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During this week's podcast, hosts Daniel Fienberg and Lesley Goldberg also explore HBO Max's next creative chapter and review the oddly light February TV calendar.

Welcome to episode 105 ofTV's Top 5,The Hollywood Reporter's TV podcast.

Every week, hostsLesley Goldberg(West Coast TV editor) andDaniel Fienberg(chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executive and other guests and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

This week's five topics are:

1. HBO Max's next creative chapter.After launching in May and undergoing an executive regime change, the streamer posted big gains in its recently wrapped fourth quarter driven by Wonder Woman 1984 and a Roku deal. This segment explores what the subscriber gains mean and how HBO Max is readying for its next creative incarnation, driven by you guessed it! high-profile IP like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter.

2. In memoriam.This segment pays tribute to the late and legendary Cicely Tyson, Cloris Leachman and Larry King and looks at the long-lasting mark they each made in the TV world.

3. February TV preview.Is it just us or does the list of February premieres seem a little lighter than usual? This segment explores if pandemic-related production delays impacted the release schedule as well as how April is slowly but surely becoming the new January.

4. Showrunner Spotlight. Ahead of third season of Showtime's late-night series Desus & Mero, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero join the podcast this week for an interview that's equal parts funny and insightful. The longtime collaborators and friends discuss their December sit-down with Obama and how that helped evolve Desus & Mero and why their show won't return to the studio anytime soon. Season three, which kicks off Sunday, will feature an interview with Stacey Abrams "a victory lap," per Mero as the hosts navigate a new political era.

5. Critic's Corner.As usual, every episode ends with Dan's guide to what to watch (or skip) in the week ahead. This week, he weighs in onThe Investigation, We Are the Brooklyn Saints and The Lady and the Dale.

Hear it all now onTV's Top 5. Be sure tosubscribeto the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag questions you'd like to be addressed in future episodes atTVsTop5@THR.com.

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'TV's Top 5': Desus and Mero on Landing Obama and Their Showtime Evolution - Hollywood Reporter

"For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth," former President Barack Obama said on Wednesday. Obama is seen here in October 2020. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

"For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth," former President Barack Obama said on Wednesday. Obama is seen here in October 2020.

Former President Barack Obama said that the violence that gripped the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday was the unsurprising result of two months of instigation by President Trump and his enablers.

"History will rightly remember today's violence at the Capitol, incited by a sitting president who has continued to baselessly lie about the outcome of a lawful election, as a moment of great dishonor and shame for our nation," Obama said in a statement Wednesday evening. "But we'd be kidding ourselves if we treated it as a total surprise."

"For two months now, a political party and its accompanying media ecosystem has too often been unwilling to tell their followers the truth that this was not a particularly close election and that President-Elect Biden will be inaugurated on January 20. Their fantasy narrative has spiraled further and further from reality, and it builds upon years of sown resentments. Now we're seeing the consequences, whipped up into a violent crescendo," wrote Obama, whose eight-year administration directly preceded Trump's.

Obama also pointed a finger at a larger group of Republicans for their role in inciting the fracas, as many denied for months that Biden was the lawful winner of November's election.

"Right now, Republican leaders have a choice made clear in the desecrated chambers of democracy. They can continue down this road and keep stoking the raging fires. Or they can choose reality and take the first steps toward extinguishing the flames. They can choose America."

Obama said he had been "heartened" to see many Republicans speaking up on Wednesday against the insurrection in the nation's capital Republicans who directly condemned the violence as Trump himself did not.

"Their voices add to the examples of Republican state and local election officials in states like Georgia who've refused to be intimidated and have discharged their duties honorably," Obama said. "We need more leaders like these right now and in the days, weeks, and months ahead as President-Elect Biden works to restore a common purpose to our politics. It's up to all of us as Americans, regardless of party, to support him in that goal."

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Obama: 'A Moment Of Great Dishonor And Shame For Our Nation' But Not A Surprise - NPR

Former President Barack Obama released his new memoir, titled Promised Land, earlier this fall, and he's been doing the interview rounds talking about both the book and his life post-presidency. One of the things he's discussed is how the Obama family does quarantine, and he revealed that at the beginning of the pandemic, his elder daughter Malia's boyfriend Rory Farquharson actually stayed with the family for a few weeks. Warning: The following story has big dad energy!

Obama shared the tale of quarantining with his daughter's main squeeze when he appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast, saying that the initial weeks of staying home presented lots of opportunities for bonding time. I think, [like] a lot of families, we went through that first month where we were playing games every night and doing little arts and crafts projects and then slowly ... they started to get a little bored with us," the former President said. He also shared that his favorite activity in those early weeks was teaching his daughters card games. "Maybe teaching Malia and Sasha, and Malia's boyfriend who was with us for a little while, spades ... and teaching them how to properly trash talk and slam the cards down." (Both Malia and Sasha are in college; Malia attends Harvard, and Sasha attends the University of Michigan.)

According to President Obama, Rory had to stay with them due to obstacles with his visa. "He's British ... wonderful young man, and he was sort of stuck because there was a whole visa thing and he had a job set up," he shared. "So we took him in and I didn't want to like him, but he's a good kid." (Have you ever read anything more "dad" in your life?) "The only thing you discover ... young men eat. It's weird to watch them consume food. My grocery bill went up about 30 percent."

It seems as though the cohabitation with Malia and her folks went well, though, and the family had fun spending time together. "It's a blessing because all the teenage stuff is kind of gone now. They're just back and they love you again and they wanna spend time with you again," Obama said in the interview. Aww! Doesn't that just warm your heart?

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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: Barack Obama Gave Graduating Seniors 3 Key Pieces of Advice

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Barack Obama Revealed That Malia's Boyfriend Quarantined With Their Family - Teen Vogue

President Barack Obama shared his television watchlist, which included some of the years buzziest and award-winning shows.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, where the former POTUS also spoke about the writing process for his latest memoir A Promised Land,Obama revealed that among his favorite shows of the moment are The Boys, The Good Place, Better Call Saul and HBOs Emmy-winning Watchmen.

Better Call Saul, because of its great characters and examination of the dark side of the American dream.The Good Place its a wise and sweet combination of goofy comedy and big philosophical questions. AndWatchmenandThe Boys, for how they turn superhero conventions on their heads to lay bare issues of race, capitalism, and the distorting effects of corporate power and mass media, Obama said, when asked about the television titles that help him relax. Oh, and the NBA playoffs because its hoops!

Not too long after Obama revealed his watch list, cast members and showrunners of the former presidents favorite shows reacted to the praise.

Ummm. You guys? HOLY. SHIT, said The Boys showrunner and creator Eric Kripke on Twitter. Thanks for watching, @BarackObama. If you ever wanna hang out, hit me up in my DMs. (But seriously this is amazing, THANKS for the shout out)

The Boys lead actor Jack Quaid also expressed excitement and pride in President Obamas picks. Antony Starr joined his fellow The Boys team members in celebrating the shout out.

If the boys is good enough for Obamaits good enough, Starr tweeted.

The Good Place star DArcy Carden also shared her reaction to the NBC series being one of the political figures favorite titles of the moment, nothing that The first time I heard @BarackObama liked @nbcthegoodplace I fell to the floor. For real.

Better Call Sauls Bob Odenkirk only shared one word to articulate his feelings on social media: Neat

See the reactions below.

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Barack Obama Reveals The Boys, The Good Place Among Titles In His TV Watchlist - Deadline

Whether he was breaking into an emotional rendition of Amazing Grace or bending over to let a five-year-old touch his hair, theres no doubt that Barack Obama was the coolest president well ever have. And while we know he has excellent taste in partners, every year Obama likes to remind us that his taste in film and TV is also impeccable. The former president has had much more time on his hands since leaving The White House, and hes taken it upon himself to flex his cinephile leanings. This year he expanded his annual top ten list to include film and television, even including a diplomatically worded explanation about the changing nature of the industry.

Like everyone else, we were stuck inside a lot this year, and with streaming further blurring the lines between theatrical movies and television features, Ive expanded the list to include visual storytelling that Ive enjoyed this year, regardless of format, Obama tweeted.

His list included one project from Higher Ground, the production company started by Barack and Michelle Obama in 2018. That was James Lebrecht and Nicole Newnhams Crip Camp, a moving documentary about a summer camp for teens with disabilities, which appeared with an asterisk lest he be accused of favoritism.

On the narrative side, Obama singled out Chlo Zhaos Frances McDormand-starrer Nomadland, David Finchers Mank, and the August Wilson adaptation Ma Raineys Black Bottom. Venerated indie distributor Kino Lorber was quick to follow-up with a Tweet thanking the former President for choosing three of its films Beanpole, Bacurau, and Martin Eden all foreign-language features that have landed on many film critics top ten lists.

Obamas TV picks are just as on point, with Michaela Coels groundbreaking I May Destroy You getting some much-deserved love. Obama also enjoys some old standbys like Better Call Saul and The Good Place. Unsurprisingly for a basketball fan, ESPNs Michael Jordan docu-series The Last Dance also made the list.

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Barack Obamas Favorite Films of the Year Include Nomadland, Mank, and Time - IndieWire