The Shows We Watched

It’s the ultimate behind-the-scenes comedy and it’s the show that launched HBO into the stratosphere. What is it we love about shows that pull back the curtain on show business? The Larry Sanders Show with creator Garry Shandling along with the incredible cast that  included Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Wallace Langham, and others did it better than everyone else, seamlessly mixing cutting jokes with effortless charm. Every famous sta...

It was naughty… and hugely popular! It also featured early performances from stars like Ed O'Neill, Christina Applegate, and Matt LeBlanc. The Bundys were one of America’s favorite TV families of the 80s and 90s. But as hosts Emily and James look back on the classic sitcom, they cannot help but notice how terribly some of the shows' premises and jokes have aged. 

Is Ed O'Neill's portrayal of Jay Pritchett on Modern Family his apol...

Kelsey Grammer’s stuck-up shrink, Dr. Frasier Crane, first found fame on Cheers. But it’s with his own show that Frasier became an icon, along with an incredible cast including David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Laura Linney, John Mahoney, Peri Gilpin, Jane Leeves, and others. The greatest spin-off all time? Frasier is certainly a front-runner. Hosts Emily & James sit down with a Cafe Nervosa non-foam latte and talk favorite cha...

It gave us such long-lasting stars as Jared Leto and Claire Danes. It only lasted one season but My So-Called Life had an outsized influence on the culture. It boasted enough teen angst for a lifetime. Could it be the greatest ‘one and done’ series of all time? Hosts James & Emily take a trip back to their teenage years and talk all things Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano! Now, whatever happened to Claire Danes and Jared Leto…?...

The sitcom phenomenon that was Friends can’t be summed up in just one episode, so we’re doing it character-by-character. And we kick off our Friends deep-dive with David Schwimmer AKA hero-to-nerdy-paleontologists: Dr. Ross Geller. Such a nerd. So fun.

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As the creepiest day of the year approaches, it’s time to get our Halloween on! What’s your favorite Halloween TV episode of all time? Hosts James & Emily have a few ideas, including classic TV episodes from comedy shows like Parks & Reccreation, How I Met Your Mother, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and many more. 

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They were unlike any family we'd ever seen. Why did we love Ozzy, Sharon, Jack, and Kelly Osbourne so much? And without their success, would we even care about the Kardashians? Was it the in-fighting, the profanity, the bad behavior, the family dynamics? They changed TV forever after. On this episode we cast our eyes over the appeal of TV’s ultimate dysfunctional family, The Osbournes. The UK’s *other* royal family moved to LA… and...

The icon that is Bob Ross presented over 400 episodes of The Joy of Painting from 1983 - 1994 but he’s even more famous and influential now than when he was alive. But why has this once obscure public TV show with a single afro-haired, melifluous-voiced, painting genius grown into such a significant and widely-known cultural touchstone? Check out hosts Emily and James celebrating the wonder of The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross, and all...

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air needs a deep dive. From the theme song to the fashions, we talk all things Will Smith! (As well as Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, and Joseph Marcell!!) The classic 90s sitcom made us laugh and made us think too. Not bad for a comedy show starring a rapper who’d never acted before. Will and his crazy relatives were everyone’s best friends (okay, maybe not Carlton). And nearly 150 episodes later, Mr. Will Smi...

MTV's Beavis & Butthead were cult icons (although Emily’s mom wouldn’t let her watch). Show business is full of legendary double acts: Lennon & McCartney, Scorsese & De Niro, Mary-Kate & Ashley. In 1993, MTV gave us another iconic twosome to add to that list: Beavis & Butthead. Grab your Metallica t-shirt, pop back on your braces (the dental kind...is that possible to do, actually?) and get ready to have zero su...

Serena! Chuck! Doroda the maid! James and Emily delve deep into the stylish, sexy phenomenon that was Gossip Girl. We explore the history, discuss how the show came to be, why it became such a hit, and how it has evolved over the years. We also talk about some of the behind-the-scenes gossip and controversies. Listen in as the chicest teen show of all time celebrates its 15th anniversary!

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Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser played everyone’s favorite 30-something New Yorkers in this TV smash sitcom. Now it’s time to celebrate our favorite characters, episodes, and dog (there was only one —hi, Murray!). This week we talk about Mad About You, launched on NBC on Tuesday nights in 1992. Mad About You went on to win 12 Emmys, including four in a row for its leading actress, Helen Hunt. This classic sitcom ran for seven seasons an...

In each episode, we reminisce about a different classic TV show with both humor and authority. Co-hosts James King and Emily Johnston bring their deep knowledge and genuine love for these shows, giving listeners not only an in-depth look at shows like Gossip Girl, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sex and the City, Friends, and so many more--but also these shows' legacy. Follow The Shows We Watched for a fun, entertaining, and informati...