The Penguin | A Very Royal Scandal | Nightsleeper | Frasier

Well, hello and welcome to Binge Watch, the podcast where we take a look at the hottest new TV and film releases on streaming television platforms. I'm Hannah Fernando, the group editor of Woman and Woman in Home magazine. And I'm Ian McEwan, writer on TV and Satellite Week,

TV Times and What's on TV magazines. And today we're looking at the new releases that will be available on Friday, the 20th of September 2024, including Prime Video Drama, A Right Royal Scandal, Wilson as Prince Andrew and Emily Maitlis and Colin Farrell as Gotham City crime kingpin the Penguin on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.

We will also be getting on board the gripping BBC thriller Night Sleeper, starring Pee-wee blinders actor Joe Cole and checking out season 2 of the reboot of sitcom Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer of course on Paramount+. But first Ian, what is in the news? In the Netflix thriller Out of the Dust, Aysa Butterfield and Molly Windsor will star as Adam and Rosie, a married couple who live in a Christian community. What else is in the news Hannah? Well, a Netflix

documentary will chart take that's highs and lows. Oh, I love this already. Over more than three decades in the music business. I look forward to hearing your anecdotes about take that from your pop journalism days. We're starting on Sky Atlantic and Now TV with a new drama

series that arrives on Thursday, the 19th of September. It's called The Penguin. And here's a clip. The world ain't set up for the honest man to succeed. That should be the American dream right there. An old beautiful story with a happy ending. That ain't the way the world works. America's a hustle. So if you watched the 2022 film The Batman, you might have been unaware as I was until the end credits rolled that you'd just seen Colin Farrell playing the penguin because he

was unrecognisable and he's reprising that role in this new series from the DC universe. So he's got a lot of prosthetics and he's got... a fat suit and a gold tooth and a scar. He looks great and he is superb in this. So yes, I'm sure most people will be familiar with the fact that the penguin is one of the villains in the Batman's world, being played over the years by various people including Burgess staring out over Gotham City. Well this new series starts with the Penguin doing the same

thing. It's really good, but it's very much like a classic kind of mafia crime drama really. It certainly doesn't start off in what you would consider familiar sort of Batman territory. I guess it's kind of doing for the Penguin what the Joaquin Phoenix version of the Joker did for that character. Anyway, I'm rambling on. So we're picking up from where the Batman left off, which was the Riddler had sort of caused a big flood in Gotham City and a crime kingpin

has died. So there's a, yes, there's a power vacuum. Classic situation of course. And this version of the Penguin, well he kind of looks like a sort of, he looks like a mobster basically. He's got that familiar Penguin waddle because he has a sort of deformed foot, which we see. and he is the proprietor of a nightclub, but he's heavily involved in the underworld, basically, and drug dealing and that kind of thing. It starts off with a kind of a showdown between

himself and the son of the deceased crime kingpin who is kind of taking over his empire. It's a great sequence, and I like the fact it's quite bold in that it just lets the two men sit opposite each other and talk for a while. is great to see. And then he kind of falls in with this young delinquent who's trying to nick the wheels from his Maserati. So they go on a kind of journey into the city's underbelly, which is really well done. And then later on, we're

going to meet the daughter of the deceased mobster. She's called Sophia, aka Hangman. She's played by Christian Malotti, who's very kind of wide-eyed. Look. and she's been released from Arkham Asylum. So yes, these two are going to meet and... I'm not going to say too much more about it because it's much more fun just to let it unfold, but I think it is really, really good. Farrell

is fantastic. The Penguin, this version of the Penguin is a fascinating character. He's incredibly violent and ruthless, but there's also a slightly kind of brooding, almost kind of melancholy side to him as well. So... Yeah, superb. I absolutely loved it. You don't have to be a Batman fan at all to enjoy this. You don't even really need to know anything about the Batman universe. It is a one. What did you think, Hannah? Well, I'm a massive fan of Colin Farrell anyway,

so I'm there all the way. I'm not a massive Batman fan. I've watched them. You know, I've kind of my brother was into it when we were growing up. But you're right. You don't have to. have seen everything before and know everything about it at all because this is kind of standalone.

But it's just so different. And I think that's the different shifts. If you haven't seen anything before, I suppose you wouldn't understand like you were explaining the kind of the difference between the penguin as we know the penguin versus the penguin, you know, that we're faced with here. Four hours worth of makeup, I think Colin Farrell said of prosthetics to make him look

like he does. and it's just, it's really, it's gritty, it's pretty violent in places and as you say the penguin is completely ruthless but I quite like it when we look at the underdog sometimes and then make them like a really big character and that's exactly what has happened here so it's completely action-packed. I think that even if you're like me and not massively into this franchise you'll still really enjoy it. because it's pacey and exciting. Most importantly,

it's got Colin Farrell. Okay, we're gonna move across to prime video for another new drama

series, also arriving on Thursday, the 19th of September. It's called A Very Royal Scandal, and here's a clip. Emily Maitlis, BBC. I've been warned about you. bit of a reputation. Well for you I'll try and behave. I'm sure you will. Yeah, we really are making hay while the sun shines here, aren't we? Because of course you will remember that there was a scoop earlier in the year which we reviewed and the brilliant Gillian Anderson was in that and it was great. We both really enjoyed it

and it did really, really well. So I suppose this is just kind of... taking this on to a degree. So there's three episodes in this. So this is all focused around that fateful day, evening that Emily Magless interviewed the now infamous Prince Andrew interview for BBC Two's Newsnight. 2019 that was, I can't believe it was quite that long ago, but it was, you know,

it was jaw-dropping wasn't it? Some of the stuff that was said, it was quite unbelievable, still being spoken about now and living relatively close to Waking often comes up in conversation because the man doesn't sweat remember anyway I digress but this delves deeper into it so this looks at the events leading up to the interview the aftermath of it kind of the full story and what it was really like now how accurate that is you know sure but it's probably a bit

like the crown I want to believe it all And it's, I suppose what you're seeing is, is that the, the way in which you have, the lengths she had to go to, to secure an interview correctly, properly, to make sure this happened. And I think that everybody probably even Emily Mayless was relatively surprised that this, that this happened, that this was agreed to, because it does seem an odd thing to, for him to have done or for his advisors to have agreed to,

or perhaps they didn't and he did it anyway. So yeah, you see the whole kind of lead up, the aftermath of it, and you see the people within it and how that, and the cogs and how that works too. So it's kind of the behind the scenes, I suppose, of Scoop, which we saw as the main thing. This is kind of a behind the scenes element. Michael Sheen and Ruth Wilson step into these roles. So Michael Sheen, Andrew, Ruth Wilson, Emily Maitlis, she's also executive

producer of the show. So there's got a lot of skin in the game here and it has to be right. People will enjoy it. It's fascinating. It just is fascinating. There is something fascinating about when the wheels come off, I think, and seeing something so raw and so awful and so ugly and something that he's still having to live down today. And also the horrors around

this story too. So, you know, really this all started in 2010, didn't it? When, you know, Well, I did in this series where, you know, he's made aware of the allegations surrounding Epstein and he tries to back them away and he kind of always has done. And I think that's fascinating too, because we've lost a part of that history, if you like. This takes us right back. I think all of us in our minds is just that interview, if you like. So I think this

puts meat on the bones, really. Fascinating. Definitely want to watch. I agree. It is unfortunate for them that they are this is the second adaptation to come out, but they always knew that they were going to be second. So I would say Rufus fuel in scoop. I think he very much looks like Prince Andrew. And obviously, they'd use prosthetics. Whereas Gillian Anderson, I kind of we felt

she was doing a bit of her Margaret Thatcher. And she was doing Emily Maitlis. So I think in this, Michael Sheen, yeah, he doesn't particularly look like Prince Andrew, but from seeing him play people like Tony Blair, Brian Clough, he can just get under the skin of real life people that he's portraying and he's brilliant. And his Andrew is, you know, as you expect, very arrogant, very rude. Like he tells all of his sort of minions to F off all the time. And

we see Fergie, we see his daughters. And yes, you're right. So it's there's much more. background. And interestingly, because the things that you mentioned that made all the headlines in the interview about the not sweating and the pizza express, they show in this that they'd finished the interview. I mean, this is Maitlis is sort of authorised version of this. So we I think we can, it's pretty, you know, going to be true to what happened. They finished the interview.

And then Andrew remembers that he hasn't given his kind of alibis, which are these two weird claims. And so he says, oh, can you ask me about these two things? Because we didn't touch on them. And so and also it does go into more detail about how on earth was this terrible decision to give this interview ever made. And it does explain that. So yeah, I would say don't feel like, oh, I've kind of seen the drama about this already, so I won't bother because it's it really is very, very good.

BBC One and BBC iPlayer for yet another new drama series, Hannah They Keep Coming, which arrives on Sunday and Monday of next week. It's called Night Sleeper. And here's a clip. Hello, I'm on a train to Glasgow to London. Night Sleeper service. We may have a problem. We'll be in control remotely. There's been a hack check-in. Hijacks are so 20th century. This train is now a guided missile. One of the passengers may be working with the

hackers. Don't trust anyone. This is very exciting. As the title suggests, it's set aboard a train. An overnight train, traveling from Glasgow to London, haven't been on a sleeper train for a while. It stars Joe Cole, who you may know from Peaky Blinders, and it's set in real time, which is quite interesting. It's a six-parter. Anyway, we start off in thrilling fashion. So the train is at the station. It's about to set off from Glasgow to London, and a thief

snatches a laptop bag from a woman on the platform. and off-duty cop Joe, played by Joe Cole. He's getting the train, but he swings into action and chases this guy, and he's trying to retrieve the laptop bag, and it's a great chase sequence. It's brilliantly executed, so you're jumping straight into the action, and it's really well done. And they used this set, which had, I think, quite a few train carriages on it, so it looks very, must have been incredibly difficult

to film. But all the classic things that you want in a chase is obstacles. You've got a pensioner, a baby in a pushchair, a disabled person, a drinks trolley, someone carrying a tray. So it's really well done and it's fast and furious. And then there's a big twist. Yes. So, I mean, the trailer gives away the fact that basically someone has, has hijacked the train, but they've done it remotely. So it's a cyber attack basically. And so Joe is

on board the train and then you've got Alexandra Roach from No Offence. She is playing the technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre, Abby. So between the two of them, it's a bit like speed when you know there's a bomb on the bus and it's out of control. It got a bit of hijack in it, the Idris Elba series. So I loved it. I really liked Jo Cole. I love Alexandra Roach. She's terrific. So yeah, it's an absolute thrill ride from start to finish. What do you

think Hannah? Yeah, really good. So, so fast paced. And as you say, really probably quite hard to execute actually, because, yeah, cause it's just so busy, isn't it? And it's in real time. I always love the fact that when actors play their same name in it, it must be so much easier, mustn't it? Jo playing Jo. Why I always think that. Must be so, why don't they do that

all the time? Anyway, I digress again. I just, like you say, I absolutely love the fact that every sort of thing that could get in their way does, but I also love the sort of traitor's vibe about it, which is who can you trust on that train? You know, who, because there's more at play here and so who can they actually trust or who can he actually trust? Who is the decent one who's not? What turns out to be something... sort of seemingly not small

but a petty crime, I suppose, turns into something much, much bigger. So I think it's really, it's really exciting. Like I always say this, but it's not something that you can get on and do the dinner with. You need to sit down with a glass of wine and watch this. You just got to watch it because there's no, you'll, the dinner will burn. You'll just get too involved. Well after all that high stakes drama, Hannah, we're going to finish with a bit of comedy.

arriving on Paramount Plus on Friday the 20th of September. It's season two of the rebooted Frasier. And here's a clip. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, welcome back to the room in which I changed your lives forever. Does it seem like he's daring up for something? Yep, gonna be late. Oh, hey dad, I got a question about punctuation. Ooh, no, stay on task.

we bought a ham an 18 pound acorn fed harmon Iberico oh wow this is better than sad Yeah, it doesn't seem that long ago that we reviewed season one actually, so it must have been a massive hit, of course it was. For season two now to be out, there are ten episodes in this outing. First two dropping and then released weekly like they often do on Paramount+. And

it does what it says on the tin, if you like, if you like Frasier you'll like this too. So you've got the dynamic between obviously Frasier played by Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Lynn Hurst, which I think is really fun. In the first season, I kind of watched it and I thought, oh, I don't know how I feel about this. It kind of feels like a weird one, but it actually

totally, totally works. And they kind of cover a lot of ground in here because sort of later on in the series, you get Frasier going and reuniting with a lot of his former colleagues at the Seattle radio station. You see him hanging out there and I think it's got that real nostalgic moment. I was reading the other day that nostalgia at the moment apparently is a big thing. People

love looking back. So perhaps they've hit on it here because that's exactly what this probably should be doing, isn't it, really kind of slightly naval gazing to a degree whilst also tracking forward, which they absolutely do here. There's the kind of the whole dynamic between Frasier and Freddie though. And the fact that in the first season, of course, he announced that he was relocating to Boston. becoming a son's neighbour. You've got the whole kind of dynamic

there. So the thing with Frasier is that it's funny, but there's also kind of other elements to it as well. I mean, it's not particularly deep, I don't think, but it's certainly got other elements that kind of keep you interested. There's a Valentine's Day episode. That'll be interesting, a bit of romance, perhaps for some of these characters throughout the season.

Shall we tease that? And it... Do you know what, as I say, if you like Frasier or like this, but I do think there's an element of you having, I do think you do need to go back with this. It's not one that you just come into. I think you do need to see some of these episodes previously to kind of understand the background. Otherwise it probably all feels a little bit odd diving in at this point. You're a big fan though, aren't you, Frasier? I'm a big fan of the original

Frasier, which was huge hit. And I mean, it's still to this day running. Channel 4 isn't it in the mornings and I still watch it. The problem they had, I feel, is that they lost

so many great characters from the first season. So Martin Crane, obviously the actor who played him, John Mahoney passed away, Niles played by David Hyde Pierce, Jane Leaves as Daphne, all of the radio station crew, great characters and I hate to say it but I don't think the new characters apart, you know, Nicholas Lintert is quite good value as a university lecturer and friend of Frazier's, but I don't think all of the new characters are that interesting.

So Freddie, for instance, the son played by British actor Jack Cutmore Scott, who I was lucky enough to have a quick chat to about this season. I kind of feel like he's very much playing the straight man in this. So episode one. Frazier and Alan by Anabarra Koham. So there's lots of fun and games around that. So if you, yeah, I think if you like Frazier,

I mean Kelsey Grammer, absolute master of comic timing. Lindhurst is great in this. I think the two of them work very well together, but I can see why they've decided, okay, let's bring back, because they brought back Roz at the end of season one, Perry Gilpin, and so we're going to see some more familiar faces, and I think that's a good idea. But yeah, if you like the original Frazier, I think you will enjoy this. But it is slightly different, but

still worth a look, I think. Well, we've got to that time already, Hannah, where we find out what you've been binge watching. Four in a bed, which Amazon Prime hang out there a fair amount, Prime Video, and where all the people have bed and breakfast and they go and basically open their bed and breakfast to other people, which is always very interesting and people are always incredibly harsh. It's all about the quality of the sausage. It's true.

I have been checking out Love Rats documentary series on Netflix, which is about people who kind of pull off sort of romance scams basically. So the first one I watched was this poor lady from Scotland who in her 50s who went to Sri Lanka was romanced by a young guy in his 20s, ended up marrying him and moving there and you can kind of guess. the rest I'm sure. Now we've just got time to look ahead to next week's offerings. So what is on the binge watch menu, Hannah?

Sam Neill and Annette Benning star in Apple's Never Fall, a thriller about the disappearance of a family matriarch on BBC iPlayer. And Will Ferrell takes a road trip with his recently transitioned close friend in the Netflix documentary Will and Harper. So we look forward to those. and much, much more, but in the meantime, listeners.