
Extra Hot Great: This Week In TV
Join Tara Ariano, Sarah D. Bunting, David T. Cole and their valued guests each week for discussion of what's new on TV plus our hall of fame roundtable segment called The Canon, listen as we appoint Winners and Losers Of The Week and of course our ultra competitive TV trivia quiz: Game Time.
Latest episodes

May 7, 2025 โข 1h 12min
561: Should You Try To Weather The Four Seasons?
Did Alan Alda vehicle The Four Seasons need an eight-part dramedy reboot? The panel -- joined by Alyson Lewis of Cracked -- doesn't think so, although one of us enjoyed returning to a version of a property that aired constantly on HBO in the mid-eighties. But did the story need this many episodes, or this downbeat a tone? Do we enjoy this iteration of a Tina Fey character? And why is a certain actor almost certain to get killed in prestige programs like this? Later, we went Around The Dial with Taskmaster's 19th season, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and The Clubhouse, and Tara hoped Mary (and "That Woman") would make it into the Canon. Kali Reis won, Disney lost, and we synchronized our schedules for a timely Non-Regulation Game Time. Boot up your favorite second-screen farm game and have a listen!
GUESTS
๐ค Alyson Lewis
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐ The Four Seasons
Around The Dial: ๐ Taskmaster
Around The Dial: ๐บ The Mary Tyler Moore Show S05.E04: Lou And That Woman
Around The Dial: ๐งฆ The Clubhouse: A Year With The Boston Red Sox
Around The Dial: ๐ Andor
Winner & Loser: ๐ฆ 12 12 12
Winner & Loser: ๐น Disney
Game Time: ๐ Let Me Check My Calendar
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NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ตโ๐ซ More from Alyson Lewis at Yes I Was High When I Wrote This
๐ท Tara's review of The Four Seasons at Cracked
๐ช Tara's Jason Mantzoukas interview at Cracked
๐ Cookie the foster cat needs a forever home
๐ท Photo: Jon Pack / Netflix

Apr 30, 2025 โข 1h 26min
560: Bull Riding Through The Streets Of San Francisco
Heather wanted us to watch a 29-year-old Sam Elliott playing a cowboy in a Season 2 episode of The Streets Of San Francisco, and who were we to resist? We tell you whether the episode's worth ripping off your pearl snap shirt over. Our latest Ask EHG takes us through questions about, among others, our most out-of-character favorite shows and the strangest places we've ever run into someone we knew. Sarah pitches "Smizing" for the TV coinage Tiny Canon. Then, after sharing a new batch of Not Quite Top 11 lists, we close up by recasting famous original CSI. Find yourself a comfortable bunk and listen!
TOPICS
Forcening Pool: ๐ The Streets Of San Francisco S02.E21: The Hard Breed
Ask EHG: ๐ฉ Coping With Everything
Tiny Canon: ๐๏ธ America's Next Top Model S13.E03: Fortress Of Fierceness
Not Quite Top 11: ๐ต Defunct TV Networks
Not Quite Top 11: ๐จ๏ธ Significant TV Snow
Not Quite Top 11: โ ๏ธ Cleopatra 2525 Character Names
Extra Credit: ๐ฌ Recast This: C.S.I.
Mini: ๐ธ Mark's TV Forcening (Jan 2014)
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NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ฎ The Streets Of San Francisco S02.E21: The Hard Breed on DailyMotion
๐ Volunteer Match
๐ "'America's Next Top Model' recap: Private smeyes, watching you" at Entertainment Weekly
๐คข Our Nonac discussion of "Amends" in EHG 024

Apr 23, 2025 โข 1h 10min
559: The Would You Rather? Rath-boree
Most weeks, we confront our guests with a Thought Experiment to compile for an end-of-year special. But this time, we're the ones in the hot seat. We asked our friends -- past podcast guests all -- to challenge us with TV-themed Would You Rather? They came through in a big way with hypothetical choices that really set us to some soul-searching. Listen to hear what decisions we're being forced to make!
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐ค Would You Rather
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ Pre-order Will Leitch's latest novel Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride on Bookshop
๐๏ธ The original credits sequence for what was then called Friends Like Us
๐ณ "Seinfeld In Oz" on Dailymotion
๐บ The Decoding TV podcast

Apr 16, 2025 โข 1h 39min
558: Gazing Too Long Into Season 7 Of Black Mirror
Black Mirror is back with a seventh season packed with miso jam, thronglings, classic film, Christian counseling services, a whole artists' commune, and more; Brandi Brown joins us to discuss what goes down (sometimes...way down). Around The Dial takes us through Hacks, The Syd + TP Show, and Top Chef. Tara attempts to get yet another game night sitcom episode into The Canon with Will & Grace's "Alley Cats." Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we're trying to get closest to the pin with Return Of The Return Of The Steep Incline Climber. Put that nubbin on your temple and listen!
GUESTS
๐ค Brandi Brown
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐ช Black Mirror
Around The Dial: ๐ Hacks
Around The Dial: ๐ The Syd + TP Show
Around The Dial: ๐งโ๐ณ Top Chef
Around The Dial: ๐ช Peaky Blinders
Announcement: ๐ฆ The EHG Mutual Aid Vault
The Canon: ๐ณ Will & Grace S01.E21: Alley Cats
Winner & Loser: ๐ด๐ป The Bold And The Beautiful
Winner & Loser: ๐ฉ Mickey Rourke
Game Time: ๐งโโ๏ธ Return Of The Return Of The Steep Incline Climber
SUPPORT THE SHOW
๐ฅ Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ Brandi Brown on Linktree
๐ช Tara's review of Black Mirror S07 at Cracked
๐ฅ "Every Black Mirror Easter Egg In Season 7" at Vulture
๐ Tara's review of Hacks S04 at Cracked
โน๐ฝโโ๏ธ The Syd + TP Show on YouTube
๐๏ธ Tickets for Brandi's May 7 show at Turf Club in Saint Paul
๐๏ธ Tickets to see Brandi among the performers at Rifftrax & Friends at Minneapolis's Parkway Theater
๐๏ธ The Crime Seen podcast
๐ท Photo: Nick Wall / Netflix

Apr 9, 2025 โข 1h 5min
557: Does Dying For Sex Come Correct?
The Ankler's awards editor, Katey Rich, thinks Hulu/FX's new dramedy Dying For Sex -- about dying, kink exploration, and friendship love stories -- might be in line for some awards love. Did the panel agree? Listen for our discussion, plus Holofcener vibes, useless men, and rooting for Dawson's alums. We went Around The Dial with The Amazing Race, St. Denis Medical, and Andy Kaufman doc Thank You Very Much, and Katey lured us onto the corporate jet of a third-season 30 Rock episode. Olivia Munn won, legendary TAR teams lost, and we found out which TV set elements are bigger than breadboxes in a special Katey Edition of Game Time. Invite Neighbor Guy over and listen now!
GUESTS
๐ค Katey Rich
TOPICS
Announcement: ๐ฆ EHG Mutual Aid Vault
Lead Topic: โฐ๏ธ Dying For Sex
Around The Dial: ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ The Amazing Race
Around The Dial: ๐ St. Denis Medical
Around The Dial: ๐๏ธ Thank You Very Much
The Canon: ๐ซ 30 Rock S03.E05 Reunion
Winner & Loser: ๐ฉโ๐ Olivia Munn
Winner & Loser: ๐ Will Forte and Val Kilmer's agents
Game Time: ๐๐ผโโ๏ธ 19 Questions: Katey Edition
SUPPORT THE SHOW
๐ฅ Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ฆ Follow Katey Rich on Bluesky
๐ The Prestige Junkie podcast
๐ง The Fighting In The War Room podcast
๐ฅ Tara's Dying For Sex review at Cracked
โฐ๏ธ Vanity Fair's Twin Peaks feature
๐ 20% off "plus-ones" at Exhibit B. Books
CLUB-ONLY NOTES
๐ฅ EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
๐ฌ Get On Our Community Discord

Apr 2, 2025 โข 1h 32min
556: Moving In To Mid-Century Modern
Will & Grace co-creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are back with a throwback multi-cam sitcom that isn't Gay Golden Girls, but isn't NOT Gay Golden Girls. Would we travel down the road and back again for more? Joe Reid joins us to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us through Last One Laughing UK, Shrinking, Adolescence, The Pitt, and Gone Girls. Joe pitches the Simpsons episode "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" for induction into the Nonac. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Game Time that's more hard work than usual. Put down the cottage cheese and listen!
GUESTS
๐ค Joe Reid
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐๏ธ Mid-Century Modern
Around The Dial: ๐๐ป Last One Laughing UK
Around The Dial: ๐ง Shrinking
Around The Dial: ๐ฆ๐ป Adolescence
Around The Dial: ๐ฅ The Pitt
Around The Dial: ๐ซฅ Gone Girls
Announcement: ๐ฆ The EHG Mutual Aid Vault
The Nonac: โ๏ธ The Simpsons Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious
Winner & Loser: ๐ช Scripted true crime
Winner & Loser: ๐ฐ Citadel
Game Time: ๐ฅฉ Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ฆ Joe Reid on Bluesky
๐ช Tara's Mid-Century Modern review at Cracked
๐ชฆ "Linda Lavin's Husband Reveals Her Touching Final Words" at ExtraTV.com
โ๏ธ Tara's Side Quest review at Cracked
๐ This Had Oscar Buzz
๐ฌ Demi, Myself & I
๐ฆค Joe at Vulture
๐ท Photo: Disney / Chris Haston

Mar 26, 2025 โข 1h 21min
555: Should You Tour The Residence?
Muppeturgy's Adam Grosswirth returns to talk about Shondaland's latest show for Netflix, The Residence, which takes us behind the scenes at the White House via a murder mystery -- but could the stellar cast make up for a too-long runtime and not-funny-enough writing? Do we have an Only Murders In The West Wing copycat problem? And should you bother watching? We went Around The Dial with The Righteous Gemstones, Smash on Broadway, and B-B-B-B-Bosch: Legacy's swan-song season, and Adam hoped he could train the panel to vote a first-season Murder, She Wrote into the Canon. Project Runway won, Netflix lost, and it came down to the wire in a very (equalizer) challenging Game Time. Grab that Audubon off the windowsill and have a listen!
GUESTS
๐ค Adam Grosswirth
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐๏ธ The Residence
Around The Dial: ๐ The Righteous Gemstones
Around The Dial: ๐ผ Smash
Around The Dial: ๐
ฑ๏ธ Bosch: Legacy
Around The Dial: ๐น Daredevil: Born Again
Around The Dial: ๐โ๐ซ Scavengers Reign
The Canon: ๐ถ Murder, She Wrote S01.E06: It's A Dog's Life
Winner & Loser: ๐ Project Runway
Winner & Loser: ๐๏ธ Netflix
Game Time: โ๏ธ Capโn Grosswirthโs Oops! All Equalizers
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ฆ Adam Grosswirth on Bluesky
๐ธ The Muppeturgy podcast
๐ช Tara's review of The Residence at Cracked
๐ Not watching to the end? Here's Decider's recap of the finale
โ๏ธ Tara's review of The Righteous Gemstones at Cracked
๐ Sarah's review of Happy Face at Best Evidence
๐ท Photo: Jessica Brooks / Netflix
CLUB-ONLY NOTES
๐ฅ EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
๐ฌ Get On Our Community Discord

Mar 19, 2025 โข 49min
554: Forcening Fun-anza!
Patreon supporters earn the right to "forcen" us to watch TV episodes of their choosing, and while we usually never know what we're going to get, this time we each made a selection from the list of submissions. Was Dave worshipful of The Chosen's "The Rock On Which It Is Built"? Did Tara want to take The Young Ones episode "Bambi" out back and shoot its mom? Did Sarah thrill to the artistry of Hustle's series premiere, "The Con Is On"? Listen, find out, and then (if you haven't already) join us on Patreon to tell us what we should watch next!
TOPICS
Forcening Pool: ๐ The Chosen S01.E04: The Rock On Which It Is Built
Forcening Pool: ๐งท The Young Ones S02.E01: Bambi
Forcening Pool: ๐ท Hustle S01.E01: The Con Is On
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site

Mar 12, 2025 โข 1h 44min
553: The One-Off Character Bracket
We all love the series regulars on our favorite shows. But the magic of episodic television is that someone can pop into your life for just an hour, or 22 minutes, or maybe even just one scene, and make an impression that lasts a lifetime. Your co-hosts invited Jeff Drake to join us for a special episode in which we winnowed down our Sweet 16 of one-off TV characters to the one that, in this particular bracket, towers above them all. Listen to find out who the ONE one-off champion turned out to be!
GUESTS
๐ค Jeff Drake
TOPICS
Lead Topic: โ๏ธ The One-Off Character Bracket
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ง Jerem from 30 Rock
๐ถ Lord Flashheart from Blackadder II
๐น New Joe from I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson
๐ซ Agent Miller from Justified
๐ช Hans Schmidt from Band Of Brothers
๐ Dan Moody from I'm Alan Partridge
๐ฃ๏ธ More Dan
๐ญ Sweet from Buffy The Vampire Slayer
๐ Reverend Chatfield from The Mary Tyler Moore Show
๐ Emily Hartley from Newhart
๐ค Laura from Seinfeld
๐ฉโโ๏ธ Katrina Ludlow from Law & Order
๐ป 80s Guy from Futurama
๐ More 80s Guy
๐ผ Mr. Peters from The Dick Van Dyke Show
๐ Anne Berrisford from Beverly Hills, 90210
๐ Hank Scorpio from The Simpsons
๐ Roger from Friends

Mar 5, 2025 โข 1h 22min
552: Is Running Point A Hoops Dream?
Obviously, we couldn't have anyone else come discuss Running Point but Krystal Farmer -- so thank God she agreed, and we went deep on everything from the charms of Kate Hudson to how much of a sport a sports-com should show, plus dumb pro-team fonts and believable sibling energy. Later, we went Around The Dial with Grosse Pointe Garden Society, Futurama on Hulu, and On Call, and Tara schooled us with her A.P. Bio Canon pitch. รanna Hardwicke won, the Oscars' "In Memoriam" segment lost, and we celebrated the leading ladies of TV in Game Time. It's that that that time again: time to listen to an all-new Extra Hot Great.
GUESTS
๐ค Krystal Farmer
TOPICS
Lead Topic: ๐ Running Point
Around The Dial: ๐ท Grosse Pointe Garden Society
Around The Dial: ๐ค Futurama
Around The Dial: ๐ฎ๐ปโโ๏ธ On Call
Announcement: ๐ข The EHG Mutual Aid Vault
The Canon: ๐งซ A.P. Bio S03.E06: That That That
Winner & Loser: ๐โโ๏ธ รanna Hardwicke
Winner & Loser: ๐ชฆ The Oscars In Memoriam segment
Game Time: ๐๏ธโโ๏ธ Strong Female Lead
SUPPORT THE SHOW
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๐๏ธ Shop our merch store!
NOTES
๐ Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
๐ฆ Krystal Farmer on Bluesky
๐ช The Two Cents Plus Tax podcast
๐ Tara's Running Point review for Cracked
๐งบ Tara on TV basketball comedies, also for Cracked
๐ฅ The Extra Hot Great Club page
๐ท Photo: Katrina Marcinowski / Netflix
CLUB-ONLY NOTES
๐ฅ EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
๐ฌ Get On Our Community Discord