It’s been a difficult week, but Noel and Kate are here to talk TV nonetheless. Thanks to the holiday weekend, the show list is as truncated as it’s perhaps ever been, so we skip the genre distinctions and just dive in. First up, we preview HBO and the BBC’s upcoming The Night Of, before checking out recent arrival to Netflix Marcella and checking in with Preacher, UnREAL, Greenleaf, Adventure Time, and Wrecked. Rounding out the week’s TV is the triumphant return of The Great British Baking Show on PBS (The Great British Bake Off on the BBC), a breath of sweetly-scented fresh air in a summer television season chock full of dark or violent dramas. Afterward, Kerensa Cadenas, Deputy Pop Culture Editor of Complex, joins us at the DVD Shelf to explore the candy colored world of Wonder Woman.

DVD Shelf: Wonder Woman with Kerensa Cadenas (1:17:19)

Our Week in TV
Preview The Night Of (9:31)
Marcella premiere (22:31)
Preacher (29:13)
UnREAL (35:22)
Greenleaf (44:36)
Adventure Time (50:52)
Wrecked (54:29)
The Great British Baking Show (57:54)

With HBO’s finales this week, Spring TV finally winds down, leaving only a handful of shows for Noel and Kate to discuss, but allowing for deep dives. First up, we break down ABC’s new night of retro game shows, The $100,000 Pyramid, Match Game, and Celebrity Family Feud. Then we talk comedy, including the Silicon Valley and Veep finales, and next up are the genre and drama offerings, including in-depth looks at the Game of Thrones finale, BrainDead, and UnREAL. Afterward, Emily L. Stephens of The A.V. Club returns to the podcast to help us explore the fascinating and unique first season of Lady Dynamite.

Season Spotlight: Lady Dynamite Season 1 with Emily L. Stephens (1:28:42)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
The $100,000 Pyramid and Match Game premieres (3:53)
Celebrity Family Feud premiere (15:02)
Silicon Valley finale (22:05)
Veep finale (23:35)
Angie Tribeca (30:39)

Our Week in Genre and Drama
Game of Thrones finale (36:37)
Greenleaf (56:32)
BrainDead (59:21)
UnREAL (1:11:00)  

Music Featured: The $25,000 Pyramid Theme song; “Satan, We’re Gonna Tear Your Kingdom Down” by Pastor Shirley Caesar; Lady Dynamite Theme song

Noel is back! After two weeks away, Noel returns from assignment, diving in with Kate on an entertaining week of television. We kick things off with a few comedies and some reality talk, including the premieres of The Jim Gaffigan Show and Any Given Wednesday, then move on to the genre offerings, including the series finales of Penny Dreadful and Person of Interest. Last up are the dramas, including the premieres of Greenleaf and American Gothic, and season four of Orange is the New Black. Afterward, Ryan McGee of Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan returns to the podcast to help us sing the praises of the short-lived musical comedy Galavant.

DVD Shelf: Galavant with Ryan McGee (1:40:24)

Our Week in Comedy and Reality
The Jim Gaffigan Show premiere (9:14)
Veep (12:48)
Any Given Wednesday premiere (18:40)
O.J.: Made in America (28:05)

Our Week in Genre
Adventure Time (43:17)
Game of Thrones (46:25)
Outlander (49:53)
Mother, May I Sleep with Danger (51:17)
Penny Dreadful finale (56:04)
Person of Interest finale (1:02:33)

Our Week in Drama
Greenleaf premiere (1:11:58)
Orange is the New Black Season 4 (1:16:28)
American Gothic premiere (1:23:41)
UnREAL (1:27:13)  

Noel is once again on assignment, so this week Kate is joined by The A.V. Club’s Emily L. Stephens for an in-depth look at a full week in TV. After a little Tonys talk, we dive in with our week in TV, starting with reality and comedy, including ESPN’s latest 30 for 30 documentary, the fantastic O.J. Simpson: Made in America, the premieres of Another Period, Wrecked, and Uncle Buck, and the finale of Inside Amy Schumer. Next up are the genre and drama offerings, including the premieres of BrainDead and Animal Kingdom and the finale of Orphan Black. Then we round out the podcast by inviting on The A.V. Club’s Dennis Perkins for a lengthy look at The Americans Season 4, talking character deaths, marriage as espionage, and what has helped this series steeped in pain and betrayal continue to grow and flourish.

Season Spotlight: The Americans Season 4 with Emily L. Stephens and Dennis Perkins (2:02:33)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
The Tony Awards (10:58)
O.J. Simpson: Made in America (23:42)
Another Period premiere (26:23)
Wrecked premiere (30:04)
Uncle Buck premiere (35:16)
The Mindy Project (37:03)
Comedy Bang Bang (42:48)
Silicon Valley (48:36)
Veep (56:10)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (1:04:27)
Inside Amy Schumer finale (1:11:49)  

Our Week in Drama and Genre
BrainDead premiere (1:26:05)
Animal Kingdom premiere (1:31:00)
UnREAL (1:33:38)
Outlander (1:35:11)
Penny Dreadful (1:36:05)
Outcast (1:50:25)
Orphan Black finale (1:55:07)  

Music Featured: “Opening Number” and Hamilton’s Tony Awards Ode to James Corden from the 70th Tony Awards; featuring James Corden, the 2016 Tony Award musical acting nominees, and the cast of Hamilton; The Americans Theme song

Noel is on assignment, so this week Kate is joined by The A.V. Club’s Caroline Siede for a full 2+ hours of TV talk. First up, we go through our week in TV, starting with the comedies, including a look at the season two premiere of Angie Tribeca and deep dives on Silicon Valley and Veep. Next up are the genre offerings, including the Outcast premiere and lengthy looks at Game of Thrones and Orphan Black, and we round out our week with the dramas, including the premieres of Feed the Beast and UnREAL, one of which we love and one of which, not so much. Then in lieu of the DVD Shelf, Caroline and Kate bring back the Season Spotlight and take a look at Grantchester season two.

Season Spotlight: Grantchester Season 2 with Caroline Siede (1:39:55)

Our Week in Comedy
Angie Tribeca premiere (14:55)
Steven Universe (16:47)
Silicon Valley (18:18)
Veep (27:47)  

Our Week in Genre
Outcast premiere (34:51)
Game of Thrones (40:22)
Orphan Black (56:56)
Preacher (1:05:40)

Our Week in Drama
The Americans finale (1:12:56)
Feed the Beast premiere (1:14:36)
UnREAL premiere (1:26:37)  

Music Featured: “Raw” by San Holo, “Rusty Cage” by Johnny Cash; “Kill Our Way to Heaven” by Michl

There are fewer finales this week, but rather than cutting down on their TV intake, Noel and Kate took advantage of the extra time to catch up on a few shows each, making this yet another marathon session of the podcast. After giving some serious side-eye to So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation, we dive in with a lengthy week in comedy, including finale talk for Archer, The Carmichael Show, and The Detour as well as a look at the premiere of Maya and Marty and catchups with The Ranch, Catastrophe, and Lady Dynamite. Then we head over to the hourlongs, with some Fear The Walking Dead discussion, a few thoughts on the premiere of Cleverman and the reimagining of Roots, and plenty of Person of Interest. Afterwards, friend of the show Elena Rivera returns to the DVD Shelf to help us sing the praises of the recently canceled, and gone far too soon, Marvel’s Agent Carter.

DVD Shelf: Agent Carter with Elena Rivera (2:07:59)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
SYTYCD: The Next Generation premiere (12:49)
Archer finale (29:18)
The Carmichael Show finale (35:16)
The Detour Season 1 (40:05)
Maya and Marty premiere (49:18)
Veep (58:34)
The Ranch Season 1 (1:01:37)
Catastrophe Season 2 (1:06:48)
Lady Dynamite (1:09:36)  

Our Week in Genre and Drama
Fear The Walking Dead Season 2.0 (1:21:32)
Cleverman premiere (1:30:41)
Penny Dreadful (1:33:51)
The Americans (1:36:08)
Roots (2016) (1:36:21)
Steven Universe (1:45:25)
Person of Interest (1:50:11)  

Music Featured: “I’m Your Man” as performed by Miley Cyrus on Maya and Marty, “The Day the Whole World Went Away” by Nine Inch Nails; “Watcha Gonna Do (It’s Up to You)” from Agent Carter

The finales roll on, giving us yet another marathon episode of the podcast this week. First up are the comedies, including the finales of Bob’s Burgers and Fresh Off the Boat. Then we head over to genre, including looks at the Preacher pilot and The Flash and Arrow finales, and we round out the week with the dramas, including the finales of The Night Manager and The Path. Afterwards, Gwen Ihnat, copy editor and contributor at The A.V. Club, joins us at the DVD Shelf to look at the ‘70s–‘80s escapist TV staple The Love Boat.

DVD Shelf: The Love Boat with Gwen Ihnat (1:58:57)

Our Week in Comedy
Bob’s Burgers finale (9:35)
Fresh Off the Boat finale (14:32)
The Detour (18:06)
The Carmichael Show (20:09)  

Our Week in Genre
Preacher pilot (27:33)
The Flash finale (37:10)
Arrow finale (54:52)
Game of Thrones (1:05:05)
Outlander (1:09:34)
Adventure Time (1:12:18)
Steven Universe (1:16:10)  

Our Week in Drama
The Night Manager finale (1:23:03)
The Path finale (1:28:51)
The Americans (1:50:42)
Person of Interest (1:52:12)

Finale season continues, and with seven final episodes airing on TV this week, Noel and Kate buckle in for one of the podcast’s lengthiest entries. After talking through The Amazing Race’s finale, we dive in with the comedies, including the Faking It, black-ish, and Jane the Virgin finales. Then it’s over to genre, with the Agents of SHIELD, Legends of Tomorrow, and The 100 finales, and we round out our week in TV with the dramas, including an escalating The Night Manager and a much-awaited, dramatic return on Person of Interest. Afterward, Vikram Murthi of The A.V. Club, Indiewire, and Movie Mezzanine returns to the DVD Shelf to introduce Noel and Kate to the modern sketch classic Mr. Show.

DVD Shelf: Mr. Show with Vikram Murthi (2:08:26)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
The Amazing Race finale (9:41)
Inside Amy Schumer (18:08)
Veep (24:07)
Faking It finale (29:56)
black-ish finale (35:14)
Jane the Virgin finale (43:50)  

Our Week in Genre
Game of Thrones (58:15)
Agents of SHIELD finale (1:03:27)
Steven Universe (1:08:17)
The Flash (1:13:06)
Legends of Tomorrow finale (1:24:19)
The 100 finale (1:33:09)

Our Week in Drama
The Americans (1:44:19)
Outlander (1:47:56)
The Path (1:50:38)
The Night Manager (1:54:10)
Person of Interest (1:58:42)

Some big finales and plenty of other interesting TV keeps Noel and Kate busy this week. After some griping about The Amazing Race, we dive in with the comedies, including gender role-tastic episodes of The Carmichael Show and black-ish (thank you, writers!). Next up are the genre entries, including the return of Steven Universe, the penultimate The 100 of the season, and another DC TV roundup, and we round out the week with the dramas, including plenty of The Good Wife, Elementary, and Underground finale talk.

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
The Amazing Race (9:52)
The Carmichael Show (16:07)
black-ish (18:50)
Jane the Virgin (22:15)  

Our Week in Genre
Steven Universe premiere (26:30)
The 100 (33:44)
DC’s Live Action TV Roundup: The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow (40:02)  

Our Week in Drama
Elementary finale (1:01:45)
The Good Wife finale (1:04:53)
Underground finale (1:22:58)
The Path (1:31:28)

We’re doing it live this week, as DePaul’s Star Trek Celebration will be eating into Kate’s editing time. There’s still plenty of TV to discuss, however, and we kick things off with the comedy and genre entries, including some thoughts on the White House Correspondents Dinner and the Person of Interest, Penny Dreadful, and Houdini & Doyle premieres. Then we move on to the dramas, including some belated pilot talk from Kate—spoiler alert, y’all were right and Vinyl is terrible—and lengthy chats on The Night Manager, The Path, and Underground. Afterward, Dr. West Anthony of Musical Notation joins us at the DVD Shelf to talk New York filming and stern talking-tos in the ‘80s action procedural The Equalizer.

DVD Shelf: The Equalizer with Dr. West Anthony (1:38:48)

Our Week in Comedy and Genre
2016 White House Correspondents Dinner (4:47)
Jane the Virgin (14:09)
Person of Interest premiere (23:03)
Houdini & Doyle pilot (28:14)
Penny Dreadful premiere (32:22)
Outlander (36:05)
Game of Thrones (37:51)
DC’s Live Action TV Roundup: Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, The Flash (40:04)  

Our Week in Drama
Kate’s Pilot Catchup (50:32)
The Americans (58:47)
Elementary (1:00:45)
The Night Manager (1:06:56)
The Path (1:15:41)
Underground (1:25:57)

Music Featured: Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, II. Allegretto, performed by the London Classical Players; “Back Where I Began” by Pure X; The Equalizer Theme song

After last week’s marathon session, Noel and Kate keep things a bit more regimented this week on the podcast. We kick things off with the comedies, including premiere talk for Veep and Silicon Valley, then check in on The Amazing Race. Next up are the genre offerings, including the Game of Thrones premiere and another strong Adventure Time, and we round out the week with the dramas, including the underwhelming Limitless finale and another powerful Underground. Afterward, we head to the DVD Shelf with pop culture critic and writer Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, who introduces us to The O.C. and ensures Phantom Planet’s “California” will be stuck in our heads for at least the next week.

DVD Shelf: The O.C. with Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (1:41:39)

Our Week in Comedy
Veep premiere (7:30)
Silicon Valley premiere (10:59)
The Carmichael Show (11:45)
black-ish (14:34)
Jane the Virgin (20:13)
The Amazing Race (26:05)  

Our Week in Genre
Game of Thrones premiere (31:03)
Outlander (34:15)
Orphan Black (36:37)
The Flash (38:27)
Arrow (44:20)
Legends of Tomorrow (50:12)
Adventure Time (55:33)

Our Week in Drama
Limitless finale (1:02:43)
The Americans (1:11:02)
The Path (1:13:45)
The Good Wife (1:26:20)
Underground (1:31:51)

Music Featured: “Got Money” by Lil’ Wayne; “Aria” from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, performed by András Schiff; “God Will Cut You Down” by Robin Loxley & Jay Hawke; The O.C. Theme song

It’s a first here at The Televerse: It’s been a bit of a week, so with episode 242, Noel and Kate present the first drinking Televerse! There’s a whole lot of TV to break down this episode, so grab some wine and join us for a lengthy chat. First up are the comedies, including a preview of Veep season five, a look at Time Traveling Bong and the premiere of Inside Amy Schumer, and lots of finale talk, including Girls, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Broad City, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Then we dive deep with the dramas, including the pilot of The Night Manager and an intense, next-level Underground, and we round out the week’s TV with the genre offerings, including the finale of Supergirl, some belated Orphan Black premiere talk, and plenty of The Flash- and The 100-inspired ranting. Afterward, Emily L. Stephens of The A.V. Club returns to the DVD Shelf to break down the long-running classic anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

DVD Shelf: Alfred Hitchcock Presents with Emily L. Stephens (2:11:46)

Our Week in Comedy
Preview Veep Season 5 (6:46)
Girls finale (9:21)
Time Traveling Bong (11:58)
Inside Amy Schumer premiere (15:04)
Jane the Virgin (20:48)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine finale (24:47)
Broad City finale (28:06)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend finale (32:59)  

Our Week in Drama
The Night Manager premiere (43:59)
The Path (53:04)
Underground (1:04:52)

Our Week in Genre
Supergirl finale (1:22:43)
Orphan Black premiere (1:41:04)
Outlander (1:43:22)
Adventure Time (1:44:59)
The Flash (1:48:35)
The 100 (2:01:07)

Spring premieres are underway in a big way, giving us lots of TV to break down. First we look at the comedies and some reality, including the return of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and the premiere of The Detour. Next up are the genre offerings, including the premieres of Outlander and Fear The Walking Dead and the finale of iZombie, and we round out the week with the dramas, including the premiere of The Girlfriend Experience and catchups with Underground and The Path. Afterward, David Bax of Battleship Pretension and Hey Watch This! returns to the DVD Shelf to talk HBO’s epic WWII miniseries Band of Brothers.

DVD Shelf: Band of Brothers with David Bax (1:45:37)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 2 (13:08)
The Detour premiere (19:48)
The Amazing Race (23:35)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (28:51)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (31:12)  

Our Week in Genre
Outlander premiere (35:16)
Fear The Walking Dead premiere (40:07)
iZombie finale (45:01)
The 100 (52:02)
Legends of Tomorrow (1:00:19)

Our Week in Drama
The Girlfriend Experience premiere (1:09:56)
The Americans (1:17:23)  
Elementary (1:19:37)  
Underground (1:22:44)
The Path (1:29:38)

Music Featured: “I Gave You a UTI” and “Oh My God I Think I Like You” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Carry You Into the Light” from The Path; Theme from Band of Brothers

We’re now well into April, so with 2016 a quarter of the way over, Noel and Kate thought it was time we checked in on our 2016 TV Resolutions. First, however, we look at a full week in TV, starting with the return from hiatus of The Amazing Race. Then we dive in with the comedies, including a disappointing The Carmichael Show, before moving on to the genre entries. Disappointment is a bit of a theme, unfortunately, as we dive deep on The Walking Dead’s irritating season finale and an underwhelming Arrow, but fortunately we cleanse the palate with a much stronger week in drama, including the fantastic conclusion to American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and another strong Limitless. Afterward, Noel and Kate evaluate their progress with their 2016 TV Resolutions: Is Noel watching more documentary television, and which shows has Kate added to her lineup to ensure her viewing passes the Bechdel every week?  

2016 TV Resolutions Check-in (1:43:27)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
The Amazing Race (4:13)
Broad City (14:04)
Fresh Off the Boat (17:23)
The Carmichael Show (20:47)  

Our Week in Genre
Powerpuff Girls premiere (29:03)
The Walking Dead finale (34:58)
Arrow (46:58)
Adventure Time (57:33)

Our Week in Drama
Banshee premiere (1:04:08)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson finale (1:09:05)  
The Path (1:23:37)  
The Americans (1:28:34)
Limitless (1:32:39)

Music Featured: Melrose Place Theme song; Powerpuff Girls 2016 Theme song; “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers; “Promises Promises” by Naked Eye

It’s a 2016 Televerse first this week, with Kate and Noel on opposite sides of this week’s DVD Shelf pick. First, though, we kick off the podcast with our week in comedy, including the premiere of Netflix’s The Ranch and wedding-themed episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Jane the Virgin, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Next up are the genre entries, including a punny Arrow and straight-up delightful Supergirl, and we wrap up our week in TV with the dramas, including the premieres of Rush Hour, The Path, and Grantchester. Afterward, we head to the DVD Shelf with Kelly Lawler of USA Today and The Mothership podcast to break down what does, and doesn’t, work for us about the hangout comedy Happy Endings.

DVD Shelf: Happy Endings with Kelly Lawler (1:39:08)

Our Week in Comedy
The Ranch premiere (4:19)
Broad City (8:29)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (9:45)
Jane the Virgin (13:52)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (19:49)  

Our Week in Genre
Adventure Time (28:40)
Agents of SHIELD (33:51)
The 100 (36:10)
Legends of Tomorrow (38:01)
Arrow (45:51)
Supergirl (50:42)

Our Week in Drama
Rush Hour premiere (59:37)
The Path premiere (1:04:18)  
Grantchester premiere (1:13:43)  
Better Call Saul (1:15:10)
The Good Wife (1:18:51)
Elementary (1:25:14)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:30:24)

Music Featured: “Heavy Boobs” and “I Could If I Wanted To” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Scorpio” by Dennis Coffey; Happy Endings Theme song

Kate and Noel have recent DVD Shelf flashbacks this week, as LaToya Ferguson of The A.V. Club and The Televoid joins us on the podcast to dive in with McG’s Miami Vice for the aughts, Fastlane. Beforehand, though, we go through another full week of TV. First up are the comedies, including a preview of Archer season seven and the finales of The Venture Bros. and Younger. Then we move on to the genre entries, including a spoiler-tastic look at Daredevil season two and an Olicity-fueled Arrow, and we round out the week with the dramas, including Tyler Perry’s The Passion: New Orleans and the premiere of The Catch. Then it’s over to the DVD Shelf with LaToya to talk fast cars, pretty ‘splosions, and objectification galore on FOX’s one-season undercover cop series, Fastlane.

DVD Shelf: Fastlane with LaToya Ferguson (2:11:18)

Our Week in Comedy
Preview Archer Season 7 (9:03)
The Venture Bros. finale (15:09)
Younger finale (19:45)
Broad City (28:50)
The Carmichael Show (31:39)
Jane the Virgin (41:11)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (48:16)  

Our Week in Genre
Daredevil Season 2 (55:04)
The Walking Dead (1:11:15)
Agents of SHIELD (1:19:13)
Arrow (1:26:40)

Our Week in Drama
The Passion: New Orleans (1:37:41)
The Catch premiere (1:47:16)  
Limitless (1:53:33)  
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (2:01:21)

Articles Referenced: Autostraddle’s Ultimate Infographic Guide to Dead Lesbian Characters on TV; LaToya’s article about Fastlane for The A.V. Club

After responding to the outpouring of feedback from last week’s The 100 segment, Noel and Kate dig in for another full week of TV. First up are reality and comedy, including the Top Chef: California finale, a trio of premieres, and somewhat controversial episodes of The Carmichael Show and Broad City. Then it’s over to genre and drama, including a (mostly) spoiler-free look at the beginning of Daredevil season two, Supergirl’s Red Kryptonite episode, and another entertaining American Crime Story. Afterward, Jason Griffin of TVx3 and TheTVaholic returns to the DVD Shelf to whisk Kate off to the picturesque town of Cicely, Alaska to talk Northern Exposure.  

DVD Shelf: Northern Exposure with Jason Griffin (1:34:58)

Our Week in Reality and Comedy
Top Chef: California finale (10:23)
Party Over Here premiere (18:16)
Crowded premiere (22:23)
Schitt’s Creek premiere (27:09)
The Carmichael Show (29:53)
Broad City (37:59)

Our Week in Genre and Drama
Daredevil Season 2 (44:42)
Adventure Time (53:11)
The Walking Dead (55:55)
Supergirl (1:06:03)
The Americans premiere (1:15:13)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:16:02)
Underground (1:21:23)   
Limitless (1:27:25)  

In lieu of the DVD Shelf this week, Noel and Kate wanted to talk about last week’s controversial episode of The 100, “Thirteen”, during which a beloved character was killed in a problematic—to put it mildly—manner. Joining us to break down this specific character death, how it relates to The 100 as a series, and how it compares to other memorable and traumatic TV character deaths is Maureen Ryan, Chief TV Critic for Variety and cohost of Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan.

Articles referenced in this segment: Mo’s piece about “Thirteen” for Variety; Ryan McGee’s post on “Thirteen” and follow-up at his Tumblr; Dr. Elizabeth Bridges’ piece about “Thirteen” at The Uncanny Valley. Also, here’s a handy list of 90 lesbian and bisexual TV characters and how they died, from Riese at Autostraddle.

Music featured: A big thank you to Revy Dutch for allowing us to use clips from "The Clexa Song", an original song by Revy which opens the episode. "The Clexa Song" is available as a charity single at Bandcamp, with all proceeds going to Leskru’s fundraiser for The Trevor Project, a suicide hotline for gay and questioning youth.

It’s our lengthiest, most in-depth podcast yet, as Noel and Kate take deep dives on many of the week’s most interesting episodes. We had to talk The 100 and “Thirteen”—and we went so long on it, with friend of the show Maureen Ryan of Variety and Talking TV with Ryan and Ryan, that it’s posted separately—but we kick things off with the comedies, talking The Carmichael Show’s premiere, the finales of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Man Seeking Woman, and a standout Jane the Virgin, among others. Afterward, we check in on The Amazing Race and part one of the Top Chef finale, before diving in with the genre entries, including the midseason premiere of Agents of SHIELD and a philosophical Adventure Time. Last up are the dramas, starting with a slew of premieres and previews: The Americans, And Then There Were None, Underground, Bates Motel, and Of Kings and Prophets. Then we round out the segment with a few more episodes, including the much-anticipated Marcia-centric American Crime Story and the season finale of American Crime.

What do Noel and Kate think of the rise of issues-based comedy? Should characters change over time? Can The 100 win us back, and what exactly happened on Adventure Time? Why isn’t God a character on Of Kings and Prophets, and why do we still belittle women for their hair? Did American Crime stick the landing and does it really matter either way? All of this and much more on this week’s supersized The Televerse.

Our Week in Comedy
The Carmichael Show premiere (5:30)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia finale (14:20)
Man Seeking Woman finale (16:32)
Girls (21:00)
Jane the Virgin (25:09)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (30:21)

Our Week in Reality and Genre
The Amazing Race (36:25)
Top Chef (46:00)
Agents of SHIELD (50:07)
The Walking Dead (57:21)
The 100 (1:08:06)
Adventure Time (1:16:55)

Our Week in Drama
Preview The Americans Season 4 (1:26:20)
Preview And Then There Were None (1:33:57)
Underground premiere (1:37:53)
Bates Motel premiere (1:48:41)
Of Kings and Prophets premiere (1:52:23)  
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:57:39)
Limitless (2:05:36)
Elementary (2:13:15)
American Crime finale (2:18:32)

Music featured: A big thank you to Taylah Coxx for allowing us to a clip from her original song, "Take Care", for this episode! Taylah’s “Take Care”, which closes out this portion of this week’s podcast, is a song from the point of view of Lexa during The 100’s “Thirteen” and can be heard in full at her SoundCloud page.

Also featured this week: “Gettin Bi’” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Weeds Or Wildflowers” by Parsonsfield; “Kiss from a Rose” by Seal

The transition from winter to spring TV begins this week, as several series head into their finales and new ones debut, giving Noel and Kate plenty to discuss on the podcast. We kick things off with the comedies, including a check-in with Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and a look at the finale of The Muppets. Next up are the genre and drama offerings, including finale talk for Agent Carter and The Shannara Chronicles, a difference of opinion on SundanceTV’s new series Hap and Leonard, and yet more American Crime Story and American Crime discussion. Then we wrap things up by welcoming Kayti Burt of Den of Geek and Collider, among others, to the DVD Shelf to break down the short-lived and underseen zombie drama In The Flesh.    

DVD Shelf: In The Flesh with Kayti Burt (1:32:54)

Our Week in Comedy
2016 Academy Awards (9:37)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (16:11)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (23:44)
The Real O’Neals (25:26)
Fuller House (30:08)
The Muppets finale (32:15)
Broad City (35:03)
Jane the Virgin (38:39)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (42:42)

Our Week in Genre and Drama
Agent Carter finale (49:18)
The Shannara Chronicles finale (56:35)
The Walking Dead (59:20)
The Family (1:04:53)
Hap and Leonard premiere (1:09:23)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:15:38)
American Crime (1:22:17)

Music Featured: “JAP Battle” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Joyful, Joyful” from Broad City; In The Flesh Theme song

From comedy to drama, TV did not screw around this week, broaching intense and loaded topics with respect and sensitivity. We start out our week in TV with the comedies, including Netflix’s Fuller House, the Girls premiere, and this week’s powerful black-ish, “Hope”. Next up are the genre entries, including the much-lambasted finale of The X-Files, and we round out the week with the dramas, including another fun American Crime Story and an interview-filled American Crime. Afterward, comedian and podcaster Jimmy Pardo joins Kate at the DVD Shelf to break down the ‘70s police procedural Kojak.

Tune in to the Never Not Funny 2016 Pardcast-a-thon on Saturday, March 5th, a podcast telethon to raise money for SmileTrain, an international charity that provides cleft lip and palate surgeries to children.

DVD Shelf: Kojak with Jimmy Pardo (1:57:36)

Our Week in Comedy
Fuller House (3:47)
Girls premiere (13:32)
Kate’s Comedy Roundup: Man Seeking Woman, Younger, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (18:25)
Jane the Virgin (22:27)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (29:19)
black-ish (38:07)

Our Week in Genre
The X-Files finale (50:03)
The Walking Dead (1:02:59)
11/22/63 (1:11:45)
Supergirl (1:15:20)
Agent Carter (1:17:28)
The Flash (1:20:39)

Our Week in Drama
Prey (1:28:14)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:32:00)
The Good Wife (1:36:09)
Better Call Saul (1:40:16)
Limitless (1:42:51)
American Crime (1:45:39)

Music Featured: “Cold Showers” from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; “Whatcha Gonna Do (It’s Up To You)” from Agent Carter; “San Miguel Mission” by Daniele Benati, Fabio Di Bari & Enrico Prandi; Kojak Theme song

TV was rather eventful this week, with a slew of premieres and eventful episodes. First up is comedy, with Kate and Noel looking at the premieres of Love, Last Week Tonight, and Broad City, plus a classical music-(sub)-themed Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Next is reality, with the premiere of The Amazing Race, followed by genre, including the Gravity Falls finale and a belated rant from Kate, re: The 100. We round out our week in TV with the dramas, including the premiere of Better Call Saul and finale of London Spy, and then it’s back to the DVD Shelf, where returning guest Josh Spiegel of Mousterpiece Cinema and Movie Mezzanine joins us to look at the hilarious and already missed Key & Peele.

Life has intervened and necessitated some creative recording from Kate and Noel this week, affecting our sound quality. We should be back to our usual setup next episode. Thank you for your patience!

DVD Shelf: Key & Peele with Josh Spiegel (1:32:32)

Our Week in Comedy
Love premiere (5:08)
Last Week Tonight premiere (10:58)
Broad City premiere (14:59)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (19:04)

Our Week in Reality/Genre
The Amazing Race premiere (27:32)
Gravity Falls finale (33:02)
The X-Files (39:19)
The Flash (48:34)
The 100 (57:09)

Our Week in Drama
Better Call Saul premiere (1:07:58)
London Spy finale (1:13:53)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:15:25)
Limitless (1:19:04)
American Crime (1:22:35)

Music Featured: “Let ‘Em Say” by Lizzo and Caroline Smith; “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus; “Funny How Time Slips Away” by Billy Walker; Key & Peele Theme song

A lot of exciting TV is coming up in the next few weeks, including the series finale of Gravity Falls. In anticipation, this week Kate talks with Gravity Falls composer Brad Breeck, looking at his composition process, development of the sound of the series, and collaboration with creator Alex Hirsch. But beforehand, it’s a full week of TV. Noel and Kate talk comedies first, including catch-ups with Childrens Hospital, Superstore, The Grinder, and the premieres of The Venture Bros. and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Next up are the genre entries, with a bit of a split on The X-Files, and we round things out with a little Top Chef: California discussion before diving in with the dramas, including eventful episodes of American Crime Story, Elementary, and American Crime.

Check out Brad’s work at his website: www.BradBreeck.com!

Interview with Brad Breeck (1:51:49)

Our Week in Comedy
Childrens Hospital (6:13)
Superstore (8:40)
Man Seeking Woman (11:15)
The Grinder (13:16)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee pilot (22:05)
The Venture Bros. premiere (29:00)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (33:52)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (36:19)
Jane the Virgin (44:22)

Our Week in Genre
The X-Files (51:12)
Agent Carter (56:24)
Supergirl (1:01:04)
The Flash (1:07:28)
Legends of Tomorrow (1:13:20)

Our Week in Reality and Drama
Top Chef (1:18:25)
London Spy (1:23:24)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson (1:30:30)
Elementary (1:35:07)
American Crime (1:41:04)

At long last, The Televerse takes on the procedural juggernaut that is Law & Order! However before we dive in with returning guest Sarah D. Bunting and new guest to the podcast Mark Blankenship, both of Previously.TV and Extra Hot Great, Noel and Kate look at a full week in TV. We kick things off with the comedies, including the finale of Galavant, Grease Live, and the glorious return of Fresh Off the Boat, and then we talk genre and drama, including the much-hyped Darin Morgan episode of The X-Files and premiere of American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. Afterward, it’s over to the DVD Shelf for a super-sized chat with Mark and Sarah, looking at what made Law & Order tick, and what kept it fresh for so very long.

DVD Shelf: Law & Order with Mark Blankenship and Sarah D. Bunting (1:25:49)

Our Week in Comedy
Galavant finale (4:26)
Grease Live (6:06)
The Grinder (12:37)
Man Seeking Woman (14:34)
Younger (18:25)
Fresh Off the Boat midseason premiere (18:56)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (21:13)
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (23:43)
Jane the Virgin (29:31)

Our Week in Genre and Drama
The X-Files (34:15)
The Shannara Chronicles (40:55)
The Flash (44:04)
Arrow (46:40)
Legends of Tomorrow (52:20)
Horace and Pete premiere (56:41)
American Crime (59:44)
The Good Wife (1:07:13)
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson premiere (1:13:45)