is My Name (1:35) starring Eddie Murphy, and how it’s nice to have Eddie back in our lives…
  • The other new Netflix film The Laundromat (10:55) from the mind of Steven Soderbergh, and how it finds focus and a pointed message in a last-minute twist…
  • The return of The Kominsky Method (22:10) and why the guys still enjoy Chuck Lorre’s Netflix comedy…
  • The return of HBO’s Silicon Valley for its final season (24:30) and how it feels as it heads for the finish…
  • HBO’s new show Mrs. Fletcher (33:00) and the enduring appeal of Kathryn Hahn despite the show’s overly pilot-y opening episode…
  • Some thoughts on why and how the Golden State Warriors should tank their season (37:05) following the unfortunate injury to Steph Curry and some other NBA considerations…
  • Homework for next week (54:25), including: His Dark Materials on HBO, Season 2 of End of the Fucking World on Netflix, the Ed Norton film Motherless Brooklyn, a re-up on MTV’s The Challenge and a discussion about the end of HBO’s The Deuce…

The Toy Department – Episode 143

In Episode 143, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky debate the finer points of the many flavors of M&M’s before focusing in on:

  • The new film Widows (6:25) and a mild disagreement over its overall quality but general agreement about a lot of excellent performances…
  • The new film Green Book (21:30) and how it is effectively a perfect holiday-time, Oscar-bait movie…
  • Netflix’s new Chuck Lorre dramedy The Kominsky Method (32:55) and how it represents an impressive turn to quality for the prolific producer…
  • Showtime’s Escape At Dannemora (38:00) and how it’s tough to say too much about a show after one oddly paced episode…
  • The 13th season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (41:20), particularly the season finalé, and where the show goes from here…
  • Homework for next week (49:15), including: the Coen Brothers/Netflix film The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the limited series Little Drummer Girl on AMC, Trevor Noah’s new standup special (available on Netflix) and a season wrap-up discussion of The Challenge: Final Reckoning…

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.

The Toy Department – Episode 84

In Episode 84, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky debrief on the latter’s recent travel before dispensing with:

  • A brief preview of the excitement of the coming week (3:15), including the NFL and HBO’s new show The Deuce, from producer David Simon (of The Wire fame)…
  • A more extended NFL preview (8:45), including discussion of the impending Roger Goodell extension, a debate about the third-best QB in the league and a breakdown of the wide range of potential contenders…
  • The disappointing new Netflix series Disjointed (38:15)…
  • Recent developments on HBO’s Insecure (50:05)…
  • An interesting storyline on HBO’s Ballers (55:15) and how it mirrors some of our feelings about the real-world NFL…
  • The new LCD Soundsystem album American Dream (1:00:30) and Kolsky’s curious reaction to the band in general…
  • Homework for next week (1:11:10): including the opening week of the NFL, the premiere episode of The Deuce, the new Steven Soderbergh film Logan Lucky and the season premiere of the FXX comedy and pod favorite You’re the Worst…

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.