Tim Goodman's TV Talk Machine

Sir Tim talks about the Emmys, calls them a vast improvement; highlights of the opening week of TV's fall season include "Flash Forward" and "Modern Family," the latter of which Tim says is "amazingly funny" and in the same league as "Arrested Development."

Tim tells a five-minute-long story about something he saw at the Rockridge BART station (previously he'd tweeted about the same thing in fewer than 140 charaters); Benny Master of Sounds impersonates a juke box; Question Boy (aka Best Boy) pouts; a tree becomes the podcast's newest listener.

It's true: There's TV-related material in this podcast. Other highlights: Benny is late to the 'cast; Joe is sore about being demoted in Jason's new theme music; Justin takes pictures and video (see 'em here); Benny redeems himself as the Master of Sounds. Nothing to see here folks. Keep moving.

More clips from Sunday's Hootenanny. George D plays Question Boy again. Benny as Special Guest again.

Let's drink to TV! And bad podcasting and late birthday parties, and people surviving heart attacks, etc. etc. George D plays Question Boy. Benny as Special Guest.

Doot doot doot doot doot! A question from Jasmine in the 510 prompts Tim to divulge actual TV-related information -- five fall shows to watch out for. Plus, tons of calls from listeners. Oh, and Tim reveals his desire to stab QB in the armpit. And Benny as Special Guest.

Today's special guest: Manny. Again.

Today's special guest: Manny.

After, what, 16 weeks away or so, the TVTM returns from vacation duties, two weeks in Los Angele for the Death March With Cocktails, a week of Question Boy (Chronicle political writer Joe Garofoli) taking yet another vacation and, we think, something about Adjustin (Podcast Producer Justin Beck) being not that interested in helping. Listening to the cries of the masses (or those of you who STILL h...

The TVTM loves you, baby. Yes, as a matter of fact, it does. We show that love by giving you a better product, a glossier, more brilliantly sheen-filled and lucid piece of aural entertainment. We increase our game because someone told us that they took our last podcast for a long car drive and made the drive even longer. Hurt, tearful, weepy-hearted but determined, we put our best effort into this...

Dying to know the colors of the DVD packaging from the various television networks? Tim "Oh Great One" Goodman has the inside scoop. Can't wait to find out all about Tim's work schedule over the next several weeks? Tim reveals all! And what about Joe "Question Boy" Garofoli's tongue-twister skills? He will demonstrate! Yep, it's another content-free TVTM podcast. But it has a new theme.

It's the "Thursday" 'cast, which means no TV-related news. We do, however, have Benny/Manny/Knobby/Chocoknobs again as a Very Special Guest, as well as several phone calls from our Very Special Listeners, and Dave/707 sends in a hilarious public service announcement that was so good it deserves to be heard twice. More, please!

Tim Goodman's staycation is over, and the TVTM returns with a Very Special Podcast and Benny/Manny/Knobby/Chocoknobs as a Very Special Guest. In TV-related news, Tim has a few words to say about "Hung" and "Nurse Jackie." We also talk about all the recent celebrity deaths, Walter Cronkite and Wilco. Porno Putin makes an appearance.

The one that goes sideways, corrects itself, then bursts into flames. We've got nothing.

No TV-related news on the Thursday 'cast, due to the lack of air in the podcave.

Tim "Oh Great One" Goodman, Joe "Question Boy" Garofoli and Justin "Don't Call Me Jason" Beck return after a brief hiatus, bringing with them a near-total lack of news and information about television. What you do get in today's installment: an anecdote about an uptight fan at a recent Decemberists show, plenty of Jay Leno mockery, and a brand-new character: Therapist Walton.

Lots of letters. A smattering of calls. A bit of news. A TON of stupidity. You get Porno Harry Caray and a podcast that's constantly being interrupted by Question Boy's buzzing balls. We got the balance right again.

Hey, we made it. Sunny day real estate! Less fires to put out on the 2nd floor. Whee. OK, so like it or not, Question Boy (Joe Garofoli, Chronicle politics writer), Adjustin' (Justin Beck), Manny (Benny Evangelista) and Your Cultural Commissar, all survived and we'll continue to put out as much aural rambling and pointlessness as anyone could stand. In the TV-related news segment of today's podcas...

First he dumps us via e-mail and now he guest hosts two podcasts in a row? Oh, Benny (aka Manny aka Knobby aka Chocoknobs), why must you tease us like this? Other noteworthy moments in an otherwise noteworthyless podcast: Andrew from Ireland calls in and performs Irish Walton and Irish Taldar; French Walton also makes an appearance. And if you're looking for TV-related news, you've tuned in to the...

Yes, this podcast includes more chances to throw Manny (Benny Evangelista) "under the bus." It also contains faux outrage about international incidents. Question Boy (Chronicle media and politics writer Joe Garofoli) does what he's supposed to do, we guess (isn't it about time for another Question Girl?). Adjustin (Justin Beck) mans the knobs with aplomb for someone who just couldn't care less. An...

Yes, this podcast includes more chances to throw Manny (Benny Evangelista) "under the bus." It also contains faux outrage about international incidents. Question Boy (Chronicle media and politics writer Joe Garofoli) does what he's supposed to do, we guess (isn't it about time for another Question Girl?). Adjustin (Justin Beck) mans the knobs with aplomb for someone who just couldn't care less. An...

Oh yes we did. Hell, we've already got a new theme song (thanks, Jason!) that takes out the 2009 and adds AdJustin (Justin Beck, no longer Super Sub but a full-time member) to the titles. And then while Question Boy (Joe Garofoli, Chronicle media and political writer) and Yours Truly laugh ourselves silly over all kinds of things (Xanax, Percocet, Bill Walton, Peter Krause, "show me your two!," fe...

After a week off (well, not off, we were actually doing our other job), the Triumphant Trifecta QB (Chronicle media and politics writer Joe Garofoli) and Super Sub Adjustin the Knobs (Justin Beck) and your Cultural Commissar. truly, are back reading tons of e-mails and a couple of calls. We missed you. Welcome back. And by the way, as we recorded the Thursday 'cast, we got a visit from a surprise...

We didn't expect him. But we'd heard a rumor he was in the building on his first day back at the Chronicle, post heart attack. Sure enough, in the middle of our 'cast, Beloved Benny Evangelista, the Podfather, showed up, stepped in and shared some time with us. Before he arrived, well, it was hella goofy. Juan Antonio Samaranch had turned into Porno Count. That kind of thing. I had the summer shor...

It starts out like a car careening around a mountain road driven by a cat named Toonces, and it ends, many letters and calls and impersonations later, in a ditch. Just how we like it. We have now scientifically traced the lack of oxygen in the podcave to an increased level of giggling and nonsense in the Thursday installment of the podcast. Oh, The Count. How we love you. By the way, there's a cha...