Decoding Westworld

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! Decodingtv@gmail.com.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 Beef: Season 1 here.Li

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

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

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 deal

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 informat

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 YouTubeSubscr

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 Ever

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 Everythin

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.