Episodes
Thursday Jun 29, 2017
Thursday Jun 29, 2017
“Very odd, what happens in a world without children's voices”
This week we’re watching Alfonso Cuaron’s dystopian thriller ‘Children of Men’, starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine and Pam Ferris and not all the team are entirely convinced. While Rachael is “saturated” in the film and Paul wonders how this hidden gem passed him by, Andy finds it impossible to connect with ‘Children of Men’ on an emotional level and would rather spend the show discussing daytime quiz show ‘Countdown’.
While the team are in full agreement about the film’s technical excellence, Andy and Rachael are at odds over the performances of the cast and Paul takes issue with claims that the film is a story that has had its guts ripped out and nothing put back in their place. Despite the disharmony, Paul shares his plans for surviving an imminent apocalypse and gives the team 4 hours to join him in his Co-Op distribution centre. And for all you Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon fans, we’ll be showing you how to get from Clive Owen to our own producer Jonny Haw in just two moves.
Elsewhere, inspired by the cat that likes to climb up Clive Owen’s leg, Rachael takes a look at some of her favourite cats in films, including Jonesy from ‘Alien’ and Cosmic Creepers from ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’.
This week’s scale: Clive Owen or Danny Dyer
Thursday Jun 15, 2017
Thursday Jun 15, 2017
“I just want to cry… all the time”
This week we’re watching Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s dark comedy ‘Fleabag’, starring Waller-Bridge herself, Sian Clifford, Bill Paterson, Olivia Colman and Hugh Dennis. Both Rachael and Andy share stories of how their own mental health issues affected their first viewings of the series, which the whole team concur is an astounding piece of television. While Paul wonders if the play from which the series originated might cure his aversion to the theatre, Rachael yet again finds herself falling in love with a captivating leading lady. As Andy celebrates the presence of Bill Paterson with a simple one-word declaration, Olivia Colman’s dead on portrayal of an evil stepmother brings out Rachael’s inner slapper! And Paul uses the presence of Hugh Dennis as an opportunity to quote the ‘Mary Whitehouse Experience’ sketches that he knows word for word.
Elsewhere, Andy takes a look at the time-honoured art of fourth-wall breaking and asks the all-important question: Is ‘Deadpool’ any more revolutionary than ‘Lovejoy’?
This week’s scale: BBC3 or ITV3
Thursday Jun 01, 2017
The Truman Show (1998, Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris): SPOILER Episode 27
Thursday Jun 01, 2017
Thursday Jun 01, 2017
“You never had a camera in my head”
Have you ever had the feeling you’re being watched? The Spoiler team certainly have and we share those experiences as we take a look at Peter Weir’s comedy-drama ‘The Truman Show’, starring Jim Carrey, Laura Linney, Ed Harris and Natascha McElhone.
While Andy calls ‘The Truman Show’ “one of the defining films of the 90s", Paul wonders whether his problem with Ed Harris extends beyond the hat he wears in this film and Rachael recounts how she came to see Jim Carrey as more than just a “gurning bloke”. The team get serious as they examine the psychological implications of Truman’s imprisonment and discuss the real life condition known as The Truman Show Delusion, while also wondering why on earth we don’t see more of Laura Linney and Natascha McElhone in leading roles. Rachael offers the team nuggets of trivia mined from her newly acquired second DVD copy of the film and Andy throws down the gauntlet to Richard Herring over the comedian’s assessment that ‘The Truman Show’ is a “good idea, badly and illogically explored”.
Elsewhere, Rachael lists her top 5 comic actors who have successfully undertaken serious roles, including Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell and, of course, Robin Williams.
This week’s scale: Big Brother from ‘1984’ or ‘Big Brother’s Nasty Nick