The Drop

Have you noticed a lack of prestige TV on your favourite streaming platforms lately? You're not alone. The good news is, some of the most critically acclaimed shows of the past few years are about to return, including Succession and Ted Lasso. Plus, a whole bunch of brand new series are set to drop in the next couple of months.

On today's episode: our guide to best upcoming TV shows.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Academy Awards are just two weeks away. Will Everything Everywhere All At Once clean up? Could Top Gun: Maverick sneak ahead? Will Cate Blanchett pick up her third Oscar?

Today on The Drop, a deep dive exploring the state of the race, who's likely to win and the potential upsets. Plus, an interview with Mandy Walker, the Oscar-nominated cinematographer behind Elvis.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gender neutral Oompa-Loompa's and banning the word "fat" are just some of the changes that will be made to Roald Dahl's classic children's books.

The edits have sparked intense debate in the literary world, with Salman Rushdie condemning them as censorship while others have suggested that it's just about keeping up with the times.

So what is really behind these changes, and what will their impact be?

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Fred Again? The 29-year-old UK musician sold out his surprise concerts in Australia in just a few seconds, demonstrating how massively popular he has become.

But where did he come from, and what explains his meteoric rise?

Rob Moran breaks down the Fred Again phenomenon, plus a survey of the pop music landscape in 2023 featuring Caroline Polacheck, Lana Del Rey and up and coming Australian acts.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oscar-award winning director Steven Soderbergh is the mastermind behind Ocean's 11 and its sequels, Traffic and Erin Brockovich. His latest film is Magic Mike's Last Dance, starring Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek.

On this episode of The Drop, Soderbergh discusses why he returned to the world of male strippers, the upcoming Oscars and his thoughts on Top Gun: Maverick.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reality TV shows come and go but one franchise has outlasted pretty much all of the others: Survivor. The series is nearly a quarter of a century old and is undergoing a renaissance.

A new season of the Australian version of the franchise kicked off this week and it’s already being called the best ever.

Today on The Drop, culture reporter Meg Watson on how Survivor has outlasted other reality TV shows.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's biggest music countdown is here, but does it still have the kind of cultural resonance it used to?

On today's episode journalist Billie Eder dives into the data to look what it takes to get a winning song, and what we can expect in this year's countdown.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the biggest movies in the world right now is about a robotic doll who goes on a violent rampage.

The film is called M3GAN, and it’s part of a new wave of campy, self-aware horror movies that are becoming huge box office success stories.

On today's episode, we explore how horror appears to be in the middle of a renaissance right now, thanks to an emphasis on fun, slick marketing, and a healthy dose of social and political satire.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Test is a sports documentary series that takes viewers inside the inner sanctum of the Australian men's cricket team, revealing candid conversations and behind-the-scenes tension.

One of the show's breakout stars is batter Usman Khawaja.

On this episode of The Drop, Usman Khawaja talks about his involvement in the show and why Australian cricket needs to confront its race problem. Also on this episode: The two co-directors of The Test, Adrian Brown and Sheldon Wynne.

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's hip-hop has never been bigger and more diverse, and it's making waves around the world. But over the past few years police have been waging a battle against some of the most popular musicians in the country, in some cases stopping them from performing live.

Last week things escalated, with police threatening to remove their music from streaming platforms like Spotify and YouTube. It's a fight reminiscent of the tension between groups like NWA and Tupac and law enforcement in the 1990s, but it's happening right here in Australia.

Today on The Drop, writer and critic Mahmood Fazal unpacks the current state of Australia's hip-hop scene, why it's attracted so much controversy, and who will win: police or hip-hop?

The Drop is a weekly show tackling the latest in the world of pop culture and entertainment. Join host Osman Faruqi and the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age's team of culture writers and critics along with interviews with musicians, actors, film makers and everyone involved in the world of culture.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.