It's In My Queue

Appreciating TV as both viewers & writers. Check out our podcast: https://podfollow.com/itsinmyqueue/view

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The first episode of EUPHORIA aired four years ago today, on June 16, 2019.

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BREAKING BAD first aired 15 years ago today, on January 20, 2008, with what is widely agreed to be one of the best drama pilots of all time.

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Want to know why every TV nerd and casual fan alike says this pilot is the prime example to follow? Listen to our podcast breaking down the Breaking Bad pilot.

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BREAKING BAD first aired 15 years ago today, on January 20, 2008, with what is widely agreed to be one of the best drama pilots of all time.

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reblog with which Derry Girl you are in the tags (be honest)

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NEVER HAVE I EVER

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Never Have I ever, written by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, directed by Tristram Shapeero, first streamed on April 27, 2020.

We return to one of our favorite new shows of 2020, unpacking exactly what makes this show so heartbreaking and charming at the same time.

Highlights include:

marveling at how beautiful the whole Vishwakumar family is

noting the importance of letting positive and negative qualities live side by side in characters

one of the most fun uses of voiceover in any show we've covered

Listen now:

Spotify // Apple // Google // Simplecast

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VERONICA MARS

ft. Amelia Merrill

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Veronica Mars, written by Rob Thomas, directed by Mike Piznarski, and originally aired September 22, 2004.

We welcome a guest host, Amelia Merrill, to share with us her expertise on Veronica Mars, which was a new show for both of us. We discuss the strengths of the characters and arc, as well as some of the ways this pilot doesn't hold up as an individual episode.

Highlights include:

wondering why this show aired on UPN

Kara and Adina's shocked reactions to this NOT being the light frothy comedy we assumed it was

deciding, how many flashbacks are too many flashbacks?

Listen now:

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SUPERNATURAL

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Supernatural, written by Eric Kripke, directed by David Nutter, originally aired September 13, 2005.

One of the most popular TV shows ever, we start way back at the beginning to unpack this pop-culture phenomenon from the very start, with two brothers in a car, in desperate need of therapy.

Highlights include:

wondering why ghosts do anything, ever

praying that Winchester brothers get some form of counseling

pleading with TV producers to stop making shows so dark and gray all the time

Listen now:

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CHARMED

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Charmed, "Something Wicca This Way Comes", written by Constance M. Burge, directed by John T. Kretchmer, originally aired October 7, 1998.

One of Adina's favorites, and a staple of the magical monster-of-the-week genre, we examine why Charmed became such a classic from the first utterance of "the power of three will set us free".

Highlights include:

noting efficient exposition delivered along with getting to know characters

the rich relationships between the sisters, better than most sibling relationships on TV

a comparison to the pilot of the 2018 reboot of Charmed

Listen now:

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THE MAGICIANS

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of The Magicians, "Unauthorized Magic", written by Sera Gamble & John McNamara, directed by Mike Cahill, aired on December 16, 2015.

Both of us were introduced to The Magicians book series by our dads, and consequently came to the series intrigued based on what we knew from the books.

Highlights include:

comparisons of character introductions from book to screen

discussing the conventions and rules for how magic works in this world

realizing magic school is incredibly unethical as an institution

Listen now:

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ONE DAY AT A TIME (2017)

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of One Day at a Time, written by Gloria Calderon Kellett & Mike Royce, directed by Pamela Fryman, originally streamed on January 6, 2017.

The first multi-cam sitcom, and also the first rebooted show we've discussed on the podcast, we go into the nuances of those distinctions, and figure out how this show ends up so dang heartwarming.

Highlights include:

comparisons to the original One Day at a Time from the '70s

the surprising joy of a laugh track even in 2021

wondering where are all the awards for Justina Machado and Rita Moreno

Listen now:

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BRIDGERTON

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Bridgerton, written by Chris Van Dusen, directed by Julie Ann Robinson, first streamed on December 25, 2020.

One of the most highly talked-about new shows of 2020, Bridgerton was an instant favorite for Kara, with all her favorite tropes, and even Adina who doesn't love period pieces was won over by the charm.

Highlights include:

praising the highly enjoyable use of tropes

nitpicking anachronistic music choices

debating how many children is too many children

Listen now:

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GOOD GIRLS

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Good Girls, written by Jenna Bans and directed by Dean Parisot, originally aired February 26, 2018.

A crime show with a comedic twist, this pilot wasn't flawless, but provides a good template for comparison to other dramas, especially with its trio-lead structure.

Highlights include:

appreciation for the perfect casting throughout this ensemble

comparisons and contrasts to similar pilot structures, like Breaking Bad

discussing the importance of diversity in writers' rooms, especially to accurately represent the points of view of different characters

Listen now:

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DERRY GIRLS

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Derry Girls, written by Lisa McGee and directed by Michael Lennox, originally aired on December 21, 2018.

This short but sweet show gained a wave of popularity in America as well as Europe after being made available to stream, and both of us are huge fans of the show now that we've been exposed to it, so we had a lot of fun analyzing the pilot.

Highlights include:

a history lesson on The Troubles

rising chaos that seems almost too crazy for a pilot

nostalgia for a time and a location in which we never lived

Listen now:

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BREAKING BAD

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Breaking Bad, written and directed by Vince Gilligan, originally aired on January 20, 2008.

Often cited as one of the greatest TV pilots of all time, this episode stands up to the hype. We follow the beginning of Walter White's incredible descent, which hooks us from the very first minute.

Highlights include:

noting careful, clear, interesting exposition

identifying all of Walt's clear incentives to delve into the drug world, as well as how he has nothing more to lose

following how the pilot sets up the theme of the entire series: change

Listen now:

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LOST

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the two-part pilot of lost, written by Damon Lindelof, J.J. Abrams, and Jeffery Lieber, and directed by Lindelof and Abrams, originally aired on September 22-29, 2004.

Somehow, neither of us had seen this show before, so we jumped into this major cultural touchstone of the 2000s completely blind and tried to see how it captured audiences so completely.

Highlights include:

a lot of characters, a lot of nicknames, a lot of questions

both of us coming out with an increased fear of flying

Kara really getting more than she bargained for getting pulled into this show

Listen now:

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ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Arrested Development, written by Mitchell Hurwitz and directed by Anthony & Joe Russo, first aired on November 2, 2003.

Often cited as one of the greatest sitcoms ever, we return to the start to note how Arrested Development kicked off its groundbreaking dry style.

Highlights include:

tracking the breakneck pace of subtle jokes

contrasting the style with earlier sitcoms and also later sitcoms influenced by this show's pace and level of detail

a crash course in the history of the show, how it was both ahead of its time and too late for streaming

Listen now:

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CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND

On this episode of It's In My Queue, Kara and Adina watch the pilot episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, "Josh Just Happens To Live Here!", written by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna, directed by Marc Webb, first aired October 12, 2015.

One of Adina's all-time favorite shows, as she's in the exact target demographic, she introduces the quirky but brilliant show to kara for the first time, and together they discuss how it works.

Highlights include:

noting the heavy weight that the first song must pull to sell the audience on a TV musical

identifying what ways we relate to Rebecca Bunch and what ways we really don't

lessons on a few musical theater writing techniques scattered in the mix

Listen now:

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