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Welcome to Episode 130 of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter‘s TV podcast.
Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executive and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).
This week’s five topics are:
1. Bob Odenkirk.
The beloved star of AMC’s Better Call Saul is in stable condition after suffering a “heart-related” incident on the show’s New Mexico set. This is an appreciation segment.
2. The Olympics.
Following a yearlong delay, the Summer Games are underway and, well, NBC’s not exactly in the running for a gold medal. This segment explores the ways in which the Olympics have gone off the rails for NBCUniversal and how the company hasn’t really used the Games to effectively promote its streamer, Peacock.
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3. Jeopardy check-in.
Fan-favorite LeVar Burton made his debut this week as the last in a series of guest hosts for the popular syndicated game show. In this segment, Dan weighs in on who among the guest hosts has worked as buzz mounts that producers Sony may be closer to an announcement of a full-time host.
4. Showrunner Spotlight.
Joining the podcast this week is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the creator, writer, star, exec producer and director of Apple’s dramedy Mr. Corman. During the wide-ranging interview, Gordon-Levitt opens up about his desire to create a show that explores “how real-life feels.” “The origins of it started as a self-reflection adventure,” he says. “I was interested in telling a story about a character similar to myself.” Other topics include the story behind the show’s mid-production move from L.A. — to New Zealand after Gordon-Levitt intentionally set the show in his hometown, the appeal of television for character-driven stories and his thoughts on Sandman, after he nearly starred in a feature based on the beloved title.
5. Critic’s Corner.
As usual, every episode ends with Dan’s guide to what to watch (or skip) in the week ahead. This week, he offers reviews of HBO’s Obama doc, Amazon’s The Pursuit of Love and more.
Hear it all now on TV’s Top 5. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag questions you’d like to be addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.
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