Today, we’ll be discussing the final two seasons of the iconic sex comedy, Sex and the City! We’ll be diving into the last 2 seasons, as well as the first movie, on the series that made Cosmos and Manolo Blahniks trendy, and featured women who knew exactly how they liked their drinks, their shoes, and their men! It’s been 17 years since the series debuted, so how does Sex and the City hold up for Millennials living through a pandemic? Stay tuned!

Sex and the City, Part II

85: Sex and the City, Part II

Today, we’ll be discussing the ground-breaking English-language telenovela that radically changed the way the Millenials view abstinence, IVF, hotel moguls, and identical twins: Jane the Virgin! Jane the Virgin had a humble enough premise: A young virgin in a relationship with one man ends up artificially inseminated with the baby of another man, by that second man’s gynecologist sister. What could have easily delved into comic absurdity, with bad punchlines and a laugh track, one instead became the foundation of a romantic comedy-drama that was warm, moving, family-centered, and thoughtful. So what exactly made Jane the Virgin so beloved? Stay tuned!

Jane the Virgin, Part I

87: Jane The Virgin, Part I

Today, we’ll be discussing the back half of the charming English-language telenovela that gave us a refreshing, messy, and entertaining look at modern families: Jane the Virgin! This series only recently ended, yet it was clear from the very first season that this series would be an instant hit. From premise, to casting, to writing, Jane the Virgin was a delight to watch. So what exactly made this series so endearing? Stay tuned!

Jane The Virgin, Part II

88: Jane The Virgin, Part II

Today, we'll be discussing the first half of one of the most truly unique shows of the last decade: Drop Dead Diva. This series follows Deb, an aspiring model who dies, ascends to heaven, and hits the return button, coming back to Earth in the body of a hardworking, generous, plus-sized attorney named Jane, who is also recently deceased. With a guardian angel and best friend in on the secret, Deb learns to navigate both Jane's life and her body. So what exactly made this series so refreshing? Stay tuned!

Drop Dead Diva, Part I

89: Drop Dead Diva, Part I

Today, we’ll be discussing The CW’s action-spy thriller, Nikita! Based on the critically acclaimed spy-drama from director Luc Besson, this series about a young woman recruited into a secret government agency was the fourth adaptation of the source material and had some very big shoes to fill. Nikita takes a different approach, beginning where its predecessors ended, with Nikita managing to get away from her captors, and determined to bring the entire operation down. Filled with action, drama, and double agents, Nikita was different from anything else that The CW had to offer at the time. So what do we think made this series so brilliant? Stay tuned!

Nikita

98: Nikita

Today, we’re discussing the back half of Syfy’s fantasy series, The Magicians! Based on the popular new adult fantasy book trilogy, this series follows the struggles, danger, adventure, and growth of a group of friends at Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy, as well as their magical friends. The Magicians wasn’t perfect, but it left an indelible impression and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon. So what do we think made this series great? Stay tuned!

The Magicians, Part II

106: The Magicians, Part II

Today, we’re discussing The WB’s hit college drama, Felicity! Felicity is a series in which the title character scraps all of her plans for college in order to chase her high school crush across the country. We follow the adventures of our heroine in love, academia, and adjusting to life in a new city with new, adult responsibilities. Felicity was one of the most iconic shows of its era, so how do we think the show has held up almost 20 years after it ended? Stay tuned!

Felicity

108: Felicity

Today, we’re discussing the first 3 seasons of The WB/CW’s iconic superhero teen drama, Smallville! Based on DC comics most popular franchise of all time, Superman, Smallville follows the journey of a young Clark Kent from a small farm in Smallville, Kansas, to the bustling city of Metropolis. We get a front row seat as the boy who would become Superman navigates friendship, family, romance, and wanting to be normal when he’s anything but. Smallville solidified the network as a primetime contender, but how does the show hold up 10 years after its finale? Stay tuned!

Smallville, Part I

118: Smallville, Part I

Today, we're discussing the first half of Fox/Netflix’s hit fantasy comedy-drama, Lucifer! Based on the hit DC comics character, Lucifer Morningstar abandons Hell for the city of angels and becomes a successful nightclub owner in LA! During his tenure on Earth, Lucifer becomes a civilian consultant to the LAPD, helping to solve crimes. The Lord of Hell is a universally reviled character, so what did we think of this charismatic, sensitive portrayal of Lucifer? Stay tuned!

Lucifer, Part I

121: Lucifer, Part I

Hello World! Today I am joined by entertainment and culture writer Sydney Urbanek. Hang with us as we talk about the global pop superstar Taylor Swift and the 2020 documentary Miss Americana. Miss Americana follows Swift as she closes the chapter on her 20s and looks to the future of her 30s reflecting on lessons she's learned along the way. But what has she learned really?

Taylor Swift & Ms Americana

Inspired by the true story of Anna Sorokin, Inventing Anna follows the party-girl turned con artist who invented Anna Delvey, a German heiress. Through this new identity, Anna was able to sweet talk her way into exclusive parties, clubs, and restaurants, negotiate her way into major business dealings, and fake it into the lives of some of the wealthiest of New York’s old money. So is Inventing Anna worth watching? Stay tuned!

Inventing Anna

125: Inventing Anna

Set in the 1970s, this rather recent period piece is a documentary of a fictional band loosely based off of Fleetwood Mac in their Rumours Era. As the band is being interviewed in anticipation of their reunion tour, all of the skeletons in their closet are removed and dusted off, for better or for worse. So is Daisy Jones & The Six worth watching? Stay tuned!

Daisy Jones & The Six

128: Daisy Jones & The Six

This week, we continue with our Limited Edition season and dive into a discussion of the edgy, tense, and loaded biographical drama, The Dropout! This series chronicles the rise and eventual crash and burn of disgraced biotech girlboss, Elizabeth Holmes. After dropping out of Stanford, Elizabeth goes on to be the founder and CEO of Theranos, a company who claimed to be able to test for dozens of illnesses, diseases, and even cancer with only a single drop of blood. But as Theranos grew, so did suspicion of what Elizabeth and her COO were doing behind the scenes, and why Theranos seemed to be all talk and no action. So is The Dropout worth watching? Stay tuned!

The DropOut

129: The Dropout

This week, we continue with our Limited Edition season and dive into a discussion of the tense, uncomfortable, and shocking miniseries, Unbelievable! Based on true events, this series covers two detectives’ hunt across two states for a serial rapist with an unknown modus operandi, and one survivor’s years long struggle to be seen as victim instead of a liar. So is Unbelievable worth watching? Stay tuned!

Unbelievable

130: Unbelievable

This week, we continue with our Limited Edition season and discuss the Freevee original crime comedy, Sprung! Because of overcrowding and COVID-19, several nonviolent offenders are granted early release from prison. But for 3 of them, the excitement of unexpected freedom is soon eclipsed by a desperation to make money, and they soon find themselves tempted back into a life of crime in order to finance the straight and narrow. So is Sprung worth watching? Stay tuned!

Sprung

131: Sprung

This week, we conclude our Limited Edition season and discuss the critically acclaimed miniseries, Queen’s Gambit! Set from the mid-1950s through the 1960s, this drama follows a young girl as she learns to play chess in the basement of an orphanage and becomes a powerful contender, all while struggling with the ghosts of her past and a growing substance addiction. So is Queen’s Gambit worth watching? Stay tuned!

Queen's Gambit

132: Queen's Gambit

This week, we’re keeping the First Impressions season going by discussing the internet’s favourite new drama, The Bear! The  Bear is a comedy-drama which follows a young, award-winning chef de cuisine who leaves a thriving career in New York City and returns home to Chicago to take over his late brother’s struggling sandwich shop. This ambitious character-driven series is a social media darling. But is The Bear worth watching? Stay tuned!

The Bear

133: The Bear

This week, we’ll be continuing our First Impressions with a review of yet another critical and audience darling! Bel-Air is the dramatic retelling of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, bringing the beloved classic into the 21st century and speaking directly to GenZ. Bel-Air takes a whole new approach to the iconic 90s sitcom, giving us more backstory, more layers, more nuance, and more humanity. But is the risk paying off? Is Bel-Air worth watching? Stay tuned!

Bel-Air

134: Bel Air

This week, we’ll be continuing out First Impressions season with a discussion on the reboot of the iconic 80s and 90s coming-of-age series, The Wonder Years! The Wonder Years was one of the most iconic shows for younger GenX and older Millenials, a series where, through the eyes of an initially 12 year old, middle-class suburban white boy, we get a glimpse at life growing up in the late 60s and early 70s. This risky reboot does the exact same thing… with a protagonist growing up in Montgomery, Alabama. The Wonder Years doesn’t just deal with the typical issues of a pre-teen boy, but the greater issues of a highly segregated America. So is the bold new, melanated series any good? Is The Wonder Years worth watching? Stay tuned!

The Wonder Years

135: The Wonder Years

This week, we’ll be continuing our First Impressions season with a discussion on the reboot, or rather continuation of That 70s SHow, That 90s Show! That 70s Show was a hit sitcom, and That 90s Show continues that saga of the Forman family with the daughter of Eric and Donna, Leia Forman, a 15 year old who’s spending the summer with her grandparents and making friends with other teens who are vastly different from herself. So is That 90s Show as good as its predecessor? Is That 90s Show worth watching? Stay tuned!

That 90s Show

136: That 90s Show

This week, we’ll be continuing our First Impressions season with a discussion of the futuristic drama from the creators of HBO’s Westworld, The Peripheral! The Peripheral is a sci-fi drama set roughly 10 years in the future, where a young woman is unknowingly recruited as a mercenary by a sinister corporation who’s using talented VR players to commit crimes 70 years in the future. The first season of The Peripheral has had amazing critical acclaim, and the series has been renewed for a second season, but is it worth it? Is The Peripheral worth watching?

The Peripheral

137: The Peripheral

This week, we’ll be continuing our First Impressions season with a discussion of the hit Apple TV+ original, Physical! Set in the 1980s, Physical is the story of a truly desperate housewife named Sheila, a lifelong bulimic with an expensive secret and a dissatisfying marriage. When Sheila’s husband decides to run for California statesman, Sheila feels as if her life is about to implode, but she finds strength in an unexpected source: aerobics. So is Physical as addictive as critics say? Is Physical worth watching? Stay tuned!

Physical

138: Physical

This week, we’ll be concluding our First Impressions season with a discussion of the hit AMC+ original, Interview with a Vampire! Set in 1910s New Orleans, this hit series is based on the best-selling novel by Anne Rice, this fantasy drama follows the relationships of vampires Louis and Lestat and their protegee, Claudia. So does Interview with a Vampire live up to its namesake? Is it worth watching? Stay tuned!

Interview with the Vampire

139: Interview with the Vampire

Welcome to the very first episode of The Good. The Bad. The Basic! In this episode, we break down the first half of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (seasons 1-4), and everything that made the series both iconic and a little bit problematic. Together, Alex and I take a walk down memory lane and into the Hellmouth! Enjoy!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Part I

1: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Part I

In keeping with the vampire theme of our last two episodes, Alex and I dive into The Vampire Diaries, a fairly-recent hit teen series which, in many areas, tried and failed to be Gen Z's response to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. On this episode, we discuss what made seasons 1-4 of TVD basic, and how writers can avoid the lack of character complexity and development that TVD has in abundance. Enjoy!

The Vampire Diaries, Part I

3: The Vampire Diaries, Part I

Alex and I wrap up our recap on the hit series The Vampire Diaries. There was simply too much fuckery in all things Mystic Falls-related for one episode, so sit back while we dig deeper into TVD and how the strength of a break-neck pace and a loyal fandom kept this show alive for so long! Enjoy!

The Vampire Diaries, Part II

4: The Vampire Diaries, Part II

#GBB had so much to say about The O.C., and it couldn't be contained in a single episode. Check out the second half of our recap of The O.C., and relive the highs and lows of Newport Beach with us! Enjoy!

The O.C., Part II

8: The O.C., Part II

When The WB debuted Dawson's Creek in 1998, even the network's own executives couldn't have predicted how successful and groundbreaking the series would go on to be. This landmark teen drama changed the foundation of teen dramas irrevocably and its impact is still going strong. So what do Alex and I think made seasons 1-3 of Dawson's Creek so iconic? Stay tuned!

Dawson's Creek, Part I

11: Dawson's Creek, Part I

In this episode, Alex and I are back to gush, vent, and dive into the nostalgia of seasons 4-6 of the iconic Dawson's Creek! On this episode, we discuss the mercurial relationships of the cast, how the series handled the transition to college, and how well the Dawson's Creek has aged. Enjoy!

Dawson's Creek, Part II

12: Dawson's Creek, Part II

Instant Star is the whirlwind modern-fairy tale of a young girl who finds the happily-ever-after of overnight super-stardom after winning a nationally-televised singing competition, and quickly learns that her work as singer-songwriter(and her personal growth) is just getting started! Find out what #GBB had to say about this Canadian teen drama!

Instant Star

25: Instant Star

30 Rock was a groundbreaking, behind-the-scenes farce created by Saturday Night Live alum Tina Fey, and based loosely on her experiences as a writer for SNL. 30 Rock very quickly became and remains a large part of the topography of modern television and is considered by many to be something of a blueprint for satire. But how did the show, created by a wealthy white GenXer, actually measure up with two Black women Millennials? Stayed tuned!

30 Rock

26: 30 Rock

The Shield gave us the gritty underbelly of life as an L.A. cop, and exposed the corruption of Vic Mackey, his friends, and his superiors. What is it about this crime action drama that kept us hooked up in the back half? Stay tuned!

The Shield, Part II

40: The Shield, Part II

Roswell is a sci-fi drama about teenage aliens struggling to fit in, navigate relationships, and stay alive was one of the hottest shows on TV back when it aired. Roswell jump-started the careers of some of the biggest names in television, both in front of and behind the camera. And left an indelible impression so great that it was rebooted 17 years after its finale. So how do we think the original Roswell has aged in the last 18 years? And what can we take away from the series? Stay tuned!

Roswell

43: Roswell

On today’s episode, we’ll be discussing the back half of the original Charmed! This series ended 14 years ago, but not a single year has passed since where it wasn’t being broadcast on syndicate or via streaming services, and it's also seen impressive sales in home release of the DVD box sets as well. So what is it about this series that keeps us under its spell? What can we take away from Charmed, and what do we think made this series so ubiquitous? Stay tuned!

Charmed, Part II

45: Charmed, Part II

On today's episode, we'll be discussing seasons 4 & 5 of Mad Men! AMC's critically-acclaimed drama about the inner lives of Manhattan's elite advertising executives was responsible for putting the spotlight on so many previously unrecognized but immensely talented actors and writers, as well as the AMC network itself, and the show's creator! But what was it about this series set in the 1960s that intrigued us in the 21st century? How did Mad Men manage to grab and hold our attention? Stay tuned!

Mad Men, Part II

72: Mad Men, Part II

Today, we’ll be discussing the Renaissance-era historical drama, The Borgias! Set in the late 1400s, this period drama follows the Borgia family, led by Cardinal turned Pope, Rodrigo Borgia, as they fight to maintain their grip on the Papacy and by extension, the Roman Catholic Church. This series delves headfirst to all of the details, both fact and rumour, of this time, as well as exposing the hypocrisy, misdeeds, and bureaucracy of the Borgias and everyone around them. So what exactly made The Borgias so titillating? Stay tuned!

The Borgias

76: The Borgias

Today, we’ll be discussing the British historical drama, The White Queen! This miniseries set against the backdrop of the infamous War of the Roses follows the power struggles of the women of the House of York and the House of Lancaster as they fight for the throne. This period drama takes us behind the seat of power as we watch how the machinations and manipulations of power affect the monarchy, and the nation as a whole. So what exactly made The White Queen so engaging, and what does the series teach us about modern-day politics? Stay tuned!

The White Queen

77: The White Queen

Today, we’re debuting GBB’s 10th season with none other than one of the most beloved Black sitcoms of all time: Living Single! Living Single gave us not one by four strong, female leads! Four Black women living their best lives, and learning about themselves and what they wanted from their partners and their careers. Living Single leaned on beautiful, intelligent leads who spoke from themselves, instead of being led by ceaseless trauma as a plot point. This highly successful series ended over 20 years ago, so why is it still so beloved and so impactful to this day? Stay tuned.

Living Single

80: Living Single

Today, we’ll be discussing the BET series that quickly became a household name: Being Mary Jane! Being Mary Jane allowed viewers to explore the inner world of a highly successful, but romantically unfulfilled TV news anchor. Mary Jane has the perfect job, her dream home, and a supportive family, but no man, and a ticking biological clock. This seemingly very basic premise launched a hit series, but what exactly made Being Mary Jane so intriguing? Stay tuned!

Being Mary Jane

81: Being Mary Jane

Today, we’ll be discussing the groundbreaking ABC dramady: Ugly Betty! Based on the internationally acclaimed Yo soy Betty, la fea, Ugly Betty chronicles the blossom of an ugly duckling who gets her feet wet in the world of fashion and learns how to assert herself, follow her dreams, and coordinate her outfits! Ugly Betty was US television’s very first foray into making an English-language telenovela. The series gave us laughs, loves, ridiculous scenarios, and epic cliffhangers. So how did the gamble pay off? Stay tuned!

Ugly Betty

83: Ugly Betty

Hello, world! This Alex and Em! Welcome to our corner of the Internet! The Good. The Bad. The Basic. is a podcast where two Black Millennials wax nostalgic on the TV shows and movies we grew up on as well as intellectualize and throw shade at what we're watching now! Join us for obscure pop culture references and organic, fair trade teas as we analyze what makes all of our faves good, bad, and mildly problematic! Enjoy, and check out our Patreon for more exclusive content!

The Good. The Bad. The Basic.

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