Hey folks, David Chen here. Roxana Hadadi and I had originally planned to record our White Lotus season 2 finale recap this evening but due to scheduling issues, we’re going to be delivering that full episode tomorrow instead. In the meantime, here are our quick reactions to the finale, which we just finished watching this evening. Stay tuned tomorrow for the full episode! Links: Email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com Read Roxana’s work on Vulture Follow Roxana on Twitter Follow this podcast on...
Dec 12, 2022•17 min
In this episode of Decoding TV, David Chen and Roxana Hadadi recap and discuss season 2 episode 6 of The White Lotus , “Abductions.” Tanya discovers multiple shocking secrets about Quentin, but what exactly is his endgame? Portia realizes the disadvantages of seeing a guy like Jack, but can she extricate herself before she gets in too deep? Ethan starts wondering where exactly he and Harper stand with each other, but can their relationship be saved? We discuss all this and more in the podcast! P...
Dec 05, 2022•1 hr 17 min
This episode is sponsored by Nissan. Nissan - EVs that electrify. Programming note: Thanks for joining us for our coverage of The Crown this season! If the new Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary is worth discussing, we’ll be covering it here on Decoding TV in the weeks to come. David Chen and @joyonapping are covering The Crown season 5 in three installments: Episodes 1-3 Episodes 4-6 Episodes 7-10 (this episode) Today, we discuss The Crown Season 5 episodes 7-10, “No Woman’s Land,” “Gunpowder...
Dec 04, 2022•1 hr 35 min
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 significance of the funeral procession song that plays in episode 12? Why aren’t there more aliens in the show? What...
Dec 02, 2022•1 hr 11 min
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 to make this vacation work , come hell or high water. Things with Albie and Portia come to a predict...
Nov 28, 2022•1 hr 8 min
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 evolution of Elizabeth/Phillip’s marriage? How well does it tie in historical events with what’s hap...
Nov 25, 2022•1 hr 31 min
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, so be sure to email us at decodingtv(AT)gmail(DOT)com with your questions, comments, theories, and so on. We’ll d...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 24 min
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) the first two episodes of Welcome to Chippendales, “An Elegant, Exclusive Atmosphere,” and “Four G...
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 8 min
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 job at this point. And Tanya makes a new connection that may lead her down an interesting path. We di...
Nov 21, 2022•1 hr 4 min
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 covering a binge-release show on Netflix so if you have any thoughts on this approach, feel free to email us at decodingtv@gmail.com. It wo...
Nov 19, 2022•1 hr 3 min
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. But it also raises a lot of questions like: Is Luthen secretly a Jedi? How different are Mon Mothma’s views ...
Nov 18, 2022•1 hr 34 min
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 relationship? What does Ethan think of everything that’s going on? Is Albie actually a good guy or not? And w...
Nov 14, 2022•1 hr 8 min
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 person. In this Decoding TV episode, they dive into season 1 episode 10 of Andor , “One Way Out,” now streaming on Disney+. This episode...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 9 min
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 Harper and Ethan really doing? Is Cam’s anger really under control? Will Dominic ever overcome his demons...
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 12 min
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. At the very least, we can promise there will be one more Decoding TV podcast episode discussing season 5 but we may o...
Nov 05, 2022•1 hr 13 min
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 anyway Follow Siddhant on Twitter Read Siddhant’s work on IGN Follow David on Instagram Follow David on T...
Nov 05, 2022•22 min
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 on board with this whole Rebellion thing? Also: The Keero ship finally gets its day. All this and mor...
Nov 04, 2022•1 hr 18 min
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 (Meghann Fahy) and Cameron (Theo James) who are away on a vacation together. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 8 min
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 #Karntent check in. All this and more on this week’s episode of Decoding TV covering Andor ! You can alway...
Oct 28, 2022•1 hr 34 min
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 The White Lotus , with a particular focus on its finale. Where did we leave off with each of these charac...
Oct 26, 2022•57 min
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? And most importantly: What should we call the Karn/Meero ship? Keero? Marn? Listen to hear our theories and ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 16 min
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 looking forward to for season 2? For answers and speculations that address these questions (and many more), li...
Oct 16, 2022•2 hr 6 min
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 to anything meaningful? Listen to hear our thoughts! Links: Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow Dan Gvozden on Twitter Lis...
Oct 15, 2022•59 min
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 Twitter On Tiktok Follow Patrick H. Willems On YouTube On Twitter On Patreon Follow David Chen On Tw...
Oct 14, 2022•1 hr 15 min
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 Werewolf by Night connect to the MCU? How does Giacchino fare as a first-time feature director? Do we want to see more...
Oct 12, 2022•54 min
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 questions (and many more), listen to the episode! Links: Subscribe to this podcast on YouTube Follow this ...
Oct 09, 2022•1 hr 18 min
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 two discuss the eighth episode of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law , “Ribbit and Rip It.” Jen trades blows and kisses with Matt Murdoch, aka Daredevil, grounds Lea...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 2 min
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 hear our theories and wild speculations! Links: Watch/subscribe to the YouTube version of this podcast...
Oct 07, 2022•1 hr 14 min
Support this podcast by becoming a paid member at DecodingTV.com! David Chen and Don Marshall discuss the sixth episode of Prime Video’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power : ‘Udun.’ A visually spectacular and intense episode that begins tying up many of the plotlines introduced earlier this season. Is this The Rings of Power’s first “hard R” episode? What are the homages to Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings ? Who lives and who dies at the end of this thing? For answers and speculations th...
Oct 02, 2022•1 hr 4 min
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 Dan Slott’s run of She-Hulk - arguably the biggest inspiration for She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. Then, starting at around 23:14 , the two discuss the seventh episode of She-Hulk: Attorney At Law , “The Retreat.” Jen visits Emil Blonsky’s retreat, but how effectively does it help her find herself? Next week: Our opening topic will be Charles Soule and Javier Puili...
Oct 01, 2022•1 hr 1 min
