Bond By Numbers

Adored by few, reviled by most, "Die Another Day" offered audiences and Bond fans alike a ticket to 007 crazy town. But just how troubled is this reputed stinker? Are there enough "slivers of maybe" to help justify the disbelief that we were forced to suspend with Brosnan's fourth and final outing? Josh and Scott soften the sofas and brandish the inkblots as they "analyse this" 40th anniversary pa...

With the exception of the villain's name and the implication of rockets, EON's 1979 production of "Moonraker" shares little in common with its literary antecedent from 1955. Ian Fleming's cold-war novel might not have blasted its characters off into space but it certainly hit the peaks and troughs of spy thriller excitement, further strengthening his (and Bond's) name in the publishing world. Here...

Encouraged by listener request, this latest tie-in episode changes the literary menu from piecemeal-tapas to full-flavoured stew! Scott & Josh's deep-dive discussion of Fleming's "From Russia With Love" from May 2016 pairs nicely with BBN's recent film review and is presented here in updated full fashion. Пожалуйста! That's right, BBN listeners, "you're welcome!"

It was only a matter of time before Roger Moore's trend-jumping Bond wound up on a spaceship. Hoping to cash in on the sci-fi craze of the late 1970s, "Moonraker" remains, to many fans, one giant leap too far in narrative and canonical credibility. Still, few can deny the impact of the awe-inspired Ken Adam sets, the ethereal punch of John Barry's score and the location hopping that unlocked the i...

When retcon rides sidecar to fan-service along the poached narrative road of a surveillance empire's sinister takeover, you know you're in for a bumpy journey as a Bond fan. Critics called it crap but EON called it Spectre! Daniel Craig's fourth outing is probably his most contentious but how much of the "style over substance" complaint is warranted? Beware the cuckoo and step inside the nest as y...

Revered by many fans and critics alike, 1963's From Russia With Love ushered in a retinue of slick canonical tropes and features without compromising its cold-war storytelling. Sean Connery reprises his 007 role as the realities of "franchise" come into focus. Join your BBN hosts as they punch tickets and settle first-class passengers into a thorough and sometimes controversial tour through this i...

In this third companion episode, Scott and Josh share their thoughts on three more Fleming texts. First up, and markedly different from the film, is short story "From A View to a Kill" where Bond reminisces on becoming a man in Paris before lending his expertise in the investigation of a murdered dispatch driver. Discussion on "Thunderball" gets the central billing, highlighted by a female charact...

Wise to the last, Roger Moore couldn't leave 007 until his bond baked a quiche, stole a fire truck and hung perilously from a blimp. Enter 1985 and "A View to a Kill", EON's canonical answer to the computer and steroid action of the era. But just how much of Moore's swansong is a burgeoning vessel of hot smelly air? Can it withstand the electromagnetic pulse of the critics? Join Scott, Josh and Je...

"...Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." When Coleridge revised his Ancient Mariner in 1834 he couldn't have known he was forecasting Thunderball's controversial "production-bloat to audience-nourishment" ratio... or could he? Were the Romantic Poets the first Bond critics? Hmm, the suggestion holds more water than you might think because here we are, 185 years later, grappling with th...

The title won't be the only thing about this 007 adventure that jumps out to grab you. Running against Sean Connery's controversial remake of Thunderball, "Octopussy" offered audiences a lot of outrageous spectacle for their money. Ever want to see Q fly a hot-air balloon festooned with liquid crystal closed circuit cameras? How about a crocodile submarine infiltrate a girl-powered island of octop...

Okay, so a caveat: the recordings here aren't ideal. Sorry about that. In addition to occasional skype signal drops with FYEO, the BFG's then-sinus infection did feature uniquely to antagonise his usual dulcet tones in parts of The Man With the Golden Gun. We've tried to edit around these things. The conversation speaks for itself, however, and we hope you'll enjoy the book reviews as we aim to of...

Patricide, boat chasing, parahawks, caviar farming, oil pipelines, buzz-sawed BMWs, revenge-napping and a nuclear sub out to destroy Istanbul: is that your idea of explosive fun or a 00-plot headache? Some say the Bond producers didn't know when to stop in party-planning for Y2K with this film, Brosnan's penultimate, while others guffaw at the very notion of a bond film without excess baggage. Whe...

Don your snowsuits and wax your skis, Bond fans, it's time to cut edges around the slopes of "For Your Eyes Only"! A new decade brings in a new director as veteran Bond craftsman John Glen is handed control and helms his inaugural adventure. In a conscious effort to return sobriety to the series after visiting outer space in "Moonraker", Glen & Co. gravitate towards some key Flemingian sources for...

So this exited the wash as our longest episode to date. Cubby's corner and critical reception for TMWTGG offered a lot of discussion in leadup to the main event. Jeff's context on the energy crisis of the early 70s was quite helpful in situating the film's secondary plot within the wider world (even if we all agreed it wasn't the story we wanted to be following). Throughout the course of the show,...

What do you get when you combine a stealth ship, the world's fastest no-look typing megalomaniac, shameless product placement, endless rounds of ammo and more techno-buzz than even Q can handle in his rent-a-Hertz crimson coat? It's Tomorrow Never Dies, of course, the 18th entry in the official James Bond series! In spite of some shortcomings and egregious call-backs, this film is full of surprise...

For Bond's 50th Anniversary in 2012, Sam Mendes was brought on board to help Craig & Co. deep dive into the complex relations of MI6 and the vengeful nerds it leaves behind. Join your hosts as they explore the finer points of surrogate maternal love and the many other features that help to make Skyfall a fan favourite. Don't forget your hairpiece and Heineken!

Sifting through the archives of our Ian Fleming series from 2016-17, we have pieced together a sample of our conversations based on the literary source material for the movies being discussed throughout BNB. Appearing every 6 episodes or so, these bonus shows throw chronology to the wind and are cut to follow the order of our BNB roulette, inviting you to learn a bit more about the stories behind...

Now heralded as one of the best 007 actors, Daniel Craig was much maligned by the public and press when news of his replacing Pierce Brosnan was announced in 2005. "Casino Royale" ushered in a newly dark and gritty era for James Bond and solidified the "contemporary edge" that Barbara Broccoli was hoping for in steering the franchise forward. Join your hosts as they knead the dough on this quick-r...

With 1971's "Diamonds are Forever", Bond producers encouraged moviegoers to forget the recent past of OHMSS's character arc and tragic love by resurrecting earlier moves and establishing a zanier tone. And how better to erase awkward feels than to bring Sean Connery back for the greasy and bling-studded stateside adventure? Not without its charms, DAF remains one of the series' more distracting en...

The fifth film to fall under BBN scrutiny, Quantum of Solace is a fast and angry action film. It may have withstood the Hollywood writer's strike and its lukewarm audience reception but can it survive being explored by our intrepid panel and the dreaded Granny-O interview?

"Do you expect me to talk...?"  I sure hope so... and for over three hours, please, because Goldfinger is regarded by many fans as the top Bond film of the franchise! Aware of their responsibility, the BBN hosts navigate the glittering vaults of this 24-carat classic with dutiful care and enthusiasm.

Just in time for the holidays, the trio ponder the mysteries of Christmas trees, Swiss locales and, of course, George Lazenby's sole and controversial outing as James Bond. Scott, Josh and Jeff cut powdered shapes around the slopes of Peter Hunt's neatly structured cult classic.    

Josh and Scott welcome back Jeff the Roommate and scare the living daylights out of each other in a discussion that tips its hat to one of Ian Fleming's best (short stories) and Felix Leiter's worst (... sorry, John Terry!). The short tenure of Timothy Dalton began here and brought to the franchise the iciest 007 to date. In a conversation full of "what ifs?" and "how comes?", John Glen's penultim...

Josh and Scott measure steps through their first discussion, focusing on 1995's Goldeneye. It's a new Bond, a new decade and a new world post-USSR. Joining our hosts to share some insight is Jeff Chapman, military and cold war history buff, and our nonagenarian grandmother for her first interview of the series! 

Having previously explored the literary and musical landscapes of the 007 world, Bowman & the BFG here lay out plans for their mightiest (if inevitable) James Bond adventure yet - the films themselves!