Decoding TV

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 sign...

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...

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 1-3 Episodes 4-6 (this episode) Episodes 7-10 Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 4-6, “Annus Horribilis,” “The Way Ahead,” and “Ipatiev House.” How does show manage the...

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, s...

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...

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 j...

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 4-6 Episodes 7-10 This is our first time cov...

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. Bu...

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 relations...

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...

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 Harpe...

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....

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 Westworld Why HBO Cancelled Westworld Everyone from Westworld is getting paid anywa...

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 o...

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 (...

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTv.com David Chen and Patrick Willems dive into season 1 episode 8 of  Andor , “Narkina 5,” now streaming on Disney+. Unexpected developments put Andor in an untenable situation. Will Cassian get back to Maarva while he still can? Will Meero figure out who Axis truly is? Can Bix survive the most recent incursion? Also: we get a weekly...

The second season of The White Lotus will debut on October 30 on HBO and run for 7 episodes, and I’m thrilled to share that Decoding TV will be recapping and reviewing each episode. Furthermore, I’m excited to announce that my co-host will be Roxana Hadadi , a TV critic at Vulture.com and one of my favorite writers on the internet today.  In this episode of Decoding TV, we discuss season 1 of...

David Chen and Patrick Willems dive into season 1 episode 7 of  Andor , “Announcement,” now streaming on Disney+. This week is a transitional episode as all of our characters react to the major developments from last week. Where do we see Andor’s arc going in this show? How will Karn, Cinta, and Vel play into it? What does the Imperial Security Bureau have to do with Google Messaging apps? An...

David Chen and Don Marshall discuss the eighth episode of the first season of Prime Video’s  The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : ‘Alloyed.’ In the season 1 finale, several major twists are revealed with one major headfake thrown in for good measure. But how well did the show earn them? Where do things stand at the end of season 1 for our major characters? What plot threads are we look...

In this episode of Decoding TV,  Dan Gvozden  from  The Amazing Spider-Talk  joins David and Siddhant Adlakha to dive into the season 1 finale of  She-Hulk: Attorney At Law . The finale upends where we think this show is going, while providing some amusing meta-commentary about how Marvel shows are put together in general. But taken as a whole, does this season all add up...

David Chen and Patrick Willems dive into season 1 episode 6 of Andor , “The Eye,” now streaming on Disney+. The heist is afoot and it is spectacular! Andor and crew invade the garrison at Aldhani. But who will live? Who will die? And will anything be done to subvert our expectations for what heists can be? Listen to hear our theories and wild speculations! Links: Follow Decoding TV: On YouTube On...

It’s a Decoding TV Halloween bonus episode! Ashley Esqueda joins David Chen to discuss Michael Giacchino’s  Werewolf by Night , now streaming on Disney Plus. In the movie, Gael Garcia Bernal plays Jack, a man who attends a gathering of monster hunters in pursuit of a powerful artifact called the Bloodstone, only to find that the night has surprises for them all. In what ways does  Werewo...

Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com David Chen and Don Marshall discuss the seventh episode of Prime Video’s  The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : ‘The Eye.’ Who survived the events of last episode? Are we eventually going to learn who The Stranger is? Also, did Galadriel just have a husband this whole time?? For answers and speculations that address these...

In this episode of Decoding TV,  Dan Gvozden  from  The Amazing Spider-Talk  subs in for David Chen and joins Siddhant Adlakha in diving into  Charles Soule and Javier Pullido’s run of She-Hulk  - one of the inspirations behind  She-Hulk: Attorney At Law  and a glimpse into where the show could head in a future season . Then, starting at  18:30 , the tw...

David Chen and Patrick Willems dive into season 1 episode 5 of Andor , “The Axe Forgets,” now streaming on Disney+. Another heist setup episode lets us get to know the characters from Vel’s crew and understand their motivations. But who will survive next episode? What will (inevitably) go wrong? Will we ever see a Mon Mothma dinner party? And how is Karn going to fit into any of this? Listen to he...