Tag Archives: TV

The Toy Department – Episode 280

  By toyAdmin | November 4, 2021 - 12:07 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 280, Madden and Kolsky discuss Derek’s exuberance in the afterglow of his Braves’ World Series Championship before moving into…

  • Netflix’s new show Colin in Black & White (6:05) from Colin Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay, and how it doesn’t quite live up to the expectations that collaboration might inspire…
  • HBO Max’s new season of Love Life (16:35) starring William Jackson Harper and how it compares to the original Anna Kendrick season…
  • The latest action and drama from The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (21:30), how the Emerald Cell keeps avoiding infiltration and who’s in control of the game at this critical late-season juncture…
  • Homework for next Thursday (1:00:30), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, the new season of Netflix’s Big Mouth, the new Netflix western film The Harder They Fall and the new Apple TV+ film Finch (starring Tom Hanks)…

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The Toy Department – Episode 278

  By toyAdmin | October 22, 2021 - 1:28 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 278, Madden and Kolsky talk about Derek’s continuing music-based travels before moving on to…

  • The Todd Haynes documentary Velvet Underground on Apple TV+ (2:20) and how it’s not so good that it demands the attention of non-Velvet Underground fans…
  • The return of HBO’s Succession (8:05) and how the show remains impeccable and utterly unique…
  • The new Paramount Plus film Queenpins (11:40) and how it doesn’t quite deliver on its comedic promise…
  • The latest on The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (16:30) and the moves by Ed and Kyle that defined this week’s episode of the game…
  • A few quick sports thoughts with the return of the NBA (35:10) and the continuing MLB Playoffs…
  • Homework for next Thursday (38:10), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, the new film Dune on HBO Max, the return of Issa Rae’s Insecure for its final season, AND the MLB Playoffs AND AND the early NBA season…

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The Toy Department – Episode 277

  By toyAdmin | October 14, 2021 - 12:10 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 277, Madden and Kolsky are anxious to get to the Challenge, so get right down to business with…

  • Dave Chappelle’s controversial new Netflix stand-up special The Closer (1:45) and how it’s all mostly just disappointing and a little frustrating…
  • The Netflix sensation that’s sweeping the nation, Squid Game (11:00) and how it’s clearly compelling but perhaps not ESPECIALLY good…
  • A tremendous episode of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies (19:05) and all the ways the game has changed heading into the season’s second half…
  • Homework for next Thursday (56:05), including: more of The Challenge: Spies, Lies and Allies, plus the return of Succession on HBO, a new Velvet Underground documentary from Todd Haynes on Apple TV+, the new film Queenpins on Paramount+ AND the MLB Playoffs AND AND the start of the NBA season…

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The Toy Department – The Challenge 36 – Episode 6

  By toyAdmin | January 21, 2021 - 9:15 am | Uncategorized
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Another exciting week of The Challenge: Double Agents is in the books, and Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky return to talk about Teresa’s tricks, Lolo’s lunacy and yet ANOTHER cast member departure-without-elimination, a suddenly common occurrence… That and MUCH MORE on this week’s Challenge coverage!!!

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The Toy Department – The Challenge 36 – Episode 4

  By toyAdmin | January 7, 2021 - 11:31 am | Uncategorized
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The Challenge is back, and so are Derek Madden and Matt Kolsky with the best coverage on the internet — messy Josh calls the game messy and makes an enemy of Fessy, and much, MUCH more (though that is the only rhyme). Make sure you stay tuned for the HOT pod outtakes at the end 🙂

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The Toy Department – Episode 222

  By toyAdmin | July 30, 2020 - 11:02 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 222, Madden and Kolsky start with a discussion of babies and zoos before getting into:

  • The second week of The Challenge: Total Madness Reunion (5:00) and the general let-down of this season’s end…
  • The return of HBO’s Room 104 (21:10) and just how delightful the first episode of this season was, even if it doesn’t make the show feel essential…
  • The new Amazon Prime film Radioactive (28:20) and some of the curious choices made by the filmmakers…
  • The return of sports (32:45) with MLB already underway (for now, at least), the NBA set to start and the NFL opening training camps…
  • Homework for next week (52:45), including: the new season of Umbrella Academy on Netflix, the fifth season of the Netflix docu-series Last Chance U, the new Go-Go’s documentary on Showtime, the end of HBO’s docu-series I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and revisiting HBO’s Perry Mason…
  • The new Taylor Swift record Folklore (57:15) and how it doesn’t quite resonate with either of our hosts…

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The Toy Department – Episode 221

  By toyAdmin | July 23, 2020 - 11:23 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 221, Madden and Kolsky convene for a less tipsy but possibly more tired morning recording session to discuss:

  • The first part of the Challenge: Total Madness reunion on MTV (1:20), the many twists and turns of a fascinating season and what — if anything — is left for part two…
  • The new Peacock app show Brave New World (34:10) and how it falls just short of compelling…
  • The new HBO documentary Showbiz Kids (41:00) and how it presents perhaps the first complete look at the experience of being a child star…
  • HBO Max’s new series Expecting Amy (50:45) and how wonderfully candid and open Amy Schumer is about her pregnancy and marriage…
  • A couple pieces of breaking news about sports team names (57:35) featuring Seattle hockey and Washington, D.C. football…
  • Homework for next week (1:02:35), including: the final reunion episode of The Challenge, the beginning of the MLB and NBA seasons, the Marie Curie movie Radioactive on Amazon Prime, the W Kamau Bell show on CNN — United Shades of America and the return of Room 104 on HBO…

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The Toy Department – Episode 220

  By toyAdmin | July 16, 2020 - 11:25 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 220, Madden and Kolsky discuss the fact that one of them will be finishing a bottle of rosé (or is it rosado?) throughout the program before getting into:

  • This week’s season finale of The Challenge: Total Madness (2:30) and the anticlimax that was a one-episode, less-insanely-difficult-than-imagined final…
  • A turn to the world of movies (22:55) starting with the Charlize Theron action vehicle The Old Guard…
  • An examination of the Andy Samberg/Cristin Milioti film Palm Springs (30:40) and its unique take on a well-worn concept…
  • Eric Andre’s Netflix stand-up special Legalize Everything (43:35) and how both guys might appreciate a little more deep thinking from a talented comedian…
  • Homework for next week (50:20), including: the reunion episode of The Challenge, the new Peacock app show Brave New World, the new HBO documentary Showbiz Kids and Amy Schumer’s new HBO Max series Expecting Amy…
  • A detour into some return-of-sports discussion (53:20) with MLB set to start in a week…
  • Some more thoughts on The Challenge (1:01:05) and the upcoming reunion before saying goodbye…

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The Toy Department – Episode 219

  By toyAdmin | July 9, 2020 - 11:26 am | Uncategorized
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In Episode 219, Madden and Kolsky discuss their relative levels of exhaustion and coronafear before excitedly discussing:

  • This week’s epic, EXCELLENT episode of The Challenge: Total Madness (5:40), the elimination of Dee and an unprecedented moment of friendship…
  • Kolsky’s list of the Top Ten Bay Area Athletes (30:20) and the methodology that went into his selections…
  • The musical Hamilton (49:55), which is now available on Disney+ and is clearly an impressive achievement if not especially appealing to either host…
  • The new Cate Blanchett-produced Netflix show Stateless (1:03:50) and how it doesn’t generate as much excitement as depression…
  • Homework for next week (1:10:45), including: another episode of The Challenge, the Charlize Theron superhero movie Old Guard on Netflix, the new Hulu film Palm Springs (starring Andy Samberg), Eric Andre’s new standup special Legalize Everything and an attempt at watching the new Peacock app show Brave New World…

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The Toy Department – Episode 218

  By toyAdmin | July 2, 2020 - 2:55 pm | Uncategorized
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In Episode 218, Kolsky gives Madden the scoop on a mildly disastrous start to his road trip vacation before discussing:

  • The new Netflix/Will Ferrell movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (7:05) and its star-powered cast…
  • The first episode of HBO’s I’ll Be Gone In the Dark (14:00) and its twin storylines of Michelle McNamara and her subject…
  • The first two episodes of HBO’s Perry Mason (21:20) and how few redeeming qualities the show has…
  • The third season of Search Party (26:55) now on HBO Max, and what remains appealing about this weird little show…
  • The return of The Chi on Showtime (31:35) and settling into a new season minus a couple of ostensibly major characters…
  • The last two weeks of action on The Challenge: Total Madness (41:05) and the departure of Aneesa and Josh…
  • Homework for next week (1:06:25), including: another episode of The Challenge, checking out Hamilton on Disney+, Cate Blanchett’s new show Stateless on Netflix, and probably some other stuff too…

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