PLUS Hostage

20 Aug 2025 · 46 min · 21 chapters

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In short

Pilot Plus reviews Netflix’s Hostage (first episode setting the scene for the five-part series). It’s a high-stakes political thriller: British PM Abigail Dalton (Saran Jones) negotiates with French President Toussaint (Julie Delpy) over immigration and an NHS medical supply crisis, then her humanitarian doctor husband is kidnapped in French Guyana and held for ransom. The episode emphasizes female leadership dynamics, lavish production scale (recreating Downing Street and the House of Commons), and “preposterous” twists that viewers must largely accept.

Guests

Kay Ribeiro (host/regular). No external guests appear in this episode; they mention upcoming interviews with Saran Jones and creator Matt Sharman on the Monday pod.

Key claims

Delpy’s character is ambitious and calculating but compassionate; Jones plays an integrity-driven working-class PM. The French President can’t help immediately due to a major twist (kept vague). The show is entertaining “thrill fest” despite realism/credibility stretches.

Notable examples

Downing Street and House of Commons sets; the “hands are tied” reason Delpy can’t act; the NHS medicine crisis explanation confusion.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Setting the Stage for Hostage Review

0:46 to 2:08

The hosts prepare to review 'Hostage' and share relevant details.

“How do you feel, Kay, about going just a duo?”

Overview of 'Hostage' Plot

2:09 to 4:52

A detailed summary of the plot and characters in the series 'Hostage'.

“And hopefully we'll have Saran Jones and the creator, Matt Sharman, I think.”

Themes and Character Dynamics

4:53 to 8:30

Exploration of the themes, character dynamics, and dramatic tension in 'Hostage'.

“So in this first episode, basically, it sets the scene, as Boyd says, Serene Jones is British Prime Minister, Abigail Dalton.”

Production Quality and Expectations

8:31 to 14:00

Discussion on the production quality, expectations, and storytelling in 'Hostage'.

“And, in fact, it gets more and more mad as it goes on, I would say.”

Discussing 'Hostage' and Its Plot Twists

14:00 to 16:48

Explore the intricate storytelling and unexpected twists of 'Hostage'.

“is, you know, you really feel you want to carry on watching.”

The Lead-Up to Mailbag Segment

16:48 to 17:45

Transitioning from 'Hostage' to engaging with listener feedback.

“You will, and you'll never see, I'm banging on the bed of relentlessly, but you'll never see the reason why Judy Delpy can't help.”

Listener Insights on 'Smoke'

17:45 to 18:44

Listeners share strong opinions about the show 'Smoke' and its narrative style.

“And by the end, there were lots of unanswered storylines and it felt utterly ridiculous.”

Debating the Final Episode of 'Smoke'

18:44 to 20:18

A spirited discussion on the controversial final episode of 'Smoke'.

“You remember my theory about Smoke, which is that it makes Hostage look like a kind of small-scale, cozy little drama, melodrama, because Smoke takes such big swings, huge big swings.”

Listener Messages and Podcast Recollections

20:18 to 21:29

Exploring feedback and memories related to past podcast episodes.

Pronunciation Corrections and Listener Engagement

21:29 to 23:59

Engaging with listener corrections and discussing the importance of name pronunciation.

“Basically what happened was I got some messages straight away and James very kindly on his holiday said he would still like schedule the pilot plus, the episodes.”
Show all 21 chapters

Final Thoughts and Ongoing Efforts

23:59 to 28:00

Concluding thoughts on pronunciation challenges and listener experiences.

“He's only saying this because we're a remote recording and we're not just tuning together.”

Pronunciation Struggles

28:00 to 28:51

Hosts discuss the challenges of correctly pronouncing names, particularly in media.

“Anyway, we've taken the note on board and just always know that we are trying our hardest and sometimes we just shit.”

Listener Email Discussion

28:51 to 30:28

The hosts respond to listener Trudy's email about 'The Summer I Turned Pretty'.

“who says, I'm the listener who sent James the message about the pit being available on the in-flight entertainment on my Virgin flight to Florida.”

Review of Series Recommendations

30:28 to 31:33

Hosts discuss their viewing experiences and recommendations for TV series.

“So Trudy, in answer to your email, we have had that recommended to us before and I've tried it, but I couldn't get on.”

'Alien' vs. 'Aliens': A Debate

31:33 to 34:05

Hosts debate the merits of 'Alien' versus 'Aliens' in the context of film history.

“I would absolutely watch them in the order in which they were made and in the order in which they released.”

Upcoming Alan Partridge Series

34:05 to 35:19

The hosts discuss the new Alan Partridge series and its anticipated features.

“And the voice acting of Steve Coogan as Partridge gets better and better.”

Listener Feedback on Tropes

35:19 to 36:30

Hosts read and react to listener Ross's email about common tropes in TV shows.

“It's of course a poetry production executive produced by Alan Partridge, produced by Alan Partridge, starring Alan Partridge and almost certainly written by Alan Partridge.”

Critique of Realism in Dramas

36:30 to 40:15

Discussion on unrealistic portrayals of phone throwing and waking up in dramas.

“In at number one, as recently seen in The Bear and countless other shows, a character gets so angry with their phone call that they throw their phone down in anger.”

Streaming Service Experiences

40:15 to 42:00

Hosts discuss their experiences with different streaming services and show quality.

“It's from Mike, who says, okay, you can see how old this is.”

Streaming Services Discussion

42:00 to 43:48

Exploring the ups and downs of various streaming platforms and their content.

“I start single show first episodes of this podcast and then I don't finish it.”

Kay's Journey and Inspiration

43:48 to 44:28

Kay shares how the podcasting experience has uplifted her spirits.

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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:07Hello and welcome to Pilot Plus, your additional guide to everything worth watching and sometimes not worth watching on TV. For the second week in a row, we've been abandoned by our great leader, James, and we've even been abandoned by our kind of great crime leader, so to speak, Steph Sealand, who is dead to go on holiday the same time as James. I mean, I don't know who does the full planning. I thought you were starting a rumor there. No, no, no, no. Not at all. That voice is, of course, the voice of Kay Ribeiro. And it's a two-hander today. It's a one-on-one because of the aforementioned absences of James and Steph.

0:51How do you feel, Kay, about going just a duo? Well, listen, you know, that excites me greatly. I have no issue with that. I should tell the listeners that I'm a little under the weather, shall we say. And so if I'm a bit low energy, it's not because I'm just doing this with Boyd. It's just because I'm feeling a bit rough. I mean, too much information maybe, but that's fine. Okay, yeah.

1:19Do you know what's brilliant about that? That interaction already. That's giving an insight into the compassion and the sympathy I get from Boyd. if I dare to be under the weather, ever. I think that's an unfair attack on my... You already hit the requisite levels of energy. That's what I meant. Oh, okay, fine. I don't think anyone would have noticed there was anything wrong. I was worried. I like to bring the energy. Yeah, of course. Today, in this episode, we will be reviewing, finally, Hostage on... Netflix? Correct. Yes. Yes, Netflix. And this arrives on Thursday, the day we come out. This podcast comes out.

2:05It's been heavily, heavily embargoed until then, so I haven't been able to review it. And it's all very exciting. And hopefully we'll have Saran Jones and the creator, Matt Sharman, I think. Yes. On the regular pod that comes out on Monday. And then we're all having a bumper. I think the description is postbag. I think I'm mooted doing a – I don't know why I'm getting into the details of it, but I'm, you know, I'm doing a smoke spoiler special discussion because the finale went out on Friday, last Friday, Kay. I'm sure you're aware. But we're saving that to when James comes back to honour his importance, even though, like, they do, they're doing spoiler special discussions about Alien Earth over there on the Empire feed, Kay.

2:48Oh, don't, we've had, yeah, we've had an email about that. Yeah, guests from, no, have you? Good. Oh, I'm glad. Yeah, read it out. and you know what not all lots of coverage of Alien Earth there over on the Empire feed but we have of course had the best coverage with our interview and with Alex Lawther from Alien Earth yes fantastic anyway on to Hostage this is a I would say big bold story in which Saran Jones plays no less the British Prime Minister and her husband, played by Ashley Thomas, rap star known as Bashy, Ashley Thomas, I'm sure you're aware, and actor. Big on the rap scene. Big on the rap scene.

3:33He is big on the rap scene. He plays a husband who is kidnapped in a foreign country and held to ransom by mysterious people. And Sir Anne Jones's prime minister, Abigail Dalton, has to turn to the French prime minister, played by the legendary Julie Delpy, for, in quotes, help with the situation because the territory in which he's been kidnapped is, I believe, kind of French... French Guyana. Guyana. And the Frenchies still have a lot of power over it, you know, for good or ill. Indeed. That is the basic plot, okay? What the hell did you make of this series? So, I have watched it all because I will be interviewing Saran and Matt, but I know I'm wary of spoilers.

4:17We don't want to ruin this for anyone. I would say... Yeah, we should say, sorry, just sorry to interrupt. at this early stage. I'm just, you know, doing what James has done. Listen, you are channeling Dave. Yeah, I'm channeling James. Just to say that the interview hasn't happened yet. It's happening this afternoon. So we're in that slightly weird situation where, you know, anything could happen between now and when you're doing the interview. So we're assuming. I'm doing it from my sick bed. I was, you know. Oh God, yeah. Heroic. But anything could happen, yeah, in between now and then. Maybe I should be Prime Minister with this heroine.

4:44Oh, for sure, yeah. Yeah, just filling in that background that you haven't actually conducted the interview yet, but you will be and it'll all be fine. I have every confidence I will be chatting to them. But yeah, I've watched the whole series, but it's spoiler-rific, you know, so I don't want to give away too much. So in this first episode, basically, it sets the scene, as Boyd says, Serene Jones is British Prime Minister, Abigail Dalton. Within eight months of her premiership, she faces a political and personal crisis, as detailed by Boyd, in that she is first of all trying to negotiate with the French president, president Toussaint and they're dealing with hot button issues in terms of immigration you know so the French president wants Britain to be firm and tough on immigration has some radical suggestions with regards to the UK borders and Abigail is trying to solve the NHS medical supply crisis and so she's trying to you know she's embroiled in these discussions and negotiations and then the worst thing happens as Boyd said which is that her husband is um who's a humanitarian doctor is taken um hostage it is stressful like it's tense it's stressful it's high octane um you know she's put in this incredibly difficult position I really love the fact that you know it's a female prime minister and president and it's how they are dealing with the power and also that on the domestic front the issues they have and i think both women really just fully um i don't know they're really well cast and very convincing these roles so jones has this kind of working class um politician with integrity who really is making difficult decisions and stands her ground even when those decisions involve her family um whereas uh delpy is uh how would you describe sort of like an ice queen who's nakedly ambitious um will do whatever it takes to win her upcoming election um but she's not without compassion she's you know it's well-rounded character she's you know she does have sympathy for abigail's predicament and situation it's just if she's prepared to put abigail's needs above her own which is what the tense situation we find ourselves in at the end of the episode so i mean this is a gourmet burger i mean it is lavish it's thrilling um it's entertaining.

6:59It is, you know, kind of preposterous in places, we have to say that. But what I would say is it's very easy to get swept up in. And you just want to see how it unfolds, because there are so many twists and turns to this. What did you make of the fact that there's a reason why the French president can't help as instantly as you'd think she would, the British Prime Minister. And that's a huge spoiler, the reason why. But the reason why, it's quite something, isn't it? I mean, that is one of the things. It's mad, right? And those are one of those preposterous moments I was referring to because it is a crazy twist.

7:44Having said all that, listen, if I was in her position, you know, it's something. The French Prime Minister? The French President's position, you mean? The situation she finds herself in, which if I was Delpy and the reason why she can't, I can see it. But given her position, yes, it was an unwise decision to make. And I'm not just talking about her position as the French president. I'm talking about other positions she holds. Steady. We're being deliberately vague. Steady. Yeah, we're being deliberately vague. But yeah, it's a mad moment. And there are quite a few of those mad moments. But I think if you can let that wash over you and just go with it, then, like I said, it's just a fun, entertaining thrill fest.

8:27Yeah, for me, it's not only a gourmet burger. It's a gourmet burger with relish on the side because it's absolutely bonkers, isn't it, for a fair period of time. And, in fact, it gets more and more mad as it goes on, I would say. Yes. And do you know what? I wish we could do – we can't spoil it. But we can. You know what? Not right now, but we can do a spoiler special discussion at the later date. I think we should, because the last episode particularly, I have a lot of things to say. Yeah. Well, you can ask the creator about various intriguing twists and turns. One of the elements I want to talk to them about, which actually I read, Boyd, in your preview for Heat magazine, was the sort of scale and ambition of it.

9:10because it's very impressive, the fact that they – didn't they create an actual size Downing Street? Yeah, they created number 10 Downing Street, the whole of Downing Street, the street itself, which if you've ever – you know, it's on the news a lot. Boyd, I've been inside. Of course you have. I've been inside Downing Street. I can confirm that's exactly how it looks. Was that a gathering of creative legends or something? No, it was less salubris. we did an interview with the Prime Minister oh yeah for heat yeah yes a photo shoot and I went along of course you did and yeah went through that was that David Cameron it was Cameron yeah I was sort of skipping over that part but yeah I went through the famous door and it's really interesting you insisted we interviewed David Cameron before the election you know me so well you were his biggest pretty much his biggest fan and yeah 100 % and he appeared in that's right true blue all the way Wow.

10:08So you will know. So yeah, they rebuilt the whole street pretty much for the show. And they also built a House of Commons as well. Yeah, it's very impressive. You'd think, because there are so many shows that include the House of Commons in them, you know, like through history, you'd think there was a House of Commons set that everyone could use. But no, I think... What? Yeah, I think... That's mad. You think they'd actually have a set that was just kept built? Yeah, right. No. No. Of course not. They'd have to strike the set each time. You can't just keep one in case like a House of Commons is needed.

10:42I think there has been, actually, Katie. I think you'll find up until fairly recently, there has been a House of Commons set. Really? Yes. Where? I don't know, in Elstree or somewhere. I'm just plucking that out. In your mind. Wow. Wow. Well, I mean. Well, if there was, then why didn't they use it? Were you saying it's now been deconstructed? I think it's been recently. Okay. To be honest, I'm making this all up. It could be complete fantasy on my part. But anyway, the bottom line is the lavish Netflix budget has stretched to them recreating these huge historic places, real-life places, in an aircraft hangar or outside an aircraft hangar somewhere in Britain.

11:25And that element of it is very convincing. Some would say more convincing than some of the plot twists that happen. but it's one of those things where I always say particularly with Saran Jones shows and she's brilliant and we love her and I love her and everything but I often can't shake off that show she did I often bring this up, you know the one I mean? A Touch of Cloth she did A Touch of Cloth the Charlie Brooker comedy that took the piss out of crime dramas and she's so brilliant in that show It was like Charlie Brooker's cop drama piss-take version of, like, The Naked Gun, you know. It was really silly, really, really silly, but hilarious.

12:13You should check it out. I think I'm sure it's almost always on Sky. In fact, here's my tip for you. After you've introduced Sir Anne Jones later, you could bring it up. By the way, do you often think yourself of, like, you know, a touch of cloth, that hilarious thing you did when you're doing big... Are you sure she's going to want me to bring that up? Maybe, maybe not. I think you might be sending me on a full Zarin there. I'll leave that up to you to decide, yeah. But that show is full of hilarious, like, double takes and reaction shots, over-the-top reaction shots. And in this show, there are moments when she has to do proper, like, she's aghast, right, at various things that happen throughout.

12:48Almost every episode has something going on where she has to react to it, and it's madness. And I just kept thinking, oh, my God, this is so much like a touch of cloth when she has to do similarly over-the-top things. so yeah but so it is ridiculous there's things that stretch credulity to the limit but it's really good fun that's what I'd say it's cuckoo bong it's cuckoo bong and what's the other one banana crackers but I wasn't I'm not interviewing Saran Jones and Matt Shalman I'm doing another interview at the same time by the way so I'm not slacking before I can accuse him of being lazy I'm not slacking I'm doing Alfie Allen and Shahzad Latif for also for the podcast yes for Atomic I'm excited to discuss that we're reviewing in next week's pod yeah anyway I am not but I watched all five episodes anyway because it was so compelling and entertaining and enjoyable and you really and you really want to know what happens next don't you oh yeah that and that is such a I mean I think for me that's always the measure and it's actually thinking of recent shows that we've reviewed You know, I would say like one in every three or four maximum is, you know, you really feel you want to carry on watching.

14:03And this is definitely at the top of the list of recent stuff. The storytelling is incredibly enjoyable and entertaining. And partly because it goes to places you don't expect, like to go back to that thing that we're not spoiling, the reason why Judy Delper is present, can't come to the immediate aid of Sir Anne Jones as Prime Minister. Did you understand? Her hands are tied. Her hands are tied. But I have another question. Did you understand, because I didn't necessarily, why this medical supply crisis has happened? It's like we have... No. Yeah. Yes. No, should I tell you what? I mean, I just sort of pieced it.

14:39I made it make sense in my head that thinking that there were obviously like maybe customs and, you know, stuff happening at the borders that was slowing things down, the medicine from France. But no, that wasn't, I don't think, adequately explained. It was like, yeah, it was like it was slightly an alternate universe where Brexit hasn't happened or something? Or, I don't know, it felt like, yeah, I didn't understand why this crisis has reached the point where they couldn't get hold of any medicine from anywhere in the world, apparently. Britain, the British Prime Minister. I think it's just another thing that you just got to go with.

15:11Yeah, you got to go with it. I think there's been a run of shows that are enormously entertaining that you have to suspend your belief with, like In Flight, like The Assassin. There's all these shows where things happen and you're like, that wouldn't happen, it's unrealistic, but actually you kind of can make it work. Inflight is like a kind of hyper-realist documentary compared to this. No, I know, I know. But you know what I mean? There are increasingly shows relying on the fact that everything has to be factually correct to make sense. True. I should also mention, of course, that a certain actor is in this playing Saran Jones' mother, Saran Jones' father, not father.

15:56God, that's the big reveal. The big news is. That would be an amazing, I wouldn't put it past that, but that would be an amazing. Oh my God, and you get quoted on like, I don't know, digital spy in radiotimes.com. Yeah, thanks, yeah. The big news. But no, no, the big fact is that it gets a lot of work. James Cosmo is back. Your friend. My friend, not Cosmo Jarvis, as I call him. And NCJ, not Cosmo Jarvis, is back with another big supporting role as, yeah, Surratt Jones' character's not very well father, Max. And obviously I just like it when James Cosmo pops up in every single TV show, reminding me of the Cosmo Jarvis mistake.

16:36The debacle. The debacle that happened, yeah. So, yeah, I think we both enjoyed it, Hostage. Yeah. it's definitely worth catching up on because it's just a bit of fun it is it's a Laura Laura Luffs oh my god did you channel Scylla do you know what I love Post Boyd thanks I love that you have now channeled James's accents and impressions Hostage all five episodes of course arrive on the Netflix today Thursday the 21st of August if you're listening to this as it comes out and why wouldn't you and it is fun. You will, and you'll never see, I'm banging on the bed of relentlessly, but you'll never see the reason why Judy Delpy can't help.

17:22Sarangelo is coming from a moment. Like I say, I don't necessarily blame her, although morally, ethically, maybe not. The more you say about her, the more people are going to wonder what, try and guess. Our lips are sealed. That is hostage. Well done, everyone. And now, I believe, we're going to crack open the mailbag ladies and gentlemen it's Miss Kay versus the post bag

17:59oh he's made it American yeah the mailbag sure yeah okay we're going to kick off with an email about smoke from Greg who says I just finished watching smoke on Apple TV and was curious what you all thought of it. The plot got more and more batshit. And by the end, there were lots of unanswered storylines and it felt utterly ridiculous. I've not felt so angry at a show in a very long time. The more I think of it, the more terrible I think it was. I could not disagree more. I loved it. I absolutely loved it. And I really want to do a special discussion on it because Dennis Lehane, the creator of it, was doing an interview with Variety.

18:39after the last episode went out, basically his own spoiler special chat. And he was talking in it. You remember my theory about Smoke, which is that it makes Hostage look like a kind of small-scale, cozy little drama, melodrama, because Smoke takes such big swings, huge big swings. Oh, yeah. massive twist there's another big twist in the finale in the final episode which I never saw coming and I think is brilliantly done I love you've done this before where I've alluded to the big twist in the finale and you've looked a question in the app listeners Kay's looking at me like she hasn't noticed the twist in the final episode I think you need to watch it again yeah well the thing is it was so long ago now that I watched it all I think you need to watch it again because Dennis Lane talks about this twist in the finale that Apple wasn't so keen on He talks about that, how they did it almost in secret behind Apple's back.

19:37They just had this, yeah. And it's a huge, big thing. All I recall, and I'm not going to, because we will do a proper discussion. Don't spoil it. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Is that I did enjoy, I mean, it is Cuckoo Bong, and I enjoyed it for its madness because I leant into it and I was just kind of, this character, his character, Taron Egerton's character was just like so compelling. however that last episode lost me as in like that's when I was out because of this wacko like it was mad I'm with Greg it got so batshit that I was like no come on I mean it was mad enough it didn't need to go to the next level it took it too far I love the next level madness that's because you're next level mad you know the other thing I'll when we do the special discussion which will hopefully be next week with James I'll dig out this but he also talks about you know there's a bit in it and this is not a spoiler there's a bit in it where there's two characters there's a confrontation involving a gun in a mouth remember that bit oh yes well oh my god obsessed with that moment what a moment and he's the dentist saying that they actually cut about a minute and a half that goes on for another minute and a half shut up really yeah but he thought it was too much they thought it was too much everyone was like that bit with a gun in the mouth to him you gotta you know you're going too far now and he was like okay all right we'll dial it back a bit um so yeah but it i absolutely loved it when something goes that bonkers and cuckoo bong and over the top I think you either go with it or you kind of stand back and go oh no I just went with it I absolutely love it yeah the thing is I didn't go with it it's just a really oh wow interesting we were trying to get time with Dennis I'm going to chase that up yeah do yeah and Tara why not get them both yeah yeah double bubble yeah if the variety can get Dennis then why can't the pilot oh of course pilot CV yeah yeah makes a lot of sense yeah now for a message from Lee who says first plus dropped on Wednesday this week.

21:31Mind blown. Yeah, we should just cover that off. Basically what happened was I got some messages straight away and James very kindly on his holiday said he would still like schedule the pilot plus, the episodes. But because he had holiday brain, he got the date wrong. And so, yeah, it erroneously went out on Wednesday, but we like to think it was just a nice treat a day early. Yeah, it was a bonus, yeah. Anyway, Lee's second point was, the episode with Boyd K and Steph this week was pure joy. Just listening to the three of you chatting to each other was lovely. You should make a podcast together.

22:05Basic Binges, anyone? I've a buried memory of a show that came before Basic Binges with John Ronson. Am I wrong? John Ronson? Yeah. I don't know. In my head, I was thinking, is he getting confused with John, Dan? No. I might have interviewed John Ronson. And what was the – basic bingers did undergo various – We were basic bingers. We were first of all the Unmissables. Yeah. And then we were basic bingers. We went renegade. Yeah. I might have interviewed John Ronson because I do know John very well. Yeah. He's a friend. I haven't seen him for a while. But, I mean, he moved to New York with his family, Lock, Stock and Barrel.

22:43Oh, wow. Yeah, yeah. But so I may well have interviewed him because I do know him. And he would have had, I'm sure, some documentary out that we would have reviewed. so it's hardly possible but not as a regular he was he would have been a one-off guest I interviewed yeah but it's quite possible yeah so Lee says looking forward to the next episode I was at the live show by the way Russell T. Davis was a gift I had a thousand Doctor Who questions but it wasn't the place thanks Lee oh thanks Lee yeah that's brilliant he was a gift oh now so we've had a very nice message obviously about our reunion our basic binge reunion and now we've had some feedback from Nigel who says hi everyone sorry to be a pedant but I got taken out of your review of Peacemaker this week as Steph kept calling John Cena John Senna instead of famously the correct pronunciation of John Cena please review and correct for the next episode thanks Nigel can I just say I mean fair enough right but people love people love nothing more than correcting people's pronunciation of things I've just noticed and I'm not having a go out of distance by this we have to be told we have to be told right yeah Hello, look how I fly into a fury if anyone gets my surname wrong.

23:54Exactly. And some might say, you know, yeah. What would they say, Boyd? They would say... He's only saying this because we're a remote recording and we're not just tuning together. Sometimes the pronunciation of a name might or might not be, you know, shall we say, challenging. Anyway. Yes, I am a hypocrite. I get it. Anyway, but what is increasingly clear to me is people love correcting pronunciation. I do a football-based podcast, which some listeners... Oh, do you? Yeah, yeah. What's it called? It's called Footballist in the Arsenal, okay. Fine. There's this player, our big new signing of the summer, Arsenal, is a guy called Victor Jokeres, right?

24:33Easy enough? No, no, no, no. It's spelled G-Y-O-K-E-R-E-S. So it would be Jokeres. Jokeres. And I kept saying, as a lot of people are doing now as we speak, discussing our new striker, Victor Jokeres. I kept saying that when I was talking about him on my podcast. This bloke sent me a direct message. Oh, no. I would have thought you would have known, you know, that tone. I thought you would have known, realised by now, that the G is silent and it's yokeries. Sort it out. In that real tone of like, you know. And meanwhile, on match of the day, they're mispronouncing it. Mispronouncing it. The irony.

25:15The irony. Yeah. No, but listen, the thing is, I can see it both ways. Because as I said, I get irate if people get my name wrong, even though it's not the easiest name to say, blah, blah, blah. So I understand people feeling like, you know, it is important to get someone's name right. And it's important for people, if they are broadcasting, to make every effort to try and do that. But also what I'd say is, like, I personally, as the woman on this podcast who fucks up the most on names. Now, it's become such a joke amongst us that sometimes I have to get in touch with the boys beforehand saying, I can't lead on this preview because I'm going to fuck every single name up.

25:53And they're like, yeah, yeah, sure. And we re-record numerous times when I mess up. But the point of it is, some people say, oh, you know, it's lazy or, you know, you should have more respect. I actually spend time Googling and listening to YouTube tutorials on how to say names. And most recently I did that and it gave me the wrong version and I went to this screening room and I said it. And the person was like, oh, no, it's not like that. So it's hard. It's hard. And we apologise. We get stuff wrong. Steph would be mortified that she's made a mistake. And I'm not going to tell her for that reason.

26:26But, yeah, we take your point on board, Nigel. And we have reviewed your comments and we have corrected them just now. Nigel. See you. I die star. Sorry. I've got another fun example, actually, of a pronunciation story, which is I'm not going to name the show or the actor, But I did an interview with someone, an actor, and you're given in the notes on the, you know, it's like in a junket situation. It says in the junket notes, by the way, this actor's name is pronounced so-and-so, right? Oh, my God, amazing. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, very useful. I love that. Meanwhile, I'm watching like his co-star being interviewed, who's not pronouncing it that way.

27:10And I'm like, could someone tell him? yeah someone should have told that person also i kind of feel like it's the responsibility like if someone gets my name wrong i i just correct them yeah and i know sometimes that comes across as being a twat but i just think i just want to correct them because otherwise if they get correct they might feel bad and also more importantly i just want it to be said right so i think i can talk about the burden does bear on before i could talk about this all day but i did a q a on stage last week for um another show we'll be reviewing in the other podcast how do you say that name?

27:41King of Conqueror do you know who I'm talking about? I think so so I looked at Nikolai Costa-Waldau the official I looked it up he was in Game of Thrones, he's a huge star but I've always, how exactly do you pronounce Nikolai Costa-Waldau it says Waldau in the official, if you look at, there's a video I always try and find a video I've been looking at videos trying to get it right uses that pronunciation but then on the night again like his own co-stars were going and Nikolai Kosta-Waldau or Wuldau it was not there was it's so I I as James knows he says it to me he's like something's now happened where I've built it up so much in my head that even the most simple names I screw up because I'm so tense so sometimes I just like will say a name really fast if I don't know it because then I think it'll just sound like a noise I think I did that with Nikolai Nikolai Kosta-Waldau Nikolai, Nikolai, Nikolai, Nikolai.

28:40Anyway. Oh, lordy. Anyway, we've taken the note on board and just always know that we are trying our hardest and sometimes we just shit. Okay, now for a message from Judy, who says, I'm the listener who sent James the message about the pit being available on the in-flight entertainment on my Virgin flight to Florida. As James is now off watching the pit on his own flight to Florida, I wondered if we could take the opportunity to talk about a show that isn't sci-fi. I'm not sure if you've discussed this before, and I'm late to the party with this, but The Summer I Turned Pretty has had me hooked and I'm more invested in the story than a 40-something should be.

29:19I know it's nothing groundbreaking, but the love triangle is reminiscent of Dawson's Creek and I often imagine spending my summers in that setting rather than the northeast of England. Love the pod and the recent 349th episode was epic. Also a big fan of Wallace Island. Judy oh no did I say Judy it was Trudy oh yeah see I've messed up Trudy Trudy Trudy yeah by the way Ballad of Wallis Island Cal's going to mention this to you is now available you can buy it on you can buy rent it on you know like Skype whatever you've got now whatever yeah okay so well as you know I've been extraordinarily busy with work I've got I'm hosting at Carfest this weekend so all my time is taken up by that but I was thinking if it's in the cinemas next week in London, which I don't know if it will be.

30:08I'm going to go and see it. And if not, Boydo, actually you're involved in this plan. I was thinking, if I can't have the cinema experience, why don't I have the Boydo experience on your 800-inch screen? Wow. I mean, you're literally inviting yourself to my... And I, by the way, would have to pay for, presumably, the, you know... Yeah, obviously. And snacks. Yeah. Well, we'll have a think about that. Yeah. Not going to happen. Okay, that's translating as yes. So Trudy, in answer to your email, we have had that recommended to us before and I've tried it, but I couldn't get on. I mean, I enjoyed it to a certain point, but I didn't continue with it.

30:49So maybe I should give it another go. I think we reviewed the first episode of season two. It's my memory, but you thought we reviewed the first episode of the whole thing? No, I knew it was the first episode of some series. Oh, yeah. And by the way, yeah, you probably tried to watch the first episode. It was actually the third episode, third series or whatever. Yes, that's something else I get wrong. Just checking you've watched the right series of Invasion, by the way, that we're reviewing. Is it series three? Yeah. Right. I think that's insane that we're doing a series three show, by the way.

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31:24But yeah. Okay. There's no other options. But I'm asking you whether you clicked on the right episode to watch rather than Apple taking you automatically to season one, episode one, which it does do, as we know. oh shut up boys i i've seen an episode and i'm not going to give like you know because we'll discuss it properly yeah and just to let you know if i have got this wrong i'm not watching another this is live admin yeah i've i've watched the episode where um someone comes back on the scene having been presumed dead oh thank god that's right that's right thank god well done techno technological gods yeah right so yes I've given it a go Boyd have you tried it I did watch one episode and it was entertaining it was fun it didn't feel yeah it didn't feel that a must watch but I'll give it another go yeah okay it is a phenomenon people love it yeah it's a huge show for Prime Video I think Beth says I had so much fun at Pilot 349 it was great to see you all in person me and my dad had to rush off to get a train from Paddington so I couldn't stay for cake and then she says I'm sorry to say that I've never seen any of the films in the Alien franchise I was born in 2000 let that sink in Boyd so the first one I was old enough to watch when it came out was Prometheus and I felt I missed the boat you inspired me to watch them all so can I have an opinion on whether Alien or Aliens is best should I watch in release order or chronological order looking forward to the future premiere of Longleaf which as we know is Russell T Davies imagined show didn't I mean, I thought I made it quite clear on the night that I favour Alien, the original.

33:00I would absolutely watch them in the order in which they were made and in the order in which they released. Alien is one of, I'm going to use the phrase. Your favourite films of all time. One of my favourite films of all time. It's in the top 30, definitely. You're ridiculous. It's an absolute masterpiece. Did he say it's in the top 100? 30, top 30. Oh, fine. It's an absolute masterpiece. Even more preposterous. it's an intense masterpiece that is yeah and I almost envy you watching it for the first time because it surprises and you know incredible moments will absolutely blow you over yeah so Alien is the masterpiece.

33:37Aliens I like it but I never Aliens, this is an ongoing battle with James because it's James' favourite film well this is why I'm giving you an opportunity to talk about it when he's not here. Yeah thank you Aliens is a really good film but I never feel particularly the need to watch it again or whereas Alien I can watch it again and again and again and again like Jaws Alien is the Jaws of science fiction for me and it has a lot in common with Jaws in a way. There's your quote. Yeah there you go so yeah Alien all the way enjoy Now for a message from Craig who says I hope this email gets past your trihosh system despite it being pod related but it's TV adjacent I just listened to the full season of from the is it Oathouse with Alan Partridge It's Wednesday, so in the podcast Black Hole between Pilot and Pilot Plus.

34:25It's hilarious. And the voice acting of Steve Coogan as Partridge gets better and better. I hope they get some inspiration for another TV series. But if not, then the podcast is a fantastic substitute. Another TV series coming soon, September, I think. We've been invited, haven't we? Yeah, incredible. Well, you've been very enthusiastic about your reply, Boyd, but actually Craig signs off, thanks and come on you Spurs. Oh dear. He's let the side down in the end, yeah. But there is a new series. Yes. And what do we know about it, Boydo? Oh, you caught me on the hoof now, but I'm going to look it up live as we speak.

35:05The name of it, because I have forgotten the name of it. Find out what's happening.

35:11Alan Partridge. Because we're both very excited to get the invite for this. Absolutely thrilled. I mean, I'm slightly annoyed I'm not hosting it, to be honest, but we'll let that go. it's called How Are You? It's Alan Partridge. It's called How Are You? It's Alan brackets Partridge. So even the title is funny. How are you? It's Alan Partridge. Yeah, very, very exciting. It's of course a poetry production executive produced by Alan Partridge, produced by Alan Partridge, starring Alan Partridge and almost certainly written by Alan Partridge. Doesn't he co-write with his brothers? Oh yeah, I mean literally I mean, the spoof show.

35:52This is like a travelogue, as I understand it. Oh, okay. It's one of those where he's met, you know, every celebrity does travelogues. They go around the country. Wait, Coogan does one with Brydon, a faux one, right? Yeah, that's different, I think, of the trip. Oh, by the way, they'll be filming the next series of the trip as well. But this is more Alan goes around the country, you know, kind of thematically looking at the state of the nation. This is my understanding. Right, okay. from roughly when they when they were mooting it a while ago yeah but anyway incredibly excited that the new Alan Partridge show yeah get excited Craig um right now for a message from Ross who in the subject heading it said whorey old tropes and I was like who are you calling whorey old tropes Ross but it's very funny tropey old whore no one in particular by the way again he's being bold like this because we're remote recording he's not in the same room as me um Yeah, Ross says, in a moment of boredom, I thought I'd add a couple more crimes against realism to the pod's ongoing list of things that take you out of dramas.

36:58Okay, you ready for them? Yeah. In at number one, as recently seen in The Bear and countless other shows, a character gets so angry with their phone call that they throw their phone down in anger. And he goes, my phone costs several hundred pounds. So the only things I've ever thrown it onto is a couch or a duvet. Actually, not even the couch as it might bounce off. I never believed that anyone gets so angry with a call that they'd be willing to go through the hassle and expense of getting their broken screen replaced. So it always takes me out of the drama. I 100 % agree, yeah. It's such a, it's also just a real cliche, isn't it?

37:34To show just how angry they are, they throw the phone. And then they're scrambling around for it. Yeah, ridiculous. Do you know what it reminds me of? When we used to sit next to each other for 100 years, The glory days, did you like to refer to them? Yes. Your favourite memories, Boydo, was when you used to call my mobile a landline. You'd never take it with you anywhere. Yeah. It'd always be on your desk. Not mobile. Very much not mobile. Yeah. When I would go around walking around the office just chatting to people, I'd go out for lunch. I wouldn't take it with me and you'd come back and you'd be like, I mean, just replace it with a landline.

38:12You don't need it. But yeah. Anyway, so I would not. look I wouldn't even take it around with me let alone throw it so I agree with you Ross that is ridiculous the other element of that by the way iPhone throwing sequences is when someone else grabs the phone from their partner slash friend or whatever and throws it away that happens a lot as well that's a hate crime yeah that is in fact that happens that does actually happen in the show we're reviewing this week I don't know if you remember oh really? yeah oh I'm going to have to I'm going to sift through my memory was it a king and conqueror?

38:43it was not you can rule out i mean you can narrow it down now to the two things that aren't set in the in 1066 yeah yeah fine okay um right and the second um horeal trope is um as recently seen in andor and many others a person wakes up in the morning and with eyes closed reaches their arm out to touch the other person that shares their bed only to find they are gone he says i'm not an expert on this as I like to sleep alone for a good night's sleep. However, I always think that people who sleep together would generally just open their eyes to see their co-sleeper in the morning, rather than blindly slap an arm on them, risking waking them up and pissing them off.

39:25When I see this on TV shows, it just always looks like a hoary old trope. And oh yeah, in both commas, I'm so in love that I must touch this person. Oh, but I can't feel them. Something must be wrong. And then he says, maybe these are just me, but it's always good to share. keep up H-O-T H-O-T H-O-T H-O-T that's our new one yeah yeah I know what you mean actually that happens a lot the whole arm out completely and you're totally right it would wake someone up or poke someone in the eye I'd be furious if someone did that yeah completely yeah so yeah do you know what if anyone else has got any more H-O-T-R-E-L-T-R-E-S send them through because they're making me chuckle there must be loads and we'll compile a list maybe at the end of the year we can do our top our top hots.

40:11Yeah. Yeah, the hotspots. Yeah. Okay, I'm going to tell James about that. I'm sure he'll be delighted. A message now. Oh, it's a compliment to you, Boydo. Oh, bring it on. It's from Mike, who says, okay, you can see how old this is. Boyd last week mentioned Mid-Century Modern on Disney+. Oh, God, wow. Listen, it just shows that I am thorough, though. I eventually get to the bottom of the... I binged it all in a few hours a couple of months ago, and despite not being gay, thought it was hilarious. It was...

40:46Not that there's anything wrong with it, as Seinfeld famously said. Carry on. It was very close to the bone, especially the nut milk joke. What might convince Kay to watch it further is the fact that Pamela Adlin is in a few episodes. Boyce, your new name, Boyce. Boycey. Boycey. Boycey also failed to mention that Linda Lavin who plays the overbearing mother died during filming. So that was movingly incorporated into episode nine. One last thing. Despite all the praise for Apple Plus, it is a streamer I give up on the programs the most, including Severance. I can't get past season two, episode seven.

41:26Which streamer did the three of you have most difficulty finishing the programs off? Oh my gosh, Mike, are you mad? Apple's the one that I'm most dedicated to. Although they do have like Acapulco. as Russell T. Davis pointed out. Yeah, but I'm not going to go through the list again. They've got so many good shows. Oh, yeah, of course. That makes up for the Acapulco debacle. Although I'm saying debacle, I haven't watched it, so I shouldn't say that. I don't think there's a specific streamer because I mostly, actually I say that and then look, I start single show first episodes of this podcast and then I don't finish it.

42:04But that's mainly the genre rather than the quality of them. butterfly you carry on with that one which one's that again that's the one the one that Russell G Davies interrupted my review of you forget butterflies oh my god butterfly the code word yeah um yes I know I is that prime actually prime video might be the one that I I don't finish the most if there were if there was one platform possibly because it can be very hit and miss yeah um and mostly miss i think for me what about you boydo yeah no i wouldn't narrow it down to one specific um streamer or um i think prime video has more i don't want to be too harsh but because you know there's that's on the plus side there's the assassin which i mostly enjoyed um mostly yeah um which got some issues but it was entertainment yeah yeah um but they do have a lot of, as I mentioned in my review of Butterfly, my famously corrupt review of Butterfly.

43:03I can't believe I forgot what Butterfly was. They love an espionage thriller, and they've got a lot of them, and I'm not convinced many of them are required viewing, yeah, I would say. But, you know, again, Apple TV Plus has a lot of shows that I feel like went on, have been recommissioned multiple times, like Acapulco. But there's so many brilliant ones that it feels harsh just like them. So no, I think it's just, yeah, it goes by quality. I think they've all got, this sounds like a bland fence-sitting position, but they've all got shows that are great and shows that are not so great. How is that fence?

43:39It's quite uncomfortable. And on that note, with Boyd straddling a fence, possibly getting splinters, that is the end of the postbag. We are done and dusted. Well, well done, Kay. You've made it through. you made it this far yes and you've been in many ways debilitated but you've come up thank you for sorry thank you for do you know what you're a cheeky piss taker right knowing how when I came on this call I was basically the colour of my door white I was just like yeah but I think you'll find that you've been inspired by doing you've perked me up thank you I didn't mean by me I meant by doing pilot plus yes that's what you're getting at you are the medicine very much in this scenario by doing pilot plus you have it's made you feel better it's inspired you yeah somehow I've pulled through because of Pilot Plus you've pulled through that'll be on my Greystone join us for the next normal Pilot episode where we where we where Kay's aforementioned interview with Saran Jones and the creator of Hostage will be happening I also will be talking to Alfie Allen Alfie Allen exactly and Shahzad Latif together I think that all of that will be on this next podcast as we review Atomic on Sky that's what they're in and we will also be reviewing Invasion Season 3 as aforementioned as well and King of Conqueror the epic epic new drama starring Nicola Costa-Waldau yeah and spoiler alert No Mobile Phones No Mobile Phones and James Norton is also in that show as well so a packed next show which will also be Just me and Kay, but with all those guests to make up for it.

45:26Although, obviously, just me and Kay is the preferred version of this show. Remain listeners. I'll stop talking now. Pilot out.

From the publisher

While James and Steph are away on holiday (not together we hasten to add), Boyd and Kay go one on one for their review of previously embargoed Netflix series Hostage starring future pod guest Suranne Jones as the Prime Minister. Plus a deep dive into the mailbag and how to pronounce “Coster-Waldau”!

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