Tag Archives: Black Mirror

The Toy Department – Episode 47

  By toyAdmin | November 24, 2016 - 9:55 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 47, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky briefly explore the details of California Proposition 64 before Kolsky puts the prop into action with some bong hits and they dive into:

  • The Golden State Warriors’ 149-point performance, from which Kolsky has just returned (6:50), and the Warriors’ early season performance in general… which somehow leads to…
  • An incredible fantasy matchup between the current John Calipari NBA All-Stars and the Golden State Warriors (27:45)…
  • Thanksgiving aka The Greatest of All Holidays (32:15)… The guys break down why Thanksgiving is clearly the best and also food and of course…
  • FOOTBALL!! and the NFL’s excellent Thanksgiving slate this year (38:00)…
  • A Tribe Called Quest’s new album We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service (41:50)… and the debut of a new (weekly?) segment we’re calling Toy Department Takes On The Classics (54:15) wherein we’ll talk about the classic album The Low End Theory on next week’s pod…
  • This week’s episode of Black Mirror, San Junipero (55:35)… arguably the most unique episode of the series thus far and a favorite of both of our hosts…
  • Homework for next week, where Derek assigns the PBS show Soundbreaking as homework (1:06:40)… specifically the episode entitled The World Is Yours about sampling in hip hop…
  • A quick debrief on the Kolsky-smokes-weed-during-the-podcast experience (1:10:00)…

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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The Toy Department – Episode 46

  By toyAdmin | November 16, 2016 - 8:51 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 46, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky address the decision to skip last week’s pod and the impact of election results (sorry for the non-Toy Department detour) before getting back to business regarding:

  • This week’s episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Dave Chappelle (10:20), which addressed the election, among other things…
  • Some thoughts on AMC’s Walking Dead and HBO’s Westworld (23:00), and how they are piling up on both guys’ DVRs…
  • HBO’s 30-minute comedy/drama Insecure (27:05) and how Kolsky is completely in love with it… which leads to some discussion of easy-to-watch television in tough emotional times… and an aside about Bar Rescue, the Toy Department’s favorite reality show…
  • The cancellation of Bill Simmons’ show Any Given Wednesday (42:35)… The guys discuss Simmons’ brief feud with Chris Collinsworth… and also get into what worked and what didn’t about the show (50:55), and how Simmons’ endeavors look moving forward…
  • This week’s homework – the 3rd new episode of Black Mirror, entitled Shut Up and Dance (1:01:25)… The guys have pretty differing stances on this particular episode…
  • A quick look ahead to next week’s Black Mirror episode (1:11:05) – San Junipero is arguably the most uplifting and happy-feeling episode of the show yet, and will be discussed in depth next week…

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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The Toy Department – Episode 45

  By toyAdmin | November 3, 2016 - 3:37 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 45, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky lament their rapidly-advancing age before diving into discussions about:

  • The World Series, briefly (1:15) acknowledging that the final results will be determined before anyone listens… The conversation tilts more towards the impressive future potential of the Cubs (3:05) and the Hall of Fame career of GM Theo Epstein (5:55)… Ending with a discussion of baseball’s place in the sports media landscape (11:10)…
  • Episode 2 of Netflix’s new Black Mirror season – Play Test (15:40) which had a very different effect on Kolsky than it did on Madden…
  • A quick stop on HBO’s Westworld, which Kolsky failed to successfully watch after a Phish show on Sunday night (29:05)…
  • ROCKTOBER continues, so more concert talk – Kolsky went to see Phish play a Halloween show (32:25)… Madden went to see Yelawolf (35:40)…
  • The season finale (and the first season in sum) of FX’s Atlanta (44:45)… How there’s not enough of it… How well executed it is in the end (45:50) and just in general in delivering a truthful narrative (48:43)…
  • Another FX favorite, You’re the Worst (51:00) and whether it’s struggling a bit in its third season…
  • A couple notes on homework for next week, which involves Bill Simmons’ show Any Given Wednesday (56:20) and the next episode of Black Mirror, “Shut Up and Dance” (58:25)…

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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The Toy Department – Episode 44

  By toyAdmin | October 26, 2016 - 7:49 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 44, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky have recovered enough from the release of new Black Mirror episodes JUST in time to bring you discussions about:

  • Last week’s homework assignment: the Test Pattern episode of IFC’s Documentary Now (2:30), and how Kolsky just can’t get over his deep distaste for Fred Armisen…
  • The aforementioned Netflix property Black Mirror (12:55) — Madden and Kolsky rank the original 7 episodes (17:15) by quality and by how disturbing they are, and also discuss the first of the newest episodes (47:10) that hit Netflix last Friday… WARNING: Spoiler-Heavy discussion, especially about the original 7 episodes…
  • A few thoughts on the last couple episodes of FX’s Atlanta (57:55) and how it returned to a more straightforward narrative arc over the last couple episodes… But still maintains the quality and innovation that makes it so wonderful… And a few words on Donald Glover’s casting in an upcoming Star Wars film (1:03:45)…
  • It’s ROCKTOBER, so Kolsky talks about a couple of concerts he saw last weekend: Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring World Tour (1:05:40) and Anderson .Paak (1:11:40) at the legendary Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco…

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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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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