The S1E1 Podcast

S1E1: The McCarthys

"The McCarthys" is a sitcom that premiered in 2014 and revolves around a close-knit Irish-American family living in Boston. Throughout the series, "The McCarthys" explores themes of acceptance, family loyalty, and the clash of personalities. The show depicts the challenges faced by Ronny as he strives for acceptance from his family and tries to find his own path in a world dominated by sports.
Although "The McCarthys" had a dedicated fan base, the sitcom was canceled after one season due to low ratings. Nevertheless, it remains a lighthearted portrayal of family dynamics and the pursuit of acceptance in a sports-obsessed environment.
Will this Boston themed sitcom resonate with 5 guys who grew up there? Listen as they deep dive the pilot episode.
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Starting: Tyler Ritter, Jimmy Dunn, Kelen Coleman, Laurie Metcalf, Jack McGee, & Joey McIntyre
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S1E1: Shoresy

"Shoresy" is a comedy spinoff of Letterkenny, in which the titular character Shoresy joins the Sudbury Bulldogs, a struggling AAA team in Northern Ontario, and embarks on a mission to "never lose again."Letterkenny had become so popular that rumors of a spinoff had been going on for a while. Much like its predecessor Jared Keeso is the executive producer, writer, star, and creator of this show. It was said that basing a spinoff on Shoresy, a side character whose face was never seen was "the most bizarre idea," but made ultimate sense as Shoresy was the top character associated with Letterkenny merchandise, and his limited backstory left room for creativity.Will Shoresy be met with the same reception the S1E1 guys gave to Letterkenny? Listen as they do a deep dive of the pilot episode, "Never Lose Again" and find out.www.S1E1POD.comStarting: Jared Keeso, Tasya Teles, Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat, Blair Lamora, Keilani Elizabeth Rose, Jonathan-Ismaël Diaby, Terry Ryan, & Ryan McDonellInstagram & Twitter: @S1E1POD

S1E1: Daddy Dearest

"Daddy Dearest" is a sitcom that aired for one season in 1993 Starring Richard Lewis and Don Rickles. The show follows the life of a recently divorced father named Steven Mitchell whos father suddenly moves in with him after seperating from his mother. Al is a retired car salesman who has a larger-than-life personality and an inability to filter anything he says.
The show centers around the strained relationship between Steven and Al, as they struggle to coexist under the same roof. Steven is a neurotic and anxious individual who has a hard time standing up to his domineering father, while Al is a quick-witted and sharp-tongued character who loves to push Steven's buttons. Despite its talented cast and promising premise, "Daddy Dearest" was met with mixed reviews and low ratings, leading to its cancellation after only 10 episodes.
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Starting: Richard Lewis, Don Rickles, Sydney Walsh, Alice Carter, Carey Eidel, Angela Visser, & Renée Taylor
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S1E1: Ted Lasso

"Ted Lasso" is a series that follows the journey of an American football coach, Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis), who is recruited to coach an English soccer team, despite having no prior experience in the sport. The show takes place in the fictional town of Richmond, where Ted Lasso and his assistant coach must navigate the challenges of coaching a team that is struggling both on and off the field.
The show has been praised for its smart writing, strong performances, and its ability to balance humor with heart, exploring themes of teamwork, perseverance, and the importance of human connection. Ted Lasso has become one of the most beloved series on television today, but is the pilot episode good enough to win the S1E1 boys over? Listen and find out.
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Starting: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, & Juno Temple
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S1E1: Baskets

"Baskets" was a critically acclaimed TV series on FX that follows the life of Chip Baskets, a man with dreams of becoming a successful clown. Created by Zach Galifianakis, Louis C.K., and Jonathan Krisel, the show is a unique blend of comedy and drama that explores Chip's journey as he struggles to find his place in the world. 
"Baskets" is a character-driven show that explores themes of identity, family, and the pursuit of happiness. "Baskets" ran for four seasons from 2016 to 2019 and has gained a devoted following for its quirky humor, heartfelt moments, and standout performances. Will blending drama and dark humor scare off the S1E1 guys who typically stick to standard format sitcoms? Listen as they do a deep dive review of the show's pilot episode, "Renoir" to find out.
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Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Martha Kelly, Louie Anderson, Sabina Sciubba, Ernest Adams, Hagen Mills, & Kato Kaelin
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S1E1: The Golden Palace

"The Golden Palace" was the 1992 spin-off of the popular sitcom "The Golden Girls" and features three of its main characters: Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), Rose Nylund (Betty White), and Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty).
"The Golden Palace" follows the three women as they purchase a hotel in Miami Beach and begin running it with the help of their manager, Roland Wilson (Don Cheadle), and the hotel's chef, Chuy Castillos (Cheech Marin). Despite some positive reviews and high expectations due to the popularity of "The Golden Girls", "The Golden Palace" was cancelled after just one season due to low ratings. Despite its short run does the pilot episode bring in enough familiar charm to get the green-light? Listen as we review.
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Starring: Betty White, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Don Cheadle, Cheech Marin & Billy L. Sullivan
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S1E1: Welcome Back, Kotter

"Welcome Back, Kotter" was a classic sitcom that first premiered on September 9, 1975, on the ABC network. The show was created by Gabe Kaplan, who also played the character, Gabe Kotter, a former Sweathog who returns to his alma mater to teach a group of underprivileged students. Kaplan drew on his own experiences growing up in Brooklyn to create the show's setting and characters. The Sweathogs, a group of lovable but misguided students were based on his own high school friends. A young John Travolta was cast as the charismatic lead Sweathog, Vinnie Barbarino. The show even took on a second life in the 90's when reruns were aired as part of "Kotter Fridays" on Nick at Nite.
"Welcome Back, Kotter" was an instant hit with audiences, drawing in large viewership numbers and earning critical acclaim for its humor and relatable characters. It was a groundbreaking sitcom that tackled serious issues such as poverty, race, and social class while still delivering laugh-out-loud moments. Its enduring popularity has made it a classic of 1970s television, and its influence can still be felt in many modern sitcoms today. Listen in as the S1E1 boys do a deep dive on the shows first televised episode, "The Great Debate".
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Starring: Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Ron Palillo, John Travolta, Debralee Scott, & James Woods
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S1E1: Blossom

In the late '80s renowned television writer Don Reo developed a show based on the novel The Catcher in the Rye. The idea was to create a series about a wise-beyond-his-years, introspective teenage boy. NBC loved the screenplay but had one change, make theain character a girl. From this "Blossom" was born. Mayim Bialik was cast for the lead role and the Pilot episode was aired on July 1990 as a tester and after a little retooling premiered with a full season six months later. The show went on to have a very successful 5 season run.
Did Blossom have a hot show right from the first episode or was all the retooling necessary? Listen as we deep dive the show's first episode.
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Starring: Mayim Bialik, Barrie Youngfellow, Joey Lawrence, Michael Stoyanov, Jenna von Oÿ, Richard Masur, Debra Stipe, Justin Whalin, & Kelly Packard
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S1E1: Everybody Hates Chris

"Everybody Hates Chris" is a show inspired by comedian Chris Rock's memories growing up in Brooklyn. And even though everybody seems to love Raymond, unfortunately the same sentiment is not shared towards Chris. Although it seems odd to think that anybody other than Will and Jada could hate Chris Rock. The show is somewhat autobiographic but plenty of elements of the story have been changed for television. Real life Chris has a different amount of siblings and even grew up a decade earlier than what the show depicts, so don't try using this show to write any book reports.
Changes aside the show was met with a lot of critical acclaim through its 4 season run and talks of bringing it back as an animated series have recently been announced. With all that being said does this show knock it out of the park right from the start? Find out as we deep dive the first episode, "Everybody Hates The Pilot".
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Starring: Tyler James Williams, Terry Crews, Tichina Arnold, Tequan Richmond, Imani Hakim, Vincent Martella, Chris Rock, & Travis Flory
Instagram & Twitter: @S1E1POD

S1E1: Happy Days

It's hard to find a person that has never seen Happy Days. This iconic show which represented life in the '50s is easily regarded as one of the most popular shows of the '70s. Set in Milwaukee, WI we meet Richie Cunningham, an all American boy and join him in his day to day interacting with his friends and family. The show was met with moderate success but by its second season was already seeing a dip in the ratings. To counter this the show's creator, Gary Marshall retooled the format a bit focusing on broad comedy and increasing the role of a minor character, a cool biker who went by the name of "Fonzie". These changes quickly turned Happy Days into the number 1 program by the mid '70s. Fonzie became a pop culture phenomenon and became one of the most merchandised characters in television history.
Despite the majority of the show's success coming after the seconds season, is there enough in the show's pilot the warrant a green-light? Listen as the boys do a deep dive on Happy Day's pilot episode, "All The Way".
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Starring: Ron Howard, Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Tom Bosley, Henry Winkler, Don Most, Gavan O'Herlihy, Erin Moran, & Kathy O'Dare
Instagram & Twitter: @S1E1POD