Podcast: ‘Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose,’ episode 30—Top 10 duos

Welcome to episode 30 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We recently broke down the top 10 kisses, which got us thinking of the top 10 couples on TV. We thought those lists would be too similar, but it sparked another idea. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I discuss our top 10 duos on TV.

The only rules were that you could only choose one duo per show, and they couldn’t be romantically involved at any point. There were some truly great picks, many of which were some of the most epic bromances of all time.

Sit back with your best friend and try to get an accurate count of the ridiculous amount of times we say “bro” in this episode. Let us know what your favorite duos are!

Podcast: ‘Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose,’ episode 29—4th seasons

Welcome to episode 29 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

On several prior episodes, Brooke had begun noticing how many of our favorite television shows hit their stride during their fourth seasons. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I discussed shows that had their best seasons in their fourth year, then attempted to break down why that was.

There were, of course, some arguments, mostly over which season of Game of Thrones is actually the best one. However, for the most part, we were in agreement on when shows were at their best.

Listen below, and let us know if you agree that the fourth was the best season for each show. Also, enjoy this non-fourth-season GIF of Peggy Olson being Peggy Olson.

Podcast: ‘Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose,’ episode 28—Parenthood

Welcome to episode 28 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

Our last show centric episode revolved around Parks and Recreation. This time around we decided to look at another show that ended this year and also starts with the letter P. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I are talking about Parenthood.

Parenthood has long been a source of contention here on the podcast, and this time around was no different. Though we all agree on Parenthood’s best moments, there’s much discussion to be had on where and how (and even if) the later seasons went sour. Joey stands his ground as a fierce defender of most of the Bravermans as we talk about our top five episodes and attempt the exasperating task of ranking all eighteen members of the family from best to worst.

Move to Berkeley, raise selfish children, and listen as we argue heatedly about the best and worst of the show. Where do you fall? Was the show always great or did it lose its steam? And who’s your favorite Braverman?

Podcast: ‘Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose,’ episode 27—Top 10 deaths

Welcome to episode 27 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We are headed into spoiler town this week at the podcast. Brooke, Joey, and I broke down our top-10 TV-character deaths.

Some deaths chosen were tragic, resulting in visceral, emotional reactions; others were simpler—gateways to great episodes and character moments. Most importantly, though, each one we discussed was impactful, leaving a space in its show that was hard to fill.

In the past few years, main-character deaths have become much more commonplace and almost expected. It used to feel safe to be a series regular on a TV show, but programs like Game of Thrones and Grey’s Anatomy have thrown that line of thinking out the window.

So, let us know if these were the deaths that came to mind for you. If not, what are some better ones?

Episode 26 – Heroes vs Villains

Welcome to episode 26 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

This week, we are back to our regular rotation of episodes, starting with a new draft. In our most general draft yet, Brooke, Joey, and I assembled teams of four heroes and four villains. We allowed some leeway, as long as an argument could be made (like arguing that Taylor Doose is an evil, evil man).

As a reminder, here are the rules for drafting:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

Strap in, take a listen, and let us know your favorite TV heroes and villains. Did we end up picking the best ones? Whose team was truly the strongest?

Episode 25 – March Madness

Episode 24 – Parks and Recreation

Welcome to episode 24 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

If you’ve ever considered yourself a citizen of Pawnee, Indiana, this is going to be your new favorite episode. We are back this week to discuss our dearly departed Parks and Recreation.

Parks and Recreation had the best comedy ensemble on television for seven years and a cult following that was able to keep the show alive by the skin of its teeth year after year. Last month, the show finally finished its legendary run, and we are already feeling the fallout from knowing there will never be any more time spent with Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, and crew.

This week, Brooke, Joey, and I break down our top five episodes, Andy Dwyer quotes, and manliest Ron Swanson moments.

Get a Paunch burger, tune into Nightline with Leslie Monster, and listen in as we discuss Parks and Recreation, about half of which ends up being us quoting Andy Dwyer at each other. Let us know your favorite Parks episodes!

Episode 23 – Top 10 TV kisses

Welcome to episode 23 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

This week, we are getting a little romantic at the podcast. Brooke, Joey, and I break down our top 10 best TV kisses.

There are plenty of classic TV couples to pick from here, and we covered a lot of them—but a few of our choices go even deeper. Some of the best kisses were by two characters who weren’t actually together.

Light some candles and pour yourself a glass of wine, because it’s about to get very lovey-dovey in here. Listen below, and let us know what your favorite TV kisses are. Did we miss any big ones?

Episode 22 – Too Long/Too Short Roundtable

Welcome to episode 22 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

This week, we break format to have a roundtable discussion. That’s right—no lists, no drafts, just lots of talking. Brooke, Joey, and I are joined by Community Contributor Tamar Barbash to discuss shows that ended too soon—and others that went on too long.

Some of the shows we touch on are Freaks and Geeks, Veronica Mars, United States of Tara, Men of a Certain Age, Sports Night, Friends, Parenthood, and Grey’s Anatomy. We talk a lot about how long some of these shows should have been, and Joey reveals his master plan to improve How I Met Your Mother.

Listen in as we talk which season of Friends is the best and Joey gets mortally offended multiple times. Let us know what shows you think should have gone either longer or shorter.

Episode 21 – Cop Show Draft

Welcome to episode 21 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We are back with another draft, possibly our most experimental and interesting one yet. This time, Brooke, Joey, and I are drafting our very own cop show.

As a reminder, here are the rules:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

We tried to cover as many stereotypical police station archetypes as we could by drafting in the following categories: Captain, New Hotshot, Veteran Detective, By-the-Book Officer, Dirty Cop, and Goofy Sidekick.

Listen in as Joey works tirelessly to defend every poor choice he makes, and one of the hosts wins for the very first time. Let us know your picks and which of our fictitious cop shows you’d like to see the most.

Episode 20 – The Inbetweeners

Welcome to episode 20 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

It’s been a while, but we are back to a Clear Lists episode where we focus on a single show. This time around it is the British classic The Inbetweeners.

The Inbetweeners has always been there to remind us how awkward and horrible high school was. As we follow private-school boy Will McKenzie at his new public school, we get a vulgar look into how British teenagers act nowadays. Spoiler alert: It includes a lot of lack of control when it comes to bodily functions.

The Inbetweeners ran for three seasons and has since spawned two movies. In this episode, Brooke, Joey, and I break down our top five favorite episodes, pervy Jay moments, and humiliating Simon scenes (like this one below).

Settle in, ya wankers, and listen as we talk British slang and the American remake, and Joey repeats horrible things from the show verbatim. Let us know what your own favorite Inbetweeners moments are.

Episode 19 – Top 10 Opening Title Sequences

Welcome to episode 19 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We have done a lot of top 10 lists on the podcast, and we’ve finally made our way to one of the first things you see when watching a show: the opening credits. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I count down our top 10 opening credits sequences.

Opening credits can be a tough nut for a show to crack, sometimes coming off too cheesy or tonally different from the show. We discuss what makes a good opening credits sequence, what makes a bad one (looking at you, The Affair), and which ones we think will be considered some of the greats in TV history.

Listen in as we harshly critique each other’s choices, and Joey and Brooke get in one of the bigger fights in podcast history. Let us know which credits are your favorites!

Episode 18 – Men in Comedy Draft

Welcome to episode 18 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We missed an episode last week, but we are back now with another draft. It’s been a while since we’ve done one, so let’s remember, the rules are:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

This time, Joey, Brooke, and I draft our favorite male characters in TV comedies. We want to cast a wide net to cover all of our bases, so we will pick one character who portrays each of the following 10 character traits best: funny, smart, lovable, badass, beautiful, fun, matriarchal, wild card, talented, and villainous.

Listen in as Brooke somehow wins twice despite abstaining from her speech! Let us know if our picks were any good and which characters you like better.

Episode 17 – Golden Globes 2015 Predictions

Welcome to episode 17 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

Guys, we are approaching awards season steadily, and the first of the awards shows is this weekend. I’m talking of course about the Golden Globes.

The Golden Globes themselves may not care very much about the TV categories, but we sure do. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I discuss who we think will win and who should win each award. Spoiler alert: we don’t think many people who should win are actually going to.

With Breaking Bad out of the picture, the predicting was harder than expected. Listen to us argue about our predictions, use our guesses in your Golden Globe office pools, and let us know how much money you win (send some our way if you’re so inclined).

Episode 16 – The 10 best episodes of 2014

Welcome to episode 16 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

2014 is over, but we are not done talking about it yet. We have reached the final week of our year-end holiday awards, the Clearlys. So far we’ve covered our top 10 characters, top 10 shows, and next 10 shows of 2014. This week, we are going to acknowledge even more shows beyond the 20 we have already discussed. Brooke, Joey, and I are picking our favorite episodes of TV this year, excluding shows we’ve already chosen on our last two lists.

There have been plenty of great episodes of great shows this year, but there have also been great episodes of uneven shows (and maybe even some great episodes of bad shows). With this list, a show didn’t have to be consistent; it merely had to have one moment of greatness (hence, Girl Meets World‘s inclusion). When you narrow it down to a single episode, there can be some surprise winners here (The Walking Dead anyone?).

Unlike the other lists, there is only one correct answer for number one. Listen as Brooke is mercilessly berated for her wrong selection, and let us know what episodes you really loved in 2014.

Episode 15 – The second 10 best shows of 2014

Welcome to episode 15 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We are into the third week of our year-end holiday awards, the Clearlys! Last week, we talked about our top 10 favorite shows on TV in 2014. Then we realized that there are still more shows we want to discuss! So, this week, Brooke, Joey, and I break down the next 10: our top #11 to #20 TV shows that aired in 2014.

This has been such a good year for TV that 10 shows simply was not enough. There’s more and more programming every day; hence, there are more and more good shows popping up. There are so many amazing programs right now that these lists of second 10s could easily be respectable top-10 lists in themselves.

Episode 14 – Top Ten Shows of 2014

Welcome to episode 14 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

It is the second week of our year end holiday awards, the Clearlys! Last week, we discussed our favorite TV characters of 2014. This time around, we are looking at a more classic list—Brooke, Joey, and I are breaking down our top 10 favorite shows of 2014.

This has truly been a revolutionary year for television—one that saw streaming solidify itself as a force to be reckoned with when Amazon burst onto the scene with its groundbreaking new drama, Transparent. We also saw heated debates about what constitutes a miniseries and where they should compete in awards shows, plus the incredible comeback of Comedy Central, anchored by new shows Review and Broad City.

It was challenging to narrow it down to just 10, but we forced ourselves to cut some greats. Sit back and listen as we count down our favorite shows of 2014. Let us know what we missed, too! What was your favorite show of the year?

Episode 13 – Top Ten Characters of 2014

Welcome to episode 13 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We are ready to start discussing the best things on television in 2014. We even have a new theme song to prove it! So, where better to start than a list that’s a little off the beaten track? This week, Brooke, Joey, and I are going to break down our favorite television characters of 2014.

There have been many standout characters on TV this year—some new to the airwaves, some at the height of their game and some taken tragically away from us too soon.

Episode 12 – Breaking Bad

Welcome to episode 12 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV

This week, we’re back to focusing on a single show, and this time around, it’s our dearly departed Breaking Bad. All hail to the mighty Heisenberg.

Breaking Bad recently left the airwaves, taking the majority of the 2014 Emmys with it. Walter White’s journey from innocent chemistry teacher to terrifying drug lord will go down in history as one of the best character arcs of all time. Of course, this destined-to-be-immortal clip of Jesse Pinkman dancing might be just a bit more important.

In this episode, Brooke, Joey, and I are joined by special guest Jackson Grant, who recently wrote for Discovery Family’s Transformers: Rescue Bots. We break down our top five cold opens (which Breaking Bad has become notorious for), episodes, and quotes.

If you’re in a legal pickle, better call Saul! Otherwise, sit down on your huge pile of money, check out your mineral collection, and remember your favorite Breaking Bad moments. Take a listen, and let us know if we missed anything.

*There is a bit of bad language in this episode, in the context of a quote from the show.

Episode 11 – Top Ten Series Finales

Welcome to episode 11 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We’re back with another top 10 list this week. Last time, we talked about our top 10 finales, so now we’re going in the other direction—top 10 series finales.

Brooke, Joey, and I discuss our favorite television endings. Was the final episode able to wrap everything up? Does it bother to take a risk? Is the circle of the story complete? There’s so many different ways to make a conclusion satisfying—from the ambiguity ofLost and The Sopranos to the unexpected reveals of Newhart and St. Elsewhere. Sometimes, the ending feels so poignant because you didn’t want to say goodbye.

Listen here as we list our favorite series finales. What, to you, makes a good finale? What’s your favorite one of all time?

Episode 10 – Women in Comedy

Welcome to episode 10 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose, the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We are back to drafts this week in our most intense episode yet! This time, Joey, Brooke, and I draft our favorite female characters in TV comedies. We want to cast a wide net to cover all of our bases, so we will pick one character who portrays each of the following 10 character traits best: funny, smart, lovable, badass, beautiful, fun, matriarchal, wild card, talented, andvillainous.

Remember, the rules are:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

I may or may not have some trouble with rule number 3 this time around.

Listen below as we draft our teams and argue loudly. There are disagreements left and right, and serious accusations get thrown around. Let us know who you would draft in the comments, and watch out for the dance-off below!

https://ia902605.us.archive.org/26/items/Episode10ComedyWomenDraft/Episode%2010%20-%20Comedy%20Women%20Draft.mp3%20

Episode 9 – Friends

Welcome to episode 9 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

This week, we’re back to focusing on a single show, and this time around, it’s Friends, everyone’s favorite ’90s sitcom (Sorry, Seinfeld.)

Friends ran for 10 seasons—a rare critical and ratings darling (even rarer for NBC)—ending up at 236 episodes. The show was known for many things, including the classic pickup line “How you doing?”, the obsessive following of Jennifer Aniston’s haircuts, and its many guest stars who would go on to much bigger careers.

In this episode, Brooke, Joey, and I are joined by special guest Sundi Rose-Holt, another Community Contributor. We break down our top five episodes, guest stars, and of course, the relationships.

So relax in your recliner (or your box, if it’s Thanksgiving and you’ve stolen your best friend’s girlfriend) and remember your favorite Friends moments. Take a listen, then let us know what your own top-five list would be in the comments below!

Episode 8 – Men in Drama Draft

Welcome to episode 8 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us in fantasy TV.

We are back to drafting our dream teams of TV characters this week! Brooke, Joey, and I will choose our favorite male characters in TV dramas. We want to cast a wide net to cover all of our bases, so we will pick one character who portrays each of the following 10 character traits best: funny, smart, lovable, badass, beautiful, fun, matriarchal, wild card, talented, and villainous.

Remember, the rules are:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

Listen below as we draft our teams and feelings get hurt. There are steals galore in this episode, but it’s all part of the game. Let us know who you would draft in the comments!

Episode 7 – Top Ten Pilots

Welcome to episode 7 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

Due to some behind-the-scenes technical difficulties, we’ve had to switch up our rotation. Instead of a draft this week, we’ve got another top-10 list coming your way. We’ve already talked about our top 10 shows and top 10 seasons, so now we break it down one step further than that to talk about our top 10 pilots.

I’m joined by Brooke and Joey to discuss what it is that makes an exemplary pilot. Is the tone clear? Do we know these characters yet? Is the pilot a good representation of a typical (and excellent) episode of the show? Here, we get to talk about the best introductions to a new TV world—even some that eventually (or quickly) fell flat on their faces.

Listen as we list our favorite pilots. What, to you, makes a good pilot? What’s your favorite pilot of all time? Join the conversation in the comments below.

Episode 6 – Friday Night Lights

Welcome to episode 6 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

This week, we have another show-centric episode, this time focused on everyone’s favorite high school sports drama (which happens to be where our podcast name came from): Friday Night Lights.

Friday Night Lights ran for four beautiful seasons (and the second season also existed), coming back from the verge of cancellation after every one. The show gave us Matt Saracen, Tim Riggins, and, of course, the most realistic and loving marriage on television—in Coach and Mrs. Coach.

In this episode, Brooke, Joey, and I are joined by special guest Tamar Barbash, another Community contributor, who recaps old Friday Night Lights episodes each week here at the site. We run through our top five Coach and Tami moments, our top five episodes, and our top five inspirational Coach speeches.

So get settled in and remember your favorite FNL moments. Take a listen, then let us know what your top-five lists would be in the comments! Clear eyes, full hearts …

Episode 5 – Top Ten Seasons

Welcome to episode 5 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us for fantasy TV.

We’ve already talked about our favorite shows of all time, so now we break it down further. This week, Brooke, Joey, and I analyze our top 10 favorite TV seasons. You’ll see some common threads between this list and our top 10 shows of all time, but this is really a different animal. Here, we get to recognize those shows that didn’t necessarily have a perfect run, but managed to achieve one truly great season (Dexter, anyone?).

Listen below as we list our seasons, and as always, Joey gets berated for his silly choices. What are your top 10 TV seasons of all time? Let us know in the comments below!

Episode 4 – Women in Drama Draft

Welcome to episode 4 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! Forget fantasy football—join us in fantasy TV.

We are back to drafting our dream teams of TV characters this week! Brooke, Joey, and I will choose our favorite female characters in TV dramas. We want to cast a wide net to cover all of our bases, so we will pick one character who portrays each of the following ten character traits best: funny, smart, lovable, badass, beautiful, fun, matriarchal, wild card, talented, and villainous.

Remember, the rules are:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted, they cannot be drafted again.
3. If challenged, you must be able to make an argument that your character falls into that category.

Listen below as we draft our teams, Joey gets mercilessly berated for his terrible choices, and it turns into an all out brawl. Let us know who you would draft in the comments!

Episode 3 – The Office

Welcome to episode 3 of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose-the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! We like to mix it up at the podcast, so this week we’ll be making several short lists about one particular show. I’m joined by Brooke and Joey to discuss our favorite things about The Office. 

The Office ran for nine seasons, and though many agree the quality diminished in its later years, it doesn’t take away from the brilliant moments that came before. In this episode, we will rank our top 5 episodes, our top 5 “office functions” (hello, party planning committee), and our top 5 Jim and Dwight pranks.

So, get settled in and remember your favorite Office moments. Forget fantasy football. Join us in fantasy TV. Take a listen and let us know what your top 5’s would be in the comments.

Episode 2 – Top Ten Series

This week, Brooke, Joey, and I get into our top 10 favorite TV shows of all time. We’ll be revisiting these lists every time we rank our top 10 shows in a given year to see if any current shows might have worked their way in. I’m looking at you, Broad City.

Listen to our lists below and let us know what you think. What shows would make your top 10?

Episode 1 – Family Draft

Welcome to the first episode of Clear Lists, Full Drafts, Can’t Lose—the only podcast for fantasy television drafts! In this first episode, I am joined by Brooke and Joey to draft our ideal television families. We’ll be drafting a mom, dad, three kids, an aunt/uncle, agrandma/grandpa, and a family friend.

The rules are:

1. Your team can only have one character from any given show.
2. Once a character is drafted they cannot be drafted again.
3. The character must have filled that same capacity on their show.

Forget fantasy football. Join us in fantasy TV. Take a listen and let us know who you think ended up with the best family.