Cult Connections

On it's release in 1999 The Matrix wowed audiences with its mix of kung fu action, dazzling visuals and mindbending concept of living in a virtual world. However, starting decades before on the small screen, the concept of living in a simulation has already been portrayed in the most imaginative ways. Ian is joined by Holger Hasse to review three such examples!

World On A Wire (1973). Directed by Ranier Werner Fassbinder. Written by Fassbinder and Fritz Muller-Scherz. Based on the novel simulacron-3 by Daniel F Galouye. starring Klaus Lowitsch and Barbara Valentin. 

Red Dwarf. Season 5 episode 6. "Back t...

We reach the actual final episode of ther series, not broadcast until 1991. Ian also gives his thoughts on the series as a whole. 

Episode 14: Up Above The World So High. Written by Shimon Wincleberg. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas. Guest starring Joanna Barnes

It's episode 13 and the last to be broadcast on network television. So this must be the series finale? Or is it?

The Liberator. Written by Howard Dimsdale. Directed by Arnold Laven. Guest starring John Ireland.

Ian reaches the penultimate broadcast episode of the show!

The Cure. Written by Edward J Lakso. Directed by Bernard McEveety. Guest starring Sondra Locke and David Sheiner

A nice surprise as we get to the business end!

Episode 11: The Tyrant. Directed by Ralph Senensky. Written by Walter Black. Guest starring Percy Rodrigues

We head back to Central City for a bit of that old 70s favourite, brainwashing!

The Interrogation. Directed by Alf Kjelin. Written by Richard Collins. Guest starring Beverly Garland and Anne Seymour.

Our heroes get up to some horsey highjinks but is this episode a thoroughbred or fit for the knackers yard?

Episode 9: The Horse race. Directed by Jack Starret. Written by David P Lewis and Booker Bradshaw. Guest starring John Hoyt

The Doctor as Merlin? Two Brigadeers? Is Ace really ace?  

Battlefield (1989). Directed by Michael Kerrigan. Written by Ben Aaronovitch. Starring Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Jean Marsh.

The Bantha Liberation Front return as Maria and Ian review the first three episodes of Andor Season 2.

Ian reviews the latest version of HG Wells classic novel starring Ice Cube and Eva Longoria

Episode 8: The Deception

Directed by Don MacDougall. Written by Anthony Lawrence. Guest starring Jane Actman.

Our trio head into medical drama terriotry for epsode 7.

The Surgeon. Directed by Arnold Laven. Written by Barry Oringer. Guest starring Jacqueline Scott, Michael Strong.

Ian and Mark "Planty" Plant continue their very occasional series by covering one of Michael winners good ones!

The Mechanic (1972) Directed by Michael Winner. Written by Lewis John Carlino. Starring Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent.

Ian gives us his thoughts on the new superman film from James Gunn

It's an absolute cracker this week as Ian and Nathan discuss the debut of two Doctopr Who icons, the debut of one not so iconic regular and the return of a favourite enemy. 

Terror of the Autons (1971) Directed by Barry Letts. Written by Robert Holmes. Starring Jon Pertwee, Katy Manning and Roger Delgado.

Our trio get into a spot of fishy business!

Episode 6: Tomorrow's Tide. Written by Robert W Lenski. Directed by Don McDougall. Guest starring Roscoe Lee Browne

The Timelords have sent Ian and Nathan on a quest to review what is possibly the greatest Doctor Who story of all time!

Genesis of the Daleks (1975). Written by Terry Nation. Directed by David Maloney. Starring Tom Baker, Elizabeth Sladen, Ian Marter, Michael Wisher and Peter Miles.

Ian and Nathan round off their review of the second season of Doctor Who starring Ncuti Gatwa!

A message from the past gives our heroes hope for the future. 

The Legacy: Written by Robert Hamner. Directed by Bernard McEveety. Starring Zina Bethune and Jackie Earle Hailey

As Omega returns in the Doctor Who season finale Ian flies solo to review the last time he turned up!

Doctor Who Season 20. Arc of Infinity. Written by Johnny Byrne. Directed by Ron Jones. Starring Peter Davison, Sarah Sutton and Janet Fielding. With Leonard Sachs, Michael Gough and Colin Baker

Ian and Nathan review the first three episodes of season 2 of Doctor Who 

The Robot Revolution 

Lux

The Well

Ian finds out about crop rotation in  the 31st century. 

The Good Seeds. Directed by Don Weiss. Written by Robert W Lenski. Guest starring Geoffrey Deuel

Ian and Nathan are thawed out to review probably the most iconic 2nd Doctor story!

The Tomb of the Cybermen (1967). Directed by Morris Barry. Written by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davies. Starring Patrick Troughton, Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling

Find out why The Trap remindds Ian of a classic Simpsons episode!

The Trap. Directed by Arnold laven. Wriiten by Edward J Lakso

Ian continues his journey through the Planet Of The Apes tv series

Episode two - The Gladiators. Directed by Don McDougall. Written by Art Wallace. Starring Roddy McDowell, James Naughton, Ron Harper, John Hoyt, William Smith and Marc Singer

In this bonus series Ian is going to review of the Planet Of The Apes tv series from 1974. We start with the first episode Escape From Tomorrow.

Ian reviews the first season of the 60s sci-fi classic created by Irwin Allen

Ian gives a review of some of the films he has watched recently, what's coming up on the show and why things have been a bit quiet lately.

Ian and Nathan travel to 1066 via 1965 to review a story which changed Doctor 
Who forever!

The Time Meddler (1965). Directed by Douglas Camfield. Written by Dennis Spooner. Starring william Hartnell, Maureen O'Brien, Peter Purves and Peter Butterworth

Ian and Nathan finally kick off 2025 with a round up the festive Doctor Who treats for 2024!

Ian is joined by Mark Plant to discuss the hardhitting and unsettling Spanish cult horror. 

Would You Kill A Child? (1976). Directed by Narciso Ibanez Serrador. Written by Serrador and Juan Jose Plans. Starring Lewis Fiander and Prunella Ransome.

Ian is joined by Ben Baker to discuss his new book Kiss Your Television, an affectionate, insightful and funny look at favourites and obscurities young and old. Ian and Ben share their passion for, Sapphire and Steel  Tuckers Luck and Cannon and Ball amongst many others!

You can find Kiss Your Television here https://t.co/eKswySk5Ih

Ian finds himself in the Ozverse to review the new release Wicked and goes back to 1925 for a version of the original stry that started it all. 

Wicked (2024) Directed by John M Chu. From the book by Gregory Maguire. Stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo

The Wizard of Oz (1925). Directed by Larry Semon. Written by Larry Semon, Leon Lee and Frank Joslyn Baum. Starring Dorothy Dwan, Larry Semon and Oliver Hardy

Ian reaches the finale episode of the flagship BBC drama

Episode 6 - Sweet England's Pride. Directed by Roderick Graham. Written by Ian Rodger. Starring Glenda Jackson and Robin Ellis

Ian is joined by Dr Matt Melia to discuss one of Britain's most prolific, influential and contoversial filmmakers, Ken Russell. On this opening episode we discuss three of his trademark composer biographies as he made the transtion from the small to the big screen. 

Song of Summer (1968). Directed by Ken Russell. From the book by Eric Fenby. Starring Max Adrian, Christopher Gable and Maureen Pryor,

Dance of the Seven Veils (1970). Directed by Ken Russell. Written by Russell and Henry Reed. Starring Christopher Gable, Judith Paris and Kenneth Colley,

The Music Lovers (1971). Directed by Ken R...

On this epiosde Ian is joined by Steve Hatton to review the first series of the cult BBC sci-fi drama. 

The Tripods: Series One (1984). Written by Alick Rowe. From the book by John Christopher. Directed by Christopher Barry and Graham Theakston. Starring John Shackley, Ceri Steel and Jim Baker

How do you defeat the Spanish Armada on a BBC budget?

Episode 5: The Enterprise of England. Directed by David mcWhinnie. Written by John Prebble. Starring Glenda Jackson, Peter Jeffrey, John Woodvine and Robert Hardy

Ian and Nathan land on Androzani Minor to cover the Fifth Doctors last story. 

The Caves of Androzani (1984). Written by Robert Holmes. Directed by Graeme Harper. Starring Peter Davison, Nicola Bryant, John Normington and Christopher 
Gable.

We reach the tragic ending of Mary, Queen of Scots in our rewatch of the vlassic BBC drama. 

Elizabeth R: Episode 4 - Horrible conspiracies. Directed by Roderick Graham. Written by Hugh Whitemore. Starring Glenda Jackson, Stephen Murray and Vivien Pickles. 

Ian and Nathan have dematerialised on the planet Necros for a visit to Tranquil Repose

Revelation of the Daleks (1985). Directed by Greame Harper. Written by Eric Saward. Starring Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Eleanor Bron and Clive Swift.