521: Whiling Away Dark Times With The Decameron

None of us necessarily expected to recommend a comics-IP property featuring Colin Farrell under pounds of prosthetic make-up -- but we all liked it, including returning guest Richard Lawson. We talked about how it surprised us, the small feature-film stories it seemed to contain, whether it should have let the real Farrell shine through, and who's the season MVP (spoiler: Cristin Milioti). Then we went Around The Dial with the new Matlock, Alex vs. America, and Ryan Murphy's take on the brothers Menendez before Richard battled at least five Cynthia Nixon performances to get a Law & Order: SVU episode into the Canon. Friends won, Cold Case lost ("....AAeeeEnNNNGhhHHHHH!"), and Erica introduced us to a hard-fought Game Time. Waddle on over to your podcast app and have a listen! GUESTS 👤 Richard Lawson TOPICS Lead Topic: 🐧 The Penguin Around The Dial: ⚖️ Matlock (2024) Around The Dial: 👩‍🍳 Alex Vs America Around The Dial: 👯‍♂️ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story The Canon: 🔪 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit S09.E01: Alternate Winner & Loser: 👍 Friends Winner & Loser: 👎 Cold Case Game Time: 4️⃣ Four At A 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 ✍🏻 Richard Lawson at Vanity Fair 🐧 Richard's review of The Penguin 📍 Tara's Bashir Salahuddin interview at Cracked 🎙️ Tara's Natasha Rothwell interview 🔪 Sarah's review of Monsters at Best Evidence 👯‍♂️ And Richard's at VF 👩🏼‍💻 Sarah's Canon pitch for "Avatar" 📷 Photo: Macall Polay / HBO

An ex-Lost writer brings a French crime show to America with Kaitlin Olson as the extraordinarily intelligent cleaner who becomes the LAPD's newest consultant; we tell you whether it's the rare network show that deserves an hour of your life each week. Around The Dial takes us through the second-season premiere of Tulsa King, HBO's new doc David Chase & The Sopranos, and The Sniffer. Mlle. Caroline takes another run at getting a Psych into The Canon with "Last Night Gus" (and we also salute JMak, a Patreon supporter who added it to our Forcening pool). Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we drive Metallicar right into a Non-Regulation Game Time. Unlike a church, you can face whatever direction you want as you listen! TOPICS Lead Topic: 🧠 High Potential Around The Dial: 🤴 Tulsa King Around The Dial: 🔫 Wise Guy: David Chase & The Sopranos Around The Dial: 👃 The Sniffer The Canon: 🍩 Psych S06.E02: Last Night Gus Winner & Loser: 👍 Tim Robinson Winner & Loser: 👎 Netflix's doc series Martha Game Time: 👻 Is This Supernatural? 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 🧠 Daniel Fienberg's High Potential review at The Hollywood Reporter 🍳 Tara's review of Frasier (2023) S02 🎶 Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs on Patreon 📷 Photo: Disney / Pamela Littky

Writer and critic Sonia Saraiya is back to bid summer adieu with a discussion of Netflix's The Perfect Couple, a six-part murder mystery among the rich and unbearable that's aiming for Revenge and Succession vibes -- but does it work? The panel has mixed feelings...except about the beautiful locations, and the star wattage of Meghann Fahy. After we rinsed off the sand, we went Around The Dial with Adam Sandler's latest special, the first season of BoJack Horseman, and The Challenge, and Julie hoped a great first date would lead to something Canon-ical with her pitch for Looking. Lee Daniels won, Bosch: Legacy (and Sarah's years-long runner) lost, and we tried to figure out who the IMDb considered most likely to succeed in Game Time. Take a break from chipping balls into the bay and have a listen! GUESTS 👤 Sonia Saraiya TOPICS Announcement: 📢 Club Campaign Update Lead Topic: 👩🏼‍❤️‍👨🏻 The Perfect Couple Around The Dial: 😜 Adam Sandler: Love You Around The Dial: 🐴 Bojack Horseman Around The Dial: 🏃🏻‍♂️ The Challenge The Canon: 👀 Looking S01.E05: Looking for the Future Winner & Loser: 👍 Lee Daniels Winner & Loser: 👎 Bosch: Legacy Game Time: 🤩 TV Popularity Contest II 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 🐦 Cross the Sonia Saraiya drawbridge on X 💃 The Perfect Couple cast vs. the dance sequence 😆 IndieWire on the Sandler special's fake comedy club 🙋‍♂️ Tara's review of Universal Basic Guys at Cracked 😽 Bookstore Cats on Instagram 🐈 Find a foster or rescue org near you 📷 Photo: Netflix CLUB-ONLY NOTES 🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To 💬 Get On Our Community Discord

We are off this week due to holiday travel but present you with this EHG Club unlock. EEHG 294: Discussing A Scorching Burn Notice Susanna invited us to check out the Burn Notice episode "Bad Breaks," and we were thrilled! Find out why that was the episode Susanna picked and exactly what two BN veterans and one new arrival thought about it. Ask EHG has us pondering our hypothetical Family Feud garb, the avatars we use on our various streaming platforms, and more. Then we each name our Not Quite Winners And Losers Of The Week, and close things up with another round of Now You Know Your ABCTVs. Put down your yogurt and join us! TOPICS Lead Topic: 🏦 Burn Notice S02.E13: Bad Breaks Ask EHG: 🙋🏼‍♀️ 1.5x Shows Winner & Loser: 👍 American Idol Winner & Loser: 👎 Netflix's safety coordinators Winner & Loser: 👍 Netflix Winner & Loser: 👎 Quiet On Set Winner & Loser: 👍 Family Guy Winner & Loser: 👎 Family Guy KRTMATIWOTVLM: 🦷 The Brady Bunch S04.E13: Love and the Older Man Extra Credit: 🔤 Now You Know Your ABCTVs 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 🏦 Burn Notice S02.E13: Bad Breaks on Hulu 📷 Photo: USA Network

As August continues letting us down in the TV premiere department, we take a look back -- waaaaaaaaay back, to 1974, when Dark Shadows creator Dan Curtis slapped his name on a TV movie version of Dracula written by Richard "I Am Legend" Matheson and starring Jack "One-Armed Pushups" Palance. Since we've previously subjected Nick Rheinwald-Jones to other Dracula adaptations, it falls to him to return and discuss it with us. Around The Dial spins around to Emily In Paris, Mastermind, the comedy specials of James Acaster, We Are Lady Parts, and Everwood. Nick makes his pitch for the S03 finale of The Bear to be inducted into The Canon. Finally, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we end on a Game Time that comes to us in triplicate. Wash your neck and join us! GUESTS 👤 Nick Rheinwald-Jones TOPICS Lead Topic: 🧛🏻‍♂️ Dan Curtis's Dracula Around The Dial: 🥖 Emily In Paris Around The Dial: 🧠 Mastermind Around The Dial: 🤣 James Acaster's comedy specials Around The Dial: 👛 We Are Lady Parts Around The Dial: 🪵 Everwood The Canon: 🧸 The Bear S03.E10: Forever Winner & Loser: 👍 ₖₑₗₗᵧ ᵣₑᵢₗₗᵧ Winner & Loser: 👎 Good Omens Game Time: ☘️ Three Of Those 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 🦋 Nick Rheinwald-Jones on Bluesky ⚰️ Dan Curtis's Dracula on JustWatch 🎧 The Demi, Myself & I podcast 🦢 Sarah's review of Feud: Capote vs. The Swans at Best Evidence 🥨 Shappy Pretzel

The USA Network is apparently making original shows...that should be streaming shows, like The Anonymous, which throws The Traitors, Big Brother, and a number of other alliance-based reality shows into a blender. Kari Race is back to discuss whether it's a concoction worth drinking, given all the AI dad jokes, dead air, and inappropriate cliffhangers in the first three episodes. Then we went Around The Dial with Taskmaster NZ, Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee, and Homicide: LOTS. Mr. Throwback won (a timeslot), Teresa Giudice lost (again), and Tube Tunes got stuck in our heads again during Non-Regulation Game Time. Take a break from screaming at a pizza slice and have a listen! GUESTS 👤 Kari Race TOPICS Lead Topic: 🫥 The Anonymous Lead Topic: 🥝 Taskmaster New Zealand Lead Topic: 🔤 Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee Lead Topic: 🔫 Homicide: Life On The Street Lead Topic: 🤥 Would I Lie To You S17.E09 Lead Topic: 👍 Mr. Throwback Lead Topic: 👎 Teresa Giudice Lead Topic: 🎶 Tube Tunes XIV 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 📻 Listen to more Kari Race at Charlie's '80s Attic 💄 Listen To Sassy 🔫 Alan Sepinwall's Homicide episode recs at Rolling Stone 🏆 EHG 207's Homicide Canon 📈 EEHG 163's post-Homicide power rankings 🏀 EEHG 310 on Mr. Throwback 🌴 Again With Again With This 📷 Photo: Rico Torres / USA Network

Florida transplant Al Lowe Huff is back to talk about Bad Monkey, the Apple TV adaptation of Carl Hiassen's Sunshine State-noir book, and the ways it lets Vince Vaughn's...Vince Vaughn-ing find the apex of its expression. We also discussed the show's great casting, realtor shade, meta voice-overs, and unwelcome references to True Detective before we went Around The Dial with Couples Therapy, My Life Is Murder, and the fifth season of Justified. Hallie had one more thing for us to consider in a Nonac pitch for a 1990s zombie Columbo, before The Gilded Age won and a Red Sock lost. Finally, we wedged in a sequel to a Trivial Pursuit-based Game Time, so load up your battered vintage cooler with an armload of popsicles and join us! GUESTS 👤 Allison Lowe Huff TOPICS Lead Topic: 🐒 Bad Monkey Around The Dial: 🛋️ Couples Therapy Around The Dial: 💀 My Life Is Murder Around The Dial: 🤠 Justified The Nonac: 🧥 Columbo S10.E05: No Time To Die Winner & Loser: 👍 The Gilded Age Winner & Loser: 👎 Jarren Duran Game Time: 🥧 The Return Of Televisual Pursuit 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 🙉 Tara's Bad Monkey review at Cracked 🩻 We're talking about Scrubs on AWAWT later this week! 📚 Save on "headliner" true crime at Exhibit B. Books

Autumn is nearly upon us again, but all we care about is TV. That's why we've invited back Alexandra Collins and Daniel MacEachern to look at the calendar of forthcoming premieres and make our picks in the categories of Shows We're Into; Shows We Should Be Into But Aren't; the all-new "Happy For You" category for shows we don't care about but don't begrudge others enjoying; and Shows No One Should Be Into. Tara pitches the 9-1-1-: Lone Star episode "Everyone And Their Brother" for induction into the Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that's gonna get itself, gonna get itself, gonna get itself connected. Wrap a scarf or five around your neck and join us! GUESTS 👤 Alex Collins 👤 Daniel MacEachern TOPICS Lead Topic: 🍂 Fall TV Preview The Canon: 🤠 9-1-1: Lone Star S02.E06: Everyone And Their Brother Winner & Loser: 👍 Jackson Pace Winner & Loser: 👎 Laurence Fox Game Time: 🔢 Extra Connect 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 🕶️ "Johnny Lawrence Is Right: Let's Live Like It's the '80s" at Cracked 📍 Planned Parenthood 💰 National Network Of Abortion Funds ✈️ Fund Texas Choice 🔦 "From the archives: The Best Evidence Watergate reader" at Best Evidence 🦠 "The N.L. government has been downplaying COVID-19 deaths for months" at the CBC's website 🧑‍🚒 "Fox Needs To Spend Its Summer Vacation Making Us More 9-1-1s" at Primetimer

The Decameron has come to Netflix in the form of a limited series from Teenage Bounty Hunters creator Kathleen Jordan. How has the centuries-old material change in the adaptation? Kathryn VanArendonk returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us to Futurama's latest season, My Lady Jane, and Shōgun. Kathryn makes the case for inducting the Bluey episode "Camping" into the Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that's "sticks of TNT"! Put down the onion you're using to dissipate pestilence miasma and listen! GUESTS 👤 Kathryn VanArendonk TOPICS Lead Topic: 🐀 The Decameron Around The Dial: 🤖 Futurama Around The Dial: 🏰 My Lady Jane Around The Dial: 🏯 Shōgun The Canon: 🐶 Bluey S01.E43: Camping Winner & Loser: 👍 General Hospital Winner & Loser: 👎 Billy Ray Cyrus Game Time: 🧠 CatchphraseGPT 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 🦤 Kathryn at Vulture 🐁 Kathryn's review of The Decameron at Vulture 🚀 Tara's review of Futurama S12 at Cracked ⏳ Tara's review of AppleTV+'s Time Bandits at Cracked 🤬 "SHOGUN - Swearing Compilation" on YouTube 🚔 The Docket 🏥 "Emma Samms Returns to 'General Hospital' as Holly" on Variety 📷 Photo: Giulia Parmigiani / Netflix

Monty Ashley returned not just to EHG but to the distant past, as the panel contemplated Peacock's ancient-Succession drama, Those About To Die. The CGI is pretty ancient too, but did any of the storylines make us want to keep watching? Did Sarah D. "Horse Girl" Bunting care about the stables subplot? And how much chariot-racing is too much? Then we neck-acted our way Around The Dial with Cobra Kai, The Boys, and the soothing Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories before clambering into a Dumpster for Monty's The Chris Gethard Show Canon submission. And finally, it was time to swear at-- er, IN a TV-president Game Time from Dan Cassino. Oscar-winners, grenades, and avant-garde casting choices around RFK Sr. in this all-new Extra Hot Great. GUESTS 👤 Monty Ashley TOPICS Lead Topic: 🏛️ Those About To Die Around The Dial: 🥋 Cobra Kai Around The Dial: 🍱 Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories Around The Dial: 🦹 The Boys The Canon: 🗑️ The Chris Gethard Show S02.E09: One Man's Trash Winner & Loser: 👍 The And Just Like That... prankster Winner & Loser: 👎 The CW Game Time: 🤷‍♂️ Executive Decision 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 Monty Ashley on Total Party Kill at The Incomparable Podcast Network 🥋 Tara's Cobra Kai review at Cracked 💿 The '90s Soundtrack Flashback mini-season at MASTAS 🗑️ Watch The Chris Gethard Show S02.E09: One Man's Trash on YouTube ⚾️ "A drive into deep left field"'s Wikipedia entry 📷 Photo: Reiner Bajo / Peacock CLUB-ONLY NOTES 🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To 💬 Get On Our Community Discord