TV Is Good

Alan and Kathryn reunite to discuss the fourth season of Keri Russell's political thriller The Diplomat, with topics including the awfulness of Hal and the brilliance of Allison Janney. Then, in the least surprising pairing of all time. the pair go back in time to rewatch The West Wing's most famous cliffhanger. In a bonus third segment celebrating his Rod Serling book's publication, Alan takes us through one of his all-time favourite Twilight Zone episodes.

00:00 Introduction

01:07 Housekeeping: Welcome back Alan!

04:16 The nanopants mystery solved

06:18: You can rent The Good Lord...

Kathryn is joined by her Vulture colleague Roxana Hadadi to discuss the return of The Lowdown, Ethan Hawke's neo-noir. Can the excellent first season possibly be improved upon? Spoilers: yes! Then, the pair trade Tulsa for Stars Hollow as they re-examine the ups and downs of the beloved Gilmore Girls.

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Housekeeping: Alan's absence

02:02 Serling book event rescheduled

02:46 What's Roxana's deal?

07:35 The return of Girls

17:51 The Lowdown

44:21 Gilmore Girls

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With Alan out of action, Kathryn brings in The Hollywood Reporter's Daniel Fienberg to discuss a pair of future-focused legal dramas. First, Robert and Michelle King's latest legal drama Cupertino, featuring the return of Mike Colter, the grand arrival of Busy Phillips into the Kings universe, some typically delightful weirdo TV judges. Then they consider the long-forgotten science fiction procedural series Century City, which includes an aging boy band, biotech panic, and one fateful pair of nanopants.

00:00 Introduction

01:44 Housekeeping: Alan's absence

03:33 Postponed events

04:50 Introducing Dan

09:06 Cupertino

39:34...

Alan and Kathryn are discussing one of The Simpsons' classic Halloween anthologies this month on our special Patreon-exclusive episode. But first, some hot takes on the New York Times' latest list of superlatives.

Hear the full episode on Patreon at https://patreon.com/tvisgoodpod

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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Alan and Kathryn return to discuss the highly anticipated East of Eden adaptation by Zoe Kazan starring Florence Pugh - but would you believe an even greater performance bowls them both over? Then the pair take a tour through the original Lonesome Dove miniseries and its many, many sequels.

00:00 Introduction

00:51 See Alan & Kathryn live

01:41 Treehouse of Horror on Patreon

02:50 Ninety seconds of Love is Blind: Boston

04:50 East of Eden

32:04 Lonesome Dove

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With the advent of fall TV upon us, Alan & Kathryn break from their format to run down several of the biggest shows on the horizon. Then, the pair are joined by journalist and author Lynette Rice to discuss her new book: "ER: The Oral History".

Purchase Lynette's book at https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250399588/er/

00:00 Introduction

01:20 Housekeeping: Alan wrote a book! Live appearances abound!

03:20 October's Patreon episode

04:40 Fall TV Preview

40:00 Lynette Rice Interview

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All characters great and small come under the microscope this week, as Alan & Kathryn reach first for Reacher (and the new Reacherverse spinoff Neagley) before hailing themselves a Taxi back to the 1970s.

00:00 Introduction

01:19 Housekeeping: See Alan & Kathryn live in New Jersey!

2:19 The Emmys: great winners, garbage production

11:01 October's Patreon episode revealed

12:36 Renewal news: P-Valley and Slow Horses!

15:35 Reacher

35:07 Neagley

44:55 Taxi

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With the return of Apple TV's Slow Horses, Alan and Kathryn discuss the show's willingness to kill beloved characters off as well as the dichotomy of running-spies and strolling-spies. Then the pair navigate the many twists and turns of J.J. Abrams' own spy show, Alias.

00:00 Introduction

01:15 October's Patreon episode

02:33 The Emmys, weekend one

08:24 Fleabag's tenth anniversary

10:00 Slow Horses

37:17 Alias

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For our special Labor Day Patreon-exclusive episode, Alan & Kathryn revisit Party Down, one of the most underrated sitcoms of the twenty-first century, in a discussion that is both long and interesting.

Hear the full episode on Patreon at https://patreon.com/tvisgoodpod

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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This week, Alan and Kathryn's attention is briefly distracted by the return of Australian rom-com Colin from Accounts, causing them to unexpectedly veer into an impassioned discussion of the wonderful 90s PBS show Wishbone.

00:00 Introduction

01:11 The newest Patreon episode: Party Down

01:48 The Simpsons - Kathryn's blind spot

03:24 Colin From Accounts

27:10 Wishbone

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With the celebrated return of FX's Adults this week, Alan & Kathryn dedicate the episode to the sitcom's triumphant second season. Then, the pair sit down with Adults' creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw for an in-depth discussion on the things they love about TV.

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Next month's Patreon episode

02:30 The fall TV slate

04:14 What's Alan plugging?

05:30 Kathryn wants off of the Great American Road Trip

07:58 Sons of Anarchy's meta-sequel

11:00 Adults

31:29 Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw interview

For next week's...

In this week's episode, Alan & Kathryn discuss the teen hit of the summer - Prime soap Sterling Point - including lauding the talents of Ella Rubin. Then, we look back at soap history to the early 2000s, through the lens of Josh Schwartz's opus The OC.

00:00 Introduction

1:07 Hayden Panettiere

04:40 Kathryn's throat, and various teams

05:30 Lanterns timeline watch

09:15 Every Summer After ain't no Sterling Point

10:23 Sterling Point

38:33 The OC

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The latest instalment in the DC Universe arrives this week, and Alan & Kathryn are here to share their thoughts on HBO's Lanterns. Then, a throwback tribute to a legendary superhero one-hit wonder, The Middleman.

00:00 Intro

01:09 September Patreon Poll Results

03:04 A Patreon Correction

03:58 Kathryn's Voice: Why Does It Sound Like That?

05:54 Alan's Audiobook

11:35 Swiss Bones

14:36 Alan's Watching Watchmen

15:51 The Bluey Years

19:09 Lanterns

41:23 The Middleman

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With the return of Apple TV's flagship comedy looming, Alan & Kathryn attempt to untangle the complicated road that brought Ted Lasso back for a fourth season. Then the pair compare sports comedies past and present with the Aaron Sorkin breakthrough Sports Night.

00:00 Intro/Foreign TV Is Good

11:00 Ted Lasso

36:55 Sports Night

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

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August's special Patreon-exclusive episode sees Alan and Kathryn break down the historic course correction of The Leftover's second season, beginning with its premiere episode "Axis Mundi". But first, an important celebrity sighting.

See the full episode on Patreon at https://patreon.com/tvisgoodpod

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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Alan & Kathryn take a tour through Furious, the new Hulu crime drama from Elizabeth Meriwether. Then, they discuss the history of her hangout sitcom New Girl through the lens of its exceptional second season episode "Cooler".

00:00 Intro/The Gilmore Girls Minute

04:16 Furious

35:01 New Girl

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

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We've got spinoff fever this week, as Alan and Kathryn try to figure out the point of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the latest of the Big Bang Theory offshoots. Then, Kathryn celebrates the underwater clowns of The Brady Variety Hour while Alan tries to explain the potted history of Mrs Columbo. Lastly, the pair check in with the complete third season of The Vampire Lestat.

00:00 Intro/Housekeeping

04:40 Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

26:15 Spinoffs

54:03 The Vampire Lestat Spoilers

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Alan & Kathryn discuss the thrills and limits of Lucky, Anya Taylor-Joy's newest star vehicle, before returning to her breakout role in Netflix's The Queen's Gambit.

00:00 Intro

01:00 Important Bluey Research

07:35 August's Patreon Episode Revealed

09:28 The Hawk

13:27 Emmys Reactions

16:51 Lucky

36:23 The Queen's Gambit

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This week's newest show is the Netflix remake of Little House of the Prairie, which Alan and Kathryn compare against the classic HBO drama Deadwood.

00:00 Intro/Posterwatch

05:41 Little House on the Prairie

39:45 Deadwood

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Starting with a discussion of the new Legally Blonde prequel series Elle, Alan and Kathryn examine the phenomenon of prequels in general before discussing one of their favourites - the NBC procedural Hannibal.

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

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Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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Things are topsy-turvy at the office in this month's special Patreon-exclusive episode of TV Is Good, as Alan and Kathryn discuss one of the greatest series finales of all time: The Americans' "START".

To hear the full episode, subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/tvisgoodpod

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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In a special extra-length discussion, Alan and Kathryn dissect the final season of The Bear. Then, a tribute to legendary sitcom director James Burrows precedes a chat with Tatiana Maslany about the TV she loves.

00:00 Intro/Smash That Like Button

06:25 The Bear

01:03:29 James Burrows/Tatiana Maslany

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This week sees Alan and Kathryn grapple with the promising third season of House of the Dragon, followed by an examination of the astonishing series finale of Dinosaurs.

00:00 Intro

11:36 Widow's Bay

45:17 Dinosaurs

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Alan and Kathryn cast away to the sleeper hit of the TV season, Widow's Bay, before building a critique of Gilligan's Island out of nothing but bamboo and coconuts.

00:00 Intro/Go New York Go!

13:23 Widow's Bay

42:06 Gilligan's Island

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The stakes have never been higher! Alan and Kathryn reflect on the upcoming season of The Vampire Lestat (formerly Interview With the Vampire), before reckoning with the complicated legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

00:00 Intro/Kathryn's Kimmel Profile

14:17 The Vampire Lestat

38:27 Buffy the Vampire Slayer

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With the new season of Love Island USA on the horizon, Kathryn tries to convince Alan to couple up with the show, before the two flash back to the classic Lost episode "The Constant".

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

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In this special preview of the first Patreon-exclusive episode of TV Is Good, Alan and Kathryn promise to break down one of their favorite episodes of Mad Men. But first, a short tale of an ill-fated trip to the zoo.

To hear the full episode, subscribe to our Patreon at Patreon.com/tvisgoodpod

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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Alan and Kathryn discuss the new For All Mankind spinoff Star City, before taking a trip back in time to try and unpick the ins and outs of Outlander.

00:00 Intro

08:40 Star City

33:06 Outlander

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

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Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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It's a "moms-do-crime" double bill, as Alan and Kathryn share their impressions on the new Tatiana Maslany comedy Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, before taking a trip back to Agrestic to discuss Weeds.

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Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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Alan and Kathryn welcome you to TV Is Good in this special teaser. They break down the podcast and discuss the surprise release of The Bear's latest flashback episode.

Support us on Patreon

Read Alan at What's Alan Watching? and Kathryn at Vulture

Preorder Alan's Rod Serling biography & get the bonus essay

Pre-order Kathryn's Bluey book

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