Episodes
Thursday Dec 29, 2016
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams: SPOILER Episode 22
Thursday Dec 29, 2016
Thursday Dec 29, 2016
“Just when you think life can’t possibly get any worse it suddenly does”
This week we’re reading Douglas Adams’ cult sci-fi comedy novel ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. While Paul wonders if anyone anywhere dislikes this book, Rachael tries her best to cast a critical eye over this beloved work by comparing it to the original radio series, while Andy shares his favourite joke of all time with the team (it involves hippos). Paul describes the difficulty of trying to simultaneously cope with jogging, having a mid-life crisis and listening to this audio book, Andy suggests that knocking back a few drinks might help to realign the brain to Adams’ distinctive brand of logic and the naturally squiffy-brained Rachael sets down her very strict rules for discovering more books that mix the mundane with the fantastical.
Elsewhere, Andy takes a look at strange and ludicrous character names in films, Rachael explores the potentially controversial practice of new authors taking on existing series, and both manage to have a pop at James Bond’s sexual politics in the process.
This week’s scale: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster or Vogon poetry
Thursday Dec 15, 2016
Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring): SPOILER Episode 21
Thursday Dec 15, 2016
Thursday Dec 15, 2016
“I hope that I never see that face ever, outside of a dream”
In a first for Spoiler, this week we’re tackling a listener request by watching David Lynch’s neo-noir mystery ‘Mulholland Drive’. In an attempt to disprove his former woodwork teacher’s accusations that he is “easily distracted”, Paul keeps a tight grip on the reins as he leads the team into the labyrinthine world of Lynch’s Los Angeles. Lucid dreamer Rachael ponders whether her connection with the film indicates that she is slightly unhinged, while Andy wonders whether the horror behind Winkie’s could possibly be worse than Billy Ray Cyrus’s line-dancing. As the conversation becomes more complex than the film itself, Paul states his intention to invent a new form of toaster and learn to play the theme tune from ‘Cheers’ on the piano, while Andy and Rachael discuss whether sex and nudity in films is always exploitative and unnecessary.
Elsewhere, Andy take a look at three directors whom he believes bring a greater sense of magic to their films than most mere mortals are capable of doing and the team ruminate on whether magic exists in the real world and what form it might take.
This week’s scale: Not at all satisfied, Slightly satisfied, Neutral, Very satisfied or Extremely satisfied
Thursday Dec 01, 2016
Thursday Dec 01, 2016
“I’m watching you”
This week we’re watching series one of Channel 4 and AMC’s sci-fi drama ‘Humans’ and for the first time in months the Spoiler team are a house divided. While Rachael finds the series gripping and thought-provoking to the extent that she spends entire evenings mulling it over, Andy arrives with a laundry list of pernickety issues which he wants to go through “systematically”. Meanwhile, Paul is still enjoying that marvellous view from the fence.
While the team manage to find some common ground, things get particularly heated in relation to the quality of acting in the series and Rachael and Andy turn in their own auditions for the roles of Mia and Leo respectively. Suspicions are raised that producer Jonny might be conducting a dual affair with both Andy and a home-made Gemma Chan synth and Paul wonders why, with all this talk of robots, no-one has seen fit to mention Metal Mickey.
Elsewhere in a packed show, Rachael reveals her top 5 sympathetic synthetics and Andy takes a look at the underappreciated art of the TV recap sequence. Also, Rachael trails her upcoming Spoiler Score Special, in which she’ll be talking to film and TV composers including Stephen Rennicks, Debbie Wiseman and Deborah Lurie.
This week’s scale: Will we be watching series 2?