Indiewire's Very Good TV Podcast

This week, Indiewire's TV team offers a peek behind the curtain as they create their Top 10 Shows of 2015 list. Will Liz convince Ben that a Marvel show deserves placement? Will Ben's number one pick stay at the top of the list? Will "The Leftovers" come up? The answer to one of those questions is definitely yes.

Indiewire's TV team is joined by assistant editor Casey Cipriani to discuss the return of HBO's landmark fantasy series, and why it's kept up such a legacy over the years.

Ben and Liz celebrate one hundred episodes of podcasting with some cake, some rapping, and some special guests talking about the only thing that really matters these days: Great television.

Liz and Ben are joined by their colleagues Steve Greene and Hanh Nguyen to discuss some of the conversations they've been lucky enough to have with the people making great TV today. Surprisingly, "The Leftovers" comes up.

A TV show casually references another TV show — no big deal, right? Maybe, maybe not. As Indiewire's Liz and Ben discuss, invoking other pop culture may be an organic story choice, but it also can make your show into an alternate universe — in both good and bad ways.

It's official: As of this fall, every single major broadcast network will have something resembling a superhero show on its schedule. But what's fueling the rise of cape-powered television? Indiewire's TV team has some theories.

The third season of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock's complicated dark comedy made some important choices for its characters — but how did they affect the show? Liz and Ben dig in.

Consuming media isn't necessarily something you should do casually, which is why this week, Liz and Ben have some thoughts about how to balance the TV you watch for optimum (mental) health.

Ben has been neck-deep in the Emmys game this year, while Liz might need some help remembering who's nominated in each category — yet they both have strong opinions about what's going to happen once Michael Che and Colin Jost stop talking and awards start getting handed out!

What's the upcoming Netflix comedy "Russian Doll" about? Ben doesn't know and Liz won't tell you, but they will discuss when it makes sense for a show to keep its premise a secret — and when it doesn't. (You'll be shocked to learn that "The Leftovers" comes up — but not for the reason you might think!)

It might be your least favorite question, but we at Indiewire want to help you answer it! Because if you answer it the right way, it can lead to some of the most enjoyable TV discussions you'll ever have.

Believe it or not, Liz and Ben aren't done talking about "The Leftovers" yet. But today's discussion goes beyond the HBO drama to the idea of how best to move on following the end of other great series.

The Emmy-winning favorite of Liz and Ben's moms is back, and there's a lot to discuss, from what impresses us about Amy Sherman-Palladino's attention to detail to whether or not they really need to swear so much on the show. All without spoilers!

Over the last 12 months, Indiewire's TV team has been blessed with the opportunity to speak with some fascinating individuals creating TV -- so this week, they thought they'd look back at some of the year's most exciting moments. (Surprisingly, THE LEFTOVERS comes up.)

A critically-acclaimed favorite returns for a second anthology-style season... and is actually really good! But why isn't "Fargo" on the tip of everyone's tongue? Indiewire's TV team investigates.

Before this year's Globes, Liz and Ben did a live fantasy draft, identifying their picks across all the TV categories. Monday morning will reveal who owes who a sandwich, but enjoy listening to their bold picks!

Netflix, Hulu, CBS All Access and more are all desperate for our continuing subscriptions, and they're using their content in unique ways to strategize that. Guess what — Liz and Ben find that interesting!

It's another super-focused episode, as Liz and Ben look into how the shows they've been watching recently reflect our complicated relationship with the truth of today's society. (Believe it or not, "The Leftovers" comes up.)

Critics might be divided on "Black Monday," but everyone can agree that Regina Hall rules. Why isn't she the star of the show? There's the obvious answer, but Liz and Ben admit there's some nuance to it in this week's episode.

Summer means sun, and fun, and the opportunity to catch up with shows you may have missed! And Indiewire's TV team has a few suggestions for just that situation.