Two Chairs Talking

By David Grigg and Perry MiddlemissArts Books

Two Chairs Talking episodes

October 21, 2025Misfortunes, Mayhem and Bloody Murders
Season 2, Episode 10
With co-host Perry overseas at present, David talks to Dr. Lucy Sussex about her recent book Outrageous Fortunes and her visit to Scotland where she spoke about her research and attended the Bloody Scotland convention
Introduction (0:52)
About Dr. Lucy Sussex (1:03)
Outrageous Fortunes by Megan Brown & Lucy Sussex (10:47)
Visit to Scotland (39:47)
Undercover Agents conference (9:26)
Bloody Scotland (27:36)
Travelling by Plane (1:53)
Windup (0:49)
Illustration by Dream by Wombo.ai.
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54 min
September 29, 2025Children of the Future Age
Season 2, Episode 9
David and Perry discuss the film Children of Men and the recent Miles Franklin Award winner, Ghost Cities by Siang Lu.
Introduction (0:11)
AFL Grand Final (2:14)
2025 Ned Kelly Awards (3:13)
Reading slowdown and film watching (3:17)
Discussion (1:20)
Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuarón (film) (18:50)
Ghost Cities by Siang Lu (13:04)
What else we've been watching (0:02)
Alien: Earth, Season 1 (TV show) (7:43)
Singin' in the Rain, directed by Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen (film) (4:55)
The Bear, Season 4 (TV show) (0:45)
Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger (film) (6:49)
Windup (1:31)
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Image generated by Wombo Dream A.I.
Children of the future age,
Reading this indignant page,
Know that in a former time,
Love, sweet love, was thought a crime.
William Blake, "A Little Girl Lost"
1 hr 5 min
September 02, 2025Cleansing the Doors of Perception
Season 2, Episode 8
Perry and David discuss the film Asteroid City directed by Wes Anderson, and the novel The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera, among other topics
Introduction (0:26)
2025 Hugo Award Winners (3:47)
Discussion (0:11)
Asteroid City, directed by Wes Anderson (18:52)
The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (18:43)
What Else We've Been Watching or Reading (0:09)
Superman, directed by James Gunn (3:42)
Cage of Souls by Adrian Tchaikovsky (1:42)
Let Me Tell You by Shirley Jackson (0:49)
Firefly (TV show) (1:22)
Serenity, directed by Josh Whedon (0:20)
Fantastic Four: First Steps, directed by Matt Shakman (5:59)
Heretic, directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (4:13)
Windup (0:51)
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If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear as it is, infinite.
A Memorable Fancy: William Blake
Illustration generated by Wombo Dream AI
1 hr 2 min
July 28, 2025The Clock Has Stopped in the Dark!
Season 2, Episode 7
David and Perry discuss the novel Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and the film Dark City directed by Alex Proyas
Introduction (1:44)
Anniversary of Aussiecon (3:23)
Discussion (0:12)
Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky (9:49)
Dark City directed by Alex Proyas (17:47)
What Else We've Been Watching/Reading (0:11)
Station Eleven (DVD) (2:06)
F1 directed by Joseph Kosinski (5:21)
The Amateur directed by James Hawes (0:35)
Good Girl, Bad Girl by Michael Robotham (4:14)
Shrinking (Apple TV+) (3:44)
Wind-up and Next Episode (1:21)
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Violet:
You do not know what has been going on, Ivy.
And if you did, you would not understand it.
I do not understand, so how could you?
...
Ivy: Oh, I'm sorry. But can't you explain?
Why do you all look so peculiar? I think I might be allowed
To know what has happened.
Amy's voice: Agatha! Mary! come!
The clock has stopped in the dark!
-- Family Reunion by T. S. Eliot
51 min
June 26, 2025Exhausting the Realm of the Possible
Season 2, Episode 6
Perry and David discuss the latest Mission Impossible movies and the novel Julia.
Introduction (01:15)
Discussion (53:05)
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning / Final Reckoning (17:03)
F1 and Other Apple Movies (06:21)
Julia by Sandra Newman (18:41)
What Else We've Been Reading and Watching (10:39)
The Songs of Penelope by Claire North (03:40)
Jurassic Park Series (02:01)
Murderbot (Apple TV+) (04:04)
Warfare directed by Alex Garland (00:48)
Windup (01:07)
Image generated by Wombo Dream AI
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My soul, do not seek immortal life, but exhaust the realm of the possible.
—Pindar, Pythian Odes, III.109
56 min
May 26, 2025Like a worm in the bud
Season 2, Episode 5
Perry and David discuss the novel Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway and the film Parasite directed by Bong Joon Ho.
Introduction (05:40)
Discussion (45:39)
Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway (27:12)
Parasite, directed by Bong Joon Ho (18:26)
What else we've been reading/watching (07:43)
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Illustration by Wombo Dream AI.
...She never told her love,
but let concealment, like a worm i’ the bud
feed on her damask cheek...
—Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
1 hr
April 29, 2025The Eye of the Storm
Season 2, Episode 4
Perry and David discuss the novellas Typhoon by Joseph Conrad and The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler, as well as the film Birdman directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.
Introduction (07:52)
Discussion (45:51)
Typhoon by Joseph Conrad (16:30)
Birdman directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (16:56)
The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler (11:47)
What Else We've Been Reading/Watching (09:57)
Windup (01:28)
Interview with Alejandro González Iñárritu in Variety Magazine
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Photo of hurricane from NASA
1 hr 6 min
March 24, 2025Don't Ever Leave
Season 2, Episode 3
David and Perry discuss the film "Never Let Me Go" and the novel "This Kingdom of Dust" in depth as well as mentioning a few other books and films.
Introduction (03:07)
Never Let Me Go (film and novel) (25:24)
This Kingdom of Dust (novel) (24:17)
What else we've been reading and watching (14:22)
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (01:46)
Dusk by Robbie Arnott (03:35)
Conclave (05:00)
The Conversation (03:22)
Windup (02:04)
END (50:24)
Illustration by Wombo Dream AI.
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1 hr 10 min
February 25, 2025The Vision Splendid
Season 2, Episode 2
David and Perry discuss the films and television shows they watched during 2024 and give lists of their best in each category.
Intro (03:26)
Favourite Film and TV of 2024 (01:30:51)
Favourite Films of 2024 (45:18)
Perry's Favourite Drama Films (06:30)
David's Favourite Drama Films (02:05)
Perry's Favourite SF/Fantasy/Horror Films (05:01)
David's Favourite SF/Fantasy Films (02:10)
Perry's Favourite Action/Thriller Films (05:22)
David's Favourite Action/Thriller Films (01:23)
Perry's Favourite Comedy Films (05:03)
David's Favourite Comedy Films (02:22)
Perry's Favourite Crime Films (06:03)
David's Favourite Crime Films (00:19)
Perry's Favourite Other Films (04:18)
David's Favourite Other Films (01:00)
Perry's Best Films Overall (01:58)
David's Favourite Overall (00:37)
Favourite TV Shows of 2024 (44:53)
Perry's Favourite Drama TV (06:35)
David's Favourite Drama TV (03:03)
Perry's Favourite SF/Fantasy TV (02:17)
David's Favourite SF/Fantasy TV (06:18)
Perry's Favourite Action/Thriller TV (07:08)
David's Favourite Action/Thriller TV (00:47)
Perry's Favourite Comedy TV (03:57)
David's Favourite Comedy TV (00:47)
Perry's Favourite Crime TV (06:55)
David's Favourite Crime TV (00:47)
Perry's Favourite Documentary TV (03:46)
David's Favourite Documentary TV (01:00)
Perry's Best Overall Tv (00:43)
David's Favourite Overall TV (00:33)
Windup (04:09)
Image generated by Apple Image Playground.
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1 hr 39 min
January 22, 2025The Books! The Books!
Season 2 Episode 1
David and Perry discuss the books they read during 2024 and give lists of their best five in each category. Plus their most disappointing read of the year.
Intro (01:44)
Our 2024 Reading (45:12)
David's Best SF for 2024 (10:27)
Perry's Best SF for 2024 (12:05)
Perry's Best Fantasy for 2024 (06:32)
David's Best Crime for 2024 (10:31)
Perry's Best Crime for 2024 (15:45)
David's Best Thrillers of 2024 (10:45)
Perry's Best Thrillers of 2024 (06:22)
David's Best Historical Fiction of 2024 (08:49)
Perry's Best Children's Literature for 2024 (04:45)
David's Best Childrens Literature of 2024 (05:48)
Perry's Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (14:27)
David's Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (11:15)
Perry's Best Non-Fiction of 2024 (06:28)
David's Best Nonfiction of 2024 (08:05)
David's Best Overall for 2024 (00:24)
Perry's Best Overall for 2024 (01:14)
Perry's Biggest Disappointment of 2024 (03:19)
David's Biggest Disappointment of 2024 (03:20)
Windup (00:56)
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2 hr 29 min

About Two Chairs Talking

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Two ex-chairmen of the World SF Convention talk about books, movies, science fiction fandom, and much else.

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