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Published by Mason Oldridge, 2 February 2026 Dawn French’s new sitcom has received heavy promotion and offers a promising premise. There’s just one problem. It isn’t funny, which is kind of crucial for a comedy. Debbie Fendon plays the grieving widow, except her husband William isn’t actually dead. She has faked his death to claim the life insurance payout. This comes as a shock to their son Harry and puts his police officer wife Neha in a difficult position. However, they have bigger problems as they have a blackmailer on their hands. Can You Keep a Secret feels like a safe sitcom, allowing it to fit right at home on the BBC One schedule, yet also manages to be insensitive to Parkinson’s, the disease William is genuinely suffering from. Also, jokes are often cringey and derived from far-fetched and ridiculous conversations and actions. The mystery surrounding the identity of the blackmailer has a decent conclusion as it is revealed that Joan is not actually blind and was extorting Pamela. She therefore saw William around the house and so she was the blackmailer. This is all tied up nice and neatly, until Dr Harper finds William hiding in a cupboard alongside Debbie and Harry, setting up for a possible second season. The best part of the series is the setting. Debbie and William live in a beautiful, secluded cottage in the West Country with cute and cosy aesthetics inside too. Unfortunately, the teased potential of the series sees it ultimately fail. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 29 January 2026 James Nesbitt and Ruth Jones lead on this latest Harlan Coben adaptation on Netflix. Simon Greene is looking for his missing daughter Paige, who has become a drug addict at the hands of her boyfriend Aaron. Meanwhile, private investigator Elena Ravenscroft is hired by Sebastian Thorpe to find his missing son Henry. Elsewhere, mysterious young couple Ash and DeeDee carry out a series of sadistic murders. Many Coben series can be frustrating by posing more questions without providing answers, though Run Away is enthralling throughout as developments are continuously unveiled. The series provides a strong ending too. The penultimate episode finishes with a deranged DeeDee hunting Simon with revenge fresh on her mind as mass police descend on the cult, all set to the atmospheric Electioneering by Radiohead, in a truly tense scene. The final episode doesn’t disappoint either as the cult is exposed and shut down, Paige’s whereabouts are confirmed, Ingrid is revealed to be Aaron’s murderer and, in a final twist, Aaron is revealed to be Paige’s half-brother, meaning Ingrid killed her own son, leaving Simon and Paige with the ultimate secret to keep from her. Another positive is the compelling performances of Nesbitt and Jones. Coben regular Nesbitt gives a stellar delivery as the concerned father, with particular praise deserved for his scene in which he is unexpectedly reunited with Paige, while Jones makes Elena likeable and enjoyable to watch. Furthermore, Maeve Courtier-Lilley is excellent as the psychotic DeeDee, mastering the sinister villain complex. Additionally, Alfred Enoch and Amy Gledhill as the detective duo who are also in a secret relationship make for an entertaining police pairing. However, Minnie Driver’s acting can’t really be celebrated as her character spent most of the series in a coma. Run Away is one of, if not the, best Harlan Coben series to date. Forever be the shining truth! 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 24 December 2024 All aboard! Christmas is about seeing family, exchanging presents and celebrating the birth of Jesus, but it is also about delving into a fantasy land where the snow does fall and the magic is real. Here are some of the best festive films to countdown to the big day! Albert (2016) In a world of anthropomorphic plants, this Nickelodeon Original Movie follows Albert, a small douglas fir tree, as he dreams of becoming the Empire City Christmas tree. Along with his friend Maisie and the weed in his plant pot, they set off on the journey to realise his dream. However, they have to fend off an angry cactus and a hoard of hungry rabbits just to get there! The comedy is funnier than what you’d expect from Nickelodeon and visually, the film delivers on a Christmas spectacular. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) Starring Chevy Chase and Beverley D’Angelo, Christmas Vacation is the classic 80s Christmas film. It follows Clark Griswold, an old-fashioned family man as he attempts to give his family the hap-hap-happiest Griswold family Christmas they’ve ever seen, inspired by his childhood Christmases. However, in true Lampoon style, the season is a disaster. As the household welcomes all the extended family including parents, grandparents and Cousin Eddie’s clan, there’s faulty house lights, overcooked turkey and fried pussycat. Clark manages to keep his cool until the final straw of not receiving his Christmas bonus he was relying on to put in a swimming pool, culminating in the comedy gold of Clark’s angry outburst. Further comedy is provided by the misfortunes of the arrogant neighbours, though the film also provides the look of a traditional family Christmas only seen in films nowadays. The Grinch (2018) How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a classic Christmas tale, though it is the CGI adaptation from Illumination that visually tells the Dr Seuss story the best. The people of Whoville love Christmas though the grumpy green creature that lives in the mountain above does not and steals all the decorations and presents from the townsfolk, until a little girl shows him kindness and he realises he hates loneliness rather than Christmas itself. The visuals of the decorated town are incredible and there’s laughs aplenty as The Grinch devises his plan alongside his dog Max and, in this version, enlists the help of overweight reindeer Fred, who provides the best of the comedy. Elf (2003) Son of a nutcracker! Will Ferrell is perfect as Buddy, a human raised as an elf in the North Pole after he crawled into Santa’s sack as a baby. The film follows Buddy as he embarks on a journey to New York to meet his biological father, a grumpy businessman. Elf is arguably the funniest film on the list with most of the comedy arising from Buddy believing he is a Christmas elf, much to the confusion of the people he encounters in the Big Apple. Notable scenes include his disgust at the fake Santa at Gimbels for impersonating his hero, referring to a character with dwarfism as an elf and his skilful snowball fight. The comedy may be on top form but the Christmas element is too. As Buddy begins a relationship with Gimbels employee Jovi and his family warm to him, he must then convince New York to believe in Santa, whose sleigh, which runs on Christmas spirit, has crashed in Central Park on Christmas Eve. Home Alone (1990) A script by John Hughes and music by John Williams is the recipe for the perfect Christmas film. As soon as the first orchestral sounds play, nostalgia kicks in and the screen opens on that iconic Chicago home. The plot is simple but genius: Kevin McCallister is accidentally left home alone when his large family jets off for a trip to Paris. Believing he’s made his family disappear after wishing it the night before, Kevin enjoys his newfound freedom, sledding down the stairs and overindulging in junk food. The pinnacle of the film is the church scene where he learns his elderly neighbour Old Man Marley, a rumoured murderer, is actually a sweet old man who has sadly lost contact with his son. This heartwarming moment as Carol of the Bells plays is the ultimate Christmas scene and fits perfectly as a prelude to Kevin executing his battle plan for the burglars attempting to burgle his home. The traps sequence is quite simply the best piece of slapstick comedy of all time and the film also has a perfect ending as Kevin is reunited with his family he has grown to miss and waves to Marley, who is too reunited with his family. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Borrowing heavily from the first while maintaining enough originality to stand strong on its own, Home Alone 2 is a welcome return to the McCallisters. Sleeping in again for their Christmas vacation, Kevin isn’t forgotten this time but is separated from his family at the airport and boards a plane to New York as the rest jet off to Florida. Running havoc at the Plaza Hotel, Kevin makes the most of his time in the city, befriending a charitable toy shop owner and a bird lady in Central Park. However, Kevin’s fun is short-lived as the Wet Bandits have broken out of jail and are on the boy’s trail. This time, Kevin uses his uncle’s dilapidated house to set even more nastily brutal and excruciatingly painful traps for the bumbling burglars before once again being reunited with his family. While it can be seen as a risk to follow up such a successful film, the attempt paid off as this sequel lives up to the magic of the original. The Polar Express (2004) Tom Hanks is stellar in his multiple roles in this magical motion-capture film. A young boy losing his faith in Santa Claus can’t believe his eyes when a giant locomotive stops outside his house on Christmas Eve destined for the North Pole. Welcomed aboard by the eccentric conductor who bears a striking resemblance to Hanks himself, the boy joins a carriage of children as they head on an incredible journey. The children enjoy hot chocolate set to a catchy song, the boy meets a homeless ghost on the roof, the train is met with challenges such as caribou on the tracks, frozen rails and missing tickets, but throughout the entire journey the visual landscape is absolutely stunning, with a breathtaking snow-covered backdrop proving the lifelike animation method was the right choice. Having arrived on time thanks to the conductor’s strict schedule, the boy is gifted with a bell that only rings for believers, aligning with the story’s overarching message about believing. The Snowman (1982) This cartoon adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ picture book has become a staple of Christmas in the UK and is a Christmas Eve classic. The silent special depicts a young boy who builds a snowman that magically comes to life. The snowman plays in the house and rides a motorbike through a forest before the famous scene where he flies with the boy to the North Pole, set to the choral Walking in the Air. Along with a bunch of other snowmen, they meet Father Christmas and his reindeer, dancing merrily before the big man sets off. Upon returning, the boy wakes the next morning to find the snowman has melted. Despite the sad ending, the cartoon truly captures the magic of Christmas and is a must-watch on Christmas Eve. 30 years later, a sequel was produced in which a new family move in and rebuild the snowman, along with a snowdog, and again fly to the North Pole, this time engaging in a skiing competition with a competitive penguin. This follow-up maintains the same nostalgic feel of its predecessor and they should be watched together in succession. Merry Christmas ya filthy animals!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 January 2026 Claudia Winkleman is back with her famous fringe and fingerless gloves to present the fourth civilian series of the biggest reality show right now. 22 new participants enter the Scottish Highlands castle for more treachery, lies and deceit. This season introduces the new feature of a secret traitor, whose identity is hidden from both the other traitors and the viewers. Faithful Judy was banished first and revealed to be Roxy’s mum, whereas Hugo was the first traitor to be banished after over-exaggerating at breakfast. Amanda was a retired police detective, though it wouldn’t be known as she targeted faithful Jade, putting more suspicion on herself and getting banished. Secret traitor Fiona went traitor-on-traitor, publicly accusing Rachel, though the devious move backfired and got herself banished. Harriet then unleashed a rude tirade accusing Rachel, offering herself up for banishment to prove this. Matthew unsuccessfully wanted to be recruited as a traitor, while James was on borrowed time after heavily accusing him of already being one, with his banishment forming the final five. The series was satisfying to watch as contestants that turned nasty such as Fiona and Harriet were subsequently banished as victims of their own doing. Some participants needed to remember that it is just a game but it is also every player for themselves; fortunately, justice was served for these two. The brilliance of the show is how such a simple premise creates such an exciting game, leaving it no wonder that the original Dutch concept has sparked an international franchise, hooking viewers around the world. Come the final, it was a relatively easy path for Stephen and Rachel to maintain their pact to the very end to become the first double traitor winners. Although not as thrilling as Alan Carr’s momentous traitor win in the celebrity edition, their pact could have easily been broken and the faithful posed a risk of winning, resulting in a still gripping final. The Traitors is truly addictive and reality TV at its absolute best. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 December 2024 Ted Danson leads on this comedy-drama from The Good Place creator Michael Schur. Charles is a lonely widow who is encouraged by his daughter Emily to find a new project or hobby. He answers an ad from private investigator Julie, who is looking for someone to go undercover at a retirement home to investigate the disappearance of a resident’s necklace. Posing as a new arrival, Charles moves into Pacific View for 30 days, though starts to find himself enjoying his new social life and caring for his new neighbours, jeopardising the investigation. There is a delicate balance of comedy, warmth and sadness to make for a touching story. Much of the comedy arises from Charles’ excitement over being a spy and subsequently his lack of skill at being one, particularly when he discovers his first suspect Jan has died. The warmth comes from the relationships he establishes with the residents; Virginia and Florence help him settle in, he cares for Gladys and he strikes up a close friendship with Calbert. Elsewhere, there is a touch of sadness sprinkled in such as Charles still struggling with the loss of his wife, Florence’s passing, Gladys’ memory loss and eventual move to the memory care unit and coming to terms with declining health from ageing in general. However, there is one theme prevalent throughout which is dementia. Charles’ wife died from the disease but in the end it proves to be a more defining part of the show than initially believed as it is revealed Gladys is the thief, though unintentionally as a result of her confusion, cleverly highlighting the issue and how the illness can affect people. As Charles’ cover is blown, he faces backlash from Didi and the residents, upset at his deceit. There is a tear-jerking moment as he breaks down when clearing out his wife’s possessions with Emily but the show delivers on a happy ending as Charles visits Pacific View for Virginia and Elliot’s wedding with the residents appearing to have forgiven him. Furthermore, Julie enlists Charles for a new mission in the final scenes, linking to the already commissioned second season. If you’re looking for a short, feel-good, heartwarming series to watch, you won’t get better than this. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 18 December 2025 Ted Danson is back, this time alongside his real life wife Mary Steenburgen, working as a trainee private investigator in this Netflix comedy drama. Charles is working small cases, predominantly exposing love affairs, but craves another big investigation to pursue. This arrives when a college president hires Kovalenko Investigations to discover who stole his laptop amidst a large donation by a controversial wealthy benefactor, with Charles posing as a visiting professor on campus. The setting change from Pacific View Retirement Community to Wheeler College is initially concerning, but the college also makes a nice setting and brings with it a whole host of new likeable characters too. Furthermore, Calbert, Didi, Virginia and Elliott all reappear, as does Pacific View, creating enjoyable ties to the first season. Additionally, the series is still set among the stunning backdrop of San Francisco. This season also delves into Julie’s personal life, revealing some childhood trauma behind that tough exterior. We learn that she has an estranged relationship with her mother, who went to prison when Julie was a child. The decision to include this further aspect is a good one as the characters are such a driving force of this show. The Thanksgiving episode is the highlight of the season. The case isn’t covered in this episode, instead focusing purely on all the characters and their relationships with each other as everyone gathers at Charles’. Mona upstages Charles, foreshadowing that her free-spirited personality may be incompatible with his more regimental nature, and Emily struggles with the absence of her mother, while Julie struggles to forgive hers. The series provides another satisfactory ending as the case is believed to be solved, only for a final twist to come. Additionally, Charles qualifies as an official PI, Emily attends Wheeler, Julie and Didi make up with romantic intent teased and Ben is welcomed to Pacific View. Once again, the absolute foundation of the show is its unwavering heart and warmth. Rarely is a show this enjoyable to watch as it delicately balances lighthearted comedy with more emotional moments. A Man on the Inside is as feelgood as a series gets; here’s hoping there’s more cases to come for the newly-qualified spy! 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 26 January 2026 Among a January full of strong releases on Netflix is this new romcom film. Polar opposite friends Poppy and Alex are attending the wedding of Alex’s brother, but their friendship is fractured. They previously went on vacation every summer together, which are told in a series of flashbacks, until something happened to end the tradition. It is revealed that Poppy tried to kiss Alex when they were both in relationships and, when Alex became engaged to his girlfriend, Poppy accused him of settling, prompting Alex to end their annual vacations. It is clear that Poppy’s actions were because she is in love with him and Alex’s relationship later broke down because he is also in love with her. The first flashback is nine years ago when Alex gave Poppy a ride home as they were both at the same college and both lived in the same hometown, though this is not made clear as we just see Poppy turn up at his car. The road trip sees an uptight Alex become annoyed at Poppy’s free-spirited personality, though they grow close after a heart-to-heart and this flashback serves to be an important one. The subsequent flashbacks of vacations are full of sweet moments that see the duo better each other’s lives as Poppy encourages Alex to come out of his shell and enjoy himself more and Alex is very caring towards Poppy. The film delivers a predictable but worthy happy ending as Poppy finally realises what she wants and the two become a couple. Also, casting proves to be successful as the chemistry is felt between the two leads. The film is definitely more rom than com but there is a particularly funny moment in which Alex has a misunderstood conversation with Poppy’s father, with one talking about flying and the other talking about sex. Although nothing groundbreaking, the film provides a nice easy watch with a rather cute story. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 23 January 2026 Singer-songwriter Mika follows up his French album with a return to English-language pop with a fun dancey tinge. The album opens with the title track, a lo-fi piano offering. What follows is a record full of delectable dance pop. Lead single Modern Times is the highlight thanks to its playful keys, heavy verses and dance chorus, while dance is at its peak with the addictive Spinning Out, club banger All The Same, 80s-esque Dreams and Science Fiction Lover, which carries a melody reminiscent of Tear For Fears’ Mad World. Elsewhere, dance takes a backseat in place of guitar on Excuses For Love and the acoustic Nicotine, whereas Take Your Problems With You is a more stripped-back option. Later, Eleven is an innovative track as, while its lyrics may suggest it is a joke song, it features an insanely catchy electronic beat and Mika manages to create an irregular rhythm within which he can count to the titular number. Unfortunately, his standalone 2022 single Yo Yo, of which he gave an impressive performance at the Eurovision Song Contest of that year, isn’t included on this release, where it would fit right at home. Mika hasn’t really appeared in the mainstream since his groundbreaking debut album Life In Cartoon Motion and will probably continue to not, even though this latest release is also very commercially friendly. Mika is one of the most underrated and talented artists in the music world and Hyperlove is dance pop at its very best. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 13 January 2026 Aardman Animations is a British animation studio known for its claymation stop-motion and offers a unique style and tone of production in comparison to modern CGI. They maintain a particular British approach to humour which works alongside its animation type to create a funny, enjoyable and magical collection of films for all the family. Here we take a look at three sub-franchises from Nick Park that headline the studio: Wallace & Gromit, its spin-off Shaun the Sheep and Aardman’s feature-length debut Chicken Run. Wallace & Gromit Cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his loyal canine companion Gromit embark on several adventures in the studio’s flagship franchise. Disney has Mickey Mouse. DreamWorks has Shrek. Illumination has Minions. Aardman has Wallace & Gromit. Wallace is voiced by Peter Sallis in a Yorkshire accent, while Gromit is mute. The duo debuted in 1989 with the short film A Grand Day Out. Based on the legend that the moon is made of cheese, they build a homemade rocket and take a trip to the moon to consume a piece of Wallace’s favourite delicacy, where they fall foul of a coin-operated robot. Second instalment The Wrong Trousers (1993) saw the studio’s first collaboration with the BBC, who aired the special that Christmas, and is also the first to feature Feathers McGraw, fiction’s greatest villain. The dastardly penguin lodges at Wallace’s house and uses his latest Techno-Trousers invention in an attempt to steal a blue diamond from the city museum, culminating in a comical chase aboard a model railway. The fact that he simply puts a red rubber glove on his head to feign being a chicken is hilarious, even more so when the simplistic guise works, with Feathers going on to become a legendary character. In their third endeavour A Close Shave (1995), Wallace and Gromit are now operating a window cleaning business, driving around on a motorbike and sidecar. Wallace falls for wool shopkeeper Wendolene (Anne Reid), unaware that the material is provided by her sheep rustling pet dog Preston. Wallace sees his Knit-O-Matic sheep shearing machine be used in the operation by this new villain, who later attempts to turn those who get in his way into dog food. In 2005, the fourth story and first to be a feature film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was released. Wallace and Gromit become pest control agents as the town’s giant vegetable competition looms. When a destructive were-rabbit ravages gardens, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter) persuades the town to let the duo handle the situation, despite the villainous hunter Victor (Ralph Fiennes) aspiring to take on the task himself and win her affections. However, things become more complicated when Wallace is revealed to be the monster, who transforms under a full moon. Peter Kay also stars as Police Constable Albert Mackintosh. A co-production with DreamWorks Animation, Park revealed how he disliked their constant production notes to tailor the film more to American audiences; the partnership was terminated in 2007. Wallace and Gromit returned for their fifth outing in 2008, back to the short film format, in A Matter of Loaf and Death. Wallace and Gromit now run their own bakery, when Wallace falls for Piella Bakewell (Sally Lindsay), a former bread company model who turns out to be a serial killer targeting bakers. This instalment was the last to feature Peter Sallis as the voice of Wallace, with Ben Whitehead taking over the role. Shaun the Sheep A children’s television series based on the character of Shaun the Sheep from A Close Shave has been broadcast since 2007, following Shaun and his flock’s adventures at Mossy Bottom Farm, run by The Farmer and his disgruntled sheepdog Bitzen. A pre-school spin-off featuring lamb Timmy at nursery aired from 2009-2012. In 2015, Shaun the Sheep Movie was released, which sees the flock and Bitzen visit the big city to rescue The Farmer. The film is silent like the series, which is no main feat for a feature film, but it works effortlessly, with much of the comedy arising from actions and facial expressions. Meanwhile, The Farmer suffers amnesia and, when hair clippers spark a brief memory of sheep shearing, he becomes a hotshot hairdresser in a hilarious chain of events. In 2019, a sequel Farmageddon followed, in which Shaun discovers an alien called Lu-La has crash landed at the farm and embarks on an adventure to help her get back home, while evading capture by the Ministry of Alien Detection. Elsewhere, The Farmer capitalises on the town’s new interest in UFOs by creating the Farmageddon theme park, with the pigs painted green and dubbed Martian Pigs in what is possibly the funniest part of the film. Chicken Run Chicken Run was released in 2000 as Aardman’s first feature film. Ginger and her flock of chickens plot to escape their Yorkshire farm when they learn that their evil owner Mrs Tweedy plans to turn them into chicken pies. They enlist the help of American rooster Rocky, whose cannonball act they mistake for an ability to fly. Eventually, elderly rooster Fowler’s stories of being in the Royal Air Force encourage the group to build a plane and fly to safety. Many years later, a sequel Dawn of the Nugget was released in 2023. Now living in their island sanctuary, Ginger and Rocky have an adventurous young daughter called Molly, who discovers Fun-Land Farms, which turns out to be a poultry processing plant that uses collars to turn their chickens into mindless soldiers marching to their deaths to become chicken nuggets. The group then plan a daring rescue, learning that the plant is run by Mrs Tweedy. With upcoming projects on the way, let’s hope Aardman continue to expand these sub-franchises as well as deliver some exciting standalone films too. Cheese, Gromit!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 January 2025 Circa Waves maintain their traditional indie sound on their sixth studio album, teased to be the first in a two-part series. The record opens on the singles, which are standard indie tracks. The following songs are more chilled, with Blue Damselfly being particularly dreamy, while Everything Changed is the heaviest on the album and the strongest too thanks to its additional boost of energy. Unfortunately, Circa Waves fall victim to the straightforward rock sound that lacks creativity and originality as the majority of tracks succumb to inevitably becoming background noise. Potential was demonstrated through the experimental sound on 2020 single Sad Happy which makes this basicness all the more disappointing. Overall, Death & Love, at its worst, sounds like teenagers doing band practice in their dad’s garage but, at its best, sounds like decent indie rock tunes with more depth and emotion, levelling out to be somewhat of a mixed bag, albeit leaning more into the negative side. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 11 September 2023 The Leto brothers are back, this time on their own, with their new studio album. Lyrically, the album is quite pessimistic and more in line with the first half of the juxtaposing title, though musically it is more upbeat and draws comparison to Post Malone and Glass Animals. The record opens with lead single Stuck, which is easily the standout. An absolute earworm, the hit song, which went off at Radio 1’s Big Weekend earlier this year, is based on an addictive bassline and post-chorus onomatopoeia that you can’t help but chant along to. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the rest of the album. While not necessarily bad in any terms, the songs are rather simplistic and typical of that which fades into the background of radio airplay, not to be remembered. It is refreshing to hear electronic influences on the collection though nothing constitutes a second listen. Thirty Seconds to Mars prove their potential, then fail to live up to it. The talent is there but not exercised. Perhaps Jared is best sticking to acting? 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 16 April 2022 Fontaines DC pay tribute to their Irish roots, an attribute that both strengthens and hinders their third album Skinty Fia. In ár gCroíthe go deo, translating to In our hearts forever, is a haunting track, aided by the internal choir verse that repeats throughout the six-minute epic. The music slowly builds up to a drum and bass centre that further compliments the backing vocals. Unfortunately, the opener sets up false hope as what follows is a line-up of tracks that don’t impress. Although displaying a strong riff, the heavy guitars on Big Shot almost drowns out the vocals whereas the instrumentation on The Couple Across the Way is almost painful in a song that is centred on what sounds to be an accordion. Additionally, vocals are sub-par, drawing on the whiny sound of Britpop vocalists Liam Gallagher and Damon Albarn. As opposed to the heartfelt nostalgia felt in other albums that acknowledge an artist’s place of origin such as Keane’s Strangeland, Skinty Fia feels more like forced patriotism, evident in the Irish pronunciation in lead single Jackie Down the Line, as if the band feel guilty and are punishable for even leaving their home nation. 3/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 July 2022 Legendary record producer Calvin Harris introduces the second volume to his previous effort, yet crashes and burns with his latest funk-infused album. Musically, it appears the Scotsman produced a piece of instrumental and reused it for every track, with the nice exception of strings on New to You. Harris attempts to blend his electronic sound with funk and had cited Jamiroquai as an influence, though where Jay Kay and his band masterfully merge the two to produce otherworldly acid jazz, Harris’ electro evaporates, resulting in a sound more acceptable in the 60s. There is no energy to the latest record and wouldn’t match a club tempo. Harris has recruited a line-up of big names; there are strong vocals from pop superstar Dua Lipa and the talented Charlie Puth, though most of the vocals come from rappers, littering the release with R&B that ultimately poisons the album with a sound unfavourable on the ears. Overall, the album could receive popularity due to Harris’ namesake, though we are left with a handful of tracks that would go unnoticed on the radio. The disappointment is much greater as this comes from the genius who once brought us I Created Disco. 2/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 1 October 2022 Wakey wakey! The long-awaited TV adaptation of the puppetry horror web series has finally arrived and it’s crazier than ever! Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared has always been fascinating as its Sesame Street-style puppets start the show like a children’s series before descending into a dark horror with disturbing imagery; an artistic move never before seen in such a unique way. The change to the long-form structure could’ve allowed for more storyline-focused tales though stays in vein of its web origins. However, there is less horror and more comedy involved in its Channel 4 upgrade to pad out the extra time. Family is one of the stronger episodes as the trio meet a pair of twins and visit their unsettling family before discovering the chilling identity of their mother. The final episode Electricity sees Yellow Guy become more intelligent and touch upon discovering the guys’ reality as fictional characters until the final twist ends their opportunity to do so. The creators have stepped up their game with characters as well; the lonely friendship adviser Warren the worm and the elderly and ill Choo Choo Train are truly chilling. Also, the inclusion of a live-action character in the final episode makes its plot much more unnerving. Overall, the TV series is not the most entertaining to watch but its creativity and meaning is truly thought-provoking. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 2 December 2022 Our Eurovision saviour concludes his breakout year with the release of his debut album. From the dance-orientated Put a Light on Me and the energetic Tiny Riot to the slow-tempo All the Way Over and the Michael Buble-esque This Time, Ryder showcases his impressive vocals on them all. However, the standout track is lead single Space Man. The TikTok star was chosen to represent the UK this year at the Eurovision Song Contest with the perfect pop song. In his sparkling jumpsuit, aided by epic lighting and staging, he gave the performance of a lifetime to uproarious applause. In a contest dominated by Ukraine, he broke the UK’s curse of last place and being the target of geopolitical hatred to top the jury vote and come 2nd place overall as well as bringing the world’s largest music competition to Liverpool next year. Characterised by catchy music and incredible falsetto on the chorus, Space Man is the best pop song of 2022. Ryder deserves every ounce of his newfound fame and his future is looking bright. Although the rest don’t (as they frankly can’t) compare to Space Man, there is not one bad song on a debut album that is out of this world. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 April 2023 Keane members Tim Rice-Oxley and Jesse Quin’s country music side project is back with a third album, leaning much more towards their mellowed self-titled debut than their upbeat follow-up When The Night Calls. Rice-Oxley is nothing short of a musical genius. Despite composing a decade-long discography of perfection as Keane, he is also the mastermind who has recreated guitar sounds by playing keyboard through an amplifier and programmed bass on a laptop when the main band missed a guitarist. Therefore, it is all the more disappointing that his partnership with Quinn has produced a record that lacks wonder and excitement. Unfortunately, most tracks are too dreary to be memorable and are not distinguishable enough from each other. The emotion might be there in the lyrics but the music doesn't match it enough to convey it in a way it perhaps deserves. Some tracks are inevitably better than others. Too Hard A Stone encompasses jazz and features Rice-Oxley’s vulnerable vocals reminiscent of the old Keane demos whereas Wolfhouse is the highlight with a fun melody and haunting piano. Overall, the talent is there but sadly unfulfilled in what feels like wasted potential. 4/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 25 August 2024 Former Disney star Sabrina Carpenter is all grown up and establishing herself as a pop princess. Short n’ Sweet is her sixth studio album and concludes a summer of dominating the charts with singles Espresso and Please Please Please. However, the pop heavy focus also welcomes touches of other genres as there is a pleasing variation between tracks. Latest single Taste opens the album with a rock feel whereas Please Please Please is much more dreamy. Good Graces adopts a R&B aura before Sharpest Tool provides a more stripped back offering. Coincidence contains acoustic guitar, Bed Chem offers chilled funk vibes and lead single Espresso takes centre stage with its bubblegum pop. Dumb & Poetic flips the mood as a slow song with haunting emotion, Slim Pickins incorporates a country influence, while Juno features some sexually explicit lyrics. Lie to Girls is heavenly with some unique instrumentation before Don’t Smile closes the album nicely with its dream-like sound. Overall, Short n’ Sweet is an album of clean production and strong vocals, a recipe for success. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 25 November 2024 Industrial rocker Marilyn Manson and his eponymous band return with a new studio album littered with references to religion and death. Lead single As Sick As The Secrets Within was the first taste of the new material and its sinister lyrics align with the music video’s disturbing imagery. Nod If You Understand is the heaviest on the album. Utilising vocal distortion, the track culminates in hammering drums and whining guitar. Sacreligious is a less heavier option whereas Death Is Not a Costume contains a drum beat reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails’ Closer. However, Raise the Red Flag is easily the highlight as a darkly epic anthem built around a haunting melody. Closing the album is Sacrifice of the Mass. Featuring Radiohead-style acoustic guitar, the final track becomes somewhat of a rock opera, albeit in their trademark gothic vein. Despite being their twelfth release, the group prove they can still turn out new music to the quality of their 90s heyday. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 January 2026 All survivors are back to achieve a common goal: kill Vecna and destroy the Upside Down once and for all. Like with the previous season, the series adopts a multi-strand storyline: Will, Mike, Lucas, Robin and Joyce in the Rightside Up, Hopper and El as well as Jonathan, Nancy, Steve and Dustin in the Upside Down and Holly and Max with Henry in Vecna’s mind. Nell Fisher is the breakout star, taking on the new major starring role of Holly Wheeler. The character goes through the wringer to say the least and the draining emotions felt from that are conveyed excellently by this incredible young actress. Sadie Sink continues to be brilliant as Max, this time as a guiding light for Holly, and Noah Schnapp provides vulnerability during Will’s coming out scene, while Jamie Campbell Bower again delivers a chillingly compelling performance as Henry, particularly his manipulation of the children and fear of the cave. However, the best character is Dipshit Derek (or rather Delightful Derek as he becomes), bringing some much-needed comic relief. Arguably, the best scene comes from the mid-season finale (same as the prior season) as Will discovers he inhabits telekinesis and saves his friends. Additionally, the 80s-inspired soundtrack is still a nice touch and kudos to the production team on the special effects. Despite a mixed reception from fans, a satisfactory ending is achieved. An epic final battle with Vecna culminates in his defeat, with the final blow fittingly coming from Joyce. El then sacrifices herself, a justified death as it ensures that the supernatural is well and truly over, yet is left open-ended with a theorised escape. The only criticism could be the pacing as scenes in the Upside Down see an awful lot of searching and not much finding, therefore lacking progression. Unfortunately, there are less twists and reveals surrounding the background of Henry and El too, though this can be forgiven as last season handled that and this season is more about the conclusion of the story. Otherwise, the Duffer brothers have devised a worthy finish to a decade-long adventure. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 29 June 2022 Alternative rock band Imagine Dragons present their double-length fifth album, 10 years on from when they crash-landed onto the scene with their groundbreaking debut Night Visions. In Act 1, Follow You details Reynolds’ reunion with his wife, whereas Wrecked is about the death of his sister-in-law from cancer. Soundtrack single Enemy is the most commercially successful, while album track Lonely is a fun, playful tune. However, heavier offerings Dull Knives and Cutthroat are the standouts. Dull Knives features heavy guitar and Cutthroat includes some innovative sounds, with both containing screamo vocals. Act 2 opens with Bones, an instant hit as it blends catchy piano with harsh vocals on the pre-chorus refrain. Sharks is also very catchy and Blur brings a particular energy. The latter end of the album contains several slower tracks; Waves is a deeply personal song focusing on the suicide of Reynolds’ friend and the guilt and responsibility he feels for not having been there and Ferris Wheel is a particularly sweet and romantic tale, though the songs do tail off towards the back. Overall, this lengthy project sees the Dragons continue to put out their fabulously unique music to the world. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 May 2025 We return to where it all began as we head to Basel in Switzerland, the host and winning country of the first ever Eurovision Song Contest back in 1956, following their win last year. Held in the St Jakobshalle arena with just a 6,000 strong audience, there was a 36,000 person viewing party in the neighbouring St Jakob-Park stadium, which featured in the broadcast and was a nice touch. Frontrunner Sweden was represented by KAJ, who performed their catchy sauna-based tune Bara bada bastu, making use of props. Despite being the hot favourite by bookmakers, the winner was Austria, represented by JJ with his song Wasted Love, an operatic ballad with a techno ending. The performance was emotionally vulnerable and featured impressive vocals and innovative nautical staging depicting JJ aboard a sailboat, with camera techniques emulating a tempest storm on the water. There were other ballads from the likes of France and Switzerland, dance pop offerings from Denmark and Malta, Germany and San Marino brought EDM club bangers to the final, whereas Lithuania provided a rare rock option, as did Italy but more in the glam rock style with Lucio Corsi performing in face paint reminiscent of David Bowie. The UK was represented by country pop trio Remember Monday with their harmonising single What The Hell Just Happened?, in which the girls gave an impressive performance in comparison to other past entrants. Novelty proved popular again too as Estonian musician Tommy Cash performed his electro-swing coffee-themed hit Espresso Macchiato, complete with an amusing dance. Unfortunately, entries this year felt rather poor in comparison to those of the past two editions, with many fitting the Eurovision mould yet not a lot standing out as powerful or memorable. Once again, the competition was tarred with controversy surrounding Israel’s inclusion. However, we were sure given a tense results sequence as Israel won the televote and almost the contest overall! The EBU were likely left breathing a huge sigh of relief as Israel narrowly missed out on success, which would have no doubt posed a logistical nightmare for producers, on top of an almighty backlash and locational limbo, and may leave them reconsidering Israel’s place in future… or at very least implementing plans for a hypothetical win. The contest is expected to return to Austria in 2026, where we will see who is the next artist to rise like a phoenix. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 21 May 2024 An Irish witch, Norwegian twins representing Sweden and a denim-clad nude Finnish man were just a few of the delights we were treated to at this year’s Eurovision, though the contest was ultimately cast in controversy. There is no doubt Malmö 2024 will be remembered for the EBU’s controversial decision to allow the inclusion of Israel amid the Israel-Hamas war, sparking several protests outside the arena with police on hand and hostility towards the Israeli representative, with allegations of anti-booing technology being used. There was further uproar when the Netherlands were disqualified despite qualifying for the grand final following claims of the Dutch representative threatening a member of the production team. Switzerland won the contest, represented by Nemo with operatic pop song The Code, featuring impressive vocals and innovative staging that saw Nemo perform on a rotating and seesawing disc. Croatia came a close second and won the televote, represented by Baby Lasagna with heavy techno anthem Rim Tim Tagi Dim, thanks to an addictive hook, singalong chorus, colourful staging and energetic performance. Ireland was represented by Bambie Thug with electro-metal song Doomsday Blue, containing a witchcraft-based performance, eerie verses and a loud pre-chorus contrasting a dreamy chorus, before erupting into a screamo outro set to a heavy beat. Luxembourg returned to the contest 31 years after their last participation with Tali and her song Fighter, which features both the English and French language, while established pop star Olly Alexander from Years & Years represented the UK with Dizzy. EDM played a fair part in the contest this year. Twins Marcus & Martinus represented Sweden with their electro pop song Unforgettable, Silvester Belt represented Lithuania with his light dance song Luktelk and Kaleen represented Austria with her 90s-inspired Eurodance track We Will Rave. Many countries incorporated traditional music of different cultures into their songs too. Angelina Mango represented Italy with her song La noia which features elements of Latin American music, Marina Satti represented Greece with her song Zari that includes traditional Greek music, Ladaniva represented Armenia with their world music song Jako, while 5miinust and Puuluup collaborated to represent Estonia with their song that mixes hip hop and folk music. Unfortunately, non-binary artists like Nemo and Bambie Thug used their platform to promote their gender ideology over representation of their country. Furthermore, it was a shame that ABBA didn’t perform, as the contest being in Sweden coincided with the 50th anniversary of their win, though the ABBA Voyage interval act was the next best thing. Despite all the controversy, Sweden put on a good show. After all, they now have the joint most wins. Let’s see what the Swiss bring us in 2025! 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 16 January 2026 Following on from his biopic film Better Man, Robbie returns for his next studio album. Britpop is described as the album Williams had wanted to make when he first envisioned himself going solo, leaving Take That in 1995, an era defined by the Britpop music scene. This sound is achieved, unfortunately. Williams’ best work came when he left behind Britpop and welcomed in post-millennium pop rock, making it all the more disappointing to see him return to a genre characterised by whiny vocals and mindless strumming of guitars, with little other instrumentation to be heard. Most tracks don’t stand on their own as they maintain no unique features. The worst part of this is knowing the talent that Williams holds and has exhibited over the past 30 years. Perhaps the only saving grace is Human, the single featuring Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy. The track is more laidback and dreamy, removing that grungy influence for a more clean instrumentation, while the Spanish lyrics from the featured artists create a nice change. Morrissey is also different as it incorporates an electronic influence, though the poor lyrics remove any merit. The most original thing about this album is the artwork, which sees a portrait of Williams in a museum being graffitied by protestors from a group called Just Stop Pop, a parody of Just Stop Oil. The songs aren’t necessarily bad, just unoriginal. It appears this project is something Williams has wanted to do for a long time, so let’s hope that he’s now got it out of his system and will go back to his pop rock sound in future. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 23 May 2023 Eurovision legend Graham Norton opened this year’s commentary with “welcome to the United Kingdom… from the United Kingdom”. He, along with millions of fans, were truly excited to see Eurovision hosted in the UK for the first time in 25 years. As last year’s winners Ukraine couldn’t host due to the Russian invasion, the United Kingdom was given the privilege as second place. The running order began with fun entry Who The Hell Is Edgar by Teya and Salena for Austria. The catchy dance song about the ghost of Gothic writer Edgar Allan Poe made for a great start to the performances. The final provided a strong mix of genres as always; there was electronic from Serbia with Samo mi se spava by Luke Black, disco from France with La Zarra’s Évidemment, metal from Germany’s glam rockers Lord of the Lost with their fantastically loud track Blood & Glitter and a beautiful piano ballad from Estonia’s Alika with Bridges. Australia’s Voyager got the room excited with their multigenre track Promise, blending dance, rock and metal. Czechia’s female folk group Vesca also championed this by blending their traditional sound with modern pop to make for a unique and enjoyable performance. Croatia provided a novelty act with long-running and controversial shock rock band Let 3, who performed their outrageous anti-war song Mama ŠČ! Female pop was at its finest this year and dominated the show: Blanka from Poland performed her catchy pop song Solo, which drew similarity to SloMo by Chanel from Spain last year, Alessandra from Norway delivered her female empowerment track Queen of Kings, Noa Kirel of Israel provided a strong performance of her song Unicorn, which contained a show-stopping dance break, and the UK’s very own Mae Muller closed the running order with her dance-pop breakup anthem I Wrote a Song. Interval acts included both past winners, such as Netta and Duncan Laurence, and high-scoring non-winners such as Mahmood, Daði Freyr and Cornelia Jakobs, whose waterbed performance, matched with her husky voice, was the standout. As the results began, there were two acts that stood out as frontrunners. The favourite from the start was past winner Loreen for Sweden with her new emotional entry Tattoo and Käärijä for Finland with his hyperactivate tech banger Cha Cha Cha. However, as the jury results progressed, the influence of Loreen became clear as Sweden received an overwhelming amount of 12 points which would be hard to override. Finland won the public vote though came second overall to Sweden. Loreen became only the second entrant to win the contest twice and also means Sweden now ties with Ireland as the country with the most wins, which better reflects modern Eurovision. The UK put on a good show and here’s to many more! 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 June 2023 The Netflix-revived supernatural drama turns up the heat as NBC’s cancelled show becomes the streaming giant’s most watched. The first half sees Ben totally absorbed in finding his daughter Eden, before the second half takes a dystopian turn as the passengers are now detained. Apocalyptic signs arrive as a sedated Captain Daly inflicts plagues upon the detention centre and the group face one final push at saving the lifeboat, with Cal desperately solving everyone’s callings and Angelina and her ‘flock’ preparing for the end, believing themselves to be the selected few to enter the new world. We also learn a few things in the final season, including that the passengers were in a ‘divine consciousness’, omega sapphire could be the key to saving the lifeboat and the death date is not just for the passengers but for everyone. Highlights of the season include when Zeke, struggling with his empathic powers, feels Erika’s murderous rage and maniacally shoots her, threatening the lifeboat, and the mid-season finale in which Angelina emerges from the lava with the sapphire molten in her hand, leaving a trail of apocalyptic destruction in her path and creating a sense of impending doom. The end certainly feels nigh with these latest developments, but with several episodes covering the build up, viewers are likely to be left impatient for the death date to arrive. That said, the finale is nonetheless thrilling. After Cal sacrifices himself to create the sapphire beacon, the entire set of passengers arrive at the camp, including Angelina’s clan, who attempt to derail proceedings. The original plane emerges from the lava and everyone boards. There are some truly epic scenes as everyone faces their judgement, with 11 of them, including Angelina, burning before turning to ash. Eegan’s redemption arc is a heartwarming one as he offers to sacrifice himself for Adrian, resulting in them both surviving. The plane then flies into the glow in which they are returned to 2013. It may be justice, but only the passengers have memory of their alternate timelines, meaning Mick has to meet Zeke again and TJ can’t be with Olive because of their age gap. Manifest goes all out on its final batch, turning up the drama and ultimately delivering a worthy conclusion that the creators had to fight to bring to its fans. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 4 July 2022 The Duffer Brothers step things up a whole new level with the fourth season of their sci-fi horror drama series. Season 4 sees the town facing a supposed new villain from the chilling Upside Down: the horrifyingly ruthless Vecna, who enters the minds of his victims before killing them. The new season perfectly balances a multi-strand storyline as the gang investigate the new threat, Eleven returns to the lab to retrieve her powers and Joyce and Murray set off on a dangerous mission to rescue Hopper from his Soviet capture. Although new addition Joseph Quinn deserves praise for his performance as the eccentric Eddie, Millie Bobby Brown is phenomenal as El is horrified to learn of the truth surrounding the lab massacre and the origin of One, which perfectly ties the whole story together in an episode that provides one of television’s best twist endings ever. Furthermore, Sadie Sink tugs at the heartstrings as Max struggles with her grief before a powerful scene in which she triumphs over Vecna by listening to Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. However, it is newcomer Jamie Campbell Bower who delivers the standout performance as the eerie assistant in the Rainbow Room in a manner that draws parallels to Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka. With coming-of-age and humorous elements thrown in for good measure in anticipation of the final battle in the groundbreaking two and a half hour season finale, Season 4 outperforms the previous tenfold, leaving viewers ready for the commissioned fifth and final season. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 12 January 2026 Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried lead on this twisty psychological thriller that everyone’s talking about. Millie, a young woman on parole, takes a live-in position as a housemaid for the wealthy Nina and Andrew Winchester, though there’s twists and turns ahead. During Millie’s interview and first day, Nina is exceedingly welcoming and kind, but when Millie wakes up, Nina begins a cruel tyranny, creating the first question mark of the film. It is revealed Nina suffers from psychosis and went to a psychiatric hospital after she tried to drown her daughter Cece and overdose. Millie then tries to leave her job, while becoming close to Andrew, who eventually breaks up with a nasty Nina and begins a relationship with Millie. Tension is high during their honeymoon phase as we fear something lurking to shatter Millie’s paradise ending. Then comes the twist. Andrew locks her in her room for breaking his mother’s chinaware and a flashback reveals he did the same to Nina, demanding she pull out one hundred hairs as a consequence of not having her roots dyed and subsequently controlled her life, faking her psychosis. A trapped Nina then purposefully hired Millie as she saw it the only way that her and Cece could be free from his sadistic reign. A harrowing scene follows as, on Andrew’s request, Millie slashes her stomach 21 times, though Millie is able to lock Andrew in by attacking him. Satisfaction is likely as Millie enacts revenge, smashing the china and making Andrew pull out his front tooth with pliers in a wince-inducing graphic scene. However, stomachs will drop as it is realised that Nina’s rescue mission will accidentally free Andrew, culminating in a thrilling final battle that sees Andrew fall to his bloody death. The film cleverly introduces the theme of domestic abuse as Millie, having already delivered her own form of justice to two male abusers, takes up a new housemaid role for another victim of domestic violence in a truly badass ending. Sydney Sweeney is epic as Millie takes revenge and embodies female empowerment, Amanda Seyfried is stellar as the supposedly malicious housewife and Brandon Sklenar is excellent as the terrifyingly villainous Andrew. With an already superb story to work with, this cinematic adaptation creates a haunting tone that elevates the film beyond its storyline alone. A mysterious plot, a brilliant story, shocking twists, chilling scenes, a genius ending, perfect casting and an atmospheric tone all combine to deliver one of the greatest films of all time. This film will leave you with an astonished smile on your face and stay with you for the coming days. To experience this film is… a privilege. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 January 2026 Ricky takes on what he calls his “most honest and confessional show so far” in his fourth Netflix and tenth overall stand-up special. Despite the dark title, the performance is more about life and growing older. As always, there is no topic off limits and no joke too controversial for him to dare tell. After all, his near-the-knuckle remarks are what his audience have come to expect and his carefree attitude forms part of his persona, once again joking how complaints have ironically shot his previous specials to number one. If there is to be any criticism, it is the excessive use of the C word and some jokes feel a tad harsh or vulgar when weighed against their comedic value. Edgy or not, Gervais’ material, delivery and timing is undoubtedly funny, which is the main tickbox for a stand-up special, and there’s some real belly laugh moments within his amusing anecdotes. If you like his other Netflix specials, you’ll like this one as the style and quality of his comedy is very similar, which is in no way a negative. Gervais is an impressively unique comedian and a clever one too. His skill and talent is clear throughout as he not only memorises an hour’s worth of comedy, but masterfully meanders through the content so it naturally flows, all the while ensuring it is truly hilarious. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 7 January 2026 Emily is back for more romance and marketing, often overlapping as per usual, but has this comedy-drama run its course? Half of this season takes place in Italy as Emily navigates her relationship with Marcello and her business working at Agence Grateau’s Rome office, with these episodes dubbed Emily in Rome. Meanwhile, Mindy and Alfie grow close but keep this a secret from Emily, Gabriel leaves the restaurant and chefs for a billionaire on his yacht around the world, while Sylvie reconnects with an old friend and begins a steamy affair with a younger man. Relocating part of the series to Italy and the storyline with Marcello and the Muratori business provides a lifeline to the show, mixing things up while maintaining the same romance-business hybrid theme. Unfortunately, many of the characters are seen to be promiscuous, degrading their decency and returning to the show’s earlier criticism of stereotyping the French and their culture. This season introduces a new character in Princess Jane, an old friend of Sylvie’s who has married into an Italian royal family. She is annoying, entitled and pointless, so it is incomprehensible as to why she is set to play a bigger role in the next season! Even though she is portrayed by the famous Minnie Driver, this remains a poor decision on the writer’s part. As always, Luc provides the majority of the comedy, though it is particularly hilarious when Sylvie’s lover is revealed to be her friend’s son! The season finale takes place in Venice, providing beautiful scenery, and the water-based fashion show makes for an innovative touch. With Emily tipped to go run Muratori with Marcello in Solitano and Sylvie, Julien and Luc’s jobs in jeopardy due to Laurent’s debts, the season has us guessing until the very end where things are heading and what is going to happen. The final moment sees Gabriel learn he is going to be in Greece for a few weeks and invite Emily to join him, lining up another name change: Emily in Greece! As the show prepares to branch out even further across Europe, it seems relocation held the key to breathing new life into this dying show, but please don’t keep Emily and Gabriel apart for much longer! 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 13 November 2025 The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular sitcoms, and indeed television series in general, of all time. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that it spawned a spin-off prequel series centring on Sheldon Cooper’s childhood. As filming takes place on fourth series Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, we take a look at how this secondary series manages to stand on its own two feet. Young Sheldon focuses on the titular boy genius from the ages of nine to 14 and is set from 1989 to 1994. Jim Parsons reprises his role as the brilliant manchild to narrate on his character’s younger days. Sheldon is a child prodigy and an Atheist aspiring scientist living with his Catholic religious family in East Texas. This family includes his churchgoing mother Mary, heavily drinking football coach father George, his unintelligent and girls-obsessed older brother Georgie, his outspoken twin sister Missy and his mischievous “Meemaw” Connie. First of all, Young Sheldon survives on its own by featuring many differences to its parent show. It is filmed using a single-camera setup and doesn't use a laugh track in comparison to Big Bang’s multi-camera setup which uses one. Furthermore, it is set in conservative Texas rather than its parent’s location of liberal California. Also, it is formatted as a family sitcom as opposed to following a group of friends. Plus, Young Sheldon branches out to hone in on other characters too, whereas The Big Bang Theory keeps the focus on the main group. The series begins with Sheldon starting high school, with him later going to college and eventually leaving Texas to go to Caltech in California. It is through his education that he meets physics professor Dr John Sturgis. Sheldon feels Dr Sturgis is the only person who truly understands him and they find each other to be enjoyable company for intellectual conversation. Therefore, Sheldon is thrilled when he shows romantic interest in Connie and attempts to encourage the relationship. Sheldon also meets Dr Grant Linkletter, who finds Sheldon to be annoying and persistent like his high school teachers do. Dr Linkletter also expresses romantic interest in Connie, providing much comedy. Another hilarious element is the way the two elderly professors have a bitter rivalry with each other. George and Mary’s marriage is strained, though not to the extent suggested in The Big Bang Theory. Tired of his excessive drinking and laziness, along with losing his coaching job, Mary grows frustrated with him and finds herself with a crush upon the youthful Pastor Jeff… and the feelings appear mutual. Subsequently, this also drives George into the arms of Brenda, though he never actually cheats. Many of the violent tales told in the parent show don’t align with the characteristics seen in Young Sheldon. In fact, George is often shown as a loving and caring parent, notably when he protects Missy from the tornado in the Season 6 finale. Upon George’s death of a heart attack, the family are all devastated and weren’t even fighting prior to this. This makes older Mary’s badmouthing in Big Bang somewhat unfair. It appears the franchise have made a major retcon decision here, though this probably makes for more enjoyable viewing of the prequel. The twins’ older brother experiences particular character growth throughout the series. Georgie starts off as a typical immature teenager and crushes on several girls. He initially likes Veronica, though she converts to Christianity upon learning of the evil of lust, making it harder for Georgie to win her over. A notable moment from this is when she punches him at their double baptism when he tries to kiss her. He later dates Jana, though they break up when he drops out of school. However, he isn’t work shy and works in Connie’s partner Dale’s shop and shows he has a knack with tyres (he later owns a successful tyre shop as an adult). He also works in Connie’s laundrette and video store, which act as a front for the illegal gambling room, where he meets weather girl Mandy, 12 years his senior. He lies about his age and gets her pregnant, something which is not well received by all, but once tensions die down, he then stands by her and steps up to the plate, effectively becoming an adult taking responsibility for his actions. This storyline is continued in a spin-off sequel called Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which feels ultimately unnecessary. Arguably the biggest character outside of the family is Pastor Jeff, the friendly and upbeat pastor of the local church. Sheldon debates religion with him and there are many funny moments at Sunday school. Pastor Jeff is joined by administrative assistant Pam, a no-nonsense chainsmoker with a croaky voice and a hacking cough that hilariously occurs almost every time she appears on screen. A particular highlight of the cheery clergyman is when he does a sermon on greed, only to later be unable to resist a toaster oven, confessing his weakness to God. Later in the series, Pastor Jeff enters a new relationship and is hilariously in a rush to get married as he and his bride-to-be can’t keep their hands off each other. However, things take a darker turn in this element of the show when the church turns their back on Mary and the Coopers for Georgie having a child out of wedlock. It is disappointing that a once kind and caring figure can become so unsupportive when a difficult decision clashes with his religious beliefs. One of the funniest characters of the series is neighbour kid Billy Sparks. Dim-witted but good-natured, Billy is the king of the one-liners that stun all those around him and his facial expressions are comedy gold too. The Sparks family have a chicken coop, which served as a spot where George could both hide with Herschel and have secret conversations with Brenda, and Billy torments Sheldon with his pet chickens, though not actually on purpose. Furthermore, he has a crush on Missy and, while the feelings are certainly not reciprocated, it does bring out Missy’s more caring side, particularly when she informs Billy that he is being pranked by a cheerleader and offers to go to the movies with him. With a mix of comedy and drama as well as featuring many entertaining characters, Young Sheldon is a successful sitcom in its own right to its parent show, all while serving as a respectful ode to Big Bang. Live long and prosper!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 July 2025 Adam Sandler is one of the most popular and successful comedy actors in the movie industry, and while he has been at the helm of much comedy gold, he has also had his fair share of some golden raspberries too. This summer is set to see one of his greatest hits get its long-awaited sequel nearly 30 years on, so grab a tub of popcorn and a glass of high quality H2O as we take a look back at three decades of both his highs and his lows! We start back in the 90s with a hat-trick of classics. First up is Billy Madison (1995) in which Sandler plays the titular character, a manchild who must go back to school to prove his worth in order to inherit his successful father’s company, an enjoyable watch on the whole. Happy Gilmore (1996) sees Sandler play the titular character again, this time an avid hockey fan whose anger issues lead him to professional golf instead and he enters a competition to raise funds for his grandmother’s house. His short fuse provides much of the comedy and the film contains a strong supporting cast too as Carl Weathers plays Chubbs, Gilmore’s one-armed (following an alligator attack) former pro mentor and Ben Stiller is hilarious as Hal L, the abusive carer at the retirement home. The sequel coming this summer will see Happy come out of retirement to fund his daughter’s ballet school. Another sports comedy rounds off the trio: 1998 film The Waterboy. Bobby Boucher is a mentally challenged adult waterboy for a university football team, who becomes one of their star players. The film has gone on to develop a cult following. Earlier in the year, The Wedding Singer, the first of three romcoms co-starring Drew Barrymore, was released. Set in the 80s, it tells of a wedding singer and a waitress who fall in love. The comedic highlight is Julia’s unfortunate would-be married name, while the romance makes it a well-rounded wholehearted movie. In 1999, Big Daddy was released, in which a slacker begins parenting a five-year-old to prove his responsibility to his ex-girlfriend. The chemistry between Sandler and the Sprouse brothers, who would go on to play Zack & Cody, and the mischief they get up to makes for a fun watch. Little Nicky was released in 2000 and Sandler’s first flop. It sees him play the youngest son of Satan who must return his brothers to Hell when they rebelliously possess people in New York. A fantasy-comedy starring a possessed talking bulldog, the ridiculousness of the film leaves it as a mess. In 2002, Sandler received praise as the lead in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Punch-Drunk Love. That same year, he starred in Mr Deeds, a remake of the 1936 film by Frank Capra. It sees a small-town pizzeria worker learn that he is the heir of a billionaire and whisked off to New York City. Despite a negative reception, the film excels thanks to the comedy of butler Emilio, the romance between Deeds and Babe and the enchanting locations, making it one of Sandler’s best entries that flies under the radar. He then co-starred alongside Jack Nicholson in the 2003 comedy Anger Management. In 2004, he reunited with Drew Barrymore for their second romcom 50 First Dates, this time starring Sandler as a veterinarian who falls for an art teacher with amnesia, and attempts to impress her all over again every day. Later that same year, Sandler starred in another romance film, this more the more drama-orientated Spanglish. It follows Mexican immigrants in America working for a chef (Sandler’s character). The film is incredibly stale and drab, essentially a whole lotta nothing, another to join the disappointment list. 2005 and Sandler is back with another sports comedy The Longest Yard, a remake of the 1974 original in which a football player goes to prison. You better like sports films for this one as it’s otherwise unenjoyable. In 2006 came one of his biggest successes Click, in which he plays a husband and father who has a remote that can control reality. Christopher Walken is a great choice as Morty, the Angel of Death, the moral about cherishing time with family is a good one and the scene in which a broken Michael is dying outside the hospital is surprisingly heartbreaking, showcasing his talent outside of comedy. Sandler co-stars with Kevin James in 2007’s I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry as they play two firemen who pretend to be gay for life insurance. The film has some good laughs, though attracted much controversy for its homosexual stereotypes (as well as use of yellowface) and simply wouldn’t be made today. You Don’t Mess with the Zohan (2008) sees Sandler in a vastly unconventional role for him as an Israeli soldier who fakes his death to realise his dream of becoming a hairstylist in New York. Zohan’s Scrappy Coco alias and superhuman powers make him a hilarious character and the film can be praised for its daring detailing of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Later that year, he starred in Disney’s Bedtime Stories as a hotel handyman whose tales he tells to his niece and nephew come true in what is a more enchanting offering with Sandler. In 2010, Grown Ups was released, starring Sandler alongside regular collaborators Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider as a group of childhood friends who reunite for a weekend away. They find their childish antics don’t quite play out the same as adults with families and responsibilities and, while the film isn’t great, it is still a fun watch, with its box office success spawning a sequel. He then starred with Jennifer Aniston in 2011 romcom Just Go With It, as a plastic surgeon who convinces his colleague to pretend to be his separated wife so he can seduce a younger woman. Nick Swardson, who usually has a minor role in Sandler productions, delivers the funniest moments as a fake German sheep seller, and the whole ruse sees the leads fall in love. Later that year, in Jack & Jill, Sandler appears as Jack and his twin sister Jill in a cliché that is as bad as it sounds. Then in 2012’s That’s My Boy, he plays the alcoholic father of Andy Samberg’s character in what was another flop. 2014’s Blended marked the third romcom with Sandler and Barrymore, this time starring as single parents who are forced to holiday together after an unsuccessful blind date, with them and their children forming the titular family dynamic. The format works really well, particularly as they help each others’ children of the opposite sex. Later that year, he starred in The Cobbler as the titular character who can assume the identity of his customers. Despite being generally panned, the story is original and delights in its magic realism. In 2015 came Pixels, in which a group of arcade champions are enlisted to help defend Earth against an alien invasion using classic characters. Nostalgia heavy, the film pays homage to classic 80s video games and serves as an epic sci-fi movie. Pixels would be Sandler’s last film before signing an exclusive deal to move to Netflix, which marked a significant downgrade in quality. Starting with The Ridiculous 6 in 2015, a terrible attempt at a Western-themed comedy, a trail of poor productions followed; notably, 2017’s Sandy Wexler is one of the worst films of all time. The few exceptions are The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019) in which he earned praise for his dramatic performances and 2020’s Hubie Halloween, in which he returns to his classic local idiot role and is the optimum movie for the spooky season. Despite the recent string of flops, there is still hope as Sandler’s next leading film is the sequel to one of his best and most successful comedies Happy Gilmore, though only time will tell if it lives up to its predecessor three decades prior. Despite being a tale of two sides, Sandler’s hits overshadow the shits to cement him as a comedy great.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 31 October 2025 Trick or treat! Whether you’re opening your door to every child in the street or sitting in the dark with your lights off and curtains drawn, here’s 10 of the best horror films from the past 30 years to get you in the mood for the spooky season! Scream (1996) What’s your favourite scary movie? We start off with the OG of 90s horror. In Woodsboro, a group of high school students, including protagonist Sidney Prescott, are targeted by a masked killer called Ghostface. Known for its opening scene starring Drew Barrymore, it’s a straightforward slasher movie but proves to be a winning formula. Skeet Ulrich and Matthew Lillard are perfect as the chillingly psychotic Billy Loomis and Stu Macher, as is Timothy Olyphant in the sequel, and recurring characters police officer Dewey and reporter Gale Weathers are now iconic. All six instalments provide an enjoyable watch, with the seventh film coming next year. I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) Late one night, a group of friends accidentally cause the death of a pedestrian and cover it up. One year later, one of them receives a letter containing the titular statement and the group are then targeted by an unidentified killer dressed as a fisherman with a hook. Another standard but now legendary slasher film, the movie features the big names of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. and went on to receive two sequels as well as a legacy sequel earlier this year. Saw (2004) Wanna play a game? Two men wake up in a room with a dead body in the middle of them. They learn they are victims of the Jigsaw Killer, a sadistic murderer who tests his victims’ will to survive, and are expected to saw through their feet to live. The traps may be disturbing but the idea of teaching people to value life is innovative and Billy the Puppet is an epic inclusion. Director James Wan would go on to create the Insidious and The Conjuring film series’ but the Saw franchise, now up to 10 instalments, is the most creative. Disturbia (2007) Placed on house arrest, teenager Kale begins spying on his neighbours out of boredom and becomes convinced his new neighbour is a killer. There is a romance element as Kale begins dating his neighbour Ashley, who helps with the investigation, along with his friend Ronnie. Doubling up as a thriller, there are tense scenes such as Turner finding Ashley following him at the supermarket, Ronnie getting trapped in the garage and particularly Kale falling into the cellar and being submerged among the victims’ corpses. The Babysitter (2017) A horror film like no other! Shy tween Cole has a crush on his babysitter, a young woman who has befriended him and makes him feel cool. One night, she invites her friends round. All seems normal until she randomly murders one of them, revealing the group to be a blood-ritual cult. The members then attempt to silence him, but hilariously the unlikely hero is triumphant over them all. The tongue-in-cheek approach presents the shock horror in a comedic way and delights in its thrilling simplicity. Haunt (2019) On Halloween night, a group of friends visit a haunted house said to prey on their personal fears and the line between real and fake soon becomes unsettlingly blurred. The low-budget slasher is pleasingly entertaining as the group slowly and staggeringly begin to realise they are in true danger from the performers. The film delivers a chilling ending too as the escapees realise the members have their home addresses, leading to a final confrontation. The Fear Street Trilogy (2021) Adapted from Goosebumps author R.L. Stine’s Fear Street novels, the trilogy follows the unfortunate town of Shadyside, said to be cursed by a witch executed for witchcraft in the 1600s. The first part sees a killing spree in a shopping mall in 1994, the second part follows the Camp Nightwing summer camp massacre in 1978 before the third and final part heads back to 1666 to focus on the origins of the curse by Sarah Fier. While each event is individually thrilling to watch, the way in which it is all tied together makes for a truly complex yet clever plot. Smile (2022) When therapist Rose witnesses a patient’s suicide, she unwittingly inherits a curse that causes its subject to go insane, giving a sinister smile before brutally killing themselves in front of the next victim, therefore continuously passing it on. The film follows an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to break the spell, though the highlight is not the plot but rather the truly terrifying grin the sufferers deliver. Its sequel sees a pop star with the same condition on the same mission and ends with her killing herself on stage in front of a packed arena audience, suggesting the curse is now spread to a vast array of people and possibly too widespread to end. M3GAN (2022) Orphaned Cady goes to live with her roboticist aunt Gemma, who develops a robotic doll called M3GAN to help her through her grief. However, M3GAN takes her command to protect Cady to the extreme, with deadly consequences. M3GAN’s growing violence is intriguing to watch, with the highlight being when she hunts and attacks the bully Brandon, ripping off his ear. The film also feeds into the AI fears of the era. Heretic (2024) A couple of teenage missionaries visit the terrifyingly eccentric Mr Reed to teach him of the Mormon religion, though soon find themselves entangled in a psychological game that challenges their beliefs. The situation is eerie from the moment with the blueberry pie as it transpires that his wife may not exist, while his board game analogy is clever and the choice between the two doors is innovative. Things take a sinister turn in the basement as the appearance of the prophet is truly horrifying, whereas the ending in which Sister Paxton arrives at the conclusion that it was pre-determined she ends up in the chamber serves Reed’s point that the “one true religion” is control. Hugh Grant sheds his bumbling heartthrob typecast as he is stellar as the chilling heretic. Happy Halloween!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 20 February 2022 As the debut album of indie rockers The Killers Hot Fuss turns 18 this year, we take a look at an album that soundtracks the Saturday nights that begin when you turn 18 (or perhaps younger) and start going out. Hot Fuss was released in 2004, a year undoubtedly one of the strongest in history. To take precedence of that year, The Killers had to fend off stern competition from the debut albums of Scissor Sisters, Keane, Franz Ferdinand and Maroon 5 as well as the greatest hits album of Robbie Williams. Despite this, Hot Fuss went on to become one of the greatest albums of the 00s and, indeed, all time. So what is the winning formula of the Las Vegas rockers? I would argue that The Killers unique selling point that sets them apart from the rest would be Flowers’ unique vocals and the delicate balance between rhythmic guitar and blaring synth, something glaringly obvious within this effort. The album opens on Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, which, despite never being released as a single, became a firm fan favourite. Pairing Stoermer’s slick bassline with Flowers’ aggressive vocals, Jenny introduces us to the sound that we have come to love. Mr Brightside is the lead single and signature song of the album and the band overall. Based upon the real life events of Flowers’ finding his girlfriend cheating on him, the anthemic hit details the unbearable jealousy of imagining your lover being intimate with another man, chronicled by the heartbreaking lyrics “now they’re going to bed and my stomach is sick” a situation that anyone who has experienced will know is all too painful. Despite the devastating subject matter, the track has become timelessly infamous and you’ll struggle to find a single dancefloor where this doesn’t play at some point on a Saturday night. Furthermore, its success is shown in the fact that it is still in the UK charts every week without fail, kicking around the 75 mark. Following Mr Brightside is its original B-side Smile Like You Mean It, which features what is quite possibly the greatest synth hook ever. Exploring what is hidden behind a fake smile, the track tells of someone struggling with growing older and missing their sentimental past. Everyone has some memories they desperately miss, giving a hard-hitting emotional impact to the song. Aided by the haunting use of the Echo Farm distortion in Flowers’ vocals, here is another example of a heart-breaking tune you can’t help but dance to. Somebody Told Me is a fast-paced rock song that offers no gap in vocals to breathe which quite nicely mirrors the shortness of breath one might feel when desperately trying to pick someone up in a bar to no avail, the focus of the song. This commercially-successful follow-up single is also highly relatable with the experience of swallowing your pride to give in to desperation that too features the trademark Killers sound that draws you up on the dancefloor. Third single All These Things That I’ve Done brings about a slowed change of pace with a piano intro that erupts into another Killers classic. Matched with a wild west-themed music video providing a patriotic nod to their Nevada background, this shows The Killers are proud of their roots, something that would be further seen in their videos and artwork. Mid-album track Andy, You’re a Star stops listeners in their tracks with a kick-ass bassline and makes excellent use of split-sound in a song full of homosexual undertones. It tells of a boy admiring a high school jock named Andy and feeling ashamed of homosexual feelings. These two elements are respectively represented in the lines “on the field I remember you were incredible” followed by the shameful denial “hey shut up”. Lyrics provide the narrator’s embarrassment before ascending to the chorus’ admission as he begs Andy to not choose the girl: “promise me she’s not your world, ‘cause Andy, you’re a star”. Reports claim Andy was a real jock at Brandon’s high school but differ in truth, with some stating the lyrics are ironic as a comment on Andy’s egotistical attitude where others claim they were actually friends. On Top sees Flowers give an incredible keyboard riff that defines the song. It could be argued this is left up to interpretation with the main subject said to be about drug use though can also be viewed as focusing on the band’s feelings of performing live. Alternatively, it is difficult not to hear the sexual undertones in the song with lyrics hinting at the anxiety and adrenaline felt over the intimacy of sex. Lyrics such as “some other DJ in some other town” point towards the subject of live performances where lyrics such as “I can’t crack, we’re on top” suggests the high of taking drugs. However, “the velvet sun that shines on me and you” hints at the euphoric feeling of sex and the adrenaline experienced in that setting, backed up with the sly comment “I don’t need to satisfy tonight, it’s like a cigarette in the mouth”. It is unclear whether being under the influence is helping the narrator feeling “on top” of the world or if it’s a more intimate situation that is creating this sensation or whether he is physically “on top” of someone else but either way it is a melodic insight into a wild night. The group went on to further success with hits such as the emotional “When You Were Young”, dance-orientated “Human” and the egocentric “The Man” but nothing quite like the Hot Fuss tracks of the band’s early days replicate that Saturday night feeling via a mix of experiences both good and bad including heartbreak, memories, nostalgia, desperation, sexuality and euphoria. It is the exploration of human experience mixed with The Killers’ nostalgic sound, alongside excessive airplay, that recreate the Saturday night out so perfectly. It can’t help but beg the question: are we human or are we dancer?

Published by Mason Oldridge, 10 November 2025 Vinnie and the gang are back for one last run. The season picks up immediately following last season’s (literal) cliffhanger. It then jumps forward, with the characters regularly referencing that they nearly died that night. This season also introduces Jim’s granddaughter Ally and her girlfriend Fay, who join the group from a younger rival gang. The first episode sees them do a job for Mrs Bishop as well as a conflicting job for Mr Bishop in what is the poorest episode of the new set. In the second episode, Tommo travels to Düsseldorf to visit Hans, but they, along with unwanted guest Jim, end up in an unfortunate and escalating situation. There is a rare serious moment from Tommo later on where we learn the truth about his historic relationship with Hans’ mother. Erin’s brother Ronnie returns for the third episode, in which he is blackmailed by a psychotic former classmate at a school reunion. He is later forced to confront his childhood bully where he gives an emotional speech in what is a nice moment from a usually annoying character. Rat catcher Curtis Plum is back for the fourth episode as he reunites with an old friend to host a rave for a dying man, providing a standard yet enjoyable instalment. Tommo fulfils Davey’s deranged request of delivering him the dead body of one of his enemies in the fifth episode, something he achieves thanks to Halloween. The highlight is when Jim accidentally takes the corpse, believing it to be a drunken Shirley. In the final episode, Vinnie is caught in the crossfire when Davey goes on a rampage. As he lies shot, he reminisces about his adventures with his friends and feelings towards Erin, prompting him to sit up. The series feels terribly unresolved as it is never revealed whether it was Davey or Fay who shot him and Vinnie and Erin never get together, which the whole series felt like it was leading up to. Once again, there is excessive strong language with frequent F bombs and the series must break a record for the most uses of the C word! There are also less funny moments in this season, with the most comedic scene probably being when Jim admits that he prefers his other daughter to Ally. Brassic is a very popular and critically acclaimed series with a worthy synopsis but is ultimately not given its deserved conclusion. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 31 July 2025 Ryan Sampson and Danny Dyer are back as the polar opposite brothers in this second run of the Sky comedy. The second season primarily follows Glen and Lee’s pursuit for their estranged father after finding out he is alive. Elsewhere, Kirsty starts a new job, whilst dealing with her blackmailer. Once again, the plot outperforms the comedy, though this isn’t a bad thing as the story delves deeper and is much improved. The hunt for Don further explores the brothers’ troubled relationships with their parents and brings about the revelation that he had a second family and is not Glen’s biological father, but rather Uncle Ron is. Meanwhile, Kirsty’s bedroom persona allows her to exude confidence at work, which sees her become involved with a criminal family tied to the carpet shop, while her blackmailer situation is defused when it is revealed to be Ian, looking to raise funds for a gay cruise to explore his newfound homosexuality in a less serious comedic subplot. There are still some key comedy moments however. The highlight is Lee and Glen thinking their father is rich upon discovering the lavish estate that he is residing at, only to find out it is actually a care home where he is terminally ill, with Lee telling his new half-brothers that their father has died being particularly hilarious. Other funny moments come from more of Glen and Kirsty’s bedroom antics as well as innocent comments from Lee that contrast his usual expletive lines, such as suggesting Ian’s meetup isn’t into gingers or saying the beach was a nice spot before it was tarmaced. The series is again left open as Lee is threatened to give his share of his dad’s company to Bunny to keep Glen from knowing the truth and Glen lets Sue die during a confrontation. Also, Lee is angry that Glen kept their mother’s lighter from him and there is much potential to go down a new route with Kirsty’s involvement in crime. A renewal should be more likely this time around as the second season is subjectively better than the first. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 August 2024 Danny Dyer stars in Sky’s new comedy created, written and co-led by Plebs and Brassic star Ryan Sampson. The series follows mild-mannered carpet salesman Glen Campbell as his quiet life with his fiancée Kirsty is turned upside down by the arrival of his estranged brother Lee. Sampson demonstrates versatility as he is miles apart from the empty-headed Grumio in Plebs and the confident Tommo in Brassic, whereas Dyer embodies his typical Cockney geezer role. The comedy falls rather flat, which is quite unfortunate given that’s the genre. Granted, there are some funny moments such as the opening scene of Glen and Kirsty in the car park and Glen and Lee’s dance, but the majority of the comedic material is rather ridiculous and chaotic, specifically surrounding Adrian Scarborough’s character Ian and his newfound obsession with Lee. However, as the series progresses, the plot somewhat saves the show as more of a comedy-drama, with themes of family and masculinity explored. Glen’s erectile dysfunction and Kirsty’s kleptomania, likely a result of feeling neglected. Lee changing his mind about stealing the wedding fund. Glen attempting to stop Lee committing suicide. The series concludes open-ended with Kirsty receiving a photo of her and Lee kissing and Glen and Lee embarking on confronting their father, though whether a second series will materialise is yet to be seen as, where the story is there, the comedy is not. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 December 2025 Rowan Atkinson returns as the misfortunate housesitter in this festive follow-up to Man vs Bee. Trevor is now working as a school caretaker, living remotely but looking forward to spending Christmas with his daughter Maddy. He takes a lucrative London penthouse job to pay for his daughter’s college fees, but when the Baby Jesus isn’t collected after the nativity, he must head to the capital with an unplanned guest in tow. Viewers of Man vs Bee will recall that Trevor is similar to Atkinson’s previous bumbling buffoon character Mr Bean. Therefore, Man vs Baby suggests this is going to be a rehash of Mind the Baby, Mr Bean. However, what ensues is a delightful original story. How can someone end up in such an unlikely situation? Trevor actually goes through the common sense routes of contacting the school, police and social services, but various mishaps see him hilariously still having the child. As with the previous series, the situation escalates with increasing chaos to ridiculous levels, but never at the expense of the comedy. The series is still slapstick, perhaps not as much as Man vs Bee, but this doesn’t hinder the comedic value either and allows us to suspend disbelief, particularly with the child neglect. However, the title isn’t entirely accurate as, where the bee was very much an enemy of Trevor, the baby is not an opponent in any way. Also, coming in at a runtime of just under two hours, both miniseries would work better as feature films. There are a couple of notable unanswered questions such as where did the baby come from and what happened after the Schwarzenbochs arrived at the end, though this element of mystery might be a better option than answers would’ve provided. As with its predecessor, there is an element of heart and emotion stemming from Trevor’s relationship with his daughter, and the ending in which Trevor’s connections all join him for Christmas delivers a sweet moment. With comedy legend Rowan Atkinson at the helm, this second outing is an easy-watching, fun and feelgood comedy caper. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 17 December 2025 The dystopian thriller might have ended, but its game show spin-off is back for another challenge. Once again, the set is almost an exact replica, with praise deserved for the production. Also, the majority of the contestants are again American, with a few British and Australian. This may seem unfair to South Korea and the rest of the world, though this is likely due to British production and language barriers. Like the first season, the series features a mix of games from the original, including Six-Legged Pentathlon and Mingle, interspersed with original games such as Catch, Slides & Ladders and Shuffleboard, plus more psychological twists of tests and votes. It is surprising how tense a game of catch can be to watch, while incorporating such a classic like snakes and ladders is a genius idea. Red Light Green Light also receives an exciting change as only the final four playing for the entire prize gives the game a whole new feel. Although sticking to the games of the original would be more accurate, the extra inclusions make for additional drama and suspense. Unfortunately, the show continues to bring out the worst in humanity. Some players are unnecessarily malicious whereas, on the other hand, some players are unnecessarily emotional. Both sides needed to remember that it is just a game but it is also every player for themselves. We were introduced to memorable players such as twin brothers and a father-daughter duo, all who went on to be eliminated, plus a brother-sister duo in which sister Perla went on to win. Despite the sad lack of human decency and dignity among some players, the games and challenges are undoubtedly both entertaining and suspenseful to watch. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 8 December 2025 Ant & Dec head down under once again for the silver anniversary series of the survival reality show. The celebrities this year were rapper Aitch, streamer Angryginge, television personality Jack Osbourne, EastEnders actress Shona McGarty, Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley, comedian Ruby Wax, Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp, radio presenter and former model Kelly Brook, sports presenter and former footballer Alex Scott, comedian Eddie Kadi, media personality Vogue Williams and Celebs Go Dating cast member Tom Read Wilson. This year was arguably the least entertaining of the post-covid era, with features being very much the same of what we’ve seen for many years before, offering no real variety. Being doused in cockroaches or eating sheep testicles no longer shocks anymore. However, there was one primary form of entertainment throughout: the banter-style rivalry of Aitch and Ginge. The two proud Manchester boys frequently attempted to outdo each other and, while Aitch plunged Ginge into darkness every time in a hilarious head-to-head trial, Ginge ultimately came out on top by winning their Rivals challenge which banished Aitch to Doomsville and claiming the top prize of King of the Jungle. Elsewhere, the Manc lads had fun with Lisa and looked up to Ruby, who reciprocated the cross-generational admiration. Aitch carried a soft spot for Shona, who came out of her shell as the series went on, while Tom (who struck up an unusual friendship with Ruby) kept both the camp and audience entertained with his impressive vocabulary. Jack was a machine when it came to trials and took charge with fire and food, drawing the slight ire of Kelly. Aitch and Ginge didn’t appreciate washing up duty, frustrating Vogue, while Kelly, Aitch and Ginge caused this year’s scandal by eating more than their fair share of the milk bottles! A highlight of the series was the challenge to get into The Jungle Arms in which they were given alter egos and had to memorise their new personas, thanks to some of the hilarious names they were given - here’s looking at you Keanu Hobbledink! While there were still a handful of entertaining and funny moments, the show is ultimately becoming stale, requiring some change to keep the show fresh. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 December 2022 The greatest film of the 80s is… anyone? Anyone? Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and here’s why. Before Christmas hit Home Alone landed on our screens, writer John Hughes produced a string of classics throughout the 80s such as The Breakfast Club and National Lampoon’s Vacation, though the one that would stand out from the rest is cult classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. First of all, the plot is simplistic genius. A teen feigns illness to bunk off school and has an action-packed day of thrills round the city of Chicago with his best friend and girlfriend in tow, all the while escaping the clutches of both his sister and the dean of students, who see through the rouse and are hellbent on catching him out. On his day off, the three dine at a French restaurant, visit an art gallery, attend a baseball game and join the crowd of a parade, in which Bueller jumps up on a float and performs. Throughout the day, the trio have several close encounters with Bueller’s father though are never caught by him, representative of how Ferris’ mischievousness always results in success, particularly his con of impersonating Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago, when he gets the upper hand over the maître d'. Casting played a significant part in the film’s success. Matthew Broderick is the perfect choice for the lead role as he delivers on portraying the charm and wit that Ferris possesses. It is these characteristics paired with an infectious likeability that make Ferris the coolest kid imaginable. Furthermore, Ben Stein’s monotonous performance as the economics teacher provides one of the funniest moments in the film. The roll-call scene and his lecture have led the dry call of “Bueller?” and “anyone?” to become etched in pop culture as a phrase to be used in moments of unresponsiveness. The shots of several bored students only aid the scene in being even more hilarious and closely relatable too. While the kids play truant, dean of students Ed Rooney sets about to catch Ferris out, only to suffer failure and misfortune. From the first moment of Cameron impersonating Sloane's father, it is clear Rooney’s determined mission is doomed to fail with comical results. As Sloane kisses Ferris under the disguise of her father, Rooney’s confused reaction is priceless. Later on, Rooney’s series of events at Ferris’ house is comedy gold as he loses his shoes in mud, is chased and attacked by the pet rottweiler, punched by Jeanie believing him to be a burglar and has his car towed. The film continues its comedy throughout the end credits too as the movie concludes with a worse for wear looking Rooney having to catch a ride on the school bus, sitting next to an off putting student while reading graffiti regarding himself. The Chicago setting for the film is visually stunning and makes the movie aesthetically pleasing with several incredible shots of the city. Hughes often filmed and set his films in Chicago where he lived from teenhood. Hughes said “Chicago is what I am”, calling the film his “love letter to the city”. Of the production, Hughes claimed “I really wanted to capture as much of Chicago as I could, not just the architecture and the landscape, but the spirit” and the spirit of the windy city is definitely felt across the movie. Landmarks such as the Sears Tower, Wrigley Field and the Art Institute of Chicago all feature as places visited by the teens and the cityscape shots as Ferris whizzes around in the ferrari are breathtaking. Additionally, Cameron’s futuristic house is as intriguing as it is stunning while Ferris’ house itself is rather impressive (although the exterior was shot in California). Arguably the funniest aspect of the film is the continuous gag about the extensive concern over Ferris’ health. This begins with students at the school discussing Ferris’ illness and conversing about what a hero he is, though soon diversifies across the city, almost following him around. As we follow his antics throughout the day, a sign reading Save Ferris is displayed on the baseball stadium and a newspaper article about the community rallying around the sick boy is printed in the newspaper his father reads in the taxi. The pinnacle of this running joke is the shots of excessive amounts of flowers and balloons at Ferris’ house. A flower delivery signed by the English department at the school arrives at the home, much to the frustration of Rooney, and a stripper dressed as a nurse turns up on the doorstep at the time Jeanie was hoping the police had arrived to rescue her from the assumed intruder. It is safe to say the ferrari owned by Cameron’s father also plays a big part in the film. It is the centrepiece of Cameron’s frustration over his father’s control and a root cause of his anxiety throughout the adventure. Ferris, a non-driver, taking the car for a ride that day is a defining moment that outlines his personality characterised by confidence and fearlessness. The expensive status of the vintage automobile is what causes such a reaction when Cameron damages the car before it crashes onto the ground below and what makes the valets taking the car for a joyride after promising to take such good care of it so side-splittingly funny. Finally, the film has a perfect ending in which Ferris runs across the neighbourhood in an attempt to arrive home on time before his parents do and catch him out, taking a shortcut through the backyards and almost getting run over by Jeanie with his oblivious mother in the passenger seat, over the iconic March of the Swivelheads. Rooney meets Ferris on his doorstep, revelling in finally catching him, before Jeanie decides to let him in in time to get in bed for his parents’ return. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is full of iconic moments and earns its status as a cult classic. It teaches us to embrace opportunity and chronicles the excitement life can offer. After all, life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 November 2025 Let’s get ready to jungle! Every November, those famous jungle drums can be heard, signalling the return of one of the biggest TV shows of the year. I’m a Celebrity is the king (or queen, it could be a queen) of the survival reality format, having been a mainstay of ITV since its 2002 inception. But why is it so popular? TV presenting royalty and national treasures Ant & Dec present live from the Australian jungle every morning (evening to the viewing public back in the UK) as a cast of celebrities spend three weeks down in camp, competing in gruelling trials and challenges to win food for the group. Now, Ant & Dec alone are reason enough to watch. The Geordie duo aren’t short of cheap gags and daring jibes as they deliver daily highlights of the past 24 hours. Their impressive adaptability to try their hand at various skills and demonstrate admirable talent is commendable and, while they don’t have to do anything too taxing on this show in comparison to the brilliantly chaotic Saturday Night Takeaway, the likeable nature and true friendship of the cheeky chappies makes for upbeat viewing that brings smiles to faces. The first episode of a new season generally takes place along the stunning Gold Coast, where the celebrities will have to make dramatic and treacherous entries into camp. This has been known to include walking along a balance beam suspended over the edge of a skyscraper rooftop, sky diving onto the beach and, albeit less thrilling, canoeing across a lake. 10 celebrities enter camp initially, with usually two late arrivals joining a few days later. In prior seasons, the campmates have been split into two camps for the first few days, with the more successful half living in the main camp known as Croc Creek and the less successful half down to true basics out in Snake Rock. The centrepiece of the series is the Bushtucker Trials. During each episode, the public vote for which campmate they want to do the next trial and it is then up to the celebrity with the most votes to take part to earn meals for camp. The trials typically involve some form of physical challenge while being accompanied by jungle creatures. These include mealworms, cockroaches, crickets, green ants, rats, toads, crabs, yabbies, eels, crocodiles, lizards, spiders and snakes. It is also not uncommon to see them encounter fish guts, offal and slime too. Some of the most severe trials include laying in a chamber of snakes or placing their head in a dome full of creepy crawlies. The celebrity makes their way across the bridge to the trial clearing, where some trials take place underground, some take place in water and some take place suspended in the air. Another form of bushtucker trial is the dreaded eating trial. This typically sees two celebrities have to consume sickening grub, such as insects, vomitfruit, fermented egg, fish eyes and various animal genitalia! And to paraphrase the presenters’ caution, as always, they don’t have to do it, though they will go back to camp empty-handed, and they can stop the trial at any time by saying the titular phrase. Later on for most days, two celebrities are selected to take part in a Deals on Wheels challenge (previously Dingo Dollar Challenge). This is a more fun yet tedious and time-consuming activity in which the celebrities can win dingo dollars which can then be exchanged for a small treat by visiting the hard-faced, unflinching Kiosk Kev. However, despite completing the challenge, the rest of the celebrities back at camp have to correctly answer a multiple-choice question asked by Kev over a call to the telephone box in order for the prize to be won. Even then, the treat is in limited quantity, but the slight taste of salt or sugar means it is well savoured and enjoyed still. There have also been times when the celebs have taken part in secret missions to win treats for camp. As for the other celebrities who aren’t out on trials and challenges, they spend most of their day in the camp. Roles are dished out by the camp leader and their deputy and include camp chefs, dish washers, water collectors, firewood collectors and dunny duty. The camp includes a treehouse for the leader and deputy to sleep in, with basic beds and hammocks for the rest. Around the campfire is a leader’s chair and wooden logs for the others to sit on. There is a cold waterfall shower to wash under and an equally cold pool to swim in. A hot bath is available, though this is powered by a bicycle that must be pedalled by another celebrity. The camp has previously included a jail for punishment, which does happen as the celebs are known to smuggle in contraband such as seasoning for the food. You can’t blame them though as, outside of their dinner, they are rationed on rice and beans. Interesting conversations often occur and, while there’s plenty of laughter and silliness, there’s also a few tears, especially when they receive their letters from home. The campmates mostly get along and support each other, though the show isn’t shy to the odd bit of conflict, usually over chores or a clash of opinion! In the third and final week, the public stop voting for who they want to do the trial and instead vote for who they want to keep in camp, as the celebrity with the least votes departs the show each day, getting interviewed by Ant & Dec before heading across the red carpeted bridge to be reunited with their loved ones. During this week, the remaining celebrities can win a fun night of karaoke, snacks and drinks at the Jungle Arms. In the penultimate episode, the final four, dressed in scantily-clad spandex clothing and coloured-co-ordinated capes, take part in Celebrity Cyclone, an epic slip ’n’ slide-style trial that features no nasty critters, just high-powered jets, foam, balls and wind. Another celebrity then departs to create the finalists, who each engage in one last tough trial to win a final meal of their choice. A vote then decides third place before one final public vote crowns the King or Queen of the Jungle!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 2 January 2025 After 14 years, everyone’s favourite cheese-loving inventor and his loyal canine companion are back for a new adventure, along with fiction’s greatest villain! The much-anticipated and long-awaited return sees Wallace invent a robotic garden gnome called Norbot, much to the disgruntlement of Gromit. However, things go awry when Feathers McGraw, the evil penguin from the 1993 special The Wrong Trousers, remotely hacks and manipulates the new invention from his cell, as we learn from a flashback that his punishment was imprisonment at a zoo. The storyline succeeds as the iconic duo race against time to stop Feathers and his army of robots from completing the mission they thwarted the first time: stealing the Blue Diamond. There is anticipation as we anxiously await the robot turning sinister, shock as we learn the valuable jewel was hidden by Feathers in Wallace’s teapot the whole time and action as the film culminates in a dangerous chase on an aqueduct. The comedy is strong too, most notably the hilarious way Norbot charges himself. There is also a genius nod to Feather’s chicken disguise from The Wrong Trousers as he once again dons the red rubber glove as headgear, which Wallace again falls for. Reece Shearsmith is brilliant voicing Norbot, while Peter Kay returns to bring his Boltonian tone to Chief Inspector Mackintosh, though it can’t be denied the strongest characters are the non-verbal ones. Also, credit is due for how the current and relevant concerns surrounding AI are addressed. Norbot may be handy and productive but lacks the personal element of human contribution which sees the gardening done in an efficient yet unsightly manner and allows him to be controlled by an evil handler.  Perhaps the greatest strength though is the impressive way thoughts and emotions are conveyed on the silent stop-motion characters. Examples of this included Feathers beaded with sweat as he attempts to access the computer whilst not waking the guard and his forlorn reaction to his failure as he rides off into Yorkshire. The second feature-length endeavour and sixth instalment overall, Vengeance Most Fowl is as strong as its predecessors, if not more so. Wallace & Gromit is a true British classic and deserves its critical acclaim that saw it crowned the second-most watched programme on Christmas Day. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 14 January 2025 In 2024, Charli XCX gave us a Brat summer, Taylor Swift delivered her new album The Tortured Poets Department and concluded her groundbreaking Eras tour, Dua Lipa brought us Radical Optimism, the follow-up to her incredible Future Nostalgia album and Sabrina Carpenter dominated the charts with Espresso and Please Please Please from her album Short n’ Sweet, yet it was American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan on everyone’s lips and in everyone’s ears, despite only releasing one song all year. So what is it about her? Well, there are two primary factors. Firstly, Roan has the unique ability to masterfully combine lyrics detailing 21st century life with music of 80s inspired synth, albeit with a more modern pop finish. Secondly, her only single of the year Good Luck, Babe garnered such incredible success that it kickstarted a chain of popularity with past songs from her 2023 debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Good Luck, Babe features some impressive vocals, particularly the falsetto on the chorus and the outcry of “I told you so!” Lyrically, it addresses a female suppressing and denying her homosexual feelings and, while not referring to Roan herself, could be linked to her queer identity. Shortly after, Hot to Go then appeared and could have been mistaken for a follow-up single as opposed to the previous release it is, in part due to the viral dance craze spelling out the phrase that emerged. There was also late success for songs such as Pink Pony Club and Red Wine Supernova, and with that Roan had dominated the pop music scene across the year. Regarded as a sleeper hit, it’s safe to say her debut album was overlooked at the time and so let’s take a retrospective look at the record which contains all these would-be future bops. Opening with strings and piano before giving way to whirring sounds and the revving of a motorbike to kickstart the catchy chorus, Femininomenon is something of a female empowerment anthem. After the bridge, the chorus introduces cowbell and then delivers a sped up version for some fun alterations too. Red Wine Supernova features acoustic guitar layered with a synth beat and contains some edgy lyrics on sexual liberation in a lesbian relationship whereas After Midnight is dance-based and utilises both rhythm guitar and bass. Coffee is a beautiful yet heartbreaking piano ballad that strips back the instrumentation to allow greater appreciation for the songwriting before Casual tells of a supposedly no-strings relationship despite all the emotional investment and history. Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl is an in-your-face hyperactive electropop banger with otherworldly background noises, Hot to Go goes heavy on the synth and excels for it, My Kink Is Karma sees Roan experience pleasure from revenge set to an electric drum beat and Picture You is a dreamy change in pace with a sinister angle. Kaleidoscope is another piano ballad, this time delicately detailing how love is like the titular item. Using such a beautiful simile and with such eloquent vocal control, this track is nothing short of a masterpiece. Next, Pink Pony Club opens to piano before branching into Roan’s trademark synth for a dance-pop banger detailing a Southern girl moving to West Hollywood to dance at a gay strip club much to the disapproval of her mother. The single is the earliest on the record dating back to 2020 and the music video sees a nervous Roan performing to a small group of bikers who later transform into dancers. Pink Pony Club is named after the narrator’s referral of herself as a “pink pony girl” which nicely ties into the song’s theme of liberation and the freedom to openly express oneself, whereas its B-side Naked in Manhattan talks of desire for physical contact and thrives from the falsetto on the chorus, particularly on the title. California is actually less than positive about the place where Roan’s dreams laid as she misses her home state of Missouri. Opening and closing on piano, the middle piece is met with marching drums as the track provides some different instrumentation. Last but certainly not least, Guilty Pleasure teases a slow close to the album before revealing itself as a fun synth-infused final track. In conclusion, this album has it all. A delicate balance of upbeat catchy pop wrapped up in energetic synth and slower, honest tracks. Innovative lyrics that are split between joyous, heart-wrenching and erotic. Themes of self-discovery, self-acceptance, love, sexuality, heartbreak and sadness. Bold and open storytelling. Impressive vocals that can hit the high notes perfectly. The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is easily one of the best pop albums of all time. This is not a review, but if it was, it would definitely score 10/10. Looking ahead, it’s been almost a year since her last release, so here’s hoping we’ll be getting some new music from Roan soon while she’s still hot in the limelight. With so much potential and talent, it would be interesting to see her experiment with new genres and sounds but whatever is next, we can be confident that we will be renewing our membership at the pink pony club. Chappell Roan is not just a midwest princess but a true pop princess!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 8 January 2024 Having wrapped up last summer, we take a look at the teen drama that broke Indian stereotypes. I binge watched the entire show around the time of its conclusion. I decided to give it a try after having been reluctant to watch it as I expected it to conform to the Indian stereotypes by portraying a standard Indian family immersed in Indian culture. I was surprised to find that the show did just the opposite, offering up a blend that reflected the multicultural life that the family embraced, as well as being both a funny yet wholesome drama series. However, to take a proper look at the series, it's best to break it down into the individual characters as they each inhibit their own storyline while interweaving into each other's too. The series follows Devi, an Indian-American high school student who attempts to improve her social status following her father’s death the year before. Devi is kindhearted and means well, though often gets into difficult situations and alienates people, usually as a result of her jealousy or unintentional selfishness getting the better of her. She is friends with the introverted Fabiola and aspiring actress Eleanor and finds herself torn between two love interests throughout the series: popular jock Paxton and her academic rival Ben. On top of this, she is processing her grief for her father with a therapist, has a difficult relationship with her mother, is desperately attempting to get accepted into her first choice university Princeton and struggles to balance her Indian heritage while fitting in with American culture. Both her friends and love interests each have their own issues and personal development that are explored too. Fabiola is coming to terms with being gay and struggles to come out. She later encourages girls to join the male-dominated robotics club and wants to go to Howard due to their robotics team despite her mother’s preference of Princeton. Eleanor is upset to learn that her overseas actress mother has actually been living locally for a while and hasn’t contacted her. After striking up a relationship, her mother abandons her again for a final shot at the limelight, which results in Eleanor giving up acting. She also navigates a rocky relationship with Paxton’s friend Trent, who himself has to deal with being held back a year and not graduating along with his friend. Progression is seen a lot through Paxton’s journey as well. Devi encourages Paxton to apologise to the girls he has treated poorly in the past and overall makes him a more caring person. She tutors him and he improves his grades, getting accepted into Arizona State University. However, he feels left out attending a new place where he is no longer widely regarded as cool and returns to high school as a swimming coach, where he finds his legacy has faded. Devi’s classroom rivalry with Ben evolves into a friendship after seeing a different, nicer side to him following an emotional episode centred on Ben’s loneliness that gives us an insight into his life. We learn that his rich parents are always away on business and he is often left alone feeling isolated. He also takes his schoolwork very seriously, pressuring himself to the point of illness at one stage. The lives of Devi’s family are also featured and the Indian representation is more prominent here. Devi’s mother Nalini is struggling with the loss of her husband and has to handle a rebellious Devi at the same time. She also attempts to have love again when opportunity knocks in the form of Dr Jackson, though feels guilty and struggles to pursue a relationship. Meanwhile, Devi’s live-in cousin Kamala is in a secret relationship as she is expected to marry a suitor in an arranged marriage. She also faces sexism while studying for her PhD and stands up to the group leader. On a family visit to India, Nalini discovers that Devi’s paternal grandmother Nirmala is lonely and she moves to America to live with the family. She develops a relationship with an American man named Len, who Kamala suspects of cheating. Character development is top notch, though it was Season 4 that earned the award for the way it perfectly ends the series as well as honouring a concluding show for how it changed Indian perception on TV. Each character’s story is rounded off well. Nirmala and Len get married after it is revealed Len wasn’t cheating, Kamala moves away for a job offer along with her eventual boyfriend Manish, Nalini begins a relationship with her contractor Andres, Paxton realises he enjoys helping people and goes back to Arizona State to study teaching, Fabiola enrols at Howard and Eleanor pursues directing with the help of Trent. So that leaves Devi and Ben. Devi is going to Princeton and Ben is going to an internship. At the end of the summer, it is Nirmala’s wedding, where Ben turns up and confesses his love for Devi. They have sex and agree to give a relationship a try as Devi will be in New Jersey and Ben will be in New York. Devi has also made progress with her therapy and mends the rift with her mum as Nalini tells Devi she is proud of her while packing for Princeton. It is difficult for a show to provide a satisfactory ending (look at Game of Thrones) but Never Have I Ever does it brilliantly. It delicately tells of all these character’s journeys with a balanced mix of drama and comedy, all the while dismantling Indian stereotypes.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 6 November 2025 Everyone’s favourite detective trio are back to solve the latest murder in the building. While the ‘murders’ are still very much a key part of the plot, the ‘building’ is also a major point of focus this season, which is a positive move that ties in nicely with the title of the series. First of all, the victim is Lester, the Arconia’s friendly long-term doorman who therefore had a strong connection to the building. Furthermore, the main location is the secret underground casino. Also, the latter part of the season sees the residents attempt to save the building from being developed. Then, in the final moments, the characters deliberate over what defines ‘in’ the building as Cinda Canning dies at the gates of the Arconia, setting up the sixth season. A highlight of this season is the second episode, which is primarily a flashback covering Lester’s career at the Arconia from his younger days to his death. While providing a backstory for him, it also reveals his initial involvement with the mob and how he was taught by his predecessor to discreetly admit visitors to the games room. Once again, the series introduces some eccentric characters as suspects, this time in the form of three suspicious billionaires. Their involvement remains compellingly mysterious throughout and are a strong addition to the season’s cast. Another highlight is the rare moment of seriousness we see from Oliver. He explains to Loretta that the theatre was an escape for him during childhood but he never got to have his starring moment, which he finally performs in a truly sweet moment. The ending which reveals the killer and what happened that night concludes another solid murder mystery but this is only a small part of what is an enjoyable season. The comedy may feel slapstick and so many unrelated murders occurring in the same place may be unrealistic, but, setting that aside, Season 5 is one of the best entries of the Hulu comedy drama. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 1 November 2025 Florence + the Machine present a spooky release in time for Halloween. Billed as indie rock but with their own unique sound thanks to the inclusion of piano, strings, harp and the unmistakable vocals of Welch, the band this time lean into themes of witchcraft and mysticism, creating a much darker feel. Inspired by life-saving surgery that Welch underwent, these themes are cohesive and heard throughout the tracklist, making it feel like a concept album. The titular lead single opens the record, beginning with orchestral music matched with choral vocals. As the drums kick in, screams can be heard in the background. The verses are chilling in themselves but the instrumentation turns heavier on the chorus to make it one of the group’s most creative pieces and stand out as the highlight of the album. Second single One of the Greats is an epic and lengthy composition, placing guitar as the central instrument and featuring an impassioned bridge. Buckle is an acoustic offering, while The Old Religion feels spiritual. Drink Deep is truly sinister, with a continuous drum beat that creates imagery of a victim being led into a ritualistic sacrifice, whereas Music by Men is haunting in its own way thanks to its sad chords. Although this new approach doesn’t stay exciting the whole way through, the album is certainly innovative and experimental while still maintaining the undeniable talent of the band. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 October 2025 Kristen Bell and Adam Brody return as the couple in a relationship that nobody wants. The second season sees Joanne and Noah continuing their relationship that is still hindered by the uncertainty regarding Joanne’s conversion to Judaism. Meanwhile, Morgan enters into a new relationship with her therapist, while Sasha and Esther experience marital troubles. The show continues to portray Jewish culture and people in a highly negative light. Bina continues to disapprove of Joanne and Noah’s relationship, but this time it is mainly Noah himself who struggles to accept that Joanne may never convert and his nice-guy persona begins to slip as he refuses to move in with Joanne and they even break up as he cannot accept this possibility. Once again, Joanne is accepting of Noah’s Jewish community yet Noah can’t accept Joanne’s agnostic nature in return. Last season saw Sasha, at the helm of his strict wife Esther, befriend Joanne’s more free-spirited sister Morgan, positioning viewers to root for them. However, this season further presents Morgan as self-absorbed, blunt and rude, which is nicely highlighted by Lenny at the dinner party when he rejects her for it. Therefore, Sasha, being a kindhearted buffoon, deserves someone nicer than Morgan. Despite this, Esther is actually a good character now, though ultimately splits with Sasha, unfortunately paving the way for Sasha and Morgan to get together. Furthermore, across all the couples, characters are seen to overreact to minor things about their partners, trivialising their relationships. Additionally, Lynn’s sudden revelation that she is Jewish is ridiculous and Henry speaking inappropriately about his own love life is annoying. There are less comedic moments than in the previous season, but luckily there is still some comic relief in Sasha, the underrated shining star of the series, particularly his British impression. However, it is also nice to see a bit of seriousness from him too as he is upset Esther is unaware he has been taking jiu-jitsu classes. In the final moments, Noah concludes that Joanne’s decision on conversion doesn’t matter to him (even though it clearly does!) and Joanne realises she is Jewish, highlighting that Noah has inflicted his way of life on to her and stripped her of her own prior personal beliefs in what feels uncomfortably close to indoctrination. If Noah couldn’t accept that Joanne is not Jewish, then they shouldn’t be together! Viewers should join the characters in agreeing that nobody wants this! 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 15 October 2025 Jude Law and Jason Bateman are the big stars leading on this Netflix crime thriller. Jake Friedken runs the successful Black Rabbit restaurant and is preparing to expand with a second hotspot, but his swanky life is turned on its head when his erratic brother Vince brings trouble to his door, owing dangerous and violent loan sharks. The series is both aesthetically and tonally dark and the first four episodes are relatively slow and boring. Jake and Vince primarily communicate with explicit language and cocaine use is presented as perfectly normal behaviour. However, the pace picks up dramatically from the robbery onwards. The armed heist is watched in a new light compared to the flashforward at the start of the series, now knowing that Junior and Vince are the masked robbers and is quite eventful as it results in multiple casualties including two deaths. Furthermore, Vince on the run being hunted by Mancuso as the news of Wes’ death breaks is particularly thrilling and makes for tense viewing. The ending is a powerful one as Vince confesses all to police before throwing himself from the roof of the Rabbit, a death all the more devastating as he falls so nonchalantly as Jake watches in stunned horror. It feels pointless that Jake and Vince put so much effort into saving Vince from being killed, only to then kill himself in the end. Apart from Jules who is rightfully arrested, it is debatable whether the rest of the characters get the ending they deserved too. Strong performances from Law and Bateman drive the sinister and serious feel of the series. A gripping second half awaits for anyone who has patience with the lacking first half. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 7 October 2025 Let him entertain you! Starting at the age of 16, Williams has gone from the so-called “fat dancer from Take That” to solo superstardom. While the boyband may be the chilled 90s music your mum listens to, the Stoke-born singer broke free some three decades ago and created his own image as a pop rock legend. As he prepares to release his thirteenth album, we take a look back at the solo career of one of Britain’s biggest stars. Williams’ debut single was a cover of George Michael’s Freedom in 1996 before releasing debut album Life Thru a Lens in 1997. Singles Old Before I Die, Lazy Days and South of the Border demonstrate how the record was largely inspired and defined by the Britpop sound of the 90s era, with grunge-esque production and whiny vocals. However, it also contained what would become one of the most famous songs of all time: Angels. The emotional ballad was a change in sound to the rest of the tracklist, with a reduction in pace and less reliance on guitar. In association with themes of death, afterlife and remembrance, its universal relatability was the key to its success, with millions establishing different personal meanings and attachments to the anthem. Finally, Let Me Entertain You also inhabits its own style, leaning more into glam rock with fast-paced instrumentation, Kiss-inspired aesthetics and fun lyrics full of double entendres. Follow-up I’ve Been Expecting You, released in 1998, features the glitzy and glamorous Millenium, the partly acoustic Strong and the darkly sinister No Regrets. Meanwhile, piano ballad She’s the One is actually a cover that outperformed the original and served as a double A-side with FIFA 2000 soundtrack It’s Only Us. Third album Sing When You’re Winning was released in 2000 and would see Williams really come into his own here, ditching the now-dead Britpop and welcoming the post-millennial pop rock sound. The record would birth the feelgood anthem Rock DJ, accompanied by its graphic music video. Kids is a heavy duet with Kylie Minogue, Supreme incorporates sampled strings and Let Love Be Your Energy is epic from its opening beats, with the inspirational titular message as its heartbeat. Slow ballad Eternity spotlights Williams’ more emotional side, while its other A-side The Road to Mandalay, a simplistic tune, closes the album. He released the swing album Swing When You’re Winning the following year in 2001, containing original song I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen and a duet with Nicole Kidman on Somethin’ Stupid. In 2002, fifth album Escapology was released. Lead single Feel opens on delicate piano, while its guitars usher in an enchanting melody. Come Undone tells of the downside of fame and cocaine withdrawals, while its controversial music video depicts a hedonistic lifestyle, notably Williams engaging in three-way sex. Something Beautiful is much more innocent with its playful keys and trumpet, while Sexed Up is an emotional acoustic offering. Williams’ first greatest hits compilation was released in 2004, containing two new songs. Radio is energetic, heavy and fast-paced whereas Misunderstood is much slower and contains harmonica. Intensive Care is the sixth album, released in 2005. Lead single Tripping is an innovative track described by Williams as “something like a mini gangster opera” in which he reaches falsetto on the chorus, whereas Make Me Pure is an acoustic track. Advertising Space is a ballad which sees Williams emulate Elvis Presley and Sin Sin Sin is a joyous offering of liberation that feels somewhat like a 00s sequel to Pet Shop Boys’ It’s a Sin. Rudebox was released just one year later in 2006 as his seventh album. Featuring a mix of original songs and covers, the record would lean more into dance and, despite relative success, marks a flop in quality. The title track is primarily a rap from Williams, which isn’t his forte, and contains several cultural references, while the most successful of the covers is the electronic Mark Ronson-produced Lovelight. Elsewhere, She’s Madonna is an ode to the singer and features the Pet Shop Boys. While a lot of the music has aged poorly, some tracks can still be enjoyed on face value, though there is an underlying novelty effect among them. Reality Killed the Video Star is his eighth album, released in 2009, and marks a return to form with his pop rock sound. Opening track Morning Sun features harmonica and was influenced by the death of Michael Jackson, lead single Bodies tackles self-confidence and religion with a desert-set music video and You Know Me is a more smooth offering and has an Alice in Wonderland inspired MV. In 2010, Williams reunited with Take That for a new album and embarked on the groundbreaking Progress tour as well as releasing Shame, an acoustic duet with Gary Barlow focusing on their troubled relationship, and another new song Heart and I on his second greatest hits compilation. After then leaving his boyhood band for the second time, Williams released ninth album Take the Crown in 2012. Lead single Candy leans into pop and the joyous track was commercially successful. Other singles include baroque pop song Different and pop rock track fused with synth and saxophone Be A Boy. The following year, he released a second swing album Swings Both Ways in 2013. It contained a mix of covers and original songs (notably Go Gentle) and featured many duets with existing stars. Eleventh album The Heavy Entertainment Show came in 2016. Lead single Party Like a Russian comments on the partygoing lifestyle of Russian oligarchs and incorporates strings so its sound compares with its subject, while Mixed Signals is written by The Killers, which shines through in its production. Following a turbulous career marred by drug abuse and mental health issues, Williams’ life became more settled with support from his wife Ayda Field and this is reflected in the single Love My Life. His most recent studio album was in 2019 with The Christmas Present, a festive album again featuring a mix of covers and original songs with many duets thrown in and headed by the lead single Time for Change. During the interim between then and now, Williams released XXV in 2022, featuring reworkings of his greatest hits to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his debut album and in 2024, a biopic of his life called Better Man premiered, with Williams portrayed as a motion captured chimpanzee, a bizarre reference to feeling like an outsider. Williams’ upcoming thirteenth album is called Britpop in relation to the subculture in which he began his solo career. We’ve heard a trickle of singles from it but, however the final product may sound, rest assured Robbie Williams is already one of the most successful solo acts to grace the British music scene in general!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 3 October 2025 Andrew Lincoln and Ewen Bremner star in this gripping ITV thriller. Traumatised by a violent incident at a playground, stay at home father John moves with his wife Fiona and children to the idyllic Scottish village of Coldwater to start anew, but soon finds himself trapped in the sinister orbit of his outlandish neighbour. Lincoln conveys the vulnerability and sensitivity of John well, while Bremner is chilling as the psychotic Tommy, delivering such a compelling performance as he fluctuates between his innocent God-fearing facade and his deranged sadistic true self. The unpredictability of the series drives the narrative, even once it becomes apparent it's a battle between the two households as every time they both meet is a tense and uncomfortable exchange, making for proper edge-of-your-seat viewing. Highlights include the confrontation in the garden with the hot tub, the dinner party and the final showdown between John and Tommy. The ending is bittersweet as, while the truth prevails and Tommy is revealed as a serial killer, justice is ultimately not delivered as it ends with Tommy on the run and Rebecca unexposed, profiled as a victim rather than an accomplice. As a couple asides, there is hauntingly some truth in Tommy’s final words as John’s involvement with him did take him from a broken shell of a man to a more confident figure, posing the psychoanalytical question: did Tommy truly like John right up to the end? Furthermore, in the aftermath interview, John is dubbed as simply the husband of a food writer in what is perhaps a commentary on masculinity? Despite Tommy and Rebecca evading their comeuppance, Coldwater is a truly thrilling watch and far outperforms that expected of an ITV production. 8/10