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The Toy Department

the home of the Toy Department Podcast

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August 21 · 54 min
The Toy Department – Episode 463
In Episode 463, Madden and Kolsky’s summer of mess continues with a JAM PACKED episode, following an unexpected off-week (and a censored show intro) with an attempt to squeeze in conversations about: Chirstopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (3:45) which both hosts enjoyed when they watched it weeks ago and have been chomping at the bit to discuss since… The return of Apple TV+’s comedy gem Ted Lasso (11:50), the brilliance of the story they chose to tell and how some people need to chill out about some of its perceived feminist flaws… Amazon Prime’s new buddy action-dramedy Ride or Die (21:10), a fun show driven by the enjoyability of the Hannah Waddingham/Octavia Spencer relationship at its center… The continuing excellence and sometimes confounding politics of Special Ops: Lioness (23:45) and how the new season brings much more of the same… The last two weeks of The Challenge: Cutthroat (34:55), where the veteran players are struggling to compete physically and some of the newer players are having off-the-field slip-ups… A few thoughts on the Premier League (45:10) as the 2026-27 season begins with Derek’s Arsenal squad as the clear favorites and Kolsky’s Chelsea in hot pursuit… Homework for next week (52:50), including: more of The Challenge: Cutthroat, HBO’s new DC Universe show Lanterns (written by Damon Lindelof), a very special episode of The Simpsons called Yellow Mirror (on Disney+), Apple TV+’s documentary The Dynasty: UConn Huskies, and the Anne Hathaway/Michaela Coel film Mother Mary on HBO Max (plus the Hulu show Furious, since we forgot to discuss it this week)…
August 7 · 32 min
The Toy Department – Episode 462
In Episode 462, Madden and Kolsky are having a hell of a week, so it’s an ACTUAL SHORT EPISODE, focusing on: The return of THE CHALLENGE: CUTTHROAT (1:35)!! That’s it, that’s all, with thoughts on the format, the new contestants and all the shenanigans that have already gone down in the first two episodes… Homework for next week (31:15): which is mostly just last week’s homework, but adding the Hulu show Furious to the slate…
July 17 · 42 min
The Toy Department – Episode 461
In Episode 461, Madden and Kolsky begin by acknowledging a first-time occurrence in pod history as they get into: Steven Soderbergh’s Full Circle (2:05) which as it turns out, our hosts watched several years ago when it was released and simply forgot about… Apple TV+’s new action show Lucky (8:05) and how it has a lot of good qualities—Anya Taylor-Joy, an interesting story, some good characters—but in light of the Full Circle experience it’s hard to say whether it will be memorable… The film Project Hail Mary (13:25) and how it is an absolute home run of a summer blockbuster, with an incredible acting performance from Ryan Gosling and pitch-perfect storytelling that left both our hosts in tears… Some sports talk (20:25) with Derek’s disgust for the Argentine National Team and a look forward to an exciting World Cup final and Kolsky’s excitement about the Caleb Era in Chicago sports… Homework for THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY (8/7), after a well deserved break (39:50), including: the newest season of The Challenge with a return to the Cuthroat format, the new Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey, the returns of beloved TV shows Ted Lasso and Special Ops: Lioness, and the new Amazon Prime show Ride or Die… Enjoy the rest of July!!
July 10 · 1 hr 7 min
The Toy Department – Episode 460
In Episode 460, Madden and Kolsky get in a little earthquake talk before moving on to: Boots Riley’s new film I Love Boosters (3:40), the particular madcap style that he works in, and whether it has diminishing returns… The somewhat disappointing Eric Andre/John Cena Netflix comedy Little Brother (18:10) and how it simply doesn’t reach the necessary level of laughs-per-minute… The rather disappointing Amazon’s Legally Blonde prequel series Elle (22:25) and whether our hosts are just too old for this shit… The wildly disappointing HBO series Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (29:10) and whether it might play better in an elementary school classroom… The extremely exciting (and largely not disappointing) WORLD CUP (33:25), with our hosts’ thoughts on the tournament overall and the future of American soccer specifically… Homework for two weeks from now (1:5:5), including: the Ryan Gosling movie Project Hail Mary (available on Amazon), the Soderbergh-directed, Olyphant-starring series Full Circle, the Apple TV+ crime thriller Lucky, and of course some more World Cup action…
June 26 · 57 min
The Toy Department – Episode 459
In Episode 459, Madden and Kolsky pay some quick attention to their upcoming schedule before getting into: An extended visit to the SPORTS WORLD, where the World Cup is in full swing (1:30) and the NBA is turning from draft to trades and free agency (22:05)… Colin Farrell’s Apple TV+ show Sugar (42:20), which is totally enjoyable as just a neo-noir detective show, but also happens to includ an utterly additive ALIEN TWIST… Good times! Questlove’s brilliant new documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World) [46:00] and the fascinating story of the band and frontman Maurice White… Homework for two weeks from now (53:25), including: Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness on HBO, the John Cena/Eric Andre comedy Little Brother on Netflix, the Legally Blonde prequel series Elle on Amazon and the now-available-to-rent-at-home Boots Riley film I Love Boosters… and a HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO YOU ALL!!!
June 11 · 56 min
The Toy Department – Episode 458
In Episode 458, Madden and Kolsky figured out a way to get this thing on tape, which should be enough, as they talk through: The somewhat underwhelming season finalé of Top Chef (0:50) and how not leaving the Carolinas for the final felt strange… The new Apple TV+ series Cape Fear (16:30) and how one of our hosts just isn’t here for this sort of thing, but the other is ALL IN… A look back at a few show-favorite series that wrapped up for good in the last couple weeks: the enjoyable endpoint of The Boys (26:05), the only-sometimes-beautiful mess that was Euphoria’s last season (29:55) and the triumph of Hacks (41:30)… Homework for some time in a couple weeks (48:30), which is TOTALLY UP IN THE AIR other than World Cup and NBA Finals (if necessary), but may also include the return of Colin Farrell’s Apple TV+ show Sugar…
June 3 · 1 hr 6 min
The Toy Department – Episode 457
In Episode 457, Madden and Kolsky missed a week, so no time is wasted before discussions of: An eventful two weeks on Top Chef (1:00), which sets us up for a humdinger of a finalé next week… Tatiana Maslany’s new Apple TV+ show Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed (30:50) and how her magnetism is at the center of an entertaining experience… Netflix’s new Duffer Brothers-produced series The Boroughs (35:00) and how there are some pretty good pieces but neither host is particularly interested in the central storyline… Netflix’s new crime thriller Nemesis (39:05) and how it’s a good version of a broad, good v. evil sort of populist TV show… A look at the world of sports (45:45) with the NBA set for a Spurs-Knicks Finals, Arsenal winning the Premier League (but not the Champions League!) and the World Cup on deck… Homework for some time next week (1:04:20), including: the finalé of Top Chef, the new Apple TV+ series Cape Fear and Kolsky catching up on the series finalés of Hacks, Euphoria and The Boys…
May 20 · 53 min
The Toy Department – Episode 456
In Episode 456, Madden and Kolsky discuss their mutual inability to drink alcohol like in the good ole days before snapping their focus to: Netflix’s documentary Untold UK: Jamie Vardy (4:10) and the absolutely incredible story of his rise to the Premier League and eventual league title with Leicester City FC… Amazon Prime’s heist thriller Crime 101 (15:20) and how it’s a fun and pretty great version of a certain sort of movie… A quick show detour to discuss the totality of HBO’s DTF St. Louis (20:55) and how it was a long journey to get there, but it ended up in a pretty solid place… Netflix’s Martin Short documentary Marty: Life is Short (29:35) and how it does a great job of covering the public life of a venerated comedy entertainer… This week’s relatively underwhelming episode of Top Chef (37:15), the ascension of Sherry and Seiger, and wondering whether we’ll ever leave the Carolinas… Homework for next week (48:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, Apple TV+’s new Tatiana Maslany show Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, the new Netflix show The Boroughs and the new hit Nemesis (also on Netflix)…
May 13 · 1 hr 5 min
The Toy Department – Episode 455
In Episode 455, Madden and Kolsky navigate a new recording system as they meander through: A fish-themed episode of Top Chef (1:40), the danger of a simple error and the race to the finish with a good collection of chefs… The brilliance of The Bear’s new mini-movie Gary (25:40) and how the show’s creators continue to build beautiful, vibrant stories… BBC’s Lord of the Flies adaptation on Netflix (31:35) and how it feels like a direct page-to-screen printing of William Golding’s book… The Noah Kahan documentary Out of Body (38:25) and how it does nothing to explain the Noah Kahan phenomenon… Sports talk (44:05) with a bit of Premier League and some NBA playoff thoughts… Homework for next week (1:00:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the Amazon Prime movie Crime 101, the Martin Short documentary Marty: Life is Short on Netflix, Untold UK: Jamie Vardy (also on Netflix), and—naturally—more playoff hoops…
May 6 · 1 hr 11 min
The Toy Department – Episode 454
In Episode 454, Madden and Kolsky poo-poo Derek’s birthday before hustling through: The latest from Top Chef: Carolinas (1:45) where there was too much mayo for one of our hosts and too much heat for some of the chefs… Netflix’s new action show Man on Fire (19:50) and all the things it gets right… HBO’s new drama Half Man (21:15), from the creator of the highly-acclaimed Baby Reindeer, and how it’s very well done but relentlessly traumatic… Apple TV+’s new show Widow’s Bay (34:10) and whether it can truly be called a mystery or whether it’s a comedy or what the heck is generally happening here… NBA Playoff thoughts (43:10) after a wild first round and a big upset at the start of the second round… Homework for next week (1:08:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, GARY (Hulu’s surprise drop from The Bear universe), BBC’s Lord of the Flies adaptation on Netflix, and the new Noah Kahan documentary Out of Body (also on Netflix), plus—of course—more playoff hoops…
April 29 · 58 min
The Toy Department – Episode 453
In Episode 453, Madden and Kolsky react to another missed show countdown before diving right into: The long-awaited and pretty weird Restaurant Wars episode of Top Chef: Carolinas (1:15) and the outlook for the remainder of the season… Netflix’s new series This Is A Gardening Show (24:05), which is DEFINITELY a gardening show, but also a Zach Galifianakis show, and rather delightful if you’re into that sort of thing… The new Sandler Family comedy Roommates (29:00) and how it’s a pretty good version of a particular type of Netflix fodder… Glen Powell’s The Running Man (35:15) and how it’s a little more self-serious than our hosts would hope, particularly from director Edgar Wright… A few sports thoughts (46:20) as the NBA rolls along through the first round of playoff action… Homework for next week (56:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the new HBO show Half Man from the creator of Baby Reindeer, the new Apple TV+ show Widow’s Bay, Netflix’s new Man on Fire series, and much more playoff basketball…
April 22 · 49 min
The Toy Department – Episode 452
In Episode 452, Madden and Kolsky are HAVING A WEIRD DAY, independently and also together, complete with technological difficulties as they attempt to fully attend to: The most recent episode of Top Chef (1:05), featuring weird departures and weirder returns and the weirdest quickfire challenge… The return of the Netflix series Beef (23:30) for its second season, and what distinguishes the anthology-style series from its first go-round… Apple TV+’s new Elle Fanning vehicle Margo’s Got Money Troubles (28:15), its somewhat unexpected delights, and how Apple seems to be doing much of its best work in the complicated comedy zone… Sports thoughts—on Chelsea and Arsenal competing in Premier League misery (34:35) and a so-far-so-good first round of NBA Playoff action (42:25)… Homework for next week (47:00), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the new Netflix series This Is A Gardening Show (with Zach Galifianakis), the new movie Roommates (also on Netflix), Glen Powell’s The Running Man on Amazon Prime, and much more playoff basketball…
April 15 · 56 min
The Toy Department – Episode 451
In Episode 451, Madden and Kolsky are up late for a special after-dark edition, so don’t worry if everyone sounds a little punchy as they chat about: The latest from Top Chef (2:45) where a BIG BBQ challenge brought out the best in the chefs and there’s a hanging mystery heading into next week… The Netflix doc UNTOLD: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom (24:10) which has a fascinating subject but doesn’t entirely come together as a documentary… The new Jonah Hill-directed movie Outcome (32:15) on Apple TV+, where the camp is high, the ambitions are relatively low, and one of our hosts is very annoyed… Netflix’s new Dan Levy comedy Big Mistakes (41:50) and how the frantic nature of the whole thing makes it tough to enjoy… A hard pass on talking soccer (47:30), but a few thoughts on the NBA as we head into the playoffs… Homework for next week (53:35), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the Apple TV+ series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, the return of Netflix’s show Beef (as an anthology series) and a WHOLE LOT of playoff basketball…
April 9 · 1 hr 1 min
The Toy Department – Episode 450
In Episode 450, Madden and Kolsky return from an extended, travel-filled layoff to get into: The last few episodes of Top Chef: Carolinas (3:25) and how the group is seemingly not living up to its own standards over that time… Apple TV+’s new sexy psychological drama Imperfect Women (26:35) and the sudden plethora of sexy psychological dramas on streaming services… The third season of Lisa Kudrow’s HBO series The Comeback (37:45) and how it’s mostly more of the same (other than a clever little AI storyline) but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing… The return of Amazon Prime’s “Jury Duty” with Company Retreat (41:35) and how it’s quite funny even if it can’t quite reach the hilarity of the original season… A few thoughts on the NBA (44:50) as we head into the postseason… Homework for next week (57:55), including: the next episode of Top Chef, AMC’s new show The Audacity, the new Dan Levy comedy Big Mistakes on Netflix, and UNTOLD: The Death and Life of Lamar Odom (also on Netflix)…
March 18 · length unknown
The Toy Department – Episode 449
In Episode 449, Madden and Kolsky have a brief and unfortunate conversation about Arsenal’s star-in-the-making Max Dowman before putting soccer away to discuss: The second episode of Top Chef: Carolinas (2:15), with a very high level of cooking all around and an emerging favorite, plus a few thoughts on Padma’s new show America’s Culinary Cup… HBO’s new Bill Lawrence/Steve Carrell show Rooster (31:10) and its charming combination of comedy and drama… Netflix’s new horny dramedy Vladimir (35:25) and the now-incredibly-overused trick of showing us a potential endpoint in the first ten minutes of a series… Nicole Kidman’s new Amazon show Scarpetta (43:05) and the weird middle ground it finds between police procedural and family drama… The ABA docu-series Soul Power (50:50), the wild and crazy ’70s times in basketball’s upstart league and where the show may have missed some things… Homework for THREE weeks from now, April 8 (1:04:05), including: the next few episodes of Top Chef, Apple TV+’s Imperfect Women, Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat and the third season of Lisa Kudrow’s HBO series The Comeback…
March 11 · 1 hr 5 min
The Toy Department – Episode 448
In Episode 448, Madden and Kolsky are arriving on Wednesdays for the foreseeable future, as they respond to: The premiere of a new season of Top Chef (1:50), this one in the Carolinas and off to a rip-roaring start with a very dramatic elimination challenge… The final Best Picture nominee on the list, Hamnet (30:25), complete with Kolsky’s predictable distaste for the film and some general Oscar talk… The new HBO show DTF St. Louis (48:50) and how it’s got all the pieces of a good show, but at least one of our hosts is struggling with all the misery on television… Homework for next week (1:03:30), including: the next episode of Top Chef, the ABA docu-series Soul Power on Amazon Prime Video, HBO’s new Steve Carrell/Bill Lawrence show Rooster, the Netflix series Vladimir, and Nicole Kidman’s new show Scarpetta (also on Prime Video)…
March 6 · 42 min
The Toy Department – Episode 447
In Episode 447, Madden and Kolsky address an upcoming pod schedule change before wading through: The Oscar-nominated film Marty Supreme (2:20) and all of its great acting performances, plus Kolsky’s discomfort with the Safdie style… The Oscar-nominated performance of Rose Byrne (13:00) in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and the distinctly not-oscar-worthy nature of the film itself… A sort of combined discussion about two network sitcoms (22:00): the Tracy Morgan/Daniel Radcliffe vehicle The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, and the reboot of Scrubs from pod favorite Bill Lawrence & Co… A few thoughts on Chelsea FC and premier league football (32:15), because the hosts can’t help themselves… Homework for WEDNESDAY of next week (39:05), including: the premier of the new season of Top Chef, Hamnet (the final Oscar nominee for the pod), and the new HBO show DTF St. Louis…
February 20 · 45 min
The Toy Department – Episode 446
In Episode 446, Madden and Kolsky briefly discuss Derek’s homework apology before (angrily) diving right into: The widely acclaimed Best Picture nominee The Secret Agent (1:10) and how neither of our hosts can figure out why that acclaim exists… Richard Linklater’s new film Blue Moon (12:45), which was abjectly hated by one of our hosts and marginally appreciated for its good qualities by the other… Ethan Coen’s 2025 film Honey Don’t (21:10) and how it simply doesn’t rise to the standard of the work he’s done with his brother… The new Netflix series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (31:05) and how Northern Irish murder mystery capers apparently appeal more to one host than the other… Homework for next week (37:30), including: the Oscar-nominated films Marty Supreme and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the Tracy Morgan show The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins on NBC/Peacock, and the Scrubs reboot on ABC/Hulu…
February 6 · 1 hr
The Toy Department – Episode 445
In Episode 445, Madden and Kolsky briefly address the results of the Toy Department Derby (if it can be so called) before moving into: Kolsky’s dad’s recommendation, the Bert Kreischer show Free Bert on Netflix (4:15), which neither of our hosts disliked, per se, but nobody here can exactly recommend… This week’s Oscar film Sentimental Value (11:25) and how Madden and Kolsky’s differing expectations may have contributed to their differing experiences with the film… The good-time action flick The Wrecking Crew (24:25) and the value of having some fun at the movies… The return of Shrinking (33:05), the emotional journey that makes it one of the best shows out right now, and the work of creator/showrunner Bill Lawrence… Some sports thoughts (40:00) with the Super Bowl on deck and the NBA’s trade deadline just passed… Homework for TWO weeks from now (53:10), including: the Richard Linklater film Blue Moon (with Oscar-nominated Ethan Hawke), the Best Picture-nominated Brazilian film The Secret Agent, the new-to-Netflix Ethan Coen movie Honey Don’t, and the new Netflix series How To Get To Heaven From Belfast…
January 30 · 52 min
The Toy Department -Episode 444
In Episode 444, Madden and Kolsky have a breezy chat about whether or not they’ll have a breezy chat about some not-so-breezy content (does that make sense?) before having an [arguably breezy] chat about: The Oscar-nominated Train Dreams (1:35) and how it does a lot of things right, even if it ultimately is more of a tone poem than a narrative film… The distinctly not-a-tone-poem Netflix film The Rip (20:10) and the value of the Damon/Affleck let’s-have-a-good-time-at-the-theater attempt… Amazon Prime Video’s crime thriller series Steal (28:05) and how it has all the pieces to be a good show but somehow isn’t quite coming together… The new Marvel series Wonder Man (32:25), the enjoyability of a different sort of show within the context of the broader universe, and Derek’s continued distaste for MCU content… A few thoughts on the upcoming Toy Department Derby (41:05) and the prospects of Chelsea and Arsenal… Homework for next week (46:05), including: the third season of Shrinking on Apple TV+, the new Bert Kreischer sitcom Free Bert on Netflix (recommended by Kolsky’s father), the Amazon Prime Video action flick The Wrecking Crew and the Oscar contender Sentimental Value…

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