A quick dispatch from the road to tell you about a some podcasts that have been keeping me entertained on the long drive through Europe.
I have many, many hours to fill so if you’re listening to anything good, let me know in the comments!
A few people have mentioned Dead Eyes to me so I patiently saved it for this journey. Actor and comedian Connor Ratliff embarks upon a quest to solve the mystery that has haunted him for two decades: why Tom Hanks fired him from a small role in the 2001 HBO mini-series, Band Of Brothers.
At times, this series can feel a little drawn out and indulgent but mostly, it’s a really enjoyable meditation on failure and rejection and a fascinating insight into the life of a working actor in Hollywood.
Ratliff is a funny and engaging storyteller and the guests he speaks to - his friends, fellow comedians and actors - are almost exclusively wise, funny, compassionate and emotionally intelligent in a way that really elevates their conversations.
I really enjoyed Unreal: A Critical History of Reality TV where journalists Pandora Sykes and Sirin Kale explore how reality TV has shaped the culture and our lives.
The 10-episode series is a journey through the last 20 years of the genre, examining Big Brother, The X Factor, The Hills, Made in Chelsea, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Love Island amongst others.
They speak to producers and stars of some of the shows and interrogate the ethical and moral fallout as the genre evolved. It’s often depressing but extremely entertaining.
After finishing Severance the other week, I was twitchy with the need to know/read/hear more about it and came across The Review, a podcast series from The Atlantic where their writers dissect a work of popular culture each week.
As well as the Severance episode, there was a fascinating conversation re-examining the film, Knocked Up in a post Roe v Wade world and a really fun chat about the new Top Gun film which I really need to see. I’m adding this series to my regular rotation.
See you next time!
Hannah