TV Gold

James Manning

Welcome to the TV Gold podcast from Andrew Mercado and James Manning. A podcast for people who love great television.

  1. 18 uur geleden

    Little House on the Prairie, The Bear S5, Five Star Weekend, Elle

    Little House on the Prairie (Netflix, 8 episodes)The series follows the Ingalls family as they establish their “new forever” home outside the small but quickly developing town of Independence. The foursome, along with their dog Jack, faces the often harsh conditions of 1800s prairie life, including fever, wolves, and fire — obstacles that longtime fans will recognise from the original novels or the original TV series.As the Ingalls attempt to make a life on land they were told was “free,” they encounter Osage native Americans who have long called the prairie home.Little House on the Prairie is the Show of the Week for Andrew and James. The Bear (S5 Disney+, 8 episodes)The morning after Carmy tells his restaurant colleagues Sydney, Richie and Natalie about his retirement from the food industry, a major storm hits Chicago. Most of the final series takes place over one day. The Bear staff attempt to prepare for that evening’s customers despite challenges caused by poor cash flow and faulty plumbing.The series wraps with a surprising love affair (there was not a lot of relationship exploration outside the workplace in The Bear), a changing financial situation, an unexpected restaurant rating, a new business opportunity which has been hinted at in the series for some time, and a plot twist for Carmy. Elle (Prime Video, 8 episodes)A prequel to the Legally Blonde movie franchise. The series takes place six years before the events of the film and it explores the high school years of teenage Elle Woods (originally portrayed by Reese Witherspoon), played here by newcomer Lexi Minetree. Prime Video has already renewed the series for a second season. Five Star Weekend (Binge/Foxtel, 8 episodes)A food blogger, Hollis (Jennifer Garner) tries to rebuild her life after the loss of her husband Matthew (Josh Hamilton). Part of her therapy is organising a five-star weekend getaway at her house on Nantucket with four friends from different stages in her life:Her childhood friend, Tatum – who is waiting on the results of a test for cancer (Chloë Sevigny), her college friend, Dru-Ann – who’s just been cancelled after online comments went viral (Regina Hall), her motherhood friend, Brooke – who suffers from low self-esteem, and is trapped in a stifling marriage with a husband who belittles and isolates her (D’Arcy Carden), as well as a new friend, Gigi (Gemma Chan) – a pilot for Delta, who she recently met online. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  2. 3 jul

    Ms. X, Life Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, After the Flood S2

    • Ms. X (Binge/Foxtel, 6 episodes)Ms. X is a six-part dramedy that tells a “good person gone bad” story, through the eyes of a suburban kiwi mum. A stay-at-home mother of two, Mia Bennett (featuring the return of Melissa George), suspects her husband is cheating. He arrives home after a night out apparently dining with clients and then sleeping in his car.Mia enlists the help of an old high school friend, who is now an inexperienced private investigator who she reunites with after he crashes into her car, to find out what he is up to.Andrew’s Show of the Week. • Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO Max, 7 episodes)A sketch comedy limited series created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. Produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, the series takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The show consists of seven episodes, each containing approximately four historical sketches. • After the Flood S2 (BritBox, 6 episodes)British police officers Jo Marshall (a wonderful performance from Sophie Rundle) and her police officer husband Pat Holman also featured in the first season of After the Flood where they were involved in an investigation into the death of someone who died in the flooded town. The series also revealed a web of crooked coppers including Jo’s dad who was also in the force. Orchestrating the bent coppers was DS Phil Mackie, who is again a key character in S2.It’s a good watch whether you saw the first season or not.James’ Show of the Week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  3. 26 jun

    The Killings at Parrish Station, Small Prophets, The Four Seasons

    The Killings at Parrish Station (Stan, 6 episodes)When a brutal massacre at a remote desert research station rocks 1987 Australia, Detective Georgia Cooke (Mia Wasikowska) and her partner, Michael Thorne (Xavier Samuel), uncover disturbing links between a delusional survivor, a mysterious text called The Bone Gospel, and the station’s eccentric benefactor, Callum Parrish (Nic English). As the case becomes more inexplicable and descends into the paranormal, Georgia’s grip on reality fractures—costing her career, her daughter Frankie’s (Grace Owens) trust, and ultimately her freedom. A “cosmic horror” drama from Mark Fennessy’s Helium Pictures.Thirty-seven years later, Georgia (Heather Mitchell)—now institutionalised—is pulled back into the Parrish Station nightmare when a string of identical murders emerges. Small Prophets (ABC iview, 7 episodes)A six-part British dark comedy-drama created and written by Mackenzie Crook. It follows Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley), a grieving man who has drifted through life since his partner, Clea, mysteriously vanished seven years earlier. Urged on by his eccentric, elderly father, Brian (Sir Michael Palin), Michael converts his garden shed into an alchemist's workshop to help find an answer to what happened to Clea. The Four Seasons (Netflix, 8 episodes)Season 2 of The Four Seasons follows the surviving friend group as they navigate life, grief, and relationship changes following Nick's sudden death. With Nick's heavily pregnant girlfriend Ginny now part of their quarterly trips, the group struggles to redefine themselves and find meaning as they enter middle age.Tina Fey and Will Forte return as Kate and Jack, along with Kerri Kenney as Anne, the show’s most complex and interesting character. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  4. 19 jun

    Star City, Alice and Steve, I Will Find You

    Alice and Steve (Disney+, 6 episodes)Billed as a comedy-drama that follows the 25-year-long friendship between middle-aged Londoners Alice and Steve. Their bond devolves into an all-out, petty feud when Steve—a divorced celebrity hairdresser—begins dating Alice’s recently dumped daughter, Izzy.  Casting of Nicole Walker and Jermaine Clement in the lead roles keeps you watching.Andrew’s Show of the Week. Star City (Apple TV, 8 episodes)A compelling, alternative-history sci-fi thriller that explores the space race from the Soviet perspective. A spin-off of For All Mankind, the series goes behind the Iron Curtain to reveal the paranoia, high-stakes espionage, and sacrifices of the cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers. Brilliant performance again from Anna Maxwell Martin and a career high point for Alice Englert.James’ Show of the Week. I Will Find You (Netflix, 8 episodes)An eight-episode mystery thriller miniseries that follows David Burroughs (Sam Worthington), a man wrongfully imprisoned for the murder of his young son. When his ex-sister-in-law (Britt Lower) brings him photo evidence that the boy may still be alive, David stages a desperate prison break to prove his innocence and find his child. Also this episode, Andrew on:Michael Jackson: The Verdict (Netflix)Rolf Harris: Primetime Predator (ABC iview) Homework from James who has finally finished two series from May 12. Can he separate them to find a stand alone Show of the Week?What was best – The Revenge Club or Widow’s Bay? Then in a segment full of spoilers, Andrew and James debate the ending of Tip Toe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  5. 12 jun

    Two Years Later, Ground Up, Cape Fear

    On this episode of TV Gold, Andrew Mercado and James Manning review: Two Years Later (Paramount+, 8 episodes)Two Years Later is an Australian romantic dramedy created by Pete Bridges, starring Brenton Thwaites and Phoebe Tonkin. The show tracks thirty-somethings Ryan and Emily, who exchanged flirty glances on their daily commute prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. When they reconnect years later, Ryan proposes an unconventional experiment: they will go on exactly eight dates to determine if they are truly meant to be together. Ground Up (ABC iview, 6 episodes)After years of trying, Tasmania has finally been given the green light to field a team in the AFL - but there's a catch. The locals have to build a new stadium. Given Tasmania has a housing crisis, and a health crisis… and two sizeable stadiums, not everyone thinks the 1.13 billion dollar taxpayer spend is the greatest idea. AFL administrator Hugh Shen (played by Sam Pang) has been sent from Melbourne, tasked with establishing the club. There's a divided public to win over, oppressive deadlines to meet, feisty protesters to handle and inoffensive mascots to employ. Not to mention the coach they employ who’s had an interesting past. Cape Fear (Apple TV, 10 episodes)The TV remake of two classic movies follows married attorneys Anna and Tom Bowden, whose lives are upended when Max Cady, a notorious killer they previously defended and prosecuted, is released from prison and begins stalking their family in a twisted quest for vengeance. Seventeen years ago, Amy Adams‘ Anna was a defense attorney representing Max Cady (Javier Bardem), a Savannah restauranteur accused of murdering his pregnant wife. Tom (Patrick Wilson) was the prosecutor. Soon after the trial ended with Cady pleading guilty and getting life in prison, Anna and Tom got married, which caused some tongues to wag since she was pregnant throughout the proceedings with a different man’s baby. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  6. 31 mei

    A Woman of Substance, Dear England, Deli Boys, Life Is Short

    Shows reviewed by Andrew Mercado and James Manning this week on the TV Gold podcast: A Woman of Substance (Binge, 8 episodes)Based on the best-selling novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford, A Woman of Substance is a drama spanning six decades, charting the rise of Emma Harte (Brenda Blethyn) from penniless Yorkshire maid in the early 1900s to apparently a powerful 1970s business mogul.  Brenda Blethyn  plays the grown up successful businesswoman Emma Harte, while Young Emma Harte – is played by Jessica Reynolds. Dear England (Binge, 4 episodes)Dear England was an acclaimed stage play, and now a television drama, by James Graham that chronicles Gareth Southgate’s tenure as the manager of the England men's football team. It explores the psychological toll of elite sports, leadership, and the quest to cure "years of hurt". Joseph Fiennes is wonderful in the lead role as Gareth Southgate. Jodie Whittaker however doesn’t have much to do and is wasted as Pippa Grange, Southgate’s sports psychologist Pippa Grange) Deli Boys (Disney+, S1 10 eps, S2 6 eps)After their father ("Baba") dies unexpectedly, brothers Mir and Raj Dar lose their trust funds and learn that their family fortune actually comes from cocaine smuggling. Plunged headfirst into the criminal underworld, they rely on their fierce and unfiltered aunt, Lucky, to help them learn the ropes, evade the authorities, and navigate rival gangs—all while attempting to wash the money and secure a normal future. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder (Stan, S1 6 Eos, S2 6 eps)A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has returned for Season 2 with new episodes in the YA mystery series. Emma Myers is back as Pip, alongside Zain Iqbal as Ravi Singh, with the six-episode season picking up in the aftermath of the pair solving what happened to missing student Andie Bell (India Lillie Davies). Life Is Short (Netflix, documentary)The acclaimed documentary about comedy legend Martin Short. Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, the doco explores Short’s life, comedic resilience, and enduring friendships with intimate home movies and celebrity interviews. Wonderful interviews featured include Steve Martin, Eugene Levy, Paul Shaffer, Catherine O’Hara, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Steven Spielberg, plus archive footage featuring many including Mel Brooks, Johnny Carson, Goldie Hawn, David Letterman, and Conan O’Brien. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Welcome to the TV Gold podcast from Andrew Mercado and James Manning. A podcast for people who love great television.

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