Political Fictions: political drama on screen and on the page

Cory Hazlehurst / Mark Pack
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  • TV & Film

Join Cory Hazlehurst and Mark Pack as they digest some of the best - and some of the worst - depictions of politics in fiction: film, TV and even the occasional book. What political advice is smuggled into these stories and how do they impact on what people think about politicians today?

  1. 2d ago

    Jeffrey Archer's 'First Among Equals' part 1, with Shane Whaley (#14)

    Cory and Mark are joined by Shane Whaley of the Spybrary podcast this week. Shane has picked for us to watch First Among Equals, a prime time ITV political drama from the 1980s. As its episodes total up to 494 minutes, this time we're dipping into the first episode only. Take a listen to see if we - and you - want to watch the rest of the series. The series is based on the book by Jeffrey Archer, once a highly praised and successful novelist whose books were festooned with quotes praising his literary abilities. With the advantage of hindsight, however, we ask if Jeffrey Archer's work is best compared to Anthony Trollope or a McDonald's Filet-o-fish? Watch the first episode of First Among Equals, and indeed the rest of the series, on YouTube here and second-hand copies of a DVD version are available from the usual places. The original novel is also widely available. Next week we're interrupting our planned schedule and talking about David Hare's The Absence of War to mark its return to BBC iPlayer. Watch that before next Thursday's episode comes out here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    Jeffrey Archer's 'First Among Equals' part 1, with Shane Whaley (#14)

  2. Aug 6

    The Division Bell Mystery, with Elinor Taylor (#13)

    Mark and Cory are joined by Elinor Taylor for our first book! It is Ellen Wilkinson’s The Division Bell Mystery, a political thriller disguised as a golden age detective story. It is written by one of the country's first female MPs and is full of convincing and vivid political detail about what it is like being a bag carrier for an important minister. The plot's setting is accurate right down to some key architectural detail on which it all hinges. But is it also a good murder mystery? Find out as they discuss ridiculous murder plots, why politicians should beware of the weekend, and what this novel tells us about class, sex and empire. You can find The Division Bell Mystery on Goodreads here. Next time, we're watching the first episode of First Among Equals. Watch it on YouTube here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    The Division Bell Mystery, with Elinor Taylor (#13)

  3. Jul 23

    Mr Smith Goes To Washington, with Aidan Byrne (#12)

    Aidan Byrne joins Mark and Cory to watch the classic Mr Smith Goes to Washington. It's a film full of shameless emotional manipulation, especially from some of the children in it. They marvel at the performances of Jimmy Stewart, Claude Rains and especially Jean Arthur, wonder if this film has an anti-FDR message, and Mark takes handwriting experts to task. You can find Aidan on Blue Sky as Plashing Vole. Next time, we're reading Ellen Wilkinson's The Division Bell Mystery. You can view the IMDb page for Mr Smith Goes To Washington here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    Mr Smith Goes To Washington, with Aidan Byrne (#12)

  4. Jul 9

    Offside (#11)

    To coincide with the men's football World Cup, Mark and Cory talk about the 2006 Iranian film Offside, about a group of Iranian women who disguise themselves as men to sneak into a stadium. Mark gets to deploy some football knowledge, they discuss how the film isn't a great advert for national service and ponder the symbolism of Iranian toilet graffiti. You can view Offside on IMDb here. Next time, we're watching the classic Mr Smith Goes To Washington. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    Offside (#11)

  5. Jun 25

    Brexit: The Uncivil War (#10)

    To mark ten years since the Brexit referendum, Cory and Mark talk about James Graham's TV movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Brexit: The Uncivil War. They talk about the ability of Mark Gatiss to chew scenery without actually being on screen, how the story the film tells of how Leave won has aged rather badly, and Cory has a rant about the most shambolic doorknocking encounter he's ever seen.  You can view Brexit: The Uncivil War on IMDb here. Next time, we're watching the 2006 Iranian film Offside. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    Brexit: The Uncivil War (#10)

  6. Jun 11

    Yes, Minister: Party Games (#9)

    Mark and Cory talk about the O.G. of British Political Sitcoms: Yes, Minister. They marvel at the genial Machiavellian genius that is Jim Hacker exploiting the British sausage to win a leadership contest, explain why this episode is a good guide for would-be leadership contenders, and lay it on a bit thick with their marmalade discussion. If you're in the UK then you can watch this on BBC iPlayer. Next time, we're watching Brexit: The Uncivil War. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    Yes, Minister: Party Games (#9)

  7. May 28

    King's Game (#8)

    In a scheduling choice completely unconnected to any contemporary political events, Mark and Cory talk about the 2004 Danish film full of leadership plotting, King's Game. This is a proper conspiracy thriller, where even the children are Machiavellian geniuses. They question whether it really makes sense for plotters to document their evil schemes in such meticulous detail, bemoan the bad use of political polling in the film and debate how useful this film is as a how-to guide for potential leadership candidates. You can view the IMDb page for King's Game here. Next time we're talking about the Yes, Minister special "Party Games". If you're in the UK then you can watch this on BBC iplayer. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    King's Game (#8)

  8. May 14

    No (#7)

    Cory and Mark talk about the political film that's probably most likely to be accidentally bought on Amazon: Pablo Larrain's No. It's about a referendum, and one with several parallels with the Brexit vote. Mark fact checks Cory on a number of occasions, they discuss how successful campaigns always seem to have three word slogans, and chew over the significance of a scene involving baguettes. You can view the IMDb page for No here. Next time, we're discussing the Danish political thriller King's Game. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

    No (#7)
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Join Cory Hazlehurst and Mark Pack as they digest some of the best - and some of the worst - depictions of politics in fiction: film, TV and even the occasional book. What political advice is smuggled into these stories and how do they impact on what people think about politicians today?

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