Decoding Westworld

In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 3, “1893.”This episode sees the return of Ravonna Renslayer and Miss Minutes. But, like, what is Miss Minutes’ deal exactly? Does she have physical properties? Do we care about her quest for a human body? What did we think of Jonathan Major’s performance as Victor Timely? How delightful is it to see Mobius and Loki in 19th century Chicago? And can this show stick to one plotline for longer than a single episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tikto

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss all eight episodes of Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher:Episode 1 - A Midnight DrearyEpisode 2 - The Masque of the Red DeathEpisode 3 - Murder in the Rue MorgueEpisode 4 - The Black CatEpisode 5 - The Tell-Tale HeartEpisode 6 - GoldbugEpisode 7 - The Pit and the PendulumEpisode 8 - The RavenWe begin by discussing our overall thoughts on the show. Then, starting at ~29:00, we discuss and spoil every single episode.How did Poe’s work fare in the transition to the small screen? And how well did we think the actors did in bringing these characters to life? Is this show supposed to be as campy as it feels sometimes? What were our favorite kills? And does this show add up to anything by the end? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be

In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki season 2 episode 2, “Breaking Brad.” But first: a conversation about how Marvel has been handling TV, and how that might change moving forward.This episode sees Loki finally reuniting with Sylvie after some adventures apart. But why does it feel like this show is actually two separate shows fighting against each other? What was it like to see Loki use some more of that old trickster magic again? And does this show actually need superhero action scenes to be exciting? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow David

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the entire first season of The Continental: From The World of John Wick, including:Episode 2 - Loyalty to the MasterEpisode 3 - Theatre of PainAs predicted, the season (series?) finale had action scene after action scene. But were any of them any good? What were our favorite and least favorite moments? Did this show bring enough to the (high) table to warrant revisiting the world of John Wick? Do we think it’s worth revisiting this world in a second season? And we ask again: Was it really worth casting Mel Gibson in this show? Listen to us discuss all this and more!Next week, we’ll be continuing our coverage of Loki. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comLi

In this episode, Patrick Klepek and David Chen dive into Loki’s season 2 premiere, “Ouroboros” We start by talking about our thoughts about what Loki season 1 did well and where we felt it could’ve improved. Then, it’s time for a full-blown review and recap of the first episode of season 2.We’ve missed the world of the Time Variance Authority! Is there any MCU show that has ever looked better than Loki? How painful does Loki’s time-slipping look, exactly? How do we feel about the Jonathan Majors of it all? How perfect is Ke Huy Quan for this show? And what are our hopes and expectations for this season of television? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!We’ll be covering Loki weekly right here on Decoding TV, so stay tuned to hear our reaction to each episode this season!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubs

Patrick and David are experimenting with shorter episodes for shows that we still want to check in with but aren’t doing full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the final two episodes of Ahsoka:Episode 7 - Dreams and MadnessEpisode 8 - The Lion, The Witch, and the WarlordWell, that finale certainly subverted our expectations…but not in a good way necessarily? Was it really the best move to make [REDACTED] the big final confrontation? Has this show done a good job of setting up future seasons/films featuring these characters? Should this show have been titled Ahsoka in the first place? Is anyone really happy to reunite with Ezra Bridger? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decodi

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen is joined by writer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Jessie Earl to discuss the first three episodes of Gen V, a new spin-off series set in the universe of The Boys:Episode 1 - God U.Episode 2 - First DayEpisode 3 - #ThinkBrinkGen V is very close in tone to The Boys. But is it too close? How invested are we in these brand new characters? What do we think about the ways this show intersects with the The Boys? How does the show handle politics and other social issues? And can the show’s central mystery propel us all the way to the end of the season effectively? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Next week, we’ll be concluding our coverage of Ahsoka and The Continental and kicking off our conversation about Loki: Season 2. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first episode of The Continental: From The World of John Wick, “Brothers In Arms.”How well did this show use the universe of the John Wick movies? Was it a good decision to center the entire show around [REDACTED]? Was it really worth it to cast Mel Gibson in this show? (Spoiler: No). What is the point of the KD/Mayhew storyline? Most importantly: Does the action in this show deliver? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Next week, we’ll be covering Gen V. We’ll also be continuing our coverage of The Continental and Ahsoka in the weeks to come. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks for being a paid subscriber!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubs

Enjoying the podcast? Please consider supporting us by becoming a paid member at Decodingtv.com.Patrick and David are experimenting with shorter episodes for shows that we still want to check in with but aren’t doing full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the latest two episodes of Ahsoka:Episode 5 - Shadow WarriorEpisode 6 - Far, Far AwayOur protagonists have arrived at their destination! But is the payoff worth it? What did we think of the re-introduction of [REDACTED]? Is Peridea really all that desolate? What did we make of Hayden Christensen’s return as Darth Vader? And why/how is Ray Stevenson’s character the most interesting thing about this show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, De

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com.This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. On this episode, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first three episodes of One Piece streaming right now on Netflix:Episode 1 - Romance DawnEpisode 2 - The Man in the Straw HatEpisode 3 - Tell No TalesHow well did One Piece build its fantastical world? Is it doing enough to satisfy existing fans while drawing in folks not familiar with its source material? Does the main character of Luffy work for us? What filmmaking choices make One Piece feel different than a normal TV show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Next week, Patrick and David will discuss The Continental on Peacock. We’ll also be continuing our coverage of Ahsoka. When possible, we will broadcast the episode live on YouTube, so be sure to follow us there. Thanks fo

Here at Decoding TV, we’re planning to do a series of bonus episodes where Patrick Klepek and David Chen discuss a topic that’s in the news or just something that’s caught our attention recently. The first few of these will be free but eventually they will be exclusive to paid Decoding TV subscribers. (Check out our first episode about MovieTok and film criticism.)Today we discuss this Vulture piece detailing some of the issues that RottenTomatoes faces. What does it say about our society that a single numerical value holds so much importance? How do the lessons of Rottentomatoes apply to the videogame world? And what is a consumer to do given the fact that RottenTomatoes scores may be unreliable? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Whenever possible we broadcast our episodes live on YouTube. You can watch the episode here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid member at decodingtv.com.We’re trying something new this week! Patrick and David are experimenting with a shorter episode format for a show that we still want to check in with but maybe don’t want to do full blown recaps for. In this podcast episode, David and Patrick discuss the latest two episodes of Ahsoka:Episode 3 - Time To FlyEpisode 4 - Fallen JediAre we still enjoying the show? How well does it handle its “Star Wars moments” vs. everything else? Is the dialogue still glacially paced? What do we think about the character of Ahsoka as opposed to Sabine? And how satisfying is the sound that’s made when the spherical map is placed in someone’s gloved hand? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap RadioSubscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, CrossplayFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe

This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the docuseries How To with John Wilson, which is streaming right now on Max.In each episode of How To, documentarian John Wilson ostensibly sets out to answer a basic question: how to find a public restroom, how to clean your ears, how to watch the game, etc. But in reality, the show is an intimate portrait of life's beautiful mundanity, with Wilson taking the episode's original premise and frequently pivoting in new, unexpected, and always interesting directions.What did we think of the show’s third and final season? What did we feel about the various ways in which John Wilson played around with his formula? What were some of the most memorable moments from this season and beyond? And what do we think this show is ultimately trying to say? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!Next week, Patrick and David wil

In this Decoding TV bonus episode about Justified: City Primeval, Sarah Marrs and David Chen discuss all the things we didn’t get to in our season final recap. This includes topics such as:Did the finale drop the ball this season?Listener reactions to the season as a wholeWas it really a big mistake to bring back [REDACTED]?The biggest differences between the book and the showWhat happened during the time jump in the finale?And much more!Thanks for a great season of TV recapping. Decoding TV will be back in the near future to cover How To with John Wilson, The Continental, and much much more, so be sure to keep subscribed to get all our latest episodes.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead more of Sarah’s work at Lainey GossipFollow Sarah on TwitterFollow David Chen on ThreadsSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com.This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the three-part HBO docuseries Telemarketers, which is streaming right now on Max.Telemarketers is about two former telemarketers who witness the corruption and exploitation of one telemarketing firm in particular, Civic Development Group (CDG), and make it their life’s mission to try and take the company—and the industry—down. Its sprawling narrative eventually becomes about the making of the documentary itself. Its appeal is largely driven by the two personalities at its center. But did this format work for us? What does Telemarketers have to say about the telemarketing industry and about our society’s ability to change it? And how does it fit in with the current documentary environment overall? Listen to us discuss all this and more!Next week, Patrick and

In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the eighth and final episode of Justified: City Primeval, “The Question.”In the season (series?) finale, characters make baffling decisions left and right. What happened to the deadly Albanians? How did we feel about the ultimate fate of Clement Mansell? Did Raylan’s arc prove to be a worthwhile one? And what did we make of the shocking cameo at the end of the episode? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Thanks to Sarah Marrs for joining us for this season of coverage! We’ll be doing one additional bonus episode to discuss City Primeval so send us your questions/thoughts/responses at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com. Thanks for listening!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead more of Sarah’s work at Lainey GossipFollow Sarah on TwitterFollow David Chen on ThreadsSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Deco

If you enjoy this podcast, consider supporting us by becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.comThis Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week. This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the first two episodes of Ahsoka on Disney+:Episode 1 - Master and ApprenticeEpisode 2 - Toil and TroubleWe begin by discussing our relationship to Star Wars at this point, plus our overall thoughts on Ahsoka. Then we dive into full spoilers starting at around 25:50 into the podcast. How did the show manage the task of catching people up with the history of the animated shows while also welcoming in new viewers? Does Ahsoka do a good job of capturing the “feeling” of Star Wars? Shouldn’t catching a light saber through the torso be enough to kill someone? And is it just David, or does everyone in this show talk extremely slowly? Listen to us discuss all this and more!Next week,

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider becoming a paid subscriber at DecodingTV.com. Thanks!In this edition of Decoding TV, David Chen and Sarah Marrs discuss the seventh episode of Justified: City Primeval, “The Smoking Gun”In the penultimate episode of the season, plotlines start colliding left and right and a major character is revealed to have ulterior motives. How did we feel about that reveal? Will we ever see Willa again? Taking into account the original Justified, what is the grand arc of Raylan Givens character? What are our predictions for how this season will wrap up? And why are sex scenes important for storytelling? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead more of Sarah’s work at Lainey GossipFollow Sarah on TwitterFollow David Chen on ThreadsSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow this podcast on InstagramFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv

Today we're launching a new series of bonus episodes where Patrick Klepek and I talk about a topic that’s in the news or something that’s caught our attention recently. Assuming folks enjoy these (if you do, let us know via email at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!), we’ll keep doing them. The first few of these will be free but eventually they will be exclusive to paid Decoding TV subscribers. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to get the best Decoding TV experience.Today we welcome Myles McNutt from the Episodic Medium Substack who joins me and Patrick Klepek to discuss this article in The New York Times about MovieTok (and David Chen’s Tiktok response). What are the differences between traditional critics and MovieTok content creators? How have these differences informed each of our career paths? And what did The New York Times get right and wrong about how it framed this issue? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Links:Email us and let us know what you think at decodingtv(AT)gmail(D

Thanks to our paid subscribers at DecodingTV.com for making this podcast possible.This Week In Streaming is a show on the Decoding TV podcast feed that covers the most interesting shows available on streaming each week.This week, David Chen and Patrick Klepek discuss the final five episodes of Twisted Metal, now streaming on Peacock.Episode 6 - DRVTHRUEpisode 7 - NUTH0UZEpisode 8 - EV3L1NEpisode 9 - R04DK11Episode 10 - SHNGRLAWe begin by discussing our overall thoughts, then dive into full spoilers starting at around 16:07 into the podcast. What did we make of how this show handled lore (and what lore did we miss in our last recap episodes)? Did we really need backstories for Officer Stone, Quiet, and Sweet Tooth? What exactly was Raven trying to accomplish in the final episode of the show? Did this season end where it should’ve began? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more!Next week, Patrick and David will discuss the first two episodes of Ahsoka, the new Star Wars series on Disney+. When pos