The Toy Department – Episode 316

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+…

The Toy Department – Episode 315

In Episode 315, Madden and Kolsky have a bumpy open when Derek makes a surprise verbiage change before the usual pop culture coverage on:

  • The Allison Janney/Jurnee Smollett Netflix thriller Lou (1:30) and how it just didn’t really come together…
  • Netflix’s teen camp flick Do Revenge (9:15) and how both guys found it super entertaining and thoroughly enjoyed the two lead actresses…
  • The NBC reboot of Quantum Leap (17:55) and how network television just seems to fall short in so many ways, arguably by design…
  • The latest episodes of The Challenge: Untold History (28:45) and all the incredible Challenge legends who were covered (or not) in the GOATs episode…
  • Homework for next Friday (59:55), including: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story on Netflix, the Sanaa Lathan-directed On The Come Up on Paramount+, Interview with the Vampire on AMC, The Greatest Beer Run Ever on Apple TV+, and the last two episodes of The Challenge: Untold History…

The Toy Department – Episode 314

In Episode 314, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s parking problems before locking into pop culture for:

  • The premiere episodes of The Challenge: Untold History (2:50) and how much the guys are enjoying taking a stroll through the history of America’s Third Sport…
  • The first few episodes of the final season of Atlanta on FX (20:35) and how it’s great to have the show back in the city it’s named for and focused on the main characters we know and love…
  • Dinsey+’s new Star Wars series Andor (25:40) and how it’s the best content coming out of that universe since The Mandalorian, at least…
  • Patton Oswalt’s new stand-up special We All Scream (31:20) and how it’s another good hour of Patton’s comedy, but maybe doesn’t demand a ton of in depth examination…
  • A few thoughts on the current scandal around Celtics coach Ime Udoka (34:40) and how it’s tough to understand exactly what’s going on…
  • Hulu’s new sitcom Reboot (38:30) and the actors who are bringing it together and bringing some laughs…
  • Homework for next Friday (43:05), including: the Quantum Leap reboot on NBC, two new Netflix movies – teen movie Do Revenge and kidnapping drama Lou – and a couple more episodes of The Challenge: Untold History…