563: Checking The Perimeter With Murderbot

We are off this week but present you with this EHG Club unlock of EEHG 343: Should You Sign On To With Love, Meghan? It's clear the former Meghan Markle wants to do something significant with her British-royal influence; it's also clear her new Netflix homekeeping show, With Love, Meghan, isn't that. Stephanie Early Green is back to talk about why it's so dull, what might have helped, and how Martha Stewart succeeded where Meghan Sussex fails. Ask EHG wondered who would replace Noel Fielding on GBBO and which characters we'd want on our bar-trivia teams, and then Tara pitched a lyrical SNL sketch for the Tiny Canon. And after we listed our Not Quite Winners and Losers of the week, Sarah's Extra Credit polled the panel on important princesses of television. Throw on a $300 linen apron and join us! GUESTS Stephanie Green TOPICS 15s Of Fame → The Good Swear Lead Topic → With Love, Meghan Ask EHG → Replacing Noel Fielding Tiny Canon → Saturday Night Live S38.E18: Vince Vaughn Winner & Loser → Poker Face Winner & Loser → Tracy Morgan Winner & Loser → The Last Of Us Winner & Loser → Keegan-Michael Key Winner & Loser → Prince's estate Winner & Loser → Running Point Winner & Loser → The Recruit Winner & Loser → Arrested Development Winner & Loser → Bachelor co-EPs Michael Margolis and Keely Booth Extra Credit → Important TV Princesses Mini → The Royal Them SUPPORT THE SHOW Join the EHG Club Shop our store EPISODE NOTES Full episode notes More from Stephanie Early Green at her website Vanity Fair's Harry 'n' Meghan cover story “Meghan Markle Pioneers New Frontiers in Unrelatability” by Kathryn VanArendonk at Vulture “The Meghan Interview” at People Photo: Netflix

Like a lot of family-owned businesses, Havenport, North Carolina's Buckley Fishery is having a rough go of it lately. If they can't make their nut and pay all their employees on fish alone, maybe...smuggling cocaine will make up the shortfall? What could go wrong?! Jessica Morgan returns to talk about the ways Kevin Williamson's new show crosses over with the one we know him for best (Dawson's Creek), and the ways it doesn't but that we WISH it would. Around The Dial takes us through Season 3 of The Gilded Age, The Valley, and Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy. Sarah pitches the Law & Order episode "Empire" -- aka "The Julia Roberts One" -- for induction into The Canon. Then, after identifying the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a game that's naming names -- lots of them. Grab a serving of fresh oysters and join us! GUESTS Jessica Morgan → https://extrahotgreat.com/guests/jessica-morgan/ TOPICS Announcement: EHG Mutual Aid Vault Lead Topic: The Waterfront Around The Dial: The Gilded Age Around The Dial: The Valley Around The Dial: Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy The Canon: Law & Order S09.E20: Empire Winner & Loser: Five-Star Weekend Winner & Loser: Ryan Murphy Game Time: Same Name Game SUPPORT THE SHOW Join the EHG Club → https://extrahotgreat.com/club/ Shop our store → https://throughmethods.com/ EPISODE NOTES Full episode notes → https://extrahotgreat.com/ehg-568/ Jessica Morgan on Bluesky → https://bsky.app/profile/fuggirls.bsky.social Extra Hot Great Club → https://extrahotgreat.com/club/ Contact Sarah about making a deposit to or withdrawal from the Extra Hot Great Mutual Aid Vault at [email protected] "Kevin Williamson Reveals How His Dad's Sordid Past Inspired New Crime Drama 'The Waterfront': 'He Paid The Price'" at the New York Post → https://nypost.com/2025/06/18/entertainment/kevin-williamsons-the-waterfront-inspired-by-dads-sordid-past/ "'Adults' Takes A Strong Stance On Abortion: Everyone Deserves Access, Including Jerks" at Cracked → https://www.cracked.com/article_47052_adults-takes-a-strong-stance-on-abortion-everyone-deserves-access-including-jerks.html Again With This's Membership Campaign → https://againwiththispodcast.com/campaign/ Go Fug Yourself → https://www.gofugyourself.com/ The Drinks With Broads Newsletter → https://drinkswithbroads.substack.com/ Save On True-Crime Paperbacks at Exhibit B. Books → https://exhibitbbooks.com/collections/paperbacks Photo: Dana Hawley / Netflix

And that truth is: none of us thinks you should bother, including returning guest Will Leitch, who agrees that We Were Liars moves too slowly; shows AND tells too fart-sniffily; wastes the talents of an impressive cast, including Mamie Gummer and David Morse; and is based on a property whose author sounds fake. We went Around The Dial with the very real The Chicken Sisters, Untold, and The Mortician before Tara's Canon pitch reunited us with Party Down's third-season premiere. General Hospital won, Doctor Odyssey (maybe??) lost, and Dan Cassino got us all a volume discount on long-running shows in Game Time. Cannonball verrrrrry sloooowwwly into our all-new episode now! GUESTS 👤 Will Leitch TOPICS Lead Topic: 🤥 We Were Liars Around The Dial: 🐔 The Chicken Sisters Around The Dial: 🏟️ Untold Around The Dial: 🪦 The Mortician Around The Dial: 👺 The Devil's Plan The Canon: 🎉 Party Down Party Down S03.E01 Winner & Loser: 🏥 General Hospital Winner & Loser: 🚢 Doctor Odyssey Game Time: 📺 Intermittent FASTing 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 🎶 Will Leitch on the Rick Astley/popularity conundrum 🏙️ Will at NYMag 📰 Will at WaPo 📚 Buy Will's books 🎉 EHG 448 on the return of Party Down 😝 Tara runs down the best non-Daily Show comedic performances by TDS cast on Cracked 💀 Sarah reviews The Mortician 📖 Exhibit B.'s paperback sale 📷 Photo: Amazon Content Services LLC

Summer is upon us, but what are we going to watch? Robert Krut joins us to help make our traditional lists of what we're into; what we should be into but aren't; what NO ONE should be into; and what's fine for others but not for us. Dave pitches the South Side episode "Treat Yourself" for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we close out with a Game Time that's pure poetry. Find a spot directly in front of a fan and join us! GUESTS 👤 Robert Krut TOPICS Announcement: 🏦 EHG Mutual Aid Vault Lead Topic: 🏖️ 2025 Summer TV Preview The Canon: 🦝 South Side S02.E01: Treat Yourself Winner & Loser: 👨‍🍳 Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach Winner & Loser: 🩰 Étoile Game Time: ☘️ There Once Was A Man From TV 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 🪶 Robert Krut's website 🌴 The Again With This Club campaign ✊ CHIRLA / Coalition For Humane Immigrant Rights 🙊 Sarah's review of Ask Not at Best Evidence 🏦 How to reach Sarah for Mutual Aid Vault withdrawals 🥮 EEHG 323, including Dave's "Treat Yourself" pitch for the Anger Tiny Canon 🎙️ Tara's interview with Bashir Salahuddin at Cracked

David T.'s beautiful son Taylor S. Cole is back to discuss Dept. Q, a Scottish take on a Nordic-noir book series that has the good sense not to mess with star Matthew Goode's face. Chemistry in trope-y scenes, why Scandi crime stories often have a submarine, whether the mystery needed so many episodes to solve -- we're talking about all of that AND recommending actually Nordic Nordic-noir TV if you liked Dept. Q. Then we're going Around The Dial with Mountainhead, The Rehearsal, and The Last Of Us S01 before seeing whether Taylor can do his entire The Studio Canon pitch before we lose the light. True-crime actors won, late night lost some more, and three was the magic number for one of us in Game Time. Throw on a nubbly sweater and join us! GUESTS 👤 Taylor Cole TOPICS Announcement: 📈 Club Campaign Announcement: 🎧 Incoming Apple Podcast Changes Lead Topic: 🛗 Dept. Q Around The Dial: 🏔️ Mountainhead Around The Dial: 👨‍✈️ The Rehearsal Around The Dial: 🍄 The Last Of Us The Canon: 🎥 The Studio S01.E02: The Oner Winner & Loser: 🪙 Anthony Boyle and Julia Garner Winner & Loser: 🌙 Late-night prestige Game Time: 3️⃣ 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 Taylor S. Cole at the G&T Podcast 🐝 Taylor's also headed to the This Had Oscar Buzz podcast 🪞 And the Demi Myself and I podcast 🐸 AND the Muppeturgy podcast ⛰️ Tara's Mountainhead review and ATX Festival coverage at Cracked 😻 Support Bookstore Cats 🔥 The Extra Hot Great Patreon 📷 Photo: Netflix

Matt Wolf (The Stroll) got unprecedented access to Paul Reubens, generally better known as his alter ego, Pee-wee Herman; Will Hines joins us to talk about what resulted from their 40 hours of interviews. Around The Dial takes us through Big Mouth's eighth and final season; The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox, and Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals. Sean makes his pitch for the "Long, Long Time" episode of The Last Of Us to be inducted into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that really knows the score. Put on your reddest bow tie and join us! GUESTS 👤 Will Hines TOPICS Lead Topic: 🚲 Pee-wee As Himself Around The Dial: 👄 Big Mouth Around The Dial: ⚾️ The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox Around The Dial: 🏀 Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals The Canon: 🍄 The Last Of Us S01.E03: Long, Long Time Winner & Loser: 📣 Taran Killam Winner & Loser: 🤬 Charles Barkley Game Time: 🎶 Stay Tuned 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 📸 Will Hines on Instagram 🫦 Tara's review of Big Mouth S08 at Cracked 🗣️ Tara's interview with Big Mouth co-creators Jennifer Flackett, Andrew Goldberg, and Mark Levin, at Cracked 🪲 The Screw It, We're Just Gonna Talk About The Beatles podcast 👤 Will Hines's website 🔎 Best Evidence 📷 Photo: Dennis Keeley/HBO

Vulture's Kathryn VanArendonk is back to talk about Apple TV+'s Murderbot, and whether the books do a better job of exploring questions of gender and essential humanity without Alexander Skarsgard's Ken-doll crotch confusing matters. Should YOU give it a watch? We went Around The Dial with Overcompensating, Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives, and Leverage: Redemption's third season before Anne offered another variation on the Utahn theme with a Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City Canon Presentation. Kelli Giddish won, Tom Hardy lost, and we all tried to survive the process of Venn-diagramming premiere and finale casting in Game Time. Hack into your governor modules and join us! GUESTS 👤 Kathryn VanArendonk TOPICS Lead Topic: 🤖 Murderbot Around The Dial: 🏋️‍♀️ Overcompensating Around The Dial: ⏳ Kids Right Now Shows Around The Dial: 🎭 The Rehearsal Around The Dial: 🤫 The Secret Lives Of Mormon Wives Around The Dial: 🥷 Leverage: Redemption The Canon: 🧂 The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City S04.E16: Mysteries, Revealed? Winner & Loser: ⚖️ Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Winner & Loser: 🦴 Tom Hardy Game Time: 🛟 Survivor Round 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 🦤 Kathryn VanArendonk at Vulture 🦋 Kathryn on Bluesky 🌮 The ATX Festival 🤖 Kathryn's Murderbot review at Vulture 🏋️‍♀️ Tara's Overcompensating review at Cracked 🏦 Contact Buntsy about the EHG Mutual Aid Vault 📷 Photo: Apple CLUB-ONLY NOTES 🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To 💬 Get On Our Community Discord

After more than two years, Rian Johnson's Poker Face -- aka "What if Columbo, but a lady named Charlie who's a human lie detector" -- is back for its second season on Peacock. Does it still deliver a pleasing throwback mystery vibe? David J. Roth returns to discuss. Around The Dial takes us through the second season of Conan O'Brien Must Go and Netflix's special Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor; Killing It; and Untold: Shooting Guards. Mike presents the episode "A Mercy" from The Terror for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we kick off a new season of Game Time with a very long drive between fictional TV cities in America -- hey, kind of like Charlie! Gas up and join us! GUESTS 👤 David J. Roth TOPICS Announcement: 🍹 Club Campaign Update Lead Topic: 🃏 Poker Face Around The Dial: ✈️ Conan O'Brien Must Go Around The Dial: 🤣 Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor Around The Dial: 🐊 Killing It Around The Dial: 🏀 Untold: Shooting Guards The Canon: ⚓️ The Terror S01.E06: A Mercy Winner & Loser: 🥊 Mike "The Miz" Mizanin Winner & Loser: 🏈 Tom Brady Game Time: 🚘 The Great American Fictional TV Road Trip 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 🦋 David J. Roth on Bluesky ♠️ Tara's review of Poker Face S02 🤩 "John Mulaney Is One Of The Best TV Comedy Guest Stars Ever" by Tara at Cracked 📍 Tara's review of Conan O'Brien Must Go S02 at Cracked 🤗 Tara's review of Friendship at Cracked 🏆 Dave Roth's write-up on Killing It in "The Best Things We Saw In 2024" at Defector 💥 The Distraction podcast 🎄 The It's Christmastown! podcast 🔫 Sarah's review of Whack Job at Best Evidence 🗺️ The Road Trip Game Time Map 📷 Photo: Peacock

Did Alan Alda vehicle The Four Seasons need an eight-part dramedy reboot? The panel -- joined by Alyson Lewis of Cracked -- doesn't think so, although one of us enjoyed returning to a version of a property that aired constantly on HBO in the mid-eighties. But did the story need this many episodes, or this downbeat a tone? Do we enjoy this iteration of a Tina Fey character? And why is a certain actor almost certain to get killed in prestige programs like this? Later, we went Around The Dial with Taskmaster's 19th season, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Clubhouse, and Tara hoped Mary (and "That Woman") would make it into the Canon. Kali Reis won, Disney lost, and we synchronized our schedules for a timely Non-Regulation Game Time. Boot up your favorite second-screen farm game and have a listen! GUESTS 👤 Alyson Lewis TOPICS Lead Topic: 🍂 The Four Seasons Around The Dial: 💌 Taskmaster Around The Dial: 😺 The Mary Tyler Moore Show S05.E04: Lou And That Woman Around The Dial: 🧦 The Clubhouse: A Year With The Boston Red Sox Around The Dial: 🚀 Andor Winner & Loser: 🏦 12 12 12 Winner & Loser: 🏹 Disney Game Time: 📆 Let Me Check My Calendar 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 😵‍💫 More from Alyson Lewis at Yes I Was High When I Wrote This 🌷 Tara's review of The Four Seasons at Cracked 🔪 Tara's Jason Mantzoukas interview at Cracked 🐈 Cookie the foster cat needs a forever home 📷 Photo: Jon Pack / Netflix

Heather wanted us to watch a 29-year-old Sam Elliott playing a cowboy in a Season 2 episode of The Streets Of San Francisco, and who were we to resist? We tell you whether the episode's worth ripping off your pearl snap shirt over. Our latest Ask EHG takes us through questions about, among others, our most out-of-character favorite shows and the strangest places we've ever run into someone we knew. Sarah pitches "Smizing" for the TV coinage Tiny Canon. Then, after sharing a new batch of Not Quite Top 11 lists, we close up by recasting famous original CSI. Find yourself a comfortable bunk and listen! TOPICS Forcening Pool: 🌉 The Streets Of San Francisco S02.E21: The Hard Breed Ask EHG: 😩 Coping With Everything Tiny Canon: 👁️ America's Next Top Model S13.E03: Fortress Of Fierceness Not Quite Top 11: 😵 Defunct TV Networks Not Quite Top 11: 🌨️ Significant TV Snow Not Quite Top 11: ⚠️ Cleopatra 2525 Character Names Extra Credit: 🔬 Recast This: C.S.I. Mini: 🎸 Mark's TV Forcening (Jan 2014) 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 🐮 The Streets Of San Francisco S02.E21: The Hard Breed on DailyMotion 🙏 Volunteer Match 👄 "'America's Next Top Model' recap: Private smeyes, watching you" at Entertainment Weekly 🤢 Our Nonac discussion of "Amends" in EHG 024