Decoding TV

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 133 - Are We Ready To Get Down with ‘The Lowdown’ Again? (Plus: Reviews of ‘VisionQuest’ Eps 3-4 and ‘Dark Matter’ S2E08) Oct 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episodes of VisionQuest and Dark Matter.

Are we ready to return to the world of The Lowdown (Season 2 premiere)? Are we excited for a Carrie season 2? What do we think of the idea to play Heated Rivalry episodes in theaters? And WTF is the state of the DC Universe right now? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Homework for next week:

VisionQuest episodes 5-6 (Disney+)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 10 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

02:00 - The Lowdown Season 2 premiere
13:55 - TV News
Follow-ups from last week:
More reporting on Netflix’s big moves
‘Carrie’ Renewed for Season 2 at Amazon
‘Heated Rivalry’ to Relexase in Movie Theaters, Two Episodes at a Time
Poison Ivy TV Series In Development at HBO With ‘The Penguin’ Showrunner
54:00 - VisionQuest
Episode 3 - Reboot
Episode 4 - Malware
1:16:15 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 9 - How To Build The Box

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Ep: ‘Slow Horses’ Season 6 Brings Chaos and Death Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

Dave and @joyonapping have a spoiler-filled discussion about season 6 of Slow Horses. What did we think of the season overall? What were some of the most memorable moments and character developments? How did this season compare with what happened in the books? And how does this season stack up against all the others? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 132 - Mike Flanagan’s ‘Carrie’ Is a Good Show. But Should It Be Called ‘Carrie’? (Plus: Reviews of the ‘VisionQuest’ Premiere and ‘Dark Matter’ S2E08) Oct 16, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episodes of VisionQuest and Dark Matter.

What did we think of Mike Flanagan’s take on Carrie? What is going to happen when Netflix can’t lay people off anymore? What is the future of Marvel’s TV strategy? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Homework for next week:

The Lowdown season premiere (Hulu)
VisionQuest episode 3 (Disney+)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 9 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

04:30 - Carrie (2026)
29:00 - TV News
Netflix Lays Off 6% of Employees, Elimination About 1,000 Jobs in Biggest Cutbacks to Date
‘Zodiac’ Will Be a “Globetrotting” Spy Adventure, Says Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum
Ryan Coogler’s ‘X-Files’ Update Scores Hulu Series Order
47:15 - VisionQuest
Episode 1 - No String
Episode 2 - Theseus
1:18:35 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 8 - The Basic Oneness of Everything

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bonus Ep: ‘Dark Matter’ S2E07 Is About How AI Will Destroy Us All Oct 10, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus episode of Decoding TV, Patrick and David discuss the latest episode of Dark Matter.

What is this show trying to say about our relationship with technology? Is it still possible for season 2 to focus and become a great seaosn of TV? And what do we make of the presence of acclaimed character actress Margo Martindale? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 131 - Did ‘Lanterns’ Stick The Landing? Or Was It a Disaster? (Plus: ‘Dark Matter’ S2E06 Asks How You’d Approach Your Loved Ones) Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

Now that the Skydance merger is complete, what do we think will happen with the new mega company? Was the Lanterns finale a sublime end, or a storytelling disaster? And where do we think Dark Matter is really heading this season. Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Homework for next week:

Carrie season premiere (Prime Video)
VisionQuest season premiere (Disney+)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 7 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - TV News
Skydance/Warner merger
David Ellison Names Skydance Corp.’s New Leadership Team for Movies, TV, Streaming and More
David Zaslav says goobye (motherfucker)
US Film and TV production is in a terrible decline
Both Paramount and HBO brands will still exist
Disney Licenses Slew of Titles to Netflix, Including All Five ‘Ice Age’ Movies, ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians,’ ‘Felicity,’ ‘Will Trent,’ ‘Elio’ and More
Eddie Murphy to Star in First Scripted Series ‘The Chairman’ at Peacock
31:00 - Lanterns
Episode 8 - Dirt and Stars
1:07:35 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 6 - What the Universe Is Made of

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 130 - What Does ‘Youth’ Have To Say About Life In Your 50s? (Plus: Reviews of ‘Lanterns’ Ep 7 and ‘Dark Matter’ S2E05) Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

What does Youth have to say about life in your 50s? What did we think about The New York Times’ list of the top 100 TV shows o the 21st century? And was Dark Matter season 2 episode 5 a masterpiece? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Lanterns episode 8 (HBO Max)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 6 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - Show of the Week
Youth
19:10 - TV News
The New York Times top 100 TV Shows of the 21st Century
Beast In Me Renewed for Season 2
48:30 - Lanterns
Episode 7 - The Jordan Boys’ Legacy
1:14:33 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 5 - Love and Be Loved

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 129 - Is The World Ready for a Netflix That’s Just Mid? (Plus: Reviews of ‘Lanterns’ Ep 6 and ‘Dark Matter’ S2E04) Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

Are Netflix’s viewership woes reversible? What are our thoughts on the latest news about the Paramount/Warner merger? And are we excited to finally see Apple’s The Savant when it premieres next year? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: Youth (HBO Max)
Lanterns episode 7 (HBO Max)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 5 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - TV News
Netflix is in bad shape
Paramount Settles Antitrust Case With State AGs
Major TV Networks Suspend White House Pool Coverage of Trump in Protest of His CNN Ban
Apple TV Finally Schedules Jessica Chastain-Led Thriller ‘The Savant’
‘Daredevil: Born Again’ to End With Season 3
Older News: Neil Druckmann and Frank Miller
1:01:53 - Lanterns
Episode 6 - Bad Optics
1:01:53 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 4 - Stars Hide Your Fires

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 128 - Breaking Down the 2026 Emmy Awards with Myles McNutt (Plus: Reviews of ‘Lanterns’ Ep 5 and ‘Dark Matter’ S2E03) Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

First up, Myles McNutt joined us from Episodic Medium to discuss this year’s Emmy awards! What did we think of this year’s telecast? What about the awards? And what were some of the weird things that happened? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Lanterns episode 6 (HBO Max)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 4 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - TV News
Breaking down the Emmy Awards
34:40 - Lanterns
Episode 5 - Lights Out
1:16:18 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 3 - Everything Beautiful, Everything Terrible

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 127 - Is ‘Lanterns’ S1E04 Its Best Ep Yet? Or Just Extremely Anticlimactic? (Plus: ‘Dark Matter’ S2E02 Feels Like It’s Trying to Do Too Much) Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

Why did the announcer for Wheel of Fortune get fired? Are we sad about the cancellation of Spider-Noir? And is Lanterns one of the biggest hits in HBO history? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Lanterns episode 5 (HBO Max)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 3 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - TV News
Follow-up: GTA VI tops 31 million views on Netflix
Furious Hits 43 Million Hours Viewed
Lanterns Ep 3 Hits 10 Million Viewers
Netflix renewed all their podcasts
‘Spider-Noir’ Canceled by Prime Video After One Season
‘Wheel of Fortune’ Announcer Jim Thornton Fired by Sony
Dave Bautista Shows Off Body Transformation
28:22 - Lanterns
Episode 4 - Weenie
1:01:53 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 2 - A Perfect World

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ep. 126 - ‘Lanterns’ S1E03 Takes a Big Swing. Does It Connect? (Plus: ‘Dark Matter’ Season 2 Feels Like a Different Show) Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then watch the latest episode of Lanterns and Dark Matter.

Is Apple TV worth $15/month? Was it worth it for Rockstar to paywall a trailer for GTA VI on Netflix? And are we excited about a Furious season 2? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Lanterns episode 4 (HBO Max)
Dark Matter season 2 episode 2 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

00:30 - TV News
GTA VI leads to netflix viewership spike
Apple TV hikes price of service
Furious renewed for season 2
Robocop TV show casts Dan Stevens in lead role
31:05 - Lanterns
Episode 3 - OutKast
1:06:18 - Dark Matter Season 2
Episode 1 - A Quiet Life

Links:

Thanks to Michael J Johnson for our Show of the Week and Patrick Finishes the Damn Show audio bumpers
Listen to Patrick’s videogame podcast, Remap Radio
Subscribe to Patrick’s newsletter, Crossplay
Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube
Follow this podcast on Instagram
Follow this podcast on Tiktok
Subscribe to David’s free newsletter, Decoding Everything
Follow David on Instagram
Follow David on Tiktok

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected