Decoding Westworld

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member of DecodingTV.com.For Decoding TV’s coverage of The Last of Us, I couldn’t be more thrilled to have a co-host who’s a veritable Last of Us expert. Christian Spicer co-hosts the DLC videogame podcast and is the host of The Official Last of Us podcast(!). In this introductory podcast episode, we discuss five burning questions we have about the upcoming series.The Last of Us series will debut on HBO on January 15th. You can expect the our next podcast episode to be a recap that covers the season premiere. I hope you’ll consider joining us for the journey.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comListen to Christian Spicer’s work on The Official Last of Us PodcastListen to DLC, Christian Spicer’s videogame podcastSubscribe Christian Spicer’s newsletterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTube 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, Roxana Hadadi and David Chen discuss the shocking season 2 finale of The White Lotus. We finally learn who the dead bodies are in the season premiere but is the result narratively satisfying? Did Harper and Ethans’ relationship play out in a believable way? Should Meghann Fahy win an Emmy for her work this season? (spoiler: yes) Did the Di Grasso family learn anything from this whole misadventure? Did Valentina’s storyline end up resonating? Listen to us discuss all this and more! Roxana and I will be back with one additional bonus episode for paid DecodingTV.com members sometime in the next week or so.Decoding TV will be covering The Last Of Us, premiering on HBO on January 15th! Be sure to stay subscribed to get all our episodes, with a special announcement sometime in the next week. Thanks to everyone who has listened this season, thanks to Decoding TV paid members for making this podcast possible, and a b

Hey folks,David Chen here. Roxana Hadadi and I had originally planned to record our White Lotus season 2 finale recap this evening but due to scheduling issues, we’re going to be delivering that full episode tomorrow instead.In the meantime, here are our quick reactions to the finale, which we just finished watching this evening. Stay tuned tomorrow for the full episode!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana 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.

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 6 of The White Lotus, “Abductions.”Tanya discovers multiple shocking secrets about Quentin, but what exactly is his endgame? Portia realizes the disadvantages of seeing a guy like Jack, but can she extricate herself before she gets in too deep? Ethan starts wondering where exactly he and Harper stand with each other, but can their relationship be saved? We discuss all this and more in the podcast! Plus: we make predictions for the finale episode! Send in yours to decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow 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 is sponsored by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify.Programming note: Thanks for joining us for our coverage of The Crown this season! If the new Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary is worth discussing, we’ll be covering it here on Decoding TV in the weeks to come.David Chen and @joyonapping are covering The Crown season 5 in three installments:Episodes 1-3Episodes 4-6Episodes 7-10 (this episode)Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 7-10, “No Woman’s Land,” “Gunpowder,” “Couple 31,” and “Decommissioned.”How did The Crown handle the saga of the Martin Bashir interview? Why is the show seemingly intent on rehabilitating the image of Charles and Camilla? Did we really have to end season five by exploring the plotline of the Royal Yacht again? What is the effect of juxtaposing normal everyday divorces with the cataclysmic one depicted in the show? We discuss all this and more!Links:Follow @joyonapping on TwitterSubscribe to David Chen’s new newsletter, Decoding EverythingFollow Decoding TVOn

This episode is brought to you by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify.In this Decoding TV bonus episode, David and Patrick discuss all the stuff they wish they’d mentioned on the Andor season 1 finale wrap-up, including:What are the details we know about season 2 at this point? How did the Decoding TV indirectly end up annoying Tony Gilroy? Is Luthen actually a Jedi? What is the significance of the funeral procession song that plays in episode 12? Why aren’t there more aliens in the show? What are the advantages of having a big hood, Luthen-style? Listen to hear us discuss these questions and much more!Did you enjoy Decoding TV this season? Consider supporting the podcast at decodingtv.com.NOTE: This episode contains details that could conceivably be considered MILD SPOILERS for season 2, so tread carefully if you’re trying to avoid. See y’all in 2024!Links:Patrick’s Keero fancamLA Times interview with Tony GilroyRoxana Hadadi’s interview with Tony GilroyFollow Decoding TVOn YouT

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 5 of The White Lotus, “That’s Amore.”In this episode, Quentin further ingratiates himself with Tanya. But what’s his real endgame? Cam, Daphne, Ethan, and Harper keep trying to make this vacation work, come hell or high water. Things with Albie and Portia come to a predictable conclusion(?), plus Bert and Dom finally attempt to hash out some of their longstanding differences. We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.David Chen and @joyonapping are covering The Crown season 5 in three installments:Episodes 1-3Episodes 4-6 (this episode)Episodes 7-10Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 4-6, “Annus Horribilis,” “The Way Ahead,” and “Ipatiev House.” How does show manage the evolution of Elizabeth/Phillip’s marriage? How well does it tie in historical events with what’s happening during the show? Why is there a startling lack of Diana and Charles this season? And why on earth is this show doing Charles image rehab after the events of season 4? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!DecodingTV.com subscribers: To add the premium feed of Decoding TV to your podcast app, go to DecodingTV.com/listen and follow the instructions.Links:Follow @joyonapping on TwitterSubscribe to David Chen’s new newsletter, Decoding Everything Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this Decoding TV episode, Patrick Willems and David Chen discuss the season 1 finale of Andor, “Rix Road.” Thanks to all DecodingTV.com members for making this season of the podcast possible!Note that Patrick and David plan to do one more bonus episode, so be sure to email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com with your questions, comments, theories, and so on. We’ll discuss them in the next week or two.The season finale brings all the plotlines together on Ferrix. Do Luthen and Cassian patch things up? Are Vel and Cinta happy to see each other? What is the fate of Bix? Is Maarva actually dead or was she planning something huge all along? And for the love of god, where do we leave #keero at the end of this episode? Listen to hear us discuss all this and more!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Follow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patr

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Siddhant Adlakha discuss Welcome to Chippendales, a new Hulu original series starring Kumail Nanjiani about the creation of the Chippendales male revue show.Programming note: In this podcast episode we will cover (and spoil) the first two episodes of Welcome to Chippendales, “An Elegant, Exclusive Atmosphere,” and “Four Geniuses”. We will record one other podcast episode later to discuss the finale and entire season.How well does Welcome to Chippendales get the persona of Somen "Steve" Banerjee, the man responsible for creating Chippendales? Does the show make good use of Murray Bartlett and Dan Stevens? And does it capture what it’s like to be an Indian immigrant in America during this time period? We discuss all this and more!Links:Follow Siddhant on TwitterRead Siddhant’s work on IGNFollow David on InstagramFollow David on TiktokFollow

In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 4 of The White Lotus, “In The Sandbox.”Harper quietly begins to reckon with some of the shocking events of last episode, while Cam, Daphne, and Ethan are none the wiser. Albie and Portia continue to have massive issues trying to make this vacation fling work. Valentina is straight up just bad at her job at this point. And Tanya makes a new connection that may lead her down an interesting path. We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode!Decoding TV paid members: You can add the private private Decoding TV feed to your preferred app/device by going to decodingtv.com/listen.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald's. I'm lovin' it. After a long wait, all episodes of The Crown Season 5 are finally here! David Chen and @joyonapping are planning to cover The Crown in three installments:Episodes 1-3 (this episode)Episodes 4-6Episodes 7-10This is our first time covering a binge-release show on Netflix so if you have any thoughts on this approach, feel free to email us at decodingtv@gmail.com. It won’t change our plans for this season but could for future seasons.Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 1-3, “Queen Victoria Syndrome,” “The System,” and “Mou Mou.” How does this season continue the Diana/Charles storyline? How does the new cast work for us so far? Did the writing of Andrew Morton’s book really go down like it does in the show? How exciting is carriage racing as a sport? Are the metaphors more clunky this season or is it just our imagination? All this and mor

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this Decoding TV episode, Patrick Willems and David Chen dive into season 1 episode 11 of Andor, “Daughter of Ferrix,” now streaming on Disney+.The penultimate episode of the first season puts in place many pieces for what promises to be an explosive finale. But it also raises a lot of questions like: Is Luthen secretly a Jedi? How different are Mon Mothma’s views on marriage from her daughter’s? Where will next episode leave #Keero? How will Andor and Melshi reunite? Also, David and Patrick discuss what they would like done with their remains. All this and more on this episode of Decoding TV!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Follow Decoding TVOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 3 of The White Lotus, “Bull Elephants.”A series of surprising decisions reveal cracks beneath many of our core relationships. What is the nature of Cam and Daphne’s relationship? What does Ethan think of everything that’s going on? Is Albie actually a good guy or not? And why does he have to go after The Godfather anyways? Listen to hear us debate and discuss.Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.It’s the first live recording of Decoding TV! David Chen and Patrick Willems are at the Hawai’i International Film Festival to share their expertise with students, but they couldn’t turn down the opportunity to record an Andor recap in person. In this Decoding TV episode, they dive into season 1 episode 10 of Andor, “One Way Out,” now streaming on Disney+.This episode puts the fate of ISB Senior Officer Lonni Jung front-and-center. How will Lonni fare in Luthen’s world? What is the show trying to say about revolutions and the people behind them? What is the ultimate fate of Kino Loy? Do Andor and Melshi end up surviving this week’s events? (Probably). Also: Where’s the #Karntent this week? All this and more on this episode of Decoding TV!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Watch Patrick's #Keero fancam videoFollow Decoding TV

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 2 of The White Lotus, “Italian Dream.”This episode continues to set up the dynamics between these characters, with some tantalizing clues as to what lies ahead. How are Harper and Ethan really doing? Is Cam’s anger really under control? Will Dominic ever overcome his demons? Listen to hear us discuss and speculate!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast on TwitterFollow this podcast on TiktokSubscribe to this podcast on YouTubeFollow David Chen on Twitter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Decoding TV is kicking off our coverage of The Crown today! In this episode, David Chen and his wife @joyonapping offer their overall thoughts on the show, why it continues to be compelling after all these years, and what the next seasons might have in store.Programming Note: While Decoding TV will cover Season 5 of The Crown, we’re still working out the details of our coverage. At the very least, we can promise there will be one more Decoding TV podcast episode discussing season 5 but we may or may not have weekly coverage given that the show will be released binge-style on Netflix beginning November 9th. Stay tuned to Decoding TV for more details.The Crown is returning to Netflix on November 9th for its fifth and penultimate season. Its last season drew attention for its depiction of Princess Diana and her marriage to Charles - an event that even many millennials such as myself remember in their lifetimes. Season five promises to begin following that story to its horrifying con

Welp, it’s official: Westworld has been cancelled. Once one of HBO’s biggest tentpole shows, Westworld has seen its popularity and viewership erode over time.In this bonus episode, David Chen and Siddhant Adlakha discuss their feelings about this news and the legacy that Westworld leaves behind.Links:HBO Cancels WestworldWhy HBO Cancelled WestworldEveryone from Westworld is getting paid anywayFollow Siddhant on TwitterRead Siddhant’s work on IGNFollow David on InstagramFollow David on Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.David Chen and Patrick Willems dive into season 1 episode 9 of Andor, “Nobody’s Listening!,” now streaming on Disney+.How does a show like Andor tackle depictions of torture? How well does the show deal with Kino Loy’s personal journey? Is Mon Mothma ever going to get on board with this whole Rebellion thing? Also: The Keero ship finally gets its day. All this and more on this episode of ~Decoding TV!You can always email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com.Links:Follow Decoding TV:On YouTubeOn TwitterOn TiktokFollow Patrick H. WillemsOn YouTubeOn TwitterOn PatreonFollow David ChenOn TwitterOn InstagramOn Tiktok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of Decoding TV is brought to you by McDonald's, proudly serving communities since 1965. McDonald’s. I’m lovin’ it.A new season begins at The White Lotus in Sicily! And here on Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi try to figure out where exactly this show might be headed.In the season 2 premiere, “Ciao,” we meet, Harper (Aubrey Plaza) and Ethan (Will Sharpe), along with Daphne (Meghann Fahy) and Cameron (Theo James) who are away on a vacation together. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge) and her assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) try to navigate a fraught situation with Greg (Jon Gries). Dominic (Michael Imperioli), his father Bert (F. Murray Abraham), and his son Albie (Adam DiMarco) try their best to get along. And hotel manager Valentina (Sabrina Impacciatore) tries to keep locals Mia (Beatrice Grannò) and Lucia (Simona Tabasco) at bay. Listen to hear our thoughts on the episode!Links:Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)comRead Roxana’s work on VultureFollow Roxana on TwitterFollow this podcast