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Published by Mason Oldridge, 13 September 2023 The vacation friends are back in this sequel to the Hulu original for more madness and mayhem. The film opens with Marcus and Emily reuniting with Ron and Kyla for a trip to the Caribbean, along with Maurillio to look after baby Marcus. The exotic holiday is dominated by Marcus’ business meeting and the arrival of Kyla’s criminal father, played by Steve Buscemi, with both of these driving the plot. Once again, it is John Cena who leads the comedy in the movie, which is similar in tone to the first, though perhaps has less funny moments. While it is nice to see the two couples getting along, it may be the comedy stemming from Marcus’ frustration at Ron that this sequel is missing. Furthermore, Buscemi’s character only introduces a villain to the story without providing even a smirk. However, Maurillio’s increased role offers up some laughs as he ends up babysitting another child after mistaking the encounter for a date. All in all, this comedy sequel is easy watching but nothing hilarious, much like its predecessor. 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, 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, 1 June 2023 Netflix’s new teen comedy drama is both heartwarming and heartwrenching, tackling love, deceit, sexuality and family. A spin-off of the To All the Boys film trilogy, the series follows Korean American student and self-proclaimed matchmaker Kitty Song Covey as she travels to South Korea, where she has enrolled in the KISS school to meet her long-distance boyfriend Dae as well as learn about her late mother, who was also a student there. However, upon arrival she is stunned to find that Dae is in a relationship with fellow student Yuri. This initial setup provides the show with a full season of drama. Dae’s fake relationship with Yuri, Kitty falling in love with Yuri, Q and Florian’s relationship, Yuri hiding her sexuality, Min Ho’s hilarious love-hate relationship with Kitty and the history surrounding Alex’s birth parents all contribute towards the interweaving storylines that leave viewers clueless as to where the story is going and how it will end. Love forms the primary concept as Dae and Yuri’s fake relationship and Kitty’s feelings for Yuri sees the creation of a truly complex love triangle. While it is sad to see Kitty’s heart get broken, it is equally as nice to see her develop many bonds with her fellow students and teachers. Anna Cathcart steps up to the plate in the titular role from Kitty’s excitement to meet Dae and find out about her mother’s history to her heartbreak at discovering Dae’s relationship with Yuri and her confusion about her sexuality. The finale leaves a lot of loose ends that will hopefully be tied up in a second season, particularly Kitty’s future at KISS and Kitty’s relationship status following Min Ho’s confession on the plane. There may be no major shocks in the series but XO, Kitty provides a delicate balance of drama and humour while sensitively touching upon difficult subjects too, seeing it excel on its own merit away from the films it arose from. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 13 January 2023 Italian rock band Måneskin release their third studio album amidst their Loud Kids Tour, following on from their international success after winning Eurovision 2021. David represents the voice of Gen Z with topics on sex and debauchery, as well as infatuation- heard on single Supermodel, loss- on the incredible closing ballad The Loneliest and war- on the track Gasoline, supporting Ukraine following Russia’s invasion. The quartet also bring new experimentation as promised with the new release, such as vocal distortion on opening track Own My Mind, which sets the energy for the rest of the album, sarcastic hatred on Bla Bla Bla and punk vocals on Kool Kids. We are also treated to three new Italian-language songs. Arguably the most romantic language in the world, these highlight David’s gravely vocals and incredibly skilled voice control. Not only does Damiano David have the charm and charisma of an excellent frontman but he is the best vocalist of a generation. With too many amazing songs to single any out, I don’t know what needs to be released this year for this to not be the best album of 2023. 10/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 8 May 2026 Good evening Europe! It’s May, which can only mean one thing… it’s Eurovision season! Eurovision Song Contest is a European international music competition, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and held annually since 1956. It is broadcast on the pan-European Eurovision network and watched by around 200 million viewers. Some of the most famous artists to feature in the contest include ABBA, Celine Dion, Bucks Fizz, Cliff Richard and two-time winner Johnny Logan. However, this article will focus purely on modern Eurovision of the last 20 years. So how does it work? Each member country sends an artist as their representative with an original song. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain and Italy make up the Big Five (the five highest financial contributors to the competition) who, along with last year’s winning country, automatically qualify for the Grand Final. The rest of the participating countries are split into two groups, with each group performing at one of the two semi-finals held earlier in the week on Tuesday and Thursday, and 10 entries from each semi-final progress to the Grand Final. The winner generally hosts the following year’s contest. The Grand Final is an approximately four-hour long musical extravaganza and the single biggest event in the entertainment calendar. The final opens with an opening act, followed by the flag parade. The finalists, of which there are usually 26, then perform in a pre-determined running order intended to space out different song styles. When all acts have performed, the vote opens, as the hosts announce with the catchphrase “Europe, start voting now!” During the voting, interval acts perform. These are typically last year’s winner, previous entries, entries from the host country and music that celebrates the host country’s culture. During this point, one host will often visit the green room (the space in which the finalists and their delegation congregate whilst not performing) and check in with them. National flags, pride and enthusiasm are in full swing in this area and indeed around the rest of the arena. When voting closes and the votes have been counted and verified, the executive producer gives the go ahead for the results sequence. The results come equally from a jury vote made up of music professionals and a public televote. The hosts then go to each competing country’s designated spokesperson live from their country via webcam, who announce their country’s jury votes. The results work on a points system, with the top ten receiving 12, 10, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 points, respectively. “Douze points” and “nul points” are common catchphrases used to refer to the maximum 12 points and the minimum 0 points, respectively. The hosts then announce the televote points, but each finalist is given their total televote points at once, starting with the country with the least jury points and working up. This replaced the old points system, where the winning country could be mathematically revealed earlier on, making for a more exciting results sequence. Once the winner is announced, they receive their trophy and perform their song again. Eurovision can always promise a wide array of genres at the contest, with pop being the frontrunner as a catchy hit is most likely to get stuck in heads and become favourites, for example Netta’s Toy (Israel 2018), Keiino’s Spirit in the Sky (Norway 2019) and Sam Ryder’s Space Man (United Kingdom 2022). Specifically female pop shines through too and can be seen as a display of feminine empowerment with Destiny’s Je me casse (Malta 2021), Stefania’s Last Dance (Greece 2021), Efendi’s Mata Hari (Azerbaijan 2021), Chanel’s SloMo (Spain 2022), Noa Kirel’s Unicorn (Israel 2023), Alessandra’s Queen of Kings (Norway 2023), Blanka’s Solo (Poland 2023) and Miriana Conte’s Serving (Malta 2025). Ballads are powerful and emotional so it should come as no surprise that they frequently appear on the Eurovision roster. Prime examples are Duncan Laurence’s Arcade (Netherlands 2019), Barbara Pravi’s Voilà (France 2021), Gjon’s Tears’ Tout l'univers (Switzerland 2021) and Slimane’s Mon amour (France 2024). Electronic and dance music is also popular, I mean, Eurovision is one big party after all. This includes Daði Freyr’s Think About Things and 10 Years (Iceland 2020/2021), The Roop’s On Fire and Discoteque (Lithuania 2020/2021), Käärijä’s Cha Cha Cha (Finland 2023), Baby Lasagna’s Rim Tim Tagi Dim (Croatia 2024) and Abor & Tynna’s Baller (Germany 2025). Sometimes, the electronic genre turns darker, such as Hatari’s Hatrið mun sigra (Iceland 2019), Luke Black’s Samo mi se spava (Serbia 2023) and Bambie Thug’s Doomsday Blue (Ireland 2024). Eurovision can always guarantee a novelty act as a staple of the contest. Arguably, the most famous example is Verka Serduchka’s Dancing Lasha Tumbai (Ukraine 2007). Little Big’s Uno (Russia 2020) proved popular before the contest was cancelled, as well as Subwolfer’s Give That Wolf a Banana (Norway 2022), Teya and Salena’s Who the Hell Is Edgar? (Austria 2023), Tommy Cash’s Espresso Macchiato (Estonia 2025) and KAJ’s Bara bada bastu (Sweden 2025). Rock is a less common genre heard at Eurovision, though has enjoyed some success at the event, most notably Måneskin’s Zitti e buoni (Italy 2021). Other examples include Blind Channel’s Dark Side (Finland 2021), The Rasmus’ Jezebel (Finland 2022), Voyager’s Promise (Australia 2023) and Lord of the Lost’s Blood & Glitter (Germany 2023). Where English language was once dominant, countries have reverted back to performing in their native tongue again, as well as honouring their nation’s musical heritage, such as Go_A’s Shum (Ukraine 2021), Konstrakta’s In corpore sano (Serbia 2022) and Ladaniva’s Jako (Armenia 2024). Spain, Italy and Albania regularly incorporate their own country’s sound into their entries. Although songs must refrain from being politically influenced, entries have been linked to war before, such as Jamala’s 1944 (Ukraine 2017) and Kalush Orchestra’s Stefania (Ukraine 2022). Winning Eurovision is one of the biggest titles that can be won in the music world but particularly notable winners include Lordi with Hard Rock Hallelujah (Finland 2006) for their monster aesthetic, Alexander Rybak with Fairytale (Norway 2009) for being the highest scoring winner under the old voting system, Loreen with Euphoria and Tattoo (Sweden 2012/2023) for doing the double and Conchita Wurst with Rise Like a Phoenix (Austria 2014) for appearing as a bearded lady. Innovative staging is key to catching eyes on the stage, as evident with Måns Zelmerlöw, who interacted with animated robots during Heroes (Sweden 2015), fan favourite Sergey Lazarev during You Are The Only One (Russia 2016), Kate Miller-Heidke, who appeared on a large swaying pole during Zero Gravity (Australia 2019), Rosa Linn, who performed in a paper house during Snap (Armenia 2022), Nemo, who performed on a rotating and seesawing disc during The Code (Switzerland 2024), and JJ, whose performance mimicked a tempest storm during Wasted Love (Austria 2025). With the 2026 contest fast approaching, there’s only one thing left to say: let the Eurovision Song Contest begin!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 21 April 2026 I Swear is a biographical drama film based on the life of tourettes sufferer and activist John Davidson. He has starred in the QED documentaries John’s Not Mad (1989), The Boy Can’t Help It (2002) and Tourettes: I Swear I Can’t Help It (2009). The film was released in October 2025 but encountered renewed interest a couple of months ago following an incident surrounding Davidson at the 2026 BAFTAs. Here, we take a look at the groundbreaking film. First of all, Scott Ellis Watson deserves the utmost praise for his portrayal of a younger John in the earlier scenes depicting his childhood in which the condition starts. He starts ticcing at home, messing up his chance of being scouted as a goalkeeper and leading to his father walking out on the family, and starts ticcing at school too, resulting in multiple whippings from his headteacher, getting into a fight and being expelled from school. This all culminates in a suicide attempt by walking into a river, but he is rescued. The heart breaks for the poor boy, who endured terrible suffering, particularly at the hands of his own confusion and others’ ignorance. I was stunned to find this now well-known condition was virtually unrecognised back in the 80s. The film then jumps to John at age 25, now portrayed by Robert Aramayo, who delivers a standout performance throughout. He lives with his mother Heather (Shirley Henderson), who struggles to understand and cope with his condition, and is medicated. The film fluctuates between heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes and the first of the more positive chapters comes when John’s friend Murray invites him round and Murray’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake), a former mental health nurse dying of cancer who understands John’s condition, invites him to live with them permanently. She encourages him to come off his medication and tells him to never apologise for his ticcing as he cannot help it. The most heartwrenching moment is when John goes to eat on the floor in front of the fireplace, something his mother used to make him do after spitting. Watching Dottie support John results in one thought: what a remarkable woman she is. However, as John celebrates his new life, the happiness is short-lived as he and Murray go out to a nightclub, where John becomes involved in a brawl when a tic causes him to accidentally hit someone and he is arrested. A more upbeat scene then counteracts this as Dottie gets John a job interview at the local community centre, in which elderly caretaker Tommy (Peter Mullan) is kind to him, and he gets the job. The job interview is a particularly touching scene as, when John asks if the tourettes will be an issue, Tommy pretends to not know what John is talking about, showing it won’t be a problem for him. More good news then arrives as it turns out Dottie was misdiagnosed and her growth is benign. The mood then takes a dark turn though as John accidentally insults a woman while out getting a takeaway and is beaten up by two thugs and cries to Dottie in hospital in a rather heavy scene. John settles well into his job with Tommy and they discuss how the problem is not with John’s tourettes but the lack of awareness of the condition. Tommy also supports John in court after his outbursts lead him to be removed from the stand in a strong show of solidarity. Unfortunately, John soon after finds Tommy dead in his house; he is surprised when he is offered Tommy’s job. Dottie tries to help John become more independent and encourages him to find his own place to live. He gets a flat but so-called friends take advantage of him, using him unwittingly as a drug runner. He is arrested but the drugs turn out to be fake, used as a test run, and he returns to live with Dottie. This serves to prove that tourettes sufferers can be exploited too. John is approached by the parents of a young girl with tourettes and is able to talk to her openly about the condition from the perspective of someone who truly understands it. John then goes on to dedicate himself to raising awareness of the condition, giving tourettes workshops at the community centre and talks at schools and police stations, and is eventually made an MBE by the Queen for his activism. John is later contacted to be a test subject for a new medical device to help with the condition by the University of Nottingham. In an emotive scene, the device allows him to calmly visit the campus library and he finds newfound confidence talking to a woman on the train home. The film then ends with hard-hitting written words appearing on the screen about tourettes awareness. One of the things the film does perfectly is balance the difficulties of the condition with finding a light-hearted humorous side to it. The jokes were told really tastefully and managed with sensitivity. These include John revealing his hand during a card game, John painting his face while decorating his new room, John and Lucy both having a ticcing episode while Lucy’s parents concernedly look on and John proclaiming “fuck the Queen” at Holyrood Palace. Let’s address the elephant in the room: the incident at the BAFTAs. The real John Davidson was in attendance and shouted the N word while black actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage. Presenter Alan Cummings apologised for the strong language but referenced the incident being caused by tourettes and Davidson left voluntarily, yet black actors Jamie Foxx and Wendell Pierce criticised the incident, with Foxx even accusing Davidson of his utterance being intentional. Despite this, Aramayo went on to win Best Actor in a Leading Role. John Davidson is nothing short of a legend, having done more to raise awareness, going as far as transforming the perception of a condition, than many others have and I would suggest to Foxx, Pierce and any other ignorant individual to watch this film and educate yourself! I Swear is one of the most incredibly powerful films of all time, so emotional in a bittersweet manner, and handles tourettes in such a delicate manner that it could even be shown as an educational video in schools. Spunk for milk!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 5 May 2026 Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy co-creates, co-produces and leads the cast on Netflix’s new crime comedy series. It follows dysfunctional siblings Nicky and Morgan as they find themselves in the world of organised crime after Morgan steals a necklace with more significance than she initially realised. A good first impression is gotten during the shenanigans retrieving the necklace. A continuously snowballing situation is always a winning formula and this is exactly what happens when Nicky resorts to grave robbing his own grandmother. The series is pleasingly fast-paced, consistently progressing as the siblings fall deeper and deeper into a dangerous world. Furthermore, the comedy is of significant quality, notably when everyone believes that Nicky’s fake mugging was a homophobic hate crime. The acting also proves to be strong, with particular praise to Levy for his balance of humour and emotion and Laurie Metcalf for her brilliantly funny mothering role. The comedy gives way to drama as the plot thickens and the seriousness escalates with an action-packed ending courtesy of the unexpected group shooting on the yacht. This is followed by the thrilling final twist in which it is revealed that Annette is the top boss in charge of the Italians, which perfectly ties the seemingly somewhat separate subplots of Morgan’s turbulent relationship with Max and Linda’s mayoral campaign with Natalie all together. The series ends with Nicky and Morgan fearing what they have gotten themselves involved in, similar to the ending of the first season of Breaking Bad. It also offers much potential for a future season too. Although not the most original premise, the series delivers on plot, pacing, comedy and acting, making for an overall easy-watching yet eventful hit. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 29 April 2026 The gang are back at KISS for senior year in this third season of the Seoul-based teen romcom. Kitty and Min-Ho begin a relationship but it’s not without its trials and tribulations. Q and Jin’s relationship is also tested when Q’s first love Marius arrives, stirring up trouble across the friendship group. Elsewhere, Yuri adjusts to no longer being rich, Dae pursues Eunice and Kitty’s cousin Jiwon starts teaching at KISS. Eunice’s pregnancy scare proves to be the catalyst in Kitty and Min-Ho’s relationship when Kitty assumes Min-Ho is the father. However, this later expands beyond just their storyline as, while Eunice is not pregnant, the positive pregnancy test is revealed to be Jiwon’s, who is in love with Alex, her baby’s father. Jiwon is unnecessarily harsh to Kitty despite being cousins but at least acknowledges this when the truth exposes her as a hypocrite and the situation creates a heartwarming moment between Alex and Professor Lee. The highlights are Episode 4 as the gang enjoy a fun-filled day out at Lotte World in which a softer vulnerable side to Marius is shown and Episode 9 as the friends rally together to support Yuri’s new fashion show. The season concludes with Kitty’s 18th birthday, which culminates in Min-Ho doing a cliched chase to the subway to confess his love for her before she leaves for America on break. Nevertheless, the scene is still emotive and sees a third successive season end with Kitty and Min-Ho embarking on some sort of travel together. Kitty is a self-proclaimed matchmaker and originally came to KISS to find love and relive her mum’s experience, all of which continues to happen in this third season, as she sets up Jiwon and Alex and pieces her friendship group back together, finds love with Min-Ho and attempts to recreate a photo with Yuri of their mums on a rollercoaster in a particularly sweet moment. Also, Kitty visits Lara Jean and vice versa in this season, which is a nice link to the original film series too. Three seasons in and the series has established a tight-knit friendship group that we have grown to love, all the while progressing interweaving storylines, elevating this season slightly above the prior two. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 April 2026 Samara Weaving is back as the badass bride, this time with her estranged sister (Kathryn Newton) in tow as she is once again hunted by a group of wealthy individuals in this horror sequel. It picks up immediately where the first film left off. Grace learns from The Lawyer (Elijah Wood) that surviving the Le Domas family triggered a clause which results in the heads of elite families, who form The Council, hunting her in another Satan-worshipping ritual, with the winner becoming the High Seat and earning a powerful ring. Again, she must make it to dawn. The hunt itself is rather similar to the first one, except this time Grace is handcuffed to her sister Faith. Initially proving a challenge, they manage to break the cuffs and form somewhat of a double team. Surprisingly, Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as one of the ruthless family heads hunting them down. It is satisfying to see the arrogant family members, who are heartlessly watching the game, panic as Grace and Faith perform better than they expected and realise they may have to join the game themselves when their relatives meet their demise. The highlight of the first film was the twist ending in which the Le Domas family realise that the ritual is real as they explode one by one. Obviously, this couldn’t come as a surprise this time, but instead excels with its own unexpected ending. Grace accepts a loophole in which she survives by marrying Titus, the sadistic head of the Danforth family. In a truly kickass scene, Grace repeatedly stabs him to death, therefore becoming the High Seat, denounces herself from the role and throws the ring into the sacrificial pit. All the attendees then jump in, fighting for the ring, and, when no-one is the winner at dawn, they all explode in an almighty bloodbath. Freed, Grace and Faith leave with a sacrificial goat, which makes for a nice touch. With another thrilling hunt and such an epic finale that sees Grace’s strong female character evolve into an iconic heroine, this sequel outperforms the first film and is totally compelling to watch. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 24 April 2026 Oliver Tree maintains his hip-hop sound, albeit this time things get a lot heavier, on his fourth album. My Only Friend opens the record with acoustic guitar, while I Need You turns punk-like towards the end with disc scratching and screamo vocals. Glow On is more upbeat and features whistling, whereas Hey Shorty contains heavy distorted bass placed over a trap beat. Fuck The Whole World includes a sick guitar riff before Superhero earns its role as lead single. Crazy arrives out of leftfield with its glitchy electronic sounds, as does Someone Else set to a truly epic dance beat, and Flowers contrasts happy music with violent lyrics. However, Joyride has to be the highlight. This high-energy single adopts a drum and bass backing with rap verses. Tree utilises and builds upon his unique sound. There may not be a whole lot of variations between tracks but there is not one bad song across the tracklist which, given the album contains a lengthy 17 tracks, is no mean feat. As sole producer, Tree demonstrates an undeniable talent on this album that you can rock out to. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 10 June 2022 Foals once again prove why they are at the top of the indie game right now with their new upbeat album Life Is Yours. The funk-infused seventh effort opens with the title track which delivers the positive message “life is yours, break away”. An awesome launch to the album, the track stands out as a highlight instantly, where lead single Wake Me Up does exactly what it says on the tin, with blaring rhythm from start to finish, aided by Yannis’ energetic vocals. 2am is lyrically darker, telling of a night out in which you’re desperate to meet someone and not sleep alone that night. This second single focuses on social anxiety within millennials, a popular theme of contemporary music right now, and has earned well-deserved frequent airplay on Radio 1. Furthermore, 2001 is another strong single that holds up. What then follows is a set of songs which, despite lacking variety between each other, are all still epic, culminating in Wild Green, which is somewhat dreamy, touching upon the psychedelic elements of Tame Impala. Ultimately, Foals demonstrate how the departure of two members hasn’t hindered them in any way and are still leaders of the modern indie scene. 7/10

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, 23 April 2026 Channel 5’s anthology drama series in which each season follows a teacher caught up in a scandal returns, with Victoria Hamilton leading the cast this time. Drama teacher Helen Simpson clashes with student Cresida after Helen’s traditional approach to the syllabus and her misgendering of newly non-binary student Dee aggravates a woke Cresida. As with the second season, the pacing is rather slow considering this is only a short four-part series. Cresida consistently ramps up her vicious vendetta but only at the latter half of the final episode does the drama receive a real boost. Ultimately, the show is frustrating. First of all, all the woke nonsense is annoying as Shakespeare is an important part of the syllabus and Helen did apologise for misgendering Dee. Secondly, it feels as though Helen is unfairly villanised as, although she made mistakes, it was largely an unfortunate situation as a result of persistent goading from Cresida. Also, would Cresida really ruin the life of someone unrelated to her simply because she feels abandoned by her parents? Furthermore, Sam’s weedy and brooding personality is the worst of it. He lacks respect for his parents and the intimate scenes with Cresida are cringeworthy. As if he would enter into a relationship with his mum’s tormentor! As if his dad would let Cresida stay the night! As if Sam would believe the accusations of someone he has just met against his dad he has known all his life! Additionally, he leaves his mum held at gunpoint instead of trying to talk Cresida down and the shock twist in which Cresida is revealed to be pregnant is also the fault of Sam and his irresponsibility, bringing further stress to Helen’s life. However, praise must be given to Alice Grant as this relatively unknown actress delivers a psychotically evil performance as the malicious schoolgirl. On the whole, this season is irritable but still delivers on a story that fits within the anthology. 5/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 16 April 2026 Netflix’s new horror series, produced by The Duffer Brothers, remains tight-lipped and intriguing. The series follows Rachel and Nicky on the week of their wedding, though Rachel has this awful feeling that something very bad is going to happen. Naturally, there is a sense of foreboding. Among the tense atmosphere, there is a mix of jumpscares and spooky moments throughout, such as Rachel and Nicky’s disturbing experience at the rest stop, the haunting Sorry Man tale, the creepy burning effigy hanging in the woods, Boris sickeningly taxidermying the dog, Jude finding Rachel’s dad, Rachel’s parents’ chilling close encounter with the sinister custard magnate serial killer, the gruesome circumstances surrounding Rachel’s birth, Rachel having her toe stomach-wrenchingly amputated and making the disgusting concoction to break the curse. Episode 4 proves to be a pivotal driving force in the story as the series takes a supernatural turn and switches to the theme of fate as it is revealed that Rachel has inherited a generational curse and must marry her soulmate. This theme is further explored when it is cleverly revealed that the story of how Rachel and Nicky met may not be all it seems, as well as the recurring use of the song You Are My Destiny. In the finale, there is an epic and cinematic bloodbath as the curse spreads to Nicky’s bloodline and kills everyone who doesn’t believe their spouse is their soulmate. Amid the gory chaos, there is a sweet moment as Jules survives, meaning that he believes that Nellie is his soulmate despite their turbulent marriage and divorce plans. The series ends with Rachel driving off alone, cursed to become the new witness yet ironically feeling free. The logistics of the curse prove to be more complicated than initially believed to be as various scenarios can be questioned. It feels like a ridiculous coincidence that a young Jules would just so happen to witness the birth of his future sister-in-law and it seems far-fetched that Rachel would go to all the trouble she does only to abandon the drink and rely on her faith that Nicky is her soulmate, though both can be excused as they link to the overarching theme of fate. Despite this, there is no way Rachel would be able to have sex and walk down the aisle so soon after having her toe cut off. However, the recurring motif of a fox, representing how Rachel is feeling at different stages of the week, is a nice touch. Despite some minor shortcomings, the series ultimately delivers a truly terrifying horror story. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 17 April 2026 Glen Powell leads on this black comedy thriller. Becket Redfellow is born into a wealthy family, but shunned for being born out of wedlock; however, he is still named on the inheritance. Living an underprivileged life, he follows his mother’s dying wish of achieving the life he deserves and sets about killing off his relatives one by one. This simple plot is a perfect example of utilising the dark comedy genre as each hit plays out in such an entertaining way, aided by Becket’s attitude towards the killings and how most of the family are entitled. The deaths are all the more comical as they are all followed up by a hilarious cut to their funeral at the family plot. Furthermore, Becket grows close to his uncle and so it feels fitting that he dies naturally instead, with Becket at his bedside. Additionally, the final killing is a thrilling battle between him and his grandfather who rejected him at conception. The film would have succeeded on this premise alone, but it is elevated by the twist as Becket’s childhood friend Julia blackmails him with evidence of his crimes and then frames him for the murder of her husband Lyle, who committed suicide, outlining the irony that he has gotten away with murders he did commit but imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. The ending excels in its unpredictability as he slowly realises that he is running out of time while talking to the priest, learns that Julia has the suicide note that could free him, signs over the estate to her and she releases the note in the nick of time. However, as Becket’s partner Ruth rejects him, the film ends in a somber mood as he reluctantly heads to the estate with Julia, having gotten away with murder but lost all he worked to gain. The film is no doubt strengthened by Powell, who delivers a standout charming performance as always, carrying that kickass likability akin to Walter White and Joe Goldberg. Simply put, How to Make a Killing is a truly enjoyable watch. 9/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 14 April 2026 If there’s one thing us Brits are known for, it’s our distinct sense of humour. In a UK/US-dominated media landscape, it’s perhaps the main thing that sets us apart. Here we take a look back at some of the greatest British short-form comedy series of the 21st century. The IT Crowd (2006-2013) Have you tried turning it off and on again? The IT Crowd is a workplace sitcom from Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan. It follows Roy (Chris O’Dowd) and Moss (Richard Ayoade), two underappreciated socially-awkward geeks who work in IT in the basement of Reynholm Industries, run by the capricious Denholm and later his eccentric son Douglas (Matt Berry). Roy and Moss are resistant when new hire Jen (Katherine Parkinson) is put in charge… despite not actually knowing anything about computers. Rounding out the cast is Richmond (Noel Fielding), the exiled goth who lives in the secluded server room behind the infamous red door. In the first season, the guys’ attempt to become popular fails and Moss helps Jen escape a disastrous date by telling him that she has died. In the second season, Jen dates a closeted gay man, Roy finds himself pretending to be disabled and Jen later dates the unfortunately named Peter File. In the third episode, Roy and Moss tell Jen that a small box is the internet, though their joke falls flat when the rest of the business believe it too, until the box is accidentally crushed, leading everyone into a frenzied panic, while in the fourth season, Moss achieves a successful run on Countdown, leading to him being admitted into a bizarre exclusive club. In the finale, the trio end up running the business when Douglas goes into hiding. Benidorm (2007-2018) Benidorm follows an ensemble cast of holidaymakers and staff at the fictional Solana hotel in the titular Spanish resort town. The Garvey family consists of dad Mick, mum Janice, teenage daughter Chantelle, young son Michael and Janice’s cantankerous mobility-scooter riding mother Madge, who dates entrepreneur Mel. Other guests include weedy Martin and his despairing wife Kate, narcissistic quiz genius Geoff and his ditzy mother Noreen (occasionally alongside alcoholic sister Pauline), swingers Donald and Jacqueline and gay couple Gavin and Troy. The Solana is run by non-nonsense managerress Janey, alongside sleazy Spanish bartender Mateo and crossdressing Les/Lesley. Flamboyant Kenneth joins later to run the in-house hair salon and Les’ socially-awkward son Liam arrives, interested in new holidaymakers Natalie and her sharp-tongued friend Sam, before working for Kenneth as staff. Janey is then succeeded by the uptight Joyce Temple-Savage, who embarks on a romantic relationship with gentleman Monty, while Crystal Hennessy-Vass is the owner. The Dyke family (dad Clive, mum Tonya and their adult children Tiger and Bianca) join the main cast before the Dawson family (dad Billy, mum Sheron, adult son Rob, child daughter Jodie, Billy’s father Eddie and Sheron’s mother Loretta) fill the void left by the departure of the Garveys. In the later series, dopey lad Joey holidays with Tiger and later his Irish mate Callum, attempting to achieve sexual conquests. Gavin & Stacey (2007-2024) Al’ight, Stace? What’s occurrin’? This groundbreaking sitcom follows Essex boy Gavin (Mathew Horne) and Welsh girl Stacey (Joanna Page) as they embark on a relationship. Their friends Smithy and Nessa (creators and writers James Corden and Ruth Jones respectively) have their own will-they-won’t-they relationship, with Smithy hilariously grossed out by Nessa in the pilot episode when all four meet in Leicester Square. The series is unique in that not much actually happens plot-wise but it succeeds in its simple hilarity thanks to a cast that won the hearts of the nation. This cast includes Gavin’s parents Pam (Alison Steadman) and Mick (Larry Lamb) in Billericay and Stacey’s mum Gwen and Uncle Bryn (Rob Brydon) in Barry Island, plus the occasional visit from her brother Jason. There is also Pam and Mick’s close friends Pete and Dawn, who regularly bicker, Nessa’s love interest and coach driver Dave Coaches and Gwen’s straight-talking elderly neighbour Doris. The titular couple soon get engaged and married; Stacey moves to Essex with Gavin but becomes homesick and the two eventually live in Barry. Meanwhile, Smithy and Nessa are left embarrassed after their one-night stand but Nessa is pregnant and the two end up co-parenting Neil the baby, as he is known throughout. Specific comedic highlights include Smithy citing his takeaway curry order and ranting about sharing, Doris not making a salad and the disappointment of Gwen getting a Bounty when Nessa gifts them all one chocolate. Recurring jokes include Pam’s fake vegetarianism and, most importantly, what happened on the fishing trip?! The 2019 special and 2024 finale each went on to become the most watched television broadcast of the year in the UK.  Come Fly With Me (2010-2011) Matt Lucas and David Walliams follow up Little Britain with this mockumentary set in an airport. Omar Baba owns the low-cost airline FlyLo, making several morally-compromised cutbacks to keep things affordable, while Melody and Keeley are check-in girls who often fall out with each other. Moses is a camp passenger liaison officer with questionable charitable work and the catchphrase “if you’ll pardon the pun” despite no pun being there, Precious runs the coffee kiosk, though always finds an excuse to close for the day, Taaj works for ground crew, driving around in his self-acclaimed “pussy wagon” and Ian Foot is a racist immigration officer. Simon and Jackie are a husband-and-wife pilot team, but things are awkward as Jackie struggles to move on after Simon has an affair, this being the reason they fly together. Peter and Judith are unfortunate holidaymakers who keep having the “holiday from hell”. Judith tries to recall the story, if only Peter wouldn’t keep interrupting her! Fearghal is the gay steward aboard Irish airline Our Lady Air, whereas Penny is the stuck-up stewardess working in first class for Great British Air. Furthermore, Tommy is a wannabe pilot with a fear of flying, reduced to working at Happy Burger. Additionally, there’s unconventional customs officers Ben and James, careless baggage handlers John and Terry and easily-distracted paparazzi duo Mickey and Buster. As with Little Britain, Come Fly With Me has faced controversy in later years from the woke snowflake generation, but this doesn’t stop it being one of the greatest British short-form comedy series of the 21st century.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 10 April 2026 Singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone is back with her follow-up album. The record opens with strings-based instrumental intro So It Starts… The tracklist is then full of Humberstone’s unique sound. The first three singles, all commercially-friendly and enjoyable, feature early on, while White Noise is a stronger track as it contains a really catchy chorus elevated by a backing bassline. Acoustic offering Lucy serves as a mid-album slow song, whereas Peachy is a piano ballad nearer the end. However, fourth single and closing track Beauty Pageant has to be the highlight because it's a hauntingly beautiful and emotional song, seemingly about beauty standards and body image as Humberstone heartbreakingly sings “come on and make me pretty” in stunning falsetto. It also includes a nice nod to her Lincolnshire origin. Once again, Humberstone’s music is complimented by clean production and dreamy vocals. In a world of sexualised female pop, Humberstone shines as an example of a pure artist that lets her work do the talking, so much so that the explicit language feels out of place. Despite not a lot of variation between tracks, there is enough to differentiate one from another as Humberstone’s raw talent continues to flourish. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 2 April 2026 Who turned on the ride? That is the question to be answered in the third and final season of the Australian teen comedy drama reboot. The third season primarily focuses on the ensemble cast embroiled in a serious accident at the carnival. Meanwhile, Amerie is in a new relationship with rival school St Bruno’s student Noah but is shook when Malakai returns, Harper becomes involved with fellow carnival worker Liam, Darren’s drama hopes take a blow, Quinni and Sasha find themselves in a love triangle with rebellious new student and Woodsy’s niece Taz, Spider and Missy’s relationship hits choppy waters and Zoe questions her celibacy over her relationship with Felix. Elsewhere, there is comic relief from Ant, who pretends to his mum that he is at a religious camp. The second season storyline surrounding Rowan was never going to be beaten but the carnival plot is enthralling and in a similar vein to other teen series One of Us Is Lying as it follows the group trying to hide their involvement. Furthermore, the moment in which the students realise the criminal consequences of their actions as told to them by Woodsy is particularly tense. It is teased that Noah and his obnoxious friend Seb are to blame, before the false reveal that it was Liam and the eventual truth that it was Sasha who turned on the ride. This was her response to being hurt by her friends who, in her defence, were excessively mean to her. Unfortunately, the series is still largely hindered by its heavy reliance on wokeness. Almost every student is LGBT or promiscuous, this being disguised as progressiveness and sex positivity, respectively. A more realistic portrayal of student life would be appreciated as this series otherwise offers so much potential. This is somewhat saved by the best character in the series: Ca$h’s straight-talking Nan. And let’s not forget a special shout-out to his beloved pet duck Darude RIP. However, the show delivers on a strong conclusion that offers both closure and happy endings. There’s a dramatic overboard before follow-ups with the various characters. Amerie and Harper drawing on the wall where the map started sees the series come full circle and the two driving off together following Amerie’s inevitable reconciliation with Malakai feels perfect. Despite excessive wokeness casting a dark shadow (as it has always done), the series is still an enjoyable watch with compelling coming-of-age stories. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 March 2026 After a string of singles, electronic duo Fcukers release their debut studio album. A mix of electronic subgenres can be felt across the tracklist. Opening track Beatback leans in to house, L.U.C.K.Y is the most commercially-friendly, whereas I Like It Like That touches upon rave and TTYGF features Afrobeat and reggae, while Getaway includes big beat and closing track Feel the Real incorporates strings with a more downtempo reduction in pace. However, if you wanna party, come over to my house is the highlight thanks to its repetitive refrain over a dance beat. With Jackson Walker Lewis on production and Shanny Wise providing female vocals, the dynamic works well, similar to that of Confidence Man. However, where the singles are definitely the strongest, it feels like, on many tracks, there’s just a little something missing. On the whole, the duo demonstrate commendable talent in the electronic music landscape, playing off each others’ strengths, but perhaps a slight bit more aggression is needed to boost the songs for club airplay? 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 25 April 2024 The Australian teen comedy drama reboot returns, following up its mediocre first season with a sensational second run. We see the ensemble cast in their various storylines; Amerie is targeted by a new mysterious enemy Bird Psycho while involved in a love triangle between her ex-boyfriend Malakai and new student Rowan, Darren and Ca$h’s relationship is strained due to Ca$h’s asexuality as he fights to leave his old life behind him, Quinni struggles with change in her life, Harper attempts to move on from her ordeal and befriends Ant, who falls for her, Spencer begins a secret affair with Missy, who inspires him to change and become a better person, new student Zoe leads a celibate group, there is a student election between Amerie, Sasha and Spider and returning sports teacher Mr Voss leads a pro-male group the CUMLORDS as a breakaway from the SLTs. Compared to a relatively stale first season, the storylines are a lot more compelling, with particular pick-up towards the latter end of the season as Bird Psycho’s identity is revealed. It is hinted that something happened to Rowan when he was younger and that he had some prior connection to Amerie. In the season finale when Amerie proclaims her love for Malakai in front of Rowan, he traps her and Harper in the AV room while the school is ablaze from an accidental fire set by Mr Voss during a protest and showcases a film revealing that when he was younger, he was in love with Amerie and they bonded over caring for an injured bird, but when they were mocked for giving the bird a funeral, Amerie embarrassed Rowan by claiming to the other kids it was his idea. Rowan lashed out in a rage back at home and his brother was killed in a car accident crossing the road to get their mother for him. Quinni rescues the girls and Amerie saves Rowan as he comes to terms with losing his brother, in truly emotional scenes that highlights Rechner’s incredible performance as the newcomer. However, where every praise is deserved for a dramatic finale, the show is somewhat overshadowed by its desperate wokeness. Most characters are LGBT, offering up an unrealistic representation of high school youth, and it promotes sexual promiscuity and makes light of the difficult subject of abortion as Amerie makes no attempt to consider the pro-life counterpoint. Overall, this second season is a very entertaining and emotive teen series, but needs less reliance on wokeness. 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, 7 March 2025 Sky presents this new comedy drama from Chris O’Dowd about a Northern Irish town with a history of alien visitations. The series provides a promising premise. Hollywood producer Wendy Patterson (Christina Hendricks) returns to her hometown of Drumbán for a production 25 years after she and her boyfriend Séamus Proctor (Paddy Considine in a very convincing Irish accent) were abducted and she admitted it while he denied it. Unfortunately, this interesting concept doesn’t deliver due to its incredibly slow pacing and not much more than what is offered in the synopsis actually happens! The first episode is primarily centred around the town’s committee convincing the film crew to choose them as the production location, which is as dull as it sounds. There is some slight progress in the third episode as Séamus, worried that his daughter Joanne has been taken when she goes missing on her 18th birthday, finally admits to the townsfolk what happened to him, only for Wendy to deny her involvement in a turn of revenge, leading to the residents mocking him. There is finally some worthwhile movement in the final episode as barmaid Shelley’s reclusive father teams up with Wendy and Séamus to save the doctor’s family when he realises his home is a centrepoint for the alien activity. The only upside to the snail speed development is that it is easy-watching, meaning the lulls aren’t too painful to get through. Séamus’ family drama can relate to the plot as it shows how his life has turned out as a result of his abduction, though the subplot of the disastrous film production stands out as being totally irrelevant as well as being the much less interesting part of the show. Credit where due though, the show boasts a strong cast, with Considine as the standout and much of the comedy arising from the locals. Much like the real life alien abduction stories, there’s plenty of excitement around the theme but ultimately a whole lot of nothing happening! 6/10

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, 11 October 2023 There’s dodgy jobs aplenty as Vinnie and the gang are back for another run. Following last season’s ending in which Dylan was kidnapped, the group are carrying on with life in his absence. This season sees antics such as hijacking a transport truck, with the driver played by the brilliant guest star Lee Mack, assisting with Barry MacDonagh’s funeral after he is blown up by a landmine, discovering Tommo has a German son, robbing an arcade, enlisting the help of a rat catcher when Jim’s attic is infested, locating a stolen caravan believed to be full of cash and delivering a giant rabbit for Manolito. Also recurring throughout the season is Vinnie attending therapy and his reluctance to work with the MacDonagh’s after their alleged involvement in Dylan’s disappearance. The comedy is kept simple yet funny in both plot and jokes. Tommo and Ash remain the standouts thanks to their hilarious delivery of lines, while Jim is as furious as ever and Cardi mixing up Ted Bundy with Ted Baker is particularly side-splitting. In the penultimate episode, we learn that Manolito is in fact behind Dylan going missing and framed the MacDonaghs. This discovery results in an angry and revenge-seeking Vinnie devising a plot to steal precious art and plant it at Manolito’s house to frame him for the theft. At first, this seems a repeat of the same stunt they pulled to get rid of Terrence McCann, though it justifies itself when it is revealed Manolito is working for McCann. Dylan also makes a guest appearance at the end leaving Vinnie a voicemail confirming he is alive and well. The scene closes with Manolito gun in hand, hinting at a new level of danger for the coming episodes. The fifth season maintains a consistent standard of storyline and comedy, neither an improvement nor a decline from the previous, for what is another good season of the comedy drama. 7/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 26 March 2026 Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall star in this new Netflix series, which is billed as a comedy drama but is really more of an erotic thriller. A character known only as M works as a professor of English at a university. Her husband John, also employed by the university, is suspended in the run-up to a hearing about his historic affairs with students, which M is aware of as they have an open marriage. However, her professionalism begins to collapse as she finds herself smitten with handsome young new professor Vladimir, married to other new hire Cynthia. From the start, M frequently breaks the fourth wall and talks to the camera, a narrative choice that surely no-one likes but at least offers an insight into her inner thoughts. It soon becomes apparent that she is rather a dislikable character due to her harsh and sexually promiscuous nature. However, as the series progresses, the series is seen to be primarily about desire and lust. Despite being teased to be a steamy age-gap affair, the events play out in her mind, revealed to be nothing more than a sexual fantasy. Throughout the episodes, her behaviour becomes more erratic and we fall deeper into the story. The subplot surrounding John’s hearing is interesting too as it is staged in a clever way that asks if the accusers are victims or consenting adults with a share of the responsibility. Upon the finale, M’s fiction sneaks into real life as she takes Vlad to her secluded cabin, drugs him and ties him up, though talks her way out of it. She reveals the supposed affair of John and Cynthia, leading to her and Vladimir having a passionate encounter. In the end, John proposes a committed relationship with her, while Vlad asks to see her on a weekly basis, and she finds herself torn between the two men. Both M’s and Vladimir’s writing is a reflection of their own experience with each other, something of a cliche. Despite the ending feeling rushed (in relation to the pacing of the rest of the series) and unfinished, the last two episodes will keep viewers on the edge of their seats, never knowing what is going to happen next. This short-form miniseries may have viewers feeling unsure at first but develops into a thrilling and unique tale. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 12 March 2026 Following on from the previous Netflix article, we take a look back at some more of the platform’s best Original series from recent years that had just a singular run, whether a miniseries or cancelled after one season. The Haunting of Hill House (2018) The first of Mike Flanagan’s horror series for the streaming service, The Haunting of Hill House is probably the most well-known and popular. The show follows the adult Crain siblings, all troubled from their childhood in the haunted Hill House mansion. The series is gripping from the first episode when Steven encounters his younger sister Nell in his home, only to receive a call from his father Hugh to inform him that Nell is dead, indicating that the presence is a ghost. Flashbacks to 1992 reveal the paranormal phenomena they experienced as children, with Mr Smiley, the Bowler Hat Man and the Bent-Neck Lady as particularly terrifying figures. Furthermore, the explanations that Mr Smiley is a manifestation of trauma, the Bowler Hat Man is the ghost of William Hill, a former owner of the house who went insane and bricked himself in, and the Bent-Neck Lady is the ghost of adult Nell, who commits suicide by hanging, haunting her younger self are all jaw-dropping twists. Also, the series is known for its jumpscares, notably the car scene. There is finally a captivating ending surrounding the mysterious Red Room, as more revelations come to light. The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) This next Mike Flanagan horror series focuses on the haunted Bly Manor in the English countryside. A young American woman Dani is hired as an au pair by Henry Wingrave to look after his nephew Miles and niece Flora, living alongside housekeeper Hannah, cook Owen and gardener Jamie, following the alleged suicide of the previous au pair Rebecca. As Dani experiences supernatural occurrences and odd behaviour from the children, it transpires that Rebecca was in a relationship with Henry’s devious assistant Peter, who possesses Miles and wants Rebecca to possess Flora. Furthermore, a tale from centuries ago reveals that former owner Viola haunts the grounds as The Lady in the Lake. She killed Peter, who then killed Hannah, revealing that she has been a ghost the whole time. The series ends with Dani taking over from Viola to save Flora, much to the heartbreak of Jamie, who is revealed to be the storyteller at the wedding of adult Flora. Midnight Mass (2021) Another Mike Flanagan horror series, Midnight Mass indulges in the vampire subgenre and the theme of religion elevates the series. It focuses on the arrival of mysterious new priest Father Paul Hill on a devoutly Catholic remote island community, temporarily replacing the elderly Monsignor Pruitt, who is on a pilgrimage. The series starts off with a gloomy aesthetic and slow pacing, but the reveal that Father Paul is actually a younger version of Pruitt who died and was resurrected by the lifeblood of an Angel, turns the series into an exciting tale. A further chilling scene sees Father Paul introduce the terrifying Angel to the churchgoers and encourage them to drink poison to die and be reborn, culminating in an epic final war between the alive and the undead. The ending is brilliantly unique as the entire remaining townsfolk die and turn to ash upon sunrise. The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022) Kristen Bell leads on this black comedy parodying psychological thrillers, hence the lengthy title, yet also delivers a strong mystery itself. Anna is an alcoholic, drinking wine to numb the pain after her daughter was murdered by a cannibalistic serial killer, and frequently hallucinates as a result of taking medication while drinking. When the handsome Neil moves in across the street with his young daughter Emma, Anna is disappointed to learn that Neil has a girlfriend Lisa. However, she later witnesses her murder at Neil’s house, though there is no evidence found and it is believed to be another hallucination by everyone except Anna. As Anna investigates, the series cleverly positions Neil as the main suspect (making his innocent confession that he practices ventriloquism all the funnier) while also maintaining the possibility that Anna could have done it in a fugue state, before the fake reveal that simple-minded handyman Buell is responsible, eventually revealing Emma to be the true culprit. It also transpires that she was responsible for her mother’s drowning and her teacher’s lighthouse death. The series provides a happy ending for Anna, who reconciles with her husband Douglas, and they have a newborn daughter. A final scene sees Anna on a plane discover the dead body of a passenger, only for the body to vanish and her be told that the passenger never existed, teasing a future. Man vs Bee (2022) Rowan Atkinson adopts a new Mr Bean-type character for this slapstick comedy miniseries, focusing on physical comedy with minimal dialogue. It sees Trevor Bingley do battle with a bumblebee while housesitting for a rich couple in their modern home. As Trevor struggles to work the futuristic features and the bee consistently outsmarts him, his vendetta grows, gradually causing more destruction to the house. Among all the mayhem, burglars break in to make matters worse. Trevor is arrested for the damage he causes, though is later released for exposing a fake insurance plot. In addition to all the comedy, there is a level of emotion too in relation to Trevor’s meek relationship with his ex-wife Jess and daughter Maddie. Boo, Bitch (2022) Lara Condor (To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) and Zoe Colletti (Only Murders in the Building) star in this supernatural teen comedy drama. Unpopular high schoolers Erika and Gia attend a party and are involved in a car accident in the woods on the way home, in which Erika dies after being hit by a moose. Erika realises that she is existing as a ghost due to having unfinished business, this being attending prom with her crush. Erika and Gia enact a plan to fulfil this so Erika can ascend, but Erika finds newfound popularity, which goes to her head and sees her alienate her best friend. In a twist, it is revealed that it was actually Gia who was hit by the moose and is existing as a ghost. Furthermore, only Erika and Gia’s love interest Gavin have been able to see her. Gia completes her unfinished business, saying goodbye to Erika and dancing with Gavin at prom, and, following a speech by Erika honouring Gia that leads to everyone chanting Gia’s name, she ascends. Erika later takes comfort in receiving a sign that Gia’s presence is still with her.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 9 March 2026 Following her absence from the New York City killings in the sixth instalment, Sidney Prescott is back, this time with teenage daughter Tatum and police officer husband Mark in tow, as they are targeted by a new Ghostface killer, 30 years on from the original Woodsboro killings. Sidney’s new life is disrupted when a new Ghostface killer targets her daughter. Upon this news, Gale Weathers arrives in town, along with the Meeks twins. However, Sidney receives threatening and taunting video calls from Stu, leaving her to wonder whether the videos are fake or Stu actually survived the original killings. Unfortunately, the film is a total cliché. Following the exact same formula with all the usual tropes of the previous entries, it offers no originality whatsoever. Also, what are the chances that Sidney is targeted this many times in separate vendettas and in the exact same manner too?! Furthermore, the reveal is not foreseen but still underwhelming, with the killer’s reasoning being exceptionally poor. Despite this, the inclusion of AI deepfake makes for a nice touch to establish the film as a modern day instalment and highlight the difference between the time period of today and the time period of the first film. Stu Macher was such an iconic character in the franchise so it is delightful to see Matthew Lillard step back into that role and deliver another compellingly entertaining performance some three decades on. Additionally, the way he acts slightly unhuman as if his character is deepfaked is very impressive. The film is a complete rehash of what has come before, which might do it for some fans, but ultimately, the franchise needs to try something new if it wants to continue turning out more entries and avoid the hole that the Halloween franchise fell down. 6/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 6 March 2026 Following on from the massively successful Harry’s House, arguably the world’s biggest pop star Harry Styles is back with a lengthy-titled fourth album. The album opens with lead single Aperture, an ambient track that finally makes sense of the cryptic message “we belong together”. Ready, Steady, Go! introduces a slick bassline and distorted vocals before electronic sounds and dancey piano renders it completely unpredictable throughout. Easily the standout, it is a surefire choice to be the next single. Are You Listening Yet? is built upon a drum beat with marching drums on the chorus, whereas The Waiting Game is dreamy with its electronic soundbites and choral backing vocals. Coming Up Roses is a slower offering that incorporates strings, Pop is a fun, upbeat and energetic song and Dance No More is a funk-style track, reminiscent of Prince. Then, Paint by Numbers places acoustic guitar at the centre before Carla’s Song rounds off the tracklist. The album could be described as playing-it-safe pop. However, Harry’s friendly and flamboyant personality, mixed with an already iron-clad fanbase, along with the strong and clean production of this record, almost guarantees another successful period on the horizon for this global superstar. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 July 2024 One time… at band camp… 25 years ago we were introduced to Jim, Kevin, Oz and Finch, four lads attempting to lose their virginity before graduating high school. A simple plot that would lay the groundwork for turn-of-the-century sex comedies. A world away from the 70s sex comedies like Confessions of a Window Cleaner a generation before, it paved the way for future films of the genre such as Road Trip, The Girl Next Door and Superbad, and spawned a franchise consisting of four main films and five spin-offs. Some of the best and most notable characters fall outside of the main four, such as Jim’s Dad, who is always on hand to provide awkward sex advice, the overly-confident nerd Sherman aka The Sherminator and of course the Stiffmeister himself Steve Stifler. There is also the recurring ending of Finch having sex with Stifler’s mum in what essentially birthed the MILF acronym. But it could be argued that the film series’ multiple key scenes elevates its legacy above the rest. The first film is undoubtedly remembered for its titular scene in which protagonist Jim gets intimate in the kitchen after being told sex feels like warm apple pie. What makes this scene so hilarious is how the screen cuts to the dessert left in shredded pieces before Jim’s Dad states “we’ll just tell your mother that we ate it all”.  However, the best moment comes when attractive European exchange student Nadia asks Jim for help studying. On the encouragement of Stifler, Jim sets up a webcam for all the boys to watch Nadia change (yes, this is clearly wrong, it is a fictional scene for comedic value and not condoned). To the guys’ euphoric surprise, Nadia begins to masturbate to Jim’s porn collection and Stifler suggests he walk in on her in the hope of getting some action. Nadia is responsive to this but requests Jim perform a strip tease. He then proceeds to conduct a hilarious dance to techno music as the viewers watch in both mockery and discomfort. The pinnacle comes as, when Nadia invites him on the bed, he prematurely ejaculates not once but twice. The embarrassing moment represents failed sexual encounters that are the driving force of the sex comedy genre. American Pie 2 sees the boys rent a beach house in the summer after college. With Nadia planning to visit Jim, he goes to band camp for sex advice from Michelle. However, when he is accidentally mistaken for the mentally disabled trombone player Petey, he goes along with the mistake and attempts to perform a trombone solo, along with some unconventional moves. This is not the only unfortunate event for Jim as he later mistakes super glue for lubricant, leaving him unable to have sex with Nadia. Though the funniest moment comes when, while the guys are painting a house, they mistake the two female tenants to be a lesbian couple. When the girls realise their misunderstanding, they play along as a prank and perform sexual acts on the condition that the boys then do the same with each other in a test to see how far they will go. Jim and Finch end it when it comes to giving Stifler a handjob, though Stifler is caught up in the moment and begins unbuttoning his pants, proclaiming he is “taking one for the team” in what is arguably the funniest quote from the entire franchise. The third film focuses on the wedding of Jim and Michelle and sees Stifler attempting to seduce Michelle’s sister Cadence by displaying a fake nice guy persona. There are an array of funny situations in the film such as the exposure at the proposal, the stripper scenario, Jim’s pubic hair ruining the wedding cake, Stifler inadvertently having sex with Jim’s grandmother believing her to be Cadence in the dark and the infamous scene when a dog eats the wedding ring but, once again, there is one moment that stands out from the rest as the most hilarious: Stifler’s dance-off at the gay bar. While on a quest to find a designer for Michelle’s wedding dress, they enter a gay bar and Stifler engages in a 80s-orientated dance battle with Bear, with some laugh-out-loud moves coming from the Stiffmeister. With an already established reputation from the first two films as well as playing the co-lead in cult classic Dude, Where’s My Car?, Seann William Scott only further cements himself as a comedy legend here. In the fourth and final film, the guys reunite 13 years on from high school graduation. Jim and Michelle’s sex life is hindered by their son, Kevin is now married, Oz is dating a supermodel and Finch has been travelling the world, while Stifler is unhappily stuck in a retail job. We learn early on that Stifler hasn’t matured as, when a group of teens steals Oz’s girlfriend Mia’s bikini top, Stifler exacts revenge by defecating in their cooler box and destroying their jet skis. Adding further strain on Jim’s marriage is Kara, a girl who Jim used to babysit and the girlfriend of AJ, one of the teens. She is turning 18 and attempts to seduce Jim, who has to rebuke her advances. However, when she passes out, he and his friends try to sneak her back into her parents house in another comedy-filled scenario. Whether you credit the plot, the characters, the origin of the MILF or the many hilarious moments with the film’s success, one thing is for sure: this film has stood the test of time to leave a lasting legacy as the OG of modern sex comedies.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 27 February 2026 First Dates is a British reality dating series on Channel 4 that quite literally follows people on first dates, succeeding in its simplicity. The show debuted in 2013 but, in today’s world of toxic dating apps and online personality wannabes, it is more relevant and important than ever. Each episode sees plucky singletons arrive for a blind date at the First Dates restaurant, welcomed by front of house maître d' Fred Sirieix, who also offers up compliments and advice about love, romance and dating. They are then served a drink at the bar by friendly bartender Merlin, where their date then greets them, before they are seated for their meal, served by a range of regular waiting staff. A total of four pairings are covered in each episode, with each date ending in both being asked if they would like to see each other again. If they both say yes, the end of the episode then provides an update on their progress. The restaurant is located in Bath, with previous seasons having been filmed in Manchester and, before that, London. Unlike many other reality shows which primarily focus on the 18-30 younger demographic that could be described as beach body ready, First Dates features a wide range of people from different backgrounds, covering various personalities, appearances, ages, ethnicities and sexualities. There’s younger couples in their 20s and 30s; some are parents, many have been hurt in the past, a few are students, some are inexperienced and have dates consisting of awkward silences and dreadful icebreakers. There’s middle-aged couples in their 40s and 50s; some are divorced, some have just never found that special someone to spend the rest of their lives with. There’s older couples in their 60s and over; many are widowed, some have lived a life too busy and adventurous to have found a steady partner and several are traditional souls with a strong outlook on love looking for companionship. But, whichever they are, all have a story to tell and are looking to write the next chapter. A teen spin-off has aired, featuring 16 to 19-year-olds, many of whom are on their first ever date, resulting in cringeworthy moments aplenty! Another spin-off series First Dates Hotel started in 2017, following the same premise as the regular series, except daters attend the First Dates Hotel restaurant instead, set in the stunning location of the south of France and later Naples in Italy. If their first date is successful, they can check-in to the hotel for the night and attend fun activities after. Another similar spin-off series filmed abroad called First Dates Beach Club began in 2025, this time set at a luxurious beach club setting in Spain. The series feels like First Dates meets Love Island as singletons check-in and are again set up on dates where, if successful, they continue to see each other on holiday but, if not, they leave… or hang around to try again. The enjoyable laidback format sees added drama too as more possibilities can happen. Also, daters can chat with other participants that they are not paired with to discuss their dates both before and after. Channel 4 is the network that has given us the outrageous and explicit reality shows of Naked Attraction, Virgin Island, Open House and Sex Box, but here they provide a down-to-earth reality series. Above being a piece of entertainment, it exists to serve a much greater purpose. It represents the genuine public looking for genuine connection and a genuine relationship. Many of the younger daters explain that they are there to find something real, recalling poor experiences on dating apps where people are only after one thing. There’s also a whole host of ghosting, breadcrumbing, filtered pics and abuse… and that’s just the real profiles! Throw in all the other fake accounts existing purely to sell their OnlyFans or extort money and it’s clear to see why people are seeking a return to real-world dating. Sure, there’s still a selection of Love Island-style narcissists consumed by their ego, but all the posers, bitches and fuckboys with their six packs, lip filters and Turkey teeth (not to mention other fake anatomy!) make up just a small disappointing proportion of the youth population. Want a bad boy? Well you’re asking to get your heart broken! Many of those looking for love have been treated poorly by ex-partners too, often having been cheated on and / or made to feel not good enough. It’s a story that’s been told concerningly frequently on the show, yet reinforces their search for someone who will treat them right over someone they fancy. Meanwhile, those dipping their toes into the dating pool for the first time are often kindhearted as they are overly intent on ensuring their dates are mutually interested in them (and have often been told by family to make their date feel special). The ones who have reached middle age without having found someone start to feel unlovable, a sad sentiment but one that at least proves that the desire to love and be loved is still very much alive. And then there’s the handful of widows and widowers. They deserve to be forgiven if they are a bit rusty with their flirting as they go on to recall their undying love for their dearly departed. With some having had their marriage of 60 odd years come to an end, they tell of that old-fashioned love where they were instantly smitten from their meet cute, several decades before that term was even coined, and carried utter devotion for their spouse throughout a lifelong marriage. For better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part; they really meant every word. The true gentleman is a dying breed and the world is a bit more sad of a place for it, but this series is here to show that, above all, love wins. This series is not just an opportunity to have a good ol’ nosey into other people’s business, it’s a vehicle to restore our faith in humanity.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 30 September 2022 As Better Call Saul airs its finale and brings the 14-year franchise to a close, we take a look at the neo-Western crime drama. From the mild-mannered high school chemistry teacher Walter White to the badass drug kingpin Heisenberg, here’s why Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul is the greatest TV franchise of all time. The plot itself is a primary reason. When overqualified chemistry teacher Walter White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer shortly after his 50th birthday despite never having smoked, he decides to break bad and use his skills to cook crystal meth to earn some money for his family. He teams up with former student Jesse Pinkman, who knows the business and can help with contacts. The first meet goes horribly wrong and it is an escalating situation from there. What makes matters all the more ironic is that Walt’s brother-in-law Hank is a DEA agent investigating the case the whole time too. Walt teaches his class that chemistry is “the study of change”. What is so clever about this show is that it focuses on the change of Walt. It takes audiences through the transformation of this character and it does it well. Walt’s first kill is unavoidable as it is literally to save his life and he vomits with guilt. Walt’s last kill is a group massacre by his handmade machine gun against a white supremacist neo-Nazi gang who he went into business with and have enslaved Jesse. Not long before this, he has ten prisoners brutally murdered to keep them from incriminating him. Bryan Cranston is known to have won several awards for his role but each one was well and truly deserved for his kind-hearted family man and hardened criminal mastermind portrayal. Cranston may be the star of the show, but it is the array of complicated and layered characters that make the franchise so entertaining. Where Walt’s ego and bigheadedness causes a lot of the situations he and Jesse find themselves in, Jesse’s soft centre is to blame for many. He may be a small-time drug dealer but when he and Walt step up their game, he struggles to cope. His encounter in Peekaboo shows us his soft spot for children which hints at the pinnacle of the downfall of their partnership. It is his caring towards children that interrupts their working relationship with Gus when he goes after the street dealers using children and he turns against Walt due to his poisoning of Brock. After one too many black eyes, murdered girlfriends and his captivity by Jack, Jesse finally gets the fresh start he deserves in Alaska. Walt and Jesse are polar opposites, a recipe for a successful show in itself, though it is their onscreen chemistry that makes them TV’s greatest duo. Jesse’s immaturity plays well off Walt’s intellect and the twosome are often comedic in their world of dark subject matter, making them a thoroughly entertaining pair to watch. Saul is the third wheel of the duo as he earns his fluctuating percentage in their business arrangement. When Walt and Jesse are running their own business, Badger is arrested as one of their street dealers. Upon Jesse’s recommendation of getting a criminal lawyer, Saul is brought in to keep their names out of the ordeal and to get Badger released. Saul sticks around to help the pair with money laundering and is the primary source of comic relief in the show. He is a funny character, notably due to his paranoia of getting caught or being targeted by higher ups, though his story is a much sadder one when explored in the prequel Better Call Saul. We learn he started off as scam artist Jimmy McGill though wanted to better himself and become a lawyer after his esteemed brother Chuck’s success in the industry. Despite looking up to him, Chuck never wanted Jimmy to succeed as he studied at University of American Samoa and wanted a shortcut to the legal system. Jimmy nevertheless becomes a lawyer focusing on elder law, using his charm to help elderly clients. He moves on to helping low level criminals and becomes a “friend of the cartel”. His relationship with reputable lawyer Kim Wexler causes her to let loose within the scamming world and they concoct a plan to damage the reputation of fellow lawyer Howard Hamlin to receive a pay-out owed to them. Their morality degrades as they enjoy the scheme until cartel associate Lalo murders him. This results not only in the breakup of the couple but sees Saul become irreversibly involved in the criminal world. Lalo and Howard’s bodies are buried next to each other under the lab, giving a whole new experience to watching the lab scenes in Breaking Bad. The prequel also gives insightful background into other characters such as Gus and Mike. We learn how their partnership came to be: a mutual hatred of Hector Salamanca. The Salamanca family show up all over the place in both shows and each are as evil as each other. If Tuco isn’t beating people to death in a drug-fuelled rage or the cousins axing witnesses, then Hector is goading cartel rival Gus. After seeing Hector helpless in his wheelchair-bound state in Breaking Bad, it is interesting to learn of how his stroke happened. Furthermore, seeing the construction of the super lab shows us lives were lost in what was a delayed and top-secret process. We also learn of how Mike, once a Philadelphia cop, became involved in the criminal world; that one is a tearjerker. If Walt is the protagonist, Hank is the antagonist. The fact that Walt worked as his notorious alter-ego Heisenberg all the while doing so under Hank’s nose is all the funnier when you think back to the pilot in which Hank jokingly mocks Walt for being timid. Hank’s discovery of Walt being Heisenberg is the point of no return as Hank battles to catch Walt until he meets his death at the hands of Jack’s gang. Hank’s death kickstarts Ozymandias, the episode regarded as the show’s best. However, it is the perfect finale that cements the show’s status. Where shows like Game of Thrones have crashed and burned in this area, Breaking Bad rises to the challenge with incredible success. The finale follows Walt’s last day as he ties up all loose ends, seeing his money will reach his family and all characters get their comeuppance or freedom, before one final immense vengeful scene of awesome action. The camera pans out as Walt lays dying at the hands of his own creation, the only thing that could’ve killed such a genius, surrounded by the equipment he oh so loved. And scene.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 19 February 2026 American author Harlan Coben has a large collection of TV series to his name, both adaptations of his mystery thriller novels and original stories. They have been produced by many networks including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Sky and produced in various countries around the world including the UK, the US, France, Spain, Poland and Argentina. Here we take a look at the Harlan Coben series not previously reviewed by Audio Visual (excluding the French exclusives that are internationally unavailable). Expect lots of spoilers for this one! The Five (2016) Four childhood friends Mark, Danny, Slade and Pru reunite 20 years after Mark’s younger brother Jesse went missing, following his DNA being found at a crime scene. There are interesting chapters throughout, such as the discoveries of Jay Newman’s imprisoned girls and Jakob Marosi’s victim tapes, and the series provides a satisfactory ending, revealing that Jesse’s biological father abducted and subsequently raised him, subverting convention as Jesse is still alive. Safe (2018) Surgeon Tom uncovers a web of lies and deceit while searching for his missing teenage daughter Jenny. There’s suspicion over a pool death at a house party, a 1980s-themed bar and a teacher-student affair, but the final truth emerges as it is revealed that Jenny’s mum Rachel, Jenny’s stepmum Sophie, neighbour Helen and nightclub owner Bobby started a school fire in the 90s to get revenge on their teacher, accidentally killing eight students in the building, and it was Sophie who killed Jenny’s boyfriend Chris when he threatened to expose the secret. Bobby then kills Helen at her own house, where Jenny was on a quest for information following her mum’s deathbed admission and stayed in hiding after Chris’ death, before committing suicide and Tom has Sophie arrested. The Stranger (2020) Adam Price’s perfect family life falls apart when a mysterious young woman tells him that his wife faked her pregnancy. There’s mystery surrounding Corinne’s disappearance, a decapitated alpaca and an unconscious naked teen boy, a compelling villain in Katz and chilling reveals aplenty as we learn that Killane refused to move because was harbouring his murdered wife’s corpse, Olivia is being poisoned by her mother, The Stranger is Adam’s half-sister and Doug killed Corinne, a confession that he shockingly plays down. The Woods (2020) Widowed prosecutor Pawel is called in to identify a body, which links back to a summer camp he attended 25 years ago in which two teenagers were found dead and another two missing, one of which was his sister Kamila. We learn of the events that took place in the woods involving Malczak in which Monika and Daniel were killed and Kamila and Artur went into hiding. Furthermore, Dawid killed Artur and Wladyslaw killed Natalia. In the present day, Pawel resigns his job, takes the blame for Gosia and doesn’t get his happy ending with Laura, all on top of the trauma and loss of the past, but there is a glimmer of hope as he visits a convent and approaches a nun, teased to be Kamila.  The Innocent (2021) Nine years after accidentally killing a man in a brawl, Mat is rebuilding his life after prison with his wife Olivia. Meanwhile, Detective Ortiz investigates the death of a nun, who fell from a window. This series is particularly dark, with prostitution being a main theme as we learn of Olivia’s past as an exotic dancer and sex worker. Particularly thrilling scenes include the girls’ plot to escape and disposing of Aníbal’s body in the ocean despite him still being alive as well as learning why Detective Aguilar so desperately wanted the blackmail tapes and the ensuing chase for him. Following one last harrowing ordeal for Mat and Olivia at the hands of Kimmy, they seemingly confess all their secrets to begin life afresh, before a final scene reveals Mat in fact did kill the inmate in prison. Gone for Good (2021) Ten years on from the murder of his ex-girlfriend Sonia and the disappearance of his brother Fred, Guillaume attends his mother’s funeral with his current girlfriend Judith, though she vanishes soon after. We learn that Judith is actually Nora, who was in an abusive relationship with her husband and Fred helped her. However, Fred was also involved in a drugs gang and a shady character from his past Ostertag causes trouble for Guillaume in the present, culminating in a multi-story car park shoot-out with the final twist revealing Fred killed Sonia and prompting Guillaume to shoot Fred dead. Stay Close (2021) Suburban mum Megan’s old life comes back to haunt her, photographer Ray is taking photos in the woods and Detective Broome takes on a case when a local man Carlton goes missing on the 17th anniversary of another missing man Stewart. There’s other interesting characters including nightclub owner Lorraine, lawyer Harry and the psychopathic musical theatre killers Barbie and Ken. We learn that Lorraine has been killing violent and abusive men (gruesomely piling bodies up in an underground bunker) but didn’t in fact kill Carlton. A shocking moment reveals that Megan’s husband Dave pushed a car into a lake to protect their daughter Kayleigh, unaware that Carlton was in the boot, unintentionally killing him.  Hold Tight (2022) Anna finds herself beaten up when she goes looking for her runaway son Adam, shortly after the death of his friend Igor. Elsewhere, Adam’s younger sister Ola’s friend Jasmina is bullied after teacher Tadeusz jokes about her facial hair and an ex-army officer with PTSD Natan goes on a killing spree. The series contains a theme of helicopter parenting as Anna tracks Adam’s phone, including messages with his girlfriend Kaja. It is revealed that Adam and Igor attended Guru, a counselling group that also used the boys to run a drug ring, and Adam was actually kidnapped by his friends, who feared he would snitch. Furthermore, Jasmina was the one blackmailing Tadeusz and she shot Natan, who was carrying out these killings for Tadeusz, who served with him in Afghanistan. Lazarus (2025) Joel investigates the apparent suicide of his psychiatrist father Jonathan, some 27 years after the unsolved murder of his sister Sutton. The supernatural element in which he talks to his father’s dead patients elevates the series, with each visit being increasingly exciting as each arrival begins with the eerie elevator ding. The highlight is when Cassandra violently murders her boyfriend in the past and then his decaying corpse is discovered in the present. Compelling throughout, the ending is strong too as it is revealed that Olson killed Sutton, DCI Brown was involved in the other deaths (who is then crushed by a bus), Jonathan was the true serial killer and Joel had actually been listening to video tapes of historic patient meetings, all before the final act in which Aidan kills Laura, fulfilling Jonathan’s warning that “sons become their fathers.” With another Coben series currently in production by Netflix, it seems his mystery thriller series are set to continue!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 14 February 2026 Happy Valentine’s Day! Did you know that the holiday is named after the Roman saint who wedded couples in secret after Emperor Claudius banned marriage to keep men focused on war? Whether you’re spending the day loved up or crying alone on the sofa, here’s some of the best romcoms to watch (or perhaps avoid if you fall into the latter) to celebrate the day of romance and love. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) In this Richard Curtis classic, Hugh Grant debuts his bumbling heartthrob type as the miserably single Charles, who, along with a group of friends, attend a series of social events, over the course of which he falls in love with the American Carrie (Andie MacDowell). The upbeat atmosphere of weddings aids the feel-good element of the film as we delve into the characters’ relationships with one another. This British classic is full of funny moments, such as a confused guest accusing Charles of impersonating his dead brother, Charles forgetting the rings and scrambling for replacements from the guests, Charles inadvertently telling a friend that his wife cheated on him and the nervous new priest Father Gerald (Rowan Atkinson) fluffing his lines and pronouncing Lydia as Bernard’s “awful wedded wife”. Notting Hill (1999) She’s just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her. Another Richard Curtis hit, a British book shop owner (Hugh Grant) falls in love with an American film actress (Julia Roberts) in the eponymous London district. This blossoming romance is hindered by Anna’s celebrity profile and William’s eccentric flatmate Spike’s clumsy behaviour though love triumphs over their obstacles. The funniest highlight of the film is when William poses as a Horse & Hound journalist to see Anna at a press event and asks if she ever considered having more horses in her latest film… which was set in space. Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001) Adapted from the Helen Fielding novels, Renee Zellweger stars as the unlucky in love Bridget Jones as she finds herself torn between the sleazy Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and the respectable Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). The most notable funny scene is when a misunderstanding sees her dress up as a Playboy Bunny and receive some unwanted attention from Uncle Geoffrey. In the second film The Edge of Reason, she endures a disastrous skiing trip to Austria with Mark and an unfortunate work trip to Thailand with Daniel, in which she is mistakenly imprisoned. In the third entry Bridget Jones’ Baby, she is pregnant, but doesn’t know if her now-ex Mark or her previous one-night stand Jack is the father. In the fourth and final instalment Mad About the Boy, a widowed Bridget has a fling with younger man Roxster before finding her happy ever after with her son’s teacher Scott.  The Holiday (2006) Two heartbroken women swap homes for the holiday period; American producer Amanda (Cameron Diaz) goes to live in a quaint British cottage while journalist Iris (Kate Winslet) moves into a large Californian house. While living in each other’s property, Amanda meets Iris’ brother Graham (Jude Law), unaware he is a widowed single father, and Iris bonds with Amanda’s colleague Miles (Jack Black) as they help retired Hollywood screenwriter Arthur attend his honorary ceremony. Jude Law is positively charming as Graham, whereas Jack Black masters the good guy role while subverting the romcom stereotype. This is a truly heartwarming, feel-good tale about two intercontinental romances. Valentine’s Day (2010) Multiple loosely-intertwined tales of love and heartbreak on the titular holiday are told, featuring an ensemble cast. Many of the characters are connected by florist Reed (Ashton Kutcher), who is a big believer in love and romance, and the array of nice stories gain a deeper sentimental feel when further connections between characters are revealed. The Kissing Booth (2018) In this Netflix teen romcom trilogy based on the Beth Reekles books, Elle (Joey King) and Lee are best friends, but their friendship is threatened when Elle falls for Lee’s older brother Noah (Jacob Elordi). Elle and Lee run a kissing booth as a school fundraiser, where Elle kisses Noah for the first time and they begin a secret relationship. Lee is angered when he finds out but they later reconcile. In the second film, Elle grows insecure with Noah away at Harvard and becomes close to her dance competition partner Marco, while also unintentionally putting a strain on Lee and Rachel’s relationship. In the third and final instalment, Elle, Noah, Lee and Rachel spend the summer at the Flynns' beach house, where Elle tries to complete a bucket list of activities with Lee before going to Harvard with Noah. Although they may be clichéd, the films are still fun and easy-watching, with a sweet motif being Elle and Lee playing Dance Dance Revolution at the arcade. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) Based on the Jenny Han novels, this Netflix teen romcom trilogy sees high school student Lara Jean write private letters to five boys she has crushes on, only for her younger sister Kitty to actually send them. Lara Jean and Peter, one of the recipients, begin a fake relationship, though feelings soon become real. Sweet moments include the hot tub scene on the ski trip and the kiss on the field as the camera pans out. In the second instalment PS I Still Love You, Lara Jean and Peter are now in a real relationship, but she is insecure about Peter’s ex Gen and grows close to another letter recipient John Ambrose, who she is now volunteering with at a retirement home. In the third and final entry, her relationship with Peter is set to be tested as they opt to attend different universities, but the ending in which Lara Jean hopes to exchange love letters with Peter is a nice nod to the original premise. Anyone but You (2023) Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star as Bea and Ben, whose first date ends in disaster, only for them to then find themselves attending the same destination wedding in Australia. The chemistry between the two, whether love or hatred, is electric throughout, with standout moments being when they plan to fake being together on the boat and the repeated use of Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, particularly when Bea sings it to him for comfort as they are rescued by helicopter amidst the stunning backdrop of the Sydney Opera House. Did you know that a male penguin gifts a pebble to a potential female mate and, if she accepts, it means they become partners? Here’s hoping you’re hit with Cupid’s arrow and you can settle in to watch one of these romcoms with your penguin this Valentine’s Day.

Published by Mason Oldridge, 24 September 2025 You can’t cheat death! Final Destination is a horror film franchise that originally ran from 2000-2011, spanning five movies. Following its reboot with Bloodlines earlier this summer, let’s cast an eye over the original deadly series! Each film sees the protagonist have a premonition of a forthcoming disaster and convince a group including themselves to avoid the event, only for death to catch up with them in the most graphic of manners. The first film details a plane explosion, the second film a motorway crash, the third film a rollercoaster accident, the fourth film a motor racing incident and the fifth film a bridge collapse. Final Destination (2000) Alex Browning is flying to Paris on a school trip with a group of his classmates when he has a violent premonition of the plane exploding mid-air. The vision is undeniably more graphic than the real-life occurrence but what makes the actual event such a chilling scene is the way the gang argue in the airport as the plane explodes in the background to their horror. Death then proceeds to hunt them down in grotesque ways, including an accidental hanging in the shower, run over by a speeding bus, stabbed with a kitchen knife and hit by shrapnel from a train collision. This first instalment also introduces the mysterious William Bludworth, played by the Candyman himself Tony Todd. The ominous undertaker is the only recurring character in the film series, often explaining the situation to the survivors and giving them advice on how to break it. In Bloodlines, it provides details on Bludworth’s backstory, revealing that he was rescued from a disaster as a child and is still alive as the bloodline of his savior hasn’t been killed yet. Alex and fellow survivors Clear and Carter meet in Paris, the location they were never meant to reach, when Carter is hit by a swinging sign as the screen cuts to black. Final Destination 2 (2003) Kimberley Corman prevents a group of people from entering Route 23 after she envisions an accident on the highway. Again, it comes true, but what makes this scene so epic is the logging truck that causes the incident in the first place as it has become a cultural instinct to feel slightly uneasy every time you pull up behind a vehicle transporting such lumber. Death then proceeds to restore order with more unfortunate endings such as impaled by a ladder, crushed by a glass pane, decapitated by an elevator, impaled by a pipe, dismembered by barbed wire, explosion from an oxygen leak and finally a grill explosion. In this second instalment, the characters receive omens serving as warnings of their upcoming deaths and attempt to use these to avoid disaster, though ultimately aren’t successful. This second entry also has a couple of unique factors as Kimberley Corman is the only character from the franchise to still be alive after she beat Death by drowning and then being resuscitated, and Clear Waters is the only character in a main cast to come from a previous film. Final Destination 3 (2006) Wendy Christensen and her friends visit a theme park to celebrate their high school graduation. They ride a rollercoaster, which derails, killing them all. Except, Wendy had a premonition of this before it actually happened and therefore was able to save some of them. As per usual though, the survivors are not as lucky as they think as Death isn’t going to let them bypass their destiny that easily! Unfortunate fates this time include being burned alive on tanning beds, head sliced by an engine fan, a weight machine crushing the head, a nail gun firing nails into the head, impaled by a flag pole and getting bisected by a cherry picker. This time, omens appear in photographs taken by Wendy, which the gang use to foolishly attempt to beat the system that viewers by now know won’t relent. The three that make it to the end then meet their untimely demise with a train crash. The Final Destination (2009) Nick O’Bannon’s premonition of a disaster at a speedway saves the lives of his girlfriend, friends and a group of other spectators… but not for long. This time, the first catch-up death occurs as early as the group leaving the stadium as a flying tyre from the destruction decapitates Nadia. The others don’t last for much longer though as they too meet their grisly ends by being burned alive whilst dragged by a tow truck, hit by a rock caught in a lawnmower, cut into pieces by a metal grid fence, disemboweled by a pool drain and crushed by a bathtub. Further deaths include being run over by a speeding ambulance, stabbed by projectiles from an explosion at a movie theatre and getting sucked into the gears of an escalator, but in a twist, these are revealed to have all been part of another premonition. The survivors then meet up at a café where a swerving truck crashes, taking out the rest of them. Upon impact, an innovative closing sequence begins, showing them being crushed as animated skeletons. Initially intended to be the last in the series, hence the name change, a fifth film entered development following its box office success. Final Destination 5 (2011) Sam Lawton is heading on a work retreat with a bunch of colleagues when he saves them from a suspension bridge collapsing by experiencing a premonition moments before. The bridge collapse itself is cinematic, like something out of a disaster movie. Once again, Death hunts them down one by one. The first individual death to occur is Candice’s gymnastics incident in which she breaks her neck and is a particularly tense one to watch as it keeps teasing different factors that could each contribute to the end result. Further deaths include being crushed by a Budai statue at a spa treatment and falling to death after laser eye surgery. However, the course is changed when one of the survivors accidentally kills someone else, taking his lifespan and inadvertently saving himself. This entry also diverts from the norm as another unstable survivor targets the remaining others. In a final shocking twist, Sam and his girlfriend Molly prepare to fly to Paris on Flight 180, revealing the film to be a prequel set before the first movie, concluding the series with a full circle feel and perhaps symbolising the circle of life (and death). Following the success of Bloodlines, a sequel is in development, so here’s to the future of the Final Destination franchise!

Published by Mason Oldridge, 1 August 2025 Almost three decades after the classic 90s sports comedy, Adam Sandler is back as the legendary golfer with anger issues. 29 years after winning his first Tour Championship, Gilmore is a widowed, alcoholic, single father-of-five working in a supermarket. He returns to professional golf to put his daughter through ballet school in Paris, while also out to save the sport itself from a new age rival. Sandler’s comedies have decreased in quality in recent years since his move to Netflix, so a sequel to one of his greatest hits could've gone either way. Luckily, it went the right way. The original has such an overwhelming cult following, with Happy Gilmore an icon of a character, and fortunately, this second instalment leans into that, with several references and throwbacks to the first. Despite this, it is worth mentioning that the plot works well on its own merit too. Furthermore, Sandler brings out the big guns for the cast list. Julie Bowen and Christopher McDonald return as Happy’s wife Virginia and original rival Shooter McGavin respectively, and of course Ben Stiller is back as the hilarious Hal L. The sons of deceased characters Chubbs, Mr Larson and the heckler all appear in a nice nod to the first film and regular collaborators Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Nick Swardson and Jonathan Loughran also show up. There’s celebrity golfers including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler and an impressive roll call of cameos, notably Post Malone, Travis Kelce and Eminem. Additionally, including his real life family members makes for a nice touch. Delivering a sequel to one of the best films of all time is both a difficult and risky task to undertake, but Sandler smashes it, serving up a two-hour nostalgia fest with just enough original story to succeed. Happy Gilmore 2 is the feel-good movie of the summer. 9/10

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 feel-good comedy caper. 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 feel-good 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 February 2024 The name might sound lazy but the boys are far from it as they give it their all on their easy eighth album. Weeks after lead singer Ricky Wilson’s hilarious surprise appearance on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, the Yorkshire lads release the rest of their latest record following a string of singles. The album opens strong with Feeling Alright, an energetic feel-good song, and the good vibes continue on uplifting dance track How to Dance. There is a nice variety between tracks to clearly differentiate each one from another, incorporating multiple genres, all the while remaining unmistakably Kaiser Chiefs. The Job Centre Shuffle is ska-esque akin to Madness, Burning in Flames features strings, Reasons to Stay Alive and Noel Groove are heavier options with an epic bassline whereas The Lads is typical indie rock. With a mix of heavier sounds connecting them to their indie rock origins and softer, happier songs likely to appeal to a large mainstream audience, the lads have done it again… and made easy work of it. 8/10

Published by Mason Oldridge, 3 May 2024 Four years after groundbreaking previous release Future Nostalgia and following on from last year’s success with Dance the Night from the Barbie soundtrack, pop superstar Dua Lipa is here with her long-awaited third studio album. The titular term is referenced in the album’s artwork as it depicts Lipa in the ocean with a shark. Departing the electro pop sound of the predecessor, Radical Optimism incorporates dance and disco, as well as elements of psychedelia, thanks to co-production from Kevin Parker (Tame Impala). Parker’s influence is heard on lead single Houdini whereas follow-up single Training Season produces flashbacks to her sensational performance at the 2024 BRIT Awards. These Walls features an eerie sound, French Exit ironically sounds like Spanish music matched with an irregular drum beat, Falling Forever showcases Lipa’s prolonged and strained vocal abilities, Anything For Love strips the instrumentation back to piano to highlight Lipa’s talent and Maria is one of the catchiest tracks, matching acoustic guitar with epic feel-good flute sounds, before drum-centred Happy For You closes the album. Lipa has it all. The image. The moves. The personality. The voice. Dua Lipa is an artist of a generation. 10/10

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 feel-good 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, 15 July 2022 As the legendary Scott Mills prepares to jump ship to its sister station, we take a look at both the excellence and importance of BBC Radio 1. Radio is one of the greatest forms of media out there as it is totally unique. Where TV and film are perfect for telling a story, radio can provide a live discussion on both current events and the music it plays. However, in a world where we stream music on Spotify and full of podcasts, how does one of the oldest forms of media continue to reach new generations? Many stations aren’t going to attract our impatient brethren as Radio 3 would lull them to sleep with its classical music, Radio 4 would disinterest them with its documentaries and talk, and even Radio 2 is swaying more towards their Gen X parents. Therefore, there is only one station that delicately balances the airplay of contemporary music and digital socialisation. Radio 1 plays all the latest music that is in the charts, trending on Spotify and a viral sensation on TikTok, as well as the modern classics referred to as “anthems”. Listeners can often text and phone in to be a part of the show which allows them to personally get involved with the mad yet hilarious discussions that occur on air. Their news show Newsbeat is tailored to a younger audience, presenting the latest headlines in a more engaging manner. However, it is the presenters that are the heart and soul of the station. They are modern, relatable, relevant and embody what the network stands for. The station’s flagship show is the breakfast show, which has had Greg James at the helm of it for a few years now. Greg is funnier than most comedians without trying and makes for brilliant company when waking up and driving to work in the morning after early breakfast host Arielle Free hands over. He often dissects the funnier stories making headlines as he gets us up to date with All the Latest Things; recently, there was a cow that got stuck in a swimming pool. A headline feature on the show is Unpopular Opinion, in which disgruntled listeners call in with a controversial opinion they are rather passionate about to which Greg and a celebrity guest will discuss their thoughts on. In the past, listeners have argued that Bond villains were better when they had cats, the last season of Game of Thrones wasn’t that bad and one just really disliked Chris Martin. Other features include Fact Controller, in which listeners say what they have just discovered but most people already knew, and Double Disasters, in which listeners announce a mistake that they didn’t learn from the first time. Scott Mills is the mainstay of the station, even if he is not actually staying. Having had his own show since 2004, Scott hosts the afternoon slot along with his co-host Chris Stark, who joined in 2012 and became known for his last-minute interview with Mila Kunis when he talked to her about his beloved Watford FC, his local pub and Nando’s rather than promoting her new film. Features on the show include Innuendo Bingo, in which Stark and a guest must attempt to not laugh at innuendos while holding a mouth full of water, Brother or Lover, in which Scott and the team ask a pair of listeners questions about their relationship before guessing whether the couple are siblings or dating, and Granny Tinder, where a listener’s grandma helps them pick a suitor by looking through their Tinder profile. Scott also presents the Official Chart Show on Fridays and the Eurovision semi-finals on TV. He is such a massive Eurovision fan that, after years of the UK performing poorly at the contest, he got behind the 2022 entry Sam Ryder and backed his song Space Man, promoting it on the show with a campaign to which it gained a strong following and went on to be the runner-up at the final as well as peaking at #2 in the charts. Jordan North is probably best remembered for vomiting on a cliff edge before an abseiling challenge on the first night of the 2020 series of I’m a Celebrity in Wales. This likely played a part in him becoming the new host of the drivetime show with Vick Hope in which the Northern pair play a host of fun games too. Jordan is an ordinary lad and is so down-to-earth that one of the show’s segments is literally What Are You Having For Your Tea? When evening falls, the shows become a little more specific. Clara Amfo kicks things off with Future Sounds, introducing all the up-and-coming new music bound to make the playlist down the line. Then it’s over to Jack Saunders with Future Artists who welcomes all the new musicians landing on the scene before Sian Eleri brings the Power Down Playlist to prepare us for bed. It is not just the weekdays with a great line-up. Matt & Mollie host the weekend afternoons, having a good laugh with each other which is shared with the listeners. Other regular voices to hear on a weekend include former CBeebies presenter Katie Thistleton and the bundle of energy that is Dean McCullough. Later on in the afternoon, the music shifts as Charlie Hedges gets listeners in the mood with Dance Anthems. As night falls, Danny Howard and Pete Tong are among the DJs on hand to soundtrack the weekend with dance music. On the whole, it is safe to say that Radio 1 has a show for every stage of the week, providing the atmosphere and energy to match. The station may be an entertaining vehicle for all the latest news and music, as well as serving up all the laughs, but it goes beyond that. It keeps today’s youth connected in an ever increasingly distant world of social media and keeps one of the oldest and most important forms of media alive, bringing it to the next generation.

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, 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