The Television Podcastulacra is a weekly conversation about television, in which an English major (Robby) and an amateur audio engineer (J.) discuss television. New episodes are (generally) recorded Tuesday nights, and are (generally) posted Wednesdays.
See, it's a chess joke.
We wrap up The Cape as it comes to its regrettably unsatisfying conclusion. Hope you like absolutely no closure at all! No, I get it, they got cancelled, but still.
Data tries his luck with the ladies this week, as we wrap up the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation by talking about "In Theory" (Patrick Stewart's favorite episode, weirdly, though it makes sense when you find out why) and the season finale, "Redemption," which is just a gimme for J.: Klingon politics! Romulans! Guinan with a phaser! Gowron up in this! Oh, also, we talk about Elementary.
We're off in crazy town, talking about The Cape again. Does it maintain its madcap air, pulpy feel, and good-time charm? Mostly, yeah!
They tried. We're talking Star Trek: The Next Generation this week, with "Half a Life," "The Host," and "The Mind's Eye." The first draft of the Trill wasn't very good, was it?
Hehehehehahahaha, there's no way this was real. The Cape: it's an original superhero IP, drawn up by NBC in the middle of its blue period, watched by no one. And it's...great? Join us in the alternate universe where this exists, and it rocks. Keith David IS Houdini Yoda! This show IS amazing!
It's time for Next Gen this week, with three very different (but also good!) episodes. It's "The Nth Degree," "Qpid," and "The Drumhead." We also talk about the latest Elementary, as well as reveal our next one-season-only show. Spoilers: it's a bonkers show no one remembers! No, not that one!
It did! And ABC put it on television! Well, part of it, anyway. We dish on all on six episodes of the very-clearly-doomed-to-fail series. Is it a lost classic? Embarassing, homophobic juvenalia? Why not both?
Happy belated birthday, America. We talk about Hamilton for a minute at the beginning of this one, and then move to discussing the recent passing of the great (and terrible) Harlan Ellison, before our proper topics: Elementary, of course, and then Star Trek: The Next Generation. And not good episodes, either, because it's "Galaxy's Child," "Night Terrors," and "Identity Crisis." Geordi's definitely a mod on an MRA subreddit in the future, isn't he?
It turns out the real Freaks and Geeks were the friends we made along the way. We finish up the series with its final three episodes, and as you'd imagine, it gets us talking for a good long while. Also in here, we talk the latest Elementary, plus we reveal the next one-season-only series we'll be talking about.
Because it would have destroyed the Star Trek franchise, for real. We're talking about Next Gen this week, with "Devil's Due," "Clues," and "First Contact," and one of them is based on one of those rejected Phase Two scripts from the '70s. Hint: it's the one about the devil.
Freaks and Geeks continues, with "Chokin' and Tokin'," "Dead Dogs and Gym Teachers," and "Noshing and Moshing." James Franco in leathery punk gear and spiked hair!
It's time for more Next Gen, as we talk about "The Loss" (bleh), "Data's Day," and "The Wounded." Why are Troi episodes always so bad? We spend a long time trying (and failing) to figure that out.
Parents, never read your kid's diary. That's a lesson learned in this week's trilogy of Freaks and Geeks episodes, "The Diary," "Looks and Books," and "The Garage Door."
We're talking Next Gen this week, with "Reunion," "Future Imperfect," and "Final Mission," and a couple of these episodes are important in the long run! The other one...well, it has some pretty terrible old age makeup. Also, we talk Elementary's new season, and it's unbelievable announced seventh season. THIS SHOW IS INVINCIBLE!
It was kind of unavoidable. I'll skip the rambling introduction here and just list the things we talk about for two and a half hours: the Arrested Development season 4 remix; the latest episode of Elementary; three more Freaks and Geeks episodes ("Carded and Discarded," "Girlfriends and Boyfriends," and "We've Got Spirit"); and then, at last, "Person to Person," the final episode of Mad Men. It's been a long road, gettin' from there to here.
Elementary is back! It's good to have the show back. We talk about the season premiere, which is great just for existing. Then, we talk about Star Trek: The Next Generation, with "Suddenly Human," "Remember Me," and "Legacy." One of these is all-timer! The others are...forgettable. (Heh, get it, forgettable? It's a pun.)
I mean, they do.
We watched more Freaks and Geeks, and we learn about Kim's crappy home life, Nick's crappy home life, and Daniel's crappy math skills. This show is good! Also, we continue our rush to the Mad Men finale, with "Lost Horizon."
We begin on our voyage through the fourth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation with a fine batch of episodes: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2," "Family," and "Brothers." Admit it: you want to see a sitcom about Worf's Russian parents, too. Also, Mad Men yanks the rug out from underneath the agency, as they fight for independence but run out of "Time & Life." Well, okay, more that first one.
Yes: everybody. We start our look at Freaks and Geeks and kind of marvel at the young talent on display. Sure, it means we have to talk about James Franco, who is a dick, but his character is a dick, so that makes it easier.
We're wrapping up the end of the third season of Star Trek: The Next Generation with that all-time classic everyone still quotes and obsesses over: "Transfigurations," in which meet a glowing guy in a full bodysuit. Also, the finale, something called [checks notes] "The Best of Both Worlds"? Never heard of it. Also, a kind of garbage Mad Men episode, "New Business."
This week, The Prisoner comes to an end, and, um, uh, yeah, about that. We talk about the final two episodes, "Once Upon a Time" and "Fall Out," and you can bet that J. loved it, but...man. Man oh man. In addition, Mad Men starts the run to the finale with "Severance."
He doesn't succeed the way Riker did. But you keep at it, Data! We watched Next Gen's "The Most Toys," "Sarek," and "Menage a Troi," and, hey, they can't all be winners. Or feature guest star Mark Leonard. Then, Mad Men reaches for the moon in "Waterloo." It's the one with the singing and dancing ghost!
It was inevitable -- The Prisoner has left the farm. We watched "Living in Harmony," "Do Not Forsake Me, O My Darling," and "The Girl Who Was Death," and, whoops, they're all completely insane.
Of course Will sends the Captain to the sex planet. This week, we're taking a look at three Next Gen episodes -- "Captain's Holiday," "Tin Man," and "Hollow Pursuits" -- and are left to wondering the usual things we wonder. Like, can just anybody walk into the middle of anybody else's holodeck programs?
The Prisoner does an episode without any dialogue for 23 minutes, so you know J. is tuned up about it. We watched "Many Happy Returns," "A Change of Mind," and "Hammer into Anvil," and are still amazed this show got made.
