The Toy Department – Episode 259

In Episode 259, Madden and Kolsky are back from a Kolsky Paternity Break to catch up on their favorite pop culture, specifically:

  • A couple weeks of thrilling action on Top Chef (5:30) with the elimination of the much-hated Gabriel and a pretty distinct top four chefs emerging; now restaurant week is on deck, with a new open kitchen design!!
  • The old Cinemax show Banshee (26:00) which is now available on HBO Max and makes a hell of an enjoyable binge…
  • Catching up on The Challenge: All Stars (34:10) which is heading into the final with an awful lot of competitors but only a few competitors, if you catch our drift…
  • Homework for next Tuesday (58:45), including: more Top Chef in Portland, the new Tina Fey/Peacock show GIRLS5EVA, HBO Max’s Jean Smart vehicle Hacks, the new Angelia Jolie movie Those Who Wish Me Dead and the debut of season three of Netflix’s Master of None (which focuses on Lena Waithe’s character)… and DON’T MISS our coverage of The Challenge: All Stars on Thursday!!!

The Toy Department – The Challenge 36 – Episode 18 AND Episode 3 of The Challenge All-Stars!!!

The Challenge: Double Agents final has begun, and it was action-packed in its first day!! There are new versions of old challenges, a dramatic injury, a gigantic wimp and of course some off-field drama, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are here to break it all down, with an eye forwards towards next week’s sure-to-be-thrilling conclusion… PLUS, it’s Week 3 of The Challenge All-Stars and the old folks are getting after it… AND an exciting lizard/reptile tangent that you don’t yet know you need… It’s all right here at The Toy Department podcast!!!

The Toy Department – The Challenge 36 – Episode 17 AND Episode 2 of The Challenge All-Stars!!!

Another two-Challenge week, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky are here to break down all the action and intrigue… A tremendous episode of The Challenge: Double Agents produced an epic week for Kyle and a pathetic week for Fessy, despite their ultimate fates. We’ve got at least one challenger who needs remedial math classes and another in need of an orthopedist… Meanwhile on All-Stars, the competition is at a lower level but the drama remains at a high with Trishelle’s antics and Beth’s insistence on using the word “tenderoni.” It’s a big bundle of wonderful, and there’s no better place to hear about it!!!

The Toy Department – The Challenge 36 – Episode 16 AND the debut of The Challenge All-Stars!!!

The twists and turns of The Challenge Double Agents Episode 16 have Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky in knots over all the permutations of potential elimination decisions as they dive deep into the strategy of this season’s endgame… Then it’s a BRAND NEW SEASON as The Challenge All-Stars debuts on Paramount+, and it should be a doozy (even if “All-Stars” is pushing it a little bit).