Episode · Audio + Video

Talkin' Wonka's The Golden Ticket

Still Talkin'

September 25, 2026 · 41 min

Josh and Robb bought the hype, found the golden ticket, and somehow wound up with a notebook full of complaints.In this bonus episode, they take a spoiler-filled trip through Netflix’s Wonka’s The Golden Ticket—a reality competition with spectacular sets, suspiciously camera-ready contestants,…

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Show notes

Josh and Robb bought the hype, found the golden ticket, and somehow wound up with a notebook full of complaints.

In this bonus episode, they take a spoiler-filled trip through Netflix’s Wonka’s The Golden Ticket—a reality competition with spectacular sets, suspiciously camera-ready contestants, an AI Gene Wilder voice, celebrity cameos by webcam, and enough production tricks to make the chocolate river look restrained. The frustrating part? It gets incredibly close to being a genuinely great show.

They break down the overproduced golden-ticket reveals, the missing real-world Wonka bars, the strange contestant pairings, the giant gumball disappearance effect, the Wonka-Vator, and the impressive practical magic that kept them watching five episodes in one sitting.

Come with us into a world of pure overproduction.

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[SPEAKER_01]: Suckers, still, talkin'

[SPEAKER_01]: All right, this is sort of a precedent setting episode for a relatively young podcast that we would be so work literally worked up yesterday that by a TV show by a TV show that you haven't even watched him hadn't even watched yet.

[SPEAKER_01]: But my initial hatred and vitriol towards the show made you want to watch it.

[SPEAKER_01]: it is sort of, but did he was your eagerness to watch the show based at all in the fact that I was so angry about it?

[SPEAKER_00]: No, no, in fact, I had the eagerness already.

[SPEAKER_00]: We had the trailer a couple months ago.

[SPEAKER_00]: Right.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love Charlie and the chocolate factory.

[SPEAKER_00]: I love the original so much.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: All right.

[SPEAKER_00]: decommersial trailer did such a good job of setting the scene, right?

[SPEAKER_00]: You're actually in the factory that I was all in at that point.

[SPEAKER_01]: All right.

[SPEAKER_01]: So we're talking about now I'm we're talking about the show and let me get the title right.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's Wonka's The Golden Ticket.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now the problem here, first off.

[SPEAKER_01]: Well, can I first off say,

[SPEAKER_01]: It is the kind of show that I did sit and watch five episodes.

[SPEAKER_01]: I really couldn't turn it off.

[SPEAKER_01]: My wife and I went to bed.

[SPEAKER_01]: I did the same.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay.

[SPEAKER_00]: I couldn't not.

[SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't not watch it.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is so close to being a good show.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it really does, it gets very close.

[SPEAKER_01]: It does.

[SPEAKER_00]: It gets close and it's, I don't know where you want to start and where you want to, how you want to go through this because there are so many good things that they really.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yep, that's the thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's like driving to the beach, but stopping at like Sal'sbury.

[SPEAKER_01]: You just don't quite get there.

[SPEAKER_01]: Right.

[SPEAKER_00]: But have you watched the, or also on Netflix?

[SPEAKER_00]: Have you watched the reality show, the squid game reality show?

[SPEAKER_01]: No, because I didn't like the whole squid game thing anyway.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I'll tell him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, but that's it.

[SPEAKER_00]: But I've watched it.

[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't like squid game, but I've watched the squid game reality show and I've enjoyed it.

[SPEAKER_00]: This show is clearly edited in that style.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so we're talking about Wonka's, the golden ticket, and I actually did something I very seldom do.

[SPEAKER_01]: I rely on this steel trap a lot, which is probably why I'm where I am professionally.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I actually took note, looks Josh.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you can see this, it says Wonka knows.

[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, exactly.

[SPEAKER_01]: I got up my phone and took notes, and I know we don't do a lot of high production on these bonus episodes, but let's go ahead and let's give this a start, shall we?

[SPEAKER_01]: I, oh, here we go.

[SPEAKER_02]: Now count the three, come with me and you be in a world of pure imagination.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now that is Lou Rawls singing the song from the original movie, but for years on DMS we said it was Barack Obama singing it, which is to be still a killer gag.

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so when you tuned it in,

[SPEAKER_01]: What was your first take?

[SPEAKER_01]: And what was your first complaint or comment?

[SPEAKER_00]: Because I had one straight off.

[SPEAKER_00]: Well, let me check my wanker notes that are also on my phone.

[SPEAKER_00]: And I would just...

[SPEAKER_01]: It took one, it said it's great.

[SPEAKER_00]: I have, well, I gave up after two notes.

[SPEAKER_00]: OK, well, I didn't.

[SPEAKER_01]: Suckers, still, talkin' [SPEAKER_01]: All right, this is sort of a precedent setting episode for a relatively young podcast that we would be so work literally worked up yesterday that by a TV show by a TV show that you haven't even watched him hadn't even watched yet. [SPEAKER_01]: But my initial hatred and vitriol towards the show made you want to watch it. [SPEAKER_01]: it is sort of, but did he was your eagerness to watch the show based at all in the fact that I was so angry about it? [SPEAKER_00]: No, no, in fact, I had the eagerness already. [SPEAKER_00]: We had the trailer a couple months ago. [SPEAKER_00]: Right. [SPEAKER_00]: I love Charlie and the chocolate factory. [SPEAKER_00]: I love the original so much. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: All right. [SPEAKER_00]: decommersial trailer did such a good job of setting the scene, right? [SPEAKER_00]: You're actually in the factory that I was all in at that point. [SPEAKER_01]: All right. [SPEAKER_01]: All right. [SPEAKER_01]: So we're talking about now I'm we're talking about the show and let me get the title right. [SPEAKER_01]: It's Wonka's The Golden Ticket. [SPEAKER_01]: Now the problem here, first off. [SPEAKER_01]: Well, can I first off say, [SPEAKER_01]: It is the kind of show that I did sit and watch five episodes. [SPEAKER_01]: I really couldn't turn it off. [SPEAKER_01]: My wife and I went to bed. [SPEAKER_01]: I did the same. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: I couldn't not. [SPEAKER_01]: I couldn't not watch it. [SPEAKER_00]: It is so close to being a good show. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, it really does, it gets very close. [SPEAKER_01]: It does. [SPEAKER_00]: It gets close and it's, I don't know where you want to start and where you want to, how you want to go through this because there are so many good things that they really. [SPEAKER_01]: Yep, that's the thing. [SPEAKER_01]: It's like driving to the beach, but stopping at like Sal'sbury. [SPEAKER_01]: You just don't quite get there. [SPEAKER_01]: Right. [SPEAKER_00]: But have you watched the, or also on Netflix? [SPEAKER_00]: Have you watched the reality show, the squid game reality show? [SPEAKER_01]: No, because I didn't like the whole squid game thing anyway. [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I'll tell him. [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry, but that's it. [SPEAKER_00]: But I've watched it. [SPEAKER_00]: I didn't like squid game, but I've watched the squid game reality show and I've enjoyed it. [SPEAKER_00]: This show is clearly edited in that style. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so we're talking about Wonka's, the golden ticket, and I actually did something I very seldom do. [SPEAKER_01]: I rely on this steel trap a lot, which is probably why I'm where I am professionally. [SPEAKER_01]: But I actually took note, looks Josh. [SPEAKER_01]: If you can see this, it says Wonka knows. [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, exactly. [SPEAKER_01]: I got up my phone and took notes, and I know we don't do a lot of high production on these bonus episodes, but let's go ahead and let's give this a start, shall we? [SPEAKER_01]: I, oh, here we go. [SPEAKER_02]: Now count the three, come with me and you be in a world of pure imagination. [SPEAKER_01]: Now that is Lou Rawls singing the song from the original movie, but for years on DMS we said it was Barack Obama singing it, which is to be still a killer gag. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, so when you tuned it in, [SPEAKER_01]: What was your first take? [SPEAKER_01]: And what was your first complaint or comment? [SPEAKER_00]: Because I had one straight off. [SPEAKER_00]: Well, let me check my wanker notes that are also on my phone. [SPEAKER_00]: And I would just... [SPEAKER_01]: It took one, it said it's great. [SPEAKER_00]: I have, well, I gave up after two notes. [SPEAKER_00]: OK, well, I didn't. [SPEAKER_00]: You went, did you want my first negative? [SPEAKER_01]: No, just your very first thing. [SPEAKER_00]: first thing is all these stars are actors. [SPEAKER_00]: They are so produced that if they're not actors they have someone in their ear to get the reaction shot the cameras won't. [SPEAKER_01]: Now, let me counter that with this. [SPEAKER_01]: And again, if you have not watched at least the first episode of Wonka's The Golden Ticket. [SPEAKER_01]: By the way, the problem with the title, it should either be Wonka's Golden Ticket, [SPEAKER_01]: or Wonka colon, the golden ticket. [SPEAKER_01]: Wonka's the golden ticket is automatically and also just phonetically wrong. [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't sound right. [SPEAKER_00]: But it starts with them opening up chocolates and finding the golden tickets. [SPEAKER_00]: We're doing six cameras with a six camera set. [SPEAKER_00]: And backstory for each opening of the chocolate thing. [SPEAKER_01]: Did you enjoy the, uh, the cameo from the now appears to be 80 years old Charlie Peter Ostrom? [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, I did not realize he was the guy that said the original Charlie is he. [SPEAKER_01]: I think he's a veterinarian now is the guy who said not this time Wonka But he's one of the guy That was okay, but they have an original in Palupa. [SPEAKER_01]: I do do it and he's like 80 But he's not doing any heavy in Palupa lifting now and he hasn't taken the makeup off in five years [SPEAKER_01]: I, my complaint is this, we were sort of on at the very beginning of this month ago when they started promoting it. [SPEAKER_01]: Why did we not know about the distribution of the Wonka bars? [SPEAKER_01]: Why did we never see a Wonka bar? [SPEAKER_01]: Obviously, these are all American contestants, but this film is, this show is shot in Australia. [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, I researched it. [SPEAKER_01]: And are we to believe? [SPEAKER_01]: that Netflix, the source of all things wonderful, actually built like a walk-up lane and dropped them with parachutes. [SPEAKER_01]: Is that how they distributed them? [SPEAKER_00]: Problem. [SPEAKER_00]: It is the magic of movie making. [SPEAKER_00]: Okay. [SPEAKER_00]: And to reality shows. [SPEAKER_00]: Now also, because sorry, but if if a real [SPEAKER_00]: I think did this and you weren't, we've seen American Idol or whatever contestants get to call that they're gonna be on the show and take crappy video, right? [SPEAKER_00]: Or it's like a, or even the NFL draft. [SPEAKER_00]: It's the one camera shot with everyone celebrating. [SPEAKER_00]: Here they shot it like a movie where they did part of their cast and had to be, can you act? [SPEAKER_01]: And Maya, and if you go on IMDB, some of them have acting credits. [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, and then the frizzy one, what's her name? [SPEAKER_01]: Kayla, is it that the one that has the in effect of father? [SPEAKER_01]: And she's very, very manipulative. [SPEAKER_01]: She's been on the X files. [SPEAKER_01]: She's got like four motion picture credits. [SPEAKER_00]: No, no surprise there because it's also clear that at one point, I thought there was just like, [SPEAKER_01]: eight contestants and there's like 20 because they go way heavy on the one set of good actors yeah and they have everyone has a partner now i do think there by the way my first one can note is and i quote how did these people get golden tickets and why were their video cameras on site when they got the golden tickets exactly i'm glad we're on the same page there but at the same time my next note is three million dollars is a decent price [SPEAKER_01]: $3 million is a decent price, but if you spread it over 30 years, it's no big deal. [SPEAKER_00]: If they only have to show it, it's $100,000 a year. [SPEAKER_00]: That's for 30 years. [SPEAKER_00]: That's a big deal for everybody. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay. [SPEAKER_01]: If Walker, whoever is running this is smart enough, they get the $3 million put it in some sort of an investment and you make more than that back while you're waiting to pay 100,000 a year to these, but beyond that. [SPEAKER_00]: Yes, I get that part. [SPEAKER_00]: But for the contestant, it's a decent [SPEAKER_01]: the actors that they hired. [SPEAKER_01]: I think that in every pair there is an actor, but in many pairs, the partner is not an actor. [SPEAKER_01]: Now, moving ahead. [SPEAKER_01]: Yes. [SPEAKER_01]: Moving ahead. [SPEAKER_01]: And this was my favorite, my favorite plot twist of the entire series. [SPEAKER_01]: And I swear to you, folks, I'm not ruining anything. [SPEAKER_01]: They took care of that for me. [SPEAKER_01]: But when Kayla with the curly hair and her ineffective father, he looks like he's tired or beat up as like rubbing his feet or something. [SPEAKER_01]: And she comes up and says, we have to trust Kyle. [SPEAKER_01]: We have Kyle. [SPEAKER_00]: or tada whatever's name is. [SPEAKER_01]: And then the first thing he does in the next challenge is try to get rid of Kyle. [SPEAKER_01]: And he was totally ignoring his daughter. [SPEAKER_00]: He was ignoring the daughter. [SPEAKER_00]: He even goes to the little confessional chair and says, I went directly at him because she told me that he's our enemy. [SPEAKER_00]: And we have to take him down. [SPEAKER_01]: It is like dealing with a death simple Tim. [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what? [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot of people. [SPEAKER_01]: We talked recently on, uh, still talking about, uh, pro swimmer Ryan Lacky and how stupid he is. [SPEAKER_00]: Nation's dumbest. [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_01]: And there is a thing that Lacky used to do, where he sort of, his resting face was with his mouth open. [SPEAKER_01]: Just a little bit like, like that. [SPEAKER_00]: That's a, there's a few of those guys. [SPEAKER_01]: There's a lot, especially also. [SPEAKER_01]: I know we're all out of order, but did you cheer as I did when the two guys that they said were business partners revealed themselves to be wedding DJs? [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, yes, they tried to set them up as entrepreneurs, but they're wedding DJs and one of them said I have a feeling like we're going into this like we're about to drop a really killer set in a wedding reception and I'm like, that's not how you feel at all you stupid idiot. [SPEAKER_00]: And they, they, they were so, the, like this entire show, the big title with this show is it's overproduced, everything in this show is overproduced, including the cast and they made sure how do we, we need a boyfriend girlfriend so that you can get into that. [SPEAKER_01]: We need brothers, brothers, oh, we need gay brothers. [SPEAKER_00]: We need gay brothers. [SPEAKER_00]: We need an old lesbian couple. [SPEAKER_00]: We need a father daughter. [SPEAKER_00]: Yeah. [SPEAKER_00]: A mixed race father daughter. [SPEAKER_00]: Exactly. [SPEAKER_00]: A mother daughter. [SPEAKER_00]: We need a mother son. [SPEAKER_01]: We they they represent. [SPEAKER_01]: We box. [SPEAKER_01]: We need to represent all races. [SPEAKER_00]: Oh, and of course, we need a kid with his grandpa to represent Charlie. [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, you know what? [SPEAKER_01]: I would absolutely give him the chance to stab the grandpa with a chocolate knife. [SPEAKER_01]: I do not care for him. [SPEAKER_00]: I think he should come back in the show later as an Umpaluma. [SPEAKER_01]: Okay, now also another note. [SPEAKER_01]: If they're going through with this marketing, why was there not a Wonka bar within 100 miles of my home? [SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I mean, I can't even think of it like 7 or 11. [SPEAKER_01]: I have not seen a single Wonka bar golden ticket or not. [SPEAKER_00]: I'll have to keep an eye out. [SPEAKER_01]: Please, now you know the original Wonka bars were made to we're going to be a promotional time with the movie in 1971. [SPEAKER_01]: The producer of the original movie was Quaker Oats, but because Quaker Oats is not a chocolate company. [SPEAKER_01]: They're not chocolate tears. [SPEAKER_01]: The original Wancobar is melted too easy, so they couldn't sell them. [SPEAKER_01]: So t