379: EHG Listener Fall Forcening
Your co-hosts weren't feeling that psyched about any of this week's TV premieres -- sorry, Judy Justice on IMDbTV -- so we invited our Patreon supporters to pitch and then vote on TV episodes for us to discuss under the rubric Fall Forcenings. Thus we are going in on L.A. Law's "Good To The Last Drop" with guest Adam Grosswirth, who originally watched it as a pre-teen and...learned a lot about ...
1hr 17m Nov 03, 2021
1hr 17m
378: Investigating Inside Job
Netflix's new animated series Inside Job posits a world in which basically every conspiracy theory you've ever seen on Facebook is real; John Ramos returns to discuss whether it's worth exposing the NSA to it via the recording device that's always running in your phone! Around The Dial takes us through the third seasons of Succession and You, and the second season of We're Here. Tara takes a ha...
1hr 9m Oct 27, 2021
1hr 9m
377: Spinoffs! Spinoffs! Spinoffs!
EEHG 004: That's Just Wrong Our patron Eric Akawie challenges us to name shows that got Wrong Spinoffs, and to correct history by proposing spinoffs that would have been Right! EEHG 081: The Lowest Of Decks Sarah asked: What about creating Star Trek: Lower Decks-style shows for other series? Which low-powered employees from an existing TV show would make for a good spinoff? EEHG 12...
1hr 11m Oct 20, 2021
1hr 11m
376: Putting C.S.I.: Vegas Under The Microscope
We knew Cyd, like Tara and Dave, had just done a rewatch of the original-flavor C.S.I., so we were really glad she could join us to break down CBS's new reboot of its network-changing old favorite (which...only went off the air like six years ago?). We talked about whether we'll keep watching for "The New Class" after l'affaire Hodges gets resolved, when exactly the show thinks it is culturally...
1hr 25m Oct 13, 2021
1hr 25m
375: Congregating For The Many Saints Of Newark
The SCU (Sopranos Cinematic Universe) expands with the release, in theaters and on HBO Max, of the prequel film The Many Saints Of Newark, and Rolling Stone Senior TV Critic/certified Sopranologist Alan Sepinwall is here to discuss it with us! Around The Dial takes us through The Problem With Jon Stewart, Our Kind Of People, Maid, and the Working Girl TV series adaptation. Rebecca uses her Extr...
1hr 29m Oct 06, 2021
1hr 29m
374: Sinking Into La Brea
We're so grateful Nick Rheinwald-Jones jumped through a green Jurassic vagina with us to watch La Brea, NBC's latest attempt at a sci-fi dystopia -- but this one involves a sinkhole in "Los Angeles," were-dogs, and Jon Seda. Should you watch the pilot just for the dumb crappy fun of it all? Or is it too stuck in that 2006 "we can be the next Lost" mindset to be enjoyable? We definitely enjoyed ...
1hr 48m Sep 29, 2021
1hr 48m
373: Drinking Too Much Espresso With The Morning Show
Nearly two years after its first-season premiere, The Morning Show is back on AppleTV+, and its #1 fan Christina Tucker has returned to talk about all the delightful madness! Around The Dial takes us through The Premise, Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., and the new seasons of Sex Education and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Amelia asks us to poach good characters from bad shows and put them together...
1hr 36m Sep 22, 2021
1hr 36m
372: Should You Ask Yourself Y: The Last Man?
FX on Hulu's take on comics series Y: The Last Man has finally made it to air -- and Taylor Cole has finally made it over from The Great American Pop Culture Quiz Show to talk about it with us! How is the show different from the comics? Can Diane Lane's hair still be a national treasure if her roots are a plot point? And does a certain Hero need to get written out of the story? We went Around T...
1hr 28m Sep 15, 2021
1hr 28m
371: Testifying About Impeachment: American Crime Story
Since the third season of American Crime Story revolves around Bill Clinton's late-'90s impeachment scandal, we could think of no better guest to join us in discussing it than Dan Rogge, noted co-writer of the mid-'00s theatrical production Monica! The Musical. And we got him! Around The Dial takes us through A.P. Bio, Money Heist, Black Monday, and Only Murders In The Building. Katherine asks ...
1hr 50m Sep 08, 2021
1hr 50m
370: Shut Up Alfred Poochinski
EEHG 102: Sarah Forces Everyone To Watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents S03.E01: The Glass Eye Join us for the third-season premiere of Sarah's go-to mid-century anthology series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, featuring Captain Kirk, Jessica Tandy, ventriloquism Deadheads, spinster-ist propaganda, and a hall-of-fame crappy TV kid. EEHG 122: Dave Forces Everyone To Watch The Failed 1990 Pilot Of P...
48m Sep 01, 2021
48m
369: Settling Into The Chair
University of California (NOT California University...you'll see) faculty member Bobby Krut returns to talk about Sandra Oh's new English-department half-hour dramedy on Netflix, The Chair. We discussed the almost-perfect pacing and casting, underrating Amanda Peet at your peril, whether Holland Taylor should get a spinoff, and more. Then we went Around The Dial with Nine Perfect Strangers, Mes...
1hr 28m Aug 25, 2021
1hr 28m
368: Getting Into The Ring With Heels
With your co-host panel still smarting over the death of Netflix's wrestling dramedy GLOW, Starz has dared to bring its own scripted wrestling project to the screen in the form of Michael Waldron's Heels; Joe Reid -- a fan of both wrestling AND TV -- joins us to talk about it! Around The Dial takes us through Reservation Dogs, The White Lotus (briefly), Fantasy Island, Big Brother, Animal Kingd...
1hr 47m Aug 18, 2021
1hr 47m
367: Mr. Corman's Existential Crisis
Kamille Washington of the Unfriendly Black Hotties podcast is back to discuss Mr. Corman, a (possibly too) slow-building show about a musician turned grade-school teacher/anxiety sufferer and his angst. Did star/producer/crafty coordinator Joseph Gordon-Levitt take on too many jobs -- and not enough fresh story? Why couldn't the show be about Arturo Castro's character? And can we look forward t...
1hr 38m Aug 11, 2021
1hr 38m
366: Shouldn't Have Worked But It Did
The talented EHG Assist team tasked the panel -- plus returning guest Jeff Drake! -- with talking about shows and episodes that shouldn't have worked, but somehow did. We began our theme episode with the late-'70s satire Soap. Do the problematic parts justify the hilarity around them? Is some of the bad acting and slow pacing an homage of sorts to daytime dramas? Should you (re-)watch, or just ...
1hr 27m Aug 04, 2021
1hr 27m
365: Speed-Dating Sexy Beasts
When schedulers at the Food Network foiled our original plans for this episode, our returning guest Will Ellis rolled with the punches and joined us to talk about Netflix's bizarre new dating show, Sexy Beasts! Around The Dial takes us through the new season of Married At First Sight, The Real Housewives Of Potomac, Married To Medicine, and Search Party. Last week's guest Sean Pflueger returns....
1hr 20m Jul 28, 2021
1hr 20m
364: Visiting Schmigadoon!
AppleTV+'s newest musical series, Schmigadoon!, strands a couple of contemporary big-city doctors in a strange town lost in time, requiring them to find their true loves before they can cross the bridge home. Did we true-love it, or did we feel trapped? New guest Sean Pflueger joins us to talk about it! Around The Dial takes us through American Horror Stories, Never Have I Ever, High School Mus...
1hr 50m Jul 21, 2021
1hr 50m
363: Should You Slide Into The New Gossip Girl's DMs?
Nadia Chaudhury of Eater Austin joins us for the first time to talk about the second time around for Gossip Girl. Does the 2021 reboot know who it's for? Did the original benefit from the suspense surrounding Gossip Girl's identity? And will we keep watching even if Tavi Gevinson's acting doesn't improve? After Gordon Lightfoot Cole dropped in to make a request, we went Around The Dial with Whi...
1hr 13m Jul 14, 2021
1hr 13m
362: America's-Birthday Forcenings!
It's a holiday week: time for a good old-fashioned Forcening, in which each of your EHG regulars makes another one watch a TV episode or movie. This time, we're acknowledging July 4th by obliging one another to watch shows with "America" in the title, and Tara's first up, forcing Sarah to watch 2000's short-lived, extremely derivative, stupidly enjoyable Young Americans, a Dawson's Creek spin-o...
58m Jul 07, 2021
58m
361: Should You Join The Mysterious Benedict Society?
Disney Plus's latest series for teens and tweens is the very puzzle-y The Mysterious Benedict Society, based on a beloved novel, and Leigh-Ann Jackson is here to talk about how well it works! Around The Dial takes us through In Treatment, The Good Fight, Jiva!, Flack, the (sort of) final season of B-B-B-B-Bosch, CSI, and Derry Girls! Craig and Courtney argue for the Canon induction of the King ...
1hr 26m Jun 30, 2021
1hr 26m
360: Bouncing Into Physical
The latest new series from AppleTV+ is Physical, starring Rose Byrne as an aerobics addict in 1981 San Diego; Jeb Lund joins us to discuss whether the first three episodes left us wanting more, or...wanting more of GLOW (R.I.P.). Around The Dial takes us through Cruel Summer, Holey Moley, Exterminate All The Brutes, American Barbecue Showdown, the I'll Be Gone In The Dark special, and Epstein's...
1hr 29m Jun 23, 2021
1hr 29m
359: Is Loki A Good Time?
Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair is back to talk about the latest product off the Marvel industrial complex assembly line: Disney+'s Loki. We discussed everything from Religion 101 to DB Cooper to mid-century production design to canonical gender identity -- but should you make TIME (...sorry) for the show? Then we went Around The Dial with Younger, Starstruck, Bargain Block, Crime Scene Kitchen, ...
1hr 27m Jun 16, 2021
1hr 27m
358: Getting A Taste Of Sweet Tooth
Netflix joins Amazon in boldly dropping a soft sci-fi story about an extremely contagious disease outbreak mid-covid pandemic...but at least Sweet Tooth, unlike Utopia, also has as its lead character a very cute little deer boy? New guest Santiago Melli-Huber joins us to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us to the premiere of We Are Lady Parts on Peacock, the finale of Pose on FX; then to AM...
1hr 25m Jun 09, 2021
1hr 25m
357: Securing Crime Scene Kitchen, Investing In Small Fortune
Writer and co-host of The Nod Brittany Luse joins us for a double shot of summer TV fare, starting with NBC's well-hosted but incorrectly constructed Small Fortune. We like the dioramas; we're not sure about the durability of the games (or future guests). Then we ducked under the yellow tape to look at FOX's Crime Scene Kitchen, which isn't as bad as Sarah expected, but also isn't as good as it...
1hr 36m Jun 02, 2021
1hr 36m
356: Diving Into The 2021 Summer TV Preview
With summer nearly upon us, we're dusting off a format we haven't done in a while, looking at the premieres that are coming in the weeks and months ahead and each choosing one title we're into; one we SHOULD be into but aren't; and one NO ONE should be into. Joining us for this very important work is longtime listener, first-time guest Stacy Lambe! After we all offer our summer picks (and un-pi...
1hr 34m May 26, 2021
1hr 34m
355: A Talking Boat, The Queen and The End Of Liberty
EEHG 090: Dave Forces Everyone To Watch Thunder In Paradise S01.E13: Queen Of Hearts Once upon a time there were two ex-Navy SEALs living in Florida. Then a whip bull-cracking Terry Funk visited riding on the hood of a monster truck. Also, here's The Queen Of England! Don't forget about Hulk Hogan's Bumblezebra beach onesie! And here's comes Truckasaurus! We haven't even seen Thunder The Boa...
44m May 19, 2021
44m
354: Girls5Eva Passes The Audition
Slate TV critic Willa Paskin is back to talk about Peacock's girl-group-comeback addition to the Tina Fey-verse, Girls5Eva. Did the panel's opinions on the show's quality harmonize? Is the bubblegum/TRL world of 20 years ago a familiar song? Does the thin writing of Busy Philipps's character hit a bum note? Has Sarah already started blaming that Wonder Woman piano for various clumsy incidents a...
1hr 23m May 12, 2021
1hr 23m
353: Nice British People Doing Nice Things
A while back, we put out a call for six-word pitches to program a whole episode of this podcast, and our listener Heather was the victor with "Nice British People Doing Nice Things." As a result, she has slotted in (virtually) every show you will hear us talk about in this episode, for which we are joined by returning guest Alex Collins! First, we all tuck in on the pop history series Back In T...
1hr 32m May 05, 2021
1hr 32m
352: Zooming In On The Reality Show Exposure
Jessica Liese is here to talk about a brand-new, brand-content competition reality show from Hulu -- Exposure, in which professional photographers compete in irrelevant-to-their-strengths "influencer" challenges while rookie hosts Cole Walliser and Cat Jimenez make terrible photo puns. The problem isn't so much the Samsung-fluffing; it's that the show isn't process-y enough, isn't transparent a...
1hr 22m Apr 28, 2021
1hr 22m
351: Should You Enter Into Couples Therapy?
Dr. Orna Guralnik has returned to Showtime to work with a whole new crop of troubled partners in a new season of Couples Therapy, and Vulture's Kathryn VanArendonk -- one of the show's biggest boosters -- has returned to our podcast to yell about it! (Positively!) Around The Dial takes us through Younger, a new Mythic Quest special, PBS's Philly D.A., Why Did You Kill Me?, Sasquatch, and the mi...
1hr 23m Apr 21, 2021
1hr 23m
350: Should You Be Doing The Most With Phoebe Robinson?
Doing The Most With Phoebe Robinson joined the ranks of "rich people hanging out with each other" shows last week, and Here For It author R. Eric Thomas joined US to talk about the 2 Dope Queens co-host's foray into TV, including clunky animations, guest chemistry, and whether the animals in the pilot were too well-behaved. Dave was Not A Crackpot about leaving internet-based "fun" to the exper...
1hr 24m Apr 14, 2021
1hr 24m
349: Surveilling Law & Order: Organized Crime
Elliot Stabler has returned from his ignominious exile in...uh, a very nice-sounding job in Italy, and into an SVU spinoff that will find him Taking! His wife's murder! Personally! all over the Mob. Christina Tucker joins us to discuss this new vehicle and what a(n unpleasantly) surprising departure it actually is from the Law & Order model. Around The Dial takes us through Made For Love, Wipeo...
1hr 20m Apr 07, 2021
1hr 20m
348: Did Pooch Perfect Made Us Want To Flea?
Reality-television expert Andy is back to talk about Pooch Perfect, and why you shouldn't sit, stay in front of the show, including awkward hosting by Rebel Wilson, consent issues with dyeing dogs, and a total lack of narrative tension. Matters improved with Around The Dial, as we discussed Genius: Aretha, Superstore, Race To The Center Of The Earth, Tough As Nails, The Bridge, and Housewives i...
1hr 51m Mar 31, 2021
1hr 51m
347: Muppet Thunderdome
Over New Year's, we treated our Patreon supporters to a very important thought experiment: if 27 Smurfs entered Thunderdome to compete in battles to the death, who would be the last Smurf standing? Now, we are turning our minds to the same question...but with Muppets from The Muppet Show. Naturally, we had to bring in an expert to consider the question, which is why Adam Grosswirth of the Muppe...
1hr 13m Mar 24, 2021
1hr 13m
346: Is Waffles + Mochi The Cream Of The Crop?
We're thrilled the third time was the charm for our guest Alison Herman, as we all dug into the pro-cooking kids' show from the Obama-tainment industrial complex, Waffles + Mochi. We talked about "variety" shows for children, whether Mrs. Obama is as stiff as Mochi is adorable, and supplemental tomato facts before going Around The Dial with Step Up: High Water, kid 90, Allen vs. Farrow, Greek, ...
1hr 16m Mar 17, 2021
1hr 16m
345: Moving Back Into The Loft For The Real World Homecoming: New York
As part of the relaunch of CBS All Access as Paramount Plus, the original Season 1 cast of The Real World has reunited in their old Soho loft for a limited series, so we got back together with our former Real World recapper Kim Reed to discuss the series premiere! Also on the Paramount Plus tip, Tara also has to stress that she is not a crackpot for being irate that Oprah's interview with Harry...
1hr 44m Mar 10, 2021
1hr 44m
344: Brutal Bridesmaids Isn't Brutal Enough
Brandon is back to talk about last weekend's Brutal Bridesmaids and its strange lack of bloodshed, plus ugly bridal fashion, an emergency male-stripper substitution, and realistic wedding-party cliques. We went Around The Dial with Close Enough, Punky Brewster's reboot, Search Party, Murder Among The Mormons, and Dave's 911 Lone Star report before re-imagining legendary episodes of TV as Lifeti...
1hr 34m Mar 03, 2021
1hr 34m
343: Taking Off Our Glasses For Superman & Lois
After illness prevented her from making her earlier booking, LaToya Ferguson has returned to talk about another show she feels passionate about: The CW's Superman & Lois! Is she all in on this latest iteration of the Man of Steel and his family? Listen and find out! Around The Dial takes us through It's A Sin, Cherries Wild, In & Of Itself, the full-throated endorsement of Firefly Lane that cir...
1hr 42m Feb 24, 2021
1hr 42m
342: The Stinky Teenagers Who Live In Secret Places In Your House
Austin HQ had a water pipe burst on record day so we celebrate with two EEHG about other bad things in your house. EEHG 094: Dave Forces Everyone To Watch The 1974 Made For TV Movie Bad Ronald Bad Ronald lives in a hidden room in the house you just bought. What a weirdo! EEHG 096: Tara Forces Everyone To Watch Crawlspace When the search results for Bad Ronald included another TV mov...
54m Feb 17, 2021
54m
341: The Equalizer Racks Up The "Fine"s
Fametracker's own Adam Sternbergh (oh, also the New York Times's but whatever)(hee) is back to discuss The Equalizer, the perfectly acceptable re-imagining of the '80s classic. Whom on the panel did the new verzh win over with casting coups, origami tradecraft, and similarities to Leverage and Blindspot? Who called it the three-camera sitcom of cop shows? And is anyone setting their DVR to watc...
1hr 42m Feb 10, 2021
1hr 42m
340: Running Down Firefly Lane
With our intended guest and Firefly Lane expert LaToya Ferguson forced to bow out (we'll re-book her again ASAP!), your co-hosts muddled through on Netflix's new middlebrow book adaptation to the best of our ability. Around The Dial takes us through the late Quibi sitcom Mapleworth Murders, Hulu's Canadian import Jann, HBO Max's Danish import The Investigation -- and Borgen, with which it share...
1hr 9m Feb 03, 2021
1hr 9m
339: A Bridge & Tunnel Too Far
Our esteemed colleague, "Pot Ledom"-ologist, and Long Island native Dan Rogge returns to analyze Edward Burns's thoroughly mediocre Bridge & Tunnel, about the post-college lives and loves of six suspiciously hot high-school friends...none of whom can seem to master the accent. A huge music budget (and equally large commitment to the sex scenes) can't make up for stilted dialogue, anachronistic ...
1hr 36m Jan 27, 2021
1hr 36m
338: Adjusting The Horizontal Hold For WandaVision
Marvel Studios has kicked off its slate of TV series with WandaVision, a sort-of spoof of classic sitcoms starring a couple of Avengers. What's actually going on? We don't know (though Dave has theories), but Caroline Framke is here to talk about the two-part premiere! Around The Dial takes us through The Good Lord Bird, Call Your Mother, Season 2's new Batwoman, the Premier League of football ...
1hr 50m Jan 20, 2021
1hr 50m
337: Big Dickinson Energy
The regular panelists had to forge ahead without esteemed colleague Kathryn VanArendonk in our discussion of Dickinson's second season; that's the bad news. The good news is, we all like Apple TV's imagining of poet Emily Dickinson's life and loves with lots of swearing and twenty-first-century slang. How DOES the show balance the demands of historical fact with flights of fancy, and not take i...
1hr 19m Jan 13, 2021
1hr 19m
336: Matlock's Big Bang Plaza
We're off this week but we've glued together three episode forcening, uh, episodes from our Patreon supporter bonus podcast Extra Extra Hot Great. EEHG 076: Listener Forcening: The Big Bang Theory Patreon supporter Sharon Johnson had us watch The Big Bang Theory S07.E03: "The Scavenger Vortex," writing, "While I'm aware that it's not well thought of among the EHG family, BBT is one of my ...
50m Jan 06, 2021
50m
335: Wrapping Paper Tube Tunes
To help get you through our holiday break, Tara wrote a special festive version of her fan-favorite (...is it?) Non-Regulation Game Time: it's Wrapping Paper Tube Tunes! Some original holiday songs from TV shows; some covers; all comfort and joy. Please enjoy this gift from us to you, and don't try to return it. TOPICS Game Time: 🎁 Wrapping Paper Tube Tunes NOTES 🗒 Full episode notes can be...
30m Dec 30, 2020
30m
334: Finding Out If Enthusiasm For The Stand Is Infectious
Stephen King's 1978 novel has already been turned into a miniseries once, but it's time for this generation to get its own, apparently? So CBS All Access has made one, and Roxana Hadadi is joining us to talk about it! Around The Dial takes us through The Flight Attendant, Celebrity IOU, TKTK, The Wilds, and Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Mlle. Caroline presents the Parks & Recreation episode "Rec...
1hr 42m Dec 23, 2020
1hr 42m
333: Is Tiny Pretty Things On Point?
First-time guest Kamille joins us for a conversation about Tiny Pretty Things, Netflix's new Center Stage-with-teens ballet thriller (?), and while she watched the whole thing, neither she nor the fulltime panel thinks it's good. But aside from the wretched VO, suspect acting, unwelcome parallels to 13 Reasons Why and decided un-Frenchness of cartoon villain Lauren Holly, is TPT a good time-was...
1hr 18m Dec 16, 2020
1hr 18m
332: Investigating The Hardy Boys
Hulu and Canada's kids' broadcaster YTV have brought the world a new adaptation of the nearly-100-year-old boy detectives Frank and Joe Hardy, and we've enlisted Adam Grosswirth to join us in discussing it! A super-sized Around The Dial takes us through Selena: The Series, Nurses, Jingle Jangle, Dolly Parton's Christmas On The Square, the original '70s version of The Hardy Boys, and Gangs Of Lo...
1hr 37m Dec 09, 2020
1hr 37m
331: War Is Hell: An All-Canon Episode
The panel is contemplating three user submissions for the Canon this week, starting with the extremely highly rated, extreeeeemely looooong series finale of MASH. Lindy makes a fascinating parallel between [waves hands vaguely] All This and the world MASH portrayed, but is the episode's status as a historical reference enough to earn it a medal of honor? Next, we're sampling a first-season Stra...
1hr 1m Dec 02, 2020
1hr 1m
330: Saying A Final Farewell To Supernatural
After 15 seasons on two networks, Supernatural has finally hunted its last monster, and our French friend Caroline Lefloch is joining us to bury the series finale in an unmarked, shallow grave. Around The Dial takes us through I Hate Suzie, Peacock's sequel to Saved By The Bell, Agatha Christie's Poirot, and new looks at the D.B. Cooper case in both History's Greatest Mysteries and HBO's The My...
1hr 30m Nov 25, 2020
1hr 30m