May 2019 – The Toy Department

The Toy Department – Episode 168

In Episode 168, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly discuss Madden’s tummy-ache before soldiering through and into:

The season finale of The Challenge (2:15) and why this is the absolute peak of reality TV entertainment…
The second season of Spike Lee’s Netflix show She’s Gotta Have It (15:45) and the undeniable charm of the film-making and lead actress…
The action thrill-ride of John Wick 3 (25:30) and how Derek probably should have just skipped it…
Derek’s experience watching Netflix’s horror-thriller The Perfection (46:45) and Kolsky’s decision to spend his time elsewhere…
The second season of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag on Amazon (49:40) and how nobody is better at being Phoebe Waller-Bridge than Phoebe Waller-Bridge…
The new reports detailing the rampant dysfunction in the LA Lakers organization (54:10) and just where the blame for the mess lies, plus some thoughts on Kevin Durant and people’s odd refusal to listen to what he actually says…
Homework for next week (1:16:30), including: wrapping up Season 2 of Killing Eve, heading to the theater to see Rocketman, the premiere of Good Omens on Amazon, the new Netflix show How To Sell Drugs Online Fast, the Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe, HBO’s new Deadwood movie and the NBA Finals…

In Episode 167, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky get into Kolsky’s new full time job as father to a tiny human before getting silly with:

The series finale of Game of Thrones (5:25), how both guys are relatively pleased, some thoughts on the haters and critics, and what comes next in big-time pop culture…
HBO’s new Monday night entry Chernobyl (28:15) and whether the dramatic circumstances and excellent performance from Jared Harris and others overcome the deeply disturbing events…
The final season of Easy on Netflix (34:45), and the particular success of Joe Swanberg in creating movies and shows that feel very authentic…
Amazon’s Sneaky Pete (38:30) and whether it is holding the guys’ interest in its third season…
An attempt to start with homework before a digression into the in-progress finale of The Challenge: War of the Worlds (45:00) and how intense the final competition of the season appears to be…
Homework for next week (48:35), including: the aforementioned Challenge final, the return of Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It on Netflix, Season 2 of Fleabag on Amazon, the new Netflix thriller Perfection, the now-in-theaters action blockbuster John Wick 3: Parabellum and MORE NBA playoff action…

In Episode 166, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky discuss the advantages of listening to podcasts at 1.5x speed before honing in on:

The third-to-last episode of Game of Thrones (4:40) and how its many critics are our surest sign of social decay…
The Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (32:05) and how its treatment of the Ted Bundy story makes for an odd and ultimately unsuccessful ride…
The new Netflix show Dead to Me (37:55) and how the charm of its lead actresses and some pitch perfect camp make it an extremely enjoyable experience…
A check-in on three show favorites: Billions on Showtime (42:05), Barry on HBO (49:00), and AMC/BBC America’s Killing Eve (55:05)…
A few thoughts on the NBA Playoffs (59:00), specifically the Warriors-Rockets series…
Homework for next week (1:03:50), including: HBO’s Chernobyl, the return of Sneaky Pete on Amazon, the return of Easy on Netflix, another episode of Game of Thrones and LOTS MORE NBA playoff action…

In Episode 165, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky waste little time with pleasantries (or unpleasantries) before covering:

Yet another return to Westeros (0:55), this time for the Battle of Winterfell, which delivered on the expectations of both hosts, leaving them perplexed at some of the negative response…
The Netflix film Someone Great (38:40) and how it is every bit as charming and enjoyable as the performance of lead actress Gina Rodriguez…
The new Lizzo album Cuz I Love You (51:25) and the promising future of a young pop artist…
The Baron Vaugh/Open Mike Eagle show The New Negroes (56:25) and how both guys were a little surprised by the format…
The sketch comedy disaster I Think You Should Leave (58:10) and Kolsky’s view that Tim Robinson represents the decay of society…
NBA Playoff talk (1:01:15) with special focus on the Warriors-Rockets battle in the Western Conference second round…
Homework for next week (1:14:30), including: the new HBO show Chernobyl, the Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile — starring Zac Efron as Ted Bundy, check-ins on pod favorites like Barry, Billions and Killing Eve, another episode of Game of Thrones and EVEN MORE NBA playoff action…