Task, The Girlfriend, and Only Murders In The Building. With guests Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke

31:57And then the clutch of her son becomes tighter. I'm not going to lose him to this. He's blinded by what he thinks is love. and I you know it's a it's a natural happening not to the degree of the girlfriend let's hope not but as a show but definitely those questions are there or you're just like oh I just don't like her I don't like the way she flips her hair I don't like that you know that's just mom being a mom yeah yeah well I was going to say that first episode um if you probably feel like this is you kind of touched upon it it's quite relatable for most people because you know it's that nerves around meeting the parents and you know although to be fair this is just completely off the scale you know this would be a manual on how not to do it um what is cherry's first impressions i mean she's nervous going into this family right because of the social economic background as well you know that's what i think is really interesting in this as well yeah and i think she's you know she doesn't she doesn't just come out of the gate lying about who she is.

33:08I think it's a factor of experience and things that have happened to her in the past that have made her want to conceal a few things about herself. So she's already coming into this meeting with a defence. and also knowing that she's meeting the mother of someone that she really really loves who's going to have a more intense x-ray vision of her as well so I think you know every sense is heightened for Cherry going into that meeting yeah and what's her first you know impressions in terms of the dynamics of I find this fascinating the Laura Daniel dynamics it's a bit strange it's batshit i mean i'm just gonna say it yeah i mean there's that close very close i think this raises the question of how close is too close but um but also that's the thing and this is the i think the genius part of it you know the dual perspective thing is that on the one hand in particular with regards to their closeness you can kind of see it as like oh it's just a really loving mom you know there some people are not you know that close but by the same token and from cherry's perspective it gives you the ick because you're like no i think particularly i have to say ladies the um episode two that balcony scene will stay with me for a very long time it's toe curling isn't it i mean yeah yeah it's also just like well where as as the girlfriend it's like where do where do i fit in you know how do i how do i like begin to sort of like move within the straitjacket of already this already like set cemented relationship it's sort of like you don't want to overstep but you also want to tell your partner in a very delicate way like this isn't normal absolutely I think it also is like a public service announcement that doors have locks for a reason exactly um I wanted to ask Robin like how did you feel about you know because of the dual perspective it gives you an opportunity to explore the dark asides of both characters.

35:28Was that quite enjoyable for you? Oh yeah. It was so much fun. And we kept trying to find amplified versions of those beats. Like how far can we take it? We can take it to the balcony scene because mom probably removes all the locks from Daniel's room so she can go in and rub his back to sleep, you know? It's so true. She probably does and reads him a story still. Yeah, and massage his thighs. Normal stuff moms do to 29-year-olds. Anyway. Talking about that, you know, because obviously you have these heightened scenes, as you say, like what were your favourite scenes to film? Do any stand out?

36:11Because, for example, I was very into the wedding scene for Cherry. Well, that was my first day. I mean, our whole first day filming. And so you're starting with a huge set piece and moment like that whilst, you know, having to tonally set the character up just right. And so that was a daunting task because, you know, what she's doing is so extreme. But you still want to sort of root for her at the end. trying to sort of find that balance where you're like you're cringing at what she's done but you're slightly in the back of your mind like cheering around and wishing that you could have done something like that I thought it was fantastic I really liked that scene and I just thought also it's beautifully shot um Robin I know that you've been a director on this I believe the first three episodes is it how did you find that juggling those roles because obviously your character is a lot of very intense scenes.

37:16It's very full on. And then obviously your role as director is also full on. How was it doing, wearing those two hats and were there any challenges? Oh yeah. A lot of challenges. But I think that's on any project that when you're doing, you know, three different positions. Yeah, there were, there were a lot of challenges, but we made the best of it because the group of us and to have fricking pros, Olivia and Lori are just, they're pros. And I couldn't have asked for a better gift because we were crunched for time. A lot of days weren't going to make our day had to start trimming scenes. And then was that going to lose the threat of the show?

38:00You know, and those, those are the battles much of the time anyway. Yeah. And to be able to work with this group, this cast, we never would have achieved it if they weren't pros. And we had so much fun. You know, in between takes, we were giggling, constantly telling stories. Olivia and Lori were like two little kids. It was so much fun. They're constantly laughing. It's just a good group. Great dynamic between all of us. It worked. And that is such a blessing because sometimes it doesn't work. And also just like really incredible to watch Robin work. Like the first few days we were shooting really intense emotional scenes and Robin would have this like, you know, had to have this huge, heartbreaking breakdown and then would snap out of it and be like, okay, right, okay, we're going to go to a wide.

38:58Now, is that good for you? Yeah, everyone good? Okay, good. And so, okay, what lenses? And you're just like. Talk about pro. It was amazing. It was amazing. It was, yeah, it was just, we were all like whispering behind Robin's back being like, did you see that? But you know, much of the time, because we were crunched for time. You just had to. Instead of wasting more time running back to Video Village to watch playback of a scene that Olivia and I did or my coverage to see, did I nail the scene? Do I need to do another take? At a certain point, I was like, I don't have time. We're wasting time.

39:32Let's just keep. And so my DP was always in front of the video. watching and I would just scream Matias good or do it again and after a while he was like yeah it's pretty bad do it again teamwork he was my director um how was it filming in Spain like in nearby Marbella looked like it would be fun that was that was one of the most fun we shot that at the very end of the schedule yeah oh really in September and so the weather was great and the water was freezing yeah olivia had to get in there yeah i was gonna say there's a lot of physically demanding scenes in that the spain scenes because you got the rock climbing i'm not sure how much of that live olivia was you or was uh you know like a stunt person but like also the tennis and the bodyboarding oh yeah yeah it was it was like yeah it was like um stunt cherry um of spain it was fun I love doing that sort of stuff, like getting in the water.

40:34Because then, I mean, the acting is sort of done for you at that point. You know, being cold, like me literally trying to bodyboard on like the waviest sea with the wind whipping you and like trying to get purchase. Was the seasickness real? Was it that bumpy? um no i take i took i do get c6 i took loads of loads of drugs so you know that is in my like emotional recall anyway um but it was it was it was it was dynamic yeah it was dynamic well it looked a lot of fun as a viewer you just like obviously it was emotionally intense but i was like i bet these guys had a lot of fun over there we did we did um and finally i always like to find up because obviously as you know i've binged it last night what are you guys currently watching and can't get enough of it's something that i watched recently oh my god it's with jake gyllenhaal what's the show oh presumed innocent yes that's really good yeah loved that but i haven't watched it you know what i keep re-watching what living in the uk now the show mum with leslie oh my god i love it i absolutely re-watching it i'm obsessed it's so so good i honestly i i regularly re-watch that yeah great so what are you watching olivia i i'm watching too much i just oh yeah i thought you meant too much tv but no too much tv um no i'm watching the lena dunham show Megan Stalter and Will Sharp.

42:11God, he's so good. Very versatile. Incredible. And I'm really enjoying that. I mean, Lena Dunham just has, is like just so incredible at observations and wicked one-liners. And yeah, I think that I really enjoy that. And I just finished because I really wanted to get to Scandavall. I just went through season one to season 11 of Vanderpump Rules which is which is oh like this is how much like a gossip fiend I am I heard about a scandal that happened on a reality tv show and I was like okay I must go through 11 seasons oh my god that is dedication Vanderpump Rules you know Lisa Vanderpump from Beverly Hills is it Beverly Hills housewives one of them i can't remember which one but yeah oh my god olivia that is dedication it was a scandal it was an it was an illness it was like i don't know why i did it i just went into like hyper focus of like i must i must finish it just to get the like this sort of like delicious the binge virus yeah yeah well listen i tell you the girlfriend is going to give everyone the binge virus because viewers will definitely be tuning in uh on the 10th september on prime video so thank you very much for joining us thank you thank you okay time for this week's news what's been happening in the world of news well i'll tell you what the big news is this this news is so hot off the press as we're recording this on thursday the 4th of september it's strictly embargoed until four o 'clock this afternoon but because this podcast comes out oh on monday proper breaking news and thought we can fully this is also breaking news that we knew about earlier well at least i I did.

43:56Right. Well, then you may expect because, of course, it's Russell T. Davis news. It's the casting of his new show, Tiptoe. And this is, it's already been announced that he was writing this kind of thriller, which is the first time he's really done an out-and-out thriller, which is about two warring neighbours. And they've revealed that the warring neighbours were played by David Morrissey, the man, the legend. He's great. Absolute legend. And Alan Cumming. Oh, brilliant. Yes. Who, younger listeners or watch viewers may think he's just the host of the Traitors US the American version of the Traitors which he is but he's also a very accomplished actor he was in Eyes Wide Shut famously the last Stanley Kubrick film with Nicol Kidman and Tom Cruise and he plays the hotel kind of clerk in that I don't think he's got a character but he is quite an outstanding camp presence in the middle of Eyes Wide Shut this extraordinary film and yeah so there's also been more details just about to start filming or they've just started filming.

44:56And the description of the storyline has been fleshed out a little bit. The five-part series will follow Leo and Clive, who have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. But just as life should be settling down, the world around them is growing more tense, which is definitely the case. All about the recycling bins. Yeah. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalised, and gradually two neighbours become deadly enemies in a tense suburban thriller which challenges everything we consider to be safe. The series, populated with a cast of vibrant characters and underscored with Davies' trademark wit and deft humour, is an urgent tale that brings a spotlight to bear on the prejudices which are creeping back into our lives.

45:35That sounds great. Sounds good. I mean, we are biased. We are biased. We're all in the pocket of big Russell. Also, I would urge him not to lose sight of Longley. Yes, that's true. The other project. He should be working and focused on there. But yeah. Oh, no, no. Longley's percolating. For sure, yeah. They've also announced the sporting cast. I haven't finished on this new story yet, by the way. No, keep going. Because I particularly accept Pookie Cuesnel is in it. She's brilliant. Brilliant, always brilliant. Elizabeth Barrington is in it, who has been in lots of legendary shows, Lost Boys and Fairies, Last Night in Soho, and she was in It's a Sin.

46:10She was in the final episode of It's a Sin and made a big impression. But Paul Rees, who's always brilliant. I think Charlie Condu, my friend, Charlie Condu, who I walked the marathon with, famously Harder Than Running It. Oh, shit. It's ridiculous. Finally, this is brilliant. Denise Welsh the loose woman herself loose women have you heard of it James? I mean it's normally on the screen when we're recording the podcast we've been invited and you said you wanted to be in the audience if you recall because we had the big cheese one vid would be perhaps a misrepresentation of my position but I wholeheartedly agreed so we're still waiting to do that yeah so brilliantly Louise Welsh is in it as well so it's got a fantastic cast great concept and very very exciting just starting filming now actually some more casting news I've got for you which is that Big Mood is coming back for a second series which we already knew about so that's the Camilla Whitehill comedy drama starring Nicola Coughlin as Maggie who's got bipolar disorder and it's about how that impacts her life and her friendship with her best mate Eddie played by Lydia West anyway a new name added to the cast list is Sherwood star Robert Lindsay so he'll be appearing in series two there's no date as yet so we'll have to wait for that but it was renewed earlier this year.

47:24So watch this space. I have some casting news as well. Cool. Sophie Turner, Sam Stark herself, is going to be playing Lara Croft in Prime Video's long gestating Tomb Raider series, Prime Vida, that's right. It's a very different type of dadcore programming this. And this was the thing that Phoebe Waller-Bridge has been apparently working on for about the last 25 years. For a gazillion pounds. It's been going on for ages that they just basically gave her a chest full of gold and said, please do this. Now, Tomb Raider has had, let's say, a checkered history on screen. The Angelina Jolie films were famously not great.

48:02The Alicia Vikander film was better? Question mark? But still not great. And the only reason why anyone I think is really excited about this is that Phoebe Waller-Bridge is involved as kind of like the creator of this show. Which makes you think it'll have some bite, it'll be really well written, it'll be interesting. Sophie Turner, I think, is excellent casting for this though. I do think that's that's a good shout so I'm now cautiously optimistic have you got a soft spot for Sophie Turner your eyes sort of lit up a little bit did they did they light up I think she's very good I saw her in a film actually recently I watched have either of you seen Do Revenge no it's a Netflix teen comedy type thing she has a small but very entertaining role in that hmm okay I'm sure she'll be happy to do that small but very entertaining that's my summary of her role she was also in she was in Joan she was she was great she was great Stealing, stealing things.

48:53I hosted the Q &A, so I hung out with her quite a lot. She was an absolute delight. So yeah, I'm pleased with her on that. And you got a name right on everything? Yeah. Sophie Turner. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, all right. Yeah, I got that. Listen. And it's Callum Turner, star of Tomb Raider. Sophie, yeah. Anyway. Judy Reyes has officially signed up for the Scrubs revival, which is very exciting. Is it though? It is exciting. Carla was a great character. Is it exciting? Yeah. on any level or is it a travesty a crime against gods and men what do you mean because Scrubs was a genuinely great show until it became a genuinely terrible show where the show ended and then it came for this and I won't even use the word victory lap it came back for another season when everyone really should have just left it alone I think Bill Lawrence went on record saying that he had mouths to feed he had people that relied on him that he employed so he wanted to give them more work and they did and it was a very ill-conceived final season.

49:52And I can't help feeling that, you know, leave well enough alone, but going back to it again, that said, that said, and just to qualify, I will say Dexter obviously had an ignoble end and yet they've resurrected that quite literally. They've had a bunch of seasons since and they have managed to redeem themselves. So maybe, maybe this is Scrubs' chance to redeem itself. Listen, all I'm saying is ABC has already picked it up, so it's a moot point. It's happening. I can't stop it, that's what I'm saying. and if it's happening I'm happy that Judy Reyes is well yes Carla Carla was great fantastic yeah talking of reboots of ancient sitcoms this completely passed me by this was happening did you know there's a Malcolm in the Middle reunion series happening it's going to be like well yeah no I mean it's mad Frankie Muniz was talking so the news story was Frankie Muniz says the Malcolm in the Middle reboot may not be what fans are expecting during a recent appearance on a podcast he said long time fans may be surprised after what they see with the Wilkerson family he's been up to in the last 20 years but who knew this was actually happening it's a mad idea I didn't watch it first time around I watched it it's a great sitcom it's a really good show where does it sit on your sitcom scale do you know what I think I've only seen a couple of episodes of it I don't really know oh it's actually Brian Cranston it was the thing Brian Cranston famous I know that Breaking Bad he's going to be in it he's in the new it's only four episodes which is a minimal minimal order but it is happening yeah how bizarre is that well we shall see bookish series 2 cast announcements so that's the Mark Gator Robert Lindsay hit period drama on Ewan Alibi joining the cast for series 2 will be Jason Watkins as Harold Sneed Miranda Richardson as Duchess Alberta already excited for that also Simon Callow he will play E intriguingly and Rupert Graves as Colonel Reggie Winters oh and actually Claire Skinner from Outnumbered as Mrs.

51:48Coulthrope. Good. Bookish is good. I still haven't pressed on with that. I haven't gone back to her. Again, this insurmountable mountain show. The third episode, the third story, is it an episode? Yeah, the third episode is the best one. Yeah. I'm definitely continuing with it. Sorry, just for a sense of completion, I missed a name off. Also, Yusef Kerkow, is that how you're saying? Kerkow? Kerkow, yeah, from home. Yeah, from home, yeah. Which I fucking love, home. It's amazing. He was amazing. That show, which only had two series was so good. Everyone check it out. Where was it? It was Channel 4 and I was absolutely gutted that that didn't continue.

52:24And not just because of the naked yucca dancing although that was definitely a high point but it was wonderful. And not just because we're in the pocket of Big Rufus Jones. We are of course in the pocket of Big Jones. It was brilliant. And he'll play Yusuf. So yeah, that's Berkish series too. Brilliant. Did you see that the paper that we reviewed in last week's Pilot Plus? Favourably. Glass, very fablery. Fablery. Very favorably. Even James, hater of comedy, quite liked it. He said his mouth arranged itself into a smile. Yeah. I think it was a smile. It was a weird sensation. I live in a mirror.

52:58It resembled a smile. Yeah, it was extraordinary. Anyway, it's been recommissioned already. Brilliant. Only just arriving on both American and British screens, but already it's been renewed because they know a good thing when they see one. Yeah. I'm saying that's the best news of the week. Oh. Yeah, I loved, I really loved, paper. Yeah, so we've got another, but they still haven't confirmed when it's going to be on NBC in America. So it's definitely like... And is it Sky Max? It's Sky Max. Maybe we'll be on Sky Comedy as well one day. I don't know, because it's a comedy. Someone give us clarity.

53:28Yes, someone tell us. And the other, you know, one of the most interesting bits of casting this week, particularly James, I think you'll agree, is Warwick Davis as Professor Flitter. Yes. Because he is the only, as far as I can tell, cast member from the Harry Potter films who is officially being cast in the Harry Potter TV series as well which is quite interesting isn't it? Yeah, interesting is definitely the word Chris Columbus obviously has been talking to people because he did Thursday Murder Club which was out last week and he I believe he said something along the lines of what is the point of this show which was rather broadly reported which is that we've already done this why are we doing this again?

54:07So there Chris Columbus threw it under the bus Yeah, he's not involved is he? He's not involved It would be a weird movie if he was. It would be weird if he was. Yeah, no, no, no. But I mean, that may be, one needs to not be aware of the fact. Oh, yeah. He's definitely in over. Context is everything. Context is all. And, you know, there may be some reasons. Sour grapes. Well, who can speculate? Well, he said it. I think the point of it, by the way, is to make a huge amount of money. Yes. Millions and gazillions of people signing up to... Because of capitalism. Yes. Prime Video, which is going to be on.

54:38In fact, no, it's not Prime Video, is it? It's going to be on, it's HBO Max. because it's all about it's all about can someone do a web diagram at some point it's just like yeah I'm glad I corrected myself quickly yeah you called that one the sky comedy debacle is that it for news I think so okay let's move on then to this week's reviews and first up this week we have Task on a sky channel sky Atlantic a sky Atlantic on sky Atlantic sky Atlantic yes it does feel like sky Atlantic and this is a mini series from Mayor of Easttown creator Brad Inglesby and it stars Mark Ruffalo as a federal agent going through some trauma, because you know, naturally.

55:16And he sets up a task force to take down a gang of sanitation workers who have a nice sideline in ripping off drug dealers. Boydie, is task masterful? Nice. It is masterful. I thought that's a good word for it, even though you're only using that word to have a pun on taskmasters. It was. Yeah. Cunningly. Here's an example of absolutely masterful. I'm going straight in there. TV elite TV drama manufacturing. It's absolutely fantastic. It screams elite TV. This is peak elite HBO. It's an HBO show. It's not TV. It's HBO. Exactly. And as you said, it's from Mare of Easttown creator, Brad Engelsby.

55:59And what's interesting though is, and you can definitely see the kind of connective tissue in terms of just the style of it, the mood of it. It's very much about a working class community and working class communities. people how people survive in those in those worlds particularly in you know 2025 america um and it's got a it's got a maverick not maverick actually that's not the right word it's got a it's got a central character troubled sense of central character who has lots of issues of his own while he's tasked with trying to put together he's an fbi guy and he's tasked to be putting together a special unit to try and deal with local criminals what's interesting is that mayor of town was of course absolutely brilliant and gave kate wisnett probably her best role ever i would say conjecture to saying you know people might say titanic i don't know um but an absolutely brilliant role of this three-dimensional um detective you know during when we see her in the car stuffing subways in her mouth there's a lot by the way of food i notice here there's a lot of eating and munching on food going on throughout the whole series of this but that show not only had an incredibly authentic vibe to it when it came to depicting the community and her character etc.

57:12It was a big whodunit. It started off, in fact, it started off slightly controversially for some people with a naked female body discovered a corpse, which a lot of shows obviously have. I remember people did criticise it for that, but I thought it was a valid thing because it was such a brilliant show. But it was definitely a whodunit. Along with everything, the mystery kept us going throughout however many episodes it was, right up until the finale, which had a big twist kind of going on and everything. This is not a whodunit. You meet, we meet the criminals, we see what they've done and what they're doing all throughout the show.

57:47And in fact, it's almost like two parallel narratives in which we see what... Two dads. Yeah, in which we see what these people are doing, what they get embroiled in, and the offshoot of that, the fallout from that in terms of their friends, families, local communities, etc. And at the same time, you see Mark Ruffalo's character, oh, I've got him Ruffalo there, Mark Ruffalo's character assembling this team, this FBI team, to deal with this kind of crisis, as it reaches a crisis, that these criminals are doing. And they're kind of like, they're a bit similar to that show. What was the Apple TV Plus show that you really liked?

58:24I should have made a note of this. Dope Thief. Yes, thank you. Dope Thief of criminals robbing from drug manufacturers and dealers. so there's a similar thing going on there isn't there in terms of like who are these people these well they're kind of robbing from the really bad people but they are bad people as well and there's also a kind of thing robin hood yeah i'm going to go with or from the wire but yes yeah more from the wire in fact probably um but but you absolutely all of this is shown in in in great detail and it's and what's interesting is as it started as i watched the first episode halfway through i was thinking this is really good as you say pre-prestige and mark ruffalo is brilliant he's always great everyone in it is really it's really authentic and there's a it's really well directed and written and everything but is it really hooking me in and then you get to the by the time you finish the first episode and all the ramifications is all i was going to say of what happens line and sinker yeah you're absolutely on board because you're desperate to know how it's all going to play out and i carried on watching i think i watched four episodes now and it's fucking brilliant it's so it doesn't so much have twists it has narrative developments that you don't see coming and the way they play out it's so clever and the plot strands are so brilliantly knitted together that there's constant surprises and constant kind of fascinating developments I'm trying not to spoil anything or allude to anything which means my favourite alluding to phrase I thought it was fantastic I can't wait to see how it all plays out It absolutely just radiates prestige TV, doesn't it?

1:00:01It's just every frame of it is beautifully shot. The way it's paced, the way it's structured, all of it. Also, big shout out to one of the arm droppers, which is Tom Pelfrey, who is fantastic as Robbie. He's from Outer Range and Banshee. He was in Banshee as well. I really like him. Yeah, he's great. He's very magnetic. He's got that charisma as well. He has a real charisma to him. And you need it for that particular role as well. Yeah, because when I said about them both being fathers, that's what I really enjoyed about seeing them and their interactions with their children, which we don't see, you know, like it's...

1:00:34Yeah. We don't see that so much on the screen, especially with an inverted commas baddie character. It added depth to his... And Inglesby likes those kind of like meshed up generational family units, you know, because he's living with his two kids and his niece, who's essentially helping him raise his two kids... Yeah, for reasons. ...in his dead brother's house. Like it's a whole, like, it's... Yeah, it's fascinating. And even like, obviously, like Tom, Ruffalo's character, he's gone through trauma and we're like, oh, rolling our eyes. But actually, I don't know. I really like the fact that he was a priest for eight years as well.

1:01:06So I really intrigued you that. No, exactly. So I felt like at least that freshened up that kind of trope. And I was like, okay, that's interesting. Why has he left the priesthood? It's clear that he's lost his faith. Well, I presume he's lost his faith because he's gone through some, you know, serious stuff. his daughter lives with him but his son is absent which I won't spoil and yeah it's how he processes that he's quite grizzled and we think Ruffalo just gives such a soulful performance yeah he's great and he has a task force full of like generation Z yeah it's already funny the young woman who's in the task force is hilarious who kind of zoom out agents who come in but you're not quite sure because they seem to be borderline incompetent and kind of thinks they are but yet they might be okay are they incompetent or are they just young people?

1:01:51It's unclear. Exactly. But I really love Ruffalo in this, but I actually think Tom Pelfrey steals it. I think he's fantastic in this. So I will watch more. Yes, as Boyd says, by the end of episode one, you will be very much engrossed and desperate to see how it unfolds. But I will be watching. This feels like this is one for the Dishows of the Year list. Yeah. I will say it is violent and grim in places. So, you know, just be aware. Is it grim? I think it's like, well, in some of the violence I don't remember any grim violence I mean there's definitely no there is early on the thing that precipitates the whole story is a violent violent scenes yeah there is pretty violent but not I mean I wouldn't say over the top or no no listen it's not the what's that show when the person was forced to put their hand on the stove that James found acceptable The Last of Us yeah it's not that no it's not like No, it's not that gratuitous.

1:02:49No, it's not horrific. There are a lot of corridors in this, though, to be fair. There are. And beware of what's around the corner. Indeed. That's what I would say. Task, actually, I should have made a task rabbit joke. Didn't think to do that. You've had a good enough... I should have said something like, Boyd, why don't you rabbit on about task? I would argue that might be your best work. Anyway, task is on a sky, specifically Atlantic, and now, when, Boydy? The Masterful Task is on Sky Atlantic now, as you say, from Monday to day, the 8th of September, 2025 at 9 o 'clock. I was going to say it's all going to be available.

1:03:24It's not. It's definitely week by week because it's an HBO show and they don't do them all available. It's a thing to watch over the next five or six weeks, however many episodes there are. Seven episodes, I believe, of Task. There you go. That's a really juicy amount. Okay. That's good. Next up, we have The Girlfriend on Prime Video, which you've already heard about, to be fair. which means that by this point you know roughly as much about it as I do, as I did not get screeners in time for this particular podcast. Now, I'm not saying there's irony here in that I failed to get the girlfriend, but I do feel slightly attacked by this whole situation.

1:03:56And I was thinking about this, I think I should have probably asked for the girlfriend on this podcast on air, because, you know, after all that worked for Travis Kelsey, so I don't see why it couldn't also work for me. So, I should have... It would always be brought back to Taylor Swift. Yeah, I think I should have done that. I should have used this podcast to get myself The Girlfriend. Okay, well. But unfortunately, I didn't. I haven't seen it. So, Kay, you are in the pocket of Big Girlfriend. Yes, I am. So, we can't really go to you. So, Boyd, we're going to have to listen to you rabbit on this time about The Girlfriend.

1:04:27Oh, sorry. Yes, oh, that's good. Yes. To talk about The Girlfriend, let's refer to The Boyfriend. Oh, okay. Ba-dum-bum. What a shame that you haven't seen this, though. I know, I really wanted to watch it. Do you know what? my RPR friend replied very late at night last week because I'd been chasing it for him because I really was desperate for the scene. I'm not saying Prime Vida have done this to be too rich running. Yeah. They hate you. Have you been cleaning up all their shows? Yeah, it might have been that. But they did actually provide the screen to me but didn't arrive until after midnight last night and I'd already turned into a pumpkin.

1:04:59So I was unable to watch it in zone. Yeah, okay. Well, here we go. This is what happens in the girlfriend. So, do you remember last week I was talking about the genre of is she origin and sheer psychopath thrillers that have been there's been loads of them the jetty the stolen girl the au pair little disasters insomnia behind her eyes etc etc this is adapted from the novel the same name by michelle francis and it's got a similar kind of thing to it but this this one ups in two ways this has got two characters who you're like not sure if they're a psychopath or not so you've got the robin wright character who is the very rich um art gallery owning mother of um a kind of handsome young guy called Daniel, played by Laurie Davidson.

1:05:42And Laurie Davidson has fallen in love with this kind of working class woman called Cherry, who works as an estate agent. And she is played by the great Olivia Cooke from House of the Dragon and other stuff. And she's also borderline bonkers. Or at least, you know, so right from the beginning, there's enmity as soon as he introduces his new girlfriend to his mother. His dad is a lovely, well-adjusted guy in the middle of all this, by the way, who's the really rich one, who's kind of financing Robin Wright's character's art gallery lifestyle and art gallery job. But she immediately takes against this young girlfriend, and you're not quite sure why.

1:06:20And she also seems very, very close, perhaps creepily so, to her son. James, I'm desperate for you to watch this. It's one of those shows, isn't it? It's one of those, yeah. Well, crucially... Is it a show that you would expect Nicole Kidman to be? Yes. I mean, if this was American... Of course, Robin Wright now lives here. Well, no, no story, because she interviewed now. They're baddies. But as far as I get, she lives here now, and she was really keen on doing this show because they sent her the book, and she's like, this is a really exciting thing. But yeah, if this was an American Netflix show or something, Nicole Kidman would absolutely play her character, Robin Wright.

1:06:57But Robin Wright is fantastic in it. Yes, and she directs. Can I just, one crucial thing. One crucial thing is that, James, all of the action, well yeah the majority of the action i was about to say this i was getting to it is dual perspective so you see from the point of view and then cherry so you never know where to believe the rush them on boy you left it too long i think that's crucial i mean no but i said what one thing when you say the one thing that's different is the fact that there's both of them could be bonkers the second thing that makes it different is that it's shown from the both point of view points of view in the style and by the way in the style you if you're a critic of a show that has multiple perspectives you have to say it's in russia mon style the classic or you could just sound like boomtown but i'm not sure many people have watched it's like boomtown you'd say it's like pulp fiction yeah whatever way you look at it yeah the events play out and you see the same events crucially from each of the possibly bonkers main characters points of view but they do it very cleverly in this case because it's it's it's it's you see more information if like you're given more information in terms of the storyline and the narratives as you switch from the one person's perspective to the other, which is quite a clever way.

1:08:05So you see little moments that you didn't see the first time around as the bonkers. So it's not repetitive. Yeah, so it doesn't feel you're going through the motions of the same storyline. So it's just intelligently and cleverly written and particularly the multiple perspectives element of it. Bottom line is, this is an absolute joy of a juicy, ludicrous, fun... Sexy. Sexy, borderline preposterous... In fact, embrace the preposterousness. I think it's aware of its own kind of madness. We're heading into the next shows, aren't we, that are like this? Yeah, absolutely, in that world. And it's definitely up there.

1:08:46I mean, what's interesting is The Guest, which we reviewed last week, which is the Eve Miles one with the two women. Similarly, the two women in that are kind of a bit bonkers as well. there's a rash of bonkers women. I don't know how I'd feel about it. If I was a woman, I might be slightly attacked because you don't get as many are there bonkers men storylines. Nowhere near as many. With this, though, it depends on whose perspective because from, like, for example, from Cherry's perspective, yeah, you'd think, oh my God, Laura, the mother, is wackadoodle-doo and she fancies her son, perhaps, or is too close.

1:09:18But from Laura's perspective, she could just be an over-picked mother. My point is, at least one of them is. At least one of them is. They're both borderline wacko anyway. and this one of them is totally wacko we just don't not quite sure which one it is to start with anyway but I loved it and the extent to which I enjoyed it is that I absolutely devoured the whole fucking series in my go it's very binge it's such a binge it's nice that you were able to do that it's very nice I think you should give it a go it's not like I wouldn't like to well you've got it now I do bottom line is it's a lot of fun it is it's a wild ride it's entertaining thrilling you won't there are moments in it where episode two, for example, there's a balcony scene where you're like, oh my God, did that just happen?

1:10:00Kay and I, off mic, had a discussion, didn't we, about this scene where we were comparing notes and Kay, we were comparing shock levels of that scene is what I'd say. Yes. And you were more shocked about it. I was very shocked, yeah. I took it in my stride. Yeah, of course. Well, it makes me question things. But anyway, get in touch to the pilot tv at empiremagazine.com. Tell me if you were shocked. You'll know the balcony scene when you see it. You'll absolutely know it and it will stay with you for the rest of your life. Can we also mention supporting girl Tanya Moody from Motherland? Do you remember the big character in Motherland?

1:10:32She drank a lot. A big character in Motherland? Surely not. Yes. She's very funny in Motherland. She is fucking camp as Christmas in this show. Her character, her performance, Shalambra in Franklin from the very recently review of The Assassin. She has a great role in it as well as her daughter. There's loads of fun things going on. And it's so lavish as well, isn't it? It's just lovely to look at. Bold? It is. Well, it is bold. Oh, it is bold. The balcony. Bold balcony. But it's very, there's a lot of property porn. They go to Spain. It's glossy. Yeah. It's fun. It's a show about rich people being nuts.

1:11:10Yeah. But interesting takes on class as well, because as you said, Cherry is working class. You see a northern working class woman. A butcher. Yeah. There you go. Which comes into play, by the way, in one crazy scene. in episode one. Steady. Yes, no spoilers. No spoilers. The girlfriend then on Amazon Prime. Apparently. Yeah, Prime Video Wednesday. Don't call it Amazon Prime. Can't call it Amazon. I'm saying if you're not going to send me screeners I can call it whatever. Oh, here we go. Do you know what? He's added you to the list of streamers and platforms that he's taken against. Yeah. Now that he's now deliberately ignoring the thing that's on every email from Prime Video saying do not call it Amazon Prime.

1:11:50I'm trying to think what other channels? UK TV got her kicking. Channel 5 and ITV have a long win in the crosshairs. Anyway, The Girlfriend is on you and Prime Video. No, it's not. It's on Prime Video Wednesday, the 10th of September, 2025. I think the whole thing drops in a joyous box set and I would set aside five excellent hours to watch it. That is your weekend sorted. Five excellent hours then. Finally this week, we have Only Murders in the Building season five, which reunites us with Charles and Oliver and Mabel as yet another body drops I would say in an apartment near in the environ of an apartment building that frankly must have seen it's environ that must have seen it's probably prices frankly tumble over the past few years which one of you would like to talk about this so that I don't have to I will talk about it's going to be Kay my first question is James did you deign to watch it because when we did this I did watch it I actually physically watched it okay well that's that's good news yeah as you say it's our fifth visit to the Arconia aka the deadliest address in New York City.

1:12:51I mean, anyone who's living there by now surely would just be like, fuck this, I'm out of here. I'm moving. The body in question, the death that the residents are mourning is their dorm in Leicester, played by Teddy Kaluka. The death has been ruled an accident, but none of the gang, as you said, Mabel, Oliver and Charles are buying it, not least because they need it to be murdered for their cast. Red Leicester. oh dear cheesiness levels high anyway yeah so they need it for their true crime pod although as Martin Shaw's character Oliver points out that actually if they were freed up of those commitments then he'll be able to spend more time with his new wife who's off filming I don't know where she is she's abroad isn't she filming and Mabel would be gallivanting around the town being a new wife played by Meryl Streep of course yeah but Charles would just be left doing nothing and I think that's going to be a theme throughout this series of just Charles being a loose end.

1:13:44Luckily, he does not need to worry about that because all fingers point to it being a murder and possible connections to the mob. So it's going to be very interesting. I have to say, because I've been up and down with this show, I think it's a return to form. I'm excited by their antics. James, I imagine you'll say it's silly. It is silly. It is. It's fun. It's entertaining. I like the quippy back and forth with it, the sarky retorts. I enjoy spending time in their company largely. I sometimes have doubts about Mabel if I'm not like that's the one character that I find a little bit hard to get on board with sometimes misogyny yeah Gomez hater yeah hate the gomes yes it's just it's just fun being with them and on this ride as they try and solve this murder I watched this a mere matter of hours after I had watched um the Thursday Murder Club which is the um adaptation of Richard Osman's massive bestseller which is on the Netflix it's a number Number one on the Netflix film list.

1:14:44And I have to say that the contrast between the two was interesting because I think the Thursday Murder Club, sorry, I'm doing my mini film review, is massively slow and ponderous. Boy, imagine this scene. I went to watch it in the cinema, a friend. I paid money. You made it then. Yeah, I did. I mean, I literally looked at my watch after an hour of the Thursday Murder Club and I couldn't believe it was still another hour to go. By that point, it was a Friday murder. Well, exactly. Good one. It's so ponderous and just dull. Yes. And not funny. Which is frustrating because of the car. They've got such a great car.

1:15:20Brilliant car. But my point is, you then watch the first services, and we have had our ups and downs with it. We famously did a spoiler special series, which, because James doesn't watch it, it basically became Kay and me. Doesn't watch it. And crucially, doesn't like it. Yeah, and that season started brilliantly, if you remember, and then kind of did dip in the middle. Because they were, do you know what, it's because they all went off in their different directions and the strength of this lies in the dynamic all three. So my point is, this is an absolute delight in comparison. This is the tone that that needs to have for me.

1:15:52I genuinely think that, you know, it was like, this has this kind of vibrancy to it. Yes. It's got a charm, the three leads have chemistry together. It is silly, but it's those day murder companies to be a bit sillier because it is so fond of. That's probably, I haven't seen Thursday Night Club yet, but I suspect I will enjoy it more. Maybe. You probably will, actually. But it's just not funny. So this is just, in comparison, an absolute delight. And I do think it's, I actually did like the previous series, because particularly the Hollywood stuff, remember there was all the stuff about actors playing themselves.

1:16:24Yeah, and I loved all that, that element of that series. But I think what I particularly enjoy about, from that series and particularly this series, is that the threesome, if you like, the trio, is kind of joined by Howard, the cab neighbour made by brilliant played brilliantly by Michael Cyril Crichton who's fantastic her presence he's you know the guy walking the dog and all of that and he is really really funny as well and he's in it a lot more than he was back he's been in every series he's been you know the neighbour yeah yeah absolutely he's been there kind of at the edge of it but he's more central now to the whole thing because I think they know how funny and interesting that character is and how his interactions are are and I think the um the mafia stuff and this is really well done like what what they've always been really good at in only murders is pulling the rug from under you in a kind of borderline stupid way like if you're james by the quite satisfactory satisfying fun way if you're a normal person so there are lots of surprises all the way through and you think you know they're going to the this mobster family and you think they're meeting mobsters but then it turns out to be not quite what you expect i mean i was i a little bit didn't enjoy that oh i did enjoy that scene i really enjoyed that scene taylioni is the main is the kind of she is the she asks there for the help before the actual murder happens and kind of she's a key element of it and there's just you know you can just reel off the cast Diane Vist Logan Lerman Christoph Waltz René Zellweger it's just incredible Beanie Feldstein and they give them juicy fun parts to play so I'm fully back in back on board with Only Murder You're back in the building Back in the building is great fun Do you know what whereas Thursday Murder Club takes itself way too seriously this doesn't and it's all the better for it.

1:18:03See, I think that's my problem with it. It's so silly. I find it a little irritating. That mobster scene you could describe, I thought was dreadful. I really didn't get on with it. In a rare moment, I do agree with James. But it's just one scene. Other than that, I liked it. I think also, because I've never warmed to these characters. Yeah, you've always been a hater. Yeah, well, mainly Oliver and Waddle's Chops, the other one. I don't actually mind Mabel. Steve and Mabel. But I am... Charles. Yeah, Charles, that's it. Charles and Oliver. I just don't enjoy this show. I know The Failing Is Mine.

1:18:35It is a massive hit. Lots of people like it. I just can't get on with it. I think it's the silliness. It's your misery guts, basically. It's because I'm miserable. That's such a great term. Yeah, yeah. It's true, yeah. Anyway, if you do have a funny bone, and indeed some sliver of a sense of humour, you may enjoy it, it's available on the Disney+. I think it's available... Sorry, I'm just leafing through. leafing through Tuesday the 9th of September 2025 fabulous what else is out this week what did we miss well coming up on the Sunday which if you know we could have reviewed if it hadn't been embargoed but we'll do it in the next we'll do it cold water the aforementioned Andrew Lincoln ITV1 thriller is arriving the newsreader as Kay mentioned that's Thursday 11th of September just to underline on well I'm just saying it's on this week yeah this week I'm not guess I'll get carried away Playing Gracie Darling is a Paramount Plus Aussie thriller about a girl who vanished during a seance and 27 years on local teens play a speaker game named after the missing teen so yeah Kay's already shaking her head at that but that's on Paramount Plus Thursday the 11th of September he says leafing through leafing through oh there's a well there's fans of Downton Abbey of which we all are the grand finale yes Is it a cinema together?

1:19:59No, no, no, that is in cinemas. Boyd, he's already seen it. I've seen it, I've done the interviews. He was hanging out with Hugh Bonneville yesterday. He was hanging out with Hugh Bonneville yesterday. And Alan Leach, the great Alan Leach. But what I'm saying is there's a celebration of Downton Abbey itself on ITVX on Friday, the fans of the show. Oh, like a documentary? Like a documentary and a celebration of everything, of the three films and the six movies that we've had to enjoy. I think that's about it. It's not a massive week for new peak television. James is getting twitchy at the audio.

1:20:24look I was just if it is in any way possible to make more noise with the magazine I don't know how you could do it you saw like the vein in his head I was thinking of Darren I'm thinking of Darren Darren won't mind stop rustling don't make me you know like what is it in the bald identity where he kills a man with a magazine it could literally happen so good god what is our pick of the week task task it is task it is task yes fabulous okay that is us done for this week we hope you enjoyed the show if you did we want you to do two very important things one please leave us a 5 star rating on whatever platform you enjoy this show on two we also want you to go to YouTube and watch it on YouTube because Kay loves being on video and she wants as many people as possible to watch this podcast on YouTube so they can see her in all her glory and three while you're at it we'd like you to subscribe to Pilot Plus because we want your monies yeah yeah and also get in touch please can you repeat the email address who's email mad that noise come on not me fess up it's you isn't it of course it's Boydie I think this might be you it's not me honestly I'm a professional you're a constant noisemaker right yes what was the other thing yes pilot tv at empiremagazine.com we want your messages please get in touch yeah your missives get in touch on next week's show the aforementioned Andrew Lincoln will be on the show with David Ireland to talk about cold water cold water not cold water crucially and what else is on next week Gen V returns next week for his second season is it ask and it's an answer yeah the morning show is back for its fourth season obviously some of us saw that many many months ago Tulsa King's actually back for its third season next week as well yeah are you sure yeah I believe it's on Sunday oh it's on back and there'll probably be other things as well so I don't know juice juice like rabbit juice see all these things all these things Boyd has not put in the calendar yet but crucially we will be reviewing Cold Water on this week's Pilot Plus which you can listen to on Thursday if you subscribe and if you don't then you should sounds very menacing when you say it like that does it?

1:22:26it was supposed to be threatening don't threaten the listeners come on if you have the option of opting into subscribing we'd love that if not we still love you okay right we're done we're going to go off and review our pictures of the aforementioned photo shoot Kay unfortunately does have model approval so this could go 100 % and I'm very critical so yeah we'll see what gets signed off interesting shall I tell the readers about what's going to happen next week when you want to swap sides to the other side of the studio because that is your better side photographer Marco has been like trying to talk me off the ledge in terms of having my picture taken i.e.

1:22:58telling me not to hold my hands like claws because I'm so nervous and crucially in between shots saying and breathe and we established that maybe there is one side of my face that is slightly better and so as of next week you're going to be sitting on that side or we're just getting ousted for the seats you have insisted Diva K has insisted if we're just to be on camera if you're insisting that we want to cater to the three people who are watching on YouTube then yes this will be happening okay well look forward to seeing Kay's good side next week. I've yet to encounter Kay's good side, but we'll see.

1:23:26Pilot out.