The Drop

What do a new rom-com starring Lindsay Lohan and an epic mystery show by the creators of Game of Thrones have in common? They both debuted on Netflix this week. Irish Wish (the number film on Netflix right now) and Three Body Problem sit at both ends of streamer's content strategy: Light, easy to digest fluff and high-budget, high-concept prestige. Osman, Thomas and Mel review both releases and di...

What's driving the obsession and conspiracy theories over the Royal photo scandal? Osman, Thomas and Mel explain how the situation unfolding, discuss why it lit a cultural flare, and how it fits into our contemporary understanding of celebrity culture. They discuss their favourite Royal-themed movies, likely Oscar contenders for 2025 and share their pop culture recommendations on Impress Your Frie...

Osman, Thomas and Mel react to the 2024 Academy Awards. They review the ceremony and discuss the Oppenheimer sweep, Barbie's near shut-out, the surprising moments and hand out their own prizes for winners and losers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 96th Academy Awards are nearly here. Osman, Thomas and Mel unpack the state of the race, share their favourite moments from recent Oscars history, breakdown how the awards are actually chosen and share who they think should, and will, win the major categories. Plus, they talk about the growing buzz around the new prestige TV series Shogun , debate the hype around Fred Again... and cover the re...

Dune: Part Two is the biggest movie event of 2024 so far. Osman, Thomas and Mel unpack whether this epic, weird and overwhelming movie lives up to the hype it's generated, and if casual movie-goers will enjoy it as much as serious fans. They also discuss the news that Netflix's Beef will be back with an exciting new cast, the massive success of Anyone But You, changes to the Logies, and share thei...

While  Oppenheimer  looks set to dominate the Academy Awards, another film is quietly gaining momentum. Based on the best-selling novel Erasure by Percival Everett,  American Fiction  is a literary comedy that confronts our culture's obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Osman , Thomas and Mel review the film (spoiler-free), discuss the rise of cultural gatekeepers and how Amer...

Married At First Sight, Australian Idol, Survivor, The Block... even the ABC's Muster Dogs. They're the most popular shows in the country, attracting millions of viewers every night. So how did Australia become a country dominated by reality TV? And why do Australian reality TV shows get such a massive reception overseas? Is it good for our culture, or does is it happening at the detriment of dram...

Osman, Thomas and Mel are back for 2024 and kick things off with a discussion about the the entertainment industry's awards season, and what role the Emmys, Grammys and Oscars play in our cultural conversation. Then they turn their attention to Taylor Swift's dominance and if she's reached saturation point. Did she fumble her album announcement? Is the backlash unfair? Or is it time to re-interrog...

Mel and Thomas along with special guest host, Spectrum deputy editor Robert Moran look back at all the big pop culture moments in 2023 - from the Barbenheimer phenomenon to the Hollywood actor's strike and more. Plus films, TV and books to look forward to in 2024. And the very last Impress your friends segment for the year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Succession to Oppenheimer to Fast Car, Mel and Thomas give their top picks of the best of culture from 2023. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The arrival of the festive season brings the excuse to finally watch Christmas movies on repeat for an entire month. Mel and Thomas take a look at some of the classics like Home Alone and Love Actually, but also at the rise of bad Hallmark Christmas films that have inundated our streaming platforms over the past 10 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mel and Thomas preview what's to come on The Drop over the next few weeks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saltburn , the dark psychological thriller starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, is the second feature film from writer/director Emerald Fennell after her Oscar-nominated debut, Promising Young Women . It's one of the most divisive films of the year, with some critics describing it as a funny, sharp satire of the rich while others have dismissed it as derivative and messy. Osman, Thomas and Mel...

David Fincher's The Killer is deservedly the most popular film on Netflix right now. Osman, Thomas and Mel unpack this stylish, cold-blooded thriller starring Michael Fassbender and discuss how it compares to other Fincher classics like The Social Network, Gone Girl, Fight Club and Zodiac. They also review the first episode of Nathan Fielder's new show The Curse, starring Emma Stone. Plus, a conve...

What do The Wire, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones and Succession have in common? They're commonly regarded as examples of "prestige TV": high quality dramas, that push the medium forward and create plenty of buzz. But there's a growing sense that we be living in a post-prestige world. Osman, Thomas and Mel try to define what exactly makes a show prestige, debate if we will ever have a show as good a...

They say never let the truth get in the way of a good story, but what about a funny joke? Following on from the New Yorker’s allegations that comedian Hasan Minhaj fabricated stories in his Netflix specials, Osman, Mel and Thomas discuss how much comedians should be allowed to embellish on stage, why Minhaj was fact-checked when other stand-ups aren’t, and where the line is when it comes to “emoti...

Britney Spears is the latest celebrity to release a tell-all memoir, covering her rise to fame, relationships and controversial conservatorship. With the increasing popularity of celebrity memoirs, Julia Fox and Jada Pinkett Smith have also recently released much-hyped books, Osman, Thomas and Mel unpack what role they play in our understanding of pop culture and the ethics of telling one-side of...

From Goodfellas to Taxi Driver, The Wolf of Wall Street to The Departed, Martin Scorcese has made some of the biggest and best films in Hollywood history. But his latest film, Killers of the Flowers Moon, which focuses on a series of murders in the US in the 1920s  could be the director at his very best. Osman, Thomas and Mel discuss (spoiler-free) the Killers of the Flower Moon, and why it feels...

Back in 2017 some of Australia's biggest stars, including Margot Robbie, Chris Hemsworth, Russell Crowe and Kylie Minogue, publicly backed the same-sex marriage campaign. But in the lead-up to the Voice referendum most celebrities have been silent. Osman, Thomas and Mel look at who is weighing into the Voice debate, who is staying quiet and unpack what role celebrity endorsements play in modern cu...

Netflix's latest blockbuster sports documentary, directed by Succession's Fisher Stevens, is about the life and career of David Beckham, and his relationship with Victoria (aka Posh Spice), Osman, Thomas and Mel review Beckham, discuss what makes a sports documentary and talk about whether celebrities have too much control when it comes to telling the story of their lives before sharing their favo...

Taylor Swift has already dominated the cultural conversation in 2023 and now she's turning her attention to professional sports, with a surprise appearance at an NFL match leading to a global meltdown. Osman, Thomas and Mel break down what exactly this crossover event means for pop culture and Swift, and why everyone is obsessed with Travis Kelce. Plus, they discuss the end of the Hollywood writer...

A years long investigation into Russell Brand has seen the actor, comedian and controversial commentator accused of sexual assault by multiple women. Brand denies the allegations, but this week a number of examples of him acting inappropriately towards women have resurfaced. Osman, Thomas and Mel unpack Brand's rise to fame, why his behaviour was never reined in and what his career, and the allega...

Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is back with her second album Guts, and it’s receiving rave reviews. Osman, Thomas and Mel discuss reaction to the album, the drama surrounding it, and what it says about the state of pop music right now. Plus, some of the insane celebrity relationship drama making headlines recently, and what it tells us about the state of humanity and our own brains. See omnystudio.c...

Osman, Thomas and Mel share what films, television, books and music they are most looking forward to over the next few months. From Martin Scorsese's  Killers of the Flower Moon  to Olivia Rodrigo's  Guts  and Britney Spears memoir  The Woman in Me , here's the pop culture you don't want to miss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest song in the world right now is Rich Men North of Richmond, a controversial country anthem. But is it's success really organic, or is it part of a right-wing plot to take over the charts? Osman, Thomas and Mel discuss the song's popularity and its politics amid the massive surge country music is experiencing. Songs from Morgan Wallen and Luke Combs are dominating the charts, representin...