Tim Goodman's TV Talk Machine artwork

Tim Goodman's TV Talk Machine

256 episodes - English - Latest episode: 11 months ago - ★★★★ - 116 ratings

Writer Tim Goodman (former SF Chronicle and Hollywood Reporter TV critic) talks irregularly with Jason Snell about television and other stuff. Released simultaneously worldwide to all international markets. Love to your mothers.

TV Talk Machine art by the late, great Don Asmussen.

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Episodes

255: The Two-Episode Test

May 02, 2023 22:11 - 46 minutes - 21.7 MB

This reunion is crossposted from Downstream episode 43. Tim Goodman drops by to discuss his decision to be a TV writer at the very end of the Peak TV era, the challenges of TV criticism, and his return to writing about TV on his own terms via his Substack. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

254: The Spoon and the Tunnel

April 01, 2022 21:48 - 1 hour - 46.8 MB

“Counterpart” revisited, CNN+ as seen through the lens of an escaping prisoner, Apple TV+’s surprise success, the mess that is the current streaming landscape, and Tim shares a book idea with substack readers. Plus, letters from listeners! Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

253: If Tim Falls in the Forest...

February 18, 2022 22:26 - 50 minutes - 34.9 MB

“Station Eleven,” “The Afterparty,” Stephen Colbert, TV marriages, “The A Word,” and the moment when Tim’s partner said, “Yeah, I’m never gonna watch that.” Plus: your letters! Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

252: The PBS Ping-Pong

February 03, 2022 23:42 - 1 hour - 48.7 MB

Tim finds “Utopia”—twice. Jason gets confused by “NCIS: Hawaii.” We ponder series hiding away on services like STARZ and EPIX. It’s Peacock’s time to shine (not just the Olympics, but “Vigil”!). PBS, please take my money. Tim bounces off of “Raised By Wolves.” And at the end of the episode The Box Set takes on episode one of “Station Eleven” and episode one of “Collateral.” Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

251: Tim's Back! On Substack!

January 24, 2022 15:00 - 1 hour - 44 MB

It’s been 612 pandemic-fueled days. But we’ve taken the tarp off the TV Talk Machine, replaced a few parts, and are ready to kick it into gear. Tim spent the last two years writing TV scripts! He’s going to keep doing that, and write a book, and also has launched a newsletter on Substack so he can write about television again. And… did we mention the TV Talk Machine is back, too? It’s true! In this episode Tim explains where he’s been, where he’s going, and the origin of his new project, wh...

250: Nature is Healing

May 23, 2020 00:45 - 1 hour - 28.9 MB

Tim and Jason return to close the book on Volume 4 of the TV Talk Machine chronicles. (You can find the previous three volumes at theincomparable.com/tvtm/about.) We’ll be back in this feed, probably soon, with something that’s more of us talking about stuff, but a lot less about things that are TV related. But before we go, Tim describes the experience of having an opinion about a TV show and not sharing it. Jason goads him into some mild opinions. Jason mildly regrets an error, and recount...

249: We Don't Rehearse This

April 18, 2020 00:51 - 45 minutes - 21.2 MB

This week Tim has a new refrigerator and is watching comfort food like “Peaky Blinders.” Comcast stealth-launches Peacock. Bad things happen at Tim’s former employer. Jason watched “Home Before Dark” and “Devs.” And “What We Do In The Shadows” is back! Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

248: Skunks Are Terrible Beings

April 04, 2020 00:35 - 57 minutes - 26.8 MB

Tim just got home after several weeks away for complicated reasons. We’re back to fill your ears with talk about TV, music, life, and more. We hope it helps. We’ll read your letters and play your audio files if you send them in. Tweet at @tvtm or email podcast at tvtalkmachine dot com. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

247b: Pandemic Bonus: Tim TV

March 26, 2020 18:36 - 15 minutes - 11.1 MB

We’re in lockdown. Tim’s not even at home right now. We hope to be back sometime. In the interim, here’s our member special from 2017 in which Tim programmed his own streaming service. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

247: I Love Being Confused

March 06, 2020 00:32 - 36 minutes - 17.1 MB

This week your teacher has given you a break—we’re giving you another week to watch “What We Do In The Shadows.” Instead, we keep it tight and bright as Tim joins the rest of us in these Times of Confusion by not even realizing what TV shows are debuting. After some brief Death Cab For Cutie banter, we shift it into gear and discuss Actual TV News, including the return of “Better Things”, the premiere of “Devs” and an explanation of the whole “FX on Hulu” strategy, and the Hilary Duff problem...

246: Genius Grant

February 26, 2020 21:48 - 54 minutes - 25.2 MB

This podcast is like your friend who left a longtime job, got some new tattoos, and is showing a renewed interest in yoga. It’s a new life. Tim launched his new Resounding blog, which leads us to discuss why we love women singers. Speaking of learning and growing and pop music, Jason’s seen “High Fidelity” and does a real-estate check on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Then we put Netflix’s “Sex Education” in the spotlight (did you do the homework?)—and why it works on so many levels. Next ...

245: Yoga Five Times a Week

February 06, 2020 22:53 - 1 hour - 30.4 MB

We’re back! Tim is retired, rested, and ready. And he’s got two new music-based projects to announce—neither of which is his secret job, sorry. Jason has some TV news and reports back on finishing a couple of series. We also read some of your letters and start a brand-new segment where Tim gives both Jason and the listeners a TV viewing assignment! Your assignment: “Sex Education” season 1, episodes 1-4. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

244: You Did an Inception on Me

December 22, 2019 20:54 - 1 hour - 30.6 MB

One last time before the end of the year, we’re back! Jason uses computer technology to construct a best-of-the-decade list for Tim. We’re probably forgetting something. We also discuss “Watchmen” a little bit, so if you want to not be spoiled at all about it, you can skip ahead to minute 20 and you’ll miss the whole thing. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

243: The Best TV Shows of 2019, More or Less

December 07, 2019 01:35 - 58 minutes - 27.3 MB

Tim’s done with being a TV critic and is trying to be all positive, but he put in nearly 11 months of work and Jason’s demanding a list! So Tim and Jason both present their lists of their favorite shows of 2019. Plus we answer your letters. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

242: "Hello, I'm Hobo Eric."

November 28, 2019 17:00 - 34 minutes - 16 MB

Happy Thanksgiving! The Machine’s gas tank is now full of gravy. This week we’re reading your letters, Jason mentions a couple of shows he’s watching, and Tim encourages you not to overspend on streaming services if you’re cord cutting. Listeners have theories about Tim’s undisclosed employer! And Jason tries several techniques to convince Tim to make a final best-of-the-year list. We still want your letters. Tweet us at @tvtm or email us at podcast at tvtalkmachine dot com. Tim Goodman and...

241: I Don't Work There Anymore

November 23, 2019 00:36 - 44 minutes - 20.5 MB

Having been safely “offboarded” from The Hollywood Reporter, Tim discusses his final review, which is a negative review of “Dublin Murders.” Jason watches a bunch of TV shows, while Tim has spent a couple of weeks going to sleep early and not watching television. It’s a new era for the TV Talk Machine, as we roll into parts unknown. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

240: I'm Not Into Vengeance

November 07, 2019 23:50 - 1 hour - 32.7 MB

Did anything happen this week? Oh, yes, Tim announced that he’s leaving The Hollywood Reporter and “retiring” as a TV critic! We discuss Tim’s feelings about moving on from the TV critic racket and try to figure out what form the TV Talk Machine will take in the future. (Hint: There are a bunch of year- and decade-end lists coming up, and Tim doesn’t have anywhere to post them unless he breaks his Blogspot site out of mothballs.) Although we aren’t sure of our destination quite yet, the Mach...

239: They Did This Without Our Blessing

November 01, 2019 21:29 - 49 minutes - 22.9 MB

Tim reviews Amazon’s “Jack Ryan”, Apple’s “For All Mankind”, Showtime’s “Back to Life”, and is in the midst of watching Netflix’s surprising second season of “The End of the Fxxxing World.” Plus Apple TV+ launches, HBO Max clarifies, we talk Bay Area blackouts, and we read your letters and tweets! It’s a podcast about television, remember? Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

238: Cash From the Same Wallet

October 25, 2019 22:47 - 45 minutes - 21.2 MB

This week we’ve got Tim’s reviews of Australian drama in “The Cry”, two Paul Rudds are better than one in “Living With Yourself”, a not-so-Bourne “Treadstone”, and the final season of HBO’s “Silicon Valley.” Plus, Jason watches “Watchmen” and “Letterkenny,” the Netflix bot gets sassy, and political debates are super boring. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

237: TV Critics Watch the 'Watchmen'

October 17, 2019 19:00 - 36 minutes - 17.2 MB

Tim’s seen most of HBO’s “Watchmen” but never read the comics. Jason owns multiple copies of the comics. Who will have the harder time parsing Damon Lindelof’s unlikely new series, which follows the world of the comics into the present day? We discuss the difficulties of laying down new story ground while also making inside references for the fans. In other news, Jason watched two network TV dramas (they still exist!) and we answer your letters and tweets. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

236: On the Plus Side

October 11, 2019 21:24 - 38 minutes - 18.1 MB

We’re back from our excursions to the Pacific Northwest and ready for action. Tim reviews “Modern Love”, “Raising Dion”, and “Godfather of Harlem,” and then Tim and Jason break down the high stakes for the final season of “Mr. Robot.” Speaking of robots, we take an interesting phone call… after which we answer your letters and tweets. Tim Goodman and Jason Snell.

235: Love to Your Daughters

September 26, 2019 00:06 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MB

It’s fall TV premiere season, but unlike the days of the old TV Guide Fall TV Preview, we’re not feeling it. Still, we’ve got some Emmys reaction, Tim’s reviews of “Stumptown”, “Cake”, and “Bless the Harts”, a pitch for a reconsideration of “This Way Up”, and Jason keeps mentioning a CBS show that will inevitably disappoint him. Tim’s off to VIFF next week and Jason will be curled up like a ball, so we’ll see you in two weeks! As always, email us at [email protected] or tweet at @tvt...

234: Imagine the Savings

September 19, 2019 21:50 - 53 minutes - 37.1 MB

This week Tim reviews the second season of “Succession” and Netflix’s new one-room-four-countries series “Criminal.” Plus NBC embraces its inner peacock, the rebooting of every show ever made continues, and we make a gongoozler in the +44 reconsider everything he knows about reality.

233: Kenny Baseball Is Back

September 14, 2019 01:02 - 54 minutes - 37.7 MB

Tight and bright? Forget it. This episode is as big and deadly as an Australian rooster. Apple names its price and launch date! Tim wraps up his big cord-cutting series! Tim reviews “Mr Inbetween” season 2, “Mrs. Fletcher”, “The Victim”, and Ken Burns’s new music documentary! Listeners ask if Tim is loved enough! Plus: Gongoozling!

232: The Robots Are Wavering

September 05, 2019 22:45 - 27 minutes - 19.3 MB

Tight and bright this week! Tim details his cord-cutting experience, we answer questions from around the globe, and the Netflix algorithm shifts to weekly (with a big asterisk).

231: David Fincher's Cousin

August 31, 2019 04:14 - 35 minutes - 25 MB

Australia’s favourite weekend podcast is back, as we discuss Apple’s forthcoming event, drop bears, endings, procedurals, the Slow Binge(TM), Disney’s inevitable dominance, Apple’s content standards, and the strange robot that runs Netflix and doesn’t understand humans.

230: Ok, India, You Do You

August 24, 2019 00:26 - 1 hour - 30.8 MB

This is a jam-packed, shockingly professional episode of the TVTM, as we knuckle down on a Friday afternoon to give you what you want: a television-themed podcast. We discuss the endings of “Catastrophe” and “Patriot”, Tim’s sometimes-contentious relationship with TV executives and the nature of criticism, Tim’s adventures in cord cutting, Bill Walton’s appearance on a baseball broadcast, and Netflix’s experiment with human curation. Also, Tim reviews Amazon’s “Carnival Row”, we get an audio ...

229: What the Hell Is TBS?

August 15, 2019 22:46 - 53 minutes - 24.6 MB

As summer slowly fades out, Tim ponders the new shows of the season. Also, is Netflix in need of a strategy shift? Should it be signing the “Game of Thrones” creators to a big development deal? Why did CBS and Viacom come back together, and why did they split apart in the first place?! We answers your letters, including a question about when “Terriers” is coming back. It wouldn’t surprise us!

228: That Made Me Question Everything

August 08, 2019 16:00 - 29 minutes - 13.9 MB

Tim’s in Big Sur on vacation this week, but Jason has captured his astral form and forces him to talk about bad TV shows like “Another Life” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral” as punishment. But it’s not all bad: Tim tries to convince his friends to watch “Years and Years”, and they all seem to have resisted the call, so now it’s time for him to convince his listeners! We also gather important cord-cutting knowledge from letter writers. Simultaneous, worldwide, and transparent—the TV Talk Mach...

227: Premium Female

August 01, 2019 00:17 - 33 minutes - 15.8 MB

Tim’s back from the Death March With Cocktails! We discuss the soon-to-be-famous “lost episode” of the TVTM, Jason re-reads some of your letters, and Tim does a download on Amazon, Netflix, Starz, and other cable and streaming services after seeing them in L.A. Also, we have bad news: “Sad Spies” is dead.

226: Tedious's Monster's Tedious Monster

July 18, 2019 22:03 - 57 minutes - 26.4 MB

No matter what day it is, Emmy nominations came out this week, as well as calamitous Netflix subscription numbers. We tackle that and some other streaming news, and then Tim reviews “Pennyworth” and “Frankenstein’s Monster’s Monster, Frankenstein.” Tim’s about to run off to summer press tour, but don’t worry, we still saved time for your questions!

225: A Garbage Fire in Their Own Backyard

July 11, 2019 20:36 - 53 minutes

This week Tim reviews “Shangri-La”, Showtime’s music docuseries about Rick Rubin, which he loved. Then we branch off of a check-the-box letter from Listener Joe to discuss Warner Media’s big move in streaming, HBO Max. And we save some time for your calls and letters, including a Columbo Vote, a new app, the majesty of a foreign accent, and Jason completely spoiling “Game of Thrones” for a listener.

224: You Jump on a Slow Tractor

July 06, 2019 00:49 - 42 minutes - 19.7 MB

This week we reveal the winner of last week’s draft, as voted on by TVTM listeners. And then we break down Tim’s many choices for TV shows you should watch now that we’re in the summer slowdown. Jason also gets some good news from HBO, we realize we forgot to name the streaming services we drafted, and Tim contemplates becoming a cord cutter.

223: I Don't Like Playing This Game With You

June 27, 2019 16:00 - 39 minutes - 18.4 MB

This week we’re both on vacation, so we’ve pre-recorded this episode in which we perform the first-ever TV Talk Machine fantasy draft! Tim and Jason are going to pick five new shows from the past year that they’ll use to populate their brand-new scrappy underdog streaming services. Which one would you subscribe to? Let us know!

222: Feel-Good Hit of the Summer

June 22, 2019 00:59 - 26 minutes - 12.3 MB

This week Tim reviews “Legion” season 3 on FX and the BBC/HBO coproduction “Years and Years”, Tim goes over some of his biggest Emmy pleas, we discuss the positive word of mouth around “Chernobyl”, and we answer a whole bunch of your letters and tweets!

221: It's Hard Out There

June 14, 2019 21:34 - 50 minutes - 23.6 MB

Tim reviews “City on a Hill” and “Das Boot”, and then we discuss his story about just how brutally hard it is to find (and keep) an audience today. Plus we send love to your fathers, including our favorite parental TV moments.

220: ...Then Maybe It's Brilliant

June 08, 2019 00:11 - 39 minutes - 18.2 MB

In this very unusual Friday edition of TVTM, Tim reviews HBO’s “Euphoria” and the latest batch of “Black Mirror” episodes on Netflix. We also read your tweets and letters, including an audio question about the importance of opening title sequences.

219: The Apocalypse Edition

May 30, 2019 21:14 - 46 minutes - 21.5 MB

It’s the end of the world! And Amazon’s “Good Omens” really delivers. Tim reviews Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s miniseries epic, along with “Perpetual Grace LTD” from the original Sad Spy himself, Steven Conrad. Then we answer your emails, including the job of a critic to ignore the social-media zeitgeist.

218: Another Egg for Our Basket

May 23, 2019 21:15 - 47 minutes - 21.9 MB

We spend the first 27 minutes of this week’s episode talking about the “Game of Thrones” finale, why we liked it, and why the knives were out for it all over the internet. Twenty-seven minutes. We warned you. Warm up your fast-forward fingers if you don’t care. Then we move on to reviews of “Name of the Rose” and “What/If”, and answer a few of your letters.

217: A Fresher TVTM

May 16, 2019 20:35 - 52 minutes - 24.3 MB

You’ve got that right, this is Thursday and we’re energetic and refreshed! Tim reviews “Fleabag” season 2, “Line of Duty” season 5, and we discuss the ending of “Veep” and the impending end of “Game of Thrones.” Plus Disney buys out Comcast and takes full control of Hulu, and Tim goes down his 14 top TV comedies right now.

216: Hit the Cord With the Scissors

May 09, 2019 19:00 - 27 minutes - 12.8 MB

This week Tim watches “Fosse/Verdon” and George Clooney’s new Hulu miniseries adaptation of “Catch-22.” Then we dive into talk about cord cutting, because the time has come for everyone with decent Internet access to plan their departure from traditional TV and embrace the stream.

215: I've Made a Huge Mistake

May 03, 2019 21:39 - 39 minutes - 18.3 MB

The impossible task “Game of Thrones” faces in trying to please its entire audience, “Barry” finds a balance, “Chernobyl” dodges the Boris and Natasha accents, HBO at the center of Warner Media’s streaming plans, and favorite TV catchphrases.

214: I Want to See That Nipple

April 18, 2019 20:15 - 43 minutes - 20.1 MB

This week we discuss the return of “Game of Thrones”, how the clock is ticking for WarnerMedia’s entry into the streaming wars, and answer your letters!

213: Mallets and Anvils

April 12, 2019 21:30 - 46 minutes - 21.4 MB

Disney announced the release date (November) and price ($6.99) for its new streaming service this week, and it’s set the bar awfully high (or low) for competing services. What does this mean for Netflix and Amazon? What about Apple? Why is ABC not even mentioned among Disney’s brands? Also Tim has some praise for goofy absurdism on TV and we get a phone call from an Australian doing an American accent.

212: Reight Champion

April 04, 2019 21:48 - 34 minutes - 16.2 MB

This week Tim has praise for “Killing Eve” season 2, condemnation for “The Twilight Zone”, and lots of love for “Game of Thrones” as an all-time classic drama and “Veep” as a classic comedy. Plus, lots of letters from the +44, guv’nor!

211: Nobody Gets a Ribbon

March 29, 2019 19:09 - 46 minutes - 21.7 MB

This week Tim says hello to the final season of “Veep”, Jason laments the existence of live studio audiences, and we ponder the streaming service that Apple announced in Cupertino this week. Also, a listener takes a victory lap and Netflix cancels a show we’ve never heard of.

210: Not All of the Clarity

March 22, 2019 21:08 - 34 minutes - 15.9 MB

Apple’s video service announcement looms next week, and Tim and Jason turn the topic over one final time in the absence of any real evidence. Also, do British shows like “Sex Education” handle teen sex better than American shows? And we read a few of your letters, as is our tradition.

209: The Premise Has Landed

March 13, 2019 23:04 - 1 hour - 35.5 MB

It’s a double-sized mid-week episode of the TVTM! Jason turns the tables on Tim by writing about Apple’s forthcoming TV service and the necessity of non-Netflix services to create distinctive brands. Tim reviews a whole bunch of new shows, including the return of “Catastrophe”, the new UK drama “Manhunt”, the unfortunate comedy “Turn Up Charlie”, and the delightfully weird “What We Do In The Shadows.” Plus we empty the mailbag and read all your letters!

208: You're This Little Speck

March 02, 2019 02:48 - 49 minutes - 22.8 MB

HBO’s chief executive exits, leading us to speculate about the fate of HBO and Warner Media’s future streaming efforts; congressional testimony returns with more unadaptable drama; Pamela Adlon’s “Better Things” returns as strong as ever; and we play two audio messages and answer a few of your letters, too.

207: That's Not How Television Works

February 22, 2019 23:26 - 56 minutes - 26 MB

This week Tim and Jason lament the passing of “Counterpart”, Tim lashes out at “Umbrella Academy”, we blow through a bunch of Tim’s articles from the past two weeks, and save time for your letters and two (two!) voice messages. Most importantly, the TV Talk Machine theme makes a surprise appearance in a TV promo.

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