Maid for TV

Sarah and Dawn chat about Alison Hammond and our last episode

(00:00)

News from this month including our verdict on new presenters on veteran shows: Nigella on Bake Off and our verdict on the slightly baffling new Strictly presenting team.

(06:46)

Drag Rage is dragged from the BBC

(14:25)

Age is apparently the factor behind two wild decisions - Amazon dropping Ride or Die and Tom Jones being dropped by The Voice.

(18:15)

And the latest new shows announced featuring Taskmaster alumni, a Taskmaster wannabe and turns out darkly comedic thrillers are all the rage.

(26:55)

We get nostalgic as the return of Play School is announced and take a deep dive into the   history of Saturday morning kids magazine shows and we ask how on earth the BBC and ITV got away with the most incredible fever dreams we’ll never see the like of again.

(30:30)

Recommendations:

70 Up - ITVX

Blood Sacrifice (Bloodsoffer) - Netflix

(1:10:05)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Inspired by the BBC’s advertising campaign asking “What has the BBC ever done for me?” Dawn and Sarah put themselves in Romesh Ranganathan’s shoes and ask what has the BBC ever done for them.

But first some news. Nicola Coughlan is killing her husband with a leg of lamb, Taskmaster is courting controversy, and Jeremy Vine’s show is under fire.

(03:35)

So what has the BBC done for us?

(12:42)

Threads - Dawn’s childhood innocence is destroyed by the infamous 1984 nuclear war drama.

(23:53)

Through the Dragon’s Eye - Cheap costumes can’t stop Sarah being sucked into the world of linguistic magic.

(32:00)

French & Saunders - Dawn discovers women on TV can be funny and fat, brilliant and silly.

(39:40)

Red Dwarf - Sarah discovers her own identity when she finds the joys of grungy British scifi comedy and space bromance

(46:40)

The House of Elliott - Dawn discovers she actually likes period drama when it’s about fashion and feminism

(57:00)

Around the World in 80 Days with Michael Palin - the travel documentary is revolutionised by a Python and Sarah realises she’d quite like to stay at home, thanks.

(01:02:55)

Recommendations of the Month(01:13:05)

My Brilliant Career (Netflix)

Evolution (BBC 2/iPlayer)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Sarah is lusting after Scotsmen and Dawn is wheezing

(01:27)

Renewals of some of our faves(04:27)

New shows, some with familiar IPS, including the feminist, funny Smack the Pony making a return

(08:52)

Final MAFS update, and we get depressed about AI, LGBTQ characters and platforms morphing into each other.

(22:00)

FUNDRAISER LINK FOR JAZZY: https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-steven-schmaneks-final-wishes

Where does a female sports presenter belong? In the kitchen apparently.(45:44)

Recommendations of the Month(01:02:20)

Quizzy Mondays (BBC Two)

Celebrity Gogglebox (Channel 4)

Star City (Apple)

Ride or Die (Amazon Prime)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Slow Horses fanfiction

(00:00)

Dr Who News: "out for tender" is a good thing, apparently

(04:08)

Only Murders Goes English - Could an all-star British cast resurrect Only Murders in the Building? We’re excited for the rebrand to Someone's Only Gone and Kicked the Bucket in the Flats.

(11:32)

RIP the lovely Anthony Head

(14:45)

Rivals - even a nearly perfect show can get its lesbian characters wrong.

(39:35)

Recommendations of the Month

(01:00:00)

The Mother of All Cons - BBC iPlayer

Abbot Elementary - Disney+

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

You wait weeks for an episode, and 2 come along at once! As a special bonus episode, Dawn and Sarah talked to Sarah's Rambling Through Eternity co-host, Eurovision expert, David Evans-Powell about this years event, the complex geopolitical situation facing Eurovision's creators - the EBU, and Britain's future in the competition.

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Apologies for Dawn's sound quality and the belated upload.

Exciting comedy recommissions from the BBC.

(00:00)

New Strictly presenters.

(07:58)

Celebrity Traitors season 2 line-up.

(15:00)

Married at First Sight sexual assault allegations - how to protect contestants in reality TV.

(22:55)

Good Omens - did the salvaged finale fulfil fans' hopes?

(43:18)

Our recommendations of the month:

(01:00:32)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Disney)

Widow's Bay (Apple+)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Dawn and Sarah start with the bad news of BBC redundancies, in the continuing saga of BBC issues.

(03:50)

TFI Friday has been rebooted for Channel 4, but who is it for?

(11:24)

The Pitt's cast losses leave a bad taste in the mouth

(16:53)

What's the verdict on SNL UK, and the current wave of shows putting British comedy in the spotlight?

(21:30)

Our recommendations of the month:(59:15)

DTF St Louis (Sky, Now, HBO Max)

Bait (Amazon Prime)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

(2:55) TV news - Rebooted X-Files news, a potential Lovejoy reboot and Firefly relaunch hints. And who should take over Richard Osman’s hosting duties on House of Games.

(18:00) Urrgh - the BAFTAs. Our national broadcaster is front and centre of another embarrassing scandal and we’re getting pretty sick of trying to defend the BBC yet again. 

(29:40) We look back on the prolific career of Victoria Wood, and suggest Becoming Victoria Wood on U&Gold and Sky is a great start to cement her trail-blazing legacy.

(49:15)

Recommendations of the Month

Paradise (Disney+)  - a sci-fi thriller with a heart 

Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (NowTV and Sky) - a small & lovely saga in the Game of Thrones universe. 

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

(01:20) TV news: Mock the Week is back but can you find it? Surprise ratings hits from 2025 and YouTube in the ascendant.

(21:00) When TV shows pick up and move, plus Sarah waxes lyrical about the charms of Brum but has to issue a tiny apology about the BBC’s efforts in the Midlands. 

(27:15) The new BBC diversity report: is Aunty Beeb doing too much or not enough? Well, it depends who reports the findings. 

(47:08) And Dawn changes her mind on Heated Rivalry.

(58:42) Our recommendations of the month:

Steal (Amazon Prime)

I Like Me (Amazon Prime)

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠

Happy new-ish year! 

(03:34) Christmas TV was a big fat let-down. The Maids know how to fix it and we’ll tell you what we want to see.

(20:08) Three cheers for New Years Treats which both feature a malevolent presence who puppets a gang of plucky volunteers for his entertainment - Taskmaster and Stranger Things.

(30:50) We recap the best TV of 2025 and why it was the year of The Traitors.

(41:10) Claudia Winkleman’s long-awaited chat show is airing soon and we ask where are all the female hosts?

(49:43) Our recommendations of the month:

The White Princess - C4

Pose - Disney+

Stay connected with us:

Maid for TV Instagram: @maidfortv

Maid for TV twitter: @maidfortvpod

Maid for TV bluesky: @maidfortv.bsky.social

Maid for TV email: ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Dawn’s Twitter: @DawnGlen2

Sarah’s Twitter: @SarahHamstera

Buy your gals a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/maidfortvo⁠