This fortnight, Nick and Alastair investigate two keenly-anticipated follow-ups with Gladiator II and The Diplomat season 2!

But first, Alastair’s listened to the new Linkin Park album From Zero, while Nick’s read Monsters, the 2021 graphic novel by Barry Windsor-Smith.

Then, after over two decades of build-up, time for Gladiator II (16:10), in which the son of Russell Crow returns to seek his vengeance.

Lastly, following a mere one year’s wait, it’s The Diplomat season 2 (27:45), to further investigate whether this truly is the West Wing of the 2020s.

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This fortnight, Nick and Alastair explore another comic book supervillain origin in The Penguin, and encounter a more grounded yet also more horrific villain in Heretic.

But first, Nick’s watched the latest season of his beloved Only Murders In The Building, while Alastair’s covering the film of a recent production of Kiss Me Kate.

After that, time to return to Gotham City once more with The Penguin (17:26), a show which is might be bleaker and more essential than anyone expected.

But they fully predicted the sadness involved in Heretic (32:30), a new horror movie starring Hugh Grant in another great villainous turn.

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At long last, Nick and Alastair bring you our Marvel villain/antihero spinoff special – it’s Agatha All Along and Venom: The Last Dance!

But first, some properly good comedy-drama TV, as Alastair’s seen Totally Completely Fine and Nick’s watched Reservation Dogs.

After which, they finally head down down down the witches’ road to Agatha All Along (17:58), which leads them to hardcore spoilers for the last few episodes starting from 26:37. And this is a show built heavily on secrets and reveals, so consider yourself warned.

Lastly, it’s time to end an epic saga of gooey romance with Venom: The Last Dance (40:45). Can it possibly live up to the sheer stupidity of Let There Be Carnage?

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This fortnight, Nick and Alastair take on the fourth season of their beloved Slow Horses and new British indie scifi movie Timestalker.

Before all that, Nick’s read modern classic crime noir comic Criminal by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, and then Alastair gives us his annual report from London Film Festival, including a bonus MFV review of 2073, the one festival movie Nick also saw.

After all that, time to infiltrate Slow Horses season 4 (17:58) and find out if they can maintain their critical mass of extremely strong reviews.

And lastly, they cover new movie Timestalker (36:52), the latest from Alice Lowe, writer/director/star of podcast favourite Prevenge.

Not to mention – if you want to back Nick’s new comic Kickstarter for SoulD, a cyberpunk-fantasy comic about corporations sell our souls, head on over to this link and get involved.

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This fortnight, Nick and Alastair take on two recent movies: Joker: Folie a Deux and Rebel Ridge . One has been extremely well received, the other has not.

But first, Alastair’s watched another polarising franchise entry in Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, while Nick’s sticking with the DC Comics adaptation theme with Superman & Lois season 3.

After which, they head into Gotham for a little singsong with Joker 2 (22:41, ending spoilers from 39:26), a psychological superhero character study musical. Can even renowned agent of chaos The Joker make this one work?

And last of all, they watch recent Netflix action movie Rebel Ridge (43:10), from Green Room director Jeremy Saulnier. Can this movie finally make bureaucracy exciting?

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This fortnight, Nick and Alastair go hungry with Starve Acre, before tucking in at trendy restaurant The Bear.

But first, Nick’s caught up with new Steven Moffat drama Douglas is Cancelled, while Alastair’s gone full film critic and seen The Outrun before it’s even released.

And then it’s time to head down the folk-horror mines with Starve Acre (20:57), as our heroes attempt to talk about the ending a lot without spoiling it, and surprisingly more or less succeed.

Last of all, a few months late thanks to Nick’s busy schedule, it’s The Bear season 3 (36:52) as the titular bistro finally opens and our unsuspecting cast face the full horror of Carmy enacting his dreams.

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This fortnight, it’s a weird world as Nick and Alastair watch The Umbrella Academy season 4 and Cuckoo.

But first, Alastair’s watched cult hit Irish rap movie Kneecap, while Nick’s at home cosily watching Batman: Caped Crusader.

And then they get stuck into the final season of The Umbrella Academy (14:17), with some spoilers about the very end. Can the Hargreeves find their way back to their original timeline? And more importantly, why is it Christmas in this one?

And last of all, it’s Cuckoo (33:56), a new movie auditioning for the hotly contested role of this year’s Get Out.

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The Galactic Empire in Star Wars is an oppressive state that tramples on the freedom of its citizens to preserve its power. However, there are many types of oppressive states, from those that existed in the ancient world, such as Athens under the Thirty Tyrants, to modern oppressive states like Vladimir Putin’s Russia.

The philosopher Hannah Arendt studied oppressive states. She was a Jew who fled Nazi Germany and wrote extensively on the Nazis, but she also studied Joseph Stalin’s Russia and other countries. She distinguished between authoritarian, tyrannical and totalitarian regimes.

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Nick and Alastair off to the movies for a scare this fortnight, with latest scifi-horror sequel Alien: Romulus and unsettling psychological media-horror I Saw The TV Glow.

But first, Nick’s finally watched recently-cancelled Star Wars show The Acolyte, while Alastair’s on the latest season of fun German spy show Kleo.

After which, they venture into the terrifying dark of space with Alien: Romulus (15:52), scattering moderate spoilers throughout. Can this latest effort finally redeem Alastair’s favourite franchise after decades of hurt?

Lastly, they sit down for some existential dread with I Saw The TV Glow (32:00), a cult hit indie movie about the horrors of media obsession and feeling uncomfortable in your own skin.

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After a couple of episodes falling a little off the pace (thanks to Nick’s hectic holiday schedule), our heroes are back on the cutting edge of media with Deadpool & Wolverine and House of the Dragon season 2.

But first, yet more subversive superhero business with Supacell and The Boys season 4, because it seems there’s something in the water.

Specifically – some kind of thick fluid squeezed out from Deadpool & Wolverine (19:59), the mega-blockbuster violent super-buddy-action-comedy from Marvel.

And finally, a short break from capes, tights and gore with House of the Dragon season 2 (37:42). Well, okay, there’s still some gore.

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