Bond By Numbers

Six Bonds walk into a Blockbuster Video... this might be the start of a bad joke but it's also the premise of our fanciful discussion for Ep.40! What will they rent? What confectionary is collected at the counter? Do they rewind the tape? The variables abound as Josh, Scott and Jeff wax hypothetical on this singular topic so grab your membership cards and join BBN for some weekend rentals!

Our seasonal survey of "3 Non Bonds" kicks off with Josh's selection, 1996's "Mission Impossible". The teaser poster forewarned audiences to "expect the impossible"... which is another way of saying "suspend your disbelief, a whole lot of crazy is on the way"! And yet, the production confidently came in under budget and ahead of time. Most critics warmed to the performances and the ambitious vision of De Palma's slick, complex thriller but veteran fans and cast members of the original TV show stood aghast. Hold on to your facemasks, everyone, "Mission Impossible" is about to get some BBN treatment.

Our first What If? episode renders a range of scenarios spanning from the intriguing to the incredulous. We unleash our roulette and empower it as casting director in charge of the Bond Ladies. Every film is subjected to its spinning whimsy and judgement. There probably aren't enough polite disclaimers to cover this one - trust a toy wheel and you'll get what you deserve!

"The First James Bond Director"... that's the starting point for most of us in regarding Terence Young. Credited with schooling Sean Connery in the ways of cool, Young was at the helm for three of Bond's first four adventures so it's impossible to downplay his impact on the franchise. In Episode 37, BBN looks back on the career and contributions of Terence Young in this first panel discussion on the 007 directors.

Kick the mud off your shoes, store your drink and buckle up, friends! Season 2 of BBN enjoys an early launch here with a quarantine-enabled chinwag over some favourite car chases. Join your hosts as they shift gears through the varied terrain of this much-loved 007 topic!

Dry-clean the evening wear, Bond fans, it's awards season! Yes, the finale of BBN’s inaugural series sees the panel join forces and butt heads over their evaluations of all things EON. Cars, gadgets, locales and all the rest – we’ve got you covered. Who’ll earn a coveted spot and who’ll be sent home in a Citroen C2V? Play along and join in the fun as Josh, Scott and Jeff say farewell to Season 1 in style!

With a script tailored to his unique brand of 007, Roger Moore delivered what many feel was his best of seven EON performances. Complemented by outstanding stunts, evocative sets and the world's largest sound-stage, TSWLM is still held up as a favoured instalment. Nevertheless, controversies loom large like Liparus over elements of production. Grab your ticket for the Good Ship BBN and let it guide you through the fabled fathoms of Moore's third Bond adventure! All aboard!

Regarded by its author as a "cautionary tale" (...uh, sure, okay Ian...) Bond's 1962 literary adventure, set in leafy upstate New York, is anything but classic 007. Narrated by a vulnerable female protagonist trapped in a motel with libidinous ghouls, "The Spy Who Loved Me" has more in common with Hitchcock's "Psycho" than the EON production of the same name. Maligned by critics and fans alike, Fleming's experimental novel is here put through the BBN apparatus ahead of their upcoming review on the 1977 film. So, fill up the Vespa and sharpen the ice-pick, it's time to meet Vivienne Michel!

Expectations were high when Fleming's "You Only Live Twice" hit the shelves in 1963. The anticipated follow-up to "OHMSS" did, indeed, return James Bond to the field after tragedy befell him but how fitting was the resolution? Set exclusively in Japan, this controversial conclusion to the Blofeld trilogy is as much travelogue as dramatic denouement. Asking a lot from his readers, Fleming straddles dangerously the boundary between his own indulgence and his audience's satisfaction. Bowman & the BFG unpack the pages in this fulsome conversation, originally recorded in November 2016.

Given Ian Fleming's fascination with Japan, detailed for readers in his final novel, it was destined that the cinematic Bond would soon delve into the culture's offerings. But with a new director at the helm, a tiring star in the lead and diverse challenges facing the production team, no one knew how "You Only Live Twice" would measure up to previous successes of Sean Connery's 007 run. Join BBN as the panel katana-cuts through the franchise's fifth instalment with ambitious precision and offers up a generous serving of sake... at 98.4 degrees Fahrenheit, of course!