Episodes
This week, Simon is joined by the one and only Billy Crystal to talk all about his starring role in the Apple TV+ psychological thriller series ‘Before’, which sees a child psychiatrist who, having tragically lost his wife to suicide, encounters a troubled young boy who seems to have a haunting connection to his past.
Their conversation is intelligent, insightful and so long that we had to put some of it in Take 2. Truly, one for the K&M ages!
Meanwhile, Mark reviews ‘Small Things Like These’, a period drama that sees Cillian Murphy play a devoted father who uncovers disturbing secret...
This week, Simon and Mark interrupt Ben Wheatley’s breakfast (sadly not Wheaties) to about his new comedy horror miniseries ‘Generation Z’, which sees an army truck crash outside a care home, infecting the residents and leaving four teenage friends to deal with the deadly consequences.
Mark also weighs in on the show, as well as giving his take on ‘Emilia Pérez’, Jacques Audiard’s musical-comedy, which looks set to be an Awards contender, and sees a Mexican lawyer offered an unusual job to help a notorious cartel boss retire and transition into living as a woman; ‘The Room Next Door’, Sp...
This week, Mark is joined by Ben Bailey Smith to give you the lowdown on the week’s cinematic releases.
Ben chats to Naomi Scott about her tour-de-force performance in ‘Smile 2’, the second outing for the smash-hit horror-thriller franchise.
It’s a big week for Mark as two of his favourite interests converge – reviewing films and Donald Trump – in ‘The Apprentice’, the Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong-starring story of how a young Donald Trump started his real-estate business in 1970s and ‘80s New York with the helping hand of his infamous lawyer Roy Cohn.
He also gives his take on ‘The ...
This week’s guest is everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed politico-cum-Time Lord. That’s right, Peter Capaldi is on the show to tell Simon all about Season 2 of his time-bending, psychological thriller show ‘The Devil’s Hour’.
Mark reviews ‘Transformers One’, an animated sci-fi action film based on the Hasbro toy line, which explores the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cyberton forever; ‘Salem’s Lot’, the latest adaptation of Stephen King’s classic supernatural horror novel, which...
Mark and Simon think you'll love Origins with Cush Jumbo. In this podcast, Cush meets some of the stars of stage and screen, and so they're giving you a little taster of what you can expect to hear.
Here's an exert from Cush's episode with David Schwimmer, a master of comedy, who we all feel we know insideout as Ross Geller. He appeared in 236 episodes of Friends, runs his own theatre company (for the last 36 years!), is a dad and also a great friend of Cush's. They discuss his early jobs before Friends, and a serious role he had to turn down decades ago, that might have changed everythi...
This week’s guests are Take fave Joaquin Phoenix and writer-director Todd Phillips, who tell Simon all about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, their musical thriller follow-up to the 2019 smash hit ‘Joker’, which sees failed comedian Arthur Fleck meeting the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital.
Mark also gives his take on the film, as well as offering his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Harder Than the Rock’, a documentary exploring the overlooked impact and influence of the UK’s first reggae band, Cimarons, as they persevere against all odds and...
This week’s guests are Saoirse Ronan and Paapa Essiedu, who are on the show to tell Simon all about their addiction recovery drama ‘The Outrun’, which sees Ronan star as a young woman fresh out of rehab, as she returns home to the wild Orkney Islands after more than a decade away. The pair discuss everything from their characters’ chemistry to Stephen Graham’s influence on Ronan’s performance – and there’s even more in Take 2!
Mark also weighs in on the film, as well as giving his take on various new releases, including ‘My Old Ass’, which sees a girl’s 18-birthday magic mushroom trip br...
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This week’s guest is Kathryn Hahn, who talks to Simon about her starring role in ‘WandaVision’ spinoff ‘Agatha All Along’, a dark comedy superhero miniseries, which follows witch Agatha Harkness, as she recruits some unlikely allies on her quest to regain her former powers.
Mark gives his thoughts on the show, as well as reviewing various new releases: ‘The Goldman Case’, a French-language courtroom drama based on the real-life trial of left-wing revolutionary Pierre Goldman, who was accused of several armed robberies and the death of two chemists; “Girls Will Be Girls’, an Indo-French com...
For the last episode of this season, team STB gets real with those pesky inner monologues (as promised in the Carrie: Sex and the City episode). Plus, what's the connection between 80s comedy-thriller Lovejoy and The Matrix? We explore actors who have come back from obscurity with aplomb.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com
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This week’s guest is the one and only Sir Ian McKellen, who is on the show to very eloquently tell Simon all about his starring role in ‘The Critic’, a period thriller in which a powerful – and pompous – London theatre critic lures a struggling actress into a blackmail scheme that has deadly consequences.
Mark also weighs in on the film, as well as reviewing ‘Lee’, a Kate Winslet-starring biopic of photographer Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller, a fashion model who became an acclaimed war correspondent for Vogue magazine during World War II; ‘Speak No Evil’, a psychological thriller with James McAvoy...
CARRIE BRADSHAW – How to fight the patriarchy and stop obsessing over relationships – SHRINK THE BOX
In our final character episode of this season, we put Carrie from Sex and the City on the couch. Nemone looks at why Sex and the City hasn’t aged well, and Ben talks about diversity in the privileged, white world of the show. We get into Carrie’s shopping habit, low self-esteem, and why everyone in the show is SO obsessed with relationships, even though the women really have no need for them. We also get a primer on the Bechdel test, and how you can tell if a show is sexist without knowing it. And if you want to check out more on the patriarchy and diversity, have a listen to our episodes o...
We have a fantastic selection of new releases and nostalgia for you this week. First of all, we look at Meryl Streep’s best films and put it to you to pick one. The final result was almost too tight to call - around 52/48%, if that number sounds terribly familiar...
We also look at brand new releases Starve Acre and Robot Dreams, as well as looking forward to next week, when we’ll review Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Of course we didn’t forget! Starve Acre is a chilling tale of British folk horror at its finest, while Robot Dreams is a touching animation which anyone in the world could watch an...
Ben and Nemone put Jackson Lamb from Slow Horses on the couch. Gary Oldman’s version of Mick Herron’s character has become household name, and you can see why. A man with many layers, a million secrets, and a lightning rod for other’s emotions – perhaps he is the perfect Freudian analyst. Nemone gives us a crash course in transference and counter-transference, looks at why people mask and create false selves, and what drives people into a career where they hide their true selves from everyone, including themselves.
This is the PERFECT watching companion to Season 4 of Slow Horses, coming 4...
This week we put all the heavyweights from cinema’s best year – 1984 – into the ring, and see who comes out victorious. Think Terminator, Dune, Stop Making Sense, Beverly Hills Cop – I mean, there’s nowhere near enough space to list them all. But who will win...?
Mark also gives his take on the re-release of Amazing Spiderman 2, with future Oscar-winner Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield in the lead roles now. Mark explains why we’re getting so many of these films back in cinema, too, for those wondering... We hear his thoughts on the new Netflix big hitter, KAOS, featuring Jeff Goldblum, ever...
Ben and Nemone put Raymond Holt on the couch. We look at how this trailblazing policeman (the first black, gay police captain in the force) stands out from the rest of the precinct. We learn how family dynamics inform behaviour and what it takes to be a great leader. Nemone looks at a diagnosis of ASD or Asperger’s Syndrome for the captain, and Ben gives a heartwarming tribute to the great actor who played him, André Braugher.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which ...
This week Mark is joined by another Take fave Ben Bailey Smith to talk all things cinema.
Mark also gives his take on a swathe of new releases, including ‘Kneecap’, a comedy-drama based on true events that sees fate bring together a Belfast teacher and two self-confessed down-and-outs – the real musicians playing themselves – to form a hip-hop trio that rises to global fame; ‘Between the Temples’, which sees a cantor in a crisis of faith have his world turned upside town when his grade school music teacher reenters his life as his new adult bat mitzvah student; and ‘Blink Twice’, a psychol...
Ben and Nemone put Moira Rose on the couch and take a deep dive into her narcissistic tendencies, and what effect that has on the rest of the Schitts. Nemone explains how narcissism is not as easy to spot as its widespread use would have you believe. We also discuss the collection of wigs that Moira keeps in her closet and why they are transitional objects. And if you’re interested in hearing more on narcissism, then check out our episode on Game of Thrones’ Cersei Lannister.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character ...
This week we have an extra special treat, as Take fave Sanjeev Bhaskar joins Mark in the host’s seat to deliver a funny and insightful episode.
Mark reviews various new releases, including ‘Only the River Flows’, a Chinese neo-noir crime thriller, which sees an ambitious police detective attempt to solve a series of murders from a disused cinema; ‘Swan Song’, an immersive documentary following The National Ballet of Canada as it mounts a legacy-defining new production of Swan Lake; and ‘Alien: Romulus’, a new addition to the sci-fi horror franchise, which sees space colonisers come face-to...
If characters in ‘trapped’ dramas escape, is that the end of the show? Ben and Nemone explore The Handmaid’s Tale and Severance as examples. Plus, Ben reacts to a listener’s ‘constructive’ feedback and Nemone explores Polyvagal Theory to explain why we might react in the way we do from childhood trauma.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com
NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here
Raymond Holt, Br...
We have a VERY special guest this week. The legendary thrill-maker M Night Shyamalan comes on to talk all things Exorcist, family and his process behind his new release, Trap, starring Josh Hartnett. This was a great chat, so there’s even more in our premium episode. Plus, we review Caligula’s re-issue and get into some more results from our World Cups of Tom Hanks and 1984. Meryl Streep to come next week... also a special guest appearance from The Redactor. We also review the cracking Sky Peals, a head-twister in which a gas station attendant starts to believe he’s descended from an alien ...
Ben and Nemone discuss The Wire’s ‘Bubbles’ aka Reginald Collins. An informant and heroin user, a man with a fragile support network who finds himself stranded while trying to forge closer bonds with those around him. Nemone tells Ben how unconditional love is the hardest thing to give an addict, and the key to helping them start their journey to sobriety. Plus we hear wisdom from Gabor Maté. Our episode on the Queen’s Gambit has great insights into addiction if you’re looking for even more on this subject.
We talked about AA, Al Anon and Samaritans in the show. Here are links:
AA: ...
It’s a bumper week for reviews, with Mark giving his thoughts on a raft of releases, including ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’, Frank Cottrell-Boyce's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel about a young boy swept overboard and stranded on a desert island with a mysterious stranger; ‘My Neighbour Totoro’, the classic Japanese animation about two sisters who move to the country to be near their ailing mother only to find themselves in an adventure with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby; and Sam Raimi’s much-loved Spider-Man trilogy, which is back in cinemas this summer.
Simon reve...
Ben and Nemone discuss Helen McCrory’s iconic Poly Shelby from Peaky Blinders. She’s a devout Catholic, but up to her neck in the murky world of bootlegging and murder. Nemone gets into the thorny question of how she might match those up, and reveals how each of us has a ‘silent observer’ inside. We also dive into the history of women’s rights in 1920s England. Look out for some killer lines from our Polly, too. If you like this, you’ll love our look at Cersei Lannister and how to lead violent men using more than physical force, and the toll that takes.
We want to hear about any theories w...
This week’s guest is novelist and screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce, who tells Simon all about ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’, his adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel, which sees a boy become stranded on a desert island after being swept overboard during a storm on a sailing trip with his family. The conversation is so good that we’ve got more in Take 2! Mark will be reviewing the film next week.
The Good Doctor Kermode gives his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘The Echo’, a Mexican-German docufiction film, which blends detached observation with incisive commentary to capture...
Ben and Nemone discuss Tasha Jefferson, aka Taystee, from Orange is the New Black. We get fascinating insights into child states and how difficult they are to escape; attachment theory and why prison can be a better alternative to living in the outside world. Expect to laugh and cry while reliving one of the early bingeable series on Netflix. And if you’re interested in looking further into issues of adoption and racism, check out our episode on The Queen’s Gambit, from Season 1.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your ch...
Another guestless week but that just means more musings, fun and general nonsense from your favourite Good Doctors.
Mark gives his thoughts on various new releases, including ‘Blur: To The End’, a documentary depicting the comeback of the classic Britpop band; ‘Thelma’, a June Squibb-starring comedy about a 93-year-old who gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, prompting her to set out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her; ‘Chuck Chuck Baby’, an emotionally charged musical drama in which a chicken factory worker sees her dreary l...
Ben and Nemone put Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon’s The Morning Show characters, Alex and Bradley, on the couch. We ask how a person creates a false self at work, what makes Bradley break the mould and find out how Alex could ever have respect for her male boss in the middle of a #MeToo scandal. Stay tuned for more on false selves in our upcoming episodes on Jackson Lamb and Polly Shelby too!
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): s...
No guest this week, but that just means more from your favourite professional witterers – and a whole load of reviews!
Mark gives his thoughts on various new releases including ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, a romantic comedy-drama starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, which sees sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing; ‘Hundreds of Beavers’, a zany slapstick comedy in which a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero to become North America’s greatest fur trapper by defeating, you guessed it, hundreds...
Ben and Nemone answer your questions and explore your suggestions. They talk about whether they have any friends who are spies and explore some brilliant female led comedies you've either missed or forgotten.
We want to hear about any theories we might have missed, what you’ve thought of the show so far and your character suggestions. Please drop the team an email (which may be part of the show): shrinkthebox@sonymusic.com
NEXT CLIENTS ON THE COUCH. Find out how to view here
Michael, Office (USA. Season 1)
Chandler, Friends (selected episodes)
Sydney, The Bear (season 2)
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