Primetimer's Mark Blankenship returns to his eponymous chair to talk about Dear Edward, an adaptation of a 2020 book that most of the panel found manipulative and stilted -- but others thought was moving and sweet. Does the show's success depend on what mood you're in when you sit down to watch? Why can't writers' rooms get middle-grade children's dialogue right? And how's Connie Britton's hair? After addressing these critical questions, we went Around The Dial with Not Dead Yet, Ghosts, and Buntsy's Cheers and Frasierrewatches. We took a quick break from the extended Crane-verse to hear Tomke out on why Bake Off hosts have lost their authority; then Sarah hoped to send the eighth season of Cheers out on a high note with her Canon presentation of the finale. Triplets won, TV news lost, and a Non-Regulation Game Time. Return your eye tables to the up-rolled position: it's an all-new Extra Hot Great!

👤 Mark Blankenship

Lead Topic: ✈️ Dear Edward

Around The Dial: 🪦 Not Dead Yet

Around The Dial: 👻 Ghosts (2021)

Around The Dial: 🍻 Cheers

Around The Dial: 🛋️ Frasier

I Am Not A Crackpot: 🥮 GBBO Judges

The Canon: 🍻 Cheers S08.E26 + E27: Cry Hard + Cry Harder

Winner & Loser: 👍 Three Identical Strangers

Winner & Loser: 👎 Network News Creeps

Game Time: 🎶 Tube Tunes XII

🗒 Full episode notes can be found on the episode 445 page on ExtraHotGreat.com

🐦 Mark Blankenship on Twitter

🎵 Mark at The Lost Songs Project

🛩️ Linda Holmes's review of Dear Edward at NPR

🍆 Tara's Pamela Ribon interview at GQ.com

🎶 Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs on Patreon

📷 Photo: Apple TV+