Within the Donut Hole: a Benoit Blanc podcast

Bond made Daniel Craig famous. Benoit Blanc may make him unforgettable. It sounds like a wild theory until you start looking at the evidence. In this special episode of Within the Donut Hole: A Benoit Blanc Podcast, John Williams and Harris Thomas investigate one of the most fascinating questions in modern cinema: Could Benoit Blanc ultimately become Daniel Craig's defining role? From the imm...

In this episode of Within the Donut Hole, we open the case to the beautifully obsessive world of vinyl collecting with a very special guest: Mo Shafeek, co-founder of Mutant. We dive deep into Mutant’s Wake Up Dead Man vinyl soundtrack release. From the haunting score by Nathan Johnson to the intricate artwork, packaging, and the dangerously tempting variant - the devilish “Eve’s Apple”. This is a...

Sun, sand, and a perfectly constructed murder. This week on Within the Donut Hole, we break down Evil Under the Sun, one of Agatha Christie’s most elegant films. With Hercule Poirot at the center, we explore how a seemingly simple timeline becomes a masterclass in direction, score, script, casting, cinematography, editing, costume design, and locations. From airtight alibis to carefully hidden tru...

In this chapter of Within the Donut Hole: a Benoit Blanc podcast, we step just outside the crime scene and into the casting office. We each draft five actors we believe would be perfect additions to the next Knives Out ensemble. Casting not by rumor or reporting, but by instinct for the unmistakable Rian Johnson vibe. From quiet intensity to legacy gravitas, we debate who belongs in Benoit Blanc’s...

What happens when a song is designed not to be solved? In this episode of Within the Donut Hole, we turn our attention to “Glass Onion,” the Beatles’ sly, self-referential puzzle box of a song. One that invites interpretation while quietly reminding us that the center may be an illusion. We’re joined by renowned Beatles expert Chris Wood, whose lifelong devotion to the band includes a full-on Beat...

Hello there, fellow sleuths and soundtrack fanatics! Welcome to the second, still-mysteriously-untitled episode of my unofficial Knives Out podcast. If you’re hearing this, it means I’ve actually managed to launch the pod, cue the confetti. Today is December 12th, 2025: the day Wake Up Dead Man drops on Netflix, and Nathan Johnson’s epic score finally hits our ears in all its glory. As a hopeless...

This week on Within the Donut Hole: A Benoit Blanc Podcast, we step away from the case file and into something even more important: why we love this franchise so much. In a heartfelt (and slightly unhinged) love letter to the Knives Out universe, we count down the Top Ten most loving things about these films. The retitled chapter, Ten Reasons We Can’t Quit Benoit Blanc, from Benoit Blanc’s wit-wit...

On this episode of Within the Donut Hole: a Benoit Blanc podcast, we go full detective on the response to Wake Up Dead Man, from the critic to the fans, and, more importantly, the funniest reviews and reactions swirling around the newest Knives Out mystery, Wake Up Dead Man. From “weirder and darker” takes to critics behaving badly (affectionately) and everyone at Letterboxd, we break down the ton...

Welcome to Within the Donut Hole: a Benoit Blanc podcast. In our very first episode, host John Williams explains why this unofficial fan podcast exists. And why the Knives Out films deserve a space to celebrate their craft, wit, heart, and endlessly rewatchable mysteries. We talk Benoit Blanc, the “donut hole” philosophy, what makes this franchise feel so alive, and what you can expect from future...