Episoder
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Larra submitted a late-season DS9 about baseball — in which bunting figures heavily! — for this month’s Forcening, so we stepped up to the plate for Worf homers, MLB nepo casting, and practicing strike-three calls. Ask EHG invited us to write our own Drunk History eps and set Emily Gilmore up on dates, and Tara hung a funny hat a Simpsons Tiny Canon pitch; then we named Not Quite 11 tennis episodes and show-title dog names, just in time to go back to school with TV’s most important academic administrators. Raise the roof; raise it — for an all-new episode of EEHG!
TOPICS
Forcening Pool: ⚾️ Star Trek: Deep Space Nine S07.E04 Take Me Out To The Holosuite
Ask EHG: 😤 TV families on Family Feud
Tiny Canon: 👒 The Simpsons S04.E07: Marge Gets A Job
Not Quite Top 11: 🐕 Show Titles You Can Use As Dog Names With Dave's Permission
Not Quite Top 11: 🎾 Tennis Episodes To Send You Into The US Open Finals This Weekend
Not Quite Top 11: 🧢 Other Baseball Episodes
Extra Credit: 🧑🏽🏫 Important TV Principals
Mini: 🏈 The Most Electrifying Quiz In Sports EntertainmentSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🥎 Buddy coaching a lesbian softball team on Kids In The Hall
🕊️ How Curb saved a guy from prison
🍎 EEHG 065 on bad TV teachers
📷 Photo: Paramount Television -
Who better than EEHG’s Green Screen correspondent Stephanie Early Green to discuss Freeform’s new reality show about the super-rich Snugli set — Million Dollar Nannies. Sarah actually didn’t hate the show in theory, but in practice, we found the premise non-credible, the nannies suspect skills-wise, and the richie clients were the Forbes 400 equivalent of Vrbo text art. We left the mysteries of Daddy Moke behind to go Around The Dial with Sugar‘s second season, Ludwig, and a From marathon update before Stephanie climbed into the Canon-pitch cockpit with an episode of Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal. Simon Says won, Project Runway lost, and Monty hoped we’d score Alfred E. Neuman points in Game Time. Shred those NDAs and hop in the designer pram for an all-new Extra Hot Great!
GUESTS
👤 Stephanie GreenTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🍾 Million Dollar Nannies
Around The Dial: 🍭 Sugar
Around The Dial: 🧩 Ludwig
Around The Dial: 🚧 From
The Canon: ✈️ The Rehearsal S02.E03: Pilot's Code
Winner & Loser: 💬 Simon Says
Winner & Loser: 👗 Project Runway
Game Time: 😜 What, Me Query?SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
💚 More from Stephanie Early Green at her website
🍬 EEHG 291 on Sugar's first season
⛴️ Tara's burning questions about Widow's Bay S02 for GQ
🛣️ EEHG 415 on From's series premiere
🛹 Sarah's Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator review at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: DisneyCLUB-ONLY NOTES
🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
💬 Get On Our Community Discord -
Manglende episoder?
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A whole passel of alt-comedy superstars got together to make a comedy feature for Hulu about the class of 2008 having to redo the last two weeks of their senior year. Should they…maybe not have bothered? Brandi Brown returns to discuss it (and we hope will return again after we made her endure this). Around The Dial takes us through Miss You, Love You; Office Romance; a viral video of the cast of The Gilded Age pausing a shoot to celebrate the Knicks winning the NBA championship; Carl The Collector; and Mad Men. Sarah pitches the Law & Order episode “Everybody’s Favorite Bagman” for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, we close on a Sorkin-ass Game Time. Put your senior high school yearbook away and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Brandi BrownTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🎓 Never Change!
Around The Dial: 💖 Miss You, Love You
Around The Dial: 📌 Office Romance
Around The Dial: 🏀 The Gilded Age
Around The Dial: 🦝 Carl The Collector
Around The Dial: 🥃 Mad Men
The Canon: ⚖️ Law & Order S01.E06: Everybody's Favorite Bagman
Winner & Loser: 🔫 Stephen Falk
Winner & Loser: 🍷 Milania Giudice
Game Time: 🍄🟫 Sorkin-Ass NamesSUPPORT THE SHOW
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🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Brandi Brown on Bluesky
💥 "Widow’s Bay Creator Tells All After Explosive Finale" by Tara at Daily Beast
🏀 The cast of The Gilded Age reacts to the news of the Knicks winning the NBA championship
📆 Brandi's imminent standup dates
📚 The #majorcase sale at Exhibit B. Books
📷 Disney / Brett Roedel -
Interview With The Vampire returns with a tonally shifted, maximalist third season — and Caroline Framke also returns to talk about the show’s new POV character, in-universe songcraft, when scenery-chewing works, and how vampires’ greatest trick was convincing the world they don’t exist. We went Around The Dial with Not Suitable For Work, Love Island UK, Gardener’s World, and Michael Jackson: The Verdict, and we wondered Will Dave Hate This? about an upcoming The Littlest Hobo remake; Tara may have had an anxiety dream about her Canon pitch for a fifth-season Hacks episode; and La Brea won (for once), while short-sighted executives lost (as usual). And heaven COULDN’T wait for another iteration of Dan Cassino’s faith-based-TV Game Time. Stage-dive into an all-new Extra Hot Great!
GUESTS
👤 Caroline FramkeTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🎸 Interview With The Vampire
Around The Dial: 🤬 Not Suitable For Work
Around The Dial: 🏝️ Love Island UK
Around The Dial: 🪴 Gardener's World
Around The Dial: ✨ Michael Jackson: The Verdict
Will Dave Hate This?: 🐶 The Littlest Hobo
The Canon: 🍷 Hacks S05.E07: Montecito
Winner & Loser: 🕳️ La Brea
Winner & Loser: 👯 Brothers & Sisters
Game Time: 🙏 Thou Shalt Guess The Title, Book IISUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🎥 Caroline Framke goes behind the scenes with reality-TV producers for Bustle
☘️ Tara's interview with Kate O'Flynn at The Daily Beast
😬 Sarah's Michael Jackson: The Verdict review at Best Evidence
🐕 Maybe Tomorrow by Terry Bush
📷 Photo: Frank W. Ockenfels III / AMC -
While the counter-history of For All Mankind was going on, what counter-historical events were occurring in parallel in the U.S.S.R.? The spinoff Star City is here to dramatize it, and new guest Sophie Brookover is here to say whether it’s a “da” or a “net.” Around The Dial takes us to Make That Movie, The Tower, Deli Boys S02, and Instadocs. Wendy pitches the Designing Women episode “How Great Thou Art” for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, it’s on to a bookish Game Time about big- and small-screen adaptations. Find any of the many listening devices hidden in your home and join us!
GUESTS
👤 Sophie BrookoverTOPICS
Announcement: 🏳️🌈 Pride Month Gift Exchange
Lead Topic: 🚀 Star City
Around The Dial: 🎥 Make That Movie
Around The Dial: 🏢 The Tower
Around The Dial: 🥪 Deli Boys
Around The Dial: 📹 Instadocs
The Canon: ⛪️ Designing Women S02.E20: How Great Thou Art
Winner & Loser: 👍 Anna Kendrick
Winner & Loser: 🦆 Jorge R. Gutierrez
Game Time: 📚 Screen SizesSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Sophie Brookover on Bluesky
👯♀️ The Two Bossy Dames newsletter
🏳️🌈 Pride Month gift exchange information and signup
👀 "Why You Should Be Watching Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" at GQ
🛎️ Downton Abbey on the Telly Visions podcast
📺 "9 Shows For '80s And '90s PBS And Masterpiece Kids" at Two Bossy Dames
📹 Sarah's Instadocs review at Best Evidence
🕰️ Sarah's Woman Of The Hour review at Best Evidence
🚪 Anthony Bourdain in Narnia at An Archive Of Our Own
📷 Photo: AppleCLUB-ONLY NOTES
🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
💬 Get On Our Community Discord -
The Stranger Things team (among others) is back with a similar “a community of X bands together against a supernatural force” story in The Boroughs, which features an all-star cast (Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Lester from The Wire) going up against [redacted] AND their own aches and pains. Does the actors’ group chemistry carry the story, or did it need to take one thing off? And have we maybe seen these ideas in other properties like The Descent and Man On The Inside? If that pairing of references didn’t give you whiplash, come Around The Dial with us for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, Animaniacs, The Bear‘s trip to Gary, IN, and a Drunk Dave recovery report before Dave takes us to a DIFFERENT old-folks home with his Aqua Teen Hunger Force Canon pitch. BAffleck won, Tom Hardy lost, and we all hoped Game Time would tie the whole episode together. Barge on in with a six-pack and some gossip: it’s an all-new Extra Hot Great.
GUESTS
👤 Devindra HardawarTOPICS
Announcement: 📢 Club Update
Lead Topic: 👴🏻 The Boroughs
Around The Dial: 😃 Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Around The Dial: 🗼 Animaniacs
Around The Dial: 🐻 The Bear
The Canon: 👨🦽➡️ Aqua Teen Hunger Force S03.E06: Little Brittle
Winner & Loser: ⚾️ Ben Affleck
Winner & Loser: 😡 Tom Hardy
Game Time: 🔌 Also Also Also ConnectSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
📺 Devindra Hardawar talks new TV tech on the Engadget podcast
🔥 The Extra Hot Great Club page
🌃 Tara on The Late Show finale at GQ
💥 Sarah's review of The Crash at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Netflix -
The last of the Emmy-begging shows are nearly behind us, which means it’s time to look ahead to what has historically been TV’s silliest season: summer! Alan Sepinwall and Kathryn VanArendonk, co-hosts of the new podcast TV Is Good, join us to share the shows they’re into; the shows they should be into but aren’t; the shows no one should be into; and the “Good For You!” shows that aren’t for them but have a right to exist. Wendy pitches “Take My Finals, Please” from The Facts Of Life for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, we close on a Non-Regulation Game Time worth singing about. Close all your blinds against the blazing sun and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Alan Sepinwall
👤 Kathryn VanArendonkTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🏖️ Summer TV Preview
The Canon: 📙 The Facts Of Life S04.E22: Take My Finals, Please
Winner & Loser: 🤠 The Lowdown
Winner & Loser: 🎙️ AMC
Game Time: 🎼 Tube Tunes XVIISUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Alan Sepinwall on Bluesky
🦋 Kathryn VanArendonk on Bluesky
🦋 The TV Is Good podcast on Bluesky
📺 The TV Is Good podcast
🔥 EEHG 407
⛴️ “Why Widow’s Bay Is The Horror Comedy You Should Be Watching” at GQ
☘️ “Breakout Horror Comedy Star [Kate O’Flynn] Is Giving TV’s Best Performance” at The Daily Beast
🪞 Serling: A Journey Into The Twilight Zone With TV's First Visionary at Hachette
📰 The Best Evidence newsletter
🐽 Popular Mechanics at Fandom's Muppet wiki -
You hear us play Game Time, but only the bravest few dare attempt it themselves. Laura, Mike, and Rob face off in a trio of Game Times, one written by each co-host. Listen to find out how many winners there are among them!
GUESTS
👤 Rob Hartmann
👤 Laura Hampton
👤 Mike SeifertTOPICS
Game Time: 📚 Stacks-onomy Of Episodes
Game Time: 🔠 One Letter Off
Game Time: 🫥 Oh! I Didn't See You ThereSUPPORT THE SHOW
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🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site -
Two past and future EHG guests and one listener are showcased in this special episode. First, the good: Mlle. Caroline's pitch for the fourth episode of BBC's 1995 Pride & Prejudice, and Dan Cassino deep (sea) dive on Iron Chef's "Squid Battle." Bringing up the rear is Wendy's Nonac pitch for The Great British Bake Off's infamous "Mexican Week." Warning: might make you hungry for a giant ham, squid pizza, and "TACK-os."
TOPICS
The Canon: 🏰 Pride & Prejudice (1995) S01.E04
The Canon: 🦑 Iron Chef S03.E23: Squid Battle
The Nonac: 🌮 The Great British Bake Off S13.E04: Mexican WeekSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site -
Krystal Farmer helps us keep turning EHG into a hoops pod by coming back to talk about Running Point's second season: why it works, what it (perhaps wisely?) hand-waves, whose idea it was to cast such short kings as NBA players, and whether a certain former WB heartthrob is getting a back-door NHL pilot. We went Around The Dial with Call The Midwife, a Jerry West documentary, and Killing Grounds: The Gilgo Beach Murders before Julie did a song-and-dance routine on behalf of a final-season Mad Men episode for the Canon. Good reporting won, a bad Housewife lost, and Game Time once again asked us to guess the horny hearts of the average IMDb user. Was there a buzzer-beater? You'll have to listen to find out.
GUESTS
👤 Krystal FarmerTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🏀 Running Point
Around The Dial: 🍼 Call The Midwife
Around The Dial: ⛹🏻♂️ Jerry West: The Logo
Around The Dial: 🏖️ Killing Grounds: The Gilgo Beach Murders
The Canon: 👨🚀 Mad Men S07.E07: Waterloo
Winner & Loser: 😵💫 Tessa Stuart
Winner & Loser: 🥒 Jill Zarin
Game Time: 🤩 TV Popularity Contest IIISUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🪙 Krystal Farmer's Two Cents Plus Tax podcast
🦋 Krystal on Bluesky
⛹🏽♀️ The WNBA
🏀 Our discussion of Running Point in EHG 552
🌮 Tara's Rockford Files manifesto at Defector
🐶 How to help Forte Animal Rescue
🏖️ Sarah's Killing Grounds review at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Katrina Marcinowski / Netflix -
Beef has returned with more than twice the beefs (or beeves, if you will); Phillip Maciak has also returned to talk about whether it still sizzles. Around The Dial takes us through S05 of The Boys, Saturday Night Live, and Untold: Jail Blazers. Phillip pitches the New Girl episode "Normal" for induction into The Canon. And we close things up with the Winner and Loser of the week, skipping Game Time out of respect for Dave's frail constitution. Slather up with some of that fancy Korean sunscreen and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Phillip MaciakTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🥩 Beef
Around The Dial: 🦹 The Boys
Around The Dial: 🌃 Saturday Night Live
Around The Dial: 🏀 Untold: Jail Blazers
The Canon: 🗽 New Girl S01.E20: Normal
Winner & Loser: 🚔 Matt LeBlanc
Winner & Loser: ⚖️ Law & Order: Organized CrimeSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Phillip Maciak on Bluesky
🪐 "Cousin Planet - SNL" on YouTube
🚙 "Car Song - SNL" on YouTube
📲 "DTF St. Louis Is An Utterly Original Drama Of Male Loneliness" at The New Republic
🏀 "You've Watched Untold: Jail Blazers. What's Next?" at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Netflix -
Alas, our planned guest Devindra Hardawar couldn't join us after all -- but we forged ahead with our discussion of The Audacity, whose all-star cast didn't save the show from feeling superfluous. Should you give AMC's takedown of crappy rich Californians a try, or just watch Succession again? We went Around The Dial with Margo's Got Money Problems, Love, Ted Bundy, and the new season of Taskmaster before Dave was Not A Crackpot about live-task editing. Tara hoped a Season 16 episode of Bob's Burgers would make a perfect Canon fit. Joel Kinnaman won, Euphoria lost, and Sarah caught strays for her Chewbacca imitation in a copyright-compliant Non-Regulation Game Time. Someone light a match; it's an all-new Extra Hot Great.
TOPICS
Lead Topic: 💾 The Audacity
Around The Dial: 💸 Margo's Got Money Problems
Around The Dial: 💘 Love, Ted Bundy
Around The Dial: 💌 Taskmaster
Around The Dial: 🍔 Bob's Burgers S16.E07: Tube For Tina
Winner & Loser: 🥵 Joel Kinnaman
Winner & Loser: 🐶 Euphoria
Game Time: 🤫 Secret Invitation CodeSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🧑🦱 Billy Magnussen got a perm to play Duncan
🦹 Devindra Hardawar discussed The Franchise with us in EHG 531
🏥 Tara on bad fans of The Pitt for GQ
🖤 Sarah's full review of Love, Ted Bundy at Best Evidence
👀 Game Time Answer Sheet
📷 Photo: AMC -
With its series adaptation of The Handmaid's Tale a major awards success for Hulu, the logical next step is an adaptation of its sequel novel, The Testaments, revolving around the privileged young women of Gilead being prepared for their lives as Commanders' Wives; Alison Herman returns to discuss the latest project on Chase Infiniti's extremely prestigious CV. Around The Dial takes us through Hacks S05, DTF St. Louis, and The Truth And Tragedy Of Moriah Wilson. Mary pitches the Heated Rivalry episode "I'll Believe In Anything" for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that has a lot of love to give. Make yourself some cinnamon toast and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Alison HermanTOPICS
Lead Topic: ✝️ The Testaments
Around The Dial: 🤣 Hacks
Around The Dial: 📱 DTF St. Louis
Around The Dial: 📹 The Truth And Tragedy Of Moriah Wilson
The Canon: 🏒 Heated Rivalry S01.E05: I'll Believe In Anything
Winner & Loser: ❤️🔥 David E. Kelley
Winner & Loser: 🏁 RuPaul's Drag Race
Game Time: 💋 Lip MashersSUPPORT THE SHOW
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🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Alison Herman on Bluesky
🌴 The Again With This podcast
👊 The New Techniques In Modern Practical Combat podcast
✍️ Alison at Variety
🎶 The Dolly 64 Season on Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs
🎞️ TCM's The Plot Thickens podcast
👾 "Drag Race Interrupts Its Art With AI Slop" at Reality Blurred
📷 Photo: Disney / Steve WilkieCLUB-ONLY NOTES
🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
💬 Get On Our Community Discord -
For All Mankind, aka "Space Show," may be laboring under 15 tons of old-age makeup -- but the panel, and guest David J. Roth, are here for it. Maybe in space, the makeup is weightless? Or maybe it's a handful of good performances amid the non-credible writing, or the show's occasional foray into lunatic interstellar action (and Martian pizza franchising) -- but if you're not already watching, you're excused to go Around The Dial with us for SNL UK, Color Theories By Julio Torres, DTF St. Louis, The Lowdown's first-season finale, and Last One Laughing UK. Dave celebrated a Netflix-programming Tiny Triumph, and Tara made an arresting case for a fifth-season Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Laura Dern won, Star Trek's modern franchises lost, and clear eyes and full hearts couldn't lose in a sports-centric Game Time. Start your sol off right with an all-new Extra Hot Great!
GUESTS
👤 David J. RothTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🪐 For All Mankind
Around The Dial: 💂🏻 Saturday Night Live UK
Around The Dial: 🎨 Color Theories By Julio Torres
Around The Dial: 📱 DTF St. Louis
Around The Dial: 📚 The Lowdown
Around The Dial: 🤣 Last One Laughing UK
Tiny Triumph: 🏛️ Kennedy
The Canon: 📦 Brooklyn Nine-Nine S05.E14: The Box
Winner & Loser: 🔪 Laura Dern
Winner & Loser: 🚀 Star Trek
Game Time: 🏟️ 19 Questions: Sports EditionSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🏀 David J. Roth at Defector
👊 Roth on the suburban-guy-vs.-Reacher kerfuffle
👋 Alan Sepinwall bails For All Mankind
🎙️ Tara's Dan Bucatinsky interview at Decider
🍝 The Soprano Ten at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Apple -
This is an un-vaulting of EEHG 388. Haaaaappy holidays! Return with us now to December 3, 1980 -- and all the utterly of-their-time commercials (and by "their time," we kind of mean the '70s) from a rerun of an After School Special, including Barbie food, fights over fluoride, and the worst baby-doll ever. We're also answering your Ask EHG questions about real-life tropes and memorable magazines, and Tara is muttering "Rosebud" in the direction of the Tiny Canon; our Not Quite Top 11 Lists explore roadside attractions and board games. Then we're unwrapping the most important boxes of television. Hop on the Starburst-coaster and join us!
TOPICS
Lead Topic: 🪥 December 3, 1980 Commercials
Ask EHG: ☕️ Standard coffee orders
Tiny Canon: 🛷 The Kids In The Hall S01.E03
Not Quite Top 11: 📍 Best Roadside America Destinations Worth Visiting Between Each Leg Of A Road Trip Comprising TV Shows With American Cities In Their Titles
Not Quite Top 11: 🎲 TV Shows That You Initially Think Should Absolutely NOT Have A Branded Board Game, But Then The More You Think About It, The More You’re Like, But How Would That Even Work, Wait Actually I Kind Of Want To Play That Now
Not Quite Top 11: 💩 Least Enticing Holiday TV Episode Titles
KRTMATIWOTVLM: 🏠 Little House On The Prairie S04.E15: Whisper Country
Extra Credit: 📦 Important TV Boxes
Mini: 🎄 Holiday Varieties (Dec 2016)SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🤑 The 12/3/80 ad reel on YouTube
🥃 Or watch "The Late Great Me! Story Of A Teenage Alcoholic"
📦 "The One With Chandler In A Box"
👋 Long Gone
🎂 Kendall’s “Too Much Birthdays” meltdown
📤 “The Farnsworth Parabox” -
This is an un-vaulting of EEHG 376. For this year's special This Week In TV History episode, we're journeying back to 1996 for February sweeps -- specifically, the week of February 21-27 -- and investigating all the starry stunts the networks AND premium cable channels were busting out to capture audiences. Leading (with its chin) is The Late Shift, HBO's TV movie take on Bill Carter's nonfiction book about Jay Leno and David Letterman's battle to replace Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. Did these stupid human tricks enthrall us? Adam Sternbergh returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us to an all-CBS-Monday-sitcoms event featuring Elizabeth Taylor, a string of black pearls, and her new Black Pearls fragrance; the many non-Friends and Seinfeld sitcoms NBC tried to launch on Thursday nights in the 90s; ER's Season 2 episode "The Healers"; and the sci-fi drama Nowhere Man. Dave pitches "Homer The Smithers" from The Simpsons for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week of February 21-27's biggest Winner and Loser, it's on to a VERY questionable game time. Listen in -- you don't have to do it crouched next to a phone playing it in the next room, but you might be surprised by what you get out of it if you do!
GUESTS
👤 Adam SternberghTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🌙 The Late Shift
Around The Dial: 💎 CBS's Elizabeth Taylor Night
Around The Dial: 🪦 NBC's Must-See TV Graveyard
Around The Dial: 🏥 ER S02.E16: The Healers
Around The Dial: 🗺️ Nowhere Man
The Canon: 🥣 The Simpsons S07.E17: Homer The Smithers
Winner & Loser: 💯 Almost Perfect
Winner & Loser: 🖖 Over-invested Star Trek Fans
Game Time: 🤔 19 Questions: 1995-96 TV Season EditionSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
📚 Adam Sternbergh's website
📰 Dick Cavett's review of The Late Shift in the New York Times
🌴 Again With Again With This 161: Let's Watch Nicholle Tom In The Series Premiere Of The Nanny! [subscription required]
🫥 "10 Forgotten 90s Sitcoms That Still Work Today" at Cracked
👩🏻⚕️ Our ER draft episode
💯 Almost Perfect on Wikipedia
📷 Photo: HBO -
The third Bill Lawrence show to début or return in 2026 Q1 is Rooster, loosely "What if Carl Hiaasen had a daughter he needed to help through her divorce from a fellow prof at a New England liberal arts college by taking a job there?" College English instructor Robert Krut returns to discuss whether it's worth auditing. Around The Dial lands on Vladimir, The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins, Chris Fleming: Live At The Palace, The Lowdown, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, and Young Sherlock. Bobby pitches the 9-1-1 episode "Karma's A Bitch" for induction into The Canon. Then, after identifying the week's Winner and Loser (promulgating a conspiracy theory along the way), we go to the head of the class for Non-Regulation Game Time. Get yourself some warm nuts and join us!
GUESTS
👤 Robert KrutTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🐓 Rooster
Around The Dial: 📚 Vladimir
Around The Dial: 🏈 The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins
Around The Dial: 🕺 Chris Fleming: Live At The Palace
Around The Dial: 🤠 The Lowdown
Around The Dial: 💷 Peaky Blinders The Immortal Man
Around The Dial: 🔎 Young Sherlock
The Canon: 🌳 9-1-1 S01.E08: Karma's A Bitch
Winner & Loser: 📜 The Lowdown
Winner & Loser: 👎 Carrie Underwood
Game Time: 👩🏫 Teacher Appreciation WeekSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
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🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Robert Krut on Bluesky
✍️ Tara at Decider
📖 Robert Krut's Website
🗣️ Dirty Talk (featuring Sarah) on Hulu
📷 Katrina Marcinowski/HBO -
R.J. Decker is a photojournalist-turned-private investigator who originated in a novel by Carl Hiaasen. Is he more than just the network-TV version of Bad Monkey? Kim Reed returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us to Nate Bargatze's new ABC game show The Greatest Average American, and all over the current reality landscape: The Traitors S04, Survivor 50, House Of Villains S03, and Australian Survivor: Redemption. Julie offers an argument for The Good Wife episode "Closing Arguments" to be inducted into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we close up with a flat and grassy Non-Regulation Game Time. Leave your trailer precariously balanced on the edge of a sinkhole and join us!
GUESTS
👤 Kim ReedTOPICS
Announcement: 📢 Discord Re-org
Lead Topic: 🦩 R.J. Decker
Around The Dial: 🤷♂️ The Greatest Average American
Around The Dial: 🏝️ Reality Roundup
The Canon: 🧤 The Good Wife S02.E23: Closing Arguments
Winner & Loser: 🏴 Groundskeeper Willie
Winner & Loser: 🍷 Possibly Sonja Morgan
Game Time: 🌾 Little Houses On The PrairieNOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Kim Reed on Bluesky
🎤 Chris Fleming: Live At The Palace on HBO Max
🗡️ "The Traitors Needs To Ban Housewives" by Joe Reid at Vulture [subscription required]
📷 Photo: ABCCLUB-ONLY NOTES
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Paradise is back for a whole new season of [major spoiler redacted]. After we made guest Alyson Lewis cram 11 episodes in a week, is she mad at us, or delighted to welcome her favorite new show into her life? Listen to find out. Around The Dial takes us through Reality Check: America's Next Top Model, Tales Of The Unexpected, and The Rockford Files. Tara pitches Northern Exposure's S02 premiere, "Goodbye To All That," for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we close up with a Non-Regulation Game Time about matching titles to shows. Saddle up your ride and join us!
GUESTS
👤 Alyson LewisTOPICS
Lead Topic: 🏝️ Paradise
Around The Dial: 💃 Reality Check: America's Next Top Model
Around The Dial: ⁉️ Tales Of The Unexpected
Around The Dial: 🕵🏻♂️ The Rockford Files
The Canon: 🫎 Northern Exposure S02.E01: Goodbye To All That
Winner & Loser: 🥖 The Hunt
Winner & Loser: 🌽 Caleb Flynn
Game Time: 3️⃣ Three-Title ProblemSUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🏒 The Overdue podcast episode on the Heated Rivalry book
😵💫 Alyson's newsletter, Yes I Was High
👋 "Goodbye To All That" by Joan Didion, from Slouching Towards Bethlehem
📷 Photo: Ser Baffo / Disney -
The latest true-life story from the Ryan Murphy factory is Love Story, all about John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Was our 90s nostalgia powerful enough to get us past its taste issues? Jessica Morgan returns to talk about it. Around The Dial stops at Going Dutch Season 2 (NOT Tara's favorite show, but she does like it!) and Summer House. Dave wonders if a certain recent piece of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is Worse Than Jazz. Tara pitches "The Modernization Of Emily" from The Bob Newhart Show for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we end on a Non-Regulation Game Time that might be a tough sell. Put down your vintage copy of People's Sexiest Man Alive (1988) and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Jessica MorganTOPICS
Lead Topic: 💙 Love Story
Around The Dial: 🇳🇱 Going Dutch
Around The Dial: 🩳 Summer House
Is This Worse Than Jazz?: 💦 A specific line delivered by Paul Giamatti in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
The Canon: 🛋️ The Bob Newhart Show S02.E17: The Modernization Of Emily
Winner & Loser: 🦍 Saturday Night Live
Winner & Loser: 🍝 Jimmy Fallon
Game Time: 💰 Promotional Considerations IISUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Jessica Morgan on Bluesky
✍️ Tara's Decider author page (where you can find her recaps of Love Story and James Van Der Beek tribute)
👗 Go Fug Yourself
🍸 The Drinks With Broads newsletter
🦷 Peter Bonerz wearing the Tommy Tooth shirt
📷 Photo: FX - Vis mere