Decoding TV

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 122 - Can 'Ted Lasso' Season 4 Capture the Magic of Seasons 1-3? (Plus: 'Dark Matter' S1E07 Is When The Show Gets Real Good) Aug 05, 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 dive into the return of Ted Lasso and continue their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch.

What happened with Wonder Man season 2? What do we think is going on with the God of War TV show? Why did David Ellison write an op-ed about the Warner Bros. merger for the New York Times? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: Furious (Hulu)
Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 8 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

2:32 - Show of the Week
Ted Lasso season 4
33:00 - TV News
‘God of War’: Dave Bautista in Talks For Kratos Role in Amazon Series After Ryan Hurst’s Exit
Atreus to be recast
Wonder Man cancelled
Co showrunner speaks
Yahya Abdul Mateen II speaks
NYTimes editorial by David Ellison
1:07:48 - Dark Matter
Episode 7 - In the Fires of Dead Stars

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. 121 - Is Will Ferrell Still a Relevant Comedic Force in 'The Hawk'? (Plus: 'Dark Matter' S1E06 Is About How Power Corrupts) Jul 28, 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 dive into the Netflix series The Hawk and continue their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch.

Are they really making fewer TV shows these days? Is Alan Ritchson really a loose cannon? Is Paramount gonna be able to bring this merger across the finish line? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: Ted Lasso Season 4 (Apple TV)
Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 7 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

08:13 - Show of the Week
The Hawk
31:00 - TV News
Ryan Hurst recast in God of War
Paramount merger delayed
Luminate’s stats on new TV shows
Trailers for Blade Runner 2099 (Nov 2026) and Neuromancer (Jan 22)
Alan Ritchson’s viral moment
1:04:30 - Dark Matter
Episode 6 - Superposition

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' S1E05 And Which Alternate Realities We'd Choose to Visit Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss the fifth episode of Dark Matter’s first season, and which alternate realities we’d choose to visit if we had the chance.

Homework for next week:

Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 6 (Apple TV)

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. 120 - Is It Worth Debriefing with 'The Agency' Season 2? (Plus: 'Dark Matter' S1E04 Shows Why It's Hard To Live Someone Else's Life) Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

[Welcome to our new paid subscribers! Your subscription entitles you to premium podcast feeds for Decoding TV and A Cast of Kings. To access these, simply go to decodingtv.com/listen and walk through the steps to set them up on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for supporting Decoding TV!]

In this episode of the Decoding TV podcast, David and Patrick discuss what’s going on in the world of TV, then dive into the latest episodes of The Agency and continue their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch. What’s really behind Netflix’s plunging season 2 viewership? Are we excited about a Mare Cinematic Universe? And what tactics is Paramount using these days to get its merger through. Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week (hopefully!): Lucky (Apple TV)
Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 5 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

02:15 - Show of the Week
The Agency Season 2
26:00- TV News
Lucas Shaw’s screentime follow-up
Julianne Nicholson to Reprise ‘Mare of Easttown’ Role in ‘Task’ Season 2
Paramount Blasts States’ Lawsuit
51:30 - Dark Matter
Episode 4 - The Corridor

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: Breaking Down the 2026 Emmy Nominations (feat. Myles McNutt from Episodic Medium) Jul 10, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus episode, David and Myles McNutt from the Episodic Medium newsletter discuss the 2026 Emmy nominations.

Which shows came away with some of the biggest nominations? Why does the TV Academy have an unhealthy obsession with The Pitt? What were the biggest snubs? And, as usual, was this overall a shameful year for the Emmys or did we experience less shame? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

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

Ep. 119 - Are the Secrets of 'Silo' Season 3 Still Worth Exploring? (Plus: 'Dark Matter' S1E03 Is High-Quality Sci-fi Gobbledygook) Jul 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 dive into the latest episodes of Silo and continue their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch. Also: What’s up with people not watching season 2+ of Netflix shows? Listen to hear us discuss all of these topics and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: The Agency season 2 (Paramount+)
Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 4 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

02:44 - Show of the Week
Silo Season 3
30:00 - TV News
Netflix viewers are abandoning shows after one season
52:01 - Dark Matter
Episode 3 - 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.

Ep. 118 - Is 'The Bear' Season 5 Worth One Final Visit? (Plus: 'Dark Matter' S1E02 Is When The Show Locks In) Jul 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 dive into the latest episodes of The Bear and continue their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch.

Why aren’t as many people watching this season of House of the Dragon? What’s going to happen after Comcast splits off its NBCUniversal wing? And should Netflix use the re-animated voice of Gene Wilder to promote its latest show? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: Silo Season 3 (Apple TV)
Dark Matter Rewatch:Season 1 Episode 3 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

04:13 - Show of the Week
The Bear Season 5
46:08 - TV News
Comcast splits NBC Universal and Cable Operations into two companies
HOTD ratings: 21.5 million viewers, down slightly from season 2
AI in the News:
Wonka commercial
1000 people sign a letter against studios
Jack Quaid joins Invincible as Prime Video reveals early season 6 renewal
1:04:48 - Dark Matter
Episode 2 - Trip of a Lifetime

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. 117 - 'HOTD' Season 3 Still Brings the Spectacle (Plus: We Kick Off Our 'Dark Matter' Season 1 Rewatch!) Jun 25, 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 dive into the latest episodes of House of the Dragon and begin their Dark Matter season 1 rewatch.

Are we the only people who are kinda lost with who’s who in this season’s House of the Dragon? Was The Boroughs cancelled because the Duffer Brothers are personas non grata at Netflix? And what did we think of the series premiere of Dark Matter? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Homework for next week:

Show of the Week: The Bear (Hulu)
Dark Matter Rewatch: Dark Matter Season 1 Episode 2 (Apple TV)

Shownotes (All timestamps are approximate):

04:13 - Show of the Week
House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere
32:30 - TV News
The Buroughs has been canceled
48:40 - Dark Matter
Episode 1 - Are You Happy In Your 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.

Bonus Ep: What Made 'Spider-Noir' Work Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

In this Decoding TV bonus episode, David and @joyofnapping discuss the first season of Spider-Noir on Prime Video. What made the show work? What were its strongest elements? And did Nicolas Cage make for a convincing Spider-Man? Listen to hear us discuss all these questions and more.

Links:

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

Bonus Ep: Did 'Widow's Bay' Season 1 Stick The Landing? Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

In this bonus Decoding TV episode, David and Patrick discuss their thoughts on the season 1 finale of Widow’s Bay. What were some of the biggest surprises from the episode? Where does this show leave us as we start thinking about season 2? And was this a worthy ending to one of the best shows on TV this year? Listen to hear us discuss these questions and more.

Links:

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

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