During the course of this season, Alex and I will be discussing an oft-overlooked television subgenre: the college. Whether it’s a young adult's first bold foray into independence or an older adult’s opportunity to explore different sides of themselves, the college experience is unique, compelling, and unforgettable. That’s why we decided to pay homage to some of the most popular college series of our time!

Season 12: Off To College!

Let's Buy Happiness - Run

We’re debuting this 12th season, Off to College!, with one of the most popular, critically-acclaimed sitcoms of this millennium: Community! Community follows an unlikely group of friends who meet upon attending Greendale Community College, and chronicles their personal antics, burgeoning camaraderie, and their wildly inappropriate relationship with their dean. What is it about this mildly over-the-top show set in a fictional town in Colorado that kept audiences hooked? Stay tuned.

Community

104: Community

Today, we’re discussing the first half of Syfy’s fantasy series, The Magicians! Based on the popular new adult fantasy book trilogy, this series follows the exploits of our protagonist after he is granted admission into Brakebills University for Magical Pedagogy, an exclusive, and secret, university for magicians. Often referenced as an aged-up Harry Potter for adults, The Magicians gives us magic, mystery, and friendship. So what do we think made this series so captivating? Stay tuned!

The Magicians, Part I

105: The Magicians, Part I

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 hit ABC Family college comedy-drama, Greek! Greek follows a group of young adults at university who are a part of fraternities or sororities, otherwise known as Greek life. This series observes the college experience from a lens that’s often seen on the periphery of the college experience rather than the forefront, and chronicles the characters’ various highs and lows during their first real foray into adulthood. So what do we think made this series so unique? Stay tuned!

Greek

107: Greek

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 BET college drama, The Quad! The Quad chronicles the growth and growing responsibilities of a newly-elected president at a financially struggling university. Dr. Eva Fletcher, the first female president of GAMU, must manage her students, her faculty, and her not-so-stable love life, all while trying to manage a healthy relationship with her rebellious daughter. This was only the second series to attempt an HBCU perspective, and one of the first to center the head of the university rather than its students, so how did The Quad fare? Stay tuned!

The Quad

111: The Quad

Ask of You - Raphael Saadiq

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

The latest EP from Hannah Trigwell, available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify and more.

Tightrope

Taken from 'A Savage Kiss' EP out 14th October on Yucatan Records.

Produced by Duncan Mills
Mixed by Eduardo Paz
Engineered by Joseph Rodgers
Mastered by John Davies
Artwork by Sequoia Ziff

A Savage Kiss

All Of Your Love

Kenzie May - Skeleton Key

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!

111: The Quad

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