Decoding TV

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Myles McNutt discuss this year’s Emmy nominations. Then Dan Gvozden joins to discuss the season finale of The Acolyte.

What were some things the Emmys got right? And what nominations made us raise an eyebrow or two? Did The Acolyte stick the landing? And are we excited for a possible season 2 of the show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Boys Season 4 (Prime Video)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - The 2024 Emmy Nominations
• 00:29:00 - The Acolyte
• Episode 8 - The Acolyte

Links:

• Subscribe to the Episodic Medium newsletter
• Subscribe to Dan Gvozden’s show The Amazing Spider-Talk
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV, discuss the seventh episode of The Acolyte, and finish up their conversation about The Bear season 3.

What are the implications of a Skydance/Paramount merger? Are we excited after seeing the new trailer for Agatha All Along? And should David Duchovny have been one of the main male leads in Full House? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 8 (Disney+)

Homework for upcoming weeks:

• The Boys season 4 (Prime Video)
• Presumed Innocent season 1 (Apple TV+)

Shownotes:

• 00:02:30 - Severance Season 2 announces release date
• 00:06:30 - X-Men ‘97 season 3 gets a writer
• 00:09:50 - Agatha All Along trailer
• 00:18:30 - Skydance and Paramount merge
• 00:29:30 - David Duchovny lost out on all 3 male leads for Full House
• 00:35:30 - The Acolyte
• Episode 7 - Choice
• 01:07:30 - The Bear Season 3

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first three episodes of The Bear season 3. Then, Dan Gvozden joins us from The Amazing Spider-Talk podcast to discuss the latest episode of The Acolyte.

Is The Bear a show that’s become too enamored of its own success and character dynamics to move forward? Does anything interesting happen on The Acolyte this week? Will Sol finally get to explain WTF happened on Brendok all those years ago? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 7 (Disney+)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:00 - The Bear
• Episode 1 - Tomorrow
• Episode 2 - Next
• Episode 3 - Doors
• 00:47:20 - The Acolyte
• Episode 6 - Teach/Corrupt

Links:

• Check out Dan’s podcast, The Amazing Spider-Talk
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the fifth episode of The Acolyte and the fourth episode of The Boys’ fourth season.

Do we really care whether a show is branded as an HBO or Max original? (Unfortunately yes). Why is Presumed Innocent such an effective TV drama? And what’s going on with the audience reviews for The Acolyte? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 6 (Disney+)
• The Bear season premiere (Hulu)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+
• 00:10:28 - The Acolyte Is Getting Review Bombed
• 00:22:45 - Max is rebranding some shows to HBO
• 00:33:45 - Harry Potter gets a showrunner
• 00:38:30 - The Acolyte
• Episode 5 - Night
• 01:08:00 - The Boys
• Episode 4 - We’ll Keep The Red Flag Flying Here

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the fourth episode of The Acolyte and the first three episodes of The Boys fourth season.

Are fewer people watching House of the Dragon this year? Why did Jon Stewart leave Apple TV+ anyway? Are we excited about a film adaptation of Three-Body Problem? And has The Boys gotten too woke recently? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 5 (Disney+)
• The Boys Season 4 Ep 4 (Prime Video)

Shownotes:

• 00:02:30 - The Curse ending behind-the-scenes
• 00:05:15 - House of the Dragon ratings
• 00:15:50 - Jon Stewart’s exit from Apple TV+
• 00:24:17 - Zhang Yimou’s Three-Body Problem movie
• 00:30:00 - The Acolyte
• Episode 4 - Day
• 01:00:05 - The Boys
• Episode 1 - Department of Dirty Tricks
• Episode 2 - Life Among the Septics
• Episode 3 - We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the third episode of The Acolyte.

Why does everyone keep suing Netflix? How has Jon Stewart’s return to late night gone so far? Are we excited about The Boys season 5 being its last? And is there going to be a Euphoria season 3 after all? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 4 (Disney+)
• The Boys Season 4 premiere Eps 1-3 (Prime Video)

Shownotes:

• 00:07:00 - Man on Fire and Starfleet Academy casting news
• 00:16:00 - Jon Stewart will host live shows after debates
• 00:19:20 - Fi0na Harv3y is suing Netflix
• 00:31:40 - Casey Bloys teases upcoming WB slate
• 00:39:30 - The Boys season 5 will be its last
• 00:51:55 - The Acolyte
• Episode 3 - Destiny
• Dave’s Nitpick Corner

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the season premiere of The Acolyte.

What do we make of the new price increases to Max? How has culture war stuff influenced writing about Star Wars? Why is Netflix still being so weird about the renewal of 3 Body Problem? And are we excited for a new series based on Like a Dragon: Yakuza? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Ep 3 (Disney+)
• Bonus: The Boys Season 3 finale

Shownotes:

• 00:19:54 - Max Prices Going Up
• 00:23:46 - Leslye Headland Hopes the Force Is With the Acolyte
• 00:31:33 - 3 Body Problem Will Return for Seasons 2 and 3
• 00:37:15 - Like a Dragon: Yakuza Live Action Series
• 00:45:44 - The Acolyte
• Episode 1 - Lost/Found
• Episode 2 - Revenge/Justice
• Dave’s Nitpick Corner

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the season (series?) finale of The Sympathizer (Max).

What do we think about Jeffrey Wright being cast in the same role in the TV version of The Last of Us season 2? What’s the difference between Marvel Television and Marvel Spotlight? And are we psyched for a Damon Lindelof show about Green Lantern? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Acolyte Eps 1-2 (Disney+)

Shownotes:

• 00:03:05 - Jeffrey Wright cast as Isaac in Last of Us Season 2
• 00:13:38 - Marvel’s rebranding of its TV Shows
• 00:38:10 - Damon Lindelof is on board the Green Lantern TV show
• 00:49:30 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 7 - Endings Are Hard, Aren’t They?

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the sixth episode of The Sympathizer (Max) and the first season of X-Men ‘97 (Disney+).

Why should you definitely watch Scavengers Reign when it hits Netflix in late May? Like really? (Seriously). What do we make of Netflix’s weird announcement for more episodes of 3-Body Problem? And what is it that X-Men ‘97 gets so right about the Marvel universe and about the X-Men themselves? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Sympathizer Ep 7 (Max)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Comcast’s Streamsaver bundle is $15/month
• 00:06:50 - Scavengers Reign is cancelled at Max but not on Netflix
• 00:18:24 - Shogun seasons 2 and 3 are in development
• 00:26:30 - More episodes of 3-Body Problem are happening under mysterious circumstances
• 00:38:30 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 6 - The Oriental Mode of Destruction
• 01:04:15 - X-Men ‘97 Season 1

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the fifth episode of The Sympathizer (Max) and the final three episodes of Baby Reindeer (Netflix).

How do we feel about Netflix’s latest efforts to get into live programming? Which streaming bundle are we looking forward to the most? Why can’t Paramount+ get any love? Is there still life left in The Office as a franchise? Are we excited about another season of Mr. and Mrs. Smith? And what about season 2 of Shogun for that matter? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• The Sympathizer Ep 6 (Max)
• X-Men ‘97 Season 1 (Disney+)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Netflix’s big moves into live TV
• NFL gets Christmas day football
• 00:17:00 - Begun, the streaming bundle wars have
• Max bundling with Disney+/Hulu
• Peacock bundling with Netflix/Apple TV+
• 00:26:00 - The Office Reboot
• 00:33:30 - Mr and Mrs Smith Season 2 and The Boys season 5
• 00:36:15 - Shogun Season 2 is in development
• 00:43:00 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 5 - All For One
• 01:00:00 - Baby Reindeer
• Episode 5
• Episode 6
• Episode 7

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the fourth episode of The Sympathizer (Max) and the first four episodes of Baby Reindeer (Netflix).

How are studios navigating tricky situations when beloved cast members pass on? Does Cobra Kai really need to be split into three separate parts? What’s the best way to advertise to kids these days anyways? Is there such thing as an anti-war film in the world of The Sympathizer? And why is Baby Reindeer so damn good at unraveling its story? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Baby Reindeer Eps 5-7 (Netflix)
• The Sympathizer Ep 5 (Max)
• X-Men '97 Season 1 (Disney+)
• Bonus Ep: Sugar Season 1 (Apple TV+)

Shownotes:

• 00:06:00 - Gen V will not recast Chance Perdomo
• 00:13:00 - Cobra Kai’s release schedule
• 00:28:30 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 4 - Give Us Some Good Lines
• 00:56:00 - Baby Reindeer
• Episode 1
• Episode 2
• Episode 3
• Episode 4

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the third episode of The Sympathizer (Max) and the rest of season 1 of Fallout (Prime Video).

Is 65 million viewers actually a lot when it comes to a streaming service? How embarrassed does the OG Emily Stone feel about taking Emma Stone’s SAG name? What other famous people just aren’t being clear about their real names and pronunciations? What do we think The Sympathizer is trying to say about being an American? And what did we think of the rest of season 1 of Fallout on Prime Video? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Baby Reindeer Eps 1-4 (Netflix)
• The Sympathizer Ep 4 (Max)
• Bonus Ep: Invincible Season 2 Part 2 (Prime Video)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Fallout gets 65 million viewers
• 00:08:33 - THR’s cover story about The Curse
• 00:26:45 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 3 - Love It Or Leave It
• 51:15 - Fallout Season 1
• Episode 4 - The Ghouls
• Episode 5 - The Past
• Episode 6 - The Trap
• Episode 7 - The Radio
• Episode 8 - The Beginning

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the season 2 premiere of ‘The Jinx,’ the first two episodes of The Sympathizer (Max) and the season 1 finale of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

How big of a deal is Fallout these days? Why do people keep trying to remake Oldboy? Is it worth watching The Jinx: Season 2 even if you haven’t seen The Jinx: Season 1? What did we make of the mishmash of tones in The Sympathizer? And does Shogun season 1 stick the landing in its finale? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Fallout Season 1 (Prime Video)
• The Sympathizer Ep 3 (Max)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Fallout renewed for season 2
• 00:07:33 - Oldboy TV series
• 00:12:50 - There was more Bluey after all
• 00:18:00 - The Jinx: Season 2
• Episode 2 - Why Are You Still Here?
• 00:41:30 - The Sympathizer
• Episode 1 - Death Wish
• Episode 2 - Good Little Asian
• 1:03:30 - Shogun
• Episode 10 - A Dream of a Dream
• A list of callbacks
• Shogun vs. Real Life

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the first three episodes of Fallout (Prime Video) and the ninth episode of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

Are we excited about more Monarch: Legacy of Monsters? Will we ever see a Heroes reboot that people care about? What did we make of Bluey’s season finale, “The Sign”? Is Fallout the greatest videogame adaptation ever made? And what did we think of Mariko’s fateful decisions on this week’s episode of Shogun? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 10 (Hulu/FX)
• The Sympathizer Eps 1-2 (Max)
• The Jinx Season 2 premiere (Max)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 -More seasons/spin-offs for Monarch
• 00:06:33 - Tim Kring wants to reboot Heroes
• 00:13:33 - Bluey’s season 3 finale, The Sign
• BBC: Producer confirms series return
• 00:33:00 - Fallout
• Episode 1 - The End
• Episode 2 - The Target
• Episode 3 - The Head
• 1:14:00 - Shogun
• Episode 9 - Crimson Sky

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this bonus episode preview, David and Patrick discuss the final episodes of season 1 of 3 Body Problem on Netflix.

To hear the rest of the episode, become a paid subscriber at decodingtv.com.

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the eighth episode of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

Why was Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm a middle finger to TV watchers? Is it possible we will actually get more Westworld in the future? Why is it such a difficult time to be a TV writer right now? And why can’t people finish Ripley, anyway? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 9 (Hulu/FX)
• Fallout Eps 1-3 (Prime Video)
• Bonus Ep: 3 Body Problem Season 1 (Netflix)

Shownotes:

• 00:07:40 - Fallout News
• Fallout Season 2 seems likely
• Westworld is still alive?
• 00:22:45 - Why it’s a brutal time to be a TV writer
• 00:33:46 - Why people can’t finish Ripley
• 00:43:15 - The Curb Your Enthusiasm Series Finale
• 00:56:15 - Shogun
• Episode 8 - Abyss of Life

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this bonus episode, David and @joyonapping continue their conversation about the royal family by discussing Netflix’s new film, Scoop, which chronicles the events surrounding Prince Andrew’s disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview.

Is this film interesting to people who don’t care about the royal family? What did we think about who the film chose as its main characters? Does Rufus Sewell make for a convincing Prince Andrew? And what did we make of the film’s depiction of the interview itself? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Also: Should we cover A Very Royal Scandal, an upcoming 3-part Prime Video series that covers these same events? Let us know at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Links:

• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this bonus episode preview, David and Patrick discuss the final episodes of season 1 of Constellation on Apple TV+.

To hear the rest of the episode, become a paid subscriber at decodingtv.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV and discuss the seventh episode of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

Is the true story behind Netflix’s 3 Body Problem more intricate than the show itself? What are the chances that 3 Body Problem will get a second season? Are we looking forward to Ryan Coogler’s take on The X-Files (if it even happens)? And what did we think of this week’s relatively quiet episode of Shogun? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 8 (Hulu/FX)
• Bonus Ep: Constellation Season 1 (Apple TV+)
• Bonus Ep: 3 Body Problem Season 1 (Netflix)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:30 - Chance Perdomo Dead at 27
• 00:03:30 - 3 Body Problem Murder Scandal
• Latest on 3 Body Problem Ratings
• 00:28:25 - Chris Carter on the legacy of the X-Files
• 00:48:00 - Shogun
• Episode 7 - A Stick of Time

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV, then discuss the first three episodes of 3 Body Problem (Netflix) and the sixth episode of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

What do we think of a new John Wells/Noah Wyle hospital-themed team-up? Was it cool for Pete Davidson to leave Bupkis like that? Will we ever see another season of Euphoria? And is 3 Body Problem a worthy TV follow-up from the creators of Game of Thrones? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 7 (Hulu/FX)
• Bonus Ep: Constellation Season 1 (Apple TV+)

Shownotes:

00:03:00 - Noah Wyle and John Wells reteam for The Pitt

00:12:15 - Euphoria Season 3 delayed indefinitely

00:20:25 - Pete Davidson abruptly leaves Bupkis

00:29:15 - 3 Body Problem

• Episode 1 - Countdown
• Episode 2 - Red Coast
• Episode 3 - Destroyer of Worlds

01:10:00 - Shogun

• Episode 6 - Ladies of the Willow World

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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As with all things in life: Better late than never! In this bonus episode, @joyonapping (AKA Joy) returns to the podcast to finish our conversation about the Netflix original series The Crown. You can listen to the first part of this conversation right here.

What did we think of how the final six episodes of season 6 wrapped up the story for these characters? What did we make of the specific end point the show chose? Did the show do a good job of finishing the Diana storyline? And what about its depiction of Will and Kate’s courtship? Did the ending of this show predict the events that we’re currently experiencing? And finally: What do we make of all the news that’s happening about the Royals right now? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Also: We’re sorry this episode is late but sometimes life (and medical things) get in the way! We’ll hopefully be back in a few weeks to discuss Scoop on Netflix, the upcoming film about Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview that’s releasing on April 5.

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Jessie Earl run down what’s going on in the world of TV, then discuss the season premiere of Manhunt (Apple TV+) and continue their weekly discussion of Shogun (Hulu/FX).

What do we think of Mr. Beast’s new game show? Is TV going to become more like YouTube or is YouTube going to become more like TV? Are we excited for the new Star Wars series The Acolyte? Why do people like waiting for movies to stream instead of seeing them in theaters these days? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Homework for next week:

• 3 Body Problem (Netflix)
• Shogun episode 6 (Hulu/FX)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:45 - Two thirds of adults would rather wait to watch movies on streaming
• 00:12:00 - Mr. Beast’s deal with Prime Video
• 00:25:30 - The Acolyte trailer
• 00:38:00 - Manhunt
• Episode 1 - Pilot
• Episode 2 - Post-mortem
• 01:03:00 - Shogun
• Episode 5 - Broken to the Fist

Links:

• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV, then discuss the first two episodes of of The Gentlemen (Netflix) and the fourth episode of Shogun (Apple TV+).

What do we think of the Oscars this year? Why would they show us the stars of upcoming films without telling us what the films are, exactly? Does The Gentleman on Netflix capture the magic of Guy Ritchie’s early British gangster pics? And what did we think of that scene in this week’s Shogun? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 5 (Hulu/FX)
• Manhunt Eps 1-2 (Apple TV+)

Shownotes:

• 00:01:45 - The 2024 Oscars
• 00:22:30 - Marvel fires Beau DeMayo
• 00:39:30 - The Gentlemen
• Episode 1 - Refined Aggression
• Episode 2 - Tackle Tommy Woo Woo
• 01:01:00 - Shogun
• Episode 4 - The Eightfold Fence

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek run down what’s going on in the world of TV, then discuss the season premiere of The Regime (Max) and the next episode of Shogun (Apple TV+).

What do we think of the prospect of more Rings of Power from the same showrunners? Would we buy a Sopranos ice cream booth for $82K? Is Kate Winslet enough to maintain our interest in The Regime? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 4 (Hulu/FX)
• The Gentlemen (Netlfix)

Shownotes:

• 00:08:45 - Shogun is a hit
• 00:12:40 - Brother Sun Canceled, Neuromancer Adaptation at Apple
• 00:18:00 - Rings of Power Showrunners Sign New Deal with Amazon
• 00:24:30 - The Sopranos Finale Booth Sells for $82K
• 00:44:30 - Shogun
• Episode 3 - Tomorrow Is Tomorrow
• 01:13:00 - The Regime
• Episode 1 - Victory Day

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen, Jessie Earl, and Patrick Klepek discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then discuss the season premieres of Shogun (Hulu/FX) and Constellation (Apple TV+).

Are we excited about the new Game of Thrones spinoff? Is it really a good idea to try to bring Harry Potter back in TV form? Does Constellation have more to offer beyond a mystery box? Is Shogun really as good as everybody says it is? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Homework for next week:

• Shogun Ep 3 (Hulu/FX)
• The Regime Ep 1 (Max)

Shownotes:

• 00:02:11 - True Detective will return!
• 00:12:40 - A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight to launch in late 2025
• 00:18:00 - New Harry Potter series to debut in 2026
• WSJ: Uncancelling JK Rowling
• Jessie Earl: JK Rowling's Anti-Transgender Stance And Hogwarts Legacy
• 00:29:30 - Constellation
• Episode 1 - The Wounded Angel
• Episode 2 - Live and Let Die
• Episode 3 - Somewhere In Space Hangs My Heart
• 00:52:30 - Shogun
• Episode 1 - Anjin
• Episode 2 - Servants of Two Masters

Links:

• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Decoding TV bonus episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the first season of Lulu Wang’s Expats on Prime Video, including:

• Episode 1 - The Peak
• Episode 2 - Mongkok
• Episode 3 - Mid-Levels
• Episode 4 - Mainland
• Episode 5 - Central
• Episode 6 - Home

This show has some gorgeous cinematography and great acting, but left both of us feeling a bit cold. What was it about the show that made it inaccessible? Why was episode 5 such an amazing tour-de-force by comparison? How did we feel about the way the show wrapped up all the plots? And do we believe that Nicole Kidman would ever wear a JanSport backpack? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NOTE: We’re planning to do a mailbag bonus episode soon! Let us know your questions and TV recommendations by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss Jon Stewart's return to The Daily Show and the season finale of True Detective: Night Country. Is Jon Stewart still the voice we need right now? Did True Detective: Night Country stick the landing? Are people out of control for going after Alan Sepinwall for liking it? Is Nic Pizzolatto acting like a cringe-y asshole online (again)? Listen to hear us discuss all these topics and more!

Shownotes:

• 00:03:11 - Jon Stewart’s return to The Daily Show
• 00:26:56 - The discourse around True Detective: Night Country
• 00:42:30 - True Detective: Night Country Part 6 (season finale)

Homework for next week:

• Constellation Eps 1-3 (Apple TV+)
• Shogun Eps 1-2 (Hulu/FX)

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David and Patrick discuss the why/how the ads of the Super Bowl kinda stink these days, Warner/Fox/Disney’s new streaming venture, whether or not Mr. and Mrs. Smith on Prime Video is about anything (and whether or not it needs to be), and how we anticipate True Detective: Night Country wrapping up.

Let us know what you think of all of the above by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

Shownotes:

• 00:03:15 - Warner, Fox and Disney Launch Joint Sports Streaming Venture
• 00:17:30 - The Ads of Super Bowl LVIII
• 00:37:45 - Mr and Mrs. Smith
• Episode 5 - Do You Want Kids
• Episode 6 - Couples Therapy
• Episode 7 - Infidelity
• Episode 8 - A Breakup
• 01:02:04 - True Detective: Night Country Part 5

Homework for next week:

• True Detective: Night Country Part 6 (Max)
• The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David and Patrick discuss Evan Rachel Wood’s comments about the end (or lack thereof) of Westworld, Netflix and Apple TV+’s upcoming show slate, and why Nic Pizzolatto should probably stay off Instagram for a few more weeks.

Let us know what you think of all of the above by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

Shownotes:

• 3:48 - Evan Rachel Wood on Westworld’s Ending
• 17:00 - Apple TV+’s upcoming slate and Netflix’s upcoming slate
• 45:00 - Nic Pizzolatto and Issa Lopez’s comments on Night Country
• 53:00 - Mr and Mrs. Smith
• Episode 1 - First Date
• Episode 2 - Second Date
• Episode 3 - First Vacation
• Episode 4 - Double Date
• 1:19:30 - True Detective: Night Country Part 4

Homework for next week:

• True Detective: Night Country Part 5 (Max)
• Mr. and Mrs. Smith Eps 5-8 (Prime Video)

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David and Patrick discuss the upcoming season of Squid Game and the return of Jon Stewart to The Daily Show. Then it’s time to dive into Masters of the Air, Expats, and True Detective: Night Country.

Is Jon Stewart’s return a good thing, or the sign of a network running on fumes? Can Squid Game seize the popular imagination again? Does Masters of the Air capture the same magic as Band of Brothers? Does Expats show Nicole Kidman and Lulu Wang at the top of their game? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Let us know what you think of all of the above by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

Shownotes:

• 4:00 - Squid Game 2 will premiere in 2024
• 23:00 - Jon Stewart is returning to The Daily Show
• 31:30 - Masters of the Air Eps Part 1 and Part 2
• 52:00 - Expats episodes 1 and 2 (“The Peak” and “Mongkok”)
• 1:22:00 - True Detective: Night Country Part 3

Homework for next week:

• True Detective: Night Country Part 4 (Max)
• Mr. and Mrs. Smith Eps 1-4 (Prime Video)

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David and Patrick discuss David’s recent trip to Sundance, react to news of the Emmy’s record low ratings, ponder the potential of a She-Hulk season 2, reflect on what happens when creators get too close to the material they put out, and continue their coverage of Echo and True Detective.

Let us know what you think of all of the above by emailing us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

Shownotes (Times may be off by 1-2 mins due to dynamically inserted ads. When in doubt, listen for the trailer/clip of the show).

• 4:00 - David’s trip to Sundance
• 23:00 - Emmy ratings hit a new low
• 33:09 - She-Hulk season 2 is not looking good
• 42:10 - Issa Lopez asks for help with Rottentomatoes scores
• 56:15 - Echo Episodes 3-5 (“Tuklo” “Toloa” and “Maya”)
• 1:18:00 - True Detective: Night Country Part 2

Homework for next week:

• True Detective: Night Country Part 3 (Max)
• Masters of the Air episodes 1-2 (Apple TV+)
• Expats episodes 1-2 (Prime Video)

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the final five episodes of Fargo season 5, which are streaming right now on Hulu/FX:

• Episode 6 - The Tender Trap
• Episode 7 - Linda
• Episode 8 - Blanket
• Episode 9 - The Useless Hand
• Episode 10 - Bisquik

The last half of the season brought us to a massive standoff, before a time jump takes us to an epilogue. How did we feel about how things resolved? Were we a fan of how each character’s plot was resolved? And what did we make of the final scene of the show (series?)? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for our new weekly podcast, as we continue to cover shows such as True Detective: Night Country and Echo. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Decoding TV’s new weekly format!

For years, Decoding TV has decoded weekly TV shows like Westworld, The Last of Us, Succession, and The Curse. We’ve loved diving in depth into these shows, analyzing them, and sharing our theories.

But doing the show the way we did had a fatal flaw: People mostly didn’t listen to the podcast if they weren’t watching the show! Also: there are some shows we want to talk about that might not be dense enough to support a weekly recap podcast. 

So we’re launching this new weekly format, and hopefully you feel comfortable tuning in even if you’re not watching any specific show. Each week we’ll open by talking about 1-2 general topics about the world of television and entertainment. Then we’re going to dive into specific TV show episodes we’ve watched. We’ll put trailers when we bring up a new TV show, and also note the timestamp in the shownotes so you can fast forward if you don’t want to hear about a specific show.

On occasion, we will continue to cover shows in our previous format (e.g. House of the Dragon) or via This Week In Streaming, but it’s our hope that this weekly format will be the main engine of the podcast moving forward.

We hope you enjoy the new show and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!

Shownotes:

• 3:47 - The 75th Annual Emmy Awards
• 32:46 - The Mandalorian and Grogu Movie
• 54:30 - Echo Episodes 1 and 2 (“Chafa” and “Lowak”)
• 1:18:00 - True Detective: Night Country Episode 1 (Part 1)
• 1:34:30 - Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Episode 10 (“Beyond Logic”)
• 1:51:35 - The Curse finale feedback

Links:

• Subscribe to Myles’ newsletter, Episodic Medium
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stay tuned to the podcast next week as we re-launch in a new weekly format!

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen are joined by Jessie Earl to discuss the tenth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “Young Hearts.”

Well folks. What to say about this one? The first 20 minutes of this episode is standard Curse fare, with a healthy dose of awkwardness and obliviousness. But then the show takes a hard pivot and really swings for the fences with its final hour. Is it successful? Is it thrilling? Is it amazing technically? And what does it all mean in the end? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Subscribe to Jessie’s second YouTube channel
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the ninth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “Young Hearts.”

In this episode, Whitney has an awkward encounter with Cara at a spa, but what does it say about her character? Fliplanthropy tries to make the pivot to a show where Whitney and Asher love each other more, but will it work? What exactly was Asher doing in the bathroom anyway? And how did Whitney react to Asher’s final plea at the end? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the season finale of A Murder at the End of the World, “Retreat.”

As with most mysteries, this one came down to a visit to the accusing parlor will the detective slowly solved the crime. What did we think of how the big mystery finally resolved? What exactly was this show trying to say about the nature of AI and technology? How well did it use its memorable characters? What did we make of all the flashbacks with Darby and Bill? And Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of The Curse, plus details about a new weekly Decoding TV show that will launch in the coming weeks. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Subscribe to Jessie’s second YouTube channel
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the eighth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “Down and Dirty.”

In this episode, Asher and Whitney’s marriage strains to the breaking point and Whitney’s manipulation begin to spiral out even further. Who do we think actually tried to bait Asher with the chicken? What did Whitney do in the bathroom/elevator with that strange man? WTF is Dougie trying to accomplish with Nala, exactly? And what did we think of the pilot episode of Fliplanthropy on YouTube? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the seventh episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “Self-Exclusion.”

In this episode, the cracks begin to show in Whitney and Asher’s marriage. But to what extent are the cracks real vs. Whitney putting on a show? How much does it cost to buy a racist mini-golf statue these days? Is it worth having a lock on your freezer if you have roommates? And what do we think is really going on with the shooting style of The Curse? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first four episodes of Fargo season 5, which are streaming right now on Hulu/FX:

• Episode 1 - The Tragedy of the Commons
• Episode 2 - Trials and Tribulations
• Episode 3 - The Paradox of Intermediate Transactions
• Episode 4 - Insolubilia
• Episode 5 - The Tiger

Fargo has always been a show that’s heavily inspired by the work of the Coen Brothers. How did we feel about what this season did with the source material? Is Juno Temple able to hold the show together as the protagonist this season? What does this show have in common with The Fall of the House of Usher? And what do we think will be the fate of Roy and his son Gator, not to mention Munch and Dot? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of The Curse as well as other shows like The Crown and A Murder at the End of the World. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the sixth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “The Fire Burns On.”

In this short episode, Whitney and Dougie hatch a plan to betray Asher. Is this the beginning of the end for our favorite reality couple? Is there any hope for “Fliplanthropy”? Who would leave chicken in a fire station bathroom? Is “Green Queen” actually a good name? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the fifth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “It’s a Good Day.”

In this episode, Whitney continues charging headfirst into her misguided plans to help the community. But how do we think it’s all going to go wrong this time around? Is 80 degrees really too hot for the inside of a house? Is Asher just a powder keg waiting to go off at any moment? And why would being on camera motivate anyone to burst into song? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the fourth episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime, “Under the Big Tree.”

This episode is a clear middle chapter, developing some characters and letting a few plotlines simmer before presumably bigger events explode sometime in the future. How well is the Dougie storyline working for us and where do we think it’s heading?

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first four episodes of Invincible season 2, which are streaming right now on Amazon Prime Video:

• Episode 1 - A Lesson For Your Next Life
• Episode 2 - In About Six Hours I Lose My Virginity to a Fish
• Episode 3 - This Missive, This Machination!
• Episode 4 - It’s Been A While

This season of Invincible comes with a rather odd release schedule, as the final episodes of the season won’t air until 2024. How did we feel about the pacing of this season? How do plotlines in the show feel compared to their execution in the comics? What were the main storylines that stuck with us this season? And what do we make of how, well, cruel the show can be? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of The Curse as well as other shows like The Crown and A Murder at the End of the World. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the third episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime.

This episode ventures out of the land of cringe and into the scary land of sadcringe, requiring several multi-layered performances. How well did we think our main actors pulled off these moments? What do we think this show is trying to say about the impact of well-meaning, ill-thought-out progressive machinations? And should you ever run after girls while waving a $100 bill? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by his wife (AKA @joyonapping) to discuss the first four episodes of The Crown season 6:

• Episode 1 - Persona Non Grata
• Episode 2 - Two Photographs
• Episode 3 - Dis-Moi Oui
• Episode 4 - The Aftermath

This season follows a rather disappointing season in which Charles seemed to be the hero while the Queen and Princess Diana were sidelined. Does season 6 create a compelling story out of one of most important plotlines in The Crown’s history? What do we think of how real-life events compare with the show’s depiction of them? And has the show finally figured out what to do with the Queen? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of The Curse as well as a This Week In Streaming episode about Invincible Season 2. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the second episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime.

This episode maintains the agonizing cringe and awkwardness of the first episode as Asher and Whitney get involved with a local art show. But in what ways is Whitney blundering through this situation that make it so painful? What do we make of Dougie’s backstory and where the show is going with it? And what exactly is going on at the end of the episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first two episodes of A Murder at the End of the World, streaming on Hulu:

• Episode 1 - Homme Fatale
• Episode 2 - The Silver Doe

Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij are back again with another sci-fi show, only this one has a murder mystery at the center of it. What did we think of this diverse ensemble cast? What were our thoughts on the sci-fi elements in the show and how resonant they are with current events? And why do we think this show was mysteriously delayed from summer to fall of 2023? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of The Curse as well as Invincible Season 2. We’ll also make an episode about Murder at the End of the World when the finale airs. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the first episode of The Curse on Paramount+/Showtime. We’ll be covering this show weekly through January 2024 and we hope you’ll have a chance to join us for it!

This show features a core trio of incredible talent (Benny Safdie, Nathan Fielder, and Emma Stone). How did we feel their skills were applied in this episode? Where is the show most insightful and where is it taking cheap shots? How painful of an experience did we find watching this episode to be? Why should you not play audio of this show near where your kids are hanging out? And do we have any idea of where this show is going? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Stay tuned for more announcements of what we’ll be covering right here on Decoding TV. 

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
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In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 6, “Glorious Purpose.”

Loki’s finale is not only one of the best episodes of the season but possibly one of the best episodes of the show altogether. How did we feel about the way the show used its time travel mechanics? Where does this season leave all of our beloved characters? What did we think of the ultimate resolution of Loki’s character? And what do we make of the future of Kang and Loki in the MCU? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Thanks for joining us for our coverage of Loki! NEXT WEEK: We’ll begin covering The Curse on Showtime/Paramount+. Stay tuned for more announcements of what we’ll be covering right here on Decoding TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first season of Gen V, streaming on Prime Video.

This was a really strong season of television! But how seamless (or not) were the tie-ins to The Boys? Was Marie Moreau a compelling protagonist? What did we think of the show’s ultraviolence and general grossness? Where does the ending leave us for the next seasons of both The Boys and Gen V? And what did we make of that big cameo at the end of the finale? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Later this week as we wrap up our coverage of Loki season 2. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, Dan Gvozden from the Amazing Spider-Talk podcast and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 5, “Science/Fiction.”

This episode finds Loki dealing with the fallout from the events of last episode and maybe also learning some valuable lessons too. What did we think about how this episode paid off long running threads? What is this show trying to say about the art of storytelling, if anything? What are we expecting for the end of this season? And was the real TVA the friends we made along the way? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Check out Dan’s podcast the Amazing Spider-Talk podcast
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
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In this bonus episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie currently streaming on Peacock.

What is the appeal of this videogame property? Is it possible to take any of these characters seriously? How did the videogame’s lore interact with the story they were trying to tell? And why is this movie so good for society even if we ultimately don’t like it very much? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 4, “Heart of the TVA.”

This episode delivers on the best of what this show has to offer. But is that enough? What are the moments that shocked Patrick and David? How close did that scene come to being rated R? Do we think that the backstories of Renslayer, General Dox, and Victor Timely got quite enough time in the oven? What could possibly happen after that ending? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 3, “1893.”

This episode sees the return of Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes. But, like, what is Miss Minutes’ deal exactly? Does she have physical properties? Do we care about her quest for a human body? What did we think of Jonathan Major’s performance as Victor Timely? How delightful is it to see Mobius and Loki in 19th century Chicago? And can this show stick to one plotline for longer than a single episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss all eight episodes of Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher:

• Episode 1 - A Midnight Dreary
• Episode 2 - The Masque of the Red Death
• Episode 3 - Murder in the Rue Morgue
• Episode 4 - The Black Cat
• Episode 5 - The Tell-Tale Heart
• Episode 6 - Goldbug
• Episode 7 - The Pit and the Pendulum
• Episode 8 - The Raven

We begin by discussing our overall thoughts on the show. Then, starting at ~29:00, we discuss and spoil every single episode.

How did Poe’s work fare in the transition to the small screen? And how well did we think the actors did in bringing these characters to life? Is this show supposed to be as campy as it feels sometimes? What were our favorite kills? And does this show add up to anything by the end? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 2, “Breaking Brad.” But first: a conversation about how Marvel has been handling TV, and how that might change moving forward.

This episode sees Loki finally reuniting with Sylvie after some adventures apart. But why does it feel like this show is actually two separate shows fighting against each other? What was it like to see Loki use some more of that old trickster magic again? And does this show actually need superhero action scenes to be exciting? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the entire first season of The Continental: From The World of John Wick, including:

• Episode 2 - Loyalty to the Master
• Episode 3 - Theatre of Pain

As predicted, the season (series?) finale had action scene after action scene. But were any of them any good? What were our favorite and least favorite moments? Did this show bring enough to the (high) table to warrant revisiting the world of John Wick? Do we think it’s worth revisiting this world in a second season? And we ask again: Was it really worth casting Mel Gibson in this show? Listen to us discuss all this and more!

Next week, we’ll be continuing our coverage of Loki. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki’s season 2 premiere, “Ouroboros” We start by talking about our thoughts about what Loki season 1 did well and where we felt it could’ve improved. Then, it’s time for a full-blown review and recap of the first episode of season 2.

We’ve missed the world of the Time Variance Authority! Is there any MCU show that has ever looked better than Loki? How painful does Loki’s time-slipping look, exactly? How do we feel about the Jonathan Majors of it all? How perfect is Ke Huy Quan for this show? And what are our hopes and expectations for this season of television? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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Patrick and David are experimenting with shorter episodes for shows that we still want to check in with but aren’t doing full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the final two episodes of Ahsoka:

• Episode 7 - Dreams and Madness
• Episode 8 - The Lion, The Witch, and the Warlord

Well, that finale certainly subverted our expectations…but not in a good way necessarily? Was it really the best move to make [REDACTED] the big final confrontation? Has this show done a good job of setting up future seasons/films featuring these characters? Should this show have been titled Ahsoka in the first place? Is anyone really happy to reunite with Ezra Bridger? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first three episodes of Gen V, a new spin-off series set in the universe of The Boys:

• Episode 1 - God U.
• Episode 2 - First Day
• Episode 3 - #ThinkBrink

Gen V is very close in tone to The Boys. But is it too close? How invested are we in these brand new characters? What do we think about the ways this show intersects with the The Boys? How does the show handle politics and other social issues? And can the show’s central mystery propel us all the way to the end of the season effectively? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Next week, we’ll be concluding our coverage of Ahsoka and The Continental and kicking off our conversation about Loki: Season 2. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Jessie Gender on YouTube
• Learn more about Jessie’s short film, Identiteaze
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first episode of The Continental: From The World of John Wick, “Brothers In Arms.”

How well did this show use the universe of the John Wick movies? Was it a good decision to center the entire show around [REDACTED]? Was it really worth it to cast Mel Gibson in this show? (Spoiler: No). What is the point of the KD/Mayhew storyline? Most importantly: Does the action in this show deliver? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Next week, we’ll be covering Gen V. We’ll also be continuing our coverage of The Continental and Ahsoka in the weeks to come. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider supporting us by becoming a paid member at Decodingtv.com.

Patrick and David are experimenting with shorter episodes for shows that we still want to check in with but aren’t doing full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the latest two episodes of Ahsoka:

• Episode 5 - Shadow Warrior
• Episode 6 - Far, Far Away

Our protagonists have arrived at their destination! But is the payoff worth it? What did we think of the re-introduction of [REDACTED]? Is Peridea really all that desolate? What did we make of Hayden Christensen’s return as Darth Vader? And why/how is Ray Stevenson’s character the most interesting thing about this show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first three episodes of One Piece streaming right now on Netflix:

• Episode 1 - Romance Dawn
• Episode 2 - The Man in the Straw Hat
• Episode 3 - Tell No Tales

How well did One Piece build its fantastical world? Is it doing enough to satisfy existing fans while drawing in folks not familiar with its source material? Does the main character of Luffy work for us? What filmmaking choices make One Piece feel different than a normal TV show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss The Continental on Peacock. We’ll also be continuing our coverage of Ahsoka. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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Here at Decoding TV, we’re planning to do a series of bonus episodes where Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss a topic that’s in the news or just something that’s caught our attention recently. The first few of these will be free but eventually they will be exclusive to paid Decoding TV subscribers. (Check out our first episode about MovieTok and film criticism.)

Today we discuss this Vulture piece detailing some of the issues that RottenTomatoes faces. What does it say about our society that a single numerical value holds so much importance? How do the lessons of Rottentomatoes apply to the videogame world? And what is a consumer to do given the fact that RottenTomatoes scores may be unreliable? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Whenever possible we broadcast our episodes live on YouTube. You can watch the episode here.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid member at decodingtv.com.

We’re trying something new this week! Patrick and David are experimenting with a shorter episode format for a show that we still want to check in with but maybe don’t want to do full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the latest two episodes of Ahsoka:

• Episode 3 - Time To Fly
• Episode 4 - Fallen Jedi

Are we still enjoying the show? How well does it handle its “Star Wars moments” vs. everything else? Is the dialogue still glacially paced? What do we think about the character of Ahsoka as opposed to Sabine? And how satisfying is the sound that’s made when the spherical map is placed in someone’s gloved hand? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the docuseries How To with John Wilson, which is streaming right now on Max.

In each episode of How To, documentarian John Wilson ostensibly sets out to answer a basic question: how to find a public restroom, how to clean your ears, how to watch the game, etc. But in reality, the show is an intimate portrait of life's beautiful mundanity, with Wilson taking the episode's original premise and frequently pivoting in new, unexpected, and always interesting directions.

What did we think of the show’s third and final season? What did we feel about the various ways in which John Wilson played around with his formula? What were some of the most memorable moments from this season and beyond? And what do we think this show is ultimately trying to say? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss the first few episodes of One Piece streaming right now on Netflix. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there.

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this Decoding TV bonus episode about Justified: City Primeval, Sarah Marrs and David Chen discuss all the things we didn’t get to in our season final recap. This includes topics such as:

• Did the finale drop the ball this season?
• Listener reactions to the season as a whole
• Was it really a big mistake to bring back [REDACTED]?
• The biggest differences between the book and the show
• What happened during the time jump in the finale?
• And much more!

Thanks for a great season of TV recapping. Decoding TV will be back in the near future to cover How To with John Wilson, The Continental, and much much more, so be sure to keep subscribed to get all our latest episodes.

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the three-part HBO docuseries Telemarketers, which is streaming right now on Max.

Telemarketers is about two former telemarketers who witness the corruption and exploitation of one telemarketing firm in particular, Civic Development Group (CDG), and make it their life’s mission to try and take the company—and the industry—down. Its sprawling narrative eventually becomes about the making of the documentary itself. Its appeal is largely driven by the two personalities at its center. But did this format work for us? What does Telemarketers have to say about the telemarketing industry and about our society’s ability to change it? And how does it fit in with the current documentary environment overall? Listen to us discuss all this and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss How To With John Wilson Season 3. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the eighth and final episode of Justified: City Primeval, “The Question.”

In the season (series?) finale, characters make baffling decisions left and right. What happened to the deadly Albanians? How did we feel about the ultimate fate of Clement Mansell? Did Raylan’s arc prove to be a worthwhile one? And what did we make of the shocking cameo at the end of the episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Thanks to Sarah Marrs for joining us for this season of coverage! We’ll be doing one additional bonus episode to discuss City Primeval so send us your questions/thoughts/responses at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Thanks for listening!

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.com

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first two episodes of Ahsoka on Disney+:

• Episode 1 - Master and Apprentice
• Episode 2 - Toil and Trouble

We begin by discussing our relationship to Star Wars at this point, plus our overall thoughts on Ahsoka. Then we dive into full spoilers starting at around 25:50 into the podcast. How did the show manage the task of catching people up with the history of the animated shows while also welcoming in new viewers? Does Ahsoka do a good job of capturing the “feeling” of Star Wars? Shouldn’t catching a light saber through the torso be enough to kill someone? And is it just David, or does everyone in this show talk extremely slowly? Listen to us discuss all this and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss Telemarketers, the docuseries streaming on Max. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.com. Thanks!

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the seventh episode of Justified: City Primeval, “The Smoking Gun”

In the penultimate episode of the season, plotlines start colliding left and right and a major character is revealed to have ulterior motives. How did we feel about that reveal? Will we ever see Willa again? Taking into account the original Justified, what is the grand arc of Raylan Givens character? What are our predictions for how this season will wrap up? And why are sex scenes important for storytelling? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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Today we're launching a new series of bonus episodes where Patrick Klepek and I talk about a topic that’s in the news or something that’s caught our attention recently. Assuming folks enjoy these (if you do, let us know via email at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!), we’ll keep doing them. The first few of these will be free but eventually they will be exclusive to paid Decoding TV subscribers. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to get the best Decoding TV experience.

Today we welcome Myles McNutt from the Episodic Medium Substack who joins me and Patrick Klepek to discuss this article in The New York Times about MovieTok (and David Chen’s Tiktok response). What are the differences between traditional critics and MovieTok content creators? How have these differences informed each of our career paths? And what did The New York Times get right and wrong about how it framed this issue? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Subscribe to Myles McNutt’s newsletter, Episodic Medium
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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Thanks to our paid subscribers at DecodingTV.com for making this podcast possible.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the final five episodes of Twisted Metal, now streaming on Peacock.

• Episode 6 - DRVTHRU
• Episode 7 - NUTH0UZ
• Episode 8 - EV3L1N
• Episode 9 - R04DK11
• Episode 10 - SHNGRLA

We begin by discussing our overall thoughts, then dive into full spoilers starting at around 16:07 into the podcast. What did we make of how this show handled lore (and what lore did we miss in our last recap episodes)? Did we really need backstories for Officer Stone, Quiet, and Sweet Tooth? What exactly was Raven trying to accomplish in the final episode of the show? Did this season end where it should’ve began? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss the first two episodes of Ahsoka, the new Star Wars series on Disney+. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.com. Thanks!

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the sixth episode of Justified: City Primeval, “Adios.”

This episode brings one major character’s arc to a startling conclusion. How did we feel about how that character’s storyline resolved? Is there really a mole tipping off Clement Mansell? Is Willa really gone from this show until the final episode? Does Clement do a good cover of “Seven Nation Army” or is it only okay? And how much better would society be if all mediocre dudes got a chance to go into the arts? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first five episodes of Twisted Metal, which is streaming right now on Peacock:

• Episode 1 - WLUDRV
• Episode 2 - 3RNCRCS
• Episode 3 - NTHLAW1
• Episode 4 - WHZDARE
• Episode 5 - CRZSRDS

We begin by discussing our overall thoughts, then dive into full spoilers starting at around 22:00 into the podcast. What makes Anthony Mackie so compelling in this show? Does Will Arnett doing a good job of voicing a killer clown (whose body is played by Samoa Joe)? Why did they make Quiet someone who’s not, well, quiet? And why can’t videogames about tournaments spawn TV/movies that are about tournaments? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss the rest of the season of Twisted Metal. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid supporter at Decodingtv.com. Thanks!

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the fifth episode of Justified: City Primeval, “You Good?”

This episode puts the focus on Carolyn, played by Aunjanue Ellis. How well did this show build up the backstory of Carolyn? What do we make of her decisionmaking this episode? Are Clement Mansell’s machinations getting more or less compelling over time? And are we ever going to see the character of Willa return in a significant way? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at Decodingtv.com. Thanks!

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the fourth episode of Justified: City Primeval, “Kokomo.”

This episode raises the stakes as multiple blood feuds set us up for the end game of this season. What do we think is going on between Raylan and Carolyn? Is Sandy going to make it through this thing mentally intact? Is Clement Mansell smart or just wily? Will things end well for anyone whatsoever? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast exists because of the paid subscribers at Decodingtv.com. Consider becoming a paid subscriber and support the show!

Programming note: Our Justified recap will be a day or two late this week due to scheduling issues. Sorry about that!

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss Steven Soderbergh’s six-episode miniseries Full Circle, which is streaming right now on Max.

We begin by discussing our overall thoughts on Full Circle, then dive into full spoilers starting at around 11:30 into the podcast. What did we make of the show’s sprawling, labyrinthine plot? Which storylines resonated with us the most? What were the stand-out performances from this show? Not many people seem to be talking about Full Circle; should they be? And what did we make of the show’s decision to be filmed almost entirely using a wide-angle lens? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week, Patrick and David will discuss Twisted Metal on Peacock. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber! 

Links:

• Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read Roxana’s article about the ending of Full Circle
• Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss the final two episodes of Secret Invasion:

• Episode 5 - Harvest
• Episode 6 - Home

Is the Secret Invasion finale really the worth the title of worst-reviewed MCU work of all time? Was this show worth spending $200MM on? What ideas and themes linger afterwards? Do some of these plot points actively ruin other parts of the MCU (spoilers: yes)? What parts of this do we expect to still be relevant for The Marvels, which is coming out in November 2023? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Decoding TV will be covering Steven Soderbergh’s Full Circle next. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. 

Links:

• Does Secret Invasion invoke anti-semitic tropes?
• Listen to Patrick’s podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s Substack
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the third episode of Justified: City Primeval, “Backstabber.”

How is this show handling Willa’s arc? Will she actually be able to stay away from all the action in Detroit? What’s this show’s take on law enforcement and justice going to be? Is Norbert one of the worst cops ever? Is the Albanian going to survive this week’s events? Will Raylan Givens make beef stew out of some guy’s insides before the season is over?

Also: Sarah Marrs makes a bunch of predictions for how the season will end. Will she be right on every single count? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the first two episodes of Justified: City Primeval:

• Episode 1 - City Primeval
• Episode 2 - The Oklahoma Wildman

Raylan Givens returns, but this story finds him as a fish out of water in Detroit. How have the years changed Givens and what is Timothy Olyphant bringing that’s new to the role? How dangerous is this season’s big bad? Does Vivian Olyphant acquit herself well as Raylan Givens’ daughter? And what about all the other characters we meet? How does the show handle the issue of police brutality? And where do we think this season is heading? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Links:

• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey Decoding TV,

David Chen here. Justified is a show that’s dear to my heart, so when I heard that they were going to be rebooting it for the streaming era, I was…apprehensive? Justified was one of the few shows that was not only enjoyable throughout its entire run, but also stuck the landing after six seasons. With the first two episodes of Justified: City Primeval hitting Hulu and FX this week, will the reboot bring the show into the modern era, or just become proof that with some great shows, you should leave well enough alone? I’m not sure, but we’re going to find out together!

Joining me for weekly recaps and reviews of Justified: City Primeval is Sarah Marrs. Sarah is the deputy editor of Lainey Gossip and her work has appeared at Decider and Pajiba. But she’s also one of the biggest Justified fans I’m aware of, having watched the entire run of the show many times. I’m so thrilled she’ll be joining us to share her love and expertise of Justified!

In this preview episode, we discuss what we love about the original Justified, recap the biggest story beats of the show that might be relevant for newcomers, share how we feel about the reboot, and speculate on what we might see on Justified: City Primeval. Justified: City Primeval will premiere tomorrow (July 18th) with its first two episodes, then air weekly. You should expect a weekly recap within 1-2 days of when each episode airs.

Your paid contributions at DecodingTV.com help me to fund this podcast and keep it going. Thanks for your support!

Links:

• Read more of Sarah’s work at Lainey Gossip
• Follow Sarah on Twitter
• Follow David Chen on Threads
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek and David Chen join discuss the middle two episodes of Secret Invasion:

• Episode 3 - Betrayed
• Episode 4 - Beloved

How do we think the Secret Invasion is going so far? What interesting plot threads does the show tantalizingly dangle that we wish it would delve more into? How many terrorist plot does Gravik have exactly? And does he really have to kill someone at the end of every episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Decoding TV will be releasing a new recap for every two episodes of this six-episode season. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube on Thursday mornings. You can watch this episode on YouTube here. 

Links:

• Does Secret Invasion invoke anti-semitic tropes?
• Listen to Patrick’s podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s Substack
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 2023 Emmy nominees were announced this morning and David Chen and Myles McNutt from Episodic Medium have some thoughts! In this bonus podcast episode, we discuss:

• Which nominees were we thrilled by?
• Which nominees were snubbed?
• Should we even use the word “snub” to describe what’s going on here?
• Why recent rule changes haven’t been effective in expanding the number of shows nominated
• Shocking developments in this year’s nominee list
• Will this year’s nominations be a turning point for the awards?

Listen to hear us discuss all this and more! You can also watch our conversation on our YouTube channel (Subscribe to make sure you don't miss future broadcaasts!)

You can view a complete list of nominees here. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and @joyonapping discuss the season one finale of Silo and reflect on the season as a whole.

How well did Silo unravel its mysteries? Did it live up to the potential of its great sci-fi premise? How did we feel about the character of Juliette Nichols? And how did some of the biggest plot beats of the season compare with what was in Hugh Howey’s book, Wool? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Patrick Klepek, Dan Gvozden, and David Chen join up to discuss the first two episodes of Secret Invasion:

• Episode 1 - Resurrection
• Episode 2 - Promises

How does the Secret Invasion comics run compare to the show? How does this show deal with the aftermath of Captain Marvel? How does it handle the return of Maria Hill? How do we feel about Nick Fury as an older hero? Will the show actually take an interesting political perspective when it comes to refugees? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and many more!

Decoding TV will be releasing a new recap for every two episodes of this six-episode season. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube on Thursday mornings. We hope you’ll join us for the journey!

Links:

• Listen to Dan’s podcast, The Amazing Spider-Talk
• Listen to Patrick’s podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s Substack
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Dan Gvozden discuss season 2 of The Bear.

We struggled with how to cover this one given its binge release schedule. While we were originally hoping to release a recap of the first few episodes this past weekend, it soon became clear that it would make more sense to just discuss the season as a whole.

That’s why we’ve decided to deliver a super-sized 1hr43mins long episode diving into this season’s intricacies! We start with general, non-spoilery thoughts on the season. Then starting at around ~12:00, we deliver a full recap and dive into some of our favorite episodes and most memorable moments. We wrap up by discussing some of the issues we feel this season had. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live.

Links:

• Subscribe to Dan Gvozden’s podcast The Amazing Spider Talk
• Follow Dan on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram

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In this Decoding TV episode, David Chen and Roxana review, recap, and discuss the final two episodes of Black Mirror this season:

• Episode 4 - Mazey Day
• Episode 5 - Demon 79

This season of Black Mirror had more horror than sci-fi episodes. What did we think of this tonal shift? Are we looking forward to more Black Mirror in the future? Do these last two episodes have anything to teach us about the nature of technology? Or the world we live in? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Over the course of the next few weeks, we’ll be covering Secret Invasion, The Bear, and Silo, so stay tuned to the podcast for more TV reviewing goodness.

We try to broadcast our conversations live when we can, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch us when we go live.

Links:

• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read Roxana’s work on Vulture
• Follow Roxana on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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Marvel Studios is back with a new TV show and I’m excited to announce that Patrick Klepek will be here to help us cover it! In this preview episode, Patrick and David discuss what we know about the Skrulls from previous MCU films and TV shows, what the state of MCU TV is in general, and what our hopes are for Secret Invasion.

Secret Invasion premieres June 21 and we’ll be releasing a new recap for every two episodes of this six-episode season. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube on Thursday mornings. We hope you’ll join us for the journey!

Links:

• Listen to Patrick’s podcast, Remap Radio
• Subscribe to Patrick’s Substack
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Decoding TV episode, David Chen and Roxana review, recap, and discuss season 6 episode 3, “Beyond the Sea.”

This is probably Black Mirror’s most ambitious episode of the season. But how well did the episode explain its sci-fi premise? How well do its high-profile stars like Aaron Paul, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Mara acquit themselves in these roles? And what did we make of this episode’s ending? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Over the course of the next week, we’ll release one final episode covering episodes 4-5 (“Mazey Day” and “Demon 79”).

We try to broadcast our conversations live when we can, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch us when we go live.

Links:

• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read Roxana’s work on Vulture
• Follow Roxana on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Black Mirror is back! And we are so pleased to have Roxana Hadadi back on Decoding TV to help us cover it.

In this podcast episode, David Chen and Roxana review, recap, and discuss the first two episodes of season six of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology series, now streaming on Netflix:

• Episode 1 - Joan Is Awful
• Episode 2 - Loch Henry

Black Mirror is always a bit of a mixed bag so what did we make of these first two entries? Did we like how the series handled its more sci-fi elements? Do each of these stories pay off in a satisfying fashion? And ? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!

Over the next week or two, we will release two additional podcast episodes covering Black Mirror: One for episode 3 (“Beyond the Sea”) and one for episodes 4-5 (“Mazey Day” and “Demon 79.”)

We try to broadcast our conversations live when we can, so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to catch us when we go live. You can watch our chat about these episodes here.

Links:

• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Read Roxana’s work on Vulture
• Follow Roxana on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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Thanks for a great season of TV recapping! We’ll be back in the near future to cover Black Mirror, The Bear, and Silo, so be sure to keep subscribed to Decoding TV to get all our latest episodes.

In this Decoding TV bonus episode about Succession, Kim Renfro and David Chen discuss everything that’s come up about the show since its series finale aired. This includes topics such as:

• Why did Shiv Roy make that big decision?
• What was up with that Kendall/Roman hug?
• What was really the nature of Connor’s relationship with Logan?
• Succession’s ratings and legacy
• And much more!

Links:

• Mark Mylod’s interview with Variety
• Mark Mylod’s interview with Vulture
• Alan Sepinwall’s write-up at his Substack
• Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the series finale of Barry. Was this show openly antagonistic to its fans this season? What did we think about the massive time jumps this season? Does each character get the fate that they deserve? Is The Mask Collector a good title for a movie? And what do we make of those very last shots? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Barry right here.

Links:

• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

THANK YOU for joining us at Decoding TV this season! It’s been a pleasure to watch this season of Succession with you. Stay tuned next week for our coverage of Barry and we’ll be back the following week with a Succession season 1 post-mortem.

In this special live episode of Decoding TV, David Chen, Kim Renfro, and David Cho recap and review the series finale of Succession, “With Open Eyes.”

Did Succession ultimately stick the landing? What did we think of the fate of each of these characters? Should [REDACTED] have gone over that railing at the end? Should Peter Munion have been able to get funding for his depressing nursing home project? Should Shiv have voted the way that she did? And what’s up with Roman hanging out at that bar? Listen to us discuss all this and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there! You can watch this conversation below.

Links:

• Follow Kim on Instagram
• Follow David Cho on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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This week's episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and @joyonapping cover the first 5 episodes of Silo on Apple TV+. This includes:

• Ep 1 - Freedom Day
• Ep 2 - Holston’s Pick
• Ep 3 - Machines
• Ep 4 - Truth
• Ep 5 - The Janitor’s Boy

What do we think of the world-building of this ambitious new series? Which performances from the cast really stand out? Why are the vibes of the Silo so intoxicating? Which mysteries do we think are most interesting? And is it really wasteful to throw away apples at a funeral? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more.

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Silo here.

Links:

• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the ninth episode of Succession season 4, “Church and State.”

A gathering brings the siblings together to share their thoughts on Logan. How do they each handle the occasion? How will the show handle its election plotline? What plotlines are surprisingly paid off in this episode? And what are we hoping for and looking for in the series finale next week? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there! Our current plan is to broadcast live next week after the finale.

Links:

• Follow Kim on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, Dan Gvozden and David Chen cover the final 4 episodes of Mrs. Davis on Peacock, the latest series from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. How well did the finale tie up all the ideas? Was Simone and Wiley’s arc a satisfying one? How did the world-building work for us? And is Mrs. Davis some much-needed anti-AI-hype in a world that’s full of hype right now? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week we’ll be discussing the first few weeks of Silo on Apple TV+. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live.

Links:

• Follow Dan Gvozden on Twitter
• Listen to Dan’s podcast
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the eighth episode of Succession season 4, “America Decides.”

It’s Election Night and ATN is ready! Or is it? Can Shiv keep her alliance with Matsson alive? And is there any hope for Shiv and Tom at this point? Will Kendall step up to the plate and do the right thing? Is Roman finally coming into his own as the One True Logan Successor? Listen to us discuss all these questions and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!

Links:

• Follow Kim on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's podcast is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen finish their conversation about Dead Ringers. How well did this show tie together all its disparate themes? What did we think of Rachel Weisz’s performance as the Mantle twins? Does the show have anything interesting to say about the hospital industrial complex or the nature of toxic codependent relationships? And how does it compare with David Cronenberg’s 1988 classic film, which serves as the source material for the show?

Next week we’ll be wrapping up our conversation about Mrs. Davis’ first season. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast and what you think we should discuss next at [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Dead Ringers right here.

Links:

• Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
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This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the seventh episode of Succession season 4, “Tailgate Party.”

A party with important dignitaries pits Shiv against her brothers once more. Can the Roys escape their endless cycle of conflict? Is there any redemption to be found for any of these characters in the final episodes of Succession? What will become of Shiv’s relationship with Tom? And most importantly: Who is going to President in the Succession-verse? Listen to us discuss all these questions and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!

Links:

• Follow Kim on Instagram
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• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
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This week's episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen cover the first 4 episodes of Mrs. Davis on Peacock, a new series from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. What…is this show? How well does it tackle its ostensible themes of religion and determinism? In which ways is Betty Gilpin spectacular as Simone/Lizzy? And is this something we’d recommend you watch all the way to the end? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week we’ll be wrapping up our conversation about Dead Ringers’ first season and comparing it to the David Cronenberg film. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Mrs. Davis here.

Links:

• Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter
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• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
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This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the sixth episode of Succession season 4, “Living+.”

The Roy gang is on the verge of announcing a new product to the world. But will it be their savior or their downfall? Can they fend off Matsson’s opinions in time to make an impact in their stock price? How well does this episode depict the intensity of putting together a speech like this? What are the real-life events and analogues that may have informed this episode? And what’s going on between Tom and Shiv exactly? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!

Links:

• Follow Kim on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen cover the first two episodes of Dead Ringers on Prime Video, a new series inspired by David Cronenberg’s 1988 classic. How well does Rachel Weisz handle playing a dual role as twins? What do we make of the fluctuating tone of these first two episodes? What’s going on with the group therapy buttons at the end of each episode? Has Succession really ruined us on Rich People Drama? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Next week we’ll be covering Mrs. Davis and in the weeks to come, we will be wrapping up our conversation about Dead Ringers’ first season and comparing it to the David Cronenberg film. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Dead Ringers episodes 1-2 here.

Links:

• Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
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In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the fifth episode of Succession season 4, “Kill List.”

The gang heads off to Europe for a game of “musical electric chairs.” But what exactly is Lukas Matsson’s game? Have Kendall and Roman learned anything about CEO’ing in the past few years? What’s the deal between Shiv and Matsson? And Shiv and Tom, for that matter? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!

Links:

• Gabriel Sherman’s Vanity Fair profile
• Follow Kim on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

On this episode, Siddhant and David discuss the first two episodes of Barry Season 4. What do we think of the tone changes in this show? Is it fair to compare its style to Terrence Malick? Where do we think this season is going? Can we ever, really, truly escape who we are? Listen to us discuss all this and much more!

Next week we will be discussing Dead Ringers. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live.

Links:

• Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the fourth episode of Succession season 4, “Honeymoon States.”

This week’s episode is a big emotional comedown from last week, as each character processes the big news. Marcia returns, but is her presence welcome? Will any of the underlings like Karl or Frank finally get the chance to shine? What’s the difference between an underline and a cross-out? Do the Roy kids have any chance of staying united? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Links:

• Follow Kim on Twitter
• Find Kim’s work at Insider
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.

On this episode, Siddhant and David wrap up their discussion of Beef Season 1. Do we think that Amy and Danny deserved their ultimate fates? What is this show trying to say about modern life? What are our thoughts on the show’s very final shot? What did we think of the hard swerve in episode 9? We discuss all these questions and much more!

Next week we’ll be covering Barry and in the weeks to come, we will be discussing Dead Ringers. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected].

We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Beef: Season 1 here.

Links:

• Follow Siddhant Adlakha on Twitter
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
• Follow David on Instagram
• Follow David on Tiktok

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In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the third episode of Succession season 4, “Connor’s Wedding.”

A major development happens this episode that reconfigures the endgame for this show. How do each of the main characters handle it? What did we think of the unique filmmaking style of this episode? How did we react to the episode in real time? What do we think the rest of this season will even be about? And is this episode one of the greatest TV episodes of all time? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!

Also: We didn’t get screeners for this episode in advance so we broadcast our chat live on YouTube! Be sure to subscribe to the Decoding TV YouTube channel to get notified when we go live in the future.

Links:

• Vulture’s interview with Brian Cox
• Follow Kim on Twitter
• Find Kim’s work at Insider
• Follow this podcast on Instagram
• Follow this podcast on Tiktok
• Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
• Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything

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Hey Decoding TV folks! David Chen here with an exciting announcement.

For the past year, Decoding TV has been doing weekly deep dives into different TV shows and streaming shows with some of the best writers and commentators on the internet. But while the weekly recap model works really well for a bunch of shows like The Last of Us, Westworld, and Succession, it takes a lot of time and commitment to cover a show that way and if we confined ourselves only to this model, there would just be a bunch of shows that Decoding TV wouldn’t cover.  

That’s why I’m so pleased to announce a new show, which I’m calling This Week In Streaming, which will cover the latest and greatest in what’s available on streaming platforms. The idea is that every week, in addition to any weekly recaps going on at Decoding TV, we will cover one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, and/or critically acclaimed shows on TV. We won’t recap every single episode of these TV shows. Instead:

• We will make a podcast discussing the first episode or two of the TV show
• Later, we will record another podcast discussing the last episode of the TV show and reflect on the season as a whole

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will cover Beef on Netflix, Barry on HBO, Dead Ringers on Amazon Prime. As just mentioned, we’ll cover the first eps of these shows (with no spoilers for the rest of the show), and then have a season-ending discussion in a separate episode. This Week In Streaming will appear on the Decoding TV podcast feed so if you’re listening to us on a podcast app, you don’t need to do anything else to get future episodes.