‘TV’s Top 5’: Maureen Ryan on the Depths of ‘Burn It Down’ (Beyond ‘Lost’); Plus Finale-Mania

Welcome to the 216th episode 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, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

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This week’s episode breaks format a bit in that the breaking news cycle has slowed considerably with the writers strike now entering its second month. This week’s biggest TV talking points were about author Maureen Ryan’s upcoming book, Burn It Down: Power, Complicity and a Call for Change in Hollywood, and the finales of Ted Lasso, Succession, Barry and Yellowjackets. To discuss the series/season finales, Rolling Stone’s chief TV critic Alan Sepinwall joins us for our first four segments as we take a look at each of the finales. With TV’s June Gloom having arrived (the Emmy window has now closed!), we’re ditching this week’s Critic’s Corner and instead featuring an extensive conversation with Ryan about her book, including her reporting about the toxic writers room that existed on ABC’s Lost and other revelations that the industry can brace for when Burn It Down bows June 6.

Here’s how this week’s episode plays out. (And consider this your warning that there are many spoilers in the episode that follows.)

1. Ted Lasso

Was this the season finale of Apple’s Emmy-winning comedy? Because it sure felt like a series ender. This segment features a conversation between Dan, Alan and Lesley about the future of the beloved franchise, its critical hits and misses in what really seemed like its third and final season.

2. Succession

Who wound up taking over Logan Roy’s Iron Throne? That and much more as Alan, Dan and Lesley discuss the conclusion of the HBO hit after its fourth and final season.

3. Barry

Let’s hear it for Friend of the 5 Henry Winkler! In this segment, Dan and Alan discuss the shocking conclusion of the HBO comedy.

4. Yellowjackets

The second-season finale delivered a shocking death but was it the right character? This segment features Alan, Dan and Lesley putting the Showtime drama’s second season under the microscope and the test results are in: It’s an official sophomore slump.

5. Burn It Down preview

Fellow Friend of the 5 Maureen Ryan joins us for a conversation about her upcoming book that will indeed feature more headline-making revelations, her hopes for Hollywood’s path to a solution and much 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 addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.

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