The Televerse (mp3)

Game of Thrones aired its climactic, penultimate episode this week and well, Kate had thoughts. As Noel gave up on the series back in season one, Kate invited on Clint Worthington of The Spool and friend of the show Allison Shoemaker for a special bonus episode of The Televerse. Allison, Clint, and Kate break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of Game of Thrones’ most divisive episode in years, diving right in, and still somehow barely scratching the surface 40 minutes later.Note: Usually we keep things PG here at The Televerse, but given the subject matter, we didn’t bother bleeping the F-bombs this time. If you’re mature enough to watch Game of Thrones, we figure you likely won’t mind some mild profanity. Music Featured:  “Game of Goats”

After weeks with technical difficulties and colds, we’re finally back to our regular podcasting selves! This episode, as usual, Noel and Kate kick things off with their week in TV, starting with the comedies. After talking the Mom finale and catching up with What We Do in the Shadows, we move over to reality with RuPaul’s Drag Race and drama, with Killing Eve. Then we round out the week with the genre offerings, including the premieres of iZombie and Agents of SHIELD, Game of Thrones, and Legends of Tomorrow. Afterward, we head to the spotlight section, to highlight the promising first season of Hulu’s Ramy. Take a listen, then reach out with your favorites from this week’s TV.Season Spotlight: Ramy Season 1 (1:01:44)Our Week in TV Mom finale (7:32) What We Do in the Shadows (12:23) RuPaul’s Drag Race (18:13) Killing Eve (23:23) iZombie premiere (30:24) Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiere (34:52) Game of Thrones (42:22) DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (48:16)Music Featured:  “No More Drama” by Mary J. Blig

Kate is sick once again, so we’re keeping the podcast on the short side this episode. There’s still plenty of TV for us to cover, though. We kick things off with our week in TV, starting with the comedies, including Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’s “Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner 2,” Bob’s Burgers, and The Last O.G. Then Kate talks a little RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Noel catches up with the latest anime releases in Noel’s anime corner: One-Punch Man, Fruits Basket, Hitoribocchi no Marumaruseikatsu, Demon Slayer, and Sarazanmai. Then we round out the week’s TV with Game of Thrones and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Afterward, we head to the season spotlight section to look at season two of Netflix’s She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on the week’s TV.Season Spotlight: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Season 2 (53:24)Our Week in TV Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (4:32) Bob’s Burgers (8:51) The Last O.G. (12:23) RuPaul’s Drag Race (16:05) Noel’s Anime Corn

It’s late April, and it’s snowing in Chicago. Sounds like a perfect time to catch up with the first half of the first season of Jordan Peele’s reimagining of The Twilight Zone. This week on the podcast, Noel and Kate kick things off with their week in TV. We begin with the comedies and reality offerings, including Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Veep, The Last O.G., The Amazing Race, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Then we move over to drama and genre, including the premiere of Gentleman Jack, Killing Eve, Game of Thrones, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Finally, we head to the spotlight section and dive in with the first five episodes of Peele’s The Twilight Zone. How does this iteration live up to the storied original and other reboots through the years? Which episodes shine, and which needed a few more passes? Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on the week’s TV.Spotlight: The Twilight Zone (2019) (1:11:02)Our Week in Comedy and Reality Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (12:16) Veep (16:12) The Las

The first of the spring finales are upon us, giving us plenty of TV to discuss this week on the podcast. First up, Noel and Kate talk through the week’s TV, including the aforementioned finales of Fresh Off the Boat and Speechless, Bob’s Burgers, What We Do in the Shadows, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Good Fight, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Then we head over to the season spotlight section and dive in with season two of Amazon’s charming The Tick. Has the show worked out its tonal issues? Will we ever see Chairface Chippendale? All of this and more, on this week’s Televerse. Spoon!Season Spotlight: The Tick Season 2 (42:35)Our Week in TV Fresh Off the Boat finale (3:01) Speechless finale (6:57) Bob’s Burgers (10:02) What We Do in the Shadows (13:12) RuPaul’s Drag Race (15:48) The Good Fight (27:10) DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (32:07)Music Featured:  “I Surrender” from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

It’s the first of several high-profile finales this month here at The Televerse. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend wrapped up its run with a thoughtful, emotional finale, not to mention an hour-long concert special, so Noel and Kate welcome back friend of the show Allison Shoemaker to send Rebecca Bunch off in style, spotlighting the series finale. Before that, though, there’s plenty of TV to discuss. We kick things off with the comedies and some reality, including the premieres of Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas and The Last O.G., a check-in with What We Do in the Shadows, the finale of Schitt’s Creek, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Then it’s time for the drama and genre offerings, including the premiere of Killing Eve, a Nazi-punching The Good Fight, the premiere of The Bold Type, the finale of The Promised Neverland, and a ‘70s-set DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Take a listen, then reach out with your favorite Crazy Ex-Girlfriend moments, your thoughts on the finale, and more.Spotlight: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series finale with Allison Sh

Kate’s on location once again, so it’s another truncated podcast this week. After a brief discussion of Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop casting announcements, Noel and Kate kick things off with their week in TV. Veep is back for its final season, black-ish still has a Dre problem, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is riding high heading into its series finale, and Fresh Off the Boat gets in on the musical fun. Then there’s the dramatic final episodes of Terrace House: Opening New Doors, an Olympic-themed RuPaul’s Drag Race, wrestling-centered episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and, in its midseason premiere, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and a statuary-centered Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Afterward, we move to the spotlight section, diving in with season one of Amazon Prime’s adaptation of the teen assassin movie Hanna. Season Spotlight: Hanna Season 1 (58:32)Our Week in TV Veep premiere (6:43) black-ish (12:14) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (15:23) Fresh Off the Boat (28:11) Terrace House: Opening New Doors Part 6 (30:55) RuPau

Spring is here, bringing another wave of premieres and finales. Noel and Kate kick off their Week in TV with the comedies, including the premieres of Jane the Virgin, What We Do in the Shadows, and Abby’s, the finale of Miracle Workers, as well as Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Then it’s Supergirl, The Good Fight, and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Afterward, they head to the season spotlight section for a look at the final season of Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney’s Catastrophe. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on the week’s TV, the Catastrophe finale, and more.Season Spotlight: Catastrophe Season 4 (1:19:21)Our Week in TV Jane the Virgin premiere (9:30) What We Do in the Shadows premiere (24:58) Abby’s premiere (29:30) Miracle Workers finale (35:54) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (41:00) Supergirl (48:19) The Good Fight (54:26) RuPaul’s Drag Race (1:02:21)Music Featured:  “The Math of Love Quadrangles” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

It’s the (beginning of the) end of a TV era: Supernatural announced it will be ending after next year’s season 15! Noel and Kate react to this unexpected news and more, before diving in with another entertaining set of episodes. We kick off Our Week in TV with genre, including the finale of Black Lightning and the debut of Lex Luthor on Supergirl. Then we move over to comedy, including the return of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, an emotional Schitt’s Creek, and Last Week Tonight’s look at public shaming, and we round out the week with genre, both Queer Eye season three and the latest episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Afterward, we head to the spotlight section and discuss at the first season of Lindy West’s new comedy, Shrill. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on the week’s TV and more!Season Spotlight: Shrill Season 1 (1:29:38)Our Week in TV Black Lightning finale (15:38) Supergirl (27:23) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (36:56) Schitt’s Creek (42:09) Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (46:41) Queer Eye Season 3 (50

It’s been a challenging week, but thankfully, TV gave us plenty to distract, inspire, and entertain. Noel and Kate kick things off with their week in TV, starting with the comedies, including DuckTales, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, the finale of I’m Sorry, and catchups with Broad City and Better Things. Then we discuss the week’s reality, genre, and drama offerings, including the finale of Top Chef: Kentucky, Queer Eye season three, the premiere of Project Runway, a catchup with Star Trek: Discovery and brief look at Charmed, and the premiere of The Good Fight. Finally, we round out the podcast by diving in with Amazon Prime’s underwhelming Kate Beckinsale vehicle, The Widow.    Spotlight: The Widow (1:27:51)Our Week in Comedy DuckTales (9:56) Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (23:58) I’m Sorry finale (34:07) Broad City (38:08) Better Things (43:46)Our Week in Reality, Genre, and Drama Top Chef: Kentucky finale (53:23) Queer Eye Season 3 (1:01:44) Project Runway premiere (1:03:33) RuPaul’s

HBO’s new documentary Leaving Neverland dominated pop culture conversation this week, bringing overdue attention and support to Wade Robson and James Safechuck. Both men allege that Michael Jackson sexually abused them when they were children and have come forward to share their stories. It’s an intense documentary, but one well worth discussing, so Noel and Kate dive in for this episode’s spotlight, along with Oprah’s hour-long after-show/special, After Neverland. Before that, though, we had a full week in TV. First we look at the comedies, including Fresh Off the Boat, SNL, Bob’s Burgers, grown-ish, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Then we talk reality, genre, and drama, including RuPaul’s Drag Race, Black Lightning, The Flash, and the finale of I Am the Night. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on Neverland, I Am the Night, and more.Spotlight: Leaving Neverland and After Neverland (1:09:53)Our Week in ComedyFresh Off the Boat (13:17) SNL (19:19)Bob’s Burgers (21:58)grown-ish (25:21) Brooklyn Nine-Nine

This week, it’s Noel who’s on location, so we again keep the podcast to a more manageable length. We kick things off with Our Week in TV, looking at the antepenultimate episode of Top Chef, the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11, Umbrella Academy, black-ish, the much-anticipated “Co-Op”/Company episode of Documentary Now! and another entertaining Drunk History. Then we move over to the spotlight section and dive in with Amazon Prime’s four-part documentary series Lorena, which examines the Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt trials and reflects on gender roles and domestic violence, and how far we have—and have not—come since the ‘90s.Spotlight: Lorena (51:03)Our Week in TV Top Chef (6:13) RuPaul’s Drag Race premiere (13:56) Umbrella Academy Season 1 (18:59) black-ish (26:22) Documentary Now! (31:57) Drunk History (38:38)Music Featured:  “I Gotta Go” from Documentary Now!

Netflix is doing its annual dance of threatening not to renew one of its best shows unless fans do their promo work for them, and irritating as that is, let it not be said that The Televerse didn’t pitch in. This episode, Noel and Kate talk through a truncated week in TV, looking at black-ish, Miracle Workers, the premiere of Documentary Now!, Supergirl, and the finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Then we move over to the spotlight section and dive in with the third season of Netflix’s wonderful One Day at a Time. And now that we’ve contributed to your demanded fan campaign to save Televerse fave ODaaT, Netflix, we expect a season four. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on this lovely and entertaining show.Season Spotlight: One Day at a Time Season 3 (58:15)Our Week in TV black-ish (14:19) Miracle Workers (26:00) Documentary Now! premiere (32:05) Supergirl (36:30) RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars finale (42:08)Music Featured:  “You Should Tip Your Doorman” from Documentary Now!’s “Co-op”

What we lack in audio quality this week, we make up for with fabulous TV to discuss. Kate is on location and battling technical difficulties (apologies for the sound quality—we’ll be back to our usual standard next episode). We kick things off with a truncated week in TV, including the premiere of Miracle Workers, another fun Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a brief look at One Day at a Time season three, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, I Am the Night, and the penultimate RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Then we move over to the spotlight section and dive in with the terrific Russian Doll, both spoiler-free and spoiler happy. Take a listen, then reach out with your thoughts on the week’s TV, and whether you want Russian Doll to come back for season two. Spotlight: Russian Doll (1:01:09)Our Week in TV Miracle Workers premiere (9:41) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (18:58) One Day at a Time Season 3 (30:52) Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (34:21) I Am the Night (38:43) RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (42:01)Music Featured:  “Real Life

From the polar vortex to Seattle Snowmageddon, Mother Nature (make that climate change) continues to give, and give, and give. Fortunately, there’s plenty of TV to keep us entertained on our long days indoors. We kick things off this episode with our week in TV, starting with the comedies, Fresh Off the Boat, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and I’m Sorry. We talk some RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars, Kate briefly spotlight(of Shame)s Outlander, and then we round things out with Arrow’s 150th episode and the potential crowning of a new Best Chris, with I Am the Night. Then we head over to the spotlight section and dive in with Sarah Phelps’ latest Agatha Christie miniseries adaptation, Amazon Prime’s ABC Murders.Spotlight: ABC Murders (1:12:37)Our Week in TV Fresh Off the Boat (10:13) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (15:13) I’m Sorry (27:37) RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (31:24) Outlander (49:52) Arrow (53:47) I Am the Night (59:55)Music Featured:  “Get Happy” by Judy Garland, from Summer Stock

The polar vortex may have left Chicago and the Midwest frozen, but that just meant more time inside to watch TV. Noel and Kate kick things off by talking through a full week in TV, including Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars, The Flash, and Supergirl. Then we move over to the spotlight section and dive in with RENT Live, looking at the source material, the live(ish) production, and much more. Which of us has the show memorized and which is a relative newbie? Tune in to find out, then reach out with your thoughts on RENT and the rest of the week’s TV. Spotlight: RENT Live (51:06)Our Week in TV Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (13:41) Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (18:46) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (22:14) RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (24:18) The Flash (32:35) Supergirl (35:01) Quick Hits: Fresh Off the Boat, grown-ish, I’m Sorry, Charmed, Star Trek: Discovery (45:12)Music Featured:  “Gratuitous Karaoke Moment” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Seasons of Love” RE

Steven Universe is back with a bang, and we have plenty of thoughts. First though, Noel and Kate talk through the week’s tv. We kick things off with reality and genre, including RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars, A Discovery of Witches season one, and Supergirl. Then we move over to comedy, including Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, the premiere of Broad City, Grace and Frankie season five, black-ish, The Good Place finale, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Afterwards, we head to the spotlight section to dive in with Steven Universe’s beautiful season finale, “Battle of Heart and Mind.”Spotlight: Steven Universe, “Battle of Heart and Mind” (1:07:31)Our Week in TVRuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (17:16)A Discovery of Witches Season 1 (27:09) Supergirl (27:53)Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (35:48)Broad City premiere (41:27)Grace and Frankie Season 5 (43:33)black-ish (50:20)The Good Place finale (53:21)Brooklyn Nine-Nine (1:05:07)Music Featured: “Adrenaline” by RuPaul; “Change Your Mind” from Steven Universe

The first wave of 2019 premieres is here, giving us plenty of TV to dive in with this week on the podcast. Noel and Kate kick things off with their week in TV, starting with the comedies, including the premiere of Schitt’s Creek, black-ish’s colorism episode, the long-awaited Hitchcock and Scully spotlight episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the penultimate The Good Place, and a Cats-tastic Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Then we move over to genre and reality, including the premieres of The Promised Neverland, A Discovery of Witches, Star Trek: Discovery, and American Experience, season one of Carmen Sandiego, an underwhelming Top Chef: Kentucky, and a fun RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Then we move to the spotlight section, diving in with season one of Netflix’s Sex Education. Listen for our thoughts, then reach out with your own!Season Spotlight: Sex Education Season 1 (1:24:29)Our Week in Comedy Schitt’s Creek premiere (10:07) black-ish (15:40) Brooklyn Nine-Nine (19:16) The Good Place (23:24) Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (29:02)

We’re well into January, 2019, which means we’re overdue for our 2019 Winter TV preview. Fortunately, it seems this year there will be a bit more breathing room than usual. Before we dive in with our preview of the next few month’s returns and premieres, however, there’s a full week of TV to discuss. We kick things off with comedy, including the premieres of I’m Sorry and Brooklyn Nine-Nine and the return of The Good Place. Then we move on to the genre offerings, including Steven Universe and Marvel’s Runaways season two, and we round out our week with a handful of reality programs, including part five of Terrace House: Opening New Doors, Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly, and the dramatic “Jersey Justice” episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.Winter 2019 TV Preview (1:05:18)Our Week in TV I’m Sorry premiere (8:36) Brooklyn Nine-Nine premiere (14:10) The Good Place (18:50) Steven Universe (25:08) Marvel’s Runaways Season 2 (28:23) Surviving R. Kelly (33:56) Terrace House: Opening New Doors Part 5 (41:55) RuPau

Happy New Year, everyone! We’re newly into 2019, but despite that, there’s plenty of TV to discuss, as a number of series and specials kept airing through the holidays. We kick things off by talking through our weeks/winter break in TV, starting with the comedy and reality entries, including the premiere of grown-ish, the finale of I Feel Bad, the return of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars, and Top Chef: Kentucky’s Restaurant Wars. Next are the genre offerings, including the Timeless finale movie, the second season of Marvel’s Runaways, the return of Steven Universe, and the Doctor Who New Year’s special, “Resolution.” Then we move over to the season spotlight section, where we dive in with the surprise fourth season of Angie Tribeca, which TBS binged right at New Years. How is Angie doing, 20 years later? How did the various holiday finales and specials stack up? Listen in for our thoughts, then reach out with yours.Season Spotlight: Angie Tribeca Season 4 (1:08:30)Our Week in Comedy and Reality grown-ish