TV Gold

This week on the TV Gold podcast. Listen on Spotify, Apple and more…links here. https://pod.link/1106441089 • Smoke (Apple, 9 episodes) Inspired by true events, “Smoke” follows an arson investigator who begrudgingly teams up with a police detective as their race to stop two arsonists ignites a twisted game of secrets and suspicions. Great cast includes Taron Egerton, Jurnee...

In this bonus TV Gold episode, Bay of Fires cast member Ilai Swindells (Sammi the tech expert) talks with Andrew and James about working on the hit ABC drama co-created by Marta Dusseldorp. We go behind the scenes to hear about the casting, filming on location in western Tasmania and how the cast were greeted by the locals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reviews this week of two Australian productions, a US family saga and a British medical drama. • Bay of Fires S2 (ABC iview, 8 episodes) Season 2 of Marta Dusseldorp’s Bay of Fires sees her taking charge of the strange community that inhabits Mystery Bay. • Little Disasters (ABC iview, 6 episodes) This British psychological medical thriller explores female friendships and motherhoo...

Mix Tape (Binge/Foxtel, 4 episodes) An Australian/Ireland co-production telling the story of a teenage romance in Sheffield which ends abruptly with some unanswered questions. Later in life the former lovers reconnect which impacts their current relationships. Young lovers Alison and Daniel steel the show. Mr Loverman (Binge/Foxtel, 8 episodes) Lennie James stars as Barry. The flamboyant dresser i...

Four impressive series this week that all were in the running for TV Gold Show of the Week. • The Survivors (Netflix, 6 episodes) Producer Tony Ayres has crafted a murder mystery set in Tasmania that will keep you guessing until the final episode. Great cast led by Robyn Malcolm and Damien Garvey. • Brassic (SBS On Demand and Netflix, 6 seasons) Hilarious British comedy series set in Nor...

This week two dramas about sisters and the much anticipated movie from Succession creator Jesse Armstrong. • Sirens (Netflix, 5 episodes) Watch for the exploration of the relationship between working-class Buffalonian Devon DeWitt (Meghann Fahy) and her younger and somewhat more successful sister Simone (Milly Alcock). Stay for the husband and wife dynamics between socialite Michaela Kell (Ju...

Nicole Kidman is back running her unconventional wellness retreat, we get to learn a lot about the life and times of Pee-Wee Herman and there’s a messy child mix-up in Playing Nice. • Nine Perfect Strangers (S2, Prime Video, 8 episodes) The new season relocates the action to the Austrian Alps and features nine new characters who have been lured to attend another unconventional wellness...

Something for all tastes this episode from science fiction comedy to British drama, a cross-European road trip and an all-star comedy tribute. • Bergerac, (iview, 6 episodes) A reboot of the classic British 1980s drama this time with Damien Moloney in the lead role of Jersey detective Jim Bergerac. He gets great support from Zoe Wanamaker as his mother-in-law which is one of the series highpo...

Just two major series, both UK dramas, are reviewed this episode and the Show of the Week vote is split! Plus Andrew catches up with Etoile. The Teacher (8 episodes, 9Now) The second season has little to do with the first series which starred Sheridan Smith. A new cast and a ramped up plot in S2 starts with promiscuous teachers on a school excursion. The first episode takes nasty turn when a stude...

Of the three new series this week, The Four Seasons is the only one Andrew and James have both seen. Andrew also tuned into Duster and James was working his way through Étoile. The Four Seasons (Netflix, 8 episodes): New from Tina Fey who also stars alongside Steve Carrell and Will Forte. Three couples who spend a vacation together every year are tested when one of the couples splits. Duste...

Four TV series reviewed this week, just one of them brand new, the others are extra seasons of existing programs. • Scrublands Season 2 (Stan, 4 episodes) • Government Cheese (AppleTV+, 10 episodes) • Big Boys Season 3 (iview, 6 episodes) • The Last Of Us Season 2 (Foxtel/Binge/Max, 7 episodes) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A slightly different episode for Easter. We review one new Australian drama series and then list our Top 5 shows of the first quarter of 2025. • Narrow Road to the Deep North (Prime Video, 5 episodes) has dropped with all five eps immediately available. The series tells the story of Australian prisoners of war in World War II who had to help build the Thai-Burma railway and the brutal conditi...

Tough podcast episode to find just one series for TV Gold Show of the Week! Three very impressive American dramas to choose from. You are going to need access to Disney+ and AppleTV+ accounts to enjoy them all. • Good American Family (Disney+, 8 episodes) A synopsis that starts "[a series] about the adoption of a child with dwarfism and the subsequent abandonment of the child" doesn't scream...

More Liane Moriarty and more Guy Ritchie this week, and the creators of Will and Grace are back with a new comedy. • The Last Anniversary (Binge/Foxtel, 6 episodes) The latest Liane Moriarty adaption for the small screen from the same team who also worked on Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers. Filmed on the Hawksebury River north of Sydney with an impressive Australian cast plus Miran...

This week Andrew and James review a White House murder mystery, a dark drama about a drug haul and a satire about the movie business. • The Residence (Netflix, 8 episodes) sees an eccentric detective sent to the White House to solve the mysterious murder of the chief usher. Loads of Aussie stars and references to the land down under. • Boat Story (ABC iview, 6 episodes) An ultra-violent...

Plenty of debate on TV Gold this week as Andrew Mercado and James Manning discuss: Adolescence (Netflix, 4 episodes) starring Stephen Graham as the father of a 13-year-old accused of murdering a fellow student. Long Bright River (Stan, 8 episodes) starring Amanda Seyfried as a Philadelphia police woman searching for her sister who is missing at the same time as a serial killer is at work in a roug...

Toxic Town (Netflix, 4 episodes) is the first of two series this week set in England. Jodie Whittaker stars as one of a group of women in Corby in the Midlands that gave birth to children with physical abnormalities. They subsequently took the local council to court in a battle over compensation to prove that neglect of toxic waste was the cause. Don’t miss a super performance from the wonde...

This week we review two drama series featuring fictional US Presidents. And an Oscar winner! Zero Day (Netflix, 6 episodes) features Robert De Niro in his first TV role as the former US President George Mullen who is called back to serve his country as he tries to track the source of a massive cyber attack. Lizzy Caplan plays the President’s daughter and Jesse Plemons is his political adviso...

Series reviewed by Andrew and James this week: Invisible Boys (Stan, 10 episodes) For Her Sins (BritBox, 4 episodes) Pose (SBS On Demand, 3 series) Plus they also talk about the end (again) of Neighbours and the 50th anniversary of colour TV in Australia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on TV Gold we look at the Stan comedy Amandaland with Lucy Punch and Joanna Lumley. The other main review in this Best of British episode is Breathtaking on 7plus starring Joanne Froggatt as an NHS nurse during the Covid epidemic in London. Also up for discussion is the AppleTV+ thriller Prime Target starring Leo Woodall as a Cambridge maths student with a brilliant supporting cast inclu...

After a summer break from podcasting, Andrew Mercado and James Manning are back with their first episode of 2025. Two big shows reviewed this week are Apple Cider Vinegar (Netflix) and Protection (Stan). Andrew and James also have a long list of the best TV series they watched over their summer break. Andrew also has some programming advice for one of the TV networks! For the complete list make su...

The TV Gold critics have delivered their Best of 2024 Lists. There are over 30 shows on the List. Some of the programs Andrew and James both agree on are: Boy Swallows Universe (Netflix) Mr Bates vs the Post Office (7plus) Ripley (Netflix) After the Party (ABC) Thou Shall Not Steal (Stan) Rivals (Disney+) Check the complete lists on the TV Gold Facebook page. See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

This episode of TV Gold is largely about spies this week as we look at two major espionage dramas. Black Doves (Netflix, 6 episodes) features Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw and Sarah Lancashire in this expansion of the genre. Meet the Christmas spy thriller. The Agency (Paramount+, 10 episodes) This series takes viewers inside the CIA in a tale about its undercover agents working in Europe. Another...

Three TV series and three recent movies on offer this week. Landman (Paramount+, 10 episodes) The latest from Taylor Sheridan with Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore. The Madness (Netflix, 8 episodes) A political thriller about a CNN pundit framed for murder. Get Millie Black (Binge, 5 episodes) Another crime drama about an officer returning home, but wow is this one a little different. Movie bonus...

Three programs reviewed this week – an Australian Christmas movie, and series from the US and UK. How to Make Gravy (Binge/Foxtel, movie) The much anticipated movie from Meg Washington and Nick Waterman. Brilliant cast including Daniel Henshall in the lead, another unforgettable Hugo Weaving performance and Meg Washington showing another side of her considerable skills. A Man on the Inside (Netfli...