Phony (S01E01-02)

Adult Swim's Get Jiro!, based on the graphic novels by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose, takes place in a dystopian Los Angeles where celebrity chefs have essentially become mob bosses. Brian Tee voices Jiro, a mysterious sushi chef whose strict standards can have some pretty deadly consequences.On the podcast, we discuss the first seven episodes, including Jiro's backstory, sushi etiquette, and a prison escape. We also get into Bourdain's inspirations, comparisons to other shows, critical reception, and our ultimate thoughts and rating. Tune in, and welcome to Today's Episode!

Bass Reeves is back! While Taylor Sheridan is off on his yacht making billion-dollar shows with NBCUniversal or whatever, Netflix has decided history needs a refresh. When a genius intern asked if someone could One Piece the Civil War, the idea was born, and now we have Paper Boi voicing half-man half-gun Bass Reeves.On the podcast, we break down this version of Bass: Bass the bounty hunter versus Bass the lawman. Given the crazy genre mash-up, we've got comparisons, soundtrack, cyborg/android tech, and plot to talk about. Tune in, and find out whether this show is on track to make our Best or Worst Ofs next month.Welcome to Today's Episode!

This fall, Helluva Boss returned for the first part of its third season. The dark animated musical comedy, created by Vivienne “VivziePop” Medrano, takes place in the same universe as its sister show, Hazbin Hotel. Now entering its penultimate season, the series continues to follow the dysfunctional ensemble behind I.M.P., Hell's very own assassination business.From Stolas and Blitzø to Millie, Moxxie, pregnancies, breakups, reunions, family trauma, and murder. It's an ambitious bit of storytelling with an impressive voice cast, but does it manage to pull everything off?Tune in to hear our thoughts, comparisons, predictions, and ultimate rating. Welcome to Today's Episode!

What if your mom wasn't your mom? That's the situation Sonny Cooke finds himself in after the two-episode premiere of Hulu's Phony, a coming-of-age comedy mixed with a potentially supernatural mystery. Connie Britton stars in a show that presents a dark situation with a Disney-lite backlit atmosphere.On the podcast, we discuss what we think might be going on, where the show succeeds, and whether we'll keep watching. Is Sonny a reliable narrator? Who can we trust? Is this The Changeling in reverse, or something closer to The Truman Show? With Halloween tomorrow, everyone's getting ready to pretend to be someone else, this show feels pretty topical.Tune in for our review and rating. Welcome to Today’s Episode.

Yaga, based on Kat Sandler’s stage play and inspired by the Slavic legend of Baba Yaga, is a new Crave series that follows private investigator Charlie Rapp as he searches for the missing heir to a wealthy fishing family. Between the suspicious locals, a bone-obsessed professor, and a doppelgänger, the investigation leaves plenty of unanswered questions.On the podcast, we discuss the first two episodes, “The Burning Man” and “Dark Solstice,” covering the questionable detective work, bizarre flirting, parties, and witch narration. We also get into the show's production, folklore, and, of course, some relevant comparisons.Tune in for our review and rating. Welcome to Today’s Episode.

Four years after The Terminal List premiered on Prime Video, Chris Pratt returns as James Reece for an eight-episode second season based on Jack Carr’s novel True Believer. After getting revenge on everyone responsible for the deaths of his family and SEAL team, Reece is now a wanted man living in isolation, while journalist Katie Buranek finds herself caught up in a new international conspiracy.On the podcast, we discuss the season premiere, “Romulus S.V.,” from Reece’s time at sea to Katie’s investigation and a deadly motorcade attack. We also get into the connections to The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, changes from the novel, the returning cast, production trivia, and how the series compares with other Dad-TV favorites like Reacher and Jack Ryan.Tune in for our review and rating. Welcome to Today’s Episode!

A24 and Peacock may seem like odd bedfellows, but ’tis the time of year. Crystal Lake, a new horror series exploring the origins of the Friday the 13th franchise, dropped earlier this week. Set in the early 1970s and starring Velma Cardellini as Pam, a grieving mother whose son Jason drowned at summer camp, the show gives us a firsthand look at how one of the most infamous slasher franchises was born.On the podcast, we break down the 56-minute premiere, “Camp Crystal,” and discuss the show's dark sense of humor, gruesome violence, and the larger mystery surrounding Pamela's past. We also get into some trivia, the show's wild production, comparisons to other modern horror series, and our ultimate thoughts and rating.Welcome to Today’s Episode!

The Vision (Paul Bettany) is back in Marvel Television’s VisionQuest, the third and final installment in the trilogy after WandaVision and Agatha All Along. With all his old memories but none of the emotional connections that came with them, this Vision has spent the past few years tending bar and hanging out in a mansion inside his own head. His housemates are a collection of old AI programs that helped shape his original personality, including Ultron (James Spader).On the podcast, we break down the first two episodes, “No Strings” and “Theseus.” Rather than recapping the plot (the show does that fairly succinctly at the start of each episode), we tackle the bigger questions: What does the return of Tommy Maximoff mean? What's Ultron up to? Who's the new big bad? And how does this compare to the rest of 2026’s small-screen superhero offerings? We also work in some AI trivia before ultimately landing on our rating.Tune in, and welcome to Today’s Episode!

CBS keeps up its love of supernatural sitcoms with Eternally Yours, a new comedy from the creators of the hit U.S. version of Ghosts.Charles and Liz are vampires approaching their half-millennium anniversary, but unfortunately, their marriage has hit a serious rut. Think Young Frankenstein after the honeymoon phase has worn off. Set in present-day 2026, things get even more complicated when their daughter, Emma, starts dating a human. The catch? He just happens to be a Social Security investigator looking into why someone in the family has been collecting checks for 125 years.On this episode of Today’s Episode, we break down the pilot and our first impressions, test our knowledge with some supernatural and vampire-show trivia, discuss the familiar-looking cast, and process Trent O’Donnell’s increasingly busy schedule.Tune in to hear our thoughts and ultimate rating for the premiere. Welcome to Today’s Episode!

Mike Flanagan takes on another Stephen King novel with this year’s series adaptation of Carrie on Prime Video. This modern retelling has all the familiar ingredients, blood, anxiety, and all, but expands the story beyond its titular character by giving the surrounding ensemble their own personal demons.On the podcast, we break down the premiere, “First Period,” and discuss this new take on Carrie White, along with the show’s homages to the original story and movie. From the updated high school setting to the cast and comparisons like 13 Reasons Why and Welcome to Derry, we highlight what the show already excels at, what tempers our enthusiasm, and whether it’s worth binging before Halloween.Tune in to hear our thoughts and rating. Welcome to Today’s Episode!