Decoding TV

Thanks for a great season of TV recapping! We’ll be back in the near future to cover Black Mirror, The Bear, and Silo, so be sure to keep subscribed to Decoding TV to get all our latest episodes.In this Decoding TV bonus episode about Succession, Kim Renfro and David Chen discuss everything that’s come up about the show since its series finale aired. This includes topics such as:Why did Shiv Roy make that big decision?What was up with that Kendall/Roman hug?What was really the nature of Connor’s relationship with Logan?Succession’s ratings and legacyAnd much more!Links:Mark Mylod’s interview with VarietyMark Mylod’s interview with VultureAlan Sepinwall’s write-up at his SubstackEmail us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app. This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the series finale of Barry. Was this show openly antagonistic to its fans this season? What did we think about the massive time jumps this season? Does each character get the fate that they deserve? Is The Mask Collector a good title for a movie? And what do we make of those very last shots? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Barry right here.Links:Follow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app. THANK YOU for joining us at Decoding TV this season! It’s been a pleasure to watch this season of Succession with you. Stay tuned next week for our coverage of Barry and we’ll be back the following week with a Succession season 1 post-mortem.In this special live episode of Decoding TV, David Chen, Kim Renfro, and David Cho recap and review the series finale of Succession, “With Open Eyes.”Did Succession ultimately stick the landing? What did we think of the fate of each of these characters? Should [REDACTED] have gone over that railing at the end? Should Peter Munion have been able to get funding for his depressing nursing home project? Should Shiv have voted the way that she did? And what’s up with Roman hanging out at that bar? Listen to us discuss all this and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there! You can watch this conversation below.Links:Follow Kim on InstagramFollow David Cho on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app. This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and @joyonapping cover the first 5 episodes of Silo on Apple TV+. This includes:Ep 1 - Freedom DayEp 2 - Holston’s PickEp 3 - MachinesEp 4 - TruthEp 5 - The Janitor’s BoyWhat do we think of the world-building of this ambitious new series? Which performances from the cast really stand out? Why are the vibes of the Silo so intoxicating? Which mysteries do we think are most interesting? And is it really wasteful to throw away apples at a funeral? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more.We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Silo here.Links:Follow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the ninth episode of Succession season 4, “Church and State.”A gathering brings the siblings together to share their thoughts on Logan. How do they each handle the occasion? How will the show handle its election plotline? What plotlines are surprisingly paid off in this episode? And what are we hoping for and looking for in the series finale next week? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there! Our current plan is to broadcast live next week after the finale.Links:Follow Kim on InstagramFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app. This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, Dan Gvozden and David Chen cover the final 4 episodes of Mrs. Davis on Peacock, the latest series from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. How well did the finale tie up all the ideas? Was Simone and Wiley’s arc a satisfying one? How did the world-building work for us? And is Mrs. Davis some much-needed anti-AI-hype in a world that’s full of hype right now? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Next week we’ll be discussing the first few weeks of Silo on Apple TV+. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live.Links:Follow Dan Gvozden on TwitterListen to Dan’s podcastFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app. In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the eighth episode of Succession season 4, “America Decides.”It’s Election Night and ATN is ready! Or is it? Can Shiv keep her alliance with Matsson alive? And is there any hope for Shiv and Tom at this point? Will Kendall step up to the plate and do the right thing? Is Roman finally coming into his own as the One True Logan Successor? Listen to us discuss all these questions and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!Links:Follow Kim on InstagramFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's podcast is brought to you by the McDonald's app.This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen finish their conversation about Dead Ringers. How well did this show tie together all its disparate themes? What did we think of Rachel Weisz’s performance as the Mantle twins? Does the show have anything interesting to say about the hospital industrial complex or the nature of toxic codependent relationships? And how does it compare with David Cronenberg’s 1988 classic film, which serves as the source material for the show?Next week we’ll be wrapping up our conversation about Mrs. Davis’ first season. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast and what you think we should discuss next at [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Dead Ringers right here.Links:Follow Siddhant Adlakha on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by the McDonald's app. In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the seventh episode of Succession season 4, “Tailgate Party.”A party with important dignitaries pits Shiv against her brothers once more. Can the Roys escape their endless cycle of conflict? Is there any redemption to be found for any of these characters in the final episodes of Succession? What will become of Shiv’s relationship with Tom? And most importantly: Who is going to President in the Succession-verse? Listen to us discuss all these questions and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!Links:Follow Kim on InstagramFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app. This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen cover the first 4 episodes of Mrs. Davis on Peacock, a new series from Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. What…is this show? How well does it tackle its ostensible themes of religion and determinism? In which ways is Betty Gilpin spectacular as Simone/Lizzy? And is this something we’d recommend you watch all the way to the end? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Next week we’ll be wrapping up our conversation about Dead Ringers’ first season and comparing it to the David Cronenberg film. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Mrs. Davis here.Links:Follow Siddhant Adlakha on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by the McDonald's app.In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the sixth episode of Succession season 4, “Living+.”The Roy gang is on the verge of announcing a new product to the world. But will it be their savior or their downfall? Can they fend off Matsson’s opinions in time to make an impact in their stock price? How well does this episode depict the intensity of putting together a speech like this? What are the real-life events and analogues that may have informed this episode? And what’s going on between Tom and Shiv exactly? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!Links:Follow Kim on InstagramFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, Siddhant Adlakha and David Chen cover the first two episodes of Dead Ringers on Prime Video, a new series inspired by David Cronenberg’s 1988 classic. How well does Rachel Weisz handle playing a dual role as twins? What do we make of the fluctuating tone of these first two episodes? What’s going on with the group therapy buttons at the end of each episode? Has Succession really ruined us on Rich People Drama? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Next week we’ll be covering Mrs. Davis and in the weeks to come, we will be wrapping up our conversation about Dead Ringers’ first season and comparing it to the David Cronenberg film. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Dead Ringers episodes 1-2 here.Links:Follow Siddhant Adlakha on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the fifth episode of Succession season 4, “Kill List.”The gang heads off to Europe for a game of “musical electric chairs.” But what exactly is Lukas Matsson’s game? Have Kendall and Roman learned anything about CEO’ing in the past few years? What’s the deal between Shiv and Matsson? And Shiv and Tom, for that matter? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Also: we’re putting highlights/excerpts of our podcast episodes up on our YouTube channel. Be sure to subscribe to catch us over there!Links:Gabriel Sherman’s Vanity Fair profileFollow Kim on Instagram Follow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.On this episode, Siddhant and David discuss the first two episodes of Barry Season 4. What do we think of the tone changes in this show? Is it fair to compare its style to Terrence Malick? Where do we think this season is going? Can we ever, really, truly escape who we are? Listen to us discuss all this and much more!Next week we will be discussing Dead Ringers. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. Links:Follow Siddhant Adlakha on TwitterSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the fourth episode of Succession season 4, “Honeymoon States.”This week’s episode is a big emotional comedown from last week, as each character processes the big news. Marcia returns, but is her presence welcome? Will any of the underlings like Karl or Frank finally get the chance to shine? What’s the difference between an underline and a cross-out? Do the Roy kids have any chance of staying united? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Follow Kim on TwitterFind Kim’s work at InsiderFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Week In Streaming is a new podcast on the Decoding TV podcast feed that will cover the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.On this episode, Siddhant and David wrap up their discussion of Beef Season 1. Do we think that Amy and Danny deserved their ultimate fates? What is this show trying to say about modern life? What are our thoughts on the show’s very final shot? What did we think of the hard swerve in episode 9? We discuss all these questions and much more!Next week we’ll be covering Barry and in the weeks to come, we will be discussing Dead Ringers. Will This Week In Streaming cover more after that? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think of the podcast! [email protected]’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible, so please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. You can watch our conversation about Beef: Season 1 here.Links:Follow Siddhant Adlakha on TwitterSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the third episode of Succession season 4, “Connor’s Wedding.”A major development happens this episode that reconfigures the endgame for this show. How do each of the main characters handle it? What did we think of the unique filmmaking style of this episode? How did we react to the episode in real time? What do we think the rest of this season will even be about? And is this episode one of the greatest TV episodes of all time? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Also: We didn’t get screeners for this episode in advance so we broadcast our chat live on YouTube! Be sure to subscribe to the Decoding TV YouTube channel to get notified when we go live in the future.Links:Vulture’s interview with Brian CoxFollow Kim on TwitterFind Kim’s work at InsiderFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey Decoding TV folks! David Chen here with an exciting announcement.For the past year, Decoding TV has been doing weekly deep dives into different TV shows and streaming shows with some of the best writers and commentators on the internet. But while the weekly recap model works really well for a bunch of shows like The Last of Us, Westworld, and Succession, it takes a lot of time and commitment to cover a show that way and if we confined ourselves only to this model, there would just be a bunch of shows that Decoding TV wouldn’t cover.  That’s why I’m so pleased to announce a new show, which I’m calling This Week In Streaming, which will cover the latest and greatest in what’s available on streaming platforms. The idea is that every week, in addition to any weekly recaps going on at Decoding TV, we will cover one of the most interesting, thought-provoking, and/or critically acclaimed shows on TV. We won’t recap every single episode of these TV shows. Instead:We will make a podcast discussing the first episode or two of the TV showLater, we will record another podcast discussing the last episode of the TV show and reflect on the season as a wholeOver the course of the next few weeks, we will cover Beef on Netflix, Barry on HBO, Dead Ringers on Amazon Prime. As just mentioned, we’ll cover the first eps of these shows (with no spoilers for the rest of the show), and then have a season-ending discussion in a separate episode. This Week In Streaming will appear on the Decoding TV podcast feed so if you’re listening to us on a podcast app, you don’t need to do anything else to get future episodes.I am enormously grateful to Siddhant Adlakha for joining me for this initial batch of episodes to kick this off. Siddhant will be joining me to cover Beef, Barry, and Dead Ringers. Siddhant will always be part of the Decoding TV family but as time goes on, we may rotate different and exciting voices in and out of the co-host chair.Will This Week In Streaming cover more shows after this? That’s up to you. Please let us know what you think! [email protected] last thing: We’re going to try broadcasting This Week In Streaming live as often as possible. So please do follow us on YouTube and on Twitch and you’ll get notifications whenever we go live. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at decodingtv.com!In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the second episode of Succession season 4, “Rehearsal.”A business deal threatens another Roy family event. Will the Roy children be able to overcome their differences in time for the board meeting? What exactly is Logan try to build at the new ATN? Will Mattson get cold feet for the Gojo deal? Will Connor ever experience the fullness of emotion that human life has to offer? Will Kerry ever get to anchor her own show? Listen to us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Follow Kim on TwitterFind Kim’s work at InsiderFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This bonus episode is free but you can get all our bonus episodes by becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.com!We’re trying something new with Decoding TV this season. In the past when we’ve done bonus episodes, they’ve typically analyzed the pre-existing materials for a TV show (e.g. House of the Dragon, The Last of Us). Since Succession is original IP, it demands a different approach.As such, I’ve invited David Cho to join me to do a few bonus episodes throughout the season. David Cho is a media veteran and has previously been the publisher of sites such as Grantland, FiveThirtyEight, and The Awl. His expertise is highly valued by media companies, celebrities, and global brands, and I’m pleased he’s sharing it with us here.[David and I also co-hosts an ongoing podcast on my personal Patreon page, Dave on Dave, in which he critiques and provides feedback on my online work.]In this bonus episode, we spoil and discuss Succession S4E01 - The Munsters, including how realistic the dealmaking was this episode, why it is that the Roys don’t really wear coats, and how rich people have feelings too.Links:Follow David Cho on TwitterFollow David Cho on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify.Succession has returned and the Roys are back to the old backstabbing, treacherous ways! In this episode of Decoding TV, Kim Renfro and David Chen recap and review the first episode of season 4, “The Munsters.”How much has the status quo changed since the last episode? Do we think The Hundred would actually be a successful media venture? Is “The Disgusting Brothers” a good nickname for Greg and Tom? Is Logan Roy’s conversation with Colin one of the saddest scenes that’s ever happened in the history of this show? We discuss this and so much more!Paid subscribers: You can get your premium feed in your podcast app by going to decodingtv.com/listen. Thanks for being a supporter!Links:Follow Kim on TwitterFind Kim’s work at InsiderFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify. Succession is back this Sunday for a fourth and final season! I’m so pleased to be able to bring you weekly coverage of the show featuring my A Cast of Kings co-host Kim Renfro.In this special season 4 preview episode, we discuss:Why is it we love Succession so much?Where we left off with each of the Roy characters at the end of season 3Jesse Armstrong’s comments on why he wanted to end the showWhere we think season 4 will wrap upWhere we want to see each of the Roys end upThe biggest jettisoned plotlines from earlier on in the showAnd much more!I’m grateful to Kim for being willing to join me as Succession comes to a thrilling close, and grateful all Decoding TV paid members for making this podcast possible. I hope you can join us!Links:The New Yorker: Jesse Armstrong explains why the show is endingFollow Kim on TwitterFind Kim’s work at InsiderFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify. Thanks for a great season of TV recapping! We’ll be recapping Succession next so stay tuned for more episodes of the podcast.In this Decoding TV bonus episode about The Last Of Us, David and Christian discuss topics such as:Listener/viewer reactions to the seasonThe realism of the season finaleThe philosophical questions in the discourseWhat we think season 2 of the show might look like (spoilers are clearly marked)And much more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify. Thank you for listening this season! We’ve loved making this podcast for you. We’ll be doing one additional bonus episode next week responding to feedback and other thoughts on season 1 so please stay tuned. In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 9 of The Last Of Us, “Look for the Light.”Joel and Ellie wrap up their journey for the season. But how well does this ending work? Do we think Kiss Kiss Bang Bang could’ve prevented the tragedy that takes place in this episode? And at the end of the day, what do we think this show is trying to say about love and grief? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify. In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 8 of The Last Of Us, “When We Are In Need.”A new character illustrates a different element of the post-apocalypse. But how believable is the character of David? What do we make of Joel’s turn this episode? And how amazing is Bella Ramsay in this episode? (Spoiler: Extremely!). We discuss all this and more on this week’s episode.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan - EVs that electrify. In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 7 of The Last Of Us, “Left Behind.”A detour takes us away from the main timeline of the series. How well does it work in at this point in the story? How does it compare to the game? What does it teach us about Ellie’s life and her relationship to others? And what is this show trying to say about FEDRA anyways? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode:Nissan - EVs that electrifyThe McDonald's app - Download the McDonald's app todayIn this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 6 of The Last Of Us, “Kin.”Joel and Ellie reunite with someone familiar in unexpected circumstances. What is the source of friction between the characters? How will Joel deal with the possibility of getting out of his commitment to Tess? And is Joel going to make it out of this situation alive? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode:Nissan - EVs that electrifyThe McDonald's app - Download the McDonald's app todayIn this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 5 of HBO’s The Last Of Us, ‘Endure and Survive’This episode finishes off a two-episode arc as we continue to follow the stories of Kathleen, Henry, and Sam. How good was Henry’s escape plan, exactly? Is Kathleen a compelling character? What does this episode’s script do well (and not)? And what does this show have in common with World War Z? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks to our sponsors for this episode:Nissan - EVs that electrifyThe McDonald's app - Download the McDonald's app todayIn this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 4 of HBO’s The Last Of Us, ‘Please Hold To My Hand.’This episode captures the bombed out countryside of the U.S. as Joel and Ellie continue their journey. How well does the episode bring this post-apocalyptic country to life? How effectively does it capture the set pieces from the game? Where is Joel and Ellie’s relationship at this point? And what’s up with these new characters that are introduced? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by our sponsors:Nissan - EVs, that electrifyThe McDonald's app. There's always a reason to order in the app. In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 3 of HBO’s The Last Of Us. Every single episode of this show has been better than the last. Has the show finally peaked? We don’t know but either way, this was a tremendous episode of television.How effectively did the show depict the relationship between Bill and Frank? Is this show’s vision of the American government a realistic one? And what was up with that weird scene between Ellie and that dude in the basement? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss season 1 episode 2 of HBO’s The Last Of Us.What do Christian and David thinks of these flashback cold opens (a TV show invention)? How does Tess and Joel’s relationship reveal itself through the course of the episode? What do we learn about this specific post-apocalyptic universe this time around? And how about that ending? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To get more bonus episodes like this one, consider becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com!In this Decoding TV bonus episode about The Last Of Us, David and Christian discuss many of the changes between the videogame and the TV series, including:The framing of Outbreak DayThe relationship between Joel and TessWhat’s going on with Joel and Sarah’s neighborsMarlene and Ellie’s relationshipAnd much more!NOTE: We’ve tried really hard to keep this as non-spoilery as possible but show-watchers-only should be warned that you may consider some of this material to be spoilers.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLC Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Christian Spicer discuss the series premiere of HBO’s The Last Of Us. Join us each week for episode recaps and bonus episodes discussing the show!How successfully does this beloved story make the jump to TV? How well does the casting work? Does this show have anything new to add to our cluttered post-apocalyptic TV landscape? Listen to hear our thoughts on these questions, and much more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeSubscribe to Christian Spicer’s newsletter, Let’s Chat GamesCheck out Christian Spicer’s videogame podcast, DLCSubscribe to David’s newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy holidays, all! In this Decoding TV bonus episode, David Chen is joined by Ashley Esqueda and Siddhant Adlakha to discuss The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. What is it like to see Marvel superheroes participating in everyday Earth rituals? Does the special rely too much on your real-life knowledge of [REDACTED]? And how important is it to watch this Special before the next Guardians of the Galaxy movie? Listen to hear our thoughts!Links:Learn more about Ashley’s workFollow Ashley on TwitterLearn more about Siddhant workFollow Siddhant on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify. In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen, Joy, and Kim Renfro discuss the hit Netflix series 1899 (from the creators of Dark). What did we think of the production design of this unique TV show? How did the characters evolve and change? Where do they end up? And most importantly: WTF is going on with the ending of this show?This podcast episode begins with overall thoughts before heading into full spoilers.Links:Read Kim’s article about the ending of 1899Follow this podcast on YouTubeFollow this podcast on Tiktok  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member of DecodingTV.com.For Decoding TV’s coverage of The Last of Us, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have a co-host who’s a veritable Last of Us expert. Christian Spicer co-hosts the DLC videogame podcast and is the host of The Official Last of Us podcast(!). In this introductory podcast episode, we discuss five burning questions we have about the upcoming series.The Last of Us series will debut on HBO on January 15th. You can expect the our next podcast episode to be a recap that covers the season premiere. I hope you’ll consider joining us for the journey.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Christian Spicer’s work on The Official Last of Us PodcastListen to DLC, Christian Spicer’s videogame podcastSubscribe Christian Spicer’s newsletterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTube Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify!In this episode of Decoding TV, Roxana Hadadi and David Chen discuss the shocking season 2 finale of The White Lotus. We finally learn who the dead bodies are in the season premiere but is the result narratively satisfying? Did Harper and Ethans’ relationship play out in a believable way? Should Meghann Fahy win an Emmy for her work this season? (spoiler: yes) Did the Di Grasso family learn anything from this whole misadventure? Did Valentina’s storyline end up resonating? Listen to us discuss all this and more! Roxana and I will be back with one additional bonus episode for paid DecodingTV.com members sometime in the next week or so.Decoding TV will be covering The Last Of Us, premiering on HBO on January 15th! Be sure to stay subscribed to get all our episodes, with a special announcement sometime in the next week. Thanks to everyone who has listened this season, thanks to Decoding TV paid members for making this podcast possible, and a big thanks to Roxana Hadadi for joining us on this journey!Links:Read Roxana’s piece about the finaleEmail us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey folks,David Chen here. Roxana Hadadi and I had originally planned to record our White Lotus season 2 finale recap this evening but due to scheduling issues, we’re going to be delivering that full episode tomorrow instead.In the meantime, here are our quick reactions to the finale, which we just finished watching this evening. Stay tuned tomorrow for the full episode!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 6 of The White Lotus, “Abductions.”Tanya discovers multiple shocking secrets about Quentin, but what exactly is his endgame? Portia realizes the disadvantages of seeing a guy like Jack, but can she extricate herself before she gets in too deep? Ethan starts wondering where exactly he and Harper stand with each other, but can their relationship be saved? We discuss all this and more in the podcast! Plus: we make predictions for the finale episode! Send in yours to decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is sponsored by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify.Programming note: Thanks for joining us for our coverage of The Crown this season! If the new Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary is worth discussing, we’ll be covering it here on Decoding TV in the weeks to come.David Chen and @joyonapping are covering The Crown season 5 in three installments:Episodes 1-3Episodes 4-6Episodes 7-10 (this episode)Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 7-10, “No Woman’s Land,” “Gunpowder,” “Couple 31,” and “Decommissioned.”How did The Crown handle the saga of the Martin Bashir interview? Why is the show seemingly intent on rehabilitating the image of Charles and Camilla? Did we really have to end season five by exploring the plotline of the Royal Yacht again? What is the effect of juxtaposing normal everyday divorces with the cataclysmic one depicted in the show? We discuss all this and more!Links:Follow @joyonapping on TwitterSubscribe to David Chen’s new newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokOn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is brought to you by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify.In this Decoding TV bonus episode, David and Patrick discuss all the stuff they wish they’d mentioned on the Andor season 1 finale wrap-up, including:What are the details we know about season 2 at this point? How did the Decoding TV indirectly end up annoying Tony Gilroy? Is Luthen actually a Jedi? What is the significance of the funeral procession song that plays in episode 12? Why aren’t there more aliens in the show? What are the advantages of having a big hood, Luthen-style? Listen to hear us discuss these questions and much more!Did you enjoy Decoding TV this season? Consider supporting the podcast at decodingtv.com.NOTE: This episode contains details that could conceivably be considered MILD SPOILERS for season 2, so tread carefully if you’re trying to avoid. See y’all in 2024!Links:Patrick’s Keero fancamLA Times interview with Tony GilroyRoxana Hadadi’s interview with Tony GilroyFollow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 5 of The White Lotus, “That’s Amore.”In this episode, Quentin further ingratiates himself with Tanya. But what’s his real endgame? Cam, Daphne, Ethan, and Harper keep trying to make this vacation work, come hell or high water. Things with Albie and Portia come to a predictable conclusion(?), plus Bert and Dom finally attempt to hash out some of their longstanding differences. We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.David Chen and @joyonapping are covering The Crown season 5 in three installments:Episodes 1-3Episodes 4-6 (this episode)Episodes 7-10Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 4-6, “Annus Horribilis,” “The Way Ahead,” and “Ipatiev House.” How does show manage the evolution of Elizabeth/Phillip’s marriage? How well does it tie in historical events with what’s happening during the show? Why is there a startling lack of Diana and Charles this season? And why on earth is this show doing Charles image rehab after the events of season 4? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!DecodingTV.com subscribers: To add the premium feed of Decoding TV to your podcast app, go to DecodingTV.com/listen and follow the instructions.Links:Follow @joyonapping on TwitterSubscribe to David Chen’s new newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this Decoding TV episode, Patrick Willems and David Chen discuss the season 1 finale of Andor, “Rix Road.” Thanks to all DecodingTV.com members for making this season of the podcast possible!Note that Patrick and David plan to do one more bonus episode, so be sure to email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com with your questions, comments, theories, and so on. We’ll discuss them in the next week or two.The season finale brings all the plotlines together on Ferrix. Do Luthen and Cassian patch things up? Are Vel and Cinta happy to see each other? What is the fate of Bix? Is Maarva actually dead or was she planning something huge all along? And for the love of god, where do we leave #keero at the end of this episode? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Follow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Siddhant Adlakha discuss Welcome to Chippendales, a new Hulu original series starring Kumail Nanjiani about the creation of the Chippendales male revue show.Programming note: In this podcast episode we will cover (and spoil) the first two episodes of Welcome to Chippendales, “An Elegant, Exclusive Atmosphere,” and “Four Geniuses”. We will record one other podcast episode later to discuss the finale and entire season.How well does Welcome to Chippendales get the persona of Somen "Steve" Banerjee, the man responsible for creating Chippendales? Does the show make good use of Murray Bartlett and Dan Stevens? And does it capture what it’s like to be an Indian immigrant in America during this time period? We discuss all this and more!Links:Follow Siddhant on TwitterRead Siddhant’s work on IGNFollow David on InstagramFollow David on TiktokFollow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 4 of The White Lotus, “In The Sandbox.”Harper quietly begins to reckon with some of the shocking events of last episode, while Cam, Daphne, and Ethan are none the wiser. Albie and Portia continue to have massive issues trying to make this vacation fling work. Valentina is straight up just bad at her job at this point. And Tanya makes a new connection that may lead her down an interesting path. We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald's. I'm lovin' it. After a long wait, all episodes of The Crown Season 5 are finally here! David Chen and @joyonapping are planning to cover The Crown in three installments:Episodes 1-3 (this episode)Episodes 4-6Episodes 7-10This is our first time covering a binge-release show on Netflix so if you have any thoughts on this approach, feel free to email us at [email protected]. It won’t change our plans for this season but could for future seasons.Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 1-3, “Queen Victoria Syndrome,” “The System,” and “Mou Mou.” How does this season continue the Diana/Charles storyline? How does the new cast work for us so far? Did the writing of Andrew Morton’s book really go down like it does in the show? How exciting is carriage racing as a sport? Are the metaphors more clunky this season or is it just our imagination? All this and more on this week’s episode of Decoding TV!DecodingTV.com subscribers: To add the premium feed of Decoding TV to your podcast app, go to DecodingTV.com/listen and follow the instructions.Links:Follow @joyonapping on TwitterSubscribe to David Chen’s new newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this Decoding TV episode, Patrick Willems and David Chen dive into season 1 episode 11 of Andor, “Daughter of Ferrix,” now streaming on Disney+.The penultimate episode of the first season puts in place many pieces for what promises to be an explosive finale. But it also raises a lot of questions like: Is Luthen secretly a Jedi? How different are Mon Mothma’s views on marriage from her daughter’s? Where will next episode leave #Keero? How will Andor and Melshi reunite? Also, David and Patrick discuss what they would like done with their remains. All this and more on this episode of Decoding TV!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Follow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 3 of The White Lotus, “Bull Elephants.”A series of surprising decisions reveal cracks beneath many of our core relationships. What is the nature of Cam and Daphne’s relationship? What does Ethan think of everything that’s going on? Is Albie actually a good guy or not? And why does he have to go after The Godfather anyways? Listen to hear us debate and discuss.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.It’s the first live recording of Decoding TV! David Chen and Patrick Willems are at the Hawai’i International Film Festival to share their expertise with students, but they couldn’t turn down the opportunity to record an Andor recap in person. In this Decoding TV episode, they dive into season 1 episode 10 of Andor, “One Way Out,” now streaming on Disney+.This episode puts the fate of ISB Senior Officer Lonni Jung front-and-center. How will Lonni fare in Luthen’s world? What is the show trying to say about revolutions and the people behind them? What is the ultimate fate of Kino Loy? Do Andor and Melshi end up surviving this week’s events? (Probably). Also: Where’s the #Karntent this week? All this and more on this episode of Decoding TV!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Watch Patrick's #Keero fancam videoFollow Decoding TV:On YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.