Podcast
Taking It Down
Hosted by Blaine Duncan, TV Analyst · EN
Edifying TV disussion from the working class South. Every episode of Taking It Down starts spoiler free and goes into specifics for analysis later: a look at both text and subtext. Join hosts Blaine, Adam, and Donovan each Tuesday morning. A part of The Alabama Take podcast family. Since 2019. The only working class TV podcast.
19episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Where Does 'Widow's Bay' Go From Here?
2d ago00:34:51Tap to summarizeIn the weekly episode, host Blaine gives a quick overview of the episode (0:02) before Adam and Donovan join the episode. They discuss the return of 'House of the Dragon' on HBO to begin (0:29). After that, they have non-spoiler thoughts on 'Widow's Bay' (3:13). After the break, they unpack the finale of 'Widow's Bay' and discuss where it could go from there (8:35). For more, visit the home site of the podcast at The Alabama Take with the link here: https://www.thealabamatake.com
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How 'Widow's Bay' Sets Up What's Left and 'Cape Fear' Seeds a Good Series; Plus, 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed'
1w ago01:04:13Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode, host Blaine gives the usual hello, introduction, and overview (0:02) before inviting Adam and Donovan into the episode. They begin with hellos to specific listeners whom they know join the podcast each week (0:42). To kick off non-spoilers, Blaine and Donovan have plenty of thoughts on Amazon's 'Spider-Noir' (2:19). The three of them then discuss what certain knowlege adds to watching the end of a season, especially one like 'Widow's Bay' (8:55). They mostly praise 'Cape Fear' and its first episode (15:50). Finally in non-spoilers, they explain why most people would get invested with the series 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' (23:06). In spoilers, the three hosts converse about how 'Widow's Bay' sets up its final episode and what that could entail (27:19). They lay out the reasons why 'Cape Fear' is full of potential (41:36). Finally, the three enjoyed 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' and the explain with specifics on why that was (50:54). For more from The Alabama Take team, visit the website here.
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Time in 'Widow's Bay'; Plus, a Preview of 'Cape Fear'
2w ago00:34:36Tap to summarizeThis week, Blaine gives an overview and welcome to begin (0:02). Adam then joins the show with news of his tour with Luna (0:47). After that, they discuss the remake of 'Cape Fear' as a preview in non-spoilers and what it says about remakes in general (1:47). From there, it's a short, non-spoiler discussion on the eighth episode of 'Widow's Bay' (5:15) before Adam uses both 'Widow's Bay' and 'Hacks' to compare how 'Euphoria' got so bad (7:37). After the break, the two hosts discuss 'Widow's Bay' in depth and with spoilers (11:14). For more, visit The Alabama Take's website or subscribe to its channel on YouTube.
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Mysteries of 'Widow's Bay'; Plus, 'The Boroughs,' 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed,' and More!
3w ago00:48:22Tap to summarizeThis week, Blaine welcomes and gives an overview of the episode (0:02) before moving into some brief thoughts on 'The Boroughs' on Netflix (0:37), which excels due to its cast, such as Clarke Peters. 'Devil in Silver' on AMC+ brings a question about Dan Stevens (4:19). The new Apple TV show 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' may be next for the hosts (6:19). Donovan and Adam agree that 'Hacks' has improved upon its third season (8:03). The last piece of non-spoilers is an overview of how they're all feeling about 'Widow's Bay' on Apple TV (10:23).After a break, the hosts unpack the sixth and seventh episodes of 'Widow's Bay' with spoilers (21:19).For the YouTube channel, visit The Alabama Take there.
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What 'Euphoria' Says About Culture; Plus, the Joy of 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' and a Classic 'Widow's Bay'
May 2600:41:22Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode, Blaine gives a hello and introduction (0:02) before Donovan and Adam join the show. In Donovan's introduction, he offers life advice for the podcast listeners (0:40)and then the conversation turns to how much 'Euphoria' has devolved and what it says about the culture (1:35).From 'Euphoria,' Blaine gives various reasons on why 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' can bring so much joy to watch (14:29). Adam then gives a quick check-in for the HBO series 'Hacks' (19:19). Still in non-spoilers, Donovan and Blaine tell Adam how 'Widow's Bay' is doing amazing things (22:05).For spoilers, Blaine and Donovan discuss the fifth and great episode of 'Widow's Bay' (25:12).For more, visit The Alabama Take and its site.For the YouTube channel, visit the link here.
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Comfort Shows and TV That Says Something: 'Rooster,' 'Lord of the Flies,' and 'Widow's Bay'
May 1901:02:56Tap to summarizeThis week, Blaine gives an overview and a welcome to begin (0:02) before introducing the hosts (0:43). This week, they begin with non-spoilers as usual, including brief thoughts on 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' on Apple TV (1:17). From there, they get into the season of 'Rooster' on HBO without spoiling (2:26) and then the new Netflix miniseries 'Lord of the Flies' (13:10). For the last of non-spoilers, they discuss the Apple TV series 'Widow's Bay' and how it's doing (18:22). In spoilers, they begin with 'Rooster' and its season as a whole (21:38) before moving into the intensity of 'Lord of the Flies' (38:10). Finally, the episode ends with the fourth episode of 'Widow's Bay,' titled "Beach Read" (55:17). For more, visit The Alabama Take's website where there's a place to sign up for the newsletter and more writings and podcasts.
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Sabotage and Horror: 'Beef' and 'Widow's Bay'
May 1100:55:07Tap to summarizeThis week, host Blaine gives an overview of the podcast episode to begin (0:02). After that, he welcomes Donovan, and they both talk about brief podcast news (0:36).In the non-spoilers for TV, Blaine gives Donovan a reason why they'll no longer cover 'Euphoria' (1:14) before moving into the new episode of 'The Bear' that dropped in surprise this week titled "Gary" (3:14). They also discuss why they're interested in covering 'Lord of the Flies' on Netflix (6:12).They then give broad, spoiler-free thoughts on the second half of 'Beef' on Netflix (8:51), 'Widow's Bay' and its first three episodes on Apple TV (14:15), and 'Half Man' on HBO (17:49).After a break, they get into spoiler thoughts on 'Beef' (22:18) and 'Widow's Bay' (39:42).For the newsletter for The Alabama Take, click here.For all things related to The Alabama Take, click here for the website.
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The Best TV of 2026 Thus Far
May 500:10:08Tap to summarizeThis week, it's host Blaine by himself and he uses the alone time to give an overview of the podcast and episode (0:01) as well as make an announcement about video with The Alabama Take's podcasts (0:55).Then he gives a good suggestion on how not to rely on social media for the podcast (4:02).After that break, Blaine reveals his top five shows of the year in a random order (4:34) which includes Marvel's 'Wonder Man,' 'The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,' and more.For more from The Alabama Take, click here.For the newsletter from The Alabama Take, click here.
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TV's Dark Corners: 'Euphoria,' 'Beef,' 'Half Man,' and More
Apr 2800:55:26Tap to summarizeIn this week's episode, host Blaine welcomes everyone with an introduction and overview of the weekly show (0:02).To begin, Blaine and co-host Donovan discuss where listeners can see Adam on tour (0:59).Then the TV discussions begin with non-spoilers on why 'Euphoria' is struggling to make a connection (2:34), yet something as dark as 'Beef' and its second season is thrilling (8:34). After that, Blaine explains without spoilers how 'Half Man' is not for the faint at heart (12:26). He and Donovan discuss the seventh episode of 'Rooster' on HBO and the new Netflix series 'This is a Gardening Show,' both of which are exciting and pleasant (16:16).To begin spoilers, they discuss 'Beef' from Netflix and its first four episodes (21:36) before wrapping with 'Rooster' and its seventh.For more, visit The Alabama Take.To sign up for the newsletter, visit the link here.
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'Euphoria' Disappoints, Promising Shows, and 'DTF St. Louis' Finale,
Apr 2100:54:34Tap to summarizeThis week as usual, Blaine gives an overview of the podcast episode to begin (0:02).From there, he and Donovan begin the non-spoiler section with Adam's absence and where to see his band Sister Ray Davies on tour in the U.K. (0:50).After those notes, the hosts discuss what has. happened to 'Euphoria' as it gets off to a bad start (2:39). Then it's a brief conversation on why sites cover reality TV and what they think of it (9:37). Then it's a list of television shows this week and next week which all sound promising, some of which they'll cover (12:47).Continuing ideas and thoughts in non-spoilers, they discuss whether they'd recommend 'DTF St. Louis' from HBO (21:42) and general thoughts on 'Rooster' and its sixth episode (26:43).In spoilers, they break down why 'DTF St. Louis' worked or didn't (28:52) as well as what made 'Rooster' and its sixth episode a decent, but not great, one (48:41).For more, visit The Alabama Take. For the newsletter from the site, click this link to sign up.
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