This episode is about big-budget, mainstream films which attempt to translate beloved characters from our childhoods to the big screen. We talk about particularly disastrous examples and ask how they go so wrong, such as ‘Postman Pat: The Movie’, and more recently, ‘Peter Rabbit’. Why do families still pay money to see them, and how do they manage to make the films far too childish and far too adult at the same time? We also ask where and why it goes well, such as in ‘Paddington’, and how the internet connects to the more disturbing aspects of this trend.

In this episode, we wade through the topical minefield that is 'fandoms'. In particular, how the internet has changed the communicative distance between creators and their fans, how the 'culture war' affects discourse, and how these things have lead to the sense of creative ownership that extreme fans seem to have over their favourite franchises.

Examples covered include: Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Star Wars, Rick and Morty, Sherlock, Game of Thrones and Steven Universe.

A trailer for our upcoming podcast about political and cultural trends, as viewed through the prism of the screen. Find out what we're about, and why.