For Luther, 2015 hosted a short fourth series, and an Idris Elba character concept album. 2019 presented a seemingly final series. What drove those episodes? What did those songs mean? Talks of a prequel film adaptation, to series 4 being a TV film, to series 5 being a final series before a film — why did the show shift in all these ways? How did Luther’s character calcify across these series? What did Neil Cross mean by series 5’s ending? What is ‘stage one’ of the ‘Lutherverse’? We discuss all this, & much more!

(00:00:00) Sporadic seasons

(00:04:02) Series 4 interview

(00:07:30) Series 4’s structure

(00:18:14) George Cornelius + cannibal killer

(00:24:00) Cut scenes + Rose Leslie

(00:30:22) Luther’s return + creative friction

(00:37:52) Benny in series 4

(00:41:48) Design juxtaposition + anticlimaxes

(00:48:15) The clairvoyant + killer location

(00:55:27) The John Luther Character Album

(01:01:43) Murdah Loves John

(01:08:40) Alice Loves

(01:18:10) Wide Awake

(01:25:18) Fires

(01:28:39) Sinner Man

(01:33:36) Paradise Circus

(01:39:41) Finish Line

(01:48:11) Bridges

(01:51:38) Comic Relief skit in 2016

(02:01:01) Series 5's backstory for series 4 + moral provincialism

(02:21:03) Series 5's opening + DS Halliday

(02:28:13) The series 5 killers + parallels

(02:35:40) Alice's nature

(02:38:57) The bus killer + convergent arrivals

(02:45:15) Alice & progression

(02:55:44) Phase One of Luther + Alice spinoff

(03:11:45) Series 5's ending

(03:27:53) Luther getting colder + Benny, Mark, Catherine

(03:32:46) Series 4, 5, & 6? + George & guns

(03:39:09) Neil Cross: fears & future…

Continue reading →

What is the story of Chibnall’s era, in his own words? How did Chibnall see his job as showrunner? What is the arc of the Thirteenth Doctor, & what drove Chibnall to write it? What was putting Flux together under the pandemic like? What deeper meanings were behind the P’ting episode?

We unpack these questions (and many more!) in a metacommentary looking at a new 2023 interview with Chibnall, the 2021 ‘Story Breakdown’ video, and the audio commentaries for War of the Sontarans and The Tsuranga Conundrum.

(00:00:00) Commentaries & convolution

(00:05:42) WAR OF THE SONTARANS — pink planet

(00:09:44) Sontarans on horses

(00:11:07) Vinder’s costume

(00:18:22) Disparate Flux

(00:20:24) World map plotting

(00:21:37) Blood on Doctor Who

(00:23:37) Captured in commentary

(00:24:40) Jamie Magnus Stone & phones

(00:28:27) Non-scripted combat

(00:34:32) Reused sets

(00:35:06) Thirteenth Doctor costuming

(00:42:30) Mongolian inspiration

(00:44:14) Sontaran staging

(00:47:13) Karvanista reshoots

(00:51:16) THE TSURANGA CONUNDRUM — the title

(00:52:38) Doctor of Lego

(00:57:13) Scientific speeches

(01:04:33) Gender dynamics

(01:14:29) Layers of meaning

(01:29:38) CHIBNALL INTERVIEW — Radio Free Skaro, 2023

(01:32:12) Role of a showrunner

(01:40:55) Diversity in Doctor Who + Timeless telos

(02:03:43) Writers’ rooms

(02:19:03) Rosa Parks & Speed

(02:25:20) Co-authoring scripts

(02:28:50) Editing scripts

(02:39:54) Less episodes of the show

(02:47:47) Showrunner intent + festive specials

(02:57:48) BBC treatment of Doctor Who + tangibility

(03:14:27) Rumours, narratives, & K9

(03:19:12) Long-term plans + 60th anniversary

(03:22:56) Pandemic & production

(03:30:23) Series 13 possibilities

(03:37:09) Spinoffs + summing up interview

(03:48:10) FLUX STORY BREAKDOWN — novelty

(03:52:57) Divison

(03:54:18) Chibnall intent: arcs + emotional fallout

(04:00:27) Finality

(04:05:25) Tecteun + Timeless backstory

(04:08:49) Emotional & psychological showdown

(04:10:23) Mythic Doctor + dastardly Division

(04:14:52) Evil experimentation

(04:16:57) Explanations & imprecisions

(04:20:41) Time & space

(04:25:09) Motherhood & adoption

(04:37:23) Literalised time

(04:39:16) End of the Ravagers

(04:42:32) Fob watch

(04:44:40) Open to interpretation

(04:48:45) Kicking the can

(04:50:29) Ambiguity, identity, convolution…

Continue reading →

The third series of Luther presented cracked mirrors of Idris Elba's title character, and broke down the core of the show in surprisingly conclusive ways. We discuss this early finality, along with Neil Cross ideology, the social role of TV, perverse fan pleasing, embracing comic book conventions, London verisimilitude, infectious ideas, British 'bubbles', middle class radicalism, Thomas Marwood as a character, the 'LutherTruther' movement, and much more.

(00:00:00) Differences from S1 & S2

(00:05:49) The first two-parter + flowing on from S2

(00:11:02) Stark & Erin

(00:17:19) Ripley & Barnaby

(00:22:14) Character death + pillars of the show

(00:31:38) Marwood

(00:37:04) Finding peace, running away, loving murder

(00:43:13) Luther as a priest

(00:47:37) Fear in storytelling + appeal of the show

(00:54:06) Scary moments in series 3 + Blade Runner blues

(01:00:17) Generations + happy Luther + little Ripleys + Mary

(01:06:07) Alice’s characterisation

(01:17:55) Marwood’s characterisation + Luther morality

(01:24:48) Skewed morality + moral convolutions

(01:30:42) Marwood’s life & politics

(01:52:04) Police headquarters & Schenk

(01:58:42) LutherTruther — show ending at series 3

(02:06:23) Neil Cross on form (novels & TV)

(02:15:01) Neil Cross on novelists & writing

(02:23:05) Neil Cross on espionage & current affairs

(02:29:22) Neil Cross — strange anecdotes

(02:37:40) Neil Cross on ideology

(02:45:01) State tools & Southwark Bridge…

Continue reading →

What does RTD think of younger generations of writers? What do his Star Trek comparisons tell us about how he sees spinoffs? Who ultimately 'owns' the show? Why do certain spinoff ideas persist? How new will RTD's new era be? How do we define 'good TV'? Why would a past showrunner return?

We delve into these questions in a discussion of new Russell T Davies interviews and discourses in the lead-up to his second Doctor Who era. Along the way, we also look at the nature of different publications showrunners talk to, charitable & charitable readings, standards of TV quality, fans & the Fitzroy tavern, what makes Doctor Who unique compared to other franchises, & the ongoing Fourteenth Doctor Liberation of the Daleks comic.

(00:00:00) Continuation & chaos

(00:05:56) RTD eras: same or different?

(00:08:46) The Times: context & RTD’s approach

(00:18:27) The Times: heritage & spinoffs

(00:32:05) ‘They’re rubbish’

(00:40:16) Charitable & uncharitable readings

(00:46:58) RTD critiquing TV

(01:00:34) Fans, Fitzroy, ownership

(01:18:24) Showrunner symbolism & authority

(01:24:15) Surely Moffat would never come back!

(01:29:41) The Independent: RTD & making way

(01:34:58) Moffat & RTD on the showrunner role

(01:47:49) Why & how RTD returned

(01:58:30) Star Trek, spinoffs, & ‘the next stage”

(02:07:02) Money & the Disney deal

(02:16:12) Fan ideas for spinoffs

(02:24:04) Era popularity & trailer timing

(02:29:43) Liberation of the Daleks comic, part 4

(02:37:32) Doctor Who isn’t like Star Wars…

Continue reading →

Ephemeral culture, alienation & interconectivity, social function of TV, uncategorisability, mortality & posthumous 'final bows', contempt & gender, story generation, & more are discussed in this review of Nolly, the 2023 miniseries from Russell T Davies that serves as a tribute to Noele Gordon of the British soap Crossroads.

(00:00:00) What we know of Crossroads

(00:04:08) Experiences with soaps

(00:10:25) Intimacy & social function of soaps

(00:15:01) Who was Crossroads for?

(00:17:27) Genesis of Nolly the show

(00:24:58) Respect for soaps

(00:27:49) Why RTD wrote this now

(00:33:39) Mortality & legacy

(00:38:45) Is the show too niche?

(00:41:48) Tone & tribute

(00:49:22) Uncategorisability

(00:57:50) It’s a Sin connections

(01:00:38) Contempt & gender

(01:07:34) RTD invoking MeToo

(01:12:40) Character passivity

(01:19:25) Poppy

(01:31:01) Writers: ego & experience

(01:38:29) Why Nolly was fired

(01:42:50) Accents & dialogue delivery

(01:52:53) Posthumous final bow

(02:00:01) The Times + raised on TV

(02:08:12) Doctor Who parallels

(02:15:18) RTD’s gestation periods

(02:23:32) What has taken the place of soaps?

(02:27:12) Resonances with the 80s + phrasing + cancellations

(02:36:12) Passion for the past

(02:38:50) RTD bookends…

Continue reading →

What ideology drives Rosa? How does Spyfall conceive of history? What does it mean to blend the sci-fi butterfly effect with historical racism? What sort of scenes were cut from Rosa? What inspired Chibnall to write Spyfall? We explore these questions in a metacommentary unpacking the audio commentary tracks for Rosa, and Spyfall: Part One.

Along the way, we discuss free association writing, social implications of multiverse fiction, politicised time travel, thematic incongruity, untenable social myths, narrative truisms, dollhouse conceptions of racism, decontextualisation, actionability, applicability, & more!

(00:00:00) Rosa & Spyfall

(00:02:19) Compartmentalised coverage + action & application

(00:13:07) The slap + mindsets towards racism

(00:22:39) G. F. B.

(00:24:03) 13 & Bansky + Malorie Blackman interview

(00:29:29) Companions & exposition

(00:33:24) ‘I don’t recognise anyone by that description’

(00:35:24) Steve Jobs joke

(00:36:17) Yaz and Ryan’s racism discussion

(00:44:05) ‘It’s very largely a story about a bus’

(00:45:45) Claudette Colvin + historical agency

(00:54:51) Cut scene from Rosa + storytelling priorities

(01:01:30) Martin Luther King’s inclusion

(01:02:53) Butterfly effect

(01:10:08) Voting & loopholes

(01:18:21) Krasko’s departure

(01:21:10) Alabama inaccuracy

(01:22:04) Rise Up

(01:26:02) Asteroids & agency

(01:30:25) Malorie Blackman’s research

(01:35:44) Spyfall: Part One + basketball

(01:39:15) Genesis of Spyfall

(01:46:43) Tosin Cole’s acting addition

(01:48:02) ADR & scripting tangles

(01:51:46) Continuity & inconsistencies

(01:52:56) Yaz and the Master’s flirtation

(01:54:59) Sacha Dhawan’s range

(01:57:27) Multiverse fiction & fake agency

(02:10:23) Outro…

Continue reading →

How did Luther change in series 2? Crime mythology, dadcore storytelling, Alice magnetism, brazen corruption, illicit fun, video game killers, endearing moral disinterest, fandom-building, & more are discussed as we look at the second series of Luther, Neil Cross’ detective show starring Idris Elba and Ruth Wilson.

(00:00:00) Differences from series 1

(00:11:58) Character development in series 2

(00:14:55) Jenny + paternal Luther

(00:19:39) Male fantasy characters

(00:24:45) Ripley + Erin

(00:32:44) High stakes + Mark returning

(00:36:31) London & Gotham

(00:41:27) Flowing on from series 1’s ending

(00:47:06) British context of airing

(00:51:59) London crime

(00:54:21) Strata of time + dead city killer

(01:01:10) Serial killer mythologising + cretinised culture

(01:07:07) Luther healing, Alice surprises, ‘one last ride’

(01:10:43) Alice & Luther magnetism + moral disinterest

(01:18:07) Narcissism & Luther

(01:29:23) Luther’s new London flat + Mark’s safehouse

(01:35:06) Fandoms & popularity: mysticism, opportunities, genre

(01:54:02) Idris Elba + Luther without/before Alice

(02:00:00) Idris Elba’s input + 2011 context

(02:05:39) S2 songs, bookends, ending

(02:13:31) Final showdown + Cross & video games

(02:20:31) Toby & Jenny + murder & Luther

(02:25:21) Jenny’s character

(02:28:44) The twins reveal

(02:33:43) London gangsters + leaving the police

(02:35:41) The service station scene

(02:39:52) Humiliation, ringing phones, microexpressions

(02:43:07) Backstory for Jenny’s family

(02:44:55) Overall series 2 thoughts…

Continue reading →

What is Disney & Doctor Who’s new relationship? Where is RTD taking the show now? What gets confused, & what gets clarified, between production & fandom? New interviews are scoured, as we make sense of the development of the second era of Russell T Davies. Discourse with the Doctor, mechanics of misinformation, empire-building, saviour complexes, demystification, & the Liberation of the Daleks are just some of the topics discussed within!

(00:00:00) Discourse with the Doctor

(00:03:38) Dissemination of info

(00:07:04) Liverpool lesions, & mechanics of misinformation

(00:22:11) Liverpool legions, & what RTD actually said

(00:32:14) Captain Jack in A Good Man Goes To War

(00:47:49) Disney

(00:51:28) RTD + producers interview

(00:57:13) Russell required + selling Doctor Who

(01:06:54) Disney, Davies, David

(01:11:14) ‘It’s really completely normal’ + spinoffs

(01:28:50) Empire building

(01:34:17) Notes from Disney

(01:42:55) RTD’s issues with Disney

(01:52:27) Viewing activism & politicisation

(02:05:22) RTD2’s genesis + ‘I’m needed’

(02:18:20) Spinoffs with past Doctors + incumbent sanctity

(02:28:50) ‘I’m not going back’ + Mavic Chen

(02:51:40) Kate, Gwilliam, Slug

(02:56:34) Ruby, the new companion

(03:02:17) Liberation of the Daleks (parts 2 and 3)

(03:08:09) Outro…

Continue reading →

What makes Tesla & Demons distinct from other Chibnall Era episodes? How did their writers approach historicals? What were the contrasts and tensions within S11 & S12? We explore these questions in a metacommentary unpacking the audio commentary tracks for Nikola Tesla’s Night of Terror, and Demons of the Punjab.

Along the way, we discuss tensions in historicals, earlier structures, clashes within series, power of storytelling, scriptwriting styles, producer input, commentaries from other shows, Graham whispering, & more!

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:01:21) Tesla knowledge + S12 tensions

(00:07:33) Historical inspiration + Doctor Who-able moments

(00:11:27) Costume era

(00:15:22) ‘Room to make stuff up’ + smart selections

(00:19:28) Yaz & Tesla + companions left alone

(00:22:15) Radar: clashes with Spyfall 2

(00:27:55) Who did what?

(00:28:43) Hope & tragedy: tensions in historicals

(00:32:48) ‘Have you ever seen a dead planet?’

(00:37:24) Favourite episodes + episode fullness

(00:43:32) Demons of the Punjab: Thijarian inspiration

(00:48:13) Partition context + Vinay storytelling

(00:56:04) Remembrance Day + poppies

(00:58:50) Series 11’s original structure

(01:01:45) Vinay & Graham

(01:04:04) Marriage ceremonies & symbolism

(01:05:05) Tonal control + script styles

(01:08:23) Commentary contrast (Better Call Saul)

(01:20:09) Stage directions in scripts

(01:31:04) Vinay’s series 12 blogs (pre Fugitive)

(01:35:06) Vinay’s series 12 blogs (post Fugitive)

(01:39:07) Outro…

Continue reading →

What was cut from Spyfall, and why? Why did Chibnall include, and mindwipe, Noor Inayat Khan and Ada Lovelace? What did he want viewers to do after watching? We explore these questions in a metacommentary unpacking the audio commentary track for Spyfall: Part Two.

Along the way, we discuss phonewatching, historical agency, delayed gratification, additive iconography, educational remits, thematic irony, technological themes, fandom appeals to authority, & more!

(00:00:00) Intro

(00:02:34) Insight & recaps

(00:03:58) Historical knowledge + educational remit

(00:11:22) Epic kneeling + writing gender

(00:15:31) Doctor Who inspiration in history + historical styles

(00:28:33) Scenes as three women

(00:36:57) Nazi costuming + not mentioning race + writing styles

(00:46:04) How Chibnall learned about Noor Inayat Khan

(00:53:58) Cut 13-speaking-French scenes + disparate storytelling

(01:02:33) Silence will fall: the empty commentary sections

(01:05:53) Cut Noor Inayat Khan death scene + Googling

(01:17:02) Mindwipes & agency + mechanical storytelling

(01:31:14) ‘Second series Thirteen’ + storytelling epochs

(01:37:10) The Master’s emotional beats

(01:41:54) Saving beats for series 12 + ritualistic recitals

(01:46:56) Phonewatching & story circles

(01:50:06) Eras jarring against each other

(01:53:33) Outro…

Continue reading →