Extra Hot Great: This Week In TV

While the counter-history of For All Mankind was going on, what counter-historical events were occurring in parallel in the U.S.S.R.? The spinoff Star City is here to dramatize it, and new guest Sophie Brookover is here to say whether it’s a “da” or a “net.” Around The Dial takes us to Make That Movie, The Tower, Deli Boys S02, and Instadocs. Wendy pitches the Designing Women episode “How Great Thou Art” for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, it’s on to a bookish Game Time about big- and small-screen adaptations. Find any of the many listening devices hidden in your home and join us!
GUESTS
👤 Sophie Brookover
TOPICS
Announcement: 🏳️‍🌈 Pride Month Gift Exchange
Lead Topic: 🚀 Star City
Around The Dial: 🎥 Make That Movie
Around The Dial: 🏢 The Tower
Around The Dial: 🥪 Deli Boys
Around The Dial: 📹 Instadocs
The Canon: ⛪️ Designing Women S02.E20: How Great Thou Art
Winner & Loser: 👍 Anna Kendrick
Winner & Loser: 🦆 Jorge R. Gutierrez
Game Time: 📚 Screen Sizes
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NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Sophie Brookover on Bluesky
👯‍♀️ The Two Bossy Dames newsletter
🏳️‍🌈 Pride Month gift exchange information and signup
👀 "Why You Should Be Watching Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed" at GQ
🛎️ Downton Abbey on the Telly Visions podcast
📺 "9 Shows For '80s And '90s PBS And Masterpiece Kids" at Two Bossy Dames
📹 Sarah's Instadocs review at Best Evidence
🕰️ Sarah's Woman Of The Hour review at Best Evidence
🚪 Anthony Bourdain in Narnia at An Archive Of Our Own
📷 Photo: Apple
CLUB-ONLY NOTES
🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
💬 Get On Our Community Discord

The Stranger Things team (among others) is back with a similar “a community of X bands together against a supernatural force” story in The Boroughs, which features an all-star cast (Alfred Molina, Alfre Woodard, Lester from The Wire) going up against [redacted] AND their own aches and pains. Does the actors’ group chemistry carry the story, or did it need to take one thing off? And have we maybe seen these ideas in other properties like The Descent and Man On The Inside? If that pairing of references didn’t give you whiplash, come Around The Dial with us for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, Animaniacs, The Bear‘s trip to Gary, IN, and a Drunk Dave recovery report before Dave takes us to a DIFFERENT old-folks home with his Aqua Teen Hunger Force Canon pitch. BAffleck won, Tom Hardy lost, and we all hoped Game Time would tie the whole episode together. Barge on in with a six-pack and some gossip: it’s an all-new Extra Hot Great.
GUESTS
👤 Devindra Hardawar
TOPICS
Announcement: 📢 Club Update
Lead Topic: 👴🏻 The Boroughs
Around The Dial: 😃 Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
Around The Dial: 🗼 Animaniacs
Around The Dial: 🐻 The Bear
The Canon: 👨‍🦽‍➡️ Aqua Teen Hunger Force S03.E06: Little Brittle
Winner & Loser: ⚾️ Ben Affleck
Winner & Loser: 😡 Tom Hardy
Game Time: 🔌 Also Also Also Connect
SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
📺 Devindra Hardawar talks new TV tech on the Engadget podcast
🔥 The Extra Hot Great Club page
🌃 Tara on The Late Show finale at GQ
💥 Sarah's review of The Crash at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Netflix

The last of the Emmy-begging shows are nearly behind us, which means it’s time to look ahead to what has historically been TV’s silliest season: summer! Alan Sepinwall and Kathryn VanArendonk, co-hosts of the new podcast TV Is Good, join us to share the shows they’re into; the shows they should be into but aren’t; the shows no one should be into; and the “Good For You!” shows that aren’t for them but have a right to exist. Wendy pitches “Take My Finals, Please” from The Facts Of Life for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week’s Winner and Loser, we close on a Non-Regulation Game Time worth singing about. Close all your blinds against the blazing sun and listen!
GUESTS
👤 Alan Sepinwall
👤 Kathryn VanArendonk
TOPICS
Lead Topic: 🏖️ Summer TV Preview
The Canon: 📙 The Facts Of Life S04.E22: Take My Finals, Please
Winner & Loser: 🤠 The Lowdown
Winner & Loser: 🎙️ AMC
Game Time: 🎼 Tube Tunes XVII
SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Alan Sepinwall on Bluesky
🦋 Kathryn VanArendonk on Bluesky
🦋 The TV Is Good podcast on Bluesky
📺 The TV Is Good podcast
🔥 EEHG 407
⛴️ “Why Widow’s Bay Is The Horror Comedy You Should Be Watching” at GQ
☘️ “Breakout Horror Comedy Star [Kate O’Flynn] Is Giving TV’s Best Performance” at The Daily Beast
🪞 Serling: A Journey Into The Twilight Zone With TV's First Visionary at Hachette
📰 The Best Evidence newsletter
🐽 Popular Mechanics at Fandom's Muppet wiki

You hear us play Game Time, but only the bravest few dare attempt it themselves. Laura, Mike, and Rob face off in a trio of Game Times, one written by each co-host. Listen to find out how many winners there are among them!
GUESTS
👤 Rob Hartmann
👤 Laura Hampton
👤 Mike Seifert
TOPICS
Game Time: 📚 Stacks-onomy Of Episodes
Game Time: 🔠 One Letter Off
Game Time: 🫥 Oh! I Didn't See You There
SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

Two past and future EHG guests and one listener are showcased in this special episode. First, the good: Mlle. Caroline's pitch for the fourth episode of BBC's 1995 Pride & Prejudice, and Dan Cassino deep (sea) dive on Iron Chef's "Squid Battle." Bringing up the rear is Wendy's Nonac pitch for The Great British Bake Off's infamous "Mexican Week." Warning: might make you hungry for a giant ham, squid pizza, and "TACK-os."
TOPICS
The Canon: 🏰 Pride & Prejudice (1995) S01.E04
The Canon: 🦑 Iron Chef S03.E23: Squid Battle
The Nonac: 🌮 The Great British Bake Off S13.E04: Mexican Week
SUPPORT THE SHOW
🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site