Review Of The Year 2025

25:48no that's I don't even actually I don't even know I don't think it is down to the showrun and creators of this show it's down to the people at Hulu who slash Disney they're the ones I mean it's quite shrewd because they're like we don't stand a chance in the drama category we have a chance in the comedy category whatever that should not get in the way of the fact the show itself is still brilliant it is very good I love the episode where they're all under the table at the wedding amazing the wedding episode it's a fantastic episode that'll be my best episode of the year later who isn't shipping Kami and Claire Bear.

26:19Exactly. Oh, anti-Claire sentiments. You know how I feel about Claire. I find her annoying, but I love Kami. Unfair. You're a hater. Unfair to Claire. I just think it's one, and I love the music, I love the needle drops. As a viewing experience, it's still up there. It has to be in my top ten. It's wonderful. Why have you not mentioned Richie as well? The glory of Richie. You're the one who's obsessed with Richie. Yeah, I'm obsessed with Richie. Well, I like all their journeys to use that word, like this series. You know, obviously you had Sydney stepping into her power. we see that especially towards the end she's got this new job offer Richie also attending his ex's wedding a big move for him and leading to that extraordinary scene as you said underneath the table and Carmi starting to understand his relationship with his mum Jamie Lee Curtis that was a powerful episode but you know my favourite bits are with Will Porter I think the Will Porter are fucking amazing I do love Will Porter they are the highlights for me it's really good it's really good and all three of us liked that one which is why it is so And number 14, it's absolutely whack to misuse that word again, but it is smoke on Apple TV+.

27:25Yeah. Two words, banana crackers. Banana crackers. Boyd-y? Yeah, this is higher on my list, obviously. Of course it is. I loved it. Smoke them if you got them. Yeah. Just, if you want an object lesson in how to do a twist, I'm trying to think of a more intelligent way of putting it, but there is no, basically, I thought the revelation, no I was just saying pull the rug yeah the rug pull thank you the rug pull at the end of episode 2 in case people still haven't seen it there will be people who haven't seen it people still haven't seen the sixth sense and the other rug pull at the end do not talk to me about that so there's the initial rug pull which changes your whole the whole meaning of the show and then just as you think you've understood everything that's going on there's the other second rug pull right at the end which I thought was magnificent as well in fact there's kind of two because the penultimate episode has another rug pulling it the rug frankly is really under your feet Dennis Lane I love his stuff anyway I'm a huge fan of his novels of his films adaptations of his books I think he's a you know I remember reading an interview with him about the finale and I was thinking all the way because he's quite in some levels he's quite a gritty writer he writes a lot of stuff about gritty Boston police like Mystic River yeah Mystic River but also at the same time he does love a twist almost as much as Harlan Coburn he's the master of the modern twist Shutter Island's one of his that's a big old twist that's the example Shutter Island is a completely ridiculous but I love but great fun it makes no sense totally makes no sense but it's all about its twist and this I read an interview with him and he loves it he had great fun with Smoke and I think part of the reason why I think a lot of critics look down on Smoke apart from its inherent preposterousness which I embrace is because it is having fun with itself, with its own, do you know what I mean?

29:16It's almost like a kind of meta... It's not taking itself seriously. It's not taking itself seriously. And yet from scene to scene and episode to episode, it's hugely enjoyable. So, yeah, I loved it. I have to give you props, Boyd, because you're the reason I continue to watch this, because you told James and I we should continue to do episode two. True. And I'm really happy I did, because I think the audacity of that character, Dave, played by brilliantly... Taron Egerton. ...creepy perfection by Taron Egerton. Yeah. And the storytelling has to be seen to be believed. Because if you describe that to me, I'd be like, what have you been smoking?

29:47But I thought it was great. And also, I really enjoyed watching Journey Smollett's journey again as the detective Michelle Calderon. And Rafe Spool. And her chemistry with Rafe Spool, yeah. Absolutely astonishing. Rafe Spool can now literally do anything because he does comedy, he does this kind of thing. And my name drop, I mean, the first of many name drops, actually I've already had a few name drops yeah I mean you're constantly but I remember bumping into Taron Egerton in an event screening in a hotel in the centre of London and I was saying so what have you done and he's like I did this thing smoke I was like oh that sounds good he said it's fucking mad and he was like I love it it's not wrong you're going to love it it's absolutely mad and he fully prepared me and it totally lived up to his and a great theme tune from Tom York yeah I really like the music my only thing is and this is seemingly a silly thing to say because obviously the whole thing is completely crackers is that I think it lost the plot towards the end you know the forest scene I talked about it at length when we watched it I was like come on no this is like with the gun the bit with the gun it's too cuckoo bog even for this crazy show but anyway it was pretty out there it took me out of the drama but overall a fun entertaining mad watch yeah it's a good one at number 13 it is Dan Fogelman's Paradise, which was, in some ways, a kind of...

31:12Did you... I liked it. I just didn't get to finish it. I watched a couple of episodes. Because it's kind of... It's not sci-fi, but it certainly verges on that. It flirts with the idea of it. It appealed to me, like the twist. I was like, oh, okay, this is kind of clever. Yeah, I like it. I guess it's not... It's very near future sci-fi. It's not really sci-fi, is it? But it's... It's not repellent. It's not repugnant sci-fi filth. It's speculative fiction. It is speculative. but it's just really cool. It's a little bit, I'm not going to use the word soapy, like it has a guilty, pleasure-y vibe to it.

31:44But it is, but honestly, in the same way that 24 did, like it's incredibly compelling episode to episode, Sterling K. Brown as a secret service agent who, let's just say, has mysteries to unravel in a, in an environment. There you go, that's all I'm going to say. What incoherent. In an environment. He goes to an environment with the president and the president gets murdered. We can say that. The president gets murdered. James Marsden is the president gets murdered. he has to find out who killed the president but there is more going on than just who killed the president because of where they all are.

32:15For me, this is very much, I mean, I'm just, I've already explained various favorite single episodes of mine this year. Here's another one. The penultimate episode of this series which flashes back to explain how it all happened. So good. It's one of the best single episodes. I'm going to catch up on this. It's brilliant. That made the series for me. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it all the way through. It's amazing. The world building, etc. is very clever. And, you know, it's a laugh, beautifully filmed. But that episode is astonishing. Yeah. If we do a list, if we had time to do a list of the maddest episodes of the year, at least three of them would be from Smoke, I should say that.

32:50Yes. But that particular episode would be on my list of best ones. Yeah, really, really good. At number 12, it is Brad Inglesby's Task, which is on Sky. Which we, well, I spoke to Brad Inglesby, we did a you and I did a spoiler special for tasks so if you haven't listened to that you should do it it's on Violet Plus really really good Mark Ruffalo as a former priest become FBI agent who has to assemble a task force because a group of criminals are ripping off drug dealers specifically a kind of biker gang thing and it's it's incredibly it's incredibly gripping the character work is wonderful and this beautiful kind of double header that you have between Mark Ruffalo and Tom Pelfrey as the the cop and the criminal it's like I mean they call it hillbilly heat and it is a little bit about that because you root for both of them when they finally come together this scene in the car it's wonderful I only watched the first episode but I thought Tom Pelfrey was marvellous in it he's really really good in it although I have to say the MVP for me was Amelia Jones who I think is genuinely wonderful who did you play?

33:51she plays Tom Pelfrey's sister sister no niece niece not sister niece the niece who is essentially raising his children oh yes he's very angry she's the soul of the show yeah she's wonderful it was great and I very much enjoyed Brad Inglesby's interview with you, James. I mean, she called you James, every sentence. He did use my name in a disproportionate amount. He sounded like a lovely guy. Yeah, he did. Your name became White Noise. Yeah, and he was very good explaining the show. And I think it's a really good example of a show, basically a thriller, a crime thriller ostensibly, but it's not about who did it.

34:28It's not a whodunit, because obviously his previous show, Mayor of Easttown, was a brilliant classic whodunit. Remember when Kate Winslet was investigating who killed the woman whose naked body was found at the beginning of this thing. This managed to not be that genre, but still be incredibly gripping and compelling and exciting and have its own twists and turns in the narrative. But I just thought that was really, really clever of him, too. Because everyone's expecting, oh, you know, let's have a, what do you call it, hillbilly? Hillbilly heat. Hillbilly heat. Whodunit. But no, there is no whodunit element.

34:59We know who's done it. it's just seeing all the seeing the interrelations between these these characters play out which was brilliant yeah at number 11 just outside the top 10 we have Apple TV Plus's well the most meta show on this list The Studio I watch the is it episode 2 or 3 The Warner episode yes repeatedly wonderful I watch it it's become one of my go to fun mood lifting shows which episode did you say The Warner episode it's episode 2 which is the Sarah Polly episode. Sarah Polly playing herself where they're filming the scene in the film in one shot and he keeps getting in the way. Oh my God.

35:39And the moment when the new studio boss when he runs in and there's a slapstick moment basically where he completely fucks up the whole crew and it's one of the funniest things I've seen in years and I watched the whole episode repeatedly so it's incredibly cringy. Yes. But somehow and I know you love this series as well, obviously, because you've also voted it on your list, but even though it's incredibly cringeworthy and excruciating, it's still lovely. It's still so much fun. So it managed to combine fun. It's not prohibitively cringeworthy, right? Yeah, it's very clever in that way. But that moment in particular, I think the whole episode is genius.

36:19It'll be one of my most watched single episodes of a show for years. It's just so brilliantly done. I mean, the rest of the series was great as well. with a cinema con kind of two parts yeah that was good it's very good I love the Scorsese stuff in the opening episode I really like the Ron Howard stuff I know some people didn't like the episode so much but I thought that Ron Howard stuff was brilliant as well all of it's good are they doing another series yes but it's the levels of cringe like you know the one where he's dating Rebecca Hall yeah and they go to that charity event that is for me the most cringe yeah yeah that one nearly killed me it took me I think eight months to get through this series because my schadenfreude was so acute I found it such hard work eight months it caused me physically It's only half hour episode.

36:59I know, but I really struggled with it. I loved it, but it nearly killed me. No notes. Very, very good. We're into the top 10. And at number 10, it is the final series of Jack Rook's Big Boys. Yes. Oh, my God. I love this. So this was Jack's brilliant coming-of-age comedy, which was hilarious and heartbreaking. It came to its conclusion after three series, and the final season saw the gang return to uni for their final year and the various ups and downs. But the finale, it culminated in this emotional finale where it focused on Jack's best friend Danny, played by John Poynting, his story, how it plays out, and a dream scenario outcome.

37:41And it was just so, as with the whole show, well-observed, emotional, heartwarming. You ran the gamut of emotions and you were so invested in these characters and I just felt like, you know, Jack stuck the landing with it. You know, it was the perfect ending to it. And yeah, I sobbed. But I was also happy, you know, like you, I found it distressing it was ending, but then I was happy that I got to know these characters and yeah, it totally delivered. Oh, everyone sobbed. I mean, you'd have to be a cold-hearted monster like James, not sobbed. But I know actually James did vote for this as well, didn't you?

38:17I think we all vote for this quite hard. I think it's very good. It's got so much heart and humour, right? And sorry, can I just flag also, I just want to flag Katie Wicks as Jules, and also my queen, cousin Shannon, played by Harriet Webb. Just all the support cast were fantastic. Camille Kuduri, of course, my friend. Yes, fan of Boyd's Column. Fan of mine, thank you. So speak. Wow. This has taken an unexpected turn. Sorry, his written column, she gave him wonderful feedback. I think it's one of the best things. It's number six in my list. And it's absolutely, talk about sticking the lady, I mean, It's just the use of himself in the show, in the finale, could have been considered self-indulgent or whatever, but it's absolutely stunning, isn't it?

39:01It's just the power of him being himself, interacting with someone based on various things that have happened to him in his life. It's just incredibly powerful. And always funny. Never stop. At his most intensely emotional, he still always has a joke not too far away. Excellent cultural references, right? Yeah. Alison Hammond. Genius. By the way, even if it was self-indulgent, I would allow it because he is brilliant. Oh, right. Absolutely genius, yeah. And number nine, Noah Hawley's Alien Earth. Obviously not a massive one for UK, but this I thought was absolutely wonderful. And for me, this has been a really interesting year for key IPs, whether that be Star Wars, whether that be Aliens, whether it be, you know, what Dan Trachtenberg's done with the Predator franchise.

39:50It's taking things which maybe have gone off the board quite badly. Films, by the way, Predator films. Yeah, true. Although one of them was streaming only available on TVs. Oh, a new definition. You're right. That's not a loophole. It is films. But, like, certainly for Alien. Like, Alien has become a bit of a punchline, the Alien sort of, like, franchise. Like, Alien and its superior sequel, Aliens, are obviously... Oh, I knew that was coming. Please don't. Absolutely nailed on classics. how, as you can see from my four and a half hour documentary, Aliens Expanded, available now. Shameless. Shameless.

40:22But, you know, subsequent sequence, the law of diminishing returns has applied here, whereas Alien Earth took it and made it feel fresh and new and different. Sidney Chandler, fantastic in this kind of, the leader of sort of the Lost Boys, these sort of children in almost adult or, you know, like synthetic bodies. Babu Sisse, fantastic in the kind of villain role. Alex Loth so many good people in this show and then that episode and again if we get into our episodes of the year but the episode like in space no one can hear you whatever it's called that one where you see what happened on the ship when the aliens gets out is one of the most incredible episodes of TV I've seen really really good is this the Peter Pan one?

41:04this is the Peter Pan one yeah that's right it has a whole Peter Pan mythology going on and it has the the creature the one eyed yes the eyeball The sheep's eyeball that becomes this extraordinary monster in its own right is fantastic. I'm saying MVP of the year. We're saying character of the year is the fucking sheep. Yeah, for sure. The sheep with the eyeball in it. When I was slightly disappointed with the last couple of episodes... I remember... I mean, there were a lot of corridors, Boydie. A lot of corridors for reasons. Regulus was... I think it was too sunny to have the alien... Oh, that's right.

41:39You objected to the alien in the daylight. Running around in broad daylight, ruin it. but up until then if you just stopped it at episode 5 which is in space no one episode which you're right is absolutely fabulous and works as a brilliant tribute to the original and best Alien because the look and feel of it is very much based on the show like the Nostrobo exactly I loved it but subsequent episodes I did feel there was a dip which is why it didn't I don't think it made me my top two slightly unfairly sorry because up to then it was brilliant it was absolutely brilliant and I forgive it for in my opinion slightly tailing off.

42:13And The Corridors. And The Corridors. Yeah, The Corridors. But I did read, a lot of people actually, I was looking, because I have been reading quite a few accounts of esteemed American critics. A lot of people agree with me that it tailed off Alien Earth. Okay. I'm just saying. So you're in good company of wrongness. Okay, good. We were right. Now, at number eight, speaking of corridors, we have my number two of the year, which clearly should be much, much higher, but Boyd II took against its corridors. It is the second season of The Last of Us, which to be fair, has been incredibly divisive.

42:42Yes. A lot of people have really disliked it. There's been very toxic conversation on the internet about it. I thought this series was wonderful. Obviously, I'm in the tank for it. I love the game so much. I did a spoiler interview with Craig Mazin for this. You can find that on the Power Plus feed as well. I love this self-promotion that's going on. Of course. Hey, I'm promoting the podcast. Yeah, that's fine. It's not like the documentary. It's not like the documentary. Available now. Aliens expanded. But I just thought I thought this show was wonderful. I think the second episode of this season for me is the episode of the year.

43:12Better than any other episode of any other show this year. It is up there. Magnificent. It's up there. Absolutely magnificent. It's the rest of the season that is rubbish. It's when they get into the corridors. It's the second episode, the sad episode. It's the sad episode, yeah. We're the best characters. Absolutely brutal. I was furious at the end of that because it made me so sad. Yeah, yeah. It's infuriating. I was dreading that episode a little bit because when I played that in the game it destroyed me and it did not disappoint. I mean, it's a lot behind. Different personality types. See, I would stop immediately and not go back to it where is your persistence?

43:40Well, I love those stories. Last of Us and Last of Us Part 2 are my all-time favourite video games. I love the story, though. See, my verdict on this season, and I agree with you that that episode is brilliant and one of the best episodes of the year, absolutely. But from then on, I genuinely can't remember what else happened in that season. So whole thing's a blur to me. And, you know, I'm judging it on my own lack of... Attention. It's not because I do have dementia. It's because I think the whole... I just didn't know or care what was going on after that, apart from a lot of running around in corridors.

44:13A lot of running around in corridors. That's why I controversially mentioned the corridors. Because it seemed very repetitive to me the rest of that season. And so, sorry. Yeah, it wasn't in my... I wasn't being difficult. It just didn't make it. Unless it's Crystal Mays, I don't want to see any corridor running, frankly. That's fair. No, exactly. Okay. Number eight should have been number two. Right. At number seven, we have on the Netflix, it is the return of Kerry Russell as The Diplomats this was on your list Kay was it not? no it wasn't it wasn't on your list because because you didn't do a list yeah well obviously James as we both know I did do a list I did one that was more efficient than what you wanted right yes but I'd only watched the first episode I haven't finished it so I and you still haven't finished it wait what how is that even possible like this is televisual crack this show is I know but do you know how many shows we watch every week and unfamiliar Yeah, exactly.

45:04So, I mean, there's stuff that I haven't, like The Diplomat I want to finish off. I've got Shrinking, the new series, and I still haven't. You still haven't watched it? No, I haven't. Oh my God, you're such a slacker. Because you're such a slave driver. I'm just like, cannot get to it yet. But I am going to catch up on all these things. So that's the only reason why I didn't put The Diplomat on there. Okay, okay. Because I literally could not stop. I watched them pretty much back to back. Yeah, I mean, like, Alice and Janney, the coupling of Alice and Janney and Bradley Whitford is just the reunion that everyone wants.

45:33Yeah, absolutely. West Wing Heaven it's just the most supremely enjoyable drama out there from minute to minute it's just giddy brilliance that's a good word for it giddy it is pure joy and it works interestingly because this is at number 7 at number 6 is the other show this year which I would say is exactly the same way it's crack you can't stop watching it it is pure joy it is the most recent series of slow horses on Apple TV Plus yeah yeah they are that's true they've both got a lot in common actually which is you know they're constantly working at the height of their powers to make the storylines kind of wildly unpredictable and yeah but Slow Horses this year another divisive one a lot of people didn't like this series of Slow Horses I do not understand why I think you say a lot of people I think the person who wrote the movie for Empire Nick Nick D 'Assembly and it's name I'm shaming Nick award winning editor yeah that's right gave it three stars that's ridiculous yeah that is I love Nick that is crazy I think it's because like some people found you know the previous seasons had been so high octane and action packed and I think some people felt perhaps Nick that this was a bit slower or had less you know meat to the bones but I I just can't I just think it was for me it was like if anything faster and more incident packed than ever it was absolutely well maybe people didn't see it like that that's what I thought the perception was of it but I think apart from Nick and one or two I think most people most people I know still carried on loving it as much as ever if not more.

47:03Yeah. I just love the fact that we just got to learn more about the slow horses, right? As people. So we got to venture into Roddy Ho's mind and man cave, both of which should not be delved into. The human tripod, Roddy Ho. It's so good. But also the other, like River. We saw him, like, you know, struggling in different ways. So first of all, Louise are leaving. He couldn't handle that. You know, made it all about him. And then the excellent pairing of him and Co. Like, I just, I really enjoyed that dynamic between them. Ko came into his own this season, I feel. And also Shirley, who was fantastic and was obviously dealing with the traumas of the previous season and is insistent on proving that someone's out to get home.

47:44So I just loved it. And I thought, you know, I know some people had issues with the paint pot incident, but I thought it added some... That was a little silly, but I went with it. It was fantastic. I liked the light relief as, you know, as I did also with Lamb's flatulence. I think it adds a little something to break up the tension. and then it has that final episode reveal which we will not spoil here but we did a spoiler for Slow Horse as well didn't we? Claude is one of the great utter doofus characters Claude Whelan James Callis amazing that big bell engine astonishingly brilliant character intensely irritating but in a fantastically believable way and a kind of indictment of how people who rise to the top in organisations like wherever it is MI5 or wherever it is can be completely incompetent and stupid.

48:33And still, if you're charming enough and, you know... Hello, that's across the board. That's what I'm saying. This is my point I'm making. Hello. I don't need to say hello, because I'm saying exactly that. But in all kinds of organisations... Oh my god, there's a rare lapse of concentration. And I was just like... That's my point. And finally, and we mentioned Roddy. We interviewed Christopher Chung for the pod. And Roddy is one of those characters who is so unique and brilliantly, entertainingly stupid and incompetent that you almost think, because he's so good in the role, that actual Christopher Chung is a bit like that in real life.

49:10Do you know what I mean? I half expected him because I met him at the BAFTAs and now I interviewed him. You thought he was going to be a doofus, didn't you? I thought he might be a little bit of a doofus. But of course he's not. He's just a brilliant actor. It's called acting, yeah. But that's the level that he's so good at completely transforming himself into this utter bellend but he's brilliant he's a lovely brilliant clever guy as always this year and every other year Roddy Ho is bell end of the year oh yeah that scene with Tavna when she is like interrogating Tete Tete the one on one is absolutely brilliant right that was number six we're in the top five now at number five now this is an interesting one because this is at number five and the reason it's at number five is that all three of us voted for this show and this is unusual because it will be the first time I will have ever voted for this show It is the White Lotus.

49:58Season three. So why did you put it on your list, finally? And it wasn't just because I personally was staying at the White Lotus. Because obviously that came later. That came later. Oh, God. Do you remember that? What did you have for that random combo you had for breakfast? Oh, yeah. When I had like lemon asparagus and something. No, yeah. We're on Zoom with him. And so he's like, oh, sorry, sorry. Room service just arrived on my... Oh, God. By the way, your jaunt to the White Lotus Hotel, it's nothing to do with the White Lotus. No, no. It was something else. It was Jurassic World's reverse.

50:25Jurassic World. But it was at the White Lotus, so I got to walk up and down the little, you know, the little causeway where the thing at the end happens. Lots of people that like... I'm sound troubled by lots of people. But there was dialogue online. These lots of people, this ineffable sense of the internet. But you know what? Some people didn't like this season, I think is the best. I think, though, I think what happened for a lot of these people to whom you're referring, who initially slagged this season off and said it wasn't up to scratch, changed their minds in the end. oh okay yeah I've read a lot of people who did a lot of people all the people I've spoken to a lot of people who did I've read a lot of people who did that there's a lot of reverse ferritin going on because it took its sweet time as it always does but even more than ever to introduce these characters and just build them and let us get to know them better and better and better and it wasn't so incident packed as previous scenes have been from the off which I think is fitting for this spar yeah right but it's also just Mike White has such confidence in his own ability to keep us gripped by stuff that isn't that showy and action-y, so to speak.

51:29It's just, you're just watching these characters talking their bullshit, right, to each other. And people are like, oh, nothing's happening, blah, blah, blah, blah. But actually, it all, it was a slow, it was a brilliant slow burn, one of the ultimate slow burns. And by the time you got to like, the ultimate, you know, climactic episodes, even those people were against it, I think we're all in the end, in favour of, not everyone, but most people I know. Anyway, but for me, it's the best season so far I thought there's so much you know you think back at it you know from the incest thing that once even that was hinted at right to start with you're like oh my god he's going there and he actually went there and then it actually did go there but in a brilliantly believable way not in an over the top there's various things he could have done about that storyline but I think the way the way it resolved itself was really plausible and very clever on his part it wasn't too much it was like it was enough don't get me wrong I think it was like just a soup song of incest and I think it was like a an inkling of incest a good you know observation of you know the elite the very wealthy and the blurred lines and yeah yeah then you had you know her Parker Posey's brilliant do not encourage James to do the accent again Papa no oh my god you're going to stay in Taiwan yeah like to start with again everyone's like no no no she's too much it's a ridiculous accent people were like slagging her off and halfway there everyone's like oh my god she's brilliant you know she's the equivalent of the it did take me a little time to get used to yeah but once you did she's fantastic Jason Isaacs operating at the peak of his powers and you know speaking of the human tripod exactly a lot of penis action in classic White Lotus style so to speak but also that speech from Sam Rockwell oh my god that's one of the greatest single monologues in the history of television so also you haven't mentioned the dynamics between the friendship group, right?

53:23So you've got Carrie Coon, Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Peeb. I love that. I love the observation on the female friendships and the rivalry, the dynamics, the jealousy, judgment. I thought it was really well handled. Yeah, and it was genuinely tense and exciting, you know, the more the kind of situations played out and, you know, the more they kind of got up to no good, if you like, the better it became. It's just incredible. Oh my God, we haven't even mentioned the odd couple partnership of Rick and Chelsea either. Amy Lou. What's that? Oh, my gosh. So much. Yeah. Genius. Speaking of the bridge, the bridge that I walked down.

53:58Anyway, it doesn't matter. Thing happens in the final episode. Big thing on that bridge that I have pictures of me on. I'm so sorry. I thought you meant the TV show. Yes. Broan. I've come back to Broan. You've got our first. Okay. At number four, we have the long-awaited and, frankly, much-delayed second series of Severance on Apple TV+. for which we also did a spoiler special and I spoke to Dan Erickson and some of the cast for that which was exciting what do we think? I mean we obviously think it was very good it's our fourth best show of the year it was slightly lower on my personal list than I thought it would be really?

54:37explain yourself I mean it's seventh it's still pretty high but do you know what I think it might be is Pluribus has slightly outshone it for me. Really? Yeah. In the Apple TV, incredibly ambitious. Well, it's been more successful for Apple TV. Yeah, and I think, I mean, don't get me wrong, it is in my list as the seventh best show of the year, but I think it probably would have been high if I hadn't been for Pluribus. And I loved it, but I think some episodes were a bit too tricksy and complicated to find. It's really, it's brilliant in that, both of these shows, and I'm kind of talking about them together a bit because I think they've got a lot in common.

55:22There's lots of puzzles going on. There's complicated things happening that you have to work out why it's going on. But I think the complications are much more complicated in Severance. And it's a show where you really have to concentrate. And if you lose concentration for one second, the whole thing's like, what the fuck's going on? No dual screening for anyone. No. And if you said to me now, for example, what happened in season two this season of Severance I'll be like oh I really enjoyed it from week to week but it's all a bit of a mess in my head and when season three eventually arrives probably in about two years time I'll have to be heavily reminded what was all going on with it and that's just and it's cool it's a really complicated show based on a really complicated premise but crucially pointy it is a show almost entirely about corridors and yes no problem whatsoever is it because they were brightly lit are you calling him out in his hypocrisy it's corridor hypocrisy it's corridors the show you're right it is the most corridor filled show in history probably but maybe that's maybe it would have been even higher with some less corridors just go through the doors guys earlier don't need to run around but you're right it has more running around corridors yeah wow now I think about it it's a lot that's the seventh episode Chick-Eye Bardo where you essentially begin to understand everything that's happening what I think is genius about this.

56:44It is a mystery box show, but in the second season, they give you so much information, but they give you enough that you're like, oh my God, I can't believe they told us so much in a second series of a show, but they don't give you so much so you're like, well, I know everything now. Because we still don't know everything, but we know so much more that I feel like we've got a handle on it. Whereas at the end of the first season, we were like, I do not know what is happening. I'm loving it, but I feel like it's been drip-fed information. I felt we feasted. We feasted on plot for this one. And it is a very plotty show.

57:13and I think that's that's a good point it is a show you have to focus on because it is so plot driven that if you do attempt a dual screen don't do it you'll lose the thread yeah 100 % yeah but it's very good yeah it's fantastic yeah just yeah you have to really focus and you know that's a good thing yeah concentrate and again MVP of this show Tramiel Tillman's Mr. Milchick yeah he's he's incredible and he's marching band he popped up in Mission Impossible didn't he he did pop up in Mission Impossible. Yes, he's doing it for our... And he popped up on this very podcast, Boydie, in our spoiler interview.

57:46Beautiful. True story. At number three, Boydie's already mentioned it. It is another Apple show. It is Pluribus, the aforementioned Pluribus, which has supplanted severance in Boydie's affections. And this, this is the opposite. This is not a plotty show. This show is 90 % vibes. This is another one that I have yet to watch. I think you'll like it. I know, I think I will. I've heard... So many of my friends have been banging on about it, so I'm excited to watch it. I mean, I just think, how can anyone say this year hasn't been a great year for TV? This one show, this show, I think, is immediately going to be in the echelons of great TV shows of all time.

58:23I'm sorry. I think it's already earning that level of acclaim because it's such a great idea, the main idea. And it has so many ramifications that you don't even think of while you're watching it play out. I mean, the first episode is a classic on It's So Right. it's like a best disaster movie ever meets severance level of puzzle box mystery plus you know an emotional undercurrent to it because it's partly about a woman and her partner and you know trying to save the life of her partner and how that plays out it's just absolutely astonishingly brilliant and I do think we had we had them on the show we did Ray Sehorne Vince Gilligan I think Vince Gilligan will be responsible for three of the greatest TV dramas of all time quite shortly.

59:11Yeah. I mean, the man is three for three at the moment. It's absolutely mad. This has such confidence in its premise and the way that it deliberately tells its story and doesn't rush it and takes its time and goes on flights of fancy for entire episodes where it is literally just Ray Sehorne. But then she is the show's secret weapon because that performance as her performance... Not so secret. Not so secret. I mean, you're absolutely right. She's on the poster. She's pretty much the only person in it. It's the least kept secret in the world. Surprise! It's the opposite of a secret weapon. I'm not in any way secret weapon.

59:44She's just a weapon. She's the least secret weapon ever. But her performance, you know, she was amazing in Bed of Coresall, but she carries this show so effortlessly and she's brilliant as Carol Sturker, the most miserable person alive. So, yeah, wonderful series. Pluribus, Apple TV. I keep calling it Apple TV Plus. I'm never going to stop. Yeah, don't. You've got to stop because advisory is no longer called Apple TV Plus. It's no longer called Apple TV Plus. They're no longer Plus. Maybe they thought they were being a bit too extra. They took off the bus. Right. And number two, what I can only describe as the worst miscarriage of justice in the history of television lists is this season's show of the year, bar none.

1:00:23Leagues ahead of everything else, but somehow it's at number two. It is Andor on Disney+. And just because Boyd's list was trolling me... Listen, I had a number four in my list. I know, and it's clearly number one. No, there's only one number one. Yeah, listen, listen. I loved this show. Yes, you did. And being in my top four is like a clear... An egregious war crime. ...claim to that. Oh my God. But to be honest with you, if you'd have insisted on this being number one, I probably would have been fine with it. Well, I should say, this one actually did come out number one by a significant margin.

1:00:58If you actually went mathematically on our list, it did. The reason I have bumped it down is because Kate cannot sanction this sci-fi buffoonery. And I thought, Adolescence is the one show that all three of us think is right up there at the top So you've just done a spoiler for number one? Yeah, I've just done a spoiler for number one but I think at this point everyone pretty much knows that Adolescence is number one I mean, did they? Oh my god Well, I've just ruined the list I literally cannot You monster That is my favourite part of this whole year in review Okay, brilliant I've killed the list I've ruined it Shall we just stop now?

1:01:28I've ruined the show I've ruined the episode Everyone go home What I love about this is it's been brilliantly constructed you've put so much time and effort into the script and you've really been building the tension and then you've just blown your load. See, the thing is and also I had a big joke I was going to be like number one, we have imposter on Channel 5 and it was going to be a big thing. You can't do it now. I can't do that now because you know what it is. I mean, you could go back and redo the whole last five minutes. I could go back and re-edit this whole thing but I'm not going to.

1:01:52I'm going to leave it in. I'm going to leave it in. All listeners have their tension, dramatic tension. That's right. Oh my God. Ruined, I tell you. It's like the worst Agatha Christie ever conceived. It's like if you begin the episode and it's like Columbo, like you see who did it and then it's like, oh, who could have possibly have done it? Do you know who you are in this scenario? No, you're Captain Hastings. Oh, God. Yeah, 100%, yeah. It's like I watched the Mousetrap the other day and it'd be as if the curtain comes down just before. Just before, yeah, exactly. Oh, God. Anyway, right, let's pretend, right, everyone, okay, right, everyone listen.

1:02:22What could it be? Right, I'm going to try something. Listen to the sound of my voice. It's very relaxing. When I finish speaking, it will enter a deep trance and you will forget, you will forget that the number one show of this year is adolescence. It will fall out of your mind like autumn leaves and you're back in the room. It's like listening to Paul McKenna. I've just hypnotised everyone listening to this. No one now knows. Let's just say it's a big year for TV shows beginning with letter A, with one word. Yes, indeed. I mean, yeah. And or, at number two. To be fair, this is kind of what I said about Alien Earth, but this is in many ways the best thing Star Wars has ever produced.

1:02:57Like, it is extraordinary. It is emotionally excoriating. It is politically deft. That speech that Mon Mothman gives to the Senate is chilling because it's so apt. There is so much about this that is just wonderful. I am in awe of this television show and what Tony Gilroy has done with it. What Dan Gilroy, who wrote my favourite episodes of it, I think it is a modern masterpiece and I think this is 100 % one of the greatest TV shows ever made. Yeah, it's good. Number four on Boyd's list, everyone. Kay's had to turn away because you're a pontificator. He's got so out of hand. I caught Boyd's eye.

1:03:37He was also trying to wrestle with a smirk. And I was like, oh, I can't look at Boyd anymore. I'll have to look away. Sorry. Yes, agreed. Whatever you said. In any other year, it would and could have been number one. And it was. and let me just say by the way I tried to say this just now before you did the whole spoiler of what's number one we've already deleted that they don't know but genuinely if you just said oh no I really think it should be Andor I would have gone along with it I'm happy with Andor see but I'm a benevolent dictator Boydie I was trying to speak with the voice of the people here's your problem you overthink things just one here's one of your problems is you overthink things so you overthink Kate probably wouldn't have minded either we're all adults I thought Kate would have felt disenfranchised if I put something at number one that she didn't want she's a child she's perfectly happy to go along with your mania when it comes to the show but I get it the bottom line is yes it is the best Star Wars thing ever yes it was absolutely one of the best shows of recent years both series are absolutely brilliant and I have you know and I absolutely love it completely it's just one of the strongest years you've just got one of the great an instant classic at number one what could it be and you've got the brilliance of you already agree that Pluribus is one of the greatest shows ever, yourself, and The White Lotus, which even you finally came round to watching.

1:04:55How is anyone saying it was a bad year for TV? Yeah, but my point is, yes, and or, they're all valid to be number one, I think, all of the top five, I would say. There are arguments that all of them are good enough to be number one. See, I should have done a joint number one, but that felt like a cop-out. Yeah, that is a bit of a cop-out. Yeah, I hate those. So we didn't do that. I think the reason we're going to talk about it now... We can't tell them. Don't tell them what the number one is. like I said they don't know they don't know I'm like Woody Harrelson in Now You See Me I genuinely can't believe you did that it was so against hype exactly I completely didn't realise he's so particular he was looking at me when he said it and I thought he's definitely going to twig and he was so looking forward to the joke I know my imposter joke which I thought was do you know what Channel 5 had the last laugh they did they did yeah and or then the best show of the year and that ends no of course it doesn't Of course it doesn't, because we have one more.

1:05:48Can we have a drumroll? The revelation of our show of the year, 2025. It is... Adolescence! I thought you were going to stick with the joke. It was Impostor on Channel 5. No, it was Adolescence. Kay? Yes. Oh, God. I mean, everything about this show has been discussed to within an inch of its life. And so I'm not going to be saying anything new, But from the one shot to the note perfect performances, Stephen Graham, Erin Doty, so many people in this, right, have been excellent. And the gut-wrenching subject matter, which was handled so well and was impactful and informative. I mean, it once again demonstrated the power of TV, like with Mr Bates and the post versus the post office.

1:06:35And I think it not only was entertaining, of course, but it changed people's lives and their behaviours, the fact that it was shown in schools, etc. So, yeah, I mean, it was just extraordinary. And I think they deserve all the plaudits, especially Owen Cooper, the standout, his wonderful performance, and obviously he was the breakout star. And what else is there to say? It was just a fantastic piece of television. What else is there to say? Nothing. Nothing, Boyd. So please, just shut it. Just shut it, really. Because he's already spotted. All right, say a few words. I remember, this is what I'm going to say, I remember watching it for the first time.

1:07:11and I think I got it pretty early, like quite a long time before it was... It was a humble voice from Boyd. It's a humble brag. It's not even humble, it's just a brag. I'm pretty sure I remember telling you both that it was an instant classic and was one of the best things I've ever seen as soon as I'd seen it. And it has become one of the biggest shows in the history of Netflix. And essentially, it's a British... I mean, actually, it's kind of co-financed by Brad Pitt's company, so it's not entirely British. But it is quite, you know, on one level, It's quite a small-scale, intimate story played out over four hours, as you say, in real time, et cetera.

1:07:46But it's one of the most instantly brilliant, almost flawless shows I've ever seen. And I think, you know, everyone who saw it, this is the part I'm going to make it, not just me, but as soon as everyone saw it, it was like, oh, this is one of the most incredible things that's ever been on television. The whole nation talking about it. The whole world. You know, that's the most astonishing thing. that heartwarming thing is that this very British story in a way with a totally British cast has become a phenomenon globally. One of the biggest shows in Netflix history, you know, these guys, Stephen Graham, all the people who co-wrote it, Jack Thorne, they can do anything they want now.

1:08:26They are among the most powerful people. Because Jack Thorne was really struggling for work before this. He was, he was, yeah. We had a whip around for him. He needs to step up his work rate, put it that way. He's done more than podcast, you know, as much as you've done podcasts and I've written Yeah, it's astonishing. He's really pulled his finger out. But yeah, it's just mind-blowingly, a mind-blowing piece of work, yeah. Which is why it is... It had to be number one. It had to be number one. It actually did have to be number one. You were right, James. If you know... Well, I mean... The phenomenon is number one.

1:08:55I do know what you mean, because also it's brought to the surface a very vital conversation around the kind of like pernicious, corrosive influence of the manosphere and how it is growing. And this, I think, caused a generation of people, and not just us, I mean, in terms of school kids, we were watching this and talking about this, and they were addressing something that I think goes unspoken, which is this kind of, this rise in this sort of very damaging view that maybe young men have towards women and girls. And I think to bring that and to make it part of the national conversation was an incredible thing, and it's so powerful, and it doesn't pull its punches, but it's also, it's really subtly done.

1:09:31Like, a lot of it, it's not spoon-fed, it's not spelled out. It doesn't feel like it's a pulpit. it doesn't feel like you're being lectured. And I wonder whether that's why younger audiences, I think, really liked it. Because it essentially presents this and then just leaves you to draw your own conclusions. But also, as I think we said at the time, the reason why everyone was so thrilled by it, even apart from putting the subject matter aside for one moment, it could have been about lots of different things, important issues going on, but it was so entertaining and thrilling. and then grabbed you by the throat and didn't let go for its duration, that's the genius of it, I think.

1:10:13In and of itself, it's the most incredibly entertaining bit of TV drama you're ever likely to see, as well as having to be dealing with a really important thing that a lot of people didn't know about. I think it's more... I've read think pieces where people say, oh, you know, showing in schools, blah, blah, blah. Kids aren't going to be that... There are a lot of people who are slightly to the right of me, for example. who are a bit down on it, being a bit lectury. But I think they're completely wrong. It's not lectury at all. It's not at all. But I think it's particularly important for parents.

1:10:42I think parents, I think it woke up a lot of parents to what the fuck is my kid doing upstairs in his bedroom with a door locked on his own on the internet. No, not that. Not that. No, not that. But that's why I think it woke up a lot of people too, that thing. And I have had a lot of parents talking about that. A lot of parents. A lot of parents. Yeah, communicating more to them. A lot of people, a lot of parents. A lot of people, a lot of parents. These mythical people. I'm not Donald Trump. What a way to end this. Anyway, yeah. And also, four episodes completely distinct from each other. Each one feels completely different.

1:11:16And if we're talking moments of the year, that fucking drone shot at the end of episode two is incredible. And then, of course, the final moments. I've got the drone shot written down as my moment of the year. It's unbelievable. Another moment I'd add is the scene with Owen and Erin when they're like... Episode three. Yeah. Oh, yeah, of course. Yeah, but every minute of it is astonishing. You know what's the best part of that episode? All takes place in one room, no corridors. Yeah, that's why Boyd loves it. I think they do have to go through a few corridors in the police station at the beginning, though.

1:11:45I mean, I think you'll find. But, you know, that's the best way of dealing with corridors. Just go through them. Yeah. That is, surprise, surprise, our show of the year. But there have been many other shows this year that I feel that we should mention. So now we move into the section where we talk about the also outs, if you will but other things worthy of mention so I'm going to mention a few of the things that were on my list that didn't make it so Kay you can check your emails out I remember the last time you did this it went on for days it went on for about a few hours I will keep it brief you basically mentioned every show you'd watched yeah no I mean for real it was interminable it's just a cautionary note if you're going to talk about every show you've watched then fine I'm just going to run through them the ones on my list and then we can do your list if you like and then the if you like if we have time Are the writers available?

1:12:33Well, obviously, The Pit would be on my list because, you know, I've seen it. Oh, but that's just cheating. You know it. So annoying. Are you going to start having best films of the year that haven't actually been out? Yes, yes, I am. Although some critics do do that. Stuff that they've seen. Dreadful, dreadful. In my top ten was The Wheel of Time season three, which I do think is the best season of The Wheel of Time yet. It's a wonderful adaptation of Robert Jordan's books and I love it. And it is criminal that it was cancelled. Kay in particular was mortified. Devastated. Other things that were on my list.

1:12:58Stranger Things made my list quite low down. Now, you could argue I shouldn't have it there because I've only seen the first four episodes and we haven't seen the rest. That's why I haven't. Yeah. So maybe we have to see if they stick around and see if it deserves to be there. But it was lower down my list. Your Friends and Neighbours was towards the bottom of my list. First three episodes of the second season are available now on the Apple portal. Oh, that's a good one. Very exciting. I didn't know that. What else was there? Oh, it turns out Department Q did make my list. I lied. It was on there.

1:13:22It was at number 19. Dope Thief was at number 20, which I really enjoyed also on Apple. That was great fun. That was like a lot in common with Tars, but not as good. It wasn't as good as Toss. You're right. I mean, that's not actually a bad description of it, but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was great. Other things I would mention is The Crow Girl, which we're going to get the second half. Oh, yeah. James, you were really into The Crow Girl. Loved The Crow Girl. And it was only half the novel. We need the second series, but they are making it at the moment. Paramount Plus, wasn't it? I want to say yes.

1:13:47Yes, Crow Girl was very good. The Sandman, the second series of The Sandman, nowhere near as good as the first and doesn't end particularly well either. So I liked it because of what it was, but if I'm honest with you this is what you did last time you're now just talking about shows even you don't think they're that good bear in mind this is out of my top 20 that was not in my top 20 you're now just going through every single show we reviewed so basically I did a top 20 and then I had like a few a few bolted on the bottom with just ones I thought were worthy of knowing and it was Sandman Star Trek Strange New World season 3 which again I thought was slightly disappointing Unforgotten which I loved which was the most reason I'm Unforgotten and Mobland which honestly I don't know that I can honestly say was good but I found it so I could not stop watching it.

1:14:26It was a bit of a hate watch for me, Mobland. And I don't know if it was the Irish accents. Come on, we're not branching into hate watch. I mean, I already have. It's too late. Yeah, Mobland was on my hate watch list. So there you go. Boydie. Yeah. Would you like me to... Have you got your list in front of you? I've got my list in front of you. Thank you. Thank you. So this is... I did include a non-scripted show for the first time. Yes, you did. Mannerick. You were right to. Lunatic. I'm sorry, but the Celebrity Traitors is one of the greatest things on TV for years and years and years. and particularly the ending, I think, the Alan Carr, spoiler alert, moment.

1:14:59Just him crying and the drama of it. So, you know, I did put it in my... It's going to be a lot of TV critics top. Any films you want to add to your list? Well, I'm tempted. Books? But no. Albums? It's a TV show. We do discuss TV shows. But it's so good that I thought, yeah. Event TV. Yeah. I mean, the ultimate event TV. Just brilliant. So that was in there. How are you? It's Alan Partridge. I absolutely loved and this is on a bit like the I was saying with the studio the absolute studio that's one of my go-to put on if I want to be in a good mood I just put on this series now like I'll just let it play out you know in the background it's so funny it gets better and better massive comfort watch but just it's just they've just done a fantastic job of making every single episode hilarious and just all time classic Alan Partridge moments in it one after another I think I haven't watched is that the mental health one?

1:15:49yes I've watched the first episode so many gems in it all the way through. It's fantastic. Although in the first episode, the Tete-A-Tete-Yaz with Psychic Simon is one of the all-time great That is genius. Genius moments. So I loved that. Now there's two very trendy shows that I wanted to mention which are both brilliant but we didn't review them on this show partly because of embargoes and such. But basically The Chair Company which is this incredible show all about this guy wanting to track down the people responsible for a crap chair that broke when he sat on it at an important moment in this presentation, went into so many weird and wild places that it's just an incredible bit of inventiveness.

1:16:31And it's really funny. It is 100 % cringe that you could not sit through. James in particular could not sit through. But it was absolutely incredible and it had a brilliant ending. And in a similar way, the rehearsal, season two of the rehearsal, was this incredible inquiry into why in aeroplane cockpits, the relationship between the second in command, if you like, and the main pilot, the first officer, was often led to crashes, basically. This is not a show, by the way, to watch if you intend to go. But as I do intend to go flying, you know, I love flying, but it's really, it's an incredibly challenging thing.

1:17:09But along the way, there are so many, you know, it tells the story, episode three, I think it was tells the story of sully the guy who landed the plane on the hudson remember that turned into a film by clint eastwood it this show told that story in the wildest most insane way possible and yet was actually really moving and funny and mad it's just a i think one of the most original bits of slice of tv you're ever likely to get so if you do have a chance watch um watch the rehearsal i love too much the dunham show with will sharp in it i loved it i think it's been criminally underrated I think the episode in particular where which goes back to the controlling abuse of her boyfriend back in New York is one of the great single episodes of the year if not the I think it's genius The Millennium for Boyd If Not The Millennium I absolutely love that show and I don't understand why it's been underappreciated What It Feels Like For A Girl was in my top 20 which was an absolutely brilliant way of telling that story I still haven't seen that I was off that week Oh you've got to see it you've got to watch it You would like that I think you might think from afar, Paris Leeson's story, even though you know it's kind of got a lot of trauma in it, etc., I didn't expect it to be this in-your-face, inventive, powerful, often really funny, incredibly audacious telling of the story.

1:18:27It's not naturalistic. Some of it is really out there. I think heavily influenced by early Russell T. Davis, I think, like Queer of Folk Gear, Russell T., etc. It's a really brilliantly ambitious show. So they would be my main... I mentioned Doctor Who. That would be my... I loved certain episodes on it, particularly the episode with the cartoon character coming to life, Lux, which in the middle of it has this incredible self-referential meta moment where you meet Doctor Who fans. The Doctor meets Doctor Who fans. I loved that moment so much. Classic Russell T. Davis. That was... Hacks was brilliant.

1:19:02It took ages and ages to get to UK screens. I enjoyed it in the end. It took a little while to get into that season because the bickering got too much. Yeah, I can see that. Fair enough. And there was a show, Overcompensating, which this was about the gay guy coming to college in America and him kind of coming out, I feel like, and it's just really funny. That's a really funny series. Is that BBC? I think it's on Amazon Prime here, Prime Video. Of all the people just call it Amazon Prime. Every single email from Prime Video tells you to call it Prime Video but not Amazon Prime, by the way. So yeah, and as a moment of the year, I'll finish in a minute, sorry.

1:19:42I loved, talking of Doctor Who, I loved the regeneration into Billy Piper at the end of This Who's Doctor Who. Controversial. Controversial, but I thought it was so classic audacity from Russell T. Bold. Lavish. Very, very bold. Lavish. I think that's all I've got listed. Yes, there we go. Cheers. Best. Speaking of lavish, I wanted to flag A Thousand Blows on Disney+. So that was Stephen Knight's very very lavish period drama which is back in a couple of weeks yes it is i'm excited about i'm in fact i've watched the first episode um and it is set in whopping 1800s um the like criminal underbelly of whopping and the people that lived and fought there including i mean the epic cast stephen graham and erin doherty again together a great coupling but also um malachi kirby who for me was the standout he gave such a soulful performance as hezekiah moscow the um jamaica man who came to London to be a lion tamer and ended up in the ring it's just like the money is there on the screen it's such a brilliant authentic looking you know period drama and I love the fact that it's based on real characters as well so yeah a visual knuckle swinging heart racing period drama feast I also want to flag Karen Pirrie yes really enjoyed that good flagging Ema Kenny's adaptation of Val McDermott's book.

1:21:04Dual timelines, wonderful storytelling, well executed by Emma, because both these timelines, what I loved about it is that they were both developed to such a level that you were invested in all the characters in both timelines, which is, you know, sometimes it's just a token gesture. It wasn't in this. And also the actors playing the younger versions really actually did bear a resemblance to their older counterparts. And Karen got to go on holiday and wear some shorts. With her bum bag, of course. That's true, with the bum bag. So yeah, I enjoyed that. immensely and then the final one I just quickly want to flag is Just Act Normal on BBC so I absolutely adored this and Boyd and I reviewed it when we did our Dot and Ethel You Were On Holiday I think but I did watch it I did watch it you listened to us with the chicken yeah it's really good it's written by Janice Oko and it's based on her award winning play Three Birds and it's a coming of age comedy drama about three siblings whose world implodes when their mum unexpectedly leaves and they have to fend for themselves.

1:22:02And I just thought it was raw, heartbreaking, but funny as well. And I want to mention hapless drug dealer, Dr. Feelgood, played by Sam Buchanan. And it just felt like a breath of fresh air, not least because, you know, the three leads were played by really talented newcomers. They were Chennai Taylor, Kadra Walker-Wilke and Akin Subair. And I just thought it was excellent. It dealt with really difficult subjects, but in a really, you know, with a lightness of touch, but it was impactful as well. So I have to say Walker Wilkie also stole the show as the cherub-faced sassy youngster Tanika. So it's worth a watch.

1:22:41Okay. I've just remembered something that I should have mentioned, which is I really like this series of Black Mirror. I think it's easy to forget. Were you going to mention it? I was going to mention it, yes. But particularly, I really loved Bette Noire, which was the episode, if you remember, set from the chocolate company, where this woman gets gaslit. By not specifically lint. It was a lint. A lint shot. Not as good as the dairy milk one next door. But it was a fantastic look at the hell of gaslighting. And then it ended up with this mad scene at the end, which is just wild. I loved that episode.

1:23:14I think it's one of the best episodes of Black Mirror ever. And the whole series I thought was really good. James. Well, other things that you may or may not want to talk about, I'm going to read out some show names that I've compiled a long list. and if you want to say something that's great and if you don't that's fine too what's this new segment now where you're just reading off reading a list of news other shows that I think are of note and since neither of you wanted to do a deep dive I have done a deep dive he really wants this to reach three hours I can tell he's got a little desire ready film club oh yeah great pretty good I'm going to say something no this is a thing right so I need to go back and re-watch this I watched the first half of the first episode with my nieces and I didn't I didn't I was like what is everyone talking about Is it because it was about films?

1:23:56No, I don't know. I don't know if I was in the wrong mood or whatever. So I need to go re-watch that because everyone who talks about it says to me that I would love it. So yeah. Yeah. Okay. It was very good. Boy, you loved it, didn't you? Yeah, I really enjoyed it. Amy LeWood show. Really, really good fun. The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Oh yeah. Tough watch though. Brutal watch. Yeah. Brutal watch. Beautiful to look at. Oh my God. Yeah, that was like... Prisoner of War story. Yeah. Oh my God. That scene where he's been beaten. yeah it's a lot but it's incredibly cinematic yeah it's very well done I Love LA did you mention that in your list?

1:24:28oh god do you know what I didn't I'm surprised it wasn't you it's still on I think the finale is due I'm kind of watching it live week to week on Sky Comedy and I'm loving it yeah that would be a strong contender for top 20 for me it's really funny on my list Black Rabbit on Netflix which a lot of people loved and I didn't which one's that? it's the one with Jason Bateman is in it Jude Law set in the bar the brothers running the bar I really liked the first couple of episodes and then it did tail off for me I think it's style over substance for me I wouldn't agree with that necessarily but I just think it was a bit too many episodes for the story it has to tell which is honestly very common in streaming I think it suffered from that I really liked the first I thought it was really strong but it did yeah it did tail off sticking with Netflix American Primeval.

1:25:22Do you remember that? The misery porn in the Old West. We didn't get on with it. That was Alex Godfrey's one of his favourite shows of the year. He loved it. I mean, he's a maverick. He is a maverick. What else have we got? Chief of War. Obviously, Jason Momoa. The sort of founding of the Hawaiian Islands. That kind of... Yeah, that was... This is where he goes through every single TV show. Hey! Hey, hey, hey. All right, fine. The Assassin. The Williams Brothers. The Assassin. Talking of cuckoo-bomb banana-cracker shows. Well, that's another one where I think the first three episodes off the top of my head three to four episodes are brilliant and then I think it dips towards the end a little dip but it recovers I think I really I like the very ending but I think there's too much of a dip to get in my top 20 but no I really enjoyed it it is mad I like the mad an entertaining watch the crazy ambition of it I always embrace the always embrace the brothers whether they want to be embraced or not always ask permission yeah Boyd's embracing people without content it's all very upsetting right bookish Mark Gatiss is bookish.

1:26:20Yeah, I enjoyed that. Oh yeah, very entertaining. Yeah, really good. I really liked that. I think the final episode I thought was the best. It was really good. I watched that at screening when I was in Italy. Do you remember for my Italian TV festival? I went to a lavish dinner for it as well. Okay, not one outmanship now. I was invited to nothing for it. I wasn't even sent a book. Oh, sad times. But it worked because that was a big hit for them. Yeah. You and Alibi. I think single. Daredevil born again? Nobody cares. Let's move. Amanda Land launched. Oh, yeah, really. Maderland launched. By the way, we'll be reviewing the Christmas special, won't we?

1:26:53Well, we will have reviewed it because we'll be doing it on the episode that goes up before this one. Yes, that's the Christmas Day episode. So that's been and gone. We're recording that in two days. We haven't recorded it yet. It's making it more confusing for you. I'll be wearing a Christmas jumper. Yeah. Cobra Kai finished its sixth season series. I didn't make it to the end. No, I don't think so. Yellow Jackets had its third series. I didn't finish that either. Okay, this is now starting to be the opposite of the year in the review. It's just like... Hey, these are things of... No, Reacher season three is a thing of note.

1:27:21We're not going to talk about it. Bosch Legacy had its third and final season. Oh, God, I can't be zoning out now. It wasn't very good. Ballard debuted. It didn't like that. So the Bosch universe is a little bit dead to me at the moment. You need us here. The Handmaid's Tale finished. Had its sixth season. No, neither of you care. Fine, that's fine. I care. Misogynist, the pair of you. Known for it, yeah. Murderbot. Does anyone want to launch a spirit of the show? Wash your mouth out, yeah. If you're now doing it at the worst of the year. I finished Murderbot. I liked it. Even though I had the brilliant Skarsgård off of Pinion, Pinion was the best thing he's ever done.

1:27:52This is the worst thing he's ever done. This was not funny, not good. Last Samurai Standing we reviewed, which was the Squid Game Meet Shogun on Netflix. That was good. It's Welcome to Derry. We recorded the spoiler special for us, so if you've listened to that already. Well, I was involved, obviously. I enjoyed It Welcome to Derry. The Witcher had its fourth season, and I hosted the premiere. Oh, that was exciting, wasn't it? Embarrassing. Anyway. Are we going through your LinkedIn now? A little bit. We are. All's Fair was declared the worst TV show ever made. Yes, that was a TV event. Oh, you're forgetting about the actual worst of the year, which was Ryan Murphy's.

1:28:26Yeah, Monster. The Ed Gein story. I'm still reading from that. Yeah. Nobody Wanted, the second series of Nobody Wants This. Yeah, true. Yeah, even though he got nominated for a Golden Globe. Anyway, what else happened? There were loads of British, you're missing out unless you're coming to them. There were kind of loads of British psychological thrillers about people suspecting other people of being bad. Oh, like little disasters. Yeah. And there was The Girlfriend, right? There was one. Yeah, The Girlfriend. You had the Jack Whitehall one. Malice. Yeah, Malice. Yeah, Malice. Honestly, there's been about...

1:29:01It's All Her Fault. Yeah, that fits in. And then there's the... What was the other one, which wasn't Playdate? Is it The Stolen Girl? Yeah, The Stolen Girl. Yeah. And I think there's more. I'm forgetting as well, by the way. But there was a whole load of those types of shows. where, yeah, are they or aren't they a psychopath? Yeah. And invariably, they almost always are. Otherwise, what's the point? The big reveal is, oh, no, they're normal all along. Nothing bad's happening at all. That'll be a pointless reveal, but like the year in review list. Yeah. The one with the woman in the hospital with the baby who's suspected of abusing her baby.

1:29:34Which one was that? That was really... Oh, yes. I don't remember what that was. That was Little Disaster. Was it? Oh, Little Disaster. Yes, that's the one. I thought that was one of the cleverest ones because that kept you You're guessing all the way through and had a very clever ending, I think. Yeah, I hosted the screening of that. Of course you did. A TV event that nobody got to enjoy, The Savant on Apple TV, which has still not been released and may never be at this stage, which is extraordinary. We watched it. We watched it. I watched all of it. I really liked it. Didn't get to have that.

1:30:03What else have we got on here? We had The Last Frontier, which we didn't love. House of Guinness. Remember House of Guinness? Yeah, I quite liked House of Guinness. Another one which was accused of being Crimes Against Accents, but there we go. The Morning Show. Oh, how can we forget? How can we forget the morning show? That was the ultimate bunkum, but it's incredibly entertaining at the same time. Yeah. I mean, I devoured that. So did I. And yeah, I'm still reeling from how preposterous it is. That would have been on Steph's shows of the year, less than totally that for nothing. Yes, Steph loved the morning show.

1:30:30Lesson about the terminal list, Dark Wolf the better, except I watched it all. Peacemaker Series 2, which frankly wasn't very good in the end. So you guys were right about that. Wednesday Series 2, I have to say, I also thought it wasn't very good. Outlander, Blood of My Blood, which we quite enjoyed. Remember the Outlander spin-off? No? Boyd, he doesn't care. Right, brilliant. Moving hastily on Mixtape. I really liked Mixtape. Yes, I enjoyed that. Jim Sturgess. Jim Sturgess, Boyd, he's never said, what in it? We took a game's poor Jimmy S. He didn't whisper his way through this. All right, Boyd, he's buried the hatchet.

1:31:01But Mixtape was a great little... I can't remember which channel it was on. BBC, too. BBC, really good. Mixtape, well worth watching. The Institute, I watched all of the Stephen King adaptations. Oh, yeah, that was really good. The guy, the main guy in it, the son of Amanda Huffington, That's right. Martin Freeman is brilliant. Yeah, he's really good. If I can find his name. He has a name. We don't know what it is. What's that show called again? The Institute. The Institute. A live boogle for you. A live boogle. A live boogle. Joe Freeman. There we go. Joe Freeman. Dexter came back for Dexter Resurrection.

1:31:29And I watched all that. Enjoyed that. That was a good one. Much better than the other Dexter prequel show, right? Yeah. Do you know what? That was good too. I think, yeah, they were both good. Yeah, that was a good one too. Was it? The prequel was good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The one they cancelled. No, I'm talking about the one they renewed and they cancelled. You are right. See, you said prequel. I don't know why I didn't hear prequel. Yes, you're right. The prequel was bad. Yeah. The sort of related legacy sequel was good. The prequel was bad. And then this is the sequel to the legacy sequel. It was all getting very confusing.

1:31:56But yes, you're right. You're quite correct. Do you remember Beth? That short... Yes. Was it like one episode? I was like, yes, we do. Yes, we remember Beth. She's not dead. No, that one about the, you know, Poth and her Genesis. Yeah. Which is a wild little short, essentially. We championed that. Yeah. it was really good really good I thought that was brilliant I wanted more of that and I think this is broadly speaking it's because I'm running out of oh do you remember Zero Day with Robert De Niro oh yeah I mean that was a shame I like that no wait no I really liked it to begin with again oh no not Zero Day I was getting confused sorry for what was the one with the retired group of friends who go away I really enjoyed that oh Four Seasons yeah oh yes Four Seasons was excellent in fact Four Seasons is one of the best things I've forgot about on my list and I really loved it.

1:32:43I did not forget it and it's not on my list. That's on a lot of American critics' lists. A lot of people Boyd spoke to a lot of people put it on their list. Boyd, you're welcome for me reminding you. Thanks for reminding me. And that show got better and better and better. You have to see the whole thing to really appreciate it. All four of the seasons. I've watched it all. I've spoken to people like you, James, who dismissed it. I haven't watched the whole thing. Prime Target? Oh yeah, Prime Target. I hosted a Prime Target chat with Leo who's an absolutely lovely guy and I really I thought that was a really entertaining show I watched all of it I thought I had a great time wildly entertaining good time I had a great time with that and finally we had season I want to say is it four or five of You on Netflix oh my god how can we forget You yeah how can we forget You I thought they stuck the landing of You didn't they because it was really fun yeah was it five it was five wasn't it it was five yeah the final season of You yeah it was a good one I mean how they kept that going for last season I don't know but but they did yeah it was it was yeah we're big You fans and it was good big fans of You yeah fantastic of every other show on TV it's turned out to be quite helpful.

1:33:42Right, because I did the deep diving board I did the donkey work. I think this time round was, you know, less... He wrapped up quicker than last year. I remember last year... Less arduous. Last year was a real slob. This year actually, he rattled through it. It was like that scene in Airplane where everyone's like, you know... I genuinely, I remember being... I remember just my... I was basically like slobs in my chair needing resuscitation. But this one was fine, actually. Good job, James. Now, we have about 13 minutes left. So, Kay, would you like to go to the Review of the Year postbag and see what is in store for us there?

1:34:18Indeed. Now, we'll talk fast because we've got to get through it. That's right. Okay, so Phil got in touch to say, Gang, I'm sad we won't get a profanity end of Year Real from Kay. They are the highlight of the end of year show. Professionism one, entertainment zero. Oh, well. Thanks again for the year and reading out all my emails. I mean, you say that, Phil. But I'm reasonably confident that Darren will have a special little appendage to go on the end of this review of the year. Don't talk about Darren's appendage. Steady. I'm fairly certain that he will assemble. I think, you know, he's been squirrelling stuff away.

1:34:50Every time Kay goes on a tear on the podcast, he'll have flipped it. By the way, this is meant to be a bloop reel of all of us. It's just Kay. It's Kay goes rogue. It's meant to be all of us and it's not just meant to be me swearing. But, yeah, well, I don't think there is because he knows the rules. He's got to send it to me for approval. I haven't had anything. I look forward to listening to it. I enjoyed last year's. Darren, try carefully. Now for a message from Morgan who says, Greetings from Sweden. You've talked about Apple TV's series being under watch, but I feel like if you're a TV junkie, which I think most of the listeners are, you have watched a lot of them or at least are familiar with them.

1:35:25Shows I haven't seen being talked about nearly enough is Netflix International series, not talking about Squid Game. Some of my favourite series this year is Deliro a Colombian psychological drama When Life Gives You Tangerines brilliant title it's a Korean drama The Etanort Argentinian sci-fi apparently Hirokazu Corrie Idas second Netflix series Azura okay so I don't know just make those words make sense in your head okay so my question is do you have series on your best of the year list that you feel like aren't talked about enough please Morgan don't ask that question three of times season three oh brilliant well done he did it very swiftly can I just say so far we've been recording this now for like an hour and 40 minutes not once not once have I mentioned a show that was on my list that I completely forgot to mention which was speaking of season three is Foundation oh yeah I didn't mention that that was really high on my list I loved the third season of Foundation I thought it was wonderful I think he knew because the tone of the show would change yeah that's it so I've left it till the end yeah okay now for a message from Graham and Gael who says hi team and happy birthday slash Christmas thanks for remembering so we're recording this to all of us really yeah exactly so Boyd's had his as a time of recording on 17th of December James yours is in three days we don't talk about that oh no we wish him happy birthday and mine's then a week later but anyway they go on to say it's been an amazing year and you've steered us to many many memorable TV moments that we may otherwise have missed so a massive thank you for that it seems to have been the peak year for hard sci-fi sorry Kay with Andor Alien Earth and Foundation to name just three do you feel the sands of time will start to shift towards a new genre in 2026 and if so what do you think it will be?

1:37:12Your loyal listeners Graham and Gael in France a new genre a new genre do you mean um look at that I'm just reading the words void I don't know what to say do you mean we will be more obsessed with like James will suddenly switch from being obsessed with sci-fi fantasy and become the world's biggest fan of cringe comedy. I think what they're saying is this year's been peak year for part sci-fi. It has been a big year for sci-fi. So what do we think is going to be peak next year? Oh, right, okay, I get it. Just here to translate all this. Andor, Alien Earth, Severance, Pluribus. No, he's listed them already.

1:37:45Yeah, okay. What about next year? What do you think it'll be? Well, dare I say... Dare Boyd? I think Rivals is coming back next year and maybe it will be the year of the bonk buster. I'd love that. You'd love that. I bet you would. You would love that. Would I? It would be actually because we have Bridgerton, rivals oh yeah porn is what we're saying the year of porn you've already been accused of your vampire smut oh no this is not good funnily enough I have watched the new series of industry and I interviewed only yesterday I interviewed Conrad Kaye and Mickey Down the creators of industry and showrunners of industry I'm sure we'll be reviewing it well it's season 3 I don't know sometimes we review new stuff over old stuff but it's a complete reboot of the show effectively but what is still in the show despite its complete reboot is the astonishing sex scenes in it are still pleasant and correct.

1:38:36Pleasant and correct, I think he said. And there's one moment in particular that I will not spoil, but is remarkable. I think they kind of try and outdo themselves on industry with their sex scenes because there's been wild things happening if you watch the show in the first two seasons. But there's a moment in the first three seasons, there's a moment in the new one that my jaw dropped and I mentioned to the man. It takes a lot for his jaw to dangle. It's really funny and it is full-on scene of intimacy. So maybe it is the year of sexy shows. The year of the bonk buster. Okay. Okay. Last question then, and it goes to Lee.

1:39:11And he says, Hello, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to Kay, Boyd and James. Merry Christmas. Thank you, Lee, to both of you. Oh, actually, well, no, Christmas is gone. Christmas has gone. Happy New Year. We're in the kind of the merineum, so, you know. You know how much I love you saying that. First of all, thank you for another great year of pilot. my podcast highlights on Mondays and Thursdays. Having recently watched the excellent Death by Lighting on Netflix, I feel... Lightning, I feel. Oh, that's what I thought. Death by Lighting would just be like, it's like an episode of the studio.

1:39:39Do you know what? Yeah, it is Death by Lighting. Do you know what's so funny? When I read it, I thought it was, I haven't seen that show, but I thought it was, but he wrote Lighting, so I wanted to go with it. I feel as though there wasn't much of a push by Netflix to promote it. Certainly can't be because Netflix are short of a few quid to spend on advertising. Which leads me to my question. What show this year do you each feel went under the radar for most people? Keep up the great work, and here's to a great 2026. All the best, Lee. Was that one... I believe you when you say it went under the radar.

1:40:09Sometimes Netflix splash out, and they really... So when they do Monster, for example, they tend to have them on buses, billboards, they really push Monster. But some shows, they do deliberately, like, so the Samurai one, Last Samurai Standing, that was one that just... A lot of foreign language, they just turn up. There's been quite a few on Netflix, because I remember Boyd's constantly going waving his fist at Netflix. It's a deliberate strategy I think. They want people to discover it as part of this. It's not just that they can't be asked. I think it can't be asked. I think sometimes they genuinely want people to discover things via the algorithm and be like, oh my God, what's that?

1:40:41This has got great people in it. What is it? This is amazing. This has come out of nowhere. And I think it is strategic. They deliberately don't publicise all of their stuff. Oh yeah, they work out which things they have priority shows and if it's not one of the priority ones then you may not get to hear about it at all no matter how brilliant it might be that can be very frustrating for us absolutely can be frustrating but I'm just thinking of the Ethan Hawke series The Lowdown The Lowdown yes which we reviewed just before Christmas yes we did we haven't recorded that episode yet but we will have reviewed it just before Christmas wait a spangle boy's mind he's like what well that show arrived on Disney Plus on Boxing Day months and months after it.

1:41:27Boxing Day, which hasn't happened yet, but will have done when this goes out. Thank you. Yeah, I understand. But that has been totally, they didn't even announce that it was arriving. What channel, Netflix? That's true. Disney Plus. Yeah, they haven't announced it at all. Not announced at all. And it's been on so many critic shows of the year list. So why is that? Because Disney are quite good at promoting their stuff. I think because no matter, even though it's apparently brilliantly, the quality of it is high, I mean, we get to review it. Spoiler. Spoiler for the lowdown. Real world, we get to review it.

1:41:53but I don't think they feel it's a mass market proposition no that's fair you know it's not like a hardcore Disney plus you know fun for all the family it's a kind of more esoteric proposition that's why esoteric proposition I've dragged out the word esoteric do love an esoteric proposition I think Apple could probably shout about their shows a little bit more because they do have I think generally you know pound for pound the highest quality TV shows and a lot of them shrinking and shrinking but they do go under the radar a lot a lot of these shows people have never heard of when I talk to them about it and so I think Apple should do a little bit more stomping and shouting about their shows either stomp and shout more or make less and just focus on those don't make less I know I don't want that either but like what's the point of them putting out so many good shows if they're not going to promote them to give them credit they did a really good show on Pluribus yes they did and in fact people who I think would not normally go near a show like that a very high concept speculative fiction type of thing are like people in the office.

1:42:50I know people. So many people. Man of the people. That's why we call him man of the people. Partly due to the advertising campaign I think that has entered into people's consciousness and the word of mouth is huge as well. Without a doubt. When they get something they're really confident people will love then they do go for it. Message to the broadcasters please can you promote all your shows. Yes, please. Going back to the original that is a classic example because that I mean I only stumbled upon it myself. or we didn't review it on the show because we didn't know that it was coming it was really good in fact you know what that's a contender should have been on your list should have been on my list yeah I totally forgot about it alright fantastic that is the review of the post bag if you want to send something in to us in the new year then it is pilottv at empiremagazine.com but that is also it for our 2025 review of the year special we do hope that you enjoyed it and indeed obviously that you've enjoyed another year of Pilot TV madness as we chewed up the year's small screen entertainment and dribbled it into your ear Oh, God.

1:43:48Gross. Slightly less disgusting. James, please. What a way to end the year with those words ringing, aren't I? I've already got tinnitus. It's a big goodbye to 2025 as we usher in the new year. And what a new year it will be. And you can get a little preview of what's on offer in 2026 in our next show, which we've already recorded, which will drop on Monday the 5th of January. And that contains our 2026 TV preview. And we also review some of the exciting shows that drop on New Year's Day in that episode as well, including The Night Manager Season 2, Harlan Coben's Runaway, and series two of Red Eye as well.

1:44:19Plus, Aaron Doherty and Malachi Kirby join us on that show to talk A Thousand Blows Season 2. So lots to look forward to. Not least of all, the finale of Stranger Things, which lands on Netflix on New Year's Day. Not New Year's Day. Not New Year's Eve, Boyd. No, not New Year's Eve, but New Year's Day. I don't want you, you know, tuning in on the wrong day, Boyd, and it's not there. I'm here to help, Boyd. I'm here to help. This is him who got it wrong, not me. Yeah. You know, I'm just saying it's New Year's Day, Boyd, not New Year's Eve. To be fair to him, he did admit it. He did, yeah, in a rare move, he actually apologised.

1:44:50I don't know what you're talking about. I think he only admitted it because I forced him to. And behind his back. Anyway, with that out of the way, a big thanks to all of you for listening to the podcast and even bigger thanks to all you lovely Pilot Plus subscribers for helping us keep the lights on. And we'll see you all in 2026. Until then, it is goodbye from Kay Ribeiro. Goodbye. It is goodbye from Boyd Hilton. This is very true Ronnie. It's goodbye from me. And it's goodbye from you. Yeah. A happy new year to all our listeners. from baby Atticus to Barb in America and everyone in between.

1:45:19Absolutely. Absolutely. A very happy new year from me as well. 2025, out.

1:45:33How do I start this? Welcome to Pilot Also. Absolutely. Haven't you written a script? Yeah, I have written a script. He's falling apart. I am falling apart. I'm all over the fucking shop today. I do think we need to do some mindset work later, but not today. Yeah. We take the Lord's name in vain. In this case, the Lord is Darren. Okay. Basically, there's bleed. I can hear my voice coming through and bleed and it'll drive Darren mad. Well, at this rate, he's either got audio to edit or no audio, so I've got my... I mean, you make a good point. Let's just crack on. I mean, like, I think considering it up until five seconds ago, we couldn't even fucking hear you.

1:46:04Right. Sorry, Darren, you're just going to have to suck it up. Okay. Mine can sniff now because we're apparently not recording the podcast because you've got to have a fucking cookie. James, I'm in a state of ill health. That's fair. Go on, have a restorative... Cinnamon swell. Oh, cinnamon swell. Good choice. Now, James is handling Steph's muff. What? He was very gentle. It's the joke that never gets old. Or gets funny. Never gets funny. Yeah. Thank you. Sorry. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I hit the mic. How unprofessional. Oh, my God. My mic technique is all over the place. Sorry. Sorry, Darren. Darren.

1:46:43Darren. Darren. I can't remember where I started. I'm going to begin again. I'm going to begin with the whole thing. He's lip-smacked. Oh, brilliant. Oh, boy-o. Yes. Lip-smackers of the world unite. Lip-smackers of the world unite. That's a brilliant Smith song.

1:47:07The weird thing is you've eaten already. These are hunger pants. Wow. K needs to lubricate.

1:47:19Don't make me spit that out. That's my own personal laptop. Is this muff in the right position? Wow. Feel free to clip that for the blooper reel, Darren.

1:47:32That was an actual technical question. This time, the couple is Charlotte Roberts, played by Annabur... No. Annabelle? Is Annabelle? You're having trouble with Annabelle now. Okay, wait. This time the couple are played by Annabelle Scully, who's a heart surgeon, and her anaesthetist... Anaesthetist... Anaesthetist... Go on. Anaesthetist. Anaesthetist. Anaesthetist. Anaesthetist. I'm going to say it. I just say doctor. Dr. Hartman. He's a doctor. Anaesthetist. He works at the same hospital. Can you say it? I don't think... Can you say it? Anaesthetist. Anaesthetist. Anaesthetist. Yes. Anaesthetist.

1:48:22Think about anaesthetic. Anaesthetic. Anaesthetist. Right, fuck it. Oh my God, it's nearly one o 'clock. This is... Can I just say, this is blooper reel gold. No, no. Darren, sorry. Yeah, right. If you took Shogun and Squid Game and put them in a blender, Boyd would drink really loudly from a cup of tea, and we'd do that bit again. I mean, this is what we're talking about. Sorry. Peter Mullan. Peter Mullan. Peter Mullan. Peter Mullan, Peter Mullan, Peter Mullan. Not naming this story. You didn't do season two? No. Oh, that's disappointing, isn't it? How long do you think we've got left? Oh, God.

1:49:07He's bored and would like to leave. Because I'm trying to think if I need a wee. This is the last review, so I think you'll be fine. Well, James, how very presumptuous to know my bladder. They're so you. Can I just say that's such a you thing? You don't need a wee. No, you might need a wee, but you asked me how long we've got left. This is the Doctor Who thing all over again, but with my fucking bladder. Anyway, carry on. Wow. Oh, God, sorry for that lip smack. That was a big one. Whereby... Checkmate. Who's that? He's trying to say checkmate. Oh, he's speaking Russian. I can't tell you. He's got a funny noise came out of his mouth.

1:49:41He's actually now powering down. I am. I'm dying. Sorry, Darren. Okay. You're so vain, I bet you think this podcast is about... Yes, Boydo! Yes. I'm too sexy for my podcast. Too sexy for my podcast. If only the listeners heard you being such a monster. Yeah. But the good thing is we're just giving Darren nothing but gold for the blooper reel at this point. And it didn't involve me swearing. Oh, my cheek. Darren's got you about the short and curlies. You were. HR. Now recording. So if you're going to slag off Darren, you should have done it already. Never, Darren. Never. I'm James Dyer and welcome to TV.

1:50:20Welcome to TV. I'm James Dyer and welcome to TV. This is TV. It's not TV. Okay. It's not even good audio. It's not even good audio. It's just shit, isn't it? Something's wrong with my head. Let's do this shit. Okay. Okay. Let's do this thing. What? I'm limbering up. Clearly. Yeah. You're the warm-up guy. Limber away. Okay, let's do it. The fluffer. Steady. Darren. They will be joined by Journey's... Oh, my God. Darren. That was a disaster. Darren. Oh, my God. Literally falling apart. Oh, my God. Names. I hate names. Smoulders. Is that who you mean? no journey journey smollett oh journey journey smollett yeah yeah yeah okay cool please refer to mini cock up a few minutes ago but rather a more coined proposition altogether as it is

1:51:24stop tapping Darren's ears it's weirdly sexual oh god Darren please if you want to contact HR I'm yet to find out the name for it but find out He's the contact there. Are we doing it again? Yeah. You're just gathering yourself. Listen, I'm just gathering my thoughts. Are you gathering yourself or having a nap? I did power down. Yeah. Lol. Okay. Tamara? Tamara? Anyone? Tamara. Tamara. Tamara. Tamara. Tamara, Laura. For the love of God. Okay. Is it on today? No, it's on Tamara. What? No? Terrible. Can I not do that one? That's bad. Just no. Who's going to review that one? Okay. Jamaica? No, she volunteered.

1:51:59beard. Come on, suddenly we're working with Payland Pace. Darren. Darren. Darren. Darren. Darren. Boyd not getting involved as always. When we're titting about. Okay. Darren. There you go, she swore. Brilliant. Darren, keep that for the blooper reel. Darren, I just need you to know, I've become so self-conscious and paranoid. You've made her really gun-shy now. She's terrified. So now I've said that in between takes, I'm not talking and I'm not going to swear. I have mentioned that being on the podcast with me precludes the possibility of not swearing. Anyway, we're going to begin. Darren, Darren, take that out.

1:52:41Sorry. Yeah, I wonder why you forgot her name. Yeah, of course, because it's a woman. Darren, Darren. Do you know who she is? No, but I didn't claim to either. I can't remember her name off the top of my head. She's a comedian, I know that, but I can't remember her name. God, a funny woman. James is absolute kryptonite. Hey! Unbelievable. but I didn't swear Darren I'm going to do that whole bit again sorry excuse me oh

1:53:09okay shall I say spoiler alert no I'll leave it I'll leave it okay alright you're going to drop in R-I-P Darren Darren Darren Darren Darren why are you such a big spoily bastard I'm saying that on behalf of the listeners that's not me that's going in the blue for real Jesus wept

1:53:27oh Oh, right. Oh, Darren, he just did a massive snip. I turned the mics down. So rank. Okay, wait a minute. What was it called? Well, that's a good question, obviously. Well, boy, that... Darren. Darren, yeah, Darren. That is a Darren moment. Sorry. Darren! Just to keep Darren... I wonder if Darren has PTSD from hearing his name. That is true. We've, like, weaponised his name. He probably wakes up in the middle of the night going, Darren! Darren! Oh, God! I hope we haven't made you hate your name. by the way because of us just overusing should we switch it to K K K confusing oh sorry I wish I mentioned this obviously no go on it's good gives me a chance to have a drink oh shit we haven't done any reviews yet no boy pull your finger out I've got to go I've got to get some lunch where are you going because we've got to record something at 2 in 45 minutes oh sorry forget just cut that out sorry Darren oh god Darren sorry So sorry, Darren.

1:54:27We're now cutting that. I've also noticed that when I do the text edit, because I edit and premiere by searching for Darren's name, if I go, Darren, Darren, do it really quickly, it comes up as like, dare on, and I miss it. So a couple of them I've missed. You've got to enunciate. So Darren, now when I speak your name, I need diction. I need to say Darren. Diction. Darren. Oh, mate. No, that's so... Oh, God. Have I made it weird? Yeah, you have made it really fucking weird. but no, okay. Anyway, swiftly moving on. Look, I'm giving him fodder for the blooper reel. It's fine. Yeah, for once, the focus will be on you.

1:55:02That's a good piece. I know who fucking George is in Rainbow. He's a hippo. Is he? Yeah, a pink hippo. Yeah. Yeah, you've got this vibe going on. Because you've got blue eyes and you've got a little pinky around you. A, I don't have blue eyes, and B, I don't. Yeah, you do. No, I don't. Oh, you're mental. You've got blue eyes. You've got blue eyes and you're like, they're pink now. I've got green eyes. Unless you've got pink eyes. I may have pink eyes. You've got green eyes. You wish he had fucking green eyes. I literally have green eyes. Oh, let's not get bogged down. How are we having this conversation?

1:55:33I'm being gaslit about the colour of my own eyes. You've got blue eyes. I literally don't have blue eyes. Oh, my God. Look at me. I'm James Dyer. I think I've got green eyes. Yes, sure, James. You wish... Stop talking again. You wish you were that guy. You now send him over the edge. Listen, green eyes is a real good combo. We're never going to start that. Blue. Blue at best. What colour am I at, Scott? His are a bit greeny browny You're a bit greeny Are they greeny browny? What colour are your eyes? They're hazels Yeah exactly Greeny brownies hazel Come here Look into my eyes Look into my eyes Look into my eyes Not around the eyes Not around the eyes Look into my eyes They're fucking green Look into his eyes Who knew she was colourblind?

1:56:09They're definitely not blue You idiot You didn't agree? They're not blue They're greeny Okay you're both maniacs You're close They're close to you You're blue This must be the best conversation We've ever had It doesn't have to be vibrant blue There are different types of blue Let's stop now. Oh, Darren, I'm so pleased you got to hear all this. Oh, my God. That's why he's going on his peaceful caravan holiday, to get over this bush. Come on, George. And now I properly have a big face. Yeah, your new name's George. Come on, George. Oh, God. What? He does that voice as well. I'm going to call you Zippy.

1:56:42Anyway. You wish I had a zip. I think that makes you bungle. I don't know if that's a good thing. I don't mind. Come on. Okay. Oh, my God. Right, ready.

1:56:59a guy not taking no for an answer and being rewarded for it someone throwing out excuse me I just burped

1:57:11oh god wait let me just compare to myself how uncased I know

1:57:23you