Episodes

  • 537: Should You Spice Up Your Life With Dune: Prophecy?

    537: Should You Spice Up Your Life With Dune: Prophecy?
    Nov 20 2024
    Prestige series Dune: Prophecy travels more than ten thousand years into the past to see what put in motion the Dune-iverse events we already knew about. Guest Phil Maciak took the time-machine trip with us to discuss whether the series is only for fans of the existing IP; what the series might have focused on instead of administrative wrangling; and why the club always looks annoying regardless of timeline. We went Around The Dial with A Man On The Inside, Junior Taskmaster, Say Nothing, and a Day Of The Jackel update before Phil appealed to our hearts -- and guts -- with a Somebody Somewhere pitch. Friday Night Lights won, Jenny Mollen lost, and the melody lingered on with another round of Tube Tunes. Cue up your thinking machines and listen now!

    GUESTS
    👤 Philip Maciak

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🪱 Dune: Prophecy
    Around The Dial: 🚪 A Man On The Inside
    Around The Dial: 💌 Junior Taskmaster
    Around The Dial: 🇮🇪 Say Nothing
    Around The Dial: 🔫 The Day Of The Jackal
    The Canon: 🧻 Somebody Somewhere S02.E02: #2
    Winner & Loser: 🏈 Friday Night Lights
    Winner & Loser: ✈️ Jenny Mollen
    Game Time: 🎶 Tube Tunes XV

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    NOTES
    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
    🦋 Phillip Maciak on Bluesky
    🔥 EHG Humans Bluesky Starter List
    🤐 Phil's Say Nothing review
    🤫 ...which Sarah's review links to in her review
    😻 Find cat TNR and rescue groups near you (in the U.S.)
    🥋 Tara's Cobra Kai S06 review at Cracked
    🧤 Donate to Street Forum's winter-gear fundraiser
    💵 The National Network Of Abortion Funds
    📷 Photo: HBO

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord
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    1 hr and 13 mins
  • 536: Seeking Treatment With St. Denis Medical

    536: Seeking Treatment With St. Denis Medical
    Nov 13 2024
    Superstore creator Justin Spitzer has teamed up with Eric Ledgin for a new sitcom set at an Oregon hospital. Is it goofier than the subject matter demands? Stephanie Early Green returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us through Married At First Sight, Anatomy Of Lies, Sister Wives, Cruel Doubt, and The Penguin. Stephanie pitches the 10th episode of Australia's Instant Hotel's first season for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we close up with a Game Time about TV shows that burned brightly, but too briefly (and...not always brightly). Put your feet up -- in or out of traction; that's up to you -- and join us!

    GUESTS

    👤 Stephanie Green

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 🏥 St. Denis Medical

    Around The Dial: 👰‍♀️ Married At First Sight

    Around The Dial: 🩻 Anatomy Of Lies

    Around The Dial: 💍 Sister Wives

    Around The Dial: 🤔 Cruel Doubt

    Around The Dial: 🐧 The Penguin

    The Canon: 🏨 Instant Hotel S01.E10

    Winner & Loser: 😱 Macaulay Culkin

    Winner & Loser: 🐮 Taylor Sheridan

    Game Time: 📉 One Season And No Movie

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

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    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    🩺 Tara's comedies about doctors and hospitals, at Cracked

    🍽️ Stephanie's essay "My Great Hunger" at The Cincinnati Review

    🤔 Cruel Doubt on YouTube

    📚 The major-case sale at Exhibit B. Books

    🎁 Extra Hot Great gift subscriptions at Patreon

    📷 Photo: Ron Batzdorff / NBC
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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • 535: Can The Brady Bunch In The White House Count On Your Vote?

    535: Can The Brady Bunch In The White House Count On Your Vote?
    Nov 6 2024
    We thought a far-out distraction from current events was the way to go this week -- so we went to a fictional White House with accidental president Mike Brady, via 2002 TV movie The Brady Bunch In The White House. Should you take the tour -- or is this second-generation photocopy of an already-mediocre nostalgia brand not a candidate for your attention? We went Around The Dial with the new season of Abbott Elementary, the Criterion Closet series, and Mad Men before Ari wove together a Canon case for a sixth-season Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Tapestry." Prestige casting won, Amazon lost, and we voted early often for film-adaptation shows in Game Time. It's your patriotic duty to listen now!

    GUESTS

    👤 Tim Grierson

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 🏛️ The Brady Bunch In The White House

    Around The Dial: 🏫 Abbott Elementary

    Around The Dial: 📀 The Criterion Closet

    Around The Dial: 🥃 Mad Men

    I Am Not A Crackpot: 🤖 AI On Taskmaster

    The Canon: 🔪 Star Trek: The Next Generation S06.E15: Tapestry

    Winner & Loser: 🍯 Arlios Winners

    Winner & Loser: 🦾 Prime Video

    Game Time: 📺 Honey, I Shrunk The Screen

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

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    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    📀 The Criterion Channel on YouTube

    🙅‍♂️ Tim Grierson on X

    🎬 Tim's profile of director Sean Baker for the LA Times

    🌴 The Again With This Patreon

    🔥 Get Extra Extra Hot Great in the EHG Club

    📷 Photo: Paramount Television
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • 534: Should You Click On Buy It Now?

    534: Should You Click On Buy It Now?
    Oct 30 2024
    Prime Video's new unscripted show invites product creators to pitch supposed experts from the business world for the chance to get their wares featured in the Buy It Now store; reality TV expert Andy Dehnart returns to discuss what is essentially "Shark Tank, But Crappier." Around The Dial takes us through Somebody Somewhere's final season, The Summit, Four In A Bed, and Raiders Of The Lost Art. Andy pitches the Dating Around episode "Guru" for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time with a lot of love to give. Put down that goop that lets you wash your face without water, and join us!

    GUESTS

    👤 Andy Dehnart

    TOPICS

    Announcement: 🎙️ Club Campaign New Perks

    Lead Topic: 💸 Buy It Now

    Around The Dial: 📍 Somebody Somewhere

    Around The Dial: ⛰️ The Summit

    Around The Dial: 🛏️ Four In A Bed

    Around The Dial: 🖼️ Raiders Of The Lost Art

    The Canon: 🥂 Dating Around S01.E02: Gurki

    Winner & Loser: 🏢 Only Murders In The Building

    Winner & Loser: 🍔 Adam Richman

    Game Time: 😘 The Dating Game

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

    🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!

    🛍️ Shop our merch store!

    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    🦋 Andy Dehnart on Bluesky

    🏷️ Tara's post on Buy It Now at Cracked

    📍 Tara's Somebody Somewhere review at Cracked

    🌫️ Reality Blurred

    ⛰️ Andy's review of The Summit at Reality Blurred

    🛏️ Andy's Four In A Bed review at Reality Blurred

    😴 Four In A Bed on Tubi

    🎨 "Want To Learn Art History? Here Are 9 Absolutely Classic TV Series That Will Give You A Solid Education -- And Keep You On The Edge Of Your Seat" at Artnet

    🗂️ Best Evidence at Reality Blurred

    🥂 Andy's review of Dating Around at Reality Blurred
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • 533: Should You Give In To Hysteria!?

    533: Should You Give In To Hysteria!?
    Oct 23 2024
    Author, filmmaker, and Listen To Sassy co-host Pam Ribon is back to help us figure out what Hysteria! is trying to do: satirize the satanic panic and witch hunts of a bygone era? invoke Stranger Things and the Church Lady? We're not even sure what genre we should call it, never mind whether you should watch it, but maybe our discussion will help you decide. We went Around The Dial with What We Do In The Shadows, The Change, and Woman Of The Hour before trying to sneak an undercover 21 Jump Street episode into the Ca-- er, the Pamon. Slow Horses won, car chases lost, and we got bogged down in minutiae with rightwood's IMDb-forward Game Time. Take a break from that pentagram copy-edit and check it out!

    GUESTS

    👤 Pamela Ribon

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 🤘 Hysteria

    Around The Dial: 🧛🏻‍♂️ What We Do In The Shadows

    Around The Dial: 👛 The Change

    Around The Dial: 🕕 Woman Of The Hour

    The Pamon: 🔫 21 Jump Street S04.E23: How I Saved the Senator

    Winner & Loser: 🐴 Slow Horses

    Winner & Loser: 🚓 Live PD

    Game Time: 😑 The IMDumB Game

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

    🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!

    🛍️ Shop our merch store!

    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    💄 Hear more Pam on Listen To Sassy

    🧛🏻‍♀️ Tara's WWDITS sixth-season review for Cracked

    🕛 Sarah's Woman Of The Hour review for Best Evidence

    📷 Photo: Peacock
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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • 532: Should You Give Disclaimer* A Close Read?

    532: Should You Give Disclaimer* A Close Read?
    Oct 16 2024
    Rolling Stone's chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall is back to talk about Apple TV's latest prestige limited series -- starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline, directed and written by Alfonso Cuarón, and maaaaybe a little too fond of its own shot compositions. Is the hinted-at conclusion worth sticking around for -- or are we mostly seeing it through for Kline's cardigan acting? Next, we went Around The Dial with Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, Happy's Place, Shrinking, and the Platonic (not) ideal of "this should have been a feature" docuserieses, before Tara nominated a third-season Harley Quinn episode for the Canon. An Office reboot won, Succession lost, and a new scoring wrinkle scared the hell out of us in Game Time. Throw your drawers out the train window and have a listen!

    GUESTS

    👤 Alan Sepinwall

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 📜 Disclaimer

    Around The Dial: 💍 Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage

    Around The Dial: 🙂 Happy's Place

    Around The Dial: 🛋️ Shrinking

    Around The Dial: 🦎 The Hunt For The Chameleon Killer

    The Canon: 🃏 Harley Quinn S03.E03: The 83rd Annual Villy Awards

    Winner & Loser: 👍 The new Office series

    Winner & Loser: 👎 Jeremy Strong

    Game Time: 🎃 Halloween Spooktacular

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

    🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!

    🛍️ Shop our merch store!

    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    ✍🏻 Alan Sepinwall's review of Disclaimer* for Rolling Stone

    ⚖️ Alan's Better Call Saul book, Saul Goodman v. Jimmy McGill: The Complete Critical Companion to Better Call Saul

    💊 Tara's Untitled: A Bad Teen Novel

    👱🏻‍♂️ The Billy Crystal wig under scrutiny

    🌃 Tara's piece on Saturday Night Not Ready For Primetime Players verisimilitude for Cracked

    🦎 Sarah's The Hunt For The Chameleon Killer review at Best Evidence

    📷 Photo: Apple

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES

    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To

    💬 Get On Our Community Discord
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • 531: Should You Buy Into The Franchise?

    531: Should You Buy Into The Franchise?
    Oct 9 2024
    Three British talents from the worlds of TV comedy (Jon Brown, Armando Iannucci) and film (Sam Mendes) have come together for The Franchise, a look behind the scenes at the making of a fictional superhero movie. Does it shoot up, up, and away into the stratosphere? Devindra Hardawar returns to discuss. Around The Dial takes us to 9-1-1: Lone Star, 9-1-1 (talk about running the gamut), and the second season of Interview With The Vampire. The otherwise absent Sarah makes her pitch for inducting the Frasier episode "The Ski Lodge" into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we close with a Non-Regulation Game Time that might not be entirely super, but is at least somewhat duper. Hide out in your trailer and listen!

    GUESTS

    👤 Devindra Hardawar

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 🦸🏽‍♀️ The Franchise

    Around The Dial: 🧑‍🚒 9-1-1

    Around The Dial: 🐮 9-1-1: Lone Star

    Around The Dial: 🧛🏻‍♂️ Interview With The Vampire

    The Canon: 🎿 Frasier S05.E14: The Ski Lodge

    Winner & Loser: 👍 Rugrats

    Winner & Loser: 👎 Peacemaker

    Game Time: 🦹🏼‍♀️

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

    🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!

    🛍️ Shop our merch store!

    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    🦋 Devindra Hardawar on Bluesky

    💪 Tara's review of The Franchise at Cracked

    😦 Tara's Scare Tactics review at Cracked

    ⚰️ EEHG 297, about Interview With The Vampire S02

    🎞️ The Filmcast's episode on Megalopolis

    📷 Photo: Colin Hutton / HBO
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • 530: Setting Sail With Doctor Odyssey

    530: Setting Sail With Doctor Odyssey
    Oct 2 2024
    ABC's new cruise-ship medical procedural features Dawson's Creek's former Pacey Witter as a hotshot surgeon who sets sail in search of work-life balance; Jessica Morgan returns to discuss whether everything's shipshape. Around The Dial takes us through the Real Housewives of New York, Salt Lake City, AND Orange County before ending on the 30 for 30 episode "My American Son." Anne pitches the 30 Rock episode "Queen Of Jordan" for induction into the Nonac. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that's really taking its (game) time. Put on your life vest and join us!

    GUESTS

    👤 Jessica Morgan

    TOPICS

    Lead Topic: 🚢 Doctor Odyssey

    Around The Dial: 🌃 The Real Housewives Of New York City

    Around The Dial: 🧂 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City

    Around The Dial: 🍊 The Real Housewives Of Orange County

    Around The Dial: 🎾 30 For 30

    The Nonac: 👸🏾 30 Rock S05.E17: Queen Of Jordan

    Winner & Loser: 👍 Stranger Things

    Winner & Loser: 👎 Lorraine Bracco

    Game Time: 🐢 Slowly At First III: Tubey's Revenge

    SUPPORT THE SHOW

    🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!

    🛍️ Shop our merch store!

    NOTES

    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

    🐦 Jessica Morgan / Go Fug Yourself on X

    🙂‍↔️ Tara's review of Nobody Wants This at Cracked

    ✋ "Nobody Wants This Mean-Spirited Depiction Of Jewish Women In Nobody Wants This" by Esther Zuckerman at Time

    👗 Go Fug Yourself

    🍸 The Drinks With Broads newsletter on Substack

    📚 Jessica's books on Bookshop

    ⚾️ Sarah's review of Charlie Hustle And The Matter Of Pete Rose at Best Evidence

    📷 Photo: Disney / Tina Thorpe
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    1 hr and 40 mins