Cinco Holland – The Toy Department

The Toy Department – Episode 310

In Episode 310, Madden and Kolsky refuse to waste time before diving into this week’s pop culture smorgasbord:

The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:25) and whether these CBS competitors are using the wrong strategy, plus the Fear of Tyson that seems to be pervasive in the house…
The latest Disney+ Marvel release, I Am Groot (32:00) and how it’s relatively insubstantial but largely enjoyable, plus a discussion of Vin Diesel’s voice-over workflow…
The second season of HBO’s Industry (37:40) and what makes it so interesting to Derek while Kolsky can’t get into it…
The newest season of All or Nothing, focusing on the Arsenal football club (46:20) and how entertaining a watch it is, thanks in large part to the wild insanity of Arsenal’s last season, which Madden experienced live as a die-hard fan…
The new Netflix fantasy series The Sandman (57:25) and how it’s really quite good and incredibly entertaining and watchable…
Homework for next Friday (1:08:00), including: Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of A League of Their Own, the Netflix film The Man from Toronto and the limited series Black Bird on Apple TV+, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

In Episode 309, Madden and Kolsky are eager to get into their pop culture topics today, including:

The latest episode of The Challenge USA (1:20) and how Tyson continues to separate himself from the competition despite a questionable strategy for elimination nominations…
The second season of FX/Hulu’s Reservation Dogs (22:40) and how it transports the viewer right back to its totally unique and wonderful world…
The Peacock mystery/thriller The Resort (28:45) and how it just didn’t quite live up to our hosts’ expectations, despite a delightful cast and interesting premise…
The surprisingly excellent Paper Girls (34:35) and how the Amazon Prime time travel show has some wonderfully developed young characters…
Homework for next Friday (42:05), including: at least the first episode of Season 2 of Industry on HBO Max, the new season of All or Nothing on Amazon Prime (featuring Arsenal), the new Netflix series The Sandman (based on a Neil Gaiman comic) and Disney+’s I Am Groot, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…
A brief detour into the state of Disney+ television properties (48:15), particularly Marvel and Star Wars… (and you want want to miss the out-take from our pre-show meeting)

In Episode 308, begin with a long detour into Dave Chappelle before focusing in on last week’s homework, specifically:

The latest from The Challenge USA on CBS (18:50) after an early trivia episode, and how the Big Brother players are stuck on Big Brother strategy while The Challenge plays out around them…
The Peacock comedy Bust Down (32:00) and how it’s perfectly good but not necessarily compelling to either of our hosts…
Issa Rae’s new project Rap Sh!t on HBO Max (35:30) and how both guys are into it, but took a second episode to get there (perhaps because they’re getting old!)…
Nathan Fielder’s new HBO Max show The Rehearsal (40:20) and whether the pure absurdity and over-the-top nature of it is compelling and interesting or not…
The Netflix action flick The Gray Man (47:20) and whether it’s good enough to be the foundation of a big-time action franchise for them…
Homework for next Friday (58:50), including: The Resort on Peacock, Paper Girls on Amazon Prime and the second season of Reservation Dogs on FX/Hulu, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…

In Episode 307, Madden and Kolsky get re-acquainted after a pretty long break before returning to what they love best and talking pop culture:

The finalé of The Challenge All-Stars 3 (11:55) and what it represented for the show, the overall Challenge franchise and the two big winners…
The newest entry in The Challenge franchise: The Challenge USA on CBS (18:35) and how it isn’t yet enough to grab one of our hosts, but definitely seems to have some potential…
A check-in on the tremendous final season of Better Call Saul (46:05), the story arcs that have reached their end and what treats are still to come…
Homework for next Friday (59:00), including: the new Nathan Fielder show Rehearsal on HBO Max, the Peacock comedy Bust Down, Issa Rae’s new project Rap Shit! on HBO Max and the Netflix action movie The Gray Man, plus the next episode of The Challenge USA on CBS…