Pilot TV
From the creators of The Empire Film Podcast, Pilot TV is your essential guide to every TV show that matters, providing a weekly rundown of all the new must-see TV shows dropping across streaming, terrestrial, satellite, cable, and beyond. Join Empire's James Dyer, Heat's Boyd Hilton, Steph Seelan, and Kay Ribeiro as they bring you breaking TV news, reviews of the week's major shows, and interviews with some of the biggest names in TV. Pilot TV is here to make sure every minute you spend in front of the box is a minute worth spending.
Episodes
The Bear, Silo, and Elle
Ever wondered what a ‘winter show’ looks like? Well fear not because Steph clues you in on this week’s show as we dive into another triad of televisual entertainment. First out of the gate this week is the final season of The Bear on Disney+ (51:06). Will the restaurant keep its doors open? Will Carmy and Syd be able to save the day? Will Ritchie yell obscenities across the kitchen? All is reveale
Sugar and The Agency
We’re down to two shows this week as the world cup (or embargoes, depending on who you ask) closes its vice-like grip on the airwaves. But what a pair they are: we’re back in the spy business with Michael Fassbender in the return of Paramount+’s espionage drama The Agency, and on the missing persons beat with Colin Farrell as Apple’s sci-fi-cri Sugar makes its return. Plus we mull over some of the
House Of The Dragon and The Light In The Hall: Still Waters. With guest Javier Bardem
Thanks to the world cup (and a handful of embargoes), there are only two shows we can cover this week, but that’s okay because not only is one of the triumphant return of Game Of Thrones prequel spin-off House Of The Dragon (1:15:43), but the other is Welsh drama The Light In The Hall: Still Waters (1:01:38), which also exists under the Welsh name Y Golau: Dŵr, which James does attempt to say, alb
Cape Fear, Alice And Steve, and The Witness. With guests Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement
After being led astray within the liminal spaces between spaces in the Pilot TV office, Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement finally make their way to the studio this week to chat their new Disney+ comedy Alice And Steve (35:23-54:53), which we also review (1:10:45) this week. Plus we re-live our nineties nightmares as cinematic uber-villain Max Cady makes his small screen debut in Apple’s remake of
Tip Toe, Two Weeks in August, and La Brea. With guest Russell T. Davies
The notorious RTD joins us on the podcast once more this week (31:27-58:11) as we take a look at his new show Tip Toe on Channel 4, which pits Alan Cumming against David Morrissey’s homophobic next door neighbour. Plus, we head off for a fornight in the sun with BBC1’s Two Weeks In August, and head back in time for epoch-hopping Sky One sci-fi La Brea. Plus James, Boyd and Steph undertake some hom
Spider-Noir, Dear England, and The Boroughs. With Guests Joseph Fiennes and Jodie Whittaker
This week’s show has a decidedly football-oriented theme (sorry) and not just because Boydy was still on a high after Arsenal’s win but because James Graham’s award-winning theatre production Dear England lands on our screens (1:31:40), given the full BBC1 treatment. And along those lines, both Jodie Whittaker and Joseph Fiennes join us on the show to talk all about it (44:07-58:24). Elsewhere, we
PONIES and Falling, with guests Emilia Clarke, Jon Bernthal & Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Two shows but three guests this week. Emilia Clarke comes into the Pilot studio to chat about her new cold-war espionage show PONIES on Sky (1:06:52-1:25:00). Plus, Jon Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach also jump on to chat their surprise drop from The Bear, ‘Gary’ (38:07-49:32). And if that’s not enough, we also make time for some consecrated canoodling in Channel 4’s Falling, in which Paapa Essied
Rivals, Believe Me, Gary, and Off Campus. With guest Steve Coogan
Yes, we’re back in Rutshire this week as the team (well, one of us) gets to dive back into the world of Jilly Cooper’s bucolic shagathon for Rivals series 2 (1:32:54), speaking of which, we also explore the other sexy ice hockey drama with Off Campus on Prime (1:43:52), get surprised by an unexpected new episode of The Bear (1:39:58), and look into the police mishandling of a notorious serial sex
The Cage, Secret Service, and Amandaland. With guest Jack Thorne
This week’s show sees us pick up some of last week’s biggies with Tony Schumacher’s heist drama The Cage on BBC1 (1:38:54), Gemma Arterton-starring spy show Secret Service on ITV (1:14:57), and the second series of Amandaland, which also lands on the Beeb (1:26:27). Plus uber-screenwriter Jack Thorne chats through his craft with James (43:21-1:06:26), and we take a look at the evolution of small s
Half Man, Prisoner, and Widow’s Bay. With guest Richard Gadd
Is it us or is it getting hot in here? No, it really is but only because Steph has been messing with the air conditioning in the studio (true). Luckily, this didn’t both Richard Gadd, who joins us on this week’s show to talk becoming a beefcake and scaring the shit out of Jamie Bell in his Baby Reindeer follow-up Half Man on BBC1 (58:36-1:10:02). But that’s not all, because the team also investiga
Criminal Record, Beef, and Mint. With guests Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo
Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo are on this week’s pod to talk Criminal Record season 2 on Apple TV, which we also review even though James wanted us to wait until he gets back from holiday next week because he’s watched the whole thing already. We also review Beef and Mint. That’s not a new cookery show. They’re two separate programmes, one called Beef and one called Mint.
Euphoria, Big Mood, and The Miniature Wife
Euphoria makes its long-awaited return to our screens this week, after a four year hiatus. But can it possibly meet Boyd’s lofty expectations when it lands on Sky/HBO Max (47:06)? And speaking of Sky, Matthew Macfadyen and Elizabeth Banks’ size-shifting comedy The Miniature Wife also lands on that platform (1:01:04), and hit comedy Big Mood returns for another run on Channel 4 (1:11:05). Plus, we
The Testaments, 2026, and The Copenhagen Test. With guests Noah Wyle & Katherine LaNasa, Hugh Bonneville & Hugh Skinner
Guests abound once more this week as both Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa chat The Pitt with James (1:04:12-1:17:45), while Hughs Bonneville and Skinner recount their experiences making 2026 with Boyd (22:46-23:40). Meanwhile, we’re back in Gilead this week for The Testaments on Disney+ (1:17:45), finding out is Simu Liu can hack it as a spy in The Copenhagen Test on Channel 4 (1:36:53), and reunit
Babies, The ‘Burbs, and Your Friends And Neighbours. With guests Elisabeth Moss, Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King
This weeks show not only sees the wonderful Elisabeth Moss come in to the Pilot studio to natter with James, Boyd and (especially) Steph about Imperfect Women (7:29-33:33), but we also speak to Lisa Kudrow and Michael Patrick King about the triumphant return of The Comeback (1:14:31-1:28:20). Meanwhile, this week’s show include BBC1’s Babies — strap in for this one — (1:37:46) Sky’s The ‘Burb
The Pitt, Bait, and Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole
It’s quite the week this week as we go full Scandi noir with Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole on Netflix (1:10:20), adapting the author’s insanely popular Norwegian crime novels. Meanwhile, Riz Ahmed is exploring the life of a struggling actor in Bait on Prime Video (57:50), and after a year of waiting patiently, we FINALLY get to see The Pitt land on our tellys (1:26:41) as HBO Max makes its UK debut. A
Imperfect Women, A Woman Of Substance, and The Other Bennet Sister. With guests Ruth Jones and Ella Bruccoleri
It’s our (belated) International Women’s Day episode this week, with a trio of female fronted shows to tackle, from Imperfect Women on Apple (1:13:41), to A Woman Of Substance on Channel 4 (1:27:20), and The Other Bennet Sister on BBC1 (1:41:16) — for which we also speak to Ruth Jones and Ella Bruccoleri (39:58-58:06). Plus last week’s bum banter is swapped out for an array of dog discussion as we
Rooster, Gone, and The Capture. With guests Kurt and Wyatt Russell
We have a Russell double bill this week as both Kurt and Wyatt join us on the pod to chat Monarch season 2 on Apple TV (33:38-54:47). Elsewhere, we’re getting in trouble on campus both with Steve Carrell in Rooster on Sky Comedy (1:03:47) and with David Morrissey in Gone on ITV1 (1:28:19). All that and BBC1’s The Capture makes a triumphant return to our screens for series 3 (1:17:41), plus we asse
Marshals, Young Sherlock, and DTF St Louis. with guests Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin
Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin are our guests this week (42:50-55:12), chatting all things Vanished on Prime video. Plus, Steph gives her crime show recommendations for all you sofa sleuths, and we tackle this week’s trio of new (unembargoed) shows. Specifically… the latest addition to the Yellowstoniverse, Marshals, on Paramount+ (1:05:24), teenage Holmes saga Young Sherlock on Prime (1:15:31), and
Paradise, Vanished, and Dirty Business. With guest Jennifer Garner
We may not have been able to review The Last Thing He Told Me last week but to address that injustice, Jennifer Garner popped into the Pilot TV studio this week to talk all about that show’s second season with Boydy (30:07-40:17). Elsewhere, we catch up with the latest events in Paradise on Disney+ (51:22), find out why Sam Claflin has gone missing, along with Kaley Cuoco in Vanished on Prime Vide
The Walsh Sisters, Bridgerton, and The Night Agent. With guests Lisa McGee and Sinéad Keenan
Kay returns to the regular pod this week and (purely by coincidence) Nothing goes quite to plan as our intent to review The Last Thing He Told Me is thwarted by an inconvenient embargo. However, that’s okay because we manage to sub Bridgerton season 4 in as a last minute replacement. Elsewhere, we take a look at BBC1’s Marian Keyes adaptation The Walsh Sisters, and see what Gabriel Basso is up to
Cross, Betrayal, and Small Prophets
Dad core reigns this week as we head over to Prime video for season 2 of Cross (55:24), then pivot to ITV for MI5 thriller Betrayal (1:06:55). Plus we peer into the psyche of Mackenzie Crook for his quirky new homunculus comedy Small Prophets (1:17:49). Meanwhile, Boyd beams in live from Santa Monica to give us a full rundown of Apple’s 2026 slate. And, if you’ve ever wondered where a good place t
Waiting For The Out, His And Hers, and Silent Witness
It’s a slow week on the box but don’t let that put you off as we take the opportunity to fill some important gaps in our 2026 watch list, finally reviewing Waiting For The Out on BBC1 (55:16), catching up with batty crime thriller His And Hers on Netflix (1:07:12) and exploring just why Silent Witness has become such a phenomenon as it launches into its 29th year (1:19:53). Plus, if you didn’t thi
Wonder Man, The Beauty, and Under Salt Marsh. With Ashton Kutcher, Jeremy Pope, Anthony Ramos, Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall, Kelly Reilly & Rafe Spall
We have ALL the guests on this week’s show, including [deep breath] Ashton Kutcher, Jeremy Pope, Anthony Ramos, Evan Peters, Rebecca Hall, Kelly Reilly and Rafe Spall (31:40-50:19 and 1:23:58-1:36:53). But not all at once. Elsewhere, we come to the rescue of new Pilot listener Mel and do a deep dive on lesser-known TV comedies (or not, the jury’s still out on a lot of them), plus we get fully supe
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, Drops Of God, and After The Flood. With guests Idris Elba and Jim Field Smith
Hijack star and showrunner Idris Elba and Jim Field Smith are our guests this week, but they’re only the second most exciting additions to our line-up as this marks Steph’s debut as an official co-Pilot (if you don’t count last week’s Pilot+!). We try to ease her in gently with the latest Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms on Sky Atlantic (1:10:55), the latest season of Apple’
Hijack, Starfleet Academy, and Industry. With guests Dawn French & Mark Heap, Konrad Kay & Mickey Down
We kick off the new year (for us, that is, you of course had a podcast last week) with a bevvy of guests on the show, corralling Industry showrunners Konrad Kay and Mickey Down (28:09-43:56) as well as Dawn French and Mark Heap (57:57-1:09:30), whose show Can You Keep A Secret is now showing on BBC1. Hijack gets its second outing on Apple TV this week (1:09:30), while Industry returns to the Beeb
The Night Manager, Run Away, and Red Eye. With guests Erin Doherty and Malachi Kirby
Merry New Year! Yes, it’s 2026 and — after years of hectoring from Boyd — we have a New Year episode of Pilot TV for your listening pleasure (one that may or may not have been recorded before we broke for Christmas). We tackle all the big New Year’s Day shows this episode, from Tom Hiddleston’s return (10 years later) to the role of Jonathan Pine in The Night Manager’s long awaited secon
Review Of The Year 2025
That’s all folks, 2025 is done and dusted. But you didn’t think we’d leave you all to see in the new year without a big old Pilot TV retrospective, did you? James, Boyd and Kay unveil the official Pilot TV Best Shows of 2025 list and go through it in forensic detail here, while also flagging any number of other shows you might have missed over the course of the past 12 months. We even open a speci
The Lowdown, The Hunting Wives, and A Ghost Story For Christmas. With guests Paul Bettany and Will Sharpe
Paul Bettany and Will Sharpe don their frock coats for Amadeus on Sky and we speak to both of them on this week’s show as they chat all things Mozart with Boyd. Plus we wrap up a festive haul of shows for under your Christmas tree, taking a look at Mart Gatiss’ latest Ghost Story For Christmas, The Room in The Tower on BBC2, getting drawn into the sweedy underbelly of Texan high society in The Hun
It: Welcome To Derry — An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Warner Bros.
They all float down here. Now that It: Welcome To Derry, the prequel to Andy Muschietti's It Chapter One and It Chapter Two, has finished its eight-episode run, the Empire Podcast has teamed up with Warner Bros. to bring you a special episode in which Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer conquer their fears of clowns, spiders, and spider-clowns just long enough to talk about the Andy Muschie
Amadeus, The Revenge Club, and Imposter. With guest Martin Compston
We’re exacting righteous vengeance on love rat exes (not that Love Rat) in The Revenge Club on Paramount+ this week, and star Martin Compston joins us on the show for a chat about it as well. Elsewhere, Amadeus makes its debut on Sky Atlantic, pitting Mozart vs Salieri in a piano-off for the ages. Plus we cover Imposter (possibly THE Imposter, it’s still unclear) on Channel 5. James was thrilled.
Dark Winds, Percy Jackson & The Olympians, and Irish Blood
On this week’s podcast you’ll be devastated to hear that we are unable to review Taylor Swift: The End Of An Era, however don’t switch off, because we do manage to rustle up some alternatives. Dark Winds makes its return to U&Alibi (43:45)and includes what is arguably the best meta joke of the year, Percy Jackson is back, causing trouble for the gods once again in Percy Jackson And The Olympia
Stranger Things, The War Between The Land And The Sea, and Spartacus: House of Ashur
The wait is over! Well, sort of, because Stranger Things returns to Netflix this week for the first part of its final season to whet our collective appetites for the final assault on the Upside Down at the end of the year (44:50). Plus the Notorious RTD is back with his latest spin-off to the Whoiverse, setting Russell Tovey on a collision course with Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Sea Devil spectacular The W
Prisoner 951, Watson, and Changing End
There are chocolates in the studio this week — albeit ones that were initially destined for our editor Darren, but let’s gloss over that, shall we? In addition to raising our blood sugar levels while doing this week’s show, we take a look at the harrowing true story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s imprisonment in Iran with Prisoner 951 on BBC1 (43:45), see if Sherlock’s assistant can make it w
Malice, Summerwater, and The Death Of Bunny Munro. With guests Vince Gilligan, Rhea Seehorn and Karolina Wydra
Pluribus showrunner Vince Gilligan along with stars Rhea Seehorn and Karolina Wydra all piled into the Pilot TV studio this week to talk all about Apple’s excellent new sci-fi series (0:00-30:12). Then, James, Kay and Boyd embarked on a trio of shows about terrible parenting in Prime’s manny from hell thriller Malice (1:08:31), Channel 4’s vacation nightmare Summerwater (1:18:20), and Sky’s lothar
Pluribus, All Her Fault, and Wild Cherry. With guest Jack Whitehall
We get nothing from Malice from guest Jack Whitehall this week, who chats with Boyd about his new show. Malice (20:57-35:20). But on the rest of the pod, we’re all sweetness and light, mainly as we not only have a new Vince Gilligan show to watch, in the form of Pluribus on Apple TV (1:07:57), but it’s a show that depicts humanity at its happiest… with a cost. Outside this jaunt into the world of
Down Cemetery Road, I Love LA, and Robin Hood. With guest Ruth Wilson
Ruth Wilson in uncovering a conspiracy this week, both in Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV (1:02:18), and on this very podcast, for she is this week’s guest (33:12-48:43). Plus we’re back among the branches of Sherwood for Robin Hood on MGM+ (1:14:37), and hanging out with some friends reunited in I Love LA on Sky Comedy (1:22:23). And yes, while Boyd and Kay do insist on some Traitors discussion (a
It: Welcome To Derry, Trigger Point, and Art Detectives. With guest Stephen Merchant
Stephen Merchant joins us on the show this week, not only chatting to James about his recent zombie apocalypse debut in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, but ruminating on comedy, rhyming slang, the legacy of The Office and 24. Plus, we follow the exploits of some we’re hanging out with some very different Derry girls (and boys) in It: Welcome to Derry on Sky, take in a little fine art with Art Detec
Leonard And Hungry Paul, The Forsytes, and The Ridge. With guests Harlan Coben and Bill Nighy
We have a Lazarus double bill this week as both showrunner Harlan Coben and Star Bill Nighy drop by for separate (but thematically connected) chats about the new Prime Video thriller (which is embargoed, so we’ll be reviewing it on Pilot+). Plus we go abseiling with Lauren Lyle in The Ridge on BBC2, head back to posh Victorian England with The Forsytes on Channel 5, and get a little ASMR from Juli
Riot Women, The Iris Affair, and Monster: The Ed Gein Story. With guests Sally Wainwright, Adjani Salmon & Ali Hughes
Kay rapidly wishes she’d never returned from holiday after coming back to this week’s show as she discovers that Boyd hasn’t saved her a copy of his book. But that’s at least partially made up for by the fact that she gets to talk to the legendary Sally Wainwright about her new BBC show Riot Women (1:09:56-1:24:35), which we also review. Plus Adjani Salmon and Ali Hughes are on to chat the latest
Film Club, Dreaming Whilst Black, and Murder Before Evensong. With Guests Aimee Lou Wood & Suranne Jones, and Jodie Whittaker
We’re legitimately chatting all things movies on the (TV) podcast this week as Aimee Lou Wood and Suranne Jones join us to chat Film Club on BBC3 (37:11-53:10), Plus Jodie Whittaker (sans Suranne) pops by to talk all things Frauds on ITV (1:04:03-1:23:34). Meanwhile, we catch up with Adjani Salmon for the second series of Dreaming Whilst Black on BBC3 (1:38:38), and delve into ecclesiastical crime
Chad Powers, Frauds, and How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge). With Guests Jessica Chastain & Nnamdi Asomugha and Tom Blyth
Jessica Chastain and Nnamdi Asomugha are our guests on this week’s show, chatting The Savant on Apple TV+ (47:34-57:53) — a show that unfortunately you can’t watch, the reasons for which we get into in some detail elsewhere on the podcast. Meanwhile, Tom Blyth stops by to talk Billy The Kid (1:14:38-1:28:46), which you CAN see on MGM+. Also, we try to discover why people want to hide GLen Pow
Slow Horses, Wayward, and The Hack. With guests Ruth Bradley and Christopher Chung
It’s a Slow Horses special (kind of) this week as not only do we review the show’s fifth series but both Christopher Chung (Roddy Ho) and Ruth Bradley (Emma Flyte) are guests, with Ruth dropping into the studio mid-record almost as if she’d just been sent over from The Park by Taverner. Meanwhile, we take a look at the phone hacking scandal along with David Tennant in The Hack on ITV, and let Toni
Black Rabbit, Gen V, and Juice. With guests Andrew Lincoln and David Ireland
We’re in Coldwater this week as Andrew Lincoln and writer David Ireland discuss the new ITV thriller (23:55-44:34). Plus Kay asks the question as to whether we take TV (or film, or book) recommendations from other people. And then there’s this week’s crop of shows, which includes Netflix’s brotherly strife miniseries Black Rabbit (53:45), Prime’s second series of The Boys spinoff Gen V (1:03:08),
Task, The Girlfriend, and Only Murders In The Building. With guests Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke
We are nominally back to normal this week, meaning we’re all in the studio and the YouTube cameras are back on. And a good thing too as we take on HBO crime thriller Task (55:00), the fifth season of Only Murders In The Building on Disney+ (1:12:15) and Prime Video’s domestic thriller The Girlfriend (1:03:39), for which both Robin Wright and Olivia Cooke join us on the show (27:28-43:32). Note: ti
The Guest, I Fought The Law, and The Runarounds. With Guest Domhnall Gleeson
We’re back to a semblance of normality this week, except for James being in Florida and having to dial in remotely, but that doesn’t stop us taking on the police with Sheridan Smith in I Fought The Law on ITV1, exploring upstairs/downstairs relationships with Eve Myles in The Guest on BBC1, and rocking out with The Runarounds on Prime Video. Plus Domhnall Gleeson stops by to chat with us about The
Atomic, King & Conqueror, and Invasion. With guests Suranne Jones and Matt Charman, Alfie Allen and Shazad Latif
It’s a bumper, star-studded week for guests with two glorious duos discussing their shows - Hostage and Atomic, while we’re still missing our leader James so it’s another “Dot and Ethel” two hander with Boyd, live from the Edinburgh TV festival, and Kay, live from her living room. They review the aforementioned Atomic on Sky, plus King & Conqueror and season 3 of invasion. Yes, season 3. But a
Peacemaker, The Twisted Tale Of Amanda Knox, and Mudtown. With guest Alex Lawther
The excellent Alex Lawther is our guest this week. You’ll know him from The End Of The F****ing World among other fine shows, and now he is one of the shining lights in the ensemble cast of Alien: Earth. Lazy James is still away so Boyd and Kay are joined by Crime Queen Steph, and it just so happens there’s a lot of crime shows for us to discuss, including Disney+’s controversial Amanda Knox drama
LIVE: Alien: Earth, In Flight, and Butterfly. With special guest co-host Russell T. Davies
Our Live 350th episode turned out to be a live 349th episode (because maths) but that didn’t stop it from being a storming night at Kings Place in London. Why? Because on this episode our trio became a quartet and we were joined by the magnificent Russell T Davies, who was anointed as an official Co-Pilot. Much hilarity ensued (just wait till you get to Boyd’s review of Butterfly) as we tackled ev
Outlander: Blood Of My Blood, Platonic, and Ridley. With Guests Adrian Dunbar and Paul Wesley
We have a double whammy of guests this week as Adrian Dunbar joins us to chat Ridley on ITV. Plus Paul Wesley chats to us about returning to the bridge as Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Meanwhile, Scottish shagfest Outlander gets a spinoff series with highland origin story Blood Of My Blood on MGM+, and Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne return for another round of Platonic on Apple TV+. And, for r
The Assassin, The Count Of Monte Cristo, The Gone, and The Mayfair Witches
There’s a returning series bonanza this week as we take our pick from The Gone and The Mayfair Witches, both returning to the Beeb. But that’s okay as we also have two big ticket originals making their TV debut this week, specifically Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore comedy thriller The Assassin on Prime Video and Sam Claflin-starring Alexandre Dumas adaptation The Count Of Monte Cristo on U&
Mix Tape, The Narrow Road To The Deep North, and Washington Black. With guest Mark Gatiss
Bookish goes Poddish this week as Mark Gatiss joins us on the show to talk about post-war crime solving on U&Alibi (30:01-51:57). Plus we review a trio of time-hopping dramas this week from Aussie/Northern ‘80s drama Mix Tape on BBC2 (1:11:16), epic WWII literary adaptation The Narrow Road To The Deep North on BBC1 (1:26:44), and emancipation and invention adventure Washington Black on Disney+
Too Much, The Institute, Bookish, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. With guests Jeffrey Dean Morgan & Scott Gimple, Emer Kenny & Lauren Lyle
Too Much is very much the phrase of the week on this episode as not only do we have four guests — specifically Karen Pirie’s Lauren Lyle and Emer Kenny (50:50-1:04:40) and The Walking Dead: Dead City’s Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Scott Gimple (22:53-32:36)— but we also review four shows — specifically Too Much on Netflix (1:04:40), The Institute on MGM+ (1:30:28), Bookish on U&Alibi
Foundation, Ballard, and Shifting Gears. With guest Jared Harris
It’s the episode you’ve all been waiting for… James talking about Foundation for a truly heroic amount of time as not only does the team review (1:00:25) the show’s third season (for which James provides Kay with a ‘helpful’ primer on the series) but he also gets to sit down with Jared Harris and chat psychohistory and four-dimensional objects to his heart’s content (31:46-46:22). Elsewhere, we ge
Squid Game, The Bear, Such Brave Girls, and Scrublands. With guest Kat Sadler
Kay is still on her terribly important work assignment to Rimini this week, so beams into the studio on the airwaves as she, James and Boyd discuss everything from Boyd’s new foray into the world of video influencers to Kay’s poolside celebrity encounters. We’re also joined on the show by Such Brave Girls creator/star Kat Sadler (31:25-50:35), as we tackle that show’s second season (1:20:18), plus
Smoke, Transaction, and Countdown. With guest Christina Hendricks
Christina Hendricks couldn’t stay away and is back on the podcast this week, talking this time about the return of The Buccaneers to Apple TV+ (28:59-50:14). And speaking of Apple, the new show from Dennis Lehane, Smoke, goes under the Pilot TV microscope this week as we follow Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett in tracking down a serial arsonist (1:19:07). Plus we join Jordan Gray and Nick Frost i
We Were Liars, Pushers, and Outrageous
We bounce from balls to benefits this week as we hang out with a lot of very rich people in YA adaptation We Were Liars on Prime (1:00:45), and Mitford sisters miniseries Outrageous on U&Drama (48:19), then explore the life of a woman taking a creative approach to government welfare cutbacks in Rosie Jones’ comedy Pushers on Channel 4 (38:41). Plus Kay makes her triumphant return and uses the
Beth, The Consultant, and St Denis Medical. With guest Cynthia Nixon
Kay is still on holiday this week, but that’s okay because standing in for her is true crime maven Steph Seelan, plus Cynthia Nixon — although she’s less a Kay stand-in and more a guest, here to talk about the new season of And Just Like That (1:02:13-1:16:13). On this week’s show we have a trio of half hour wonders, specifically Channel 4’s Beth (1:33:57), ITV’s The Consultant (1:25:25), an
The Better Sister, Stick, and The Gold. With guest Matthew Goode
Matthew Goode is on this week, chatting all things Dept Q on Netflix (41:02-57:30). Plus, we take up our 9 irons for a spot of golf with Owen Wilson in Stick on Apple TV+ (1:09:52), explore the boundaries of sibling rivalry with Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks in The Better Sister on Prime (1:01:15), and hut for missing bullion with Hugh Bonneville in series 2 of The Gold on BBC1 (1:17:43). All t
Sirens, The Last Anniversary, and Death Valley
We’re all off to Scribbly Gum Island this week for BBC1’s adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s The Last Anniversary (58:20), solving crimes with Timothy Spall in Death Valley, also on the Beeb (1:07:31), and pushing the boundaries of sisterly love alongside Meghann Fahy and Millie Alcock in Sirens on Netflix (1:00:04). (Episode 338)Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only
Nine Perfect Strangers, Rematch, and The Bombing Of Pan Am 103. With Guest Rian Johnson
We’re back on the wellness beat with Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers season 2 on Prime (1:16:15), Facing off against a machine with chess wizard Gary Kasparov in Rematch on Disney+ (1:26:03), and re-examining the Lockerbie disaster with The Bombing Of Pan Am 103 on BBC1 (1:06:32). Plus Rian Johnson drops by to discuss Poker Face (36:44-53:00) and we even manage to slip some Star Wars quest
Murderbot, The Game, and Hysteria! With guest Russell T. Davies
If you’ve been looking for an update on the marvel that is new Who then we have just the man for you because Russell T Davies is our guest on this week’s show, delivering the first part of a very in-depth chat with Boydy about all things TARDIS-related (32:08). Plus, we hop over to apple to spend time with Alexander Skarsgard’s homicidal cyborg in Murderbot on Apple TV+ (58:14), launch ourselves i
The Four Seasons, Poker Face, and Malpractice
Alan Alda’s The Four Seasons gets a modern glow-up with Steve Carell, Tina Fey and Colman Domingo on Netflix this week (40:53), plus Rian Johnson’s Poker Face comes crashing back with its second season on Sky (51:04), and Malpractice returns with more embattled medics on ITV (1:00:05). Meanwhile, Kay manages to completely hijack the listener question with a stealthy soap query. It’s okay to be di
Andor, Étoile, and Carême. With guest Charlotte Ritchie
On program! Yes, Andor has returned and while we had to wait a week for James to get back from holiday before we were all allowed to discuss it, we review Season 2 in full this episode (58:12). Plus, following on from our review of the final season of You in last week’s Pilot+, Charlotte Ritchie joins us on this week’s podcast to talk about the series’ swansong (28:59). Elsewhere, we’re going all
I Jack Wright, Fake, and Doctor Who ‘Lux’ spoiler discussion. With guest David Oyelowo
With James away this week, it’s down to Boyd and Kay to take the helm and bang on about the week’s big TV but in a shock move, they admit James rewatching shows he’s seen thousands of times before is actually, dare we say it, a GOOD thing. More importantly, David Oyelowo is our guest, chatting all things Government Cheese (that’s the title of his new Apple TV+ show, not a dietary preference), and
The Last Of Us, The Stolen Girl, and Government Cheese. With guests Charlie Brooker and Jessica Rhodes
Yes, it’s time for James to bang on about The Last Of Us again (sorry) but that’s okay, because we have Charlie Brooker and Jessica Rhodes on the show to balance things out by talking Black Mirror Season 7 (37:05). Aside from forcing Kay to watch more ‘zomzies’ in The Last Of Us (on Sky Atlantic), we also head over to Disney+ to watch Denise Gough take part in the playdate from hell in The Stolen
Your Friends & Neighbours, Reunion, and Hacks. With guest Jon Hamm
Our friend and neighbour Jon Hamm is this week’s guest (36:36)as we chat burglary and anti-heroes for Apple’s new comedy drama (1:06:10). Plus we take a look at the BBC’s Deaf-centric revenge drama Reunion (1:27:15), and have the novel experience of being able to watch a series of Hacks (1:17:12)when it actually comes out instead of months down the line. Hooray!(Episode 331)Note: time stamps are a
Dying For Sex, Austin, and The Bondsman. With guests Tom Hardy and Kaitlin Olson
Tom Hardy is with us this week (18:08), going full gangster for MobLand, and Kaitlin Olson also stops by to chat High Potential and Hacks (59:37). Elsewhere, we accompany Michelle Williams on a voyage of sexual discovery in Dying For Sex on Disney+ (1:26:37), head Down Under with Sally Philips and Ben Miller in Austin on BBC1 (1:10:30), and embark on a mission for Satan with Kevin Bacon in The Bon
The Studio, Side Quest, and This City Is Ours. With guests Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara
We are blessed by Canadian comedy royalty this week as Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara join us on the podcast to talk all about The Studio on Apple TV+ (30:06), which we also review on this week’s show (54:27). Plus, we discuss the finer points of tree surgery (don’t watch and chop, kids) as well as take a look at Mythic Quest anthology spin-off Side Quest (1:05:38), as well as Liverpudlian crime
Happy Face, Gangs Of London, and Protection. With guest Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù
Gangs Of London star Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù is our guest on this week’s show (32:20) as we suit up for another instalment of bloody murder on the streets of the capital in Season 3 (1:20:55). Plus, we’re testing the boundaries of paternal relations in Happy Face on Paramount+ (1:12:59), in which Annaleigh Ashford stars as the daughter of Dennis Quaid’s serial killer, and going on the lam with Siobhan Finner
Dope Thief, Adolescence, and The Au Pair. With Guests Brian Tyree Henry and Faye Marsay
We’re giving out gnomes this week, specifically to Brian Tyree Henry, who joins us to chat all things rip and run with crime thriller Dope Thief (19:58) on Apple TV+. And while she didn’t get a gnome, the excellent Faye Marsay stopped by as well (1:02:54), to talk mind-blowing one-shot drama Adolescence on Netflix. And if reviewing both of those shows (1:23:00, 1:33:34) wasn’t enough for you, we a
Toxic Town, Fear, and Get Millie Black
This week’s show sees us dealing with industrial pollution alongside Jodie Whittaker and Aimee Lou Wood in Toxic town on Netflix (46:06), being terrorised by Martin Compston and Anjli Mohindra’s neighbour from hell in Fear on Prime Video (1:06:24), and heading to Kingston with Tamara Lawrance in Get Millie Black on Channel 4 (58:37). Plus Boydy lays down the law with regard to The White Lotus, Jam
Small Town Big Story, Dope Girls, and 1923. With guests Christina Hendricks, Chris O’Dowd and Jason Isaacs
Chris O’Dowd and Christina Hendricks join us this week (25:10) to talk Small Town, Big Country on Sky and NOW (which we also review - 1:17:30), Plus Jason Isaacs drops by to chat The White Lotus (1:02:38). Elsewhere, Boydy undertakes a scintillating digression about the vagaries of TV magazine publication dates and how they relate to embargoes (bear with us) and we not only take a look at the BBC’
Disney+ original series A Thousand Blows: An Empire and Pilot TV Podcast Special
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight heads to the mean streets of Victorian London for A Thousand Blows on Disney+ and what better way to celebrate than with a special Pilot TV/Empire crossover podcast? Chris Hewitt, James Dyer and Kay Ribeiro get under the skin of Knight’s latest period piece, which combines bare-knuckle boxing with organised crime as all-female gang The Forty Elephants rampage t
The White Lotus and A Thousand Blows. With guests Jesse Plemons, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Millie Brady
We have a gaggle of guests for you this week as Jesse Plemons joins us to talk Netflix’s Zero Day (51:21) and the three stars of Apple’s Surface — Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Millie Brady — also drop by (17:43). Elsewhere, we strip down and buff up for a bit of bare-knuckle boxing in Victorian London with A Thousand Blows on Disney+ (1:31:15), and take a trip to Thailand fo
Apple Cider Vinegar, Funboys, and Virdee
Dodgy influencers are the order of the day on this week’s show as we take a look at Netflix’s wellness drama Apple Cider Vinegar (39:12). Plus, we join three hapless boys (and one plastic swan) in BBC comedy Funboys (51:04), and head up to the mean streets of Bradford for the Beeb’s adaptation of the DCI Virdee novels (59:48). Plus, the team chew over television’s most fiendish cliffhangers and Ja
Unforgotten, Big Boys, and Amandaland
We have a trio of brilliant British shows for you this week as Chris Lang’s Unforgotten reunites Sunny with his famous backpack for its sixth series on ITV (52:22), Jack Rooke’s Big Boys gets a last hurrah as its third and final series hits Channel 4 (59:40), and Lucy Punch starring Motherland spinoff Amandaland makes its debut on BBC1 (1:07:26). Plus we take a deep dive look at this week’s Next O
Paradise, Brian And Maggie, and Mythic Quest
This week, we’re on the hunt for the president’s killer with Sterling K. Brown in Paradise on Disney+ (1:04:01), heading back to the ‘80s to re-live one of the final interviews with Margaret Thatcher in Brian And Maggie on Channel 4 (44:49), and catching up with Rob McElhenney’s gamemasters in season 4 of Mythic Quest on Apple TV+ (1:18:55). All that, and James does his level best to make Kay brea
High Potential and Whiskey On The Rocks. With guests Leo Woodall and Quintessa Swindell
We’re chatting Prime Target with Leo Woodall and Quintessa Swindell this week (34:16), before hand-picking a single pair of shows to review this week — which has a lot more to do an array of embargoes than an indicator of special quality. Still, we’re back in procedural land for High Potential (54:53) and back in the ‘80s for a bit of geopolitical wrangling with submarines in Swedish miniser
Severance, Out There, and American Primeval. With guests James Norton and Niamh Algar
We’re back! it’s 2025 and to kick things off, James Norton and Niamh Algar join us to chat all things Playing Nice on ITV (26:05). But that’s not all, because ITV also brings us this week’s Wales-set drama Out There (1:00:48) with Martin Clunes. We hop back both to the birth of the Wild West and to last week, when American Primeval debuted on Netflix (51:32), but none of that can possibly match th
Review Of The Year 2024
Merry Christmas! and welcome to Pilot TV’s festive round-up of the year that was. Over the course of two glorious hours, we break down the last 12 months in television, sifting through the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2024. From our official best shows list, to honourable mentions, listener questions, some of our favourite moments and an extended (and excruciating) blooper reel from our editor,
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