x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The S1E1 Podcast

Join us every week where we’ll be picking a different sitcom and judging it solely on its very first televised episode. In doing so we’ll be challenging ourselves to erase any knowledge of future episodes so we can deliver an unbiased opinion. At the end of each show we’ll tell you if this is a show we would green light or cancel. Tune in to find out which mega shows wouldn’t make the cut, what forgettable mistakes we give a pass, and who started exactly where they should be.

tv & film tv reviews

All Episodes

99:27

S1E1: Fisk

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2026/01/15

Fisk is a comedy that premiered on ABC TV Australia in 2021. The show was created by and starring Kitty Flanagan who plays Helen Tudor-Fisk, a blunt, no-nonsense lawyer whose once-successful career implodes, forcing her to take a humiliating new job at a struggling suburban wills-and-probate firm. The show’s humor is dry, and often weaponized through awkward pauses and Helen’s razor-sharp disdain for everyone around her.Critics and audiences quickly embraced Fisk for its sharply observed writing

en

96:49

S1E1: Dweebs

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2026/01/08

Dweebs was a short-lived CBS sitcom that premiered in 1995, arriving right in the middle of the ’90s tech boom—before most network TV really knew what to do with computer nerds. The show centered on a group of socially awkward but intellectually gifted twenty-somethings working at a wildly successful software company called "Cyberbyte" and the computer illiterate woman hired to be the new office manager. Long before The Big Bang Theory or Silicon Valley, Dweebs leaned hard into stereotypes of tech

en

113:18

S1E1: Diff'rent Strokes

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2026/01/01

Diff’rent Strokes is a classic sitcom that aired on NBC from 1978 to 1986. The show stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two young brothers from Harlem who are taken in by wealthy businessman Philip Drummond (Conrad Bain) after the death of their mother. Uprooted from their old life and dropped into a Park Avenue penthouse. While often remembered for catchphrases and very special episodes, the show was more ambitious than that, frequently tackling issues such as racism

en

115:37

S1E1: The Moody's

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/12/25

"The Moodys" is a holiday-themed sitcom that premiered on Fox in 2019. It was adapted from the Australian series "A Moody Christmas". The show centers on the wildly dysfunctional Moody family as they gather for Christmas. The series leans hard into awkward silences & brutal honesty. The show is full of the kind of family arguments that feel a little too real.Critics appreciated The Moody's dry tone and Leary’s perfectly calibrated cynicism. The Moodys lasted two seasons before Fox pulled the

en

114:42

S1E1: All in the Family

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/12/18

All in the Family is a sitcom created by Norman Lear that aired on CBS from 1971 to 1979. The show centers on Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor), a loud, stubborn, working-class man whose beliefs are constantly challenged by his son-in-law and daughter. What set the show apart was its ability to use comedy to put taboo subjects like racism, sexism, politics, and religion front and center.Initially divisive, All in the Family quickly became both a massive ratings hit and a cultural lightning rod

en

104:48

S1E1: The Dick Van Dyke Show

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/12/11

"The Dick Van Dyke Show" is a landmark sitcom that originally aired on #CBS from 1961 to 1966. The series stars #DickVanDyke as Rob Petrie, the head writer for the fictional Alan Brady Show, and #MaryTylerMoore as his wife, Laura. Arguably the blueprint for every witty, modern sitcom couple that followed. Splitting its time between Rob’s chaotic writers’ room and his suburban home, the show blended sharp workplace banter with warm, domestic storytelling. Its physical comedy, and clever scripts set a

en

87:00

S1E1: Rules of Engagement

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/12/04

"Rules of Engagement" is a sitcom that ran from 2007-2013 on CBS. Built around the different stages of a relationship, through two couples and their single friend. The series plays heavily on the contrast between cynicism and idealism, long-term comfort and honeymoon-phase cluelessness. Warburton’s deadpan delivery and Spade’s chaotic energy became the anchors of the series, helping it survive multiple schedule moves and inconsistent marketing.Though critics never fully embraced the show—often

en

87:30

S1E1: Some of My Best Friends

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/11/27

"Some of My Best Friends" was a short-lived sitcom that premiered on CBS in 2001. After Warren (Jason Bateman) is dumped by his boyfriend, he posts and add as a GWM ("Gay White Male") looking for a roommate. Macho Italian guy, Frankie (Danny Nucci) responds assuming that GWM stands for "Guy With Money". The show is loosely based on the 1997 indie film, "Kiss Me, Guido" and provides us with a new twist on the odd-couple dynamic.Despite a strong cast and a premise that tried to blend culture clash

en

115:58

S1E1: The Paper

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/11/20

"The Paper" is a mockumentary-style sitcom that premiered on Peacock in 2025. The show is the first official spin-off of one of the all time greatest shows, "The Office". It picks up with the fictional documentary crew attempting to do a follow up with Dunder Mifflin and winding up in Toledo, Ohio, where they instead focus on the declining historic newspaper, the Toledo Truth Teller. Critics have given The Paper a generally favorable reception. It's been praised for capturing the spirit of the

en

103:26

S1E1: The Ugliest Girl in Town

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/11/13

"The Ugliest Girl in Town" was an ABC sitcom that aired from 1968–1969. In it Timothy Blair (Peter Kastner), a Hollywood talent agent who falls in love with a British actress and through a series of truly sitcom-level circumstances, ends up becoming a fashion model in London… while disguised as a woman. Under the persona “Timmie,” he becomes an overnight sensation, forcing him to juggle his double life, hide his secret identity, and somehow keep his long-distance romance alive.Critics at the time

en

96:54

S1E1: The Neighborhood

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/11/06

"The Neighborhood" is a CBS sitcom that first premiered in 2018. The show stars Max Greenfield as Dave Johnson, a relentlessly upbeat Midwesterner who moves his wife and kids to a predominantly Black neighborhood in Pasadena. His overly friendly approach doesn’t exactly win over his new next-door neighbor, Calvin Butler (Cedric the Entertainer), who’s not thrilled about the Johnsons’ arrival. What follows is a clash of cultures that slowly turns into an unlikely friendship.Critics were a little

en

109:09

S1E1: Santa Clarita Diet

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/10/30

"Santa Clarita Diet" was a dark comedy series that aired on Netflix from 2017-2019. The show starred Drew Barrymore and Timothy Olyphant as suburban realtors Sheila and Joel Hammond, whose quiet California life gets flipped on its head when Sheila mysteriously transforms into an undead, flesh-craving zombie. Instead of leaning into horror tropes, the show mined humor from the couple’s desperate attempts to keep their family and careers intact while hiding the fact that Mom is now snacking on human

en

101:08

S1E1: Tabitha

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/10/23

"Tabitha" was a short-lived sitcom that aired on ABC in 1977, serving as a spin-off of the iconic series Bewitched. The show followed Tabitha Stephens (played by Lisa Hartman), now all grown up and blessed with her mom's powers, working as a television producer in Los Angeles. While Bewitched thrived on suburban domestic chaos, Tabitha shifted the formula into a workplace setting.Despite its familiar pedigree and Hartman’s charm, Tabitha struggled to find its footing. Critics felt the show lacked

en

111:09

S1E1: Not Dead Yet

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/10/16

"Not Dead Yet" is sitcom that aired on ABC from 2023-2024. Loosely inspired by Alexandra Potter’s novel "Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up". The series stars Gina Rodriguez as Nell Serrano, a down-on-her-luck journalist who moves back to the States after a messy breakup only to find herself stuck writing obituaries. But there’s a catch: every time she writes one, the ghost of her subject shows up to hang out. With the help of these not-so-dead mentors, Nell navigates her quest to get her life

en

75:30

S1E1: Maniac Mansion

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/10/09

Maniac Mansion was a sitcom that aired on The Family Channel from 1990 to 1993. The show was created by Eugene Levy and produced by George Lucas’s Lucasfilm Television. Loosely based on the cult-favorite 1987 video game of the same name. While the series took its name from the cult video game, the show used little to none of the source material, opting instead for a domestic sitcom laced with surreal, science-fiction twists. The premise centered on Dr. Fred Edison (Joe Flaherty), a well-meaning

en

100:45

S1E1: Good Grief

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/10/02

“Good Grief” is a sitcom that aired on Fox from 1990 to 1991. It centered around a very unusual setting for a comedy: a family-run funeral home. The show’s offbeat concept was part of Fox’s early push into unconventional sitcom territory during the network’s formative years. The premise revolved around Warren Pepper, a straight-laced mortician who ran the “Sincerity Mortuary” with his sister Debbie. Their operations were disrupted when Debbie’s flamboyant, wisecracking husband Ernie Lapidus became a

en

90:30

S1E1: Bust Down

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/09/25

“Bust Down” is single-camera sitcom created by and starring Langston Kerman, Jak Knight, Chris Redd, and Sam Jay that premiered on Peacock in 2022. It centers on four friends who work low-wage jobs at a casino in Gary, Indiana. The show leans heavily into raunchy humor and over-the-top scenarios, with the creators noting they wanted it to be “raunchy, irreverent, and complicated".Critics generally responded positively and praised Bust Down's bold comic voice and willingness to push boundaries

en

98:23

S1E1: Welcome To Sweden

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/09/18

Welcome to Sweden was a sitcom that aired from 2014-2015. The series was produced in collaboration between Sweden’s TV4 and NBC in the U.S., making it one of the rare cross-Atlantic sitcoms of the 2010s. The show follows Bruce Evans, an American accountant who leaves his career behind in New York to move to Sweden with his Swedish girlfriend, Emma Wiik. Much of the comedy stemmed from Bruce’s struggle to adapt to Swedish culture.Welcome to Sweden earned an International Emmy nomination and

en

103:56

S1E1: That's My Bush

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/09/11

That’s My Bush! was a Comedy Central sitcom that aired in 2001. It was created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the duo behind South Park. The show, which was a satirical look at life in the White House was green lit with the understanding that the show would focus around whoever ended up winning the 2000 presidential election. The show’s premise was less about politics and more about lampooning the conventions of the American sitcom.Although reviews were generally positive, praising the show as a

en

104:57

S1E1: It's Garry Shandling's Show

The S1E1 Podcast ·

2025/09/04

"It’s Garry Shandling’s Show" was a sitcom that aired on Showtime from 1986 to 1990 where Garry Shandling plays a fictionalized version of himself living in a suburban condo. The series was notable for breaking television conventions at the time, with Shandling directly addressing the audience, acknowledging that he was in a sitcom, and routinely mocking the artificial structures of television comedy. Its theme song even playfully narrated itself (“This is the theme to Garry’s show…”), further

en

253 results

Similar Podcasts

BEHIND THE VELVET ROPE

David Yontef

Nerd Culture - A Gamekings Podcast

Blammo Media

UPodcast

UPodcast

The Writers Hangout

Sandy Adomaitis

The Sarah Fraser Show

Sarah Fraser