Peacock counter-programmed the Super Bowl with a series adaptation of the 1989 horror comedy The 'Burbs. Horror expert Matt Monagle makes his EHG début to discuss whether it made a convincing case for its existence in its new format. Around The Dial stops at Shrinking S03 and the first two seasons of AMC's Interview With The Vampire. Tara explains why front-facing vertical video commercials in the style of social media ads have no business airing on TV. Sean pitches the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, we end on a non-regulation game time that's bathed in blood. Quit spying on your neighbors and listen!

GUESTS
👤 Matt Monagle

TOPICS
Announcement: 👚 Sarah, Subs & Shirts
Lead Topic: 🏘️ The 'Burbs
Around The Dial: 😶‍🌫️ Shrinking
Around The Dial: 🧛🏻 Interview With The Vampire
I Am Not A Crackpot: 🤳 TikTok-Style Ads Have No Place On Television
The Canon: 🚀 Star Trek: The Next Generation S07.E25: All Good Things...
Winner & Loser: ⚔️ Baldur's Gate
Winner & Loser: 🥔 Tate McRae
Game Time: 🔪 19 Questions: TV Horror Edition

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NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Matt Monagle on Bluesky
📜 Resources for Haitian residents in Springfield, OH at Ohio Immigrant
🧟‍♂️ Certified Forgotten
📷 Photo: Elizabeth Morris / Peacock

The Muppet Show returns with a one-off episode starring Sabrina Carpenter; Muppetry expert Adam Grosswirth returns to discuss it, including whether the new version nailed the original's vibe, what makes a good Muppet guest (and whether Sabrina's got the right stuff), and how we can't believe Dolly Parton never guested on the show (...so far). Later, we went Around The Dial with The Pete Davidson Show, Ugliest House In America, and Conspiracy Theories, and Adam hoped nobody would object to his first-season L.A. Law Canon brief. Impractical Jokers won, Grant Show lost, and we dropped Muppets into primetime shows for a mash-up Game Time. It's time to get things started on an all-new Extra Hot Great!

GUESTS
👤 Adam Grosswirth

TOPICS
Lead Topic: 🐸 The Muppet Show (2026)
Around The Dial: 🗑️ The Pete Davidson Show
Around The Dial: 🏚️ The Ugliest House In America
Around The Dial: 🕵 Conspiracy Theories
The Canon: 🐂 L.A. Law S01.E17: Beef Jerky
Winner & Loser: 🃏 Impractical Jokers
Winner & Loser: ❤️‍🔥 Grant Show
Game Time: 🐷 The Muppet Shows

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NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🎙️ Hear more Muppet analysis from Adam Grosswirth on the Muppeturgy podcast
🦋 Adam on Bluesky
🐀 Listen to Muppet Show writer Albertina Rizzo talk about the special on the Bananas Podcast
💄 Listen To Sassy Club
🛖 EHG 417 on The Ugliest House In America
🤪 Sarah's review of Conspiracy Theories at Best Evidence
📷 Photo: Disney+

Fox's new drama Memory Of A Killer, about a hitman in denial about his serious memory loss, stars Patrick Dempsey, so naturally we had to invite Dan Cassino, one of our most dedicated Grey's Anatomy fans, to discuss whether you should add a reminder to your calendar to watch it, or immediately forget it exists. Around The Dial takes us through The Beauty, a roundup of cozy British and international mysteries including Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (among others), and Wrestlers. Emilymae makes the case for inducting Crash Landing On You's 12th episode into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Non-Regulation Game Time from Dr. Cassino himself: send your mash notes to him directly, and don't forget to listen!

TOPICS
Lead Topic: 🫥 Memory Of A Killer
Around The Dial: 🧴 The Beauty
Around The Dial: 🔪 Midsomer Murders
Around The Dial: 🐴 Shetland
Around The Dial: 🎛️ Agatha Christie's Seven Dials
Around The Dial: 🐀 La Peste
Around The Dial: 🤼 Wrestlers
The Canon: 🪂 Crash Landing On You S01.E12
Winner & Loser: 🐺 Jordan Belfort
Winner & Loser: 🏰 Michael Rapaport
Game Time: 🌭 Some Bangers, All Mash

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🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
🛍️ Shop our merch store!

NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Dan Cassino on Bluesky
🫂 Community Aid Network MN
🪙 Dan's new book, Bitcoin Bros: Masculinity, Cryptocurrency, And The Future Of Men
📚 "Discover Your Inner Bookworm At These Local Minneapolis Bookstores" at the official Minneapolis website
🚨 Exhibit B.'s winter compendia and crimoir sale
📷 Photo: Jan Thijs / FOX

CLUB-ONLY NOTES
🔥 EHG Club Perk Links & How-To
💬 Get On Our Community Discord

The Star Trek universe goes teen drama -- and, for once, does it in the/a future instead of the pre-TOS "past." Since it's a Trek property, Andrew returned to talk about Paul Giamatti feasting on his anachronistic lines, whether the show works better as sci-fi or Space High, and where it ranks in Paramount-era Trek shows. We went Around The Dial with Ponies, Andrew's middlebrow-TV catch-up, and Shining Vale before Tara used up her djinn wishes on a What We Do In The Shadows Canon entry. Profilers won, McConaughey lost, and we prayed for guidance in a religious-network Game Time. Escape from your hidden prison planet and join us!

GUESTS
👤 Andrew Cunningham

TOPICS
Lead Topic: 🧑🏽‍🏫 Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Around The Dial: 🕵🏻‍♀️ Ponies
Around The Dial: 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽 The Diplomat
Around The Dial: 💪 Invincible
Around The Dial: 🧠 High Potential
Around The Dial: 👻 Shining Vale
The Canon: ⚰️ What We Do In The Shadows S04.E06: The Wedding
Winner & Loser: 🔎 Ann Burgess
Winner & Loser: 🍺 Matthew McConaughey
Game Time: 🙏 Thou Shalt Guess The Title

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🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
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NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🦋 Andrew Cunningham on Bluesky
📚 Andrew's book-discussion podcast, Overdue
🖖 Alan Sepinwall's review of Starfleet Academy
👔 Tara's Justin Theroux piece for GQ
✊ Minneapolis-St. Paul mutual-aid resources
🦋 Norm Charlatan on Bluesky
💄 Listen To Sassy
📷 Photo: Brooke Palmer / Paramount+

The Pitt returns to take viewers through another remarkably busy day in the ER at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. What is there to celebrate in the show's fictional Fourth of July? Heather Cocks, our S01 guest, returns to talk about it. Around The Dial takes us through a passel of recent comedy specials from George Civeris, Kumail Nanjiani, Frankie Quiñones, and Sarah Squirm (aka Sarah Sherman); Heated Rivalry creator Jacob Tierney's previous hockey show, Shoresy; and Bookish, old to Brits but new to PBS. Seth pitches a Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee for induction into The Canon. Then, after naming the week's Winner and Loser, it's on to a Non-Regulation Game Time that's beating down our door. Find a comfortable seat in chairs (ideally away from Mr. Digby and his compelling odors) and join us!

GUESTS
👤 Heather Cocks

TOPICS
Announcement: 🫥 Sarah Is Away
Lead Topic: 🏥 The Pitt
Around The Dial: 🤪 Frankie Quiñones: Damn That's Crazy
Around The Dial: 💭 Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts
Around The Dial: 💨 George Civeris: A Sense Of Urgency
Around The Dial: 🤮 Sarah Squirm: Live + In The Flesh
Around The Dial: 🥅 Shoresy
Around The Dial: 📚 Bookish
The Canon: 🐝 Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee S01.E06: The Patriarchy Hasn't Let Me Down
Winner & Loser: 🤠 The Lowdown
Winner & Loser: 🧙‍♀️ Executives at Charmed
Game Time: 🚪 Knock Three Times

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🔥 Join the EHG Club for bonus episodes, no ads, community Discord and more!
🎧 Subscribe to EHG on Apple Podcasts for bonus episodes and no ads!
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NOTES
🗒 Full episode notes can be found on this episode's page on our site
🕳️ Tara's review of The Pitt's S02 premiere, at GQ
🏍️ “So You Noticed Dr. Robby Wasn’t Wearing A Motorcycle Helmet” at Vulture
🤢 "Sarah Sherman Is Grosser Than You Think" at The New Yorker
✍️ Tara's author page at GQ (new pieces coming this week!)
💃 Go Fug Yourself
📚 Links to buy Heather and Jessica's books
🍸 Drinks With Broads
👩‍💻 Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee Zoom Watch Party with Lolly Adefope, Aaron Chen, Rose Matafeo, and Paul F. Tompkins
🧑‍💻 Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee Zoom Episode 4 with Ayo Edebiri, Rose Matafeo, Blair Socci, and Paul F. Tompkins
📷 Photo: Warrick Page / HBO Max