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Greg Gayne/The CW http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_160.mp3 Happy New Year! We’re back from our Christmas break and we didn’t watch The Interview, but we did watch (or write about) other things in the world of TV: We start by talking about our Christmas activities, including all the movies Joel watched. We then discussed the finale of Homeland and whether positioning the show to have Carrie chase Quinn to Iraq next year is a good idea (00:00 – 33:00), Then, as we begin to discuss the best and worst in TV in 2014, Joel raves once again about Jane The Virgin, and how it hasn’t gotten ridiculous as yet. He also reserves a lot of praise for Gina Rodriguez (33:00 – 41:35), Then we start talking about the end of The Colbert Report as well as Craig Ferguson’s exit from The Late Late Show (41:35 – 1:01:00), Then we continue to discuss TV’s year in 2014, which shows reached the level of ‘great’ (Transparent, Getting On, HTGAWM, one or two others), which came damn close (Good Wife, OITNB, The Americans, The Bridge, and many others), which were hobbled by their networks (Mad Men), and why it seems that the top half of everyone’s Top Ten list is the same (1:01:00 – 1:34:00), Finally, we talk about the attempts the broadcast networks made to step outside of their traditional way of doing things in 2014, and why those efforts mostly failed (1:34:00 – 1:50:01). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Trae Patton/NBC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_159.mp3 This may or may not be the last podcast of 2014. But, despite the holidays, we had a lot to talk about: We start by talking about the Sony hack, whether the studio was right in pulling The Interview in light of the threats (we don’t think they were), why this hack is so scary, and whether the news media should have reported on the embarrassing e-mails that really had no news value (00:00 – 28:20), Then we talk about the Golden Globe nominations, and the conundrum that arises because, even though TV fans shouldn’t take the Globes that seriously, the HFPA has been doing a good job recognizing shows and performances the Emmys do not (28:20 – 42:15), Then we start talking about winter finales, including the finale of The Voice. We mention why the winner wasn’t such a surprise, why Craig Wayne Boyd has a real shot at a career, and why everyone involved with the show except the contestants makes out like bandits (42:15 – 1:12:03), Then we discuss other winter finales, and talk about the Flash/Arrow crossover. We compare Arrow‘s “hot nerd” to The Flash‘s “hot nerd” and wondered why they didn’t fight one enemy for two episodes (1:12:03 – 1:19:00), Finally, we talk about a hodgepodge of other winter finales, including The Mindy Project, talk about the new Parks and Rec promo and hope the “way in the future of 2017!” theme wasn’t just for that promo, and briefly discuss why Getting On might be the best comedy on TV (1:19:00 – 1:32:29). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Ursula Coyote/AMC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_158.mp3 It was a bit of a low-key podcast this week, and it was mostly Joel’s fault (he apologizes in advance for making you all listen to him eating… but he was hungry). Here’s what we shot the breeze about: We start by talking about The Voice as it rolls towards its semifinals. Jason isn’t watching, so Joel clued him in on the all-boys dynamic, how great Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams are as coaches, the gimmicks producers are using to stave off boredom, and how much he’s not looking forward to Christina Aguilera’s spring return (00:00 – 16:00), We then talk about HBO’s Sunday comedies: how it doesn’t matter if The Comeback gets low ratings and how good/depressing Getting On is (16:00 – 21:20), Then we talk about the one-minute promo AMC aired for Better Call Saul, how glad we’re seeing Jonathan Banks be the same ol’ Mike, and the risks Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould are taking with this spin-off (21:20 – 35:30), Then we talk about the hack of Sony’s servers, the all-but-cancelled status of Red Band Society, and Mulaney’s craptastic new timeslot (35:30 – 44:37), Then we talk about the premiere dates set for the final seasons of Parks and Rec and Glee and wonder if in both cases they’re getting burned off (though NBC calls the Parks double-airings an “event”). We also talk about the premiere date for House of Cards and the seemingly new trend of stuffing December and January with complete runs of shows in between half-seasons of other shows (44:37 – 54:00), We then discuss the Black Friday craziness, and wonder who in the world is still willing to stand on line on Thanksgiving to get a cheap flat-screen TV, at least based on the stats (54:00 – 1:02:15), Then we discuss Stephen Colbert and Craig Ferguson wrapping up their current shows. We also discuss all the guest hosts that will be on The Late Late Show before James Corden starts and wonder why the transition period is so long (1:02:15 – 1:09:30), Finally, we talk about the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead, including the shocking-but-not-shocking death at the end, how good we think Christine Woods is, why it seems that the show is hampering itself by needing to have an “event” before the holiday break, and why Scott Gimple is the right man to work with Robert Kirkman (1:09:30 – 1:46:35). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Mitchell Haaseth/ABC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_157.mp3 Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful for all our loyal listeners, and we’ve “rewarded” you with a new podcast right before you sit down to the turkey and trimmings: We start by talking about the new unrest in Ferguson, MO, Jason’s unique perspective of it (he’s from the area), and how the TV news stations are only showing the violence and not all the peaceful demonstrations (00:00 – 19:00), We then talk about the continuing fallout of sexual assault allegations against Bill Cosby. We talk about why the media has been so slow to pick up on them but now have tried and convicted him; Netflix, NBC and TV Land distancing themselves from him, how it’s sometimes tough to ask a celebrity interview subject about controversy when you know it’ll never see the light of day at your publication, and how difficult Cosby really is (19:00 – 49:55), Then we talk about the slightly improved Homeland, the full season pickup for Cristela, and other pickups and cancellations (49:55 – 56:00), Then we talk about the midseason finale of How to Get Away with Murder, which let viewers know who murdered Viola Davis’ character’s husband, but did so in breathtakingly speedy fashion. Is this yet another Shonda Rhimes show that’s going to get silly really fast? (56:00 – 1:04:15), Then we talk about William Shatner guesting on Haven, one of the shows he live-tweets, and how the vintage SNL episodes airing on Saturday nights this season prove that the show has always had bad sketches and dead spots (1:04:15 – 1:09:30), We then discuss Adam Pally leaving The Mindy Project, just as it’s gotten its shit together (1:09:30 – 1:14:00), Then we go into some streaming news. First, we talk about Longmire getting picked up by Netflix, who doesn’t care how old-skewing the show’s ratings may be. Then we talk about Nielsen being able to figure out who’s streaming by having their boxes “listen” to the audio of show that are being watched (1:14:00 – 1:23:30), Finally, we talk about Tina Fey’s new show, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, getting picked up by Netflix, and the significance of NBC selling a show they picked up for their schedule over to a streaming network (1:23:30 – 1:28:53). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Erica Parise/FOX http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_156.mp3 We missed two weeks because both of us have effed up schedules. So there was a lot to catch up on, not the least of which was the latest in the turbo news cycle: We start by talking about why we disappeared for two weeks (00:00 – 08:30), We then talk about the resurfacing of sexual assault accusations against Bill Cosby, why the news cycle is picking up on it again (thanks to Hannibal Buress), if this will kill his upcoming NBC sitcom and Netflix comedy special, and why the perception of his cancelled talk show appearances changes depending on the headline you read (08:30 – 26:30), Speaking of headlines and context, depending on who you read, Hot in Cleveland is either ending or TV Land cancelled it. We’re going with the former, mainly because the biggest draw on the show, Betty White, is 93 and starting to slow down (26:30 – 37:00), Then we talk about cancellations: Selfie, Bad Judge, and A to Z. We also talk about CBS canning The Millers and replacing it with Mike & Molly. On the topic of Chuck Lorre shows, we defend Mom as the best of the four he has on, and also mention that Two and a Half Men has given all Lorre shows a bad rap (37:00 – 54:04), Then we discuss the full-season pickups of Mysteries of Laura, Forever and pretty much all of CBS’s new shows. We also talk about the near-full-season order for The Mindy Project  and how that show and New Girl are rebounding quite nicely (Allison Tolman needs to get a sitcom — stat) (54:04 –  1:03:40), Then we take a few minutes to talk about a new show, Benched, and three returning shows on HBO: The Newsroom, The Comeback and Getting On. We also scratch our heads about the proposed Luther remake on FOX (1:03:40 – 1:16:00), Then we talk about why it seems like everyone, including critics, are losing interest in The Affair (1:16:00 – 1:19:30), Then we talk about how Homeland continues to squander the goodwill it built up in its first season and how the “surprise” from two weeks ago may have soured Joel on the show for good (1:19:30 – 1:28:00), Then we talk about the latest episodes of The Walking Dead, and discuss the steps showrunner Scott Gimple took to get it where it is now (1:28:00 – 1:47:50), Finally, we do our Transparent spoilerfest (at last), and are both surprised how much of the show we can recall months after seeing it (1:47:50 – 2:04:05). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Byron Cohen/NBC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_155.mp3 Miss us while we were gone? No? Well, no matter; we’re coming at you with a crapload of talk about the young TV season: We talk about the first cancellation of the season, Manhattan Love Story, what might be next (Selfie) and why the networks are waiting so long to ax shows this season (00:00 – 10:30), We then start going around the dial: Why Joel may dump Gracepoint and just watch Broadchurch instead, and why The Affair is a beach-based show that is getting things right from the first episode (10:30 – 16:55), Then we talk about the inexplicable popularity and full-season order for The Mysteries of Laura. Maybe people just want fun shows? But The Flash and Jane the Virgin do fun so much better than Laura does! (16:55 – 27:00), Then we talk about Sean Hayes ruining (er… joining) The Millers, how Forever sounds like Elementary when you close your eyes, and how skippable Scorpion and Stalker are (27:00 – 33:45), Then we discuss the premiere of Constantine, whether fans of the comic it’s based on are going to like the show, whether non-comic fans will like it (probably not, says Jason) and if there’s potential for the show to build its characters better (33:45 – 39:35), Then we take a few minutes to do our quarterly grumbling over how the television news media overblows some story or another. This time it’s the Ebola scare (39:35 – 44:20), Then talk about the hilarious first couple of episodes of Marry Me, and how it makes us miss Happy Endings. Then we launch into a long discussion about why NBC hasn’t found its comedy identity yet, why it drops shows like Go On that have broad potential, and why CBS (multi-cams) and ABC (families on Wednesday, comedians on Friday) have seemed to find what works for them (44:20 – 1:17:35), Then we talk about the dramatic improvement in The Walking Dead this season and why it may finally be able to stand with its AMC mates, Breaking Bad and Mad Men, quality-wise (1:17:35 – 1:44:45), Finally, we preview our spoilerfest for Transparent, which we were supposed to do this week, but will hold for next week (1:44:45 – 1:50:33). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Gene Page/AMC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_154.mp3 Plenty to talk about this week, which is good because the show’s taking next week off: Jason watched the second episodes of Mulaney and Bad Judge and hated both. He wonders why John Mulaney is acting so stiffly, making Jerrry Seinfeld look like Bryan Cranston by comparison (00:00 – 06:50), We also watched the second episode of A to Z, and liked it, though Joel still isn’t sure its format can hold up (06:50 – 11:20), Both Jason and Joel agree that Cristela isn’t nearly as bad as ABC’s promos make it look, though Joel liked it better than Jason (11:20 – 26:10), Then we talk about the premiere of Jane the Virgin, the CW’s run of good shows for adults, why they don’t play into stereotypes, and why its so refreshing that everyone knows Jane’s “secret” before the first episode is over (26:10 – 40:00), Then we talk about the debut of the CW’s other great new show, The Flash. Both of us loved how Tom Cavanagh’s character isn’t purely evil and how Barry Allen is much more goofy than the usual TV superhero (40:00 – 57:00), Then we discuss the big Nielsen screw-up that altered the ratings numbers by a lot. We try to figure out why cable systems don’t hand over their numbers, and if this antiquated system will ever go away (57:00 – 1:09:00), Then we talk about some more news: Gotham, Black-ish and How to Get Away With Murder getting picked up for full seasons and the massive DVR lifts the shows got; AHS: Freak Show‘s record ratings and The Voice‘s new-old coach, Christina Aguilera (1:09:00 – 1:12:00), Then we talk about the new Showtime drama The Affair, its multiple points of view, the great job Dominic West and Ruth Wilson do of playing their characters two ways, the subtle differences in each story, and how this will work as the show goes forward (1:12:00 – 1:28:00), Finally, we talk about the fifth season premiere of The Walking Dead, how it dealt with the Terminus story, and why it’s finally becoming a show close to the level of fellow AMC shows like Mad Men. We also discuss the ramifications of the show’s post-credits surprise (1:28:00 – 1:55:50). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Joe Alblas/Showtime http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_153.mp3 Joel is back to sounding like normal this week, and just in time, as there was a lot to talk about, after a preliminary discussion on the baseball playoffs and how we can’t figure out what the heck channel they’re on: Joel watched week two of SNL and, as usual, liked some things and not others. At this point, though, the show’s kind of beyond criticism. But who will take over once Lorne retires? We think it’s Tina Fey (05:30 – 12:15), David Lynch and Showtime are bringing back Twin Peaks and we talk about the pitfalls of reviving a cult classic. Will 25 years of anticipation set people up for disappointment? Or will the show seem tame by today’s standards? We also talk about news involving another revived classic: TNT’s cancellation of Dallas (12:15 – 29:00), Then we discuss Yvette Nicole Brown’s departure from Community to care for her ailing father, and why her becoming a regular on Matthew Perry’s multi-camera Odd Couple will free up a lot of time for her to tend to her dad. We also discuss why Community fans need to step back and just be thankful for getting a sixth season in the first place (29:00 – 36:45), Then we talk about the premieres of Bad Judge (which was bad) and A to Z, which was decent but Joel wonders a) if it’s too HIMYM-esque and b) what happens when they get to Z? (36:45 – 46:15) Then we talk about two more in the endless string of rom-com sitcoms this year: Manhattan Love Story, which would have been good except for the irritating “inner monologues”, and Marry Me, which premieres next week (46:15 – 55:05), Then we talk about the awful debut of Mulaney. It was not only unfunny, but got awful ratings. We try to figure out once again what FOX saw that prompted them to order 16 episodes. Maybe this is one of those times that a network should run episodes out of order (55:05 – 1:02:25), Then we talk about the premiere of Gracepoint. Even though Joel didn’t see Broadchurch, the British show this is based on, and Jason did, they came to the same conclusion about how boring and pedestrian the first episode was (1:02:25 – 1:13:45), Finally, we talk about the return of Homeland. Jason’s back on board after seeing Carrie be a bad mother, and Joel’s cautiously hopeful after seeing those first two episodes (1:13:45 – 1:28:25). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Suzanne Tenner/Showtime http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_152.mp3 If it sounds like Joel is doing the podcast from his bathroom, it’s because Skype picked a different microphone and Joel had no idea. So he may be a little hard to hear, but the conversation between Jason and Joel was still pretty lively: We talked about the casting of Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn on True Detective, and if viewers will watch the second season without trying to solve a big mystery (00:00 – 07:15), Joel watched the finales of Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex and talks to Jason in vague terms about each (07:15 – 14:45), Then we start going around the dial, talking about fall premieres. Jason hated Forever, and he tells Joel why (14:45 – 19:30), The Mysteries of Laura is getting good ratings, despite its suckitude. We discuss what will happen if the show sticks around, and if there’s any chance that it’ll get better (19:30 – 26:40), Then we talk about the premiere of How to Get Away With Murder and how mesmerized we were by Viola Davis, even though she wasn’t given a ton of screen time. Shonda Rhimes and Peter Nowalk need to concentrate on Davis if the show is going to be any good (26:40 – 43:15), Then we talk about the strong debut of Black-ish, how funny it was, why it’s rounded out a strong family-oriented Wednesday comedy block for ABC, and why the name and ABC’s lousy promos for it did it a disservice (43:15 – 57:15), We then discuss the premiere of ABC’s Selfie, and go into a long talk about the rash of rom-com sitcoms that are on now. We try to figure out why trying to stretch out a 90-minute movie format over multiple 22-episode seasons rarely works (57:15 – 1:18:45), Then we talked about the successful Family Guy/Simpsons crossover episode, Brooklyn Nine-Nine‘s return, and how the animated FOX shows on Sunday should help B99 and Mulaney (1:18:45 – 1:23:00), Joel didn’t watch the SNL season premiere, but Jason did, and talked about Darrell Hammond’s announcing getting lost in the music, Michael Che warming up to the Weekend Update anchor chair, Colin Jost’s continuing stiffness on WU, and more (1:23:00 – 1:26:30), Finally, we talk about the return of Agents of SHIELD and how it’ll be carrying the torch for the Marvel universe between movies. Does it matter that it might lose casual fans (like Joel)? (1:23:00 – 1:40:45) You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

David M. Russell/CBS http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_151.mp3 With a new season comes a new podcast schedule, as Jason and Joel will be recording and posting the podcast on Tuesdays from here on out. Despite the quick turnaround there was a lot to talk about: We talked about the Monday premiere of The Big Bang Theory’s eighth season and how Chuck Lorre and company are trying to shake things up. And, yes, it’s more than just Kaley Cuoco’s pixie cut (00:00 – 12:45), Jason watched NCIS: New Orleans, and he thought the “family” vibe of the team was the highlight, as, of course, was its NOLA location (12:45 – 19:35), Then we talk about the upcoming logjam on Thursdays, with football poised to pretty much wipe everything else out… except for Shonda Rhimes’ shows (more on Shonda later) (19:35 – 24:00), Then we talk about the boring and somewhat silly new CBS show Madam Secretary, and why people seem to forget that Tea Leoni had a couple of big TV roles a couple of decades ago. Then we talked about the season premiere of The Good Wife and a brief discussion about the return of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (24:00 – 44:00), Then we talk about the new season of The Voice, and Joel wonders why any contestant would ever pick anyone other than super-producer Pharrell Williams. We also marvel at how long Gwen Stefani has been around — a fact she uses to her advantage on the show (44:00 – 49:00), Then we discuss the long-awaited premiere of Gotham, wonder if Bruno Heller should have made the show more true-to-life, complain about the neon pointers to all of the characters in the Batman canon, and try to figure out if this will be a procedural with a continuing story in the background or concentrate more on story arcs (49:00 – 1:08:00), After the New York Times published a column about Shonda Rhimes that gave her backhanded compliments for her success, we wonder where that kind of casual bigotry comes from, where a number of bad decisions leads to something that ends up looking more like an insult than a compliment. We also discuss how we’ve seen Rhimes’ career, noting that the term “Angry Black Woman” never entered our minds (1:08:00 – 1:18:10), Finally, we talk about Transparent, which debuts on Amazon on September 26. We talk about Jeffrey Tambor’s wonderful performance, but lament that it’s yet another show where overprivileged narcissists mope about their lives with no hint of self-awareness (1:18:10 – 1:31:15). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Ray Mickshaw/FOX http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_150.mp3 Another morning podcast, but Jason went from yawning to fired up pretty quickly when we started talking about the NFL: A discussion about how CBS and the NFL’s other broadcast partners can talk about the issues surrounding the current domestic and child abuse cases led to a talk about whether people will keep watching despite cases like those of Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson (short answer: of course they will) (00:00 – 25:00), Two new dramas premiered this week: Red Band Society on FOX and The Mysteries of Laura on NBC. We talk about each, why the former is OK but not really for grown-ups and the latter is just really bad (25:00 – 38:15), Then we talk about the very funny season premieres of New Girl and The Mindy Project (38:15 – 52:40), Then we briefly talk about Brian Van Holt leaving Cougar Town at the beginning of its final season. Where will we get our “Bobby Cobb!” fix? (52:40 – 57:00), Then we discuss the new, somewhat calmer version of The View, Rosie O’Donnell’s return, and why the show is such catnip for celebrity sites and their readers (57:00 – 1:08:15), Finally, we talk about Michael Che joining SNL‘s Weekend Update, why it’s not so bad that Cecily Strong is going back to doing more sketches, Darrell Hammond being the new announcer, and Bill Hader coming back as a host (1:08:15 – 1:23:59). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Paul Schiraldi/HBO http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_149.mp3 Another two week break, mainly because there wasn’t a ton to talk about. But at least this week we’re getting ready for the fall season: First we talked about how we haven’t watched many of this year’s pilots; we’re looking to experience them the way a “normal” viewer does, not the 3-4 times critics do by the time the pilot airs (3:45 – 13:20), Then we talk about the sad news of Joan Rivers’ death, why it was so shocking, why she’ll be missed, and why she was a TV star in every sense of the word (13:20 – 39:50), Chris Pratt is hosting the 40th season premiere of SNL, and we talk about his meteoric rise from bit player on Parks and Rec to mega movie star (39:50 – 47:10), The MPAA is starting to realize that they can’t and shouldn’t fight movie piracy and just try to figure out other ways of getting people to see movies. We talk about how TV has gotten past the piracy issue, and why film studios need to keep using VOD and embrace Netflix streaming (47:10 – 1:03:00), Then we give our seven-minute fall preview, talking about the new shows we’re looking forward to seeing (1:03:00 – 1:10:00), Finally, we talk the season finale of The Leftovers, why the show was so divisive, if there might be hope going into season 2, why Lindelof and Perrotta did a good job, and if it’ll get any Emmy attention next year (1:10:00 – 1:34:10). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Mark Davis/NBC http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_148.mp3 Even though we had a bit of a sleepy beginning (goofing on the “big” news about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will do that for a podcast), we get charged up in a hurry talking about the award shows this week: First we talked briefly about the VMAs, Beyonce, and why they’re still relevant (00:00 – 08:00), Then we go full bore (no pun intended) talking about the Emmys. Much of the discussion surrounded the repeat winners, and why we were annoyed at ones like Modern Family, but were OK with ones like Bryan Cranston and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and we talk about what a stupid voting process the Television Academy has (08:00 – 37:32), Then we discuss the ever-blurring line between who’s a bona fide movie star, who’s a bona fide TV star and who’s both (37:32 – 44:12), Then we talk about the show itself, Seth Meyers’ hosting job, and how not offensive the dopey “Sofia Vergara on a pedestal” joke was. Here is where Jason also launches into a big rant about political correctness. Oh, and we also find out that Joan Rivers got rushed to the hospital. You’ve been warned (44:12 – 1:00:31) , Moving on from the Emmys, we talk about Peter Capaldi’s debut as the new Doctor on Doctor Who. We also discuss why people still dismiss Doctor Who as sci fi geekery when it’s not all that different from Steven Moffat’s other show, Sherlock (1:00:31 – 1:12:39), Then we talk about AMC releasing another teaser for Better Call Saul, and how we’re getting nervous that the show’s going to suck (1:12:39 – 1:16:59), Then we talk about three shows from the past that people are obsessed with: the prospects of a Full House reunion series, how David Chase may have revealed the ending of The Sopranos, and how any hint of a Friends reunion sends the internet into a frenzy (1:16:59 – 1:33:06), Finally, we talk about Amazon’s new pilots, the premiere date for Transparent, how each streaming service need that one show that’ll get people to subscribe (Hulu almost had it with Hotwives or Orlando), and if a la carte cable is really going to be cheaper than what we have now (1:33:06 – 1:44:53). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

ATAS/YouTube http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_147.mp3 Jason was on 3 hours sleep when we did the podcast this week. He’s actually pretty coherent; probably more coherent than Joel is on 8 hours. We talked about the following news in the world of TV: The first topic was sort of TV-related, as we talked about the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and all the attention it’s getting (00:00 – 19:50), Then we talk about two fall comedy pilots debuting early on Hulu: ABC’s Selfie and NBC’s A to Z. Jason watched and enjoyed both, and we talk about their prospects — especially those of A to Z — on the fall schedule (19:50 – 34:00), Then we talk about all the summer renewals, focusing on why AMC decided to renew the little-watched Halt and Catch Fire (34:00 – 44:50), If you haven’t watched the funny Audi/Emmys video with Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, watch it now and then come on back to hear our discussion about how it’s product placement done right (44:50 – 53:35), Then we discuss the Downton Abbey “water bottle-gate” and how that detail could have gotten past so many eyeballs (53:35 – 1:02:45), Then we talk about the death of Don Pardo, his impact on SNL, and how many generations have been listening to him and likely didn’t even realize it. We also make fun of how the 90-something Pardo likely had no idea who the hell some of the SNL hosts and musical guests were of late (1:02:45 – 1:15:20), We forgot to discuss James Corden getting The Late Late Show a few weeks ago. We talk about why he got the job, bemoan the fact that another white guy got a late night gig, try to figure out of Craig Ferguson’s weirdness will work on a 7 PM syndicated show, and appreciate Chelsea Handler sticking it to E! as she leaves. We also discuss how a weekly model might work for Handler at Netflix (1:15:20 – 1:31:55), Finally, we do some super-fast Emmy predictions. Joel thinks Ricky Gervais is going to win for Derek. Just you watch (1:31:55 – 1:42:26). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Screenshot via Adult Swim http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_146.mp3 Yes, we know we took another week off. Summer does that to us. We should be back on a regular schedule, starting this week. We begin with the biggest news of the week, in TV or otherwise: The death of Robin Williams is still on our minds, so we talk about its impact on people, how pervasive depression can be, why Williams’ career was just as important on TV as it was in the movies, his numerous talk show appearances, and why his death is going to stick to people for a long time (00:00 – 37:20), Then we talk about the national coverage of the unrest in Ferguson, MO, which happens to be in Jason’s backyard. We compare the reality of what the town is about vs. the perception, and how surreal it is to have a national story such as this breaking in an area you know well (37:20 – 52:30), Then we talk about Aaron McGruder’s new Adult Swim show Black Jesus (52:30 – 58:55), Jason watched the debut of the new Starz show Outlander, and we discuss how well-made it is, and who will likely be its main audience. Then we discuss how secondary networks like Starz and Cinemax are finding signature shows via either popular book adaptations or by using big-time actors and directors (58:55 – 1:04:00), Finally, that discussion continues as we talk about the new Cinemax show The Knick, starring Clive Owen and directed by Steven Soderbergh. We talk about how gross it can be, its compelling surgery scenes, Soderbergh’s use of visuals and electronic music, and other high points. We also bemoan how it seems like an early-20th-century version of House and why depictions of turn-of-the-century Lower Manhattan are getting tired (1:04:00 – 1:36:41). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

SyFy http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_145.mp3 Since Jason had some place to be, we ended up having one of our shortest podcasts since the early days. Not a ton is going on in the TV world, anyway, so we just chatted about the batbleep crazy stuff we’ve been seeing: We start by discussing what Joel had to do during the past week, which was watch The View. We discuss why this show needs a certain amount of… patience to watch (00:00 – 08:45), Then we talk about the debut of the new WGN America drama Manhattan, why it wasn’t bad but not great, why it’s a smart strategy for WGN for this to be its second show, and why it got a good rating, considering most people think WGN still just plays Cubs games (08:45 – 30:50), Then we talked about the good news that Undateable is being renewed for a second season (30:50 – 40:15), We then talk about why CBS moved Extant back an hour, why it didn’t mean a thing for the ratings, and why the DVR numbers make the show look a lot better than the overnights do (40:15 – 45:30), Then we talk about the success of Sharknado 2, why it’s in that “so bad it’s good” category, and why they need to be careful with all those celeb cameos (45:30 – 54:15), Finally, we talk about the oddball ABC reality competition The Quest, where the contestants intermingle with actors and the whole thing’s shot like a scripted series. You just have to see it to believe it (54:15 – 1:08:13). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Michael Desmond/Showtime http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_144.mp3 Yes, we took another two weeks to get another new podcast up. Joel was sick, Jason was driving halfway across the country, new jobs were started… it was a big old cluster-you-know-what. But we’re back this week with plenty to talk about : We start by talking about a few items of interest: the conclusion of the 24 limited series and how it dealt with the time constraints, the real reason behind the Parks and Rec time jump, and the premiere of The Strain (00:00 – 08:45), Talking about The Strain led us into a talk about why FX is not going to cite overnight ratings anymore and why Live + 3 and Live + 7 are more accurate, anyway (08:45 – 17:55), Then we talked about the shrinking audience on Under the Dome, and why it doesn’t matter much to CBS (17:55 – 19:25), We then discuss the premieres two Showtime shows, Ray Donovan and Masters of Sex, and why one continues to be stupid and the other continues to be really good (you figure out which is which ) (19:25 – 27:45), We then talk about what Joel’s calling the Big Summer Show Dump, as it seems like people are reaching the saturation point with “event” dramas, and are dumping the mediocre ones in droves (Tyrant, Extant, etc.). In that talk, we mention comedies, too, which is when we bring up the cliches and a-holes in FX’s Married and You’re the Worst (27:45 – 49:00), Then we talk about Weird Al Yankovic having a #1 album for the first time ever, and why his brand overcomes some of the limitations of the album format (mainly timeliness) in the YouTube era (49:00 – 59:15), Then we talk about how it seems that the only news that comes out of TCA these days is when a producer or actor gets annoyed when a critic criticizes his show or a reporter (gasp!) asks a tough question (59:15 – 1:12:45), Finally, we do our “big” Orange is the New Black spoilerfest, though it’s shorter than we expected. The upshot? Loved the season, thought Vee was a distraction, and Piper’s not as annoying as she used to be (1:12:45 – 1:33:42). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

CBS http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_143.mp3 When Joel found out he wasn’t going away for the weekend, it seemed dumb to not talk about the big news and premieres of the week, so Jason and Joel got together on Friday and talked about them (By the way, when we talk about subjects we’re discussing later, “later” really means AFT #142 ): We start by talking about Extant, why it’s less dumb than Under the Dome, but not exactly a prestige project. We wonder why Halle Berry took the part, if network interference made it just ordinary, and if she got more than she bargained for. We also why she openly is complaining in interviews that filming the show is a “grind” (00:00 – 20:02), Then we talk about the second season premiere of The Bridge, why the show was so up and down last season, how lost we were during the premiere, and if it’s setting itself up to be better this year (20:02 – 32:48), Finally, we have an hour-long blowout about the Emmy nominations. Who we thought got screwed, like Tatiana Maslany, James Spader, Elisabeth Moss and Brooklyn Nine-Nine; why shows like Orphan Black and The Americans will never be on the academy’s radar; the fact that the categories of Drama, Comedy and Miniseries/Movie are pretty much meaningless right now; why an actor who was on for a full season can still be nominated as a “guest actor”; why Don Cheadle, Matt LeBlanc, and Edie Falco keep getting nods; the pleasant surprises; how the categories can be reconfigured, and more (32:48 – 1:31:16). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Prashant Gupta/FXX http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_142.mp3 We recorded this on Wednesday, before the Emmy nominations and the premieres ofExtant and The Bridge, mainly because Joel was going away the next day… then he wasn’t. So this is kind of a “lost” podcast, as we talk about not doing things that we actually ended up doing two days later, as well as these topics: We start by talking about how bad Under the Dumb… er, Dome… still is, with Jason’s teenage son demonstrating that the show is written for kids 14 and younger. We also talk about why Halle Berry seems to be unenthused about promoting Extant (00:00 – 22:00), Then we talk about the first couple of episodes of The Leftovers, and why its so damned dark (22:00 – 34:15), Then we talked about the continuing weirdness of Wilfred in its final season (34:15 – 36:50), We then discuss the premieres of two forgettable new summer shows, Reckless and Taxi Brooklyn (36:50 – 41:35), Jason watched MTV’s Finding Carter, and he expresses frustration about how such a great concept was weighed down almost immediately by MTV-level teen angst (41:35 – 49:50), Then we talk about the start of the TCA press tour and some of the issues and themes that will come up. For instance: who will speak for FOX now that Kevin Reilly is gone? We talk about FOX a little bit, especially the quick cancellation of the straight-to-series order of Hieroglyph. We also discuss yet again how the press tour needs to adapt to the times (49:50 – 1:08:10), Then we discuss Sean Hayes joining The Millers, Rosie O’Donnell coming back to The View, and the Amazon deal CBS made for the show Zoo (1:08:10 – 1:17:10), Finally, we talk about the Yahoo deal to air the sixth season of Community (1:17:10 – 1:25:22). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.

Patrick Harbron/FX http://antennafree.tv/podcasts/Antenna_Free_TV_Podcast_141.mp3 We’re a little late with the podcast this week, mainly because Jason has a lot of stuff going on right now. But it’s not like we didn’t have stuff to talk about: We start by talking about more post-apocalyptic shows coming on the air, like TNT’s The Last Ship (00:00 – 11:45), That leads us to talk about HBO’s The Leftovers, which premieres on Sunday. Joel watched the screener, and read the book, and he talks about how the two compare. We also discuss whether people who haven’t read the book will understand the premiere, why the show is different than other post-apocalyptic shows, and how much pressure Damon Lindelof has on him right now (11:45 – 33:00), Then we talked about the series premiere of FX’s Tyrant, whether it’s wallowing in too many Arab and Muslim stereotypes, why the central character and his family is so boring, and why Howard Gordon seems to make the same character mistakes on all his shows (33:00 – 48:00), Then we discuss the other FX and FXX premieres, including Wilfred, The Bridge, You’re The Worst and Marriage. We also talk about The Strain, and whether Joel will watch it or not. Jason, though, is pretty sure it’ll be a success, even on a busy Sunday night (48:00 – 55:00), We then talk about some ABC Family sitcoms, Mystery Girls and Young and Hungry, along with Disney’s Girl Meets World. Do these kid/teen sitcoms with ’90s nostalgia elements really work for both the kids and their parents? Why did Disney make Girl Meets World as over-the-top as its other kid-oriented sitcoms if they’re trying to target adults, too? And what the hell happened to Ben Savage’s nose (55:00 – 1:11:45), Then we talk about another upcoming FX show, Partners, which stars the odd combo of Kelsey Grammer and Martin Lawrence. We discuss the 10/100 model that this sitcom is working under and which shows have succeeded. We then also talk why Grammer is such a distraction due to his public personal issues (1:11:45 – 1:20:00), Then we discuss Diane Sawyer leaving ABC World News, and why George Stephanopoulos is staying on GMA despite being named “lead anchor”, why morning news is now driving the financial bus at the news divisions, and why ABC decided to go younger at night (1:20:00 – 1:32:15… listen for Joel running to the door and birds chirping during this talk), Finally, we talk about the purge at The View, how annoying the show is, and who might sit at the table (1:32:15 – 1:46:43). You can listen to the podcast above (if you don’t hear anything, fiddle with the volume slider), download it via this link, subscribe to our RSS feed, or subscribe via iTunes. You can also find us on the Stitcher radio app for smartphones and iPads. By the way, the bumper music is “Trevor Trailer Trash” from the late, great band Cropduster.