Tag Archives: Apple TV+

The Toy Department – Episode 319

  By toyAdmin | October 28, 2022 - 3:30 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 319, Madden and Kolsky have a few not-so-spooky Halloween thoughts before they circle back to pop culture and get into:

  • The new Apple TV+ film Raymond and Ray (7:50) and how enjoyable it is to watch a fun, quirky movie for adults (particularly when it features such enjoyable performances)…
  • The limited Netflix series From Scratch (17:45) and how it’s a perfectly good romance novel on screen if that’s the sort of thing that you’re into…
  • Netflix’s The Watcher (23:00), complete with explosive acting and very creepy vibes…
  • Kolsky’s experience with Top Gun: Maverick (27:45), whether it’s a “good movie” and whether that even matters in this case…
  • The week’s episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (38:55), featuring some rookie upstarts, Messy Fessy (whether he likes it or not) and an epic elimination…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:14:30), including: the movie The Stranger on Netflix, the return of The White Lotus on HBO, the BBC series Inside Man (now on Netflix) and the film The Good Nurse (alo on Netflix!!), plus OF COURSE the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies… and maybe a quick check-back on House of the Dragon for Kolsky to be upset about it again 🙂

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 318

  By toyAdmin | October 21, 2022 - 1:15 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 318, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s work trip to the casino before locking in on:

  • The latest episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies (1:55), Turbo’s heel turn and the ace strategy from the game’s newest veterans, the notorious Johnny Bananas and his incomparable partner Nany Gonzalez…
  • Netflix’s Redeem Team documentary (35:15) and how it was an enjoyable and entertaining watch despite its somewhat hegeographic tendencies…
  • Apple TV+’s new show Shantaram (46:00) and how Charlie Hunnam makes for an incredibly engaging and watchable center for a show that transports you to 1980’s Bombay (for some not entirely known reason)…
  • The return of Documentary Now! on IFC (50:10) and how the first mockumentary of this season is entertaining and pretty spot-on, but not necessarily enough to suck one of our hosts in…
  • A season wrap-up on FX’s Welcome to Wrexham (59:30) and how the show works on so many levels, ultimately becoming one of the year’s best…
  • A few thoughts on the not-so-inspiring House of the Dragon (1:11:30) and how it so far fails to live up to its predecessor…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:14:40), including: the new Netflix show The Watcher, the new film Raymond and Ray on Apple TV+, the limited series From Scratch on Netflix, and OF COURSE the next episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies… plus Kolsky will watch Top Gun: Maverick so the guys can finally discuss it!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 316

  By toyAdmin | October 7, 2022 - 3:44 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 316, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss the soon-to-be-ridiculously-busy sports schedule before moving on to:

  • Netflix’s new Ryan Murphy show Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2:30) and just what exactly is the goal of so close an examination of an admitted monster…
  • The new Interview with the Vampire series on AMC (13:30) and whether this version of the telling stands up to its historical counterparts…
  • The Sanaa Lathan-directed Paramount+ film On The Come Up (19:15) and whether it is interesting enough to stand out in a crowded streaming landscape…
  • The Greatest Beer Run Ever on Apple TV+ (23:50) and the merits of an entertaining and engaging lead actor…
  • The last two episodes of MTV’s The Challenge: Untold History (31:05) and final thoughts on the documentary series, plus some prep for the upcoming start of The Challenge: Ride or Dies…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:02:20), including: the first episode of The Challenge: Ride or Dies and the movie Significant Other on Paramount+…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department: Episode 313

  By toyAdmin | September 16, 2022 - 3:07 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 313, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss their varying vaccination adventures before pushing viruses aside to share views on:

  • The conclusion of The Challenge USA on CBS/Paramount+ (2:20), how the baffling finish to the final struck our hosts and where are they at on the Challenge Universe’s expansion plans… plus a little tease for the new season of the flagship (21:55) which is right around the corner…
  • The brilliantly entertaining Bad Sisters (25:40) and how Apple TV+ continues to produce quality content, whether folks are watching it or not…
  • Peacock’s new movie Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul (29:50) and how it comes up short of both expectations and the talent of its leading actors…
  • Showtime’s new series American Gigolo (34:45), the pure unbridled sexiness of Jon Bernthal and whether the guys believe in this series after just one episode…
  • Homework for next Friday (39:30), including: the return of Atlanta on FX for its final season, Hulu’s new comedy Reboot, Patton Oswalt’s new stand-up special We All Scream and the new Star Wars series Andor on Disney+…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 311

  By toyAdmin | August 19, 2022 - 2:41 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 311, Madden and Kolsky have an uncomfortably specific discussion about the Kolsky family’s recent bout with hand-foot-mouth disease before shaking it off and diving into:

  • A few thoughts on the ending of AMC’s Better Call Saul (6:55) and what a truly spectacular show it turned out to be…
  • Apple TV+’s new offering Black Bird (13:55) and how Paul Walter Hauser is a uniquely dynamic performer, particularly in the sort of creepy role he inhabits here…
  • Netflix’s forgettable film offering The Man from Toronto (20:45) and just what exactly is going on with the remarkable quality of bland content on that service…
  • Amazon’s new League of Their Own show (24:05) and how it’s watchable and not bad, but just doesn’t quite come together how one might hope…
  • This week’s episode of The Challenge USA on CBS (29:00) and how Leo deserves some flowers (and also maybe some sympathy for his failing businesses?) plus thoughts on the latest twist in the game…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (41:50), including: HBO’s new Game of Thrones show House of the Dragon, Amazon’s new Lord of the Rings show The Rings of Power, and Netflix’s Manti Te’o doc Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist, plus the more of The Challenge USA on CBS…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 306

  By toyAdmin | June 30, 2022 - 11:16 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 306, Madden and Kolsky are sneaking in a late-night Thursday recording before they each go on (very different) vacations, so it’s right into:

  • The penultimate episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (1:50) and how it sets up for a very exciting finalĂ© (despite the unforgiven transgression of the previous episode)…
  • The new Apple TV+/Maya Rudolph show Loot (19:15) and how it’s a delightful comedy with a heart that really lets its lead actress shine…
  • The 90-minute dick joke Beavis & Butthead Do the Universe (23:25) and what reason there was for making this film besides Paramount+’s thirst for “new” content…
  • The Disney film Rise (28:20) and the absolutely unbelievable and wildly inspiring story of the Antetokounmpo brothers…
  • The return of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (35:50) and how the show remains very enjoyable, though it might not have a particularly long shelf life at its current speed…
  • Some thoughts on a turbulent week in the NBA (40:50) and potential destinations for Kevin Durant after his trade request in Brooklyn…
  • Homework for Friday, July 22 (1:01:30), including: the end of The Challenge All-Stars 3 and the beginning of the newest entry in the franchise – The Challenge USA on CBS… Have a great summer break, everybody!!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 305

  By toyAdmin | June 24, 2022 - 11:06 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 305, Madden and Kolsky begin with some personal sadness before moving on to the beautiful distractions of:

  • A totally unacceptable ending to this week’s episode of The Challenge: All-Stars 3 (3:10) and all the drama that would have made it a great episode if not for that travesty…
  • The new Netflix comedy God’s Favorite Idiot (21:25) and how it charmed both of our hosts and seems like a real keeper…
  • The two spy drama/thrillers The Old Man and Slow Horses (25:35), how they are both good but The Old Man seems to stand above and apart…
  • The 30-minute restaurant drama The Bear (35:00) and how its uniqueness and attention to detail make it a tremendously interesting show…
  • A few thoughts on the NBA Draft (42:45) and the disappointing television coverage thereof…
  • Homework for next Friday (50:05), including: potentially the finalĂ© of The Challenge: All-Stars 3, the new Disney+ film Rise about the Antetokounmpo brothers, the new movie Beavis & Butthead Do the Universe on Paramount+, the return of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and the new Maya Rudolph show Loot on Apple TV+…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 297

  By toyAdmin | April 22, 2022 - 11:27 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 297, Madden and Kolsky have been extremely busy since we last spoke, but managed to find time to watch:

  • The start of the final season of Better Call Saul (2:55), its continuing tremendous qualities and just how thrilling the show has become…
  • A few thoughts on the controversy surrounding the HBO Max show Winning Time (12:50), and specifically the unhappy reactions of the people the characters are based on…
  • Some thoughts on two different season 2’s — Netflix’s Russian Doll and Hulu’s Woke (21:43), how one is more successful than the other and why…
  • HBO Max’s new Ansel Elgort vehicle Tokyo Vice (28:25) and how it is a surprisingly interesting and compelling show about a very richly drawn early-2000’s Tokyo…
  • Apple TV+’s latest show ROAR (34:10) and how it’s a really well-executed set of feminist fables starring some of the best women in acting right now…
  • Top Chef: Houston’s restaurant wars (39:55), featuring a chef who only tastes salt and arguably the greatest restaurant wars restaurant in Top Chef history…
  • A few early thoughts on a WIDE OPEN NBA Playoffs (55:20) after a few games in the first round…
  • Homework for TWO Fridays from now (59:30), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the return of The Flight Attendant on HBO Max, the return of Barry on regular HBO, the new David Simon show We Own This City (ALSO on HBO), Showtime’s new show The Man Who Fell to Earth and Hulu’s Jon Krakauer adaptation Under the Banner of Heaven…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 294

  By toyAdmin | March 25, 2022 - 2:23 pm | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 294, Madden and Kolsky briefly address Derek’s disappointment with US Soccer before moving through:

  • Reaction to last night’s Top Chef: Houston episode (2:30), the remarkable technical skills needed for the doppelgänger challenge and who’s in the driver’s seat moving forward…
  • The absurdity of the psycho-erotic thriller Deep Water (25:25) and just how little sense the whole messy mess made…
  • The wonderful and rightfully Oscar-nominated CODA (32:15) and how this little movie charmed it’s way to big success…
  • HBO Max’s new Jake Johnson showcase Minx (41:50) and what a fun ride it is…
  • The Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources (46:40) and how it’s funny enough to watch but missing a lot of the original’s best features…
  • The latest in real-life-entrepreneur-gone-bad television, Hulu’s The Dropout (49:35), and how Amanda Seyfried’s phenomenal work is not enough to suck in one of our hosts…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:02:30), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the return of Donald Glover’s Atlanta on FX, the new Hulu show Life and Beth (starring Amy Schumer and Michael Cera), and HBO Max’s new limited series DMZ (starring Rosario Dawson and Benjamin Bratt)…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS

The Toy Department – Episode 293

  By toyAdmin | March 18, 2022 - 11:47 am | Uncategorized
Leave a comment

In Episode 293, Madden and Kolsky touch a little bit on a thrilling Day 1 of the college basketball tournament before moving on to:

  • This week’s episode of Top Chef (2:50), Sam Kang’s potato problems and just how competitive this season is after just three episodes…
  • Apple TV+’s Ben Stiller-directed show Severance (21:15) and how fascinating it is, both in concept and in execution…
  • Another Apple show, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (28:00) and how it comes together over the first two episodes with an interesting premise and some really good performances from Samuel L. Jackson and Dominique Fishback in particular…
  • Showtime’s based-on-reality SuperPumped (35:55) and how Kolsky’s disgust with the people this show is based on makes it tough for him to enjoy it…
  • The new Paul Thomas Anderson joint Licorice Pizza (47:50), how much fun it was, and why it is so much better than some of the over-celebrated Oscar movies we’ve talked about on past shows…
  • Some Oscars thoughts (58:40) about the nominees and also the changes to the television show, which somehow leads us to Derek’s dissatisfaction with the Atlanta Braves…
  • Homework for next Friday (1:08:35), including: more Top Chef: Houston, along with the Oscar-nominated film CODA on Apple TV+, the new Jake Johnson show Minx on HBO/HBO Max, the new Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources on Netflix, the new erotic thriller Deep Water on Hulu and the new Hulu show The Dropout about Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RSS