We Judge a Show by its Pilot

Ep. 130 - Barry

If you could switch careers over night, would you? What would you do? Is there something you're passionate about but never pursued? These are questions we ask ourselves as we judge the pilot for the HBO smash hit: Barry. Created by and starring legendary comedic actor Bill Hader, Barry explores the idea of finding your true passion later in life and also delves into the importance of mental health and a sense of belonging. Along with the pilot, we briefly talk about Mardi Gras parades, our current true crime obsessions, our history with acting, and our dream jobs. Enjoy!

Ep. 129 - Penny Dreadful

Today we are traveling back to Victorian era London and explore the world of the mysterious and supernatural. We are judging the pilot for the criminally underrated horror drama: Penny Dreadful. A very unique series where famous characters from classic horror fiction exist in the same universe and ban together to fight evil forces. Along with the pilot, we discuss some horror fiction we love, who would assemble our super team, and we also discuss our views of tarot cards and psychics in general. Enjoy! 

Ep. 127 - According to Jim

What makes a show underrated? Is it a great series that never took off? Can it be a long running series that never received the accolades it deserved? Could it simply be a show that was forgotten in them mix of an infinite number of tv shows. Well we explore that on today's episode where we judge the pilot for According to Jim, an American sitcom that ran for 8 seasons and over 180 episodes yet neither one of us had ever seen a single episode. We also delve into the format of the traditional family sitcom and whether or not that type of show could exist today. We also have a quick chat about separation anxiety and some of our favorite sitcoms we consider to be underrated. Enjoy! 

Ep. 127 - Are You the One? (season 3)

If your perfect match was standing right in front of you, would you even know it? That's a question frequently asked on the dating reality show: Are You the One? Originally airing on MTV (R.I.P.), Are You the One set itself apart from other dating reality shows in that it introduced the idea of a "perfect match" and an official matchmaking process. Even though the idea is to follow your heart and figure out what you need, not what you want, the show eventually came down to statistics and process of elimination. Are You the One is also a special show to us because it was one of the first shows we watched as a couple and it became our guilty pleasure. Along with the show, we discuss our history with Are You the One, we talk what we think the matchmakers would say we needed, and we talk a bit about relationships in general. Enjoy! 

Ep. 126 - Jersey Shore

Yeaaahhhh buddy! We are traveling back to the mysterious year of 2009 when Jeff had just moved back home and was trying to find his place in the world. He didn't find it but thanks to one of his best friends, he did find Jersey Shore. Considered one of the most popular American reality shows of all time, Jersey Shore created a cultural shift in the US. On today's episode, Jeff talks about his origin story with Jersey Shore and where he was in life, we discuss some of our favorite seasons, why we think this show was so popular, and we share some more roommate stories! Enjoy!

Ep. 125 - The Hills

It's guilty pleasure week and we're continuing Jeff Month with a show he's never fully admitted he was a huge fan of... The Hills. Originally a spin-off of Laguna Beach, The Hills follows Lauren Conrad as she moves from the Orange County suburbs to Los Angeles with her bestie, Heidi Montag. On today's episode, Jeff explains why he became glued to this show. Jeff and Anna also confess their favorite guilty pleasure reality shows, stories of falling out with friends and times when exes re-entered our lives. Enjoy!

Ep. 124 - The Challenge: Fresh Meat 2

We're continuing Jeff Month with his all-time favorite tv show: The Challenge. Originating as a spin-off to Real World and Road Rules, The Challenge is one of the first competition reality shows that pit former cast members of Real World and Road Rules against each other to compete for a cash prize. Today we are discussing the pilot for Season 19: Fresh Meat 2 which premiered on March 31, 2010 and was filmed in the beautiful Whistler, British Columbia. On today's episode, we discuss why we love this show, some of our favorite seasons, moments, plus we talk about if we're competitive or not, have we ever had a legit rivalry, AND if we ever had to work with an ex. Get ready because this is a packed episode where we truly let our geek flag fly and we talk about the first show that brought us together: The Challenge. Enjoy! 

Ep. 123 - Bug Juice

For Jeff, this was the reality show that started it all for him. If you were a 90s kid that frequently watched The Disney Channel then you might remember Bug Juice, a reality show about kids at summer camp. Best described as "The Real World for middle schoolers", Bug Juice followed a group of young teens attending Camp Waziyatah in Maine. On today's episode, we discuss our favorite summer camp movies, the first time we were away from home, friends that came and went in our lives as kids, and Anna gives her honest critique on the show. It's a packed episode so enjoy! 

Ep. 122 - Schmigadoon!

Put on your Sunday best, bring your best batch of corn puddin', but be sure to avoid the town's rapscallion! Why? Because today we're judging the pilot for Schmigadoon! A comedy that parodies the Golden Age of musicals, this series has a stacked cast including Keegan Michael Key, Cecily Strong, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, Kristin Chenoweth, Dove Cameron, and even Martin Short! When a couple on the rocks get lost in the woods on a retreat, they stumble into the mysterious town of Schmigadoon where life is a musical (literally). They are unable to leave the town until they find true love and are deflated when they realize they don't have it. On today's episode we discuss out favorite rom coms, our favorite Golden Age musicals, and much more! Enjoy!

Ep. 121 - Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

If you could create a playlist that represented you, what would your theme song be? The song that hypes you up? The song you listen to when you're sad? The song that inspires you? We delve into that and much more while we discuss the pilot for Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.