Podcast

Extra Hot Great: This Week In TV

From Previously.TV After Shows, TV & Film, TV Reviews

Join Tara Ariano, Sarah D. Bunting, David T. Cole and their valued guests each week for discussion of what's new on TV plus our hall of fame roundtable segment called The Canon, listen as we appoint Winners and Losers Of The Week and of course our ultra competitive TV trivia quiz: Game Time.

TV Reviews chart
#65
Episodes
502
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
1 hr 17 min
On air since
2016
Latest episode
6 days ago

Episodes

502 episodes, newest first

  1. Did We Love, Honor, And Cherish Newlyweds?

    Episode 638

    Show notes

    After falling in love playing spouses in Madam Secretary, Tim Daly and Téa Leoni are co-stars again in Newlyweds, a multi-cam sitcom on NBC co-created by Jamie Lee Curtis (who also plays Daly’s character’s obnoxious ex-wife); we tell you whether it made us want to run off to Vegas and marry it, or run off to Norway, where it presumably does not air. Around The Dial clicks through S03 of Nobody Wants This and Netflix’s Tyson. Tara pitches the Girls episode “Flo” for induction into The Canon. Then, after crowning the week’s Winner and Loser, we close up with a Non-Regulation Game Time that’s NOT TV: it’s HBO. Settle in to your ex-husband’s hot tub and listen!

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 📢 Club Update, Stickers
    Lead Topic: 💍 Newlyweds
    Around The Dial: 🫷 Nobody Wants This
    Around The Dial: 🥊 Tyson
    The Canon: 👧🏼 Girls S03.E09: Flo
    Winner & Loser: 🙆‍♀️ Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
    Winner & Loser: 💵 Two And A Half Men
    Game Time: 🚰 HBO Fixtures

    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 Again With This Club
    🫆 The Best Evidence newsletter
    📷 NBC

    57 min
  2. Making Some Cutting Remarks About Crystal Lake

    Episode 637

    Show notes

    Did we need a Friday The 13th prequel? Probably not — and Dan Rogge returns to analyze why we may not need this particular prequel. Is the ratio of squishy kills to meditations on grief incorrect? Did it need fewer episodes and more murderous bears? Is it for fans of the franchise, or very much not for them? We went Around The Dial with a “Squid Jaws” update, the 9-1-1s, Matchbox: The Movie: The Car, and The Good Wife before Dave programmed a Canon pitch for Look Around You‘s episode on computers. Scott Bakula (bluh) won, Mary CAROLE McDonnell lost, and we gave theme songs a spin in Game Time. Take a break from woodland-charcuterie prep and have a listen.

    GUESTS
    👤 Dan Blau Rogge

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: ⛺️ Crystal Lake
    Around The Dial: 🦑 Below
    Around The Dial: 👩‍🚒 9-1-1
    Around The Dial: 🎸 9-1-1: Nashville
    Around The Dial: 🚙 Matchbox: The Movie
    Around The Dial: 👩🏻 The Good Wife
    The Canon: ⌨️ Look Around You S02.E05: Computers
    Winner & Loser: 🎭 Scott Bakula
    Winner & Loser: 🚓 Mary Carole McDonnell
    Game Time: 📻 TV On The Radio

    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
    💛 "How To Watch E!'s The Golden Life" (from, among others, Dan Rogge) at E News
    🔥 EHG 636 and its Good Wife Canon pitch
    🚽 The "Diarrhea Dan" gameplay walkthrough on YouTube
    🎨 "Paint Chip People"
    📚 Mystery sale at Exhibit B. Books!
    📷 Photo: Peacock

    1 hr 38 min
  3. Should Cupertino Get Another Round Of Funding?

    Episode 636

    Show notes

    The Kings are back on network TV with Cupertino, which basically transplants the signature qualities of the Good Wife-verse to Silicon Valley — and Margaret H. Willison is back to talk about whether that’s a good choice, the cameos we’re looking forward to, and how the show can loop other storylines into a tech-forward plot brief. We went Around The Dial with Below, Love Is Blind‘s Boston season, GBBO‘s audience episode, and Kill. Bury. Print., and Margaret hoped we’d crown an episode of the original King show, The Good Wife, for the Canon. Nicolas Cage won, Kelly Clarkson lost, and we tried to guess which hosts had the most (acting experience) in Game Time. Build yourself a hallway to the EHG conference room and join us!

    GUESTS
    👤 Margaret H. Willison

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 💻 Cupertino
    Around The Dial: 🦑 Below
    Around The Dial: 🧑‍🦯 Love Is Blind
    Around The Dial: 😉 Southern Charm
    Around The Dial: 🪦 Kill. Bury. Print.
    Around The Dial: 🥮 The Great British Bake Off
    The Canon: 🎸 The Good Wife S05.E11: Goliath & David
    Winner & Loser: 🦅 Nicolas Cage
    Winner & Loser: 🐤 Kelly Clarkson
    Game Time: 🎙️ The Host With The Most

    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
    📰 Sign up for Margaret H. Willison's newsletter
    👩🏻‍💻 Check Tara's author page at GQ for her review of The Social Reckoning
    🪶 Jackson McHenry's "Jack Lowden: Why Are You Darcy?" piece for Vulture
    🔪 Sarah's review of Kill. Bury. Print at Best Evidence
    🫆 The Crime Seen podcast
    📷 Elizabeth Fisher / CBS

    1 hr 11 min
  4. Love Is A Battlefield In War

    Episode 635

    Show notes

    The newest co-production from HBO and Sky finds a tech billionaire and a “Hollywood actress” battling over the end of their marriage, abetted by teams of high-priced lawyers; with Sarah out for the day, both Richard Lawson and Katey Rich return to discuss the fictional dissolution. Around The Dial takes us through The Great British Bake Off S17, Taskmaster S22, Kill Jackie, and Mile End Kicks. Katey pitches the S04 finale of The Traitors (US) for induction into The Canon. Then, after we name the week’s Winner and Loser, we close up with a Non-Regulation Game Time for which we really have to thank the Academy. No need for you to put down a retainer — just join us!

    GUESTS
    👤 Richard Lawson
    👤 Katey Rich

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 💔 War
    Around The Dial: 🎂 The Great British Bake Off
    Around The Dial: 💌 Taskmaster
    Around The Dial: 💀 Kill Jackie
    Around The Dial: 🦵 Mile End Kicks
    The Canon: 🗡️ The Traitors S04.E11: Leap Of Faith
    Winner & Loser: 🦜 Lanterns
    Winner & Loser: 🤖 Kelly Clarkson
    Game Time: 🏆 Winner Winner TV Dinner

    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
    🦋 Richard Lawson on Bluesky
    🦋 Katey Rich on Bluesky
    💔 Richard’s review of War (2026) at Premiere Party
    🎊 The Premiere Party newsletter
    🎞️ The Critical Darlings podcast on Apple
    🍿 The Ankler
    🎧 The Prestige Junkie podcast
    🥊 The Fighting In The War Room podcast
    📷 Justin Downing / Sky / HBO

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord

    1 hr 14 min
  5. Pressing Our Luck With American Horror Story

    Episode 634

    Show notes

    We were counting on The Hollywood Reporter’s chief television critic Dan Fienberg to help us diagnose the issues with the thirteenth season of American Horror Story, and luckily he came through in a discussion that covered excessive fan service, when the “ew” and the “…huh” don’t balance each other, and the sin of wasting John Waters. We went Around The Dial with the new A Different World, My Brilliant Career, and American Hostage before Seth served up a Canon pitch for Hannibal‘s second-season finale. Mary Poppins won, Brandi Glanville lost, and we didn’t wait ’til the middle of the night to step on a Lego-based Game Time. Grab a handful of swabs and have a listen!

    GUESTS
    👤 Daniel Fienberg

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 🔥 Club Stickers!
    Lead Topic: 🇺🇸 American Horror Story
    Around The Dial: 🌎 A Different World
    Around The Dial: 🧟‍♀️ Women In Horror TV
    Around The Dial: 👔 My Brilliant Career
    Around The Dial: 😓 American Hostage
    The Canon: 🍱 Hannibal S02.E13: Mizumono
    Winner & Loser: ☂️ Mary Poppins
    Winner & Loser: 💥 Brandi Glanville
    Game Time: 🧱 Lego My Game Time

    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
    📊 EHG Club Sticker Poll
    📰 Subscribe to Dan's THR newsletter, Now See This
    🦋 Dan Fienberg on Bluesky
    🤩 And at The Hollywood Reporter...
    🔫 ...including his review of American Hostage
    🇺🇸 Sarah's review of American Hostage for Best Evidence
    🔥 Extra Hot Great Club
    🏦 Ask Sarah about the Mutual Aid Vault
    🪓 Angie Han's Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story review at The Hollywood Reporter
    🌴 Again With Again With This
    📷 Photo: Eric Liebowitz / FX

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord

    1 hr 23 min
  6. Ducking And Covering With Line Of Fire

    Episode 633

    Show notes

    We’re thrilled Santiago Melli-Huber could return to discuss the inter-agency copaganda — and, to be fair, the realistic sibling interactions — of Line Of Fire, a puzzle-box-ish network procedural full of cop tropes, unrealistic travel times, and actors we had trouble reconciling with relatively likable characters. We went Around The Dial with Best Of The Best, Dropout content, and Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story before Sarah bellied up to the Canon with a pitch for Drunk History. The Savant won, Taylor Frankie Paul lost, and Game Time was so on-brand with its acting-through-the-generations concept that it took nearly a generation to complete. Pocket an origami swan and join us for an all-new Extra Hot Great!

    GUESTS
    👤 Santiago Melli-Huber

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🔫 Line Of Fire
    Around The Dial: 🕺 Best Of The Best
    Around The Dial: 👵🏻 Matlock (2024)
    Around The Dial: 🍚 Game Changer
    Around The Dial: 🪓 Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story
    The Canon: 🥴 Drunk History S05.E07: Drunk Mystery
    Winner & Loser: 🪦 The Savant
    Winner & Loser: 🤦‍♀️ Taylor Frankie Paul
    Game Time: 🍼 Return Of The TV Nepo Babies

    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
    📱 Ridiculous large iPhone text
    🦋 Follow Santiago Melli-Huber on Bluesky
    🎙️ Mari Cohn and Dolly Parton Tribute Night at The Edge
    💄 The Listen To Sassy Club
    🪓 Sarah's Monster: Lizzie review at Best Evidence
    🏦 Make a withdrawal from (or deposit in!) the EHG Mutual Aid Vault
    📷 Photo: Spencer Pazer / NBC

    1 hr 27 min
  7. High Value Target Misses The Mark

    Episode 632

    Show notes

    The great Josh Gondelman returns to discuss the not-so-great High Value Target: The Hunt For Saddam, a tiresome limited series on TNT starring Joel Kinnaman as a CIA analyst/non-credible nerd and Tom Berenger as his crusty veteran dad. We’re talking about who it’s for (crusty veteran dads, lbr), why you wouldn’t just read John Nixon’s book, and whether other series have unpacked this era’s baggage more efficiently. We went Around The Dial with Coin From Accounts, Reggie Dinkins, and OJ Unseen before Dave wondered if the first-thought ring recharging on Lanterns is Worse Than Jazz?, and we contemplated a meta game-changer episode of Game Game Changer for the Canon. Point Break won, Entourage lost, and we sharpened our No. 2 pencils for an analogy-forward Game Time from Seth. We’re not in Kansas anymore either — it’s an all-new EHG!

    GUESTS
    👤 Josh Gondelman

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🎯 High Value Target: The Hunt For Saddam
    Around The Dial: 🦮 Colin From Accounts
    Around The Dial: 🏈 The Fall And Rise Of Reggie Dinkins
    Around The Dial: 🍊 OJ Unseen: Exploitation Of Evil
    Is This Worse Than Jazz?: 💍 The Lantern From Lanterns
    The Canon: 🏰 Game Changer S07.E11: Samalamadingdong
    Winner & Loser: 🏄‍♂️ Point Break
    Winner & Loser: 😡 Entourage creator Doug Ellin
    Lead Topic: 🧠 All About The D

    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 Josh Gondelman, including his tour schedule
    📰 Josh's newsletter, That's Marvelous
    🕵🏻‍♂️ "Not My Job: We Quiz A Retired CIA Analyst On Briefs (The Underwear)" from Wait Wait Don't Tell Me
    🌴 Again With This Club
    🍊 Sarah's review of OJ Unseen at Best Evidence
    📷 Photo: TNT

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord

    1 hr 5 min
  8. Ferrying You To Widow's Bay

    Episode 631

    Show notes

    We are off this week for Labor Day but present an episode from inside the Club vault. AppleTV’s newest dramedy pairs The Heat screenwriter Katie Dippold with Matthew Rhys as the beleaguered mayor of a dying island town; we tell you whether you should book your stay at the creepy local inn. Ask EHG invites us to share, among other things, which current show desperately needs a zombie apocalypse and the words we find aesthetically pleasing. Sarah pitches Omar Little’s first rendition of “The Farmer In The Dell” from The Wire for the Tiny Whistling Canon. We name the week’s Not Quite Winners And Losers. Finally, we end on our picks for the Sky Mall gifts our favorite TV characters most need to receive. Settle in to your table at The Salty Whale and join us!

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 📢 Ask & Answer Ask EHG Without Discord
    Lead Topic: 🧙‍♀️ Widow's Bay
    Ask EHG: 🇨🇦 Canadian Gladiators
    Tiny Canon: 😗 The Wire S01.E05: The Pager
    Winner & Loser: 👶 Nick Offerman
    Winner & Loser: ✍️ Friends writers
    Winner & Loser: 🩳 Michael Beach
    Winner & Loser: 🐻‍❄️ Lost producers
    Winner & Loser: 👦🏻 Adolescence
    Winner & Loser: 😤 Aimee Lou Wood
    Extra Credit: ✈️ SkyMalled
    Mini: 😚 Whistling (Oct 2011)

    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
    🎺 "What's Jazz Doing In A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms?" on YouTube
    😙 "Omar Comin'" on YouTube
    🙊 "Lost Actor Harold Perrineau Says Former Co-Star Still Won't Talk To Him" at IGN [subscription required]
    ✈️ SkyMall
    📷 Photo: Apple

    1 hr 1 min
  9. The Extra Hot Great Fall 2026 TV Preview

    Episode 630

    Show notes

    Labor Day is nearly here, and with it the unofficial start of fall. With dozens of new shows premiering or returning, which are we actually planning to watch…and planning even harder to avoid? Eve Batey returns so that we can all share our picks and P.U.s. Eve presents the Widow’s Bay episode “Your Baggage” for induction into The Canon. Then, after we name the week’s Winner and Loser, we close with a Ted-y bear of a Non-Regulation Game Time. Take a break from burning your dead leaves to listen!

    GUESTS
    👤 Eve Batey

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🍂 Fall TV Preview
    The Canon: ⛽️ Widow's Bay S01.E08: Your Baggage
    Winner & Loser: ⚖️ Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
    Winner & Loser: 📡 CNN
    Game Time: 🔪 Ted Like Me

    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
    🦋 Eve Batey on Bluesky
    ‼️ “The Cozy-Looking Sweaters In ‘Reds,’ Ranked” at Defector
    📰 The Vanity Fair Daily newsletter
    🌁 Eve’s piece on Under Story at the San Francisco Chronicle [subscription required]
    👶 Sarah’s review of Baby Doe at Best Evidence [subscription required]
    🖼️ “CNN Apologizes For Mistakenly Airing Photo Of Dolly Parton Impersonator In Report On Late Singer” at Variety

    1 hr 15 min
  10. Putting Heads Together On Blood Sacrifice

    Episode 629

    Show notes

    Five-part Swedish serial-killer cop show Blood Sacrifice just hit Netflix, and Sarah Baker is back to talk about scratching the Scandi-noir itch, mapping overseas procedurals onto B-B-B-B-Bosch, and what uniquely Swedish crimes a second season could incorporate. We went Around The Dial with My Brilliant Career, Big Brother, This Is A Gardening Show, and a Djokovic djokumentary on Prime Video before Tara very truthfully pitched Would I Lie To You? for another Canon spot. Line Of Fire won; Lost, um, you know; and we had to dive deep into our NCISknowledge for Game Time. Throw a couple cans of sparkling wine in the Volvo and join us!

    GUESTS
    👤 Sarah Baker

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🩸 Blood Sacrifice
    Around The Dial: 👷🏻‍♀️ My Brilliant Career
    Around The Dial: 👁️ Big Brother
    Around The Dial: 👨‍🌾 This Is A Gardening Show
    Around The Dial: 🎾 Novak Djokovic: The Wolf In Winter
    The Canon: 🤥 Would I Lie To You S19.E05
    Winner & Loser: 🔫 Line Of Fire
    Winner & Loser: 🐻‍❄️ Lost
    Game Time: ⚓️ Navally

    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
    🍔 Listen to Sarah Baker on Bob's Burgers
    💝 And keep an eye out for Loves Company
    🏦 Contact Sarah about the EHG Mutual Aid Vault
    📷 Photo: Netflix / Jörgen Johansson

    1 hr 13 min
  11. Lanterns Has A Nice Ring To It

    Episode 628

    Show notes

    HBO’s getting in the superhero game with Lanterns, a take on a DC Comics superhero with theories about aliens, and lore expert Kate Sánchez returns to walk us through why John Stewart is an interesting apprentice, what she’d do with glowing-ring powers, and whether we buy Coach Taylor in this role. We went Around The Dial with The Dink, Hard Knocks, and the return of The Challenge, and our esteemed colleague John Ramos hoped we’d represent an episode of Heartstoppers for the Canon. Only Murders casting won, Dylan Walsh lost, and we waded into the Simpsons–One Piece plot Venn in Game Time. While away that flight to Nebraska with an all-new Extra Hot Great!

    GUESTS
    👤 Kate Sánchez

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 💍 Lanterns
    Around The Dial: 🏓 The Dink
    Around The Dial: 🏈 Hard Knocks
    Around The Dial: 🤾🏻‍♂️ The Challenge
    The Canon: 💗 Heartstopper S02.E08: Perfect
    Winner & Loser: 🏢 Only Murders In The Building
    Winner & Loser: 🏒 Dylan Walsh
    Game Time: 🏴‍☠️ One Piece Did It

    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
    🤨 Kate Sánchez's online community, But Why Tho
    🦋 Kate on Bluesky
    💪 Tara explains why you should be watching Reacher S04, at GQ
    🤳 More on Reacher S04 from us in EEHG 424
    📚 The virtual concierge at Exhibit B. Books, Sarah's true-crime bookshop
    📷 Photo: HBO

    1 hr 3 min
  12. Should Anna Pigeon Take A Hike?

    Episode 627

    Show notes

    In Anna Pigeon, the USA Network’s new Canadian import, the titular character is a cop whose beat is Glacier National Park. Did it make us want to abandon our TVs for the great outdoors? Famed National Parks Omar Gallaga returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us through The Last House, S02 of X-Men ’97, and Game Day Murders. Omar presents the Primal episode “Plague Of Madness” for induction into the Canon. Then, after we name the week’s Winner and Loser, we get out our credit cards for a Game Time that dares us to shop (TV) ’til we drop. Put on your sunscreen and bug spray and listen!

    GUESTS
    👤 Omar Gallaga

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🐦 Anna Pigeon
    Around The Dial: 🏘️ The Last House
    Around The Dial: 🎆 X-Men '97
    Around The Dial: 🏟️ Game Day Murders
    The Canon: 🦕 Primal S01.E07: Plague Of Madness
    Winner & Loser: 🕳️ Stars of The Pitt
    Winner & Loser: 🦶 Ego Nwodim
    Game Time: 💸 Shop The Show

    NOTES
    🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
    🦋 Omar on Bluesky
    🫥 The Cold Vanish by John Billman on Bookshop
    🧗‍♂️ “No Return” (about “alpine divorce”) at The New Yorker
    💄 The Listen To Sassy Club
    🦸🏻‍♂️ “A Wunderkind Showrunner Was Put In Charge Of Marvel’s X-Men ’97. Then Something Went Terribly Wrong” at Vanity Fair
    👨🏽‍💻 Omar at CNET
    🏸 Sarah’s review of Game Day Murders at Best Evidence
    🧼 Info on and tickets for The Bathroom Attendant
    📷 Photo: Michelle Faye / USA

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord

    1 hr 17 min
  13. Coming Of Age At Sterling Point

    Episode 626

    Show notes

    Extra Extra Hot Great music-on-TV correspondent Kari Race is back to discuss Sterling Point, in which Manhattan rich kids head to a wifi-free island in Canada to uncover secrets, draw love triangles, and make out with their friends’ moms. The panel was divided on whether it was charming and sweet, or unrealistic and annoying; see if we think it’ll make you smile, or just feel old. We went Around The Dial with Unacceptable, Heartstopper: Forever, and the BBC’s Jared Leto investigation, and Dave asserted that a seventh-season X-Filesepisode was ass. Task won, Wonder Man lost, and Game Time turned X-Files guest-star deaths into blind items. Grab a handful of illegally stored acorns and join us.

    GUESTS
    👤 Kari Race

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 👉 Sterling Point
    Around The Dial: 🫨 Unacceptable
    Around The Dial: 💕 Heartstopper
    Around The Dial: 😬 Jared Leto: Hollywood's Dark Secret
    The Nonac: 🔫 The X-Files S07.E13: First Person Shooter
    Winner & Loser: 👮🏻‍♂️ Task
    Winner & Loser: 🤷‍♂️ Wonder Man
    Game Time: 👽 The Ex-Files

    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
    🎧 Kari Race's Hey Remember the 80s podcast
    🛬 Tara's "Why Can't TV Finales Stick a Landing" piece at GQ
    😬 Sarah's review of JL:HDS at Best Evidence
    ✉️ Mo Ryan's "Jared Leto And Hollywood's Open Secrets" essay at NYT
    🧯 Mo Ryan's Burn It Down at Exhibit B. Books
    📰 Last week's guest Tim Grierson's profile of Wonder Man star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for the L.A. Times
    📷 Photo: Prime Video

    1 hr 18 min
  14. Did We Go Mad For Furious?

    Episode 625

    Show notes

    New Girl creator and The Dropout adapter Elizabeth Meriwether is back on TV with Furious, VERY loosely adapted from the 1987 erotic thriller Black Widow. Were we mad about watching it? Tim Grierson returns to join the discussion. Around The Dial takes us through Married At First Sight S20, The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, and The Westies. Tara pitches the Documentary Now! two-parter “Soldier Of Illusion” for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, it’s on to a nomenclatural Game Time. Pour some vodka into your water bottle (we don’t judge) and join us!

    GUESTS
    👤 Tim Grierson

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 🌡️ New Club Milestones Hit
    Lead Topic: 💉 Furious
    Around The Dial: 💍 Married At First Sight
    Around The Dial: ⚾️ The Lonely Island Presents The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience
    Around The Dial: 🧭 The Westies
    The Canon: 🏔️ Documentary Now! S04.E01 & E02: Soldier Of Illusion
    Winner & Loser: 🚔 On Patrol: Live
    Winner & Loser: 🗯️ Mary Beth Barone
    Game Time: 👯‍♂️ Name & Name

    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
    🦋 Tim Grierson on Bluesky
    🌴 Again With This Club
    🗣️ The L.A. Times, where Tim’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II interview will be published in August
    🎞️ Richard Roeper’s review of The Westies at Roger Ebert
    🔥 The EHG FAQ, including information on the Mutual Aid Vault
    🤑 “July 27, 1986 commercials” on YouTube, which we’ll be discussing on EEHG this week
    🎧 List of Dear Media shows
    📷 Photo: Disney

    1 hr 31 min
  15. Teed Off At The Hawk

    Episode 624

    Show notes

    Will Leitch is back for a very sportsy episode, as we contemplate Will Ferrell’s new golf sitcom, The Hawk — as well as when Ferrell got in a rut and how he could get out, why the universe thinks we need TWO golf shows right now, and what the show could have done to avoid wasting talented co-stars (“been a movie instead” is probably the answer). We went Around The Dial with The Five Star Weekend, Breaking Bad, and High Potentialbefore Sarah teed up a first-season Sports Night for Canon consideration. The New Yorker won, Big Bang Theorylost, and we waded into the ever-proliferating recap-podcast water hazard for Game Time. Crank the speakers on your golf cart and have a listen!

    GUESTS
    👤 Will Leitch

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 🧑‍💼 Salesperson Draft Results
    Lead Topic: ⛳️ The Hawk
    Around The Dial: 🗓️ The Five-Star Weekend
    Around The Dial: 👨🏻‍🔬 Breaking Bad
    Around The Dial: 🫆 High Potential
    The Canon: 🥌 Sports Night S01.E16: Sally
    Winner & Loser: 🌲 Paige Williams
    Winner & Loser: 🙄 Jim Parsons
    Game Time: 🎧 Leave It To The Professionals

    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
    📕 Get Will Leitch's book, Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride, in paperback
    🏌️‍♂️ Talking about Stick in EEHG 357
    🤑 The second Commercial Pitchman Draft from EHG 622
    💄 Listen To Sassy Club
    🧠 Our original discussion of High Potential in EHG 528
    📚 Speaking of paperbacks, they're on sale at Exhibit B. Books
    📷 Photo: Colleen E. Hayes / Netflix

    1 hr 21 min
  16. Are We Ready To Homestead At The New Little House On The Prairie?

    Episode 623

    Show notes

    Little House On The Prairie has been one in a series of historical memoirs and a TV series that premiered in 1974, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for more adaptations: Kim Reed, possibly the world’s biggest franchise fan (or at least the biggest in our acquaintance) returns to talk about Netflix’s new version, which has already been renewed for a second season. Around The Dial takes us through The Other Bennet Sister, Big Brother S28, House Of The Dragon, Squatters, and Human Vapor. Tara pitches the Mad About You episode “Bedfellows” for induction into the Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, it’s on to a Game Time with an extensive bibliography. Grab a peppermint stick and listen!

    GUESTS
    👤 Kim Reed

    TOPICS
    Announcement: 🤷‍♀️ Non-Announcement Announcement
    Lead Topic: 🌾 Little House On The Prairie (2026)
    Around The Dial: 👒 The Other Bennet Sister
    Around The Dial: 👁️ Big Brother
    Around The Dial: 🐲 House Of The Dragon
    Around The Dial: 🏚️ Squatters
    Around The Dial: 🧖‍♂️ Human Vapor
    The Canon: 🏥 Mad About You S02.E03: Bedfellows
    Winner & Loser: 🫆 Task
    Winner & Loser: ✈️ Kristin Cavallari
    Game Time: 📖 Hey! It's That Author!

    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
    🦋 Kim Reed on Bluesky
    🌴 The Again With This Club
    🏚️ Sarah on Squatters
    🫱🏻‍🫲🏽 Information on the EHG Mutual Aid Vault at our FAQ
    📷 Photo: Eric Zachanowich / Netflix

    1 hr 21 min
  17. Commercial Pitchman Draft II

    Episode 622

    Show notes

    Though it’s never been easier to avoid commercials if that’s what you prefer, some do deserve applause. That’s why we’ve assembled to choose our favorite TV commercial characters in product categories from fast food to hard drinks to drugstores and beyond. We also stay on-theme with a pitch for the Tiny Catchy Commercial Jingle With Punchable Child Canon AND a Non-Regulation Game Time all about the stars who’ve used their celebrity to promote everything from worthy non-profits to hands-free toilet cleaners. We’ll be right back after these messages!

    TOPICS
    Lead Topic: 🤑 Commercial Pitchman Draft II
    Tiny Canon: 🥊
    Game Time: 🗯️ Talk Isn't Cheap

    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
    📊 Vote for your favorite commercial pitch lineup
    🔥 Commercial Pitchman Draft in EEHG 098
    🐑 "Volkswagen Tiguan - Commercial: Sheep 'Break Free' (2022; 0:30)" on YouTube
    😴 "Nathan Lane 1990 NyQuil Commercial" on YouTube
    🌴 Again With Again With This
    💄 The Listen To Sassy Club
    🥣 "Quaker Ready To Serve Oatmeal Commercial 1987 With Timmy" on YouTube

    1 hr 17 min
  18. Is Deep Space Nine's Baseball Episode A Home Run?

    Episode 621

    Show notes

    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 Entertainment

    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
    🥎 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

    1 hr 29 min
  19. Cashing Out Of Million Dollar Nannies

    Episode 620

    Show notes

    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 Green

    TOPICS
    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: Disney

    CLUB-ONLY NOTES
    🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
    💬 Get On Our Community Discord

    1 hr 17 min
  20. Making The Grade With Never Change!

    Episode 619

    Show notes

    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 Brown

    TOPICS
    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 Names

    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
    🦋 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

    1 hr 8 min