Tag Archives: Houston Rockets

The Toy Department – Episode 102

  By toyAdmin | January 16, 2018 - 5:49 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 102, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are a few minutes late and spent a few minutes discussing Kolsky’s new job situation and bad television commercials before jumping into:

  • The new Netflix show The End of the Fucking World (4:25) and whether or not its lead female character is charming or off-putting or a combination of the two…
  • Kolsky’s experience with Making a Murderer (10:20) after finishing the binge last week…
  • The final two episodes of the newest season of Netflix’s Black Mirror (21:15) and whether the show has maintained its high level of execution…
  • The new Steven Spielberg/Meryl Streep/Tom Hanks collab The Post (31:35) and its resonance in 2018 America…
  • The much-ballyhooed film Call Me By Your Name (41:55) and its basic unremarkability despite the efforts of its cast…
  • A quick chat about the NBA (52:50), including the Rockets’ attempted assault on the Clippers and the universal appeal of free t-shirts…
  • Homework for next week (1:04:05) including: the return of American Crime Story (The Murder of Gianni Versace), the return of HBO’s Pete Holmes-created show Crashing, and the movies I, Tonya and Mudbound, if Madden and Kolsky can work up the nerve for the latter…

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 90

  By toyAdmin | October 17, 2017 - 11:11 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 75

  By toyAdmin | June 29, 2017 - 8:47 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 75, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky dispense briefly with pleasantries before getting to:

  • A wonderful interview with Orange is the New Black’s Julie Lake (2:05), who plays the suddenly-front-and-center-in-the-5th-season character Angie Rice…
  • The wild NBA offseason (30:00), specifically the new high stakes created by the Warriors’ dominance, the Chris Paul trade, Phil Jackson and some of the other madness of the last few days…
  • The Bachelor(ette) franchise (44:35) and why Madden enjoys watching it and Kolsky hasn’t been able to…
  • Showtime’s new show I’m Dying Up Here (56:25) and the niche of enjoyable-but-not-overly-heavy television in today’s media landscape…
  • Netflix’s new series Glow (1:05:00) and just how much Kolsky loves it…
  • Old show favorite Orphan Black (1:13:30) and how it has run off the rails a bit despite the brilliance of lead actress Tatiana Maslany…
  • Homework for next week (1:17:50): the feature films Baby Driver and The Big Sick, plus finishing the Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu…

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 (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… 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… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 67

  By toyAdmin | April 27, 2017 - 9:18 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 67, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky waste no time in getting into:

  • Kolsky’s experience at the Chance the Rapper show the previous night (0:40), what Madden is looking for in a live show and how they handle a performer’s differing religious views…
  • A preliminary discussion of the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why (9:40), particularly regarding the premise and some of the problems therein…
  • Some discussion of the ongoing NBA Playoffs (25:45), including Russell Westbrook’s divisive play and the wide open nature of the Eastern Conference…
  • ESPN’s wide-ranging layoffs (41:40) and what it says about their business model and the changing landscape of sports media…
  • Netflix’s new film Win It All (56:00), a Joe Swanberg/Jake Johnson collaboration…
  • A live-action version of the new Facebook phenomenon “10 concerts, 1 lie” (1:07:50) only they stick with just 5 concerts…
  • Somewhere in there is homework: watch the rest of 13 Reasons Why and catch up on Silicon Valley and Better Call Saul!

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 (and don’t forget to leave us a review!!)… 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… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 65

  By toyAdmin | April 13, 2017 - 1:16 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 65, Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky waste no time in jumping into:

  • A quick status check on Better Call Saul (1:10) before putting a deeper discussion off until next week (so Madden can actually watch the season premiere)…
  • Hip hop artist Kweku Collins (7:40) and how Kolsky and Madden have fundamental differences in their musical taste…
  • Father John Misty (16:05) and his new album Pure Comedy…
  • The new IFC show Brockmire (25:25) and its potential for greatness…
  • Louis CK’s new comedy special 2017 (30:25) and his habit of boundary-pushing…
  • An Esquire article about Dave Chappelle (38:00) and how we view what comedians say…
  • A deep dive into the NBA MVP debate (45:20) and how the guys would vote if they had ballots…
  • A couple quick homework assignments for next week (1:12:55): watching the new seasons of Better Call Saul and Fargo…

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… or tweet us: @MaddenOnAir & @thekolsky.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS