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

22:38It's very stylish and stylized, isn't it? Yeah, this is probably the most stylized show we've done. Wayne's done a wonderful job of directing it. and we wanted to bring it to life that way, the cool office setting, plus this cool cast of Sam Plaflin and Bill Nye, you know, dream cast. And so all of that, I just sort of saw it that way. I could have written it as a novel. I also haven't written a novel that has that kind of eeriness yet. Maybe I will one day. But that's how I originally saw it. And I said, let's just see if we can bring it straight to the screen. To me, it's a novel, but instead of going to paper, I just went right to screen.

23:14Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I know it totally works, yeah. That look that it's got, the office is a beautiful set. And the whole thing has a kind of interesting, I don't know, like a cinematic feel, like almost like a neon. Did you sit down with the directors and discuss that, what you wanted? I remember saying, Tim, I wanted like a Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady's office, but nightmarish version of it, sort of a thing, like a little darker version. And then what I did, I didn't want to necessarily, we've seen the story where the sort of prodigal son comes home to the rural outskirts of the town or the quiet town where his dad was the local doctor.

23:51I wanted the opposite. He's coming into that city. So we put that office on top of a real building in Manchester. It was really funny. I'd gone out of a restaurant one day after we had discovered it and we'd found the pictures, but I hadn't seen it in person. I walk out and there was the actual building that we were using. So we put that office up top there. So a lot of these things were conscious decisions that we made I wanted to do something a little different and that would surprise people and you use the song wind was of your mind Which is one of my favorite songs from the Thomas Crown affair, right?

24:21What a fantastic song and a new a different version of it Well, how whose idea was that don't remember anymore? But it was just the perfect song for for that particular setting. We all jump right on it Yeah, because it's because it could be this whole thing that is all going on in Sam Claflin's glasses mind That's one of the great mysteries of the show, isn't it? Now, I don't know if you've ever discussed this before, but where do you stand on, if you know, do you like a story with a twist, to know that there is a twist coming up when you're watching a film or something, or would you rather not know there's any kind of twist and be taken by surprise?

24:53Well, I think when you market it as Harlan Coben's Lazarus, you're pretty sure there's going to be a twist coming up. I have trouble writing something where someone goes, oh, that probably won't be a twist. So I think people are, you know, coming to my show is certainly expecting the twist. So it's hard for me to run away from it. When I'm watching a show, I don't know. I don't really care one way or the other. And, you know, I also love the challenge that people are going to be watching, looking for where these twists and turns are coming. And to still surprise them in heartfelt ways, you know, I look forward to that.

25:26Because the reason I'm particularly relevant for this is I think, I haven't counted, but this has twist upon twist upon twist, right? I've watched the whole thing, and it's extraordinary. I mean, you may get a twist, and then a minute later, there's a twist on that twist, which pulls the rhyme from Andy. Did you almost deliberately set out, you know, and Danny Brockhurst wrote a lot of it, or is that just the way your mind works? Well, it's the way my mind works, but here, this is what I think. Like, I think the twists here are maybe the most organic I've ever had because of the nature of the story.

25:59Where each twist, you know, for me a twist, as much as I love to twist, it has to feel earned. And it has to be heartfelt. It has to move you in some way other than to just make you, you know, surprised. It's not a card trick. I don't want to just do a card trick. I want it to mean something. And because of the nature of the story, we were able to just do a lot of them here. and that each one should cause a little pang on your heart and take you in a direction you don't expect to go. I don't think the show goes and, you know, you think it's going to be one thing and ends up being others in a positive way.

26:31I was really excited about that. You mentioned the casting, Bill Nighy. Yeah. Now, the proposition to it, I can imagine his agent saying, right, but we've got this brilliant role for you, but he's dead. And you're looking, oh, okay. Like, did you think we have to kind of tell him, actually, did you send him the whole, all the scripts? Did he know the whole story? Because you could think, oh, he's not going to be in that much. But actually, he's a very prominent figure all the way through, even though he is dead. Well, it's a funny story. You've known me a long time, so you know I've never said this to you before.

26:59This is the first time when I was creating a story where I did have an actor in mind from moment one, Bill. I just thought Bill Nye would be the perfect Dr. Lazarus. But I also thought, there's no way I'm going to get Bill Nye. And we sent Bill the episode, I think it's script one, maybe script one and two. And he called me the next day, wanted to hear the rest of the story and was in. I mean, he was just all the way in as Bill gets. So it was a complete and utter honor, obviously, to have Bill and that involved and really wanting to be talking about the show and just obsessed with it like the rest of us.

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 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.

28:26Kay Ribeiro: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? I 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.

29:01And 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? Bonus points if it was a show that you liked but still couldn't cross the finish line. Yours in half-finished binges, Stephen.

29:28Kay Ribeiro: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 enough I don't think I went back and I definitely didn't finish C and I watched quite a lot well and that's your loss really isn't it it is my loss yeah was it genuinely was there three series I think it was three yeah that's a candidate for me I did enjoy it but yeah didn't have enough didn't have enough wank praying too much James not enough wank praying did I put you off the show James put me off Yeah.

30:11I 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. Well, that's not... It didn't go very far. No, wait a minute. 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 getting me the zombies yeah yeah yeah but I didn't go back I didn't finish it you know definitely I didn't finish

30:53Kay Ribeiro: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 I 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 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 because ER long running medical job yeah that's it ER had what how many was it 12 I want to say 12 something like that I don't know but 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 Did you finish House?

31:46Kay Ribeiro: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 No, of course not No, it's not. No, it's some brilliant episodes that are absolutely all about his relationship between the, you know, his best mate and his boss. Also his addiction.

32:14Addiction, yeah, yeah, yeah. What's the woman's name? Yeah, I can't remember. Clearly very memorable. E, something caddy? No, I can't remember. Oh, give me a go. Is it? Something like that, anyway. We don't know.

32:24Kay Ribeiro:But no, 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, kind of like a 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 just life too short you were like that recently was 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 what was that 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 tens of hours away.

33:06Kay Ribeiro:Just don't do it. 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 the line of duty? The Cuddy. The Caddy, I thought. Anyway, God, I'm just like... No, that's correct. I'm mixing all my TV shows now. Cuddy 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.

33:42We're recruiting more people. Yeah, chuck us an email.

33:44Kay Ribeiro: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. Yes, 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. Shall we begin with some stealth news? Mm-hmm. And that is that in a classic Apple way, Oh, I know what you're going to say. they have rebranded to you and Apple TV. And that was completely unexpected. But they didn't announce it.

34:17Kay Ribeiro: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. That's probably aimed at me.

34:49I mean, mostly K, yeah. 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 originals. So it makes sense, yeah, sure, it's simplified, but it's weird.

35:08Kay Ribeiro: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, Disney 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. Do you know what? There would have been someone paid an excursionate amount of money.

35:35Just got crossed the plus off. Just like rub it out. But no, but the point James made, which was true, that 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 TV. Let's drop the plus. And everyone went, yeah, that's a good idea. let's spend eight gazillion dollars telling everyone and someone 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

36:26Kay Ribeiro:oh sure give me all the stuff they actually announced a new iPad the other day did they? yeah Yeah, new M5 iPad Pro. Yeah, send me one of those. At the moment, it feels like we are sponsored, but we're not getting paid. Yeah, exactly. 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.

36:59the sitcom first aired in 2008 and obviously became a cultural phenomenon spawning guess how many series James?

37:07Kay Ribeiro:Inbetweeners? 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 so enjoyed is a generous term I definitely that is 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 videos? 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? I think there are degrees of friend, Simon.

37:39Kay Ribeiro:And I think Inbetweeners, it's definitely present, but it's not as excruciating. Is it also because you could relate? To being one of the Inbetweeners, yes, absolutely. Yeah, fine. What's mad about this story is I've interviewed various cast members of the Inbetweeners down the years, including, you know... Simon Bird? Mainly Simon Bird, to be fair, because he's now a very successful director of TV comedies. 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, 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 Martin Freeman or Bender Coverbatch, 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 Corrie is working on. Seeing Jeremy Corrie next week, by the way. Can you ask him? No. Can you get that explanation?

38:41You would be too scared when you... 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 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.

39:10I 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 that it's going to happen.

39:20Kay Ribeiro:A Simon Bird in the hand, of course, being worth two in the bushel. Exactly. Boyd's bushel. You know, in theory, it's mad, right? Because, you know, the show, it was them in sixth form. You know, it was them, they're 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? You know, the film has sent them off as adaptation sitcoms usually do 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? Yeah, it has to be. 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 and 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 everything gets rebooted in the end, doesn't it?

40:26That's that successful, and clearly that's what's happening.

40:29Kay Ribeiro:There's actually a line in one of the first, I think it's the second episode of Blue Lights, which felt to me like an in-betweeners reference. When he says to me, he says, don't be a notebook wanker. Nobody 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, 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.

40:59100 % correct. Yes, you're right. No, I'd like to be here to fill in the gaps. In my memory, as I reached the Nilsie. Yes, no, it was absolutely for that, yeah. And he did a great job.

41:10Kay Ribeiro:Clearly 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. Start of Watch. 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 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.

41:47Kay Ribeiro: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 so Titus a fan of basic binges lest we forget yes yes absolutely legendarily so yeah anyway but James is shaking his head because I mentioned unbelievable hey look you know I have Titus's he's in my contacts but I've got his phone number I could 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 Bosch yes I do that every Saturday night it's amazing he hasn't blocked me I just send him a message saying how much I like Bosch was the trailer of the week is that a rhetorical question it is rhetorical right okay I'll tell you tell me it is Amadeus yes Amadeus yes this is the TV drama version of the Amadeus play yes 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 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 Joe Barton and I thought this tray 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 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 it's I know that having hosted the Sky showcase event at Edinburgh TV Festival this year with all the Sky big wits Philodica 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 no have they even filmed it yet no I know I want a real timeline given to us I genuinely I need it Having already consumed the new Slow Horses, I need another Black Doves.

44:21Kay Ribeiro:Yeah, exactly. I need that. 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, I said I just like stuff to wash over me. 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 the next scene because I want to see if I can, yeah. I think they've only just been filming Black Doves. God damn it, Joe. Speed up. Okay, fine. All right. I just wondered if you had some intel. Does this mean that I can be legitimately furious at Amadeus?

44:50Kay Ribeiro:Because it is what has delayed Black Dove's form. Oh, that would be... That would be... That would be churlish and totally 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 Era's Tour. Yes. It has been announced. It's very exciting. as well as the final night of the Iris tour, which is in Vancouver. That's going to go out, so we're going to get the newer version of the Iris tour and a six-part documentary.

45:25James, I ask you to consider the listener who got in touch to say that you bollocked on too much about Taylor.

45:30Kay Ribeiro:This is not me bollocking on. I think you'll find this is legitimate TV news as reported by many reputable outlets. Which platform? It's going to be on Disney+. 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? So I have earned the right to do this one. Look how easy it's like as if that was a gift to me. Usually you'd hate a documentary on Channel 4. Right, okay, if that's open, that kind of words, I'll be presenting more Channel 4 documentaries.

46:07Okay, sure. Yeah, we'll do. We're playing that game. Anything else in news? Yes, there is 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 et cetera Mohan Rizwan's in it yes a friend another friend of the pod Lenny 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 yep it's a six part legal drama with story and characters created by Ursula, Rani, Sama based on the split itself, of course.

47:13And 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.

47:25Kay Ribeiro: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? No. It's literally about how the wife shrinks to miniature sides. 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.

48:01That is the premise of this show. It sounds a whack. I'm going to say it now. I think I'm out. what? you can't be out before Matthew McFadden I know I do love him and yeah it's based on a short story by Manuel Gonzalez I know you're a big fan of his and Greg Mottolis directed in the first episode he's a good director he directed the the Aliad comedy you know with Nick Frost and Simon Pegg Paul Paul thank you so yeah but I thought that was a weird project that's done 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 it's like the Borrowers for Adults it sounds like a little bit yeah The Incredible Shrinking Woman okay I'm definitely calling time on news you're calling time I can tell even though there was a Bridgerton trailer I thought you might mention I didn't see the Bridgerton trailer no anyway just saying I saw it was out I didn't watch either oh it just doesn't care anymore

48:53Kay Ribeiro:well let's find out if Bill Nighy's watched it shall we because he's our next guest we already told you slick there you go don't just throw this shit together slick Rick anyway yes we forced Bill Nighy to confront Boyd about Lazarus. Boyd just nearly checked 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 Knighty, that I spoke to Bill Knighty about what Harlan Coburn had said about him. Boyd, that's because you're a goddamn professional. Yeah, exactly.

49:26So there's a little narrative between these two.

49:28Kay Ribeiro:So this is in many ways the sequel to the earlier interview. Yes, exactly. Part two, if you will. Yeah. There we go. Lazarus then, And 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. We're talking about Harlan Coburn's Lazarus. Now, 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.

50:02It 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 Claflin so and I've worked with I've been in the same movie as Sam Claflin before but we never actually got to act and it was and I was that was a plus and I was keen to do that and it was turned out to be great so because harlem didn't know that you're a fan of his work i don't think did he when he wrote no i don't think so no i mean nobody probably knew i mean you know unless you ask me yeah but um but no i'm a i'm a big i like i'm a genre guy you know i like i love the the kind of i love that the the the sort of i'm going to risk a word the muscular muscle actually i shouldn't have i'm going to risk it the muscular i can't even say yeah you know I like the kind of rhythm of it, you know, and I like the form.

51:06And I read Elmore Leonard and I read various other, you know, 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, you know, it's 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 and it's certainly the case with Harlan because he's very sophisticated in that way and and you and he draws them very Particularly and you know who you're talking about and you become invested in them and you you know And you recognize them or whatever so yeah, so I'm a big fan of that kind of that kind of book Yeah, because I'm a huge fan as well of his stuff.

51:51I've been for I'm a huge fan of Harlan's Books have been for a long time and it's the twists isn't as well I think. He is the master of the twist. 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. Right. 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.

52:22Did it feel like the way to you when you were getting the rest of the script? Yeah. 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 it went like that. And I was like banging around thinking, well, it was obvious she did it. No, she didn't. He did it. He, she, what? 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.

52:55Do you know what was he thinking? I don't know. I don't know without spoiling everything. But I don't know, except that it's a marvellous thing to hear, that someone like Harlan, that would ever come to pass. And I'm not being cute. It just is. 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 know, 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. It'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 done any therapy? anyone? No, I've never done any therapy. I come from that generation who, you know, thinks that, I mean, I 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.

55:25But 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've got enough of my plate without finding out why, you know, why am I a mess? Well, who cares I'm just trying to deal with it but no I'm sure I would probably benefit from going I think just from going to have someone listen I think is 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.

56:06But 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. When you walk into that set, does that help kind of work, make the whole thing easier? Because it is such a fantastic set. Yeah. I mean, before Harlan sent me photographs of my office.

56:39He 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. But what 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, you know, it was like, wow, you know, these people are serious.

57:15And it is, 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. I don't even do ADR to vision now. I finally worked out. Somebody did it for me a few years back.

57:53Well, 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. 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 suddenly realize I can just tell them to turn it off and I just do it audio. Wow. Well, that's well worth watching. If you could get over that, it's great.

58:27No, good luck.

58:28Kay Ribeiro:Fair enough. Cheers, Bill. Thanks for my pleasure. Cheers. Thank you very much. Okay, that was Bill Nighy 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. Galsworthy? Galsworthy? Galsworthy. Galsworthy. Galsworthy. Okay, there we go. We'll pronounce it that way, shall we?

59:01Kay Ribeiro: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, 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? I 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.

59:35And 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 Foresights, a stockbroking family. and it's all about the power dynamic of some of those members, like the siblings in particular, played by Stephen Moyer and Jack Davenport. I think it's Moyer. Oh, is it? Yeah. Not like Alison Moyer. Not like Alison Moyer, no.

1:00:07Kay Ribeiro:But, you know, feel free to pronounce it any way you like. It's fine. It's not, it's an R rather than a T. Moyer.

1:00:17We've heard a broken K. You've got to keep this out. 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.

1:00:34Kay Ribeiro: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. Because Joe's not interested in it. He's more of an arty creative.

1:01:13Anyways, so he's got sibling rivalry. He's got a formidable matriarch played by Francesca... Anis? Yes. God, that's not difficult, that one, is it? I think I'm, 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. 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 Fane, of course. Yes. And of, well, she's Poldark, right? She is. sorry what did I say you said Sherlock oh I meant Poldock I'm 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

1:02:14Kay Ribeiro:also everyone in it is deliriously hot can we just I was about to embark upon it The fact that the, particularly the, I mean, actually, even the older cast, 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. Like, 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.

1:02:52At this point, I have to question the 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.

1:03:00Kay Ribeiro:I don't think they had this much face fuzz back then. Really? I don't think so. Well, the little pensily moustaches I totally bought into. Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. But you mean like the 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 Albin, 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. If any of our historical expert listeners are listening, the ones who point out when we... Boyd, I'm just saying.

1:03:32Boyd, I'm going to refer you to this article on BBC, no less. And the headline is called The Great Victorian Beard Craves. No, no, no, yeah. That's different. These are not beards, Kay.

1:03:44Kay Ribeiro: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 Fellowes. Julian Fellowes, talking about how no one was allowed to have face masks back then. You had to be clean shaven. And 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.

1:04:15They abandoned their barbers, left patented safety razors rusting on bathroom shelves and began growing facial hair.

1:04:22Kay Ribeiro:So maybe it is slightly accurate. It might not be to your taste. Boyd is furious. It was authentic. No, no, no. I'm jealous, furious. Thawesome heads of hair they've all got. That'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... But any historians who know, experts on this period in facial hair, please do get in touch. Were beardos common in Victorian London? Please put this follicular fascist straight.

1:05:01Absolutely. 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. Anyway, but I think this is... 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 living and breathing characters to me rather than just stereotypes and rather than just one-dimensional people.

1:05:36And particularly, as you say, 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. But 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. It would be an insult.

1:06:32Kay Ribeiro:That could have been ITV. I think it could be a bit of a hit for Channel 5. Also, another thing 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%. Which she also did with Poldock, absolutely. The female characters in Poldock were living, breathing, three-dimensional people rather than just foils for their 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.

1:07:10Absolutely, the boxing scene, gratuitous chest action.

1:07:15Kay Ribeiro:There was zero narrative reason for that scene, like none. I kind of applauded for that. But also, what was the fuzz situation there, Boyd? Were you happy with the level of chest hair? I can't remember. No, 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 a six-part Channel 5 period drama. However, it is, I'm horrified to report, a superior period drama. Like, it is good.

1:07:47Kay Ribeiro: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. In 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.

1:08:37Kay Ribeiro: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? I actually think it's Monday night. So I was going to say, this is perfect for Sunday night.

1:09:07Kay Ribeiro: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 it. And also, great cast of people. like genuinely great cast of 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 life yeah so these are yeah these are proper actors so it's not just any old losers they've cast wow wow it makes a difference yeah this hair thing this hair thing's really thrown him he's really turned hasn't he Jesus steady anyway so if you're in for a period of drama a good period of drama check it out not to your point about is it Sunday night Channel 5 doesn't doesn't go for Sunday night it should do yeah it's interesting they know what they're doing I think they probably assume that ITV and BBC that's the big night for Sunday and at the moment you've got Riot Women right oh yeah have new verses frauds on ITV which are too 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 I think Channel 5 does still care about linear CV, so they put their drama stuff on when there isn't so much on the other side.

1:10:35Well, in summary, well played Channel 5. Yeah.

1:10:38Kay Ribeiro:Yeah, much as it galls me to say so. Gallsworthy. Much as it gallsworthy 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? 2025. Thank you. Next up, we have The Ridge on BBC Two, which is Lauren Lyle as 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. A simple climbing accident or something far more sinister. Boydie, tell us.

1:11:15This is a good... I was excited about this show when I first read about it because we love... I love Lauren Lyell. I think we all love Lauren Lyell. She's great. Karen Perry herself. Karen Perry herself. She's absolutely brilliant in that role. and this girl 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... She's got an addiction issue. The stuff that she... I presume it's opioid drugs. Yeah, it's some kind of opioid sort of slap patch that she puts on. Yeah, slap patch, exactly. This kind of injects into her thigh or ankle area.

1:11:49Yeah, she just sort of slaps on. It's like it's a slow-release opioid patch. It's a whole thing. Because she works as an anesthetist in hospital. so she has access to this stuff by the way which is what she's been doing she's nicking it from the hospital also frowned upon quite frowned upon definitely should not be official activity you work in the hospital by the way so she's got issues she's flawed but she's very interesting and the first scene 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 she 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 they'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 won't she keeps getting messages from her sister in New Zealand saying is she coming etc And then she gets a voicemail message from her sister, sounding in great distress, sounding like something's happening to her, that she's fighting for her life.

1:13:01And sure enough, as James has said, the premise is that when she arrives, she finds out that she's dead. She's 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. And instantly she's worrying about what's really happened. it'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 I'm, yeah it's quite intriguingly shot and filmed and directed.

1:13:56It feels quite classy, you know, semi-cinematic show. So, yeah, I'm on board. I love Lauren La. I think she's fantastic and agree with everything Boyd said. By 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 Pirion 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, yeah. 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? So it's, well, I presume that's where they shot it. Once they get to New Zealand. Yeah, once they, well, even Scotland, boy, don't be anti-Scotland.

1:14:43But yeah, the vistas of New Zealand are beautiful.

1:14:48Kay Ribeiro:The vistas, even better. this. We're all mispronouncing it. It's like a disease. I know. It's an epidemic started by me. Sorry. We've infected you both. It's a slap patch of wrongness I put on you both. 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, 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.

1:15:43Kay Ribeiro: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 that's partly by design though because the point 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 kind of She does a brilliant summary of the insular.

1:16:12Kay Ribeiro:Yeah, she does, which is amazing. Which is brilliant. But that's, again, and that's very, you know, 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 investigating crimes.

1:16:44There's been about three or four of these types of stories recently for some reason that maybe 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. Unless we forget there was that show about Noel Edmonds in New Zealand. I wasn't thinking of Noel. I know. Does he solve crimes? I just wanted to make sure he was mentioned again because that's twice now in the podcast. Yeah, Noel Edmonds' look was stolen by the Forsyth guy. Oh my God. Right, when does the rich air? Oh my God. He's really running out of patience.

1:17:19Wow. Do you know what he's done? We've pushed him over the ridge. That's it. I'm on the other side now. The Ridge is on BBC Two Thursday the 20th, 3rd of October,

1:17:29Kay Ribeiro: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. That is genuinely what happened to me. Only because I saw it in the end credits, and I was like, I rewound it.

1:18:06And I had to rewound 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 it's like, oh my God. And it's actual Julia Roberts. How did that come about? Do we know?

1:18:15Kay Ribeiro: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 Andrew Chaplin comes to Arsenal quite a lot and he directed the album It's Not Normal he's a brilliant director 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 has she spoken about that or someone's new I think she spoke about it, yeah. She'd been given a copy of it or something like that.

1:18:48And 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 is a narrator, but this is so unshowy and sweet and understated. Yeah, the contrast is brilliant. Yeah, it's a real good juxtaposition. So, as James said, Alex and Laurie play... Laurie? Laurie.

1:19:09Kay Ribeiro: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 his horizons. And that includes kind of embracing his burgeoning feelings for his colleague, Shelley, 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 like 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 but 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 it's all about gentleness yeah 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 kind of point of it. And it's wonderful because 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.

1:21:21And I can absolutely see, I'm waiting for James, obviously. I'm on Tenter books. 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 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 and I think it's a celebration of that tone almost, it's so kind of celebratory of friendship.

1:22:05Yes, and introverts as well. Completely introverts, yeah. So when Jamie O'Donnell's character comes in, there's a little bit of a shaker opera. She's extrovert, right? But that clash of introvert-extrovert between her and Alex Lawther'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, yeah. and stylistically it's very Wes Anderson I think you know it's got that

1:22:33Kay Ribeiro:well not quite I know exactly what you mean again it's a slightly whimsical aspect but it's not quite as no no no it's Wes Anderson light much more definitely has a hint of that some shots are Anderson it reminded me of Brian Fuller actually it brought Pushing Daisies a little bit not quite with the primary colours and Pushing Daisies obviously is again it's like Wes Anderson 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 Liff-Liff's voice.

1:23:06Kay Ribeiro:Yeah, there's a coziness to the narration which I found quite hypnotic. There's an ASMR quality to this whole fucking show. There really is. This is going to... This show will calm your nervous system. Yes. What a contrast is Alex Lauthor who we interviewed on the pod for Alien Earth which is not whimsical. It couldn't be further from further from his previous role and I think that should be celebrated and I think they're all really great in it, Laurie Kinderson's fantastic 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 % 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?

1:23:55Kay Ribeiro:I thought you said Lord. Oh, I might have missed her. 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 PM. 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.

1:24:34Kay Ribeiro:As always, I just, I don't know, I can't stop watching The Walking Dead. I just can't do it. That's the one that, sorry, you know, I referenced the fact that you're watching something and you don't know why. Yeah. That's the one we've been talking about recently. I mean, 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. will be on this podcast next week to talk about it. So there you go. That's a gift to both of you. As a total surprise to all of you.

1:25:00Kay Ribeiro:We always find out what's happening. I'm speaking to Stephen Merchant next week for this very podcast. So yes, he will be on next week's show talking about zombies. Zombies. Zombies. Communication is key for us as always. Oh, absolutely. It is on the planner, but I only just put it on the calendar. Or planner. The calendar, the calendar. The color-coded calendar. I think you said you put it on the planner, but not on the calendar. No, it is on the calendar. The same thing. 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.

1:25:31Kay Ribeiro: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 911 is back on Disney Plus on Wednesday, the 22nd. This is the smash hit Ryan Murphy produced drama about first responders in LA that is quite entertaining and huge successful. Murphy-esque. Very Murphy-esque, yeah. The Kardashians are back, K, on Thursday the 23rd. Don't you worry about that. I've got it on my calendar. James will be, James has got it in his calendar. Always. His iCal with a K.

1:26:03Yeah. I'll tell you what, there was on Friday. Is it a film? Is it a one-off? Oh, God, here we go. Picture-length documentary. Who cares? It's brilliant. Stiller and Miros. Nothing is lost. Ben Stiller, about his parents. Oh, yeah, I've heard about this. Is it Apple? It's Apple TV. Apple TV. Apple TV minus. Apple TV minus. And just, 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 other 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 courses of ITV should cut you off at the pass because I think you've just been so outrageous about them

1:26:47Kay Ribeiro:I 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 Trigger Point Trigger Point 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 or Brookside Brookside was legendary Sue Johnston anyway anyway that's happening E4 Wednesday fine what is our pick of the week 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'd go along with that I think it is Leonard and Hungry Paul agreed fabulous 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 along with quite a clip we did start late 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.

1:27:48Kay Ribeiro:Dyer at Pilot TV Pod please give us a 5 star rating and send us cake. I think that covers everything? Yes. Excellent. On next week's show, as we've Merchanted, 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, Welcome to Derry, does land on Sky. That's on the Monday. We've got Down Cemetery Road, which is the new Mick Herron on Apple TV. Star Wars Visions, we will not be reviewing that, but that's on next week on Disney+. The Witcher Season 4 arrives.

1:28:19Kay Ribeiro: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 complicated yeah 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 so 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 yeah exactly anyway I'll say it for you priorities pilot out