AVSEPod Episode 90: Family Matters - "Deck the Malls"

It's a Christmas miracle, as we reach our fourth and final Family Matters Christmas episode, and Urkel is shockingly not super annoying! But we're still left with plenty to discuss as, following last week's return to a Homeless Christmas, this episode brings us back to our second favorite Christmas trope, "Christmas at the Mall in Which The Main Characters Are Inexplicably in Charge of Holiday Events!" Along the way we talk gingerbread houses, expensive pens that are still just pens, and randy Myra!

So help us calculate how many Christmases Aunt Rachel has missed, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here! It makes a great stocking stuffer!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode090.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 89: Family Matters - "A Miracle on Elm Street"

In our latest episode, A Very Special Family Matters Christmas continues with season six's "A Miracle on Elm Street", in which Laura loses another cherished childhood heirloom and the Winslow family is again given irrefutable proof that Santa is real via another instance of the "homeless person comes to live with the central family at Christmas" sitcom trope. Also, Urkel hangs out at the dump.

So iron out the wrinkles in your underwear, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here! It makes a great stocking stuffer!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode089.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 88: Family Matters - "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel"

Merry Christmas! We're back with another installment of A Very Special Family Matters Christmas, in which the Aluminum Four tackle season four's "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Urkel", a (very loose) pastiche of It's a Wonderful Life in which Milo from Good Morning Bliss gets his wings by negging Laura into being nice to Urkel in what is mostly an excuse to get Kellie Shanygne Williams to dress & act like Urkel. Not surprisingly, we have...thoughts about all this.

So brush the snow of your Urkelmobile, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here! It makes a great stocking stuffer!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode088.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 87: Family Matters - "Have Yourself a Very Winslow Christmas"

Ho ho ho! This week, we begin our annual Christmas celebration, bringing you four holiday-themed episodes over four weeks. And, because Ryan has been a very good boy this year (and/or paid off all the right people), this year's Christmas extravaganza will be an All Family Matters Christmas! That's right, we'll be stuffing your stockings with four different Family Matters Christmases over the next four weeks, which means four times the Urkel, four times the cheese, and four times the inappropriate crossing of personal boundaries (haha just kidding it happens way more than four times)!

So gather round for a family singalong as Ryan, Carolyn, Austin and David kick things off with season two's "Have Yourself a Very Winslow Christmas", featuring both the first time Laura is sad about a heretofore unmentioned heirloom and the first time the entire family is remarkably blase about receiving verifiable proof that Santa exists, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher, Google Play and Spotify! You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here! It makes a great stocking stuffer!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode087.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 86: Friends - "The One With All The Thanksgivings"

Could we *be* celebrating any more Thanksgivings? This week, AVSE breaks the seal on Friends as we celebrate Turkey Day with everyone's favorite...friends. Join Carolyn, David & Austin as they discuss how Ross is the worst, map the Aluminum Four to the Friends, and take a deep dive into...Hocus Pocus.

So shove your head up the butt of a raw turkey, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And now we're available on Spotify as well!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode086.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 85: Family Matters - "Stevil Part II: This Time He's Not Alone"

Happy Halloween boils & ghoul, it's time for another scary installment of A Very Special Episode! For this year's spook-tacular episode we journey once more to the hallowed halls of Family Matters for the return of Stevil, and nobody is more excited than your (g)host with the most, Ryan! Join him, Carolyn & Austin as they tackle dancing dummies, the line between dreams & reality, and the logistics of animating soulless constructs!

So grab a giant bucket of food, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And now we're available on Spotify as well!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode085.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 84: Degrassi The Next Generation - "Time Stands Still Parts 1 & 2"

This week, we tackle a Very Special episode of one of David's favorite shows, Degrassi: The Next Generation, in which things take a tragic turn when the bullied Rick gets pushed too far (or does he?!?) via a Carrie homage, leading to the birth of an internet meme. Join David, Carolyn & Austin as they tackle a host of Very Special topics, from gun violence to criminal rehabilitation to...house selling.

So don your best beret, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And now we're available on Spotify as well!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode084.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 83: G.I. Joe - "Knowing is Half the Battle" PSAs

Yo Joe! In this week's episode, Ryan, Carolyn, and Austin enlist to discuss one of the seminal "Very Special" pieces of 80s programming, the G.I. Joe PSAs that taught an entire generation of kids that knowing is half the battle! Listen along as we learn about stopping nosebleeds, avoiding downed power lines, and the importance of using plans when building a tree house. We also post-game Carolyn's wedding, talk cartoon-influenced sexual awakenings, and express concern over some especially-handsy Joes.

So put on your helmet & put down your dad's medicine, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And now we're available on Spotify as well!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode083.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 82: Land of the Lost - Elsewhen

This week, Ryan & Austin are joined by two Very Special guests, the hosts of the Star Wars Minute podcast, Alex Robinson & Pete the Retailer. Together, the four discuss an episode set a long time ago, in a land far, far away...the Land of the Lost! Join them as they tackle this Very Special episode about growing up/meeting your future self in a cave beset by lizard-like Sleestaks, discuss the proper way to climb down a rope into a seemingly-bottomless hole, and try to make sense of the time travel of it all.

So send three beeps via your crystal walkie-talkie to signal that everything is fine, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

You can follow Alex & Pete on Twitter here & here, and of course, be sure to check out their podcasts, Star Wars Minute, The Godfather Minute, ABCDevo, & Alphabeatical!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode082.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 81: Star Trek The Next Generation - Force of Nature

This week, we are once more boldly going where no one has gone before (except for us, in an earlier episode...) to discuss Star Trek The Next Generation's "Force of Nature". Join David as he assembles an Away Team consisting of himself, Ryan & Carolyn as they discuss this Very Special episode which attempts to warn us about the dangers of technological advancement on the environment, and also, the dangers of...cat training.

So set your phasers on fun!, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode081.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 80: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip - The Christmas Show

Ho ho heil! This week, we conclude our "One Season Wonders" summer marathon with a Very Special Christmas episode of Aaron Sorkin's done-in-one series, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip! Join Austin, Caroln & David as they discuss whether you can have Christmas in LA, how much the FCC really cares about f-bombs, and which of our One Season Wonders was the hardest to get through!

So get a pregnant lady a danish, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode080.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 79: Scorch - You Gaslight Up My Life

This week, we continue "One Season Wonders" with the third (final!) episode of Scorch, a TV show which answers the question nobody asked, "what if Alf, but with a dragon puppet and without the normal rhythms of a sitcom?" Join the Aluminum Four as we discuss the curious late 80s/ early 90s trend of puppet-based sitcoms, try to wrap our heads around the premise of the show which suggests a local ventriloquist would rocket to the top of the media power rankings, and tackle the deeply philosophical question, "if a sitcom doesn't have any jokes, is it still a comedy?".

So eat your morning paper, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode079.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 78: Cop Rock - Pilot

"One Season Wonders" dances on, as the Aluminum Four tackle one of the more infamous one season shows of all time, Cop Rock, the series which dared to ask "what if a cop show, but also, a musical?", and apparently answered with "sure, but also, the cop show is really crappy." Join Ryan, Carolyn, Austin & David as they talk (and occasionally sing) about the show's awkward politics, ponder who, exactly, is buying babies off the street (and if the answer is just bad, or the worst thing ever) and make so much fun of Randy Newman.

So lift up your desk to reveal a keyboard underneath, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode078.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 77: The Pitts - Pilot

It's time for our annual summer theme marathon, in which we spend the summer reviewing episodes fitting a certain theme picked by you, the listeners! This year, we're looking at "One Season Wonders", episodes of shows that only lasted one season. And we're kicking it off with The Pitts, a Fox sitcom from the early 00s so bad it redefined "bad TV" for a young Dr. Bitz. Join David, Carolyn & Austin as they pore over the surprisingly-deep IMDB credits of this cast, introduce Carolyn to the Midwestern wonder of crop art, and try to decide if this show is really as bad as the reputation David has given it.

So ditch your date to take a prettier date to the dance, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode077.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 76: Step by Step - Back to School

This week, we return to TGIF and the 90s Brady Brunch to check in with the Step by Step gang, in an episode where perennial dum-dum JT learns all his problems in school might not be caused by being a dum-dum, Frank & Carol try to pass a snooty inspection, and White Urkel & his girlfriend try to suppress their throbbing biological urges. Join Ryan, Austin & David as they talk privilege and the college application process, the extreme horny-ness of TV's Patrick Duffy, and, of course, the Codemeister.

So zip up your rubber sex suit, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode076.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 75: Murphy Brown - You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato: Part 2

In this week's episode we tackle Murphy Brown for the first time (a show which burned bright but isn't around much anymore, thanks in part to just how topical and zeitgeist-y it was), with the episode in which the titular Murphy Brown responds to Vice President Dan Quayle's attacks (in-universe & in real life) on Murphy's decision to become a single mother. Join Carolyn, Austin & David as we talk Quayle's infamous spelling mishap, the death of print media, and the triumphant return of Peter Bonerz. 

So chug some mylanta, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode075.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 74: Game of Thrones - The Iron Throne

Valar Morghulis! We stay topical this week, as Ryan, David & Austin form a Great Council of our own to discuss the Game of Thrones series finale all the internet is buzzing about! Join us as we talk the good, the bad, and the metaphor-destroying dragons. Because when you play the game of thrones, you either win, or you podcast.

So bust down the spoiler wall (because, um, spoiler alert on this whole episode), then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode074.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 73: Avengers Endgame

Avengers assemble (again)! In our latest episode, David, Ryan & Austin are joined by returning Very Special guest, author, and Spider-Man expert Mark Ginocchio to discuss a tiny little movie that is currently making all the money in the world, Avengers: Endgame. Join us as we talk favorite moments, take potshots at Hawkeye, and plumb the depths of David's pedantry.

So bust down the spoiler wall (because, um, spoiler alert on this whole episode), then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And be sure to check out Mark's book, 100 Things Spider-Man Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, as well as his website, Chasing Amazing, and his podcast, Amazing Spider-Talk. And follow him on Twitter @ChasingASMBlog. Excelsior!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode073.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 72: Golden Girls - High Anxiety

The Aluminum Four are reunited and it feels so good, as we thank you for being our friend by breaking the seal on Golden Girls with an episode in which the golden girls help break Rose of her lifelong pill-popping habit while Dorothy & Sophia try to film a porno commercial. Join us as we discuss the longevity of Dennis Rodman, pizza, and how the Aluminum Four match up with the Golden Girl.

So pop a Flintstones vitamin, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode072.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 71: Taxi - Simka's Monthlies

Hey, you guys, Ryan is back! And this week, he and Carol are joined by their "regular visitor", special guest Amy Miller, to discuss yet another episode of Taxi! Learn all about krimkapoosh, Amy's gross hotel room, and Alex Rieger's codependent behavior in this very special episode about "womanly troubles".

So tell everyone your Aunt Flo is in town, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And don't forget to follow Amy on Twitter!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode071.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 70: California Dreams - Guess Who's Coming to Brunch

We stay in the realm of 90s-era, California-based teen shows this week, as David returns fresh from his honeymoon alongside his now wife-Lauren, who join Carolyn to discuss an episode in which a bunch of attractive, musically-inclined teens fix racism. Along the way, David reveals the price at which he'll sell out, Lauren reveals which Peter Engel show she likes most, and Carolyn actually compliments a Peter Engel show.

So give some advice to racists dads, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode070.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 69: Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Child is Father to the Man

The AVSE offices are in mourning once again, and this week we celebrate the accomplishments of the recently-departed Luke Perry with a Very Special episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, in which we get a double dose of Luke Perry as Dylan deals with the fallout of his dad exploding. Join Austin, Carolyn & Very Special Guest, Carolyn's Pitch Please! co-host Shane Hosea, as they talk death-related puns, tall hair, and using ties to get girls.

So put on your trench coat before coming to the trench coat party, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Be sure to follow Shane on Twitter, and check out his podcasts Anime at the Gates & Spec Script wherever you find podcasts!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode069.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 68: Gilligan's Island - "Jungle Boy"

Ahoy mateys! We are back with our second superhunk episode in a row as Carolyn, David & Austin go on a not-quite-three-hour tour with Gilligan's Island! Join us as we discuss island hemorrhoids, the hotness of Mary Anne, and the Harlem Globetrotters! And we get back to our SBTB Reviewed roots by comparing the castaways to the Golden Six!

So be sure to pack a ton of raincoats, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode068.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 67: Magnum P.I. - "Solo Flight"

Aloha! This week, Carolyn, David, and the returning Very Special Guest, Carolyn's newly-turned-40 fiance Aaron, grapple with mortality under the sunny skies of Hawaii along with Magnum P.I. and one of the finest examples of facial hair in TV history. And while staring death in the face, they also discuss sharks named Herman, dropping the N word in Vietnam, and a boss fly with a pussy face.

So remember that failure is one of life’s few absolutes, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

And you can follow Aaron on Twitter here!

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode067.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 66: Trackdown - "The End of the World"

Howdy partners! This week, David, Carolyn & Austin travel back to the Old West to check out a show from what was once one of TV's dominant genres, the Western. Join us as we review an episode of Trackdown, in which Texaa Ranger Hoby Gilman arrives in town shortly after a conman who promises to help the townspeople stave off the end of the world (that only he says is coming) by building a wall to protect them from scary outside forces - for a price, of course. And if that sounds eerily familiar, wait til you hear the conman's name.

So open your meteorite-repelling umbrellas, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode066.mp3

AVSEPod Episode 65: Laverne & Shirley - "Why Did the Fireman..."

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" This week, we're doing it our way, as we tackle a Very Special episode of Laverne & Shirley in commemoration of the passing of Penny Marshall, in which Laverne meets the love of her life in the form of Ted Danson's magnificent plume of hair, but Ted Danson meets tragedy in a genuinely heartbreaking episode. Join Ryan, Carolyn & Austin as they we discuss the ever-present specter of death, but also, backdoor pilots, R Kelly, and the unique combination of Pepsi & milk (?).

So finish washing your dalmatian, then download and listen here, rate & review us on iTunes or listen via Podbean, Stitcher and Google Play. You can follow the show on Twitter, like our Facebook page, and email us via avsepodcast@gmail.com.

Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's spinoff podcast, Pitch Please!, here, and buy the game here!

http://media.averyspecialepisodepodcast.com/AVerySpecialEpisode065.mp3