The Problematic Gaze

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, we cast our gaze on the classic US sitcom 'Friends'. Chandler meets his 'Dad', Ross and Rachel go for a drive, and Joey has underwear issues. How does Friends stand up to a modern lens? Also, who has severely depleted Dav...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, we cast our gaze on the classic British film "The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie", starring Maggie Smith in an Oscar winning turn. Is Jean Brodie a romantic heroine or deluded egomaniac? One things for sure, she'd better watch her...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, we cast our gaze on the classic British sitcom Fawlty Towers, and focus on an episode from 1975 called 'The Germans'. Controversial in recent years for its use of racist language, this episode was removed from several platforms. Do...

Crack open the Bolly! It's our 20th episode!! Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, we cast our gaze on the PR and fashion world inhabited by the icons Edina Monsoon and Patsy Stone, from the classic BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous. In Episode 3 from Season 2, Pats and Eddy,...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we  struggle to find anything uplifting to say about the TV film 'Threads' from 1984. Although, considering its subject matter is nuclear armageddon, we'd challenge anyone to put a positive slant on it! The source of many a chi...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we  unite once again in the penthouse boardroom of PG Towers. We come bang up to date to cast our gaze over the latest series of Netflix coming of age teen drama Heartstopper. How has LGBTQIA+ representation on television advanced over the de...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast our Gaze over the smash hit reality TV series 'Love Island' from 2022. Watch as the love stories of the villa unfold week by week. Watch as the line of what's real and what's being manipulated by skilled storytelle...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast our Gaze over the phenomenon of nostalgia posts on social media. Who exactly wants us to think that the past was so wonderful compared to now? And why? In Steptoe and and Son, a sitcom where son Harold is desperate to escape the shack...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This episode we cast our gaze over 1984's 'The Terminator'. What is hypermasculinity and why was it so prevalent in the 80's?  Can a mullet ever look good on a woman? Can the machines really take over?  Remember, always be nice to A...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. For the first time in weeks, Lee and Dave are thrust together in the same room!!! Add raging hangovers and a bottle of medicinal champagne and light the blue touch paper! Join us for our robust exploration into the world of Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche and...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we watch the 2004 British film 'Fat Slags'. Universally panned by critics and a flop at the box office, Dave and Dr Lee dig deep to find a redeeming feature. Do we succeed? Also, we deep dive Dave's trip to New York and skim th...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we watch the 1990 movie "Pretty Woman" starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Romantic fairy tale or a huge bucket of problematic misogyny? Let's discuss. Also, Lee's big night out in Soho and Dave's favourite new p...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we watch an episode of popular UK sitcom 'Men Behaving Badly." from 1994. Just what was Lad Culture and what was it reacting against? Was it all just an advertisers wet dream? Also, Lee's pigeon nightmare. And is beating a rat...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we delve into the world of 'Carry On' films with Carry On Girls from 1973. Harmless saucy fun? Feminist classic? Hmmm......  Where can we buy a swanee whistle? Also, just where did Bananarama film the video for 'Cruel Summer? S...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast the Problematic lens over Madonna's 1990 music video for Justify My Love. Madonna caused another commotion with the release of this video. But looking back on it, did it really warrant the moral backlash and slut shaming it recei...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast the Problematic lens over 'Man About The House', a UK sitcom from 1973. Jo and Chrissie find a strange man in their bath. But can he cook? And a new queen is crowned! All bow to Yootha Joyce! Click here to watch the episode...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we take a deep dive into Bullseye, a popular UK TV gameshow from the 80's and 90's. Jim Bowen, Tony Green, Bully's Prize Board! It's all here. Problematic? You bet! Watch the Episode of Bullseye from 25th September 1988 he...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. In this episode we watch the British film 'Victim' from 1961. A classic starring Dirk Bogarde and Sylvia Syms, it was considered the first British film to portray homosexuality in a sympathetic light. Click here to watch the 1961 thriller  &a...

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. In this episode we watch the pilot episode of Allo Allo! Saucy farce, British airmen, the alluring Michelle of the French resistance. Is War ever funny? When did 'gaslighting' become a dirty word? It's all under discussion here. You can...