Leonard And Hungry Paul, The Forsytes, and The Ridge. With guests Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy

27:33And have you taken the opportunity to become friends with him? Because he feels like the best person to get to know. It's weird. You never should meet your heroes. And Bill, I had ridiculously high expectations. he couldn't possibly meet. And he actually exceeds them all. He's more wonderful than you think he is. He is a dear friend. I love spending every moment with him. He elevated the show, not just on screen, but when he's there. Every cast, every crew, every person that he came in contact with felt better when Bill was there. He's a kind man as well. Very, very funny. He's kind of what you want him to be, which is just hard to be Bill Nye, I think.

28:12Absolutely. with those expectations. I've read that he's a fan of your books, though. That's how he agreed to do it right away. I didn't know that beforehand, but it was really quite an honour. That is wonderful. Yeah, fantastic. Well, congratulations on the show. Thank you so much. And all those twists. Extraordinary. Oh, thanks, man. Thank you. Thanks, Harlan. Okay, that was Boyd and Harlan Coben. Do we have time for a listener question? That is my question to you, Kay. Why not? Why not? I don't have an answer for it. Kay says, fuck it. Let's do it. I'm going to ask it. Okay. So, this is from Stephen, who says, what's the furthest you've ever watched a show and still not finished it?

28:47I asked because I got two skeletons in my streaming closet. First, The Walking Dead. I made it all the way to season nine, survived countless zombies standoffs and then just stopped. No finale, no closure, just a slow fade into the apocalypse. And then second, The Witcher. I've watched every monster, every brooding bathtub scene, every confusing timeline twist and yet I've got two episodes left in season three and I just can't bring myself to finish them. It's like the show cast a spell of meh and I said I'm stuck in limbo. Wow. So I'm curious, what's the longest TV commitment that ended in abandonment?

29:20Bonus points if it was a show that you liked but still couldn't cross the finish line. Yours in half-finished binges, Stephen. I mean, Mr. Robot was one that we talked about a lot because we jumped into season four on Pilot Plus but that was one where I watched three seasons of it and then when season four came around I just went, nah. I was like, I'm done. I'm out. Sorry. And I just didn't. How many series of C were there in the end? Not enough, Boydie. Not. E. Nuff. I don't think I went back and finished. I definitely didn't finish C. And I watched quite a lot of it. Well, and that's your loss, really, isn't it?

29:53It is my loss. Yeah. But was it? Genuinely, was there three series? I think it was three. Yeah. Yeah. That's a candidate for me. I did enjoy it, but yeah, didn't have enough. Didn't have enough wank praying for Boydie. Too much James. Not enough wank praying. Did I put you off the show? James put me off. James was obsessed with it so much. I loved it so much. It became a negative. Obsessed with the wank prank? Yeah. Specifically, and see the programme in general. Yeah, what else? Kind of a bit of The Walking Dead for me as well, actually. When did you bail? What season did you bail? I think I bailed season three.

30:28Well, that's not... It didn't go very far. No, that's not true. What was the one that ended up with the baseball bat? Well, that's Negan. I want to say six. Oh, God. Well, I probably dipped in and out, but I did watch six I did watch most of six I had to because I had a session before at the end of the TV just to look all that oh my god so I had to do a quick catch up get in with the zomsies yeah yeah yeah but I didn't go back I didn't finish it you know definitely I didn't finish The Walking Dead Grey's Anatomy I did eight years of oh wow I did eight seasons of Grey's Anatomy before bailing and that's like what 13 or something I want to say it was eight I can tell you exactly when I bailed it was the musical episode remember there's a plane crash and a whole thing happens and then they have a musical episode and I watched that and I was like, nope.

31:09I am done. I am out. Goodbye. And that was it. Yeah. I don't really have an answer because I tend to finish the things that I really love. So I did start Grey's and I haven't continued. Yeah, I don't think you've missed an awful lot. No. And also now it's because there's so many seasons. I'm like, oh God, it's almost like... Do you know what? I did it with ER as well. I'm just thinking about that. I think it's ER. Long-running medical job. Yeah, ER had what? How many? Was it 12? I want to say 12, something like that. I don't know about that. I think I watched like 10, maybe possibly even 11. I didn't watch the last season, I know that, but I watched the finale because I had no interest.

31:45Did you finish House? No, no. House, I've literally only seen about four episodes of. Oh, you've got to go back to that. Come on. No, because I know it's too episodic. You know I go in high procedurals like that. Do you know what? Just get over it. Just get over that aspect. It bores me. I need connective tissue. There is connective tissue running through the whole thing as well. Yeah, but there always is, but it's always quite slight, isn't it? No, no, no. In these kind of episodic procedurals. No, it's not. there's some brilliant episodes that are absolutely all about his relationship between the you know his best mate and his boss also his addiction addiction yeah yeah yeah what's the woman's name?

32:16yeah I can't remember obviously clearly very memorable E something Caddy no I can't remember is it? something like that anyway we don't know but no I didn't I didn't finish that or really even start it if I'm honest with you I would urge you to go back to that so anyway that was Stephen that's our there are sort of half finished answers but I think I think it's that it's that kind of like poker's folly thing, isn't it? Where it's good money after bad. Where, you know, you think, oh, I've put this much in, I've invested this much, so now I must invest more. And actually, I do think, like, when a show loses you, just bail.

32:48You were like that recently with something you were telling us. What did you finish watching? You were like, oh, I really didn't want to, but I just completed it anyway. Yeah, I may have done that, so I'm just not taking my own advice. I think if, like, it's like a short number of episodes, you think, well, fine, if there's only one more episode. But, like, when it's like, it's going to be an ongoing concern and you're potentially pouring There's so much good TV, I don't think there's any excuse for watching mediocre TV. Cuddy was the... Cuddy, that's it. Not Caddy. Wilson, Cuddy. Cuddy, was that their line of duty?

33:18The Cuddy. The Caddy, yes. The Caddy, I thought. Anyway, God, I'm just like... Oh yeah, the Caddy... No, that's correct. I'm mixing all my TV shows now. Caddy was the line of duty indeed. Okay, good. Well, that was a question. If you would like to send in your question, the address is pilotTV at empiremagazine.com. Yes, and I would ask for first-time emailers as well. for you to also get in touch because we had some the other day and I thought, actually, it's quite nice. We're recruiting more people. Yeah, chuck us an email. You don't even need to be on social media. Just chuck us an email. Yes, and James has taken everyone's pleas seriously and has put the information in the show notes.

33:53Yes, it is. It actually is. It's in the Pilot Plus show notes. It's not in these show notes. So if you don't subscribe to Pilot Plus, you probably can't see them. But that's fine. Should we have some news? Yes. Should we begin with some stealth news? Mm-hmm. and that is that in a classic Apple way they have rebranded to you and Apple TV and that was completely unexpected but they didn't announce it they just put out a press release for F1 which was obviously in cinemas but has now come because it's an Apple film it's now come to Apple TV the streaming service and throughout that press release they referred to it as Apple TV and not Apple TV Plus and that was their way of saying we've now rebranded our channel to be the same name as our device on the one hand sure you know simplify it and it's going to spare me loads every single week when I'm looking at proofs for my TV pages I have to put in the plus because people get it wrong and that's probably aimed at me mostly okay but at the same time it's confusing because the actual hardware thing you use to stream stuff to your TV is called Apple TV and Apple TV's TV offering in general is called Apple TV as well as its you know its originals so So it makes sense.

35:06Yeah, sure. It's simplified. But it's weird. Because it is, isn't it? It's like you've got Apple TV, the device. You've got Apple TV, the ecosystem. And then Apple TV Plus was the subscription tier for the original programming. Yeah, things called Plus all the time. Paramount Plus. So now you've got three different things all called Apple TV. Apple TV. And it's baffling, but it's still nowhere near as confusing as the Uint drama thing. Or, I'll be honest, the rebranding of Now TV to Now, which was equally silly. Indeed. But I do want to know if there was a budget for me. Oh, of course there was.

35:33Do you know what? There would have been someone paid an excursionate amount of money. Just got them, crossed the plus off. Just like rub it out. But no, but the point Jamie's made, which was true, they didn't even announce it. They just didn't mention the plus in their press release. But that looks like it could be a mistake. No, I think someone, some heroic figure, somewhere in the Apple organization, which let's face it is literally the richest organization in the world, when they probably went, you know, let's rebrand it to just Apple, Apple TV, let's drop the plus. And everyone went, yeah, that's a good idea.

35:59Let's spend eight gazillion dollars telling everyone. and Tom once said and probably just went no no no we don't need to do that just drop it just drop it and that's what they've done do you know what they should do with that money they saved they should invest and sponsor us and we will talk to we will constantly remind everyone that it's now Apple TV give me a new laptop and a new iPhone yeah just basically meet all of boys demands I just wouldn't mind a phone that works and yeah we're all sorted James will love an iPad I'm sure oh sure give me all the stuff they actually announced a new iPad the other day did they?

36:29yeah a new M5 iPad Pro at the moment it feels like we are sponsored but we're not getting paid so let's move on. Okay, some news from me is oh, Inbetweeners reboot news. Yeah, that's the news of the week, isn't it? Yes, so the show's creators Damon Beasley and Ian Morris have confirmed that their production company Fudge Park have secured a partnership with Banerjee UK which paves the way for the return of their hit comedy title apparently so a lot of fans will be excited about that. The sitcom first aired in 2008 and obviously became a cultural phenomenon, spawning, guess how many series, James?

37:07Inbetweeners? Yep, don't look it up. Three. Okay, and two films. Yes. Three series and two. I've seen every episode of the Inbetweeners, if you can believe that. I can't. It's not really my sense of humour. Have you said this before? It's one of the comedies you have actually enjoyed and watched. No, well, so enjoyed is a generous term. I definitely, it's decent, I like it, but the cringeness means I don't think I enjoy it. I endure it. Then why have you watched three series of these? I don't know. And how were you able to endure that whereas you can't endure the chair company? Do you know what I mean?

37:36I think there are degrees of friend shymen. And I think in between us, it's definitely present, but it's not as excruciating. Is it also because you could relate? To being one of the in-betweeners? Yes, absolutely. Yeah, fine. What's mad about this story is I've interviewed various cast members of the in-betweeners down the years. Simon Bird? Mainly Simon Bird, to be fair, because he's now a very successful director of TV comedy. He's directed loads of great stuff. I remember the last time I interviewed him, which I think was probably for this podcast, actually, thinking, I can't ask him. I cannot ask him about the Inbetweeners reunion, you know, even though it's always the thing.

38:14Do you know what I mean? There are certain shows that have the elephant in the room question about them, which is always, are you going to do another thing? Like Sherlock. If anyone ever interviews, you know, Martin Freeman, I'm going to come about. Yeah, you're like, I can't bring myself to us, even though everyone wants to really do want to know. Even Line of Duty, still not confirmed that there's going to be another series even though all the actors now are like hinting so heavily they will be and that's what Jeremy Curio is working on seeing Jeremy Curio next week by the way can you ask him no can you get that you would be too scared I'm totally too scared but this was like that in between us I was like no it's not true it'll be like a story in the paper you know that they've rustled up from a nonsensical interview that the podcast they're trying to promote because the two of the actors have got a podcast together now okay so I just didn't think it was a story then you look into it and Variety's reporting as you read out that it's actually really is seemingly Well that quote was from the creators so it's happening You've got to accept it now Boyd Your dreams have come in reality I don't think it's been accompanied by quotes from the cast I haven't seen a Simon Bird I want to see a Simon Bird quote about this thing before I even fully believe it's going to happen A Simon Bird in the hand of course being worth two in the bush Exactly Boyd's bushel You know in theory it's mad right because you know It was them in sixth form.

39:31It was their school students. They're now in their 40s or whatever. What are they going to do? And also, how are they going to bring them together? The film was sent them off as adaptation sequels usually due to on holidays, basically. And they were both massively successful. Maybe it's about them as middle-aged men now. Well, it has to be, right? Coping with domesticity. Yeah, I guess. But do we want to see that? Isn't the joy of the show? I'm not, you know, I'm not being, I'm not, I don't want to rain on the parade. It sounds like you're poo-pooing it. I'm not poo-pooing officially. But I'm intrigued.

40:05And I love, I love Damon and Ian are brilliant. And they will come up with something that works, I'm sure. But let's face it, the films were so successful. And the show ended up being such a mega huge hit. It's one of those things that grew and grew and grew as it went on. By the time the third series came along, it was like one of the biggest things on TV. You know, it almost feels inevitable that you've got, everything gets rebooted in the end, doesn't it? that's that successful and clearly that's what's happening. There's actually a line in one of the first, I think it's the second episode of Blue Lights where, which felt to me like an in-betweeners reference when he says to me, he says, don't be a notebook wanker.

40:39Nobody likes a notebook wanker. Oh, definitely. And I thought, that's an in-betweeners reference. Bus wanker has become like a... Well, it was briefcase wanker was the first one, wasn't it? It started with briefcase wanker but there was also bus wanker. Yeah, yeah. Just wanker. Just the word wanker has somehow been co-opted by the in-betweeners. Yeah. By the way, the thing that I think you interviewed Simon Bird for was Everyone Else Burns. 100 % correct. Yes, you're right. No, I'd like to be here to fill in the gaps. In my memory, as I reached the middle Z. Yes, no, it was absolutely for that, yeah, and he did a great job.

41:10Clearly more important, there's Bosch news. Oh, is there? Yes, there is Bosch news. Another spinoff? No, yes, yes, there's another spinoff. Bosch is never going to die, though. It is Bosch's start of watch, and it's a prequel. Wait, start of watch? and it is a prequel Bosch origin story which has Cameron Monaghan as young Harry Bosch. Cameron Monaghan who I believe is in Shameless but is most famous to people I think as Cal Kestis from the from the Star Wars video games. Oh my god. Best of those people from the oh yeah definitely Kay. That's right. Kay knows him as Cal Kestis. Yeah that's how we all know him.

41:45Oh Cali that's how I know him. That's right. Yeah. But yes he's going to be playing young Bosch. There was another spin-off recently, wasn't there, that was terrible? So that was Ballard. Well, some people are saying it's quite good. I didn't get on with it. Not from that first episode. I thought it was so networky, I couldn't get on with it at all. James Dyer. Yeah, and for me to bail on a Bosch is no small thing. For you even to be able to say it's no small thing. Right, I bailed on Bosch. Now, will I come back to Bosch? See, to me, Titus Welliver is Bosch. I'm not sure there's a Bosch that I'm interested in that doesn't have Titus in it.

42:19Titus, a fan of basic binges, lest we forget. Yes, yes, absolutely. Legendarily so. Yeah. Anyway, but James is shaking his head because I mentioned the TV. Unbelievable. Hey, look, you know, I have Titus's, he's in my contacts, but I've got his phone number. I can call him now on the phone and ask him. What's the last message you sent him? I don't want to talk about it. I love you. I love Bosh. Yes, I do that. Every Saturday night. It's amazing he hasn't blocked me. I just send him a message just saying how much I like Bosh. What was the trailer of the week? Is that a rhetorical question? It is rhetorical.

42:54Right, okay. I'll tell you. Tell me. It is Amadeus. Yes! Amadeus. Yes! This is the TV drama version of the Amadeus play and film, I guess. You legally have to point out it's an adaptation of the play, not the film. Exactly. There was a film called Amadeus, you may have heard of it, but this is the full-on, in-depth version with the great Will Sharp as Mozart and Paul Bettany as Salieri. And it's written by friend of the pod. Joe Barton Mr Barton and I thought this trailer looked fantastic I'm fully there for it when's it out brilliant film do you know what did it actually say when it was out December December oh do you know what that is a lovely birthday treat for us in our birthday month our collective birthday month it is maybe even for Christmas as well in time for Christmas as well nice but I know that having hosted the Sky showcase event at Edinburgh TV Festival this year with all the Sky bigwigs Philogica Jones etc heads of content legend indeed that this is they're really excited about it they're talking about how brilliant it is and how this is their big big event TV kind of thing almost like once or twice a year where they go down something this kind of lavish and sumptuous and exciting so yeah I'm excited about that and not to skip over that exciting news in Barton News do we have a date for Black Doves please?

44:12No have they even filmed it yet? No I know I want a real timeline given to us I need it having already consumed the new Slow Horses I need I need another Black Doves that itch needs scratching I need more black doves you know when I said last week when The Last Frontier and I didn't get that really easy spot thing and I said I just like stuff to wash over me that black doves slow horses they're the two shows that I'm like has my full attention and I want to work everything out before it comes on like the next scene because I want to see if I can I think they've only just been filming black doves god damn it Joe speed up okay fine alright I just wondered if you had some intel does this mean that I can be legitimately furious at Amadeus because it is what has delayed Black Doves for me.

44:53Oh, that would be... Would that be small movies? That would be churlish and toastly on brand. Yeah, exactly. Exactly, that's true. God damn it. Yes. Fucking Mozart. Wow. Look, we buried the lead, obviously. Go on. Go on. There's a very exciting TV show coming in December. It is a six-part behind-the-scenes documentary of Taylor Swift's Ears Tour. Yes. It has been announced. It's very exciting. As well as the final night of the Ears Tour, which is in Vancouver, that's going to go out so we're going to get the newer version of the Irris tour and a six part documentary James I ask you to consider the listener who got in touch to say that you bollocked on too much about Taylor this is not me bollocking on I think you'll find this is legitimate TV news as reported by many reputable outlets which platform?

45:38it's going to be on Disney Plus okay I'm furious at Disney for making this I mean come on she's milking it isn't she? I don't know I want six hopefully hour long episodes I'm sure you do that we can review on this podcast. No, no, no. Oh, yes. Hey, hey, you didn't do the Taylor documentary on Channel 4, did we? Yeah. So I have earned the right to do this one. Look how he's, it's like as if that was a gift to me. Usually you'd hate, like, a documentary on Channel 4. Right, okay, if that's open, that kind of words, I'll be presenting more Channel 4 documentaries. Okay, sure. Yeah, we do. We're playing that game.

46:11Anything else in news? Yes, there is the exciting news of a split spin-off show. I can't wait for this. Called The Split Up. See what they've done there? Yep. It's got a great cast. Ritu Aria, Sanjeev Bhaskar, friend of the pod. Yeah. Sometime listening. I don't know if he still listens week in, week out. I think he might have drifted away after you slagged off Sandman. I knew you were going to say that. I was late to the Sandman party. He was very good in Sandman. Yes. But he did listen to that. Aria Nick, Shanini Pyrus, Danny Ashok, Dimitri Leonardis, etc. Mohan Rizwan's in it. Yes. Another friend of the pod.

46:49Lenny Henry's in it. Jane Horrocks is in it. This is so exciting. I love the split. So that was the Nicola Walker drama, Abby Morgan, fantastic creation about divorce lawyers. And this is also about divorce lawyers, right? It is, yes. We're thrilled to announce the cast, blah, blah, blah. Set in Manchester. Yeah, it's a six-part legal drama with story and characters created by Ursula Rani-Sama, based on the split itself, of course. And it's set in the world of Manchester's high net worth divorce circuit. Oh, brilliant. And also, crucially, a powerhouse British South Asian family firm taking a lot of my boxes bring it on Split Up yes that's what you called sorry I was recapping the name of the show it wasn't like a pronouncement I was like Split Up yeah thank you very much did you know I haven't heard of this project but Variety had an update on it this week that Matthew McFadden of Succession Fame and Elizabeth Banks are in this show together called The Miniature Wife have you heard of it?

47:47no It's literally about how the wife shrinks to miniature science. Yep. Marriage is hard. Honey, I shrunk my wife. Exactly. Another wife becoming invisible. Indeed. Marriage is hard, especially when your partner shrinks to doll size due to a scientific mishap. That is the premise of this show. It sounds a whack. I'm going to say it now. I think I'm out. You can't be out before. Matthew McFadden. I know. I do love him. It's based on a short story by Manuel Gonzalez. I know you're a big fan of his. and Greg Mottola is directing the first episode. He's a good director. He directed the the Elliot comedy you know with Nick Frost and Simon Pegg.

48:25Paul, Paul, thank you. So yeah, but I thought that was a weird project that's done. It's unusual. It's about to be screened and you know. Do you know what? Maybe I'll get back in because I did like The Borrowers. So, fine. Yeah, yeah. It's like The Borrowers for Adults it sounds like. Yeah. A little bit. Okay. Yeah, The Incredible Shrinking Woman. Okay, I'm definitely calling time on you. You're calling time, I can tell. even though there was a Bridgerton trailer, Kate, I thought you might mention it. I didn't see the Bridgerton trailer. No, anyway, just saying. I saw it was out, I didn't watch either.

48:51Oh, it just doesn't care anymore. Well, let's find out if Bill Nighy's watched it, shall we? Because he's our next guest. We've already told you. Slick. There you go. Don't just throw this shit together. Hi, slick Rick. Anyway, yes, we forced Bill Nighy to confront Boyd about Lazarus. Boyd just nearly choked on his juice there, brilliant. Oh, my God. Yeah. And you can find out. You'll see how the listeners, you will appreciate I'm sure how even though I did them separately Harlan Coburn first then Bill Nighy that I spoke to Bill Nighy about what Harlan Coburn had said about him Boydie that's because you're a god damn professional yeah exactly so there's a little narrative between these two so this is in many ways the sequel to the earlier interview yes connective tissue part two if you will exactly yeah there we go Lazarus then this is Boydie versus Bill Nighy Bill Nighy welcome to the Pilot TV podcast how's your day going it's going okay so far so good good we're talking about Harlan Coburn's Lazarus.

49:45Now this strikes me as being quite an interesting sell when you hear about a role and you think, oh yeah, Harlan Coburn, great writer, great concept, but you are playing a dead person. Did that at all have an effect on whether you thought you should take it or not? No, I didn't know I was playing a dead person when I picked up the script. It became clear pretty soon. But I got the first two episodes months before I got the next third and fourth and fifth and sixth. And it was so well put together. And I am a big fan of Harlan Coburn's. I've read most of his books. And I knew it was Sam Coughlin.

50:20And I've worked with, I've been in the same movie as Sam Coughlin before, but we never actually got to act. And that was a plus. And I was keen to do that. And it turned out to be great. So, because Harlan didn't know that you were a fan of his work, I don't think, did he, when he wrote? No, no, I don't think so. No. I mean, nobody probably knew, I mean, you know, unless you ask me. But no, I'm a big, I like, I'm a genre guy, you know, I like, I love the kind of, I love that, the sort of, I'm going to risk a word, the muscular, I shouldn't have, I'm going to risk it. The muscular, I can't even say it.

50:59The muscular, sure, yes. Yeah, you know, I like the kind of rhythm of it, you know, and I like the form. and I read Elmore Leonard and I read various other thriller writers who are great writers. You know, they're not just, it's not just some puzzle that you have to, you know. I mean, in fact, often who did it is kind of not high on the list of priorities. It's what happens along the way and what the characters are doing. You know, they say, you know, they come for the plot and they stay for the characters and it's certainly the case with Harlan because he's very sophisticated in that way and he draws them very particularly and you know who you're talking about and you become invested in them and you recognize them or whatever.

51:45So, yeah, so I'm a big fan of that kind of book. Yeah, because I'm a huge fan as well of his stuff. I'm a huge fan of Harland's books, have been for a long time. And it's the twists, isn't it, as well, I think. He is the master of the twists. How he keeps doing it. I mean, he's written 37 books. most of them if not all of them have been on the New York Times bestseller list and every one has got some twist where you think you got it and on the last page or something he'll hit it and you go and then there'll be another little thing because in this show, in this series, having seen the whole thing it's twist upon twist upon twist I don't think I've ever seen a TV series with this many twists did it feel like the way to you when you were getting the rest of the script?

52:25Yeah, well that was how it happened because I got the first two then it was like, I don't know, two months and I got the third one then another month and I got, you know, it went like that. So, and I was like banging around thinking, well, well, it was obvious she did it. No, she didn't, you know, he did it, he, she, what, you know. So it was, yeah, as you say, it's a mind bender. And Harlan just told me that he wrote for the first time in his whole career as a writer of books and adaptations of his work that he co-creates, he created this character with you in mind. Do you know what was, what was he thinking?

52:58I don't know. I don't know without spoiling everything but I don't know except that it's a marvellous thing to hear you know that someone like Harlan that would ever come to pass and I'm not being cute it just is you know it's a big thing. Most of your scenes in the show are with Sam Claflin in fact maybe all of them almost. No I also work with Kate Ashfield someone I've also worked with before I've worked with both Kate and Sam in other films but I've never really I never got to act with Sam at all. I don't think I was in scenes with Kate, but we never really got to work together, act together.

53:34So it was a first in both cases. And to start with, it struck me that the early scenes where you're interacting with Sam are kind of quite fun in a way. You're being quite sarcastic and witty. But then as it goes on, it gets more and more emotional, I feel like. Do you have a different approach to those big emotional scenes than you do like a normal scene where you're being witty and fun. Yeah, there is something you have to flick. It's not that complicated or sophisticated. There's nothing sort of woo-woo about it, but you do have to focus a little bit before emotional ones. And also before, you know, the hard ones I find are where you're supposed to be charming and witty.

54:12You know, especially if it says in the script, he is charming and witty. You know, then I'm, you know, it's like, oh God, any sense of yourself as amusing leaves the building, or it does with me. But so that I find I have to crank myself up for that in a way that perhaps I don't for the other kind of scenes. But as you say, I mean, it's a roller coaster. And for Sam, I mean, it's a marathon. It's a great achievement on his part. He's in every scene, you know, virtually. And that's months of work. That's like, I don't know, seven, eight, nine months of work. It's an incredible thing to have pulled off.

54:46And when you're playing, you're both kind of father and son. psychologists, psychiatrists, generally people looking into the science of the mind, I guess. Is that an area that interests you anyway? Have you done much research into that kind of thing, or do you just take what's in the script and go for it? I haven't ever really done anything of that kind. No, I haven't. I have no history of psychiatry. Never had any therapy? No, I've never done any therapy. I come from that generation who thinks that... I mean, know it's wrong and I you know I you know I know nearly probably nearly everyone I know goes to a therapist or an analyst or something but I just never got around to it probably because I've been almost certainly because I'm scared because I don't want to know you know I got enough of my plate without finding out why you know why am I a mess well yeah who cares I'm just trying to deal with it but now I'm sure I would probably benefit from going I think just from going to have someone listen, I think.

55:49It's probably, you know. I did go once, years and years and years ago. I went once to a psychiatrist, but I never went back. And I remember being, I was not in great shape, and I remember being so flattered by the fact that he listened to me, even though I was paying him to listen to me. But he listened so attentively and with such respect that I found it almost overwhelming. It was like, you know, and then I didn't go back anymore. I got a job and I left the country. Right, right. Listening, I guess, is the main thing. Yeah. The show is, when you're filming this kind of show, and it's quite an elaborate set, the main set that you're featured in a lot, beautiful looking kind of office, the office place of your character.

56:29When you walk into that set, does that help kind of work, make the whole thing easier? Because it is such a fantastic set. I mean, before, Harlan sent me photographs of my office. He said, you've got to see the office. and I was like, all right. But then I saw The Office. But I always save the set. It's like in a theatre play as well, although it's more difficult. But I leave it till the technical route. I never go on to the… People say, do you want to see the set? I go, no, leave it till I first walk on because I want to use it, the surprise of it and the pleasure of it. I want to use it in the first couple of scenes because, you know, it will inform, hopefully, the way you carry on.

57:05But I was not quite prepared for even when I'd seen photographs because it's the size of a cathedral and it was like walking into Batman or something. It was like, wow, these people are serious. And it does help, although my initial response is, oh no, now I have to be good, because they've obviously worked so hard. But once you process that, once you've dismissed that, it actually helps because it's a great place to do business. And do you watch the show back? Do you watch yourself back? No, no, you can't. No, I wouldn't be able to go to work. I can't bear it. I don't watch anything I'm in. I watched a couple of things when I was young, and it was so distressing that I vowed I would never do it again.

57:47I don't even do ADR to vision now. I finally worked out. Somebody did it for me a few years back. Well, why don't you turn the vision off? Because every actor, even normal actors, the nightmare is ADR, which is additional dialogue recording, where you have to go and lip sync where a dog barked or a plane went over. and you have to look at yourself and it's all ungraded. Everybody looks terrible. And also for me, I have to look at myself, you know, and I never liked looking at myself. Even when I was young and less complicated to look at, I just couldn't bear it. And now I've organized, now I suddenly realized I can just tell them to turn it off and I just do it audio.

58:23Wow. Well, it's well worth watching. If you could get over that, it's great. No, you never have. Fair enough. Cheers, Bill. Thanks so much. My pleasure. Cheers. Thank you very much. Okay. That was Bill Nye and time now for this week's reviews. And we're going to begin with The Foresights. Now, this is a six-part Channel 5 period drama. No, no, wait, stay. Stay with us. Stay with us. Do not, do not switch off the podcast. You are a monster. You really are in dick mode. Monster. It is a six-part Channel 5 period drama. But it's also an adaptation of the novels by John Galsworthy and stars, among others.

58:56Galsworthy? Galsworthy? Galsworthy. I would say Galsworthy. Galsworthy. Okay, there we go. We'll pronounce it that way, shall we? And it stars Millie Gibson, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Davenport, Stephen Moyer, and Tuppence Middleton. He's your favourite. Yeah, loads of great people in that. It is set in late Victorian England and sees lots of posh people being stockbrokers and having arranged marriages and stuff like that. Now, I think this is, and we referenced this a little bit on last week's Pilot Plus, attempting to scratch the Downton itch ever so slightly. So the question is, does it succeed Kay?

59:27I would say it's maybe not in Downton's league, but I would say very much in the Gilded Age that kind of, you know, I think it's sort of it's a good drama and we should say it's written and created by Debbie Horsfield who was the polled up writer and creator so it's got prestige you know, behind it and as you say, I think it ticks a lot of the period drama boxes. It's set in Victorian England as James said, it focuses on the Foresight, a stockbroking family and it's all about the power dynamic of some of those members, like the siblings in particular, played by Stephen Moyet and Jack Davenport.

1:00:02I think it's Moyer. Oh, is it? Yeah. Not like Alison Moyer. Not like Alison Moyer, no. But, you know, feel free to pronounce it any way you like. It's fine. Yeah, it's not. It's an R rather than a T. Moyer.

1:00:17We've heard of a broken K. You've got to keep this in. It's brilliant. Alf's brother. Oh, God. Okay, yeah, played by Stephen. So he plays Jolison, is that? Senior. And he has basically inherited the business. Jolion. Jolion. Jolion. Oh, my God. Jolion. What did I say? Jolion. Jolison. Is it not Jolion? It is Jolion, isn't it? Yeah, they do pronounce it Jolion. Because there's a key plot point about the name in the first episode. Okay. Anyway, so he plays the eldest son, and he's inherited the family business, much to the annoyance of his younger brother, played by Jack Davenport. And Jack Davenport particularly is furious because he thinks his son, a character called Soames, should be taking that business over rather than Stephen Moyer's son called Joe.

1:01:09Because Joe's not interested in it. He's more of an arty creative. Anyways, so he's got sibling rivalry. He's got a formidable matriarch played by Francesca. Anis? Yes. Oh, God. That's not difficult, that one, is it? Do you know what? It's now that I've hit a roll of saying names wrong. I'm scared of saying anything wrong. She's on tilt. With Vertigo as well, so it's a precarious situation. And the forbidden love, scandals, etc. I think, like, this is standard period drama fair, but well done. I think particularly, the person who elevates it for me is Eleanor Tomlinson's character. So she is a seamstress, a lowly seamstress called Louisa.

1:01:45Of Sherlock fame, of course. Yes. And of, well, she's Polduck, right? She is. Sorry, what did I say? You said Sherlock. Oh, I meant Polduck. Oh, sorry. And yeah, she really, I think, because she's somehow connected to this family and she adds a certain level of intrigue and spice. So I enjoyed it. I thought it was decent, but I'm not saying it's down to levels, but I think for anyone who's, you know, come autumn wanting to hunker down with a period drama, it's pretty decent. Also, everyone in it is deliriously hot. Can we just... I was about to embark upon the fact that the... Particularly the...

1:02:22I mean, actually, even the older cuts, obviously, you know, Jack Davenport still got it from this life and Stephen Moyer and Stephen Moyer Stephen Moyer still handsome and Eleanor Tomlinson you know great obviously but yeah it's the brothers Danny Griffin plays Joe and he reminded me of a member of the Bee Gees I couldn't stop staring at him looks like Barry Gibb basically he has the most impeccable hair I've ever seen and face fuzz as well and face fuzz at this point I have to question historical accuracy because I'm sure they didn't have gel back then I don't well they weren't allowed to have facial hair I don't think they had this much face fuzz back then really I don't think so well the little pencily moustaches I totally bought into yeah yeah yeah of course but you mean like the fulsome fulsome sort of stubbly beard Joe's got like a full on tidy beard like Noel Edmonds meets the Bee Gees oh my god what is that he really does and then Joshua Alpin as the other brother has like stubble you didn't have stubble I don't think stubble was allowed Yeah, I think, it's certainly not in society.

1:03:26If any of our historical expert listeners are listening, the ones who point out when we... Boyd! I'm just saying. Boyd! What? I'm going to refer you to this article on BBC, no less. And the headline is called The Great Victorian Beard Craze. No, no, no, yeah. Yeah. That's different. These are not beards, Kay. I'm saying, Lord Grantham always pulled a razor over his face. 100%. 100%. And I think that's probably where I heard it, actually, would have been the creator of Downton, Julian Fellows. Julian Fellows, talking about how no one was allowed to have face fuzz back then. You had to be clean shaven.

1:04:00And obviously this is a slightly different era, but I'd be surprised. Anyway. Sorry, just one more thing, because I'm now engrossed in this article. You're on a Google fest. Well, in the article it says, in the mid-19th century, men throughout North America and Europe began doing something most had never done before. They abandoned their barbers, left patented safety razors, rusting on bathroom shelves, and began growing facial hair. So maybe it is. It's not accurate. It might not be to your taste. Boyd is furious. It was authentic. No, no, no. I'm jealous, furious. Falsome heads of hair they've all got.

1:04:34That's interesting. I mean, I just throw it as a question. I definitely, you know, in my mind, I had it that people weren't having this much facial hair as they were in this day and age. But even moving on from the face flies issue, which I'm sure is historically... Any historians who know, experts on this period in facial hair, please do get in touch. Were beardos common in Victorian London society? Please put this follicular fascist straight. Absolutely. And have a look at what they're like on screens. They're not just beards, of course, but it's the way the facial hair works. I'll move on in a minute.

1:05:09Anyway, but I think this bears the hallmark of Debbie Horsfield in particular, because she did a great job with Poldark. And what she did with Poldark, kind of similar to Downton in a way, is she managed to create an ensemble of characters, and it's partly down to the casting as well, whereby, you know, within minutes of meeting them, kind of roughly who they are, they feel like, you know, living and breathing characters to me, rather than just stereotypes, and rather than just like one-dimensional people. And particularly, as you said, I think Ellen Thompson's story is the most interesting. And right at the end, that's the scene and her story is the bit that's going to entice you to watch more and I think this is above I think this is a superior period costume drama and I think in every way like I think it's shot well I think it's got well lit I think you know because I'm waiting for James to kind of comment on the cheapness of it because it's on Channel 5 but I don't think it looks cheap at all I think it looks quite sumptuous and there's a kind of nice golden hue to a lot of it I think it's well directed so this is the kind of thing where we talked about how ITV hadn't had a hit period drama since Downton.

1:06:17They've had various attempts to do so. Sanditon. Sanditon, particularly we mentioned. There have been others as well that I can't remember right now. I think this is better than those. I think this could have easily been ITV Sunday Night 9 o 'clock. I say that as a compliment rather than if it was from James. That could have been ITV. I think it could be a bit of a hit for Channel 5. Also, another thing, sorry, I wanted to mention is that I read an interview with Debbie Horsfield, and in this, what she's done is she's brought the female characters to the fore, where they weren't in the book. Right, 100%.

1:06:48Which she also did with Poldock, absolutely. The female characters in Poldock were living, breathing, three-dimensional people rather than just foils for the hunky men. Which is always nice to see. Yeah, but there was more to it than just, you know, topless Aidan Turner. No, although she does satisfy that in the first episode by the boxing scene. Absolutely, the boxing scene, gratuitous chest action. There was zero narrative reason for that scene, like none. I kind of applaud her for that. But also, what was the fuzz situation there, Boyd? Were you happy with the level of chest hair? I can't remember.

1:07:24No, well, I don't know. I mean, I can't remember, but I don't think it was as big an issue as the face was. Okay, fine. Did they do full body waxes back then? I'm not sure they did, but anyway. I think so. Yeah, so I was dreading watching this, as I'm sure you can imagine, because you lost me at six-part Channel 5 period drama. However, it is, I'm horrified to report, a superior period drama. Like, it is good. But I think Downton works very well, and we talked about this on Plus recently, because I think grounding it in the house, with this very specific core group of characters in a very confined space works.

1:07:58In this one, it's this one very clear family and this one very clear company. So it's not a house, but it does have that kind of contained, and then you have these sort of satellite things going on around it. And despite myself, I got a little bit sucked into his. And it wasn't just the glorious haircuts on a variety of the male actors. Or the lovely actresses. Oh, come now. No one had hair to match. They didn't have facial hair. No, no, I meant as in what was keeping him drawn in. His hair was almost like, I couldn't stop staring at it. It was like some weird alien. Yeah, I've never seen hair as immaculate as that.

1:08:34This is like you're triggering something in both of you. Yeah, I think both of us not having hair. I was like, I want his hair. Give me his hair. Fair enough. He's got lush locks. Yeah, he did have lush locks. So, yeah, I got sucked into the intrigue within the family and then there's sort of stuff going on. And then I read a very brief summation of the show and that implied that there's another thing which kind of hasn't almost kick-started yet, which is going to be at the spine of this, which I'm sure will stress me out, but nevertheless. Boyday, is this a Sunday night? It should be Sunday night, isn't it?

1:09:03I actually think it's Monday night. Because I was going to say, this is perfect for Sunday night. But the thing is, it's like, Downton has a coziness to it, which this has less of. Like this, don't get me wrong, I think it has a touch of it. Less roaring fires. But yeah, because there are kind of sort of stressful events in this. So it's not quite the, you know. James, life in Victorian England was stressful. That's true. That's true, because they had to have beards, apparently. But yeah, I genuinely liked him. And also, great cast of people. Like, genuinely great cast. the people yeah I think that reflects on it because I don't think like the likes of Millie Gibson who was Doctor Who's companion in recently Emma Tomlinson herself Tuppence Middleton Tuppence great as Francis Joe's formidable yeah your friend Stephen Moyet ambitious ambitious wife yeah so these are yeah these are proper actors so it's not just any old losers they've cast wow it makes a difference yeah this hair thing is really turned him he's really turned hasn't he Jesus Steady.

1:10:02Anyway, so if you're in for a period drama, a good period drama, check it out. Funnily enough, not to your point about, is it Sunday night? Channel 5 doesn't go for Sunday night drama. Yeah, it's interesting. They know what they're doing with it. I think they probably assume that ITV and BBC, that's the big night for Sunday. At the moment, you've got Riot Women, right? Oh, yeah. Have new verses, frauds on ITV, which are two big, funnily enough, two huge female-led dramas on at the same time. I know these days no one cares about linear TV. But actually, yeah, that's a smart thing then for Channel 5.

1:10:29I think Channel 5 does still care about Linus TV, so they put their drama stuff on when there isn't so much on the other side. Well, in summary, well played Channel 5. Yeah. Yeah, much as it calls me to say so. Goresworthy. Much as it calls worthy as me to say so. Very good. Okay. It's on, by the way, on Monday, as we've said, starting today. On Channel 5. On Channel 5, Monday the 20th of October, 9pm. What year? Oh, my God. 2025. Thank you. Next up, we have The Ridge on BBC Two, who wishes Lauren Lyle is a doctor with a kind of troubled past who leaves her native Scotland to see her sister get married in New Zealand, only to find her sister is dead when she arrives, which is obviously very far from ideal.

1:11:09A simple climbing accident or something far more sinister. Boydie, tell us. This is a good... I was excited about this show when I first read about it, because we love... I love Lauren Lyle, and I think we all love Lauren Lyle. She's great. Karen Perry herself. Karen Perry herself. she's absolutely brilliant in that role and this role isn't a million miles away from that she's like a kind of strong-willed Scottish woman dealing with a lot in her life, she has got various addiction issues, the stuff that she I assume it's opioid drugs yeah, it's some kind of opioid sort of slap patch slap patch, exactly that she kind of injects into her thigh or anguilaria it's a slow release opioid patch it's a whole thing, because she works as a anaesthetist in hospital.

1:11:57So she has access to this stuff, by the way, which is what she's been doing. She's nicking it from the hospital. So she's not... Also frowned upon. Quite frowned upon. Definitely not, should not be official activity to work in hospital, by the way. So she's got issues. She's flawed, but she's very interesting. And the first scene that's set in the hospital is really quite wild with this big overweight man. Something happens. I won't spoil it because it's quite a moment in the thing. And that has ramifications for her because, you know, she's kind of, ends up being under investigation. And she is off anyway to New Zealand to see her sister, who's been living in New Zealand for years.

1:12:30They're kind of semi-estranged, it feels like, a bit. Is about to get married. So she hasn't actually confirmed with us yet that she was going to fly over and see her and attend the wedding, but she decides that's what she's going to do. Then on the flight over, there's a really stressful, tense situation where she gets a voicemail. The bloody air stewardess wants to turn off her fucking phone and she keeps getting messages from her sister in New Zealand saying is she coming etc and then she gets a voice mail message from her sister sounding in great distress sounding like she's kind of something's happening to her that she's fighting for her life and sure enough as james has said the premise is that when she arrives she finds out that she's that she's dead she's she's like a um in like a community of climbers and people so she immediately thinks of something suspicious about the fact that she seemingly fell off this kind of side of a hill or whatever it is side of a mountain um and instantly she's worrying about what's really happened.

1:13:24It's an eye-catching, interesting story. I think it's a great role for her. There's a great scene. It all builds up. She's getting increasingly kind of fraught about the whole situation, which is, let's face it, quite extreme, for your sister to die on the eve of her own wedding. She unleashes, shall we say, towards the end of the first episode, which I thought was classic Lauren Lyon. She did it brilliantly. I think it's a really interesting story. and it's quite intriguingly shot and filmed and directed. It feels quite classy, semi-cinematic show. So yeah, I'm on board. I love Lauren La. I think she's fantastic and I agree with everything Boyd said.

1:14:05By the way, the thing that she fell off was The Ridge.

1:14:10Is that why it's called The Ridge? But yes, I don't know. I just find Lauren incredibly watchable, right? and as Boyd said she has a lot of the traits of Karen Pirie in this and the fact that she's got this addiction to opioids a slap patch there's stuff from their childhood that is unresolved that keeps on flashing back Yeah, there's flashbacks You've got to have flashbacks Traumatic childhood You've got to And also visually it just looks lovely because it's in New Zealand right? Well, I presume that's where they shot it Once they get to New Zealand Yeah, once they Well, even Scotland, Boyd don't be anti-Scotland But yeah, the vistas of New Zealand are beautiful The vista's even better.

1:14:50We're all mispronouncing it. It's like a disease. I know. It's an epidemic started by me. Sorry. I've infected you both. It's a slap patch of wrongness I put on you both. It is. Sorry. So, yeah, anyway. So I think, yeah, I liked a lot of elements of this. But I have to say the central mystery didn't quite entice me. I mean, I found it interesting, but I don't know if I'm going to keep on watching. And I don't know why. I don't know what it was about it. I don't know if because she's got all this stuff going on and she's emotionally removed. I don't know if I just didn't connect as much with the character or the central, like, as I say, was she pushed?

1:15:33Was it an accident? I don't know if I necessarily am engaged enough to try and find out. But it was a decent first episode, and Lauren Lyle is the real draw for me. Well, that's the thing. I think if I continue watching this it will be exclusively because she's very good in it and I think she's great I didn't love all of the other characters in it I think it's partly by design though because the point is is that it's a very closed small community and it's all a little bit incestuous and insular and she's a fish out of water yeah and she's just like what then she's the kind of like the no nonsense sort of Scott coming in talking to all these sort of like this very insular Kiwi community where everyone's related to everyone and it's all a bit like you know that's she does a brilliant summary of the insular She does, which is amazing.

1:16:14But that's, again, that brings Karen Perry to mind quite a lot. She's very, very watchable. But yeah, in isolation is the entire mystery that compelling from the first episode? Possibly not, but I think she's probably enough to get people onto episode two where hopefully it takes off. It's nothing original. In fact, there's like a mini wave, actually, of British kind of Antipodean co-productions where the story is basically someone from Britain goes to Australia or New Zealand and gets involved in investigating crimes. There's been about three or four of these types of stories recently for some reason.

1:16:48Maybe it's another co-financing with Australian TV and New Zealand TV and British TV kind of works well. So it feels partly like an exercise in that kind of thing. Unless we forget there was that show about Noel Edmonds. I wasn't thinking of Noel. I know. Does he solve crimes? I just wanted to make sure he was mentioned again. That's twice now in the podcast. Yeah. Along with his beard. Is the L.A.L. Evans look was stolen by the Forsyth guy. Oh, my God. Right, when does the Ridge air? Oh, my God. He's really running out of patience. Wow. Do you know what he's done? We've pushed him over the Ridge.

1:17:22That's it. I'm on the other side now. The Ridge is on BBC Two, Thursday, the 23rd of October, 2025 at nine o 'clock. Okie dokie. Also on BBC Two is our next show, which is Leonard and Hungry Paul. This is a British and Irish co-pro comedy, adapted from the books by Ronan Hessian. And it stars Alex Lawther as Leonard, Laurie Kyniston as Hungry Paul. It also features Derry Girls' Jamie Lee O'Donnell. And yes, it is narrated by actual Julia Roberts, which I, as we said, did not pick up on. No, I didn't. Until I saw the credits, when I was like, what the fuck? And then I rewound it and rewatched half the show, going, that's literal Julia Roberts.

1:18:00That is genuinely what happened to me. Only because I saw it in the end credits, and I was like, I rewound it. and I had to rewind it so many times because I thought, wait a minute, am I imagining it's her? Is it just another person? Because I thought, I can't go on the board and say, oh my God. And it's actually Julia Roberts. Yeah. How did that come about? Do we know? Well, I can tell you. Well, Boyd can tell us, but fine. I was going to turn to our correspondent, Hungry K, but apparently I can't do that, so I'll just turn to Boyd. Well, I happen to know the director. Go on. What did the director say?

1:18:26Andrew Chaplin, who comes to Arsenal quite a lot. And he directed the album It's Not Normal. He's a brilliant director of kind of comedy. and basically it turned out that Jude Roberts was a massive fan of the book. So this has been adapted from a book by Rowan Hessian. And so they thought, oh, maybe she'd want to... Well, she's spoken about that. Yeah, I think she spoke about it. She'd been given a copy of it or something like that. And he went over and recorded her audio. Yeah, doing the narration. I love the fact that she did that because the thing about that is, obviously, this Hollywood A-lister as a narrator, but this is so unshowy and sweet and understated.

1:19:01The contrast is brilliant. Yeah, it's a real good juxtaposition. So as James said, Alex and Laurie play, Laurie? Laurie? I'm going to assume it's Laurie. Okay. Play best friends. And Leonard is a ghostwriter of children's encyclopedias. And Paul is a postman. And they're very insular. And they're best mates. They love playing ball games together. And they've got very small worlds. And they're happy with that. Leonard lives with his mum. His dad died when he was a child. But then tragically, his mum passes away too and so he is left in the world cast adrift and has to kind of come to terms with the loss but also like come to terms with the fact that actually probably he should expand and expand his horizons and that includes kind of embracing his burgeoning feelings for his colleague Shelly who's very bubbly his co-worker played by Jamie Lee O'Donnell who's really good in this role.

1:19:56And I have to say, I really enjoyed this. It's such a gear change from the other shows we watch. It's very gently paced, which I know won't appeal to a lot of people. Maybe James, I'm looking at him. Because it's one of those shows where you're sort of just enjoying being in the company of the characters and watching stuff slowly unfurl, which he does very slowly. For me, the big draw is Alex. I think he's got such a sort of winsome charm to him. And their connection with Jamie Lee is just so nice to watch. Like his face literally lights up when he sees her and you're just so willing him to be able to express how he feels and embrace this and really go for it.

1:20:35But yeah, so I basically think if you enjoy shows where not a lot happens, you know, no, because it's true because you have to be that way. That's one for the poster. If you enjoy shows where not a lot happens. No, it's not high octane. No, I agree. It revels in the fact that it's slow paced and I think it should. it's all about gentleness this is a show which is boldly I have to say telling its stories and establishing its characters in the most gentle way possible and that is the whole point of it and extremely whimsical it is whimsical but I think this is one of those things where you either go with the tone the whimsical tone gentle tone or you don't and I can absolutely see I'm waiting for James obviously I'm on Tentabooks I went with it I enjoyed it yeah no I did as well and I do hands on the table hands on the cards which are also on the table cards on the table I do know the director Andrew he's brilliant but honestly I didn't know that I would have enjoyed it as well I really like its attempt to be different and to be kind of like to revel in its characters being nice decent lovely people and the whole tone of the show being nice, decent and lovely at the same time, including Julia Roberts' narration.

1:21:57And I think it's a celebration of that tone almost. It's so kind of celebratory of friendship. Yes, and introverts as well. No, completely introverts, yeah. So when Jamie Lee O'Donnell's character comes in, there's a little bit of a shaker opera. She's more, she's extrovert, right? But that clash of introvert-extrovert between her and Alex Lothar's character is fascinating to watch and they do it so again every step of the way it's very very careful and it's very organic how it happens yeah I agree and stylistically it's very Wes Anderson I think you know it's got that well not quite I know exactly what you mean again it's a slightly whimsical aspect to it but it's not quite as no no no it's Wes Anderson-like much more dialed back definitely has a hint of that though some shots are Anderson-esque remind me of Brian Fuller actually like it brought Pushing Daisies a little bit not quite with the primary colours and Pushing Days is obviously is again it's like with Anne's in a slightly different direction it's slightly more extreme but partly it was the narration because I think the narration gives it an added kind of sense of slightly wispy bouncy whimsy and it's just and a lifeless voice yeah there's a coziness to the narration which I found quite there's an ASMR quality to this whole fucking show there really is this show will calm your nervous system yes but what a contrast Alex Lauthor who we interviewed on the pod for Alien Earth.

1:23:23He's playing a gun-wielding... Which is not whimsical. It couldn't be further from his previous role. And I think that should be celebrated. And I think they're all really great in it. Lloyd Kinderson's fantastic as well. It's very easy to watch. It feels like an antidote to looks around everything at the moment, which is quite nice. I think that's deliberate, yeah. I think it is 100 % trying to be honest. As alluded to by me in the podcast, the Pilot Plus episode, when we were talking about that. Oh, okay. Yeah. Right. Leonard and Hungry Paul. What should you call it? Leonard and Hungry Paul.

1:23:57Oh, I might have missed it. Should I articulate better? Leonard and Hungry Paul. As I'd like to say, Leonard. Leonard and Hungry Paul, which you can find on BBC Two. I'm parodying myself now. Oh dear. BBC Two today, Monday the 20th of October, 10pm. 10 of the p.m. Brilliant. What else is on this week, Boydie? This week, we've got The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon. Yes. Do you know what? I completely forgot to talk about that. Well, thank God for that. I had meant to do a little capsule review of that, but I won't do it. All I will simply say is, I've seen the first episode of it. As always, I just, I don't know, I can't stop watching The Walking Dead.

1:24:37I just can't do it. That's the one that is, sorry, you know, I referenced the fact that you're watching something and you don't know why. That's the one we've been talking about recently. All of these different ones, the Dead City, all of the Walking Dead things, I am still watching. I've seen this first episode. It takes place in London and they encounter Stephen Merchant. Oh, that's exciting. Who will be on this podcast next week to talk about it. So there you go. That's a gift to both of you. That's a total surprise to all of you. We always find out what's happening. I'm speaking to Stephen Merchant next week for this very podcast.

1:25:04So yes, he will be on next week's show talking about zombies. Zombies. Zombies. Communication is key for us as always. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. It is on the planner, but I only just put it on the calendar. or planner the calendar the calendar the colour coded calendar I think you said you put it on the planner but not on the calendar no it is on the calendar it's one of the same things okay this has gone beyond parody Lazarus as we have discussed with not just the showrunner but also the star is coming to Prime Video on Wednesday correct Nobody Wants This which Kay mentioned before we just stopped ourselves from reviewing it in full it's in Fargo until Thursday yeah it's on the Netflix on Thursday the 21st of October and 9-1-1 is back on Disney Plus on Wednesday the 22nd to the smash hit Ryan Murphy produced drama about first responders in LA that is quite entertaining and huge Murphiesque very Murphiesque yeah the Kardashians are back K on Thursday the 23rd Don't you worry about that I've got that on my calendar James will be James got it in his calendar it's always his iCal with a K yeah I'll tell you what there was on Friday is it a film is it a one off feature length documentary who cares it's brilliant Stiller and Miros nothing is lost Ben Stiller about his parents documentary about living with experience.

1:26:15It's Apple TV. Apple TV. Apple TV minus. Apple TV minus. And you know what's coming to ITV on Sunday, James? They're showing. Trigger point. No. Trigger point is coming. We'll be doing that next week. Probably. Well, maybe. There's a lot of other stuff out next week. There's a lot of stuff out next week. Blah, blah, blah. But Star Trek Strange New Worlds is coming to ITV1 Sunday night at 10.20. Instantly turning on ITV. Quite a prominent slot. I don't think you should be allowed. I think the forces of my TV should cut you off at the pass because I think you've just been so outrageous about them.

1:26:47I mean, it's fine. I've seen all the episodes already. Exactly. But I was fascinated by that. Yes, they've acquired second rights to it and they're showing it Sunday night, kind of after the big Bane drama, you know, which will be indeed... Triggerpoint. Triggerpoint. Yeah. For next week. So, yeah, lots happening. Oh, and there's Hollyoaks and Brookside crossover. Okay, we're definitely not talking about Hollyoaks. Well, I am just because it's Brookside, not Holly... Forget it. Or Brookside. Brookside was legendary oh my god Sue Johnston anyway anyway that's happening E4 Wednesday fine what is our pick of the week?

1:27:22I do you know what I'm going to go Leonard and Hungry Paul actually because of it because of it being so different and much needed at the moment yeah I'll go along with that I think it's Leonard and Hungry Paul agreed oh fabulous a rare agreeance there you go that is it for this week's show I've got to get down to the Empire recording in 60 seconds oh I wonder what was happening that's why we've been moving on with quite a clip we did start late Jeremy Jeremy Allen White's full. Twit, twoo. Indeed. Right, so if you want to follow us on social media, at Boyd Hilton, at Carabera, at James C. Dyer, at Pilot TV Pod, please give us a five-star rating and send us cake.

1:27:51I think that covers everything? Yes. Excellent. On next week's show, as we've Merchanted, Stephen Mention will be on the show next week. Stephen Merchant will be on the show next week talking about The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, which is in its third season. What else is out next week? It's Welcome to Derry. Does land on Sky. That's on the Monday. We've got Down Cemetery Road, which is the new Mick Heron on Apple TV Star Wars Visions we will not be reviewing that but that's on next week on Disney Plus The Witcher Season 4 arrives Art Detectives there's Robin Hood is next week as well so yeah we've got quite a full slate we don't know what's in Bargo but we will figure it out it's very complicated it is complicated always complicated anyway that's it I've got another podcast to record and Kay is very very hungry and for those of you not listening or who couldn't listen I turned down Kay's mic so she could stuff a cinnamon swirl in her face because she was feeling low energy towards the end of the podcast.

1:28:42So if you suddenly felt Kay like suddenly surge forward in a big sugar rush, that was the reason why. Yeah. Vertigo and tinnitus. I like the way he's got like 60 seconds to get to this thing and he's still taking time to take the piss. Anyway, I'll say it for you. Priorities. Pilot out.