Netflex on English

Opposing an authoritarian regime may cost you your freedom and, sometimes, even life. Gary and Leo discuss the story of the Russian opposition leader’s poisoning Alexei Navalny.  

Vocabulary: poison, investigate, expose, appease, track down, dicsredit, prisoner of conscience.Cover by Chloe Cushman (Instagram: @chloecushman).The transcript is available here.

How could a flat broke girl trick New York's elite into thinking she was a rich German heiress? Gary and Leo discuss the story of the notorious fraudster Anna Delvey-Sorokina.Vocabulary: con artist, socialite, rip off, max out, convicted, felony chargeCover by Samira Jannat (Instagram: @mii_voi)

The transcript is available here.

Is there still sex in the city when you are a widow in your 50s? Gary and Leo discuss the new story of the iconic TV character Carrie Bradshaw

Vocabulary: fall out, non-binary, widow, will, facelift, woke

Cover by Fiona Stark (Instagram: @fionastark)

The transcript is available here

Marrying a prince may seem a fairytale come true. Until you learn to prepare yourself for a not so happily ever after. Gary and Leo discuss the story of Britain’s Queen of Hearts – Princess Diana.

Vocabulary: fit the bill, the Balmoral Test, triumph, have an affair, thrown in at the deep end, resent, bulimia, push away

Cover by Tanya Maklashina (Instagram: @tanyamaklashina)

The transcript is available here.

Ruling the country as the first female prime minister certainly takes a lot of grit. Especially, if you have a testy relationship with your own ministers, as well as the Queen herself. Gary and Leo discuss the story of the legendary Iron Lady – Margaret Thatcher.

Vocabulary: the Conservatives, wet, grit, privileged, testy, the Commonwealth of Nations, revitalise, compare like with like 

Cover by Hubert Dłużniewski (Instagram: @kalakadaj)

The transcript is available here.

What if you could use sitcoms as a way to literally escape the painful reality? Gary and Leo discuss the tragic love story of two iconic Marvel superheroes, Wanda Maximoff and Vision.

Vocabulary: android, blend in, sitcom, perception, hold hostage, make heads or tails of something, grief

Cover by Fausto Giurescu (Instagram: @fausto_giurescu)

The transcript is available here.

If you are born with an incredible talent for playing chess, people consider it a blessing. However, great gifts come with a great price. Gary and Leo discuss the turbulent story of a chess prodigy Beth Harmon.

Vocabulary: prodigy, orphan, the Queen's Gambit, two sides of the same coin, addiction, wipe someone out

Cover by Monica Gonzalez (Instagram: @monicagonzalezart)

The transcript is available here.

In the 1940s, Black talents struggled to find a proper job in Hollywood. In order to survive, sometimes they would have to resort to desperate measures. Gary and Leo discuss the controversial story of an aspiring Black writer Archie Coleman.

Vocabulary: screenplay/script, turn tricks, greenlight, credits, get credit, go out on a limb, controversial 

Cover by Tanya Maklashina (Instagram: @tanyamaklashina) 

The transcript is available here.

In order to get a role in a Hollywood motion picture, sometimes you have to do something more than just a screen test. Gary and Leo discuss the success story of an aspiring actor Jack Castello.

Vocabulary: picture/motion picture, aspiring, extra, a dime a dozen, make ends meet, screen test, cast 

Cover by Konstantin Khasanov (Instagram: @khaskost)

The transcript is available here.

When a lively Chicago girl Emily lands a job in Paris, she is supposed to bring an American point of view to a respectable French marketing firm. Nevertheless, Emily’s new colleagues aren’t that excited to hear it. Gary and Leo discuss the challenges Emily faces in Paris.

Vocabulary: step into someone’s shoes, arrogant, asset, meme, influencer, high on 

Cover by Milton Nakata (Instagram: @miltonnakata)

The transcript is available here.