The Lost Bus, Borderline, Alan Partridge, and Will & Ralf

Hannah Fernando: 00:00:00

Foreign welcome to Binge Watch, the podcast where we take a look at the hottest new TV and film releases on streaming television platforms. I'm Hannah Fernando, the group editor of Woman and Woman and Home magazine.

Ian MacEwan: 00:00:17

And I'm Ian McKeown, writer on TV and Satellite Week, TV Times and what's on TV magazines.

rd October: 2025

Hannah Fernando: 00:00:51

And we'll also be checking out the Bantastic. Will and and Ralph Should Know Better on youn and investigating a Hendu murder in the new Irish crime drama Borderline which is on itvx.

But first, Ian, what is in the news?

Ian MacEwan: 00:01:05

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson will star in the Oxford set Apple TV thriller Down Cemetery Road which will drop at the end of this month. What else is in the news, Hannah?

Hannah Fernando: 00:01:16

Well, it's the end of the road for time traveling Highland romance Outlander, which will wrap up its final series the early next year.

Ian MacEwan: 00:01:24

Okay, well, fact based disaster movie, Irish crime drama the Return of Alan Partridge and a travelogue with Will Mellor and Ralph Little. So, yeah, plenty of variety this week. We start on Apple tv plus with a feature film called the Lost Bus. And here is a clip.

Speaker C: 00:01:46

It's another dry and windy day in Paradise.

Speaker D: 00:01:50

Thanks to all drivers.

Speaker C: 00:01:52

There's a situation developing. Ponderosa elementary. There are 23 kids who are stranded. Is there anybody in the area that can pick them up?

Is there anybody that can go and pick these kids up?

Hannah Fernando: 00:02:21

963 at the base.

Speaker D: 00:02:22

I can get them.

Ian MacEwan: 00:02:24

on a true story. In November: 2018

And there was a sort of heroic story that emerged about a bus driver, Kevin Mackay and a teacher, Mary Ludwig, who basically risked their lives to get these 22 children to safety on a school bus. Okay, children in jeopardy. We've talked about this before, Hannah. I was absolutely in floods of tears by the end of this. It's good.

The special effects are remarkable. I mean, you really feel like they are in the middle of, of a fast moving wildfire. It's, it's so well done from a production point of view.

And McConaughey, he's just such a brilliant actor. In this, his character is a bit of a loser, really. He. His father's just died and he's got a terrible relationship with his son Sean.

Interesting side point. So his mother, Sherry, is played by McConaughey's real mother, Kay, and his son Sean is played by his actual son, Levi.

So, yeah, bit of a family affair. And I really liked the relationship between father and son. It's highly volatile.

And basically Kevin is trying to encourage his teenage son to avoid kind of the pitfalls that have ended up with his life being the way it's his. And of course, the sun might listen. So, yeah, I really like that domestic stuff that was going on.

And early on in it, there's quite a lot of sort of expositional stuff with all the kind of fire department on the scene explaining what's happening. And I was thinking, well, you've hired Matthew McConaughey, one of the greatest American actors of his generation. Get more of him on screen.

But fear not, listeners, because once we've kind of set the scene and the fire's raging and he's going on this rescue mission, we're on the bus with the teacher, the bus driver and the kids. And of course, they make a sort of emotional connection. There's quite a bit of monologuing and there's real jeopardy. And of course, all.

All the parents are waiting at the sort of master point. They don't know if their children are going to survive. And it doesn't. It doesn't look as if they're going to. It's. It's absolutely terrifying.

So it's directed by Paul Greengrass, who's got action pedigree in the form of the Bourne films. Jamie Lee Curtis produced it, and it's inspired by a book about the tragedy.

So initially I was a bit lukewarm about this when I started watching it, but by the end, I was just crying my eyes out. It was. I thought it was very well done. Yeah. Worth a look. What did you think, Hannah?

Hannah Fernando: 00:05:41

Oh, God, Ian. I can't. I just can't. It's just too upsetting.

I mean, firstly, sad things are bad enough even when they're not based on a true story, and then when they're on a true story, it just is even worse. And then there are children involved, it's even worse. Again, it's absolutely brilliant. I mean, it's Apple TV plus, isn't it?

So it's always spectacular, really, in terms of the. The production of it, and this is no exception. It's just action packed, really, from from beginning to end.

And it's edge of your seat stuff, isn't it? I think it's, it's really. There are times that I was kind of looking through my fingers thinking I just can't, I can't cope.

And I wasn't really sure of the outcome, as you say, which is my bad because I probably should have known the outcome really. But I think also you are really concerned at times that this just can't, this can't end in a poison positively at all.

It's absolutely brought to life and, and it's terrifying in equal measure. It's just. I don't know, you can almost feel the heat through the screen, can't you? If that makes sense. You can just.

It just feels, it's, it's upsetting. It's brilliant. It's very well done. It's definitely worth a watch. But it's not for the faint hearted.

Ian MacEwan: 00:07:02

We move across to BBC iPlayer 4. Oh, it's so exciting. A new comedy called how are you? It's Alan brackets Partridge, close brackets. And here's a clip.

Speaker D: 00:07:18

Promoting mental health might not be cool or trendy, but I happen to believe in using my platform to help others. I was told you threw a brick at a swan.

Hannah Fernando: 00:07:26

The goose.

Speaker D: 00:07:27

Goose. Which is why in Britain's first ever documentary about mental health. You're panicking, Lynn.

Hannah Fernando: 00:07:33

Breathe.

Speaker D: 00:07:34

I'm stopp. Crouching down and asking, how are you? It's Alan Partridge.

Hannah Fernando: 00:07:41

Yes. I didn't know what to expect, Ian. We kind of talked about it last week.

I think both of us are fairly big fans of this first time round and everything that he did before Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge.

lmost be as edgy as it was in: 2025

This takes us back to the time of Alan Partridge, I should say. And so after four years away, he's. He's back, he's back in the room and he is Alan Partridge and he's like, he's never, ever gone away. So there's a.

There's a series of episodes if you're seeing him doing different things. But the first episode, which is the one that I have watched, he kind of narrates beginning. It's quite a slow start.

I thought, I thought, where are we going? With this, you know, where, where are we? What's going on here?

His personal assistant, Lynn, played by Felicity Montague, is back, you'll be pleased to hear. And he has a new girlfriend, Katrina, played by Catherine Kelly, on his arm.

And the six part documentary series is all about mental health and him investigating mental health. But it's almost like satire at times.

I can't tell whether he's agreeing with it, laughing at it or shining a spotlight on the topic, you know, so that I. If you like Alan Partridge, then I think you'll like this just as much. But it's just.

And I think it will do well because at a time when things are being cancelled and you're not allowed to say stuff, he's kind of saying it, but in a way that makes it acceptable, if that makes sense. He does shine a light on a lot of mental health stuff as well. He is very funny in it, of course.

I was reading an interview from him from Steve Coogan and he was just saying, you know, I wouldn't necessarily want to hang out with him really. But he says that when he's playing him, he kind of sometimes thinks like him and thinks, God, I can't think like him, that's not okay.

And then he turned up to the dressing room one day on set and he was wearing the same outfit that been put out for him to play Alan Partridge, which was quite funny. So I, I did enjoy it. I think that if you like Alan Partridge, you won't be let down on this occasion at all.

It, it's very well written, it's, it's very, very funny at times. What did you think, Ian?

Ian MacEwan: 00:10:16

I absolutely love Alan Partridge. I think Partridge is the greatest ever British comedy creation. I'm putting it out there.

Yes, a long time fan, so many great series featuring Alan Partridge and of course, yes, his, his BBC show got cancelled and he ended up shoving a stilton in the, in the face of the commissioning editor and going, smell my cheese, you mother. Well, Alan's back. So this is written by Coogan with the Gibbons brothers.

So it wasn't always that, wasn't always the writing team and they've, they've just, they've got such a great ear for Partridges. And yeah, I was, I wasn't quite so keen when Alan was presenting this time, the sort of one show type series.

But yeah, he is back with a bang, it has to be said.

And of course he's trying to be politically correct and just as usual getting everything wrong and he sort of mixes up, he keeps Referring to mental health and what he means is bad mental health. He just gets them mixed up.

And for instance, yeah, he's volunteering in a soup kitchen, but he's, he's, he's double checking before he serves anyone, he's looking at them suspiciously just to check that they really are homeless and things like that. It's just, it's just good stuff. It's brilliantly written and Coogan is just superb as Partridge.

Well, funnily enough, my, my niece's husband listened to this podcast and he said, he said I sounded like Alan Partridge. So, yeah, make you do it, baby. Make of that what you will. But yeah, it's, I found it absolutely hilarious and I cannot wait to watch the other.

Hannah Fernando: 00:12:10

He deals with, he deals with a few different kind of topics, doesn't he? And one of them is the Fox Hunt where he's trying to let the people, trying to let them through.

Ian MacEwan: 00:12:21

That's right. He said that's him giving something back. He says helping the local aristocrat have.

Hannah Fernando: 00:12:26

Fox Hunter because the foxes, we're killing the, the foxes, the foxes are killing the chickens.

Ian MacEwan: 00:12:31

It's, it's good stuff. Coming up next, a new crime drama on ITVX and travelogue. Will and Ralph should know better on you. Yes. So we're over on ITVX for our next offering.

It is a new crime drama called Borderline and here's a clip.

Speaker C: 00:12:54

Detectives investigating the death of Sinead Conley are appealing for witnesses who come forward. DI Reagan, Garda Chicana.

Speaker D: 00:13:00

You see, I Boyd. Pleased to meet you.

Hannah Fernando: 00:13:02

No, you're not.

Ian MacEwan: 00:13:03

Excuse me.

Speaker D: 00:13:05

Belosas and D want this investigation to showcase positive cross border cooperation between our two.

Speaker C: 00:13:12

You're in the Republic of Ireland now. Down here in alot.

Hannah Fernando: 00:13:15

Just another member of the public.

Speaker D: 00:13:17

I don't like this any more than you do, but the sooner we cooperate, sooner we can go our separate ways.

Ian MacEwan: 00:13:21

So remember that Scandi Noir crime drama the Bridge, I think where a body was found on a bridge. Bridge between two different countries. And so detectives from each country had to collaborate on the investigation. Unless I'm misremembering it.

Well, shades of that in this. So it stars Amy De Brum and Eoin Macken, hope I'm pronouncing their names correctly as detectives Aoife Regan and Philip Boyd.

So Regan is from the Republic of Ireland and Boyd is from Northern Ireland and there's a very uneasy partnership between them. They're forced to work together because a woman who's out on hen night, she disappears from the Republic.

But her body washes up across the border in Northern Ireland. Are you with me? Yes. So it's really interesting. First case.

So basically it's a six parter and there are going to be, I think there are three two part cases.

So I'm not quite sure how they're going to justify the two of them linking up for two more cases that somehow have links between the north and the Republic. But they do mention that post Brexit, they're looking for more collaboration between the two. Anyway, a couple of sort of veterans starring in this.

They got very good chemistry. I sort of felt like the character of Regan, she's very plain speaking, she's really rude and grumpy.

Perhaps felt that perhaps was a little bit taken a little bit too far. She also pulls some quite weird facial expressions.

But yeah, I like the relationship between the two because when, when they're in one jurisdiction, one of them is in charge and when they're in the other, the other takes over. But of course each of them keeps crossing the line and pushing and testing, so.

And yes, of course they both have interesting personal lives as detectives must and pasts and sort of demons and so on. You always have to have that, don't you?

But yeah, I liked episode one and you know, of course there's so many of these kind of shows, but I thought this was, yeah, decent new edition. I enjoyed it. What did you think, Hannah?

Hannah Fernando: 00:15:48

Yeah, I like stuff like this. I like kind of these crime dramas that are that sort of drug world that perhaps we're not that, you know, aware of.

And it kind of opens your eyes to things, doesn't it? I. I do think this is a slightly saturated area at the moment and I'm not sure that this cuts through any more than anything else does particularly.

But I did enjoy the first episode and I will keep watching it because, as I say, I particularly like this genre. I also like the idea, or not the idea, but the fact that there's a bit of a story behind each person.

So, you know, like DCI Boyd, he's haunted by the man he thought murdered his father. There's kind of all those pieces that they're driven by something which is often, often the case. But definitely, I'll.

Definitely, I'll be sticking with it.

Ian MacEwan: 00:16:36

Well, another thing we're not short of on the telly box is celebrity travelogues, as we often say. Well, here's another one. Well, it's a returning one actually, on you and Dave and the streaming platform. You will and Ralph should know better.

And here's a clip.

Speaker D: 00:16:54

This is Will. This is terrifying. Slow down. And this is Ralph. I feel like a powerful button. We've been mates for 20 odd years. Come here, let's have a snuggle.

We might look like middle aged blokes. Yes, it's great fun but really we're just a pair of massive noisy kids.

Ian MacEwan: 00:17:19

Have you got that cake?

Hannah Fernando: 00:17:21

Yes.

So I am huge fans of Will Meller and Ralph Little and I remember them back in the day where they were kind of like those, the lads, weren't they, about 20 years ago now they're as they describe themselves, I hasten to add, middle aged men and I, I was great fans of them in two pints of lager and a packet of Chris. I still love that watching, watching those, to be honest with you. They're great fun with Sheridan Smith.

But as you say, the Travel lock is absolutely on trend, isn't it? And it must be for good reason. They wouldn't keep making them if it wasn't.

And I think largely it's because the people that they choose are people that get on really well or bounce off well with each other. You know, we look at Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark a similar scenario. There's a friendship there.

That's the basis of these shows and what makes it so good to watch, I think. So aside from all of that, these two, they're going on their adventures together.

You see them, I mean the backdrop as well on these travelogues and I think that's another thing, especially as we're entering autumn and the kind of the, the darker mornings and the darker nights.

I think this will even more so, will be appealing because nine times ten they've got a lovely backdrop and there's, there's no difference in this one either. And I can't help but kind of want to live vicariously through this lot actually because they're just doing really, really fun things.

It's also incredibly nostalgic. So Ralph finds it amusing the whole way through because Will, he's always uncomfortable about something.

He always sort of is squeamish or he's the one that ends and ends up in trouble.

And their rapport, as I say I'll go back to it, is the key to the success, I think of these travelogues and you see them doing loads of different silly things and I say you live like. Well, I did. I'm living vicariously through them thinking, oh, you know, I'd quite like to do that. That's, you know, that's quite fun.

So I think that they work really well together. And I think that this is just another great thing to watch is incredibly. Well, it's light entertainment, isn't it?

You know, the other thing it did remind me, the tank driving part of this kind of reminds me slightly of a League of Their Own as well. I felt that, that it. That kind of element of it was very, very similar. Had that boyish ladish fun.

You find yourself laughing along with them really, really easily. And really it's very easy viewing, which. Which I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed. Them performing as a drag act was also pretty funny too.

What did you think, Ian?

Ian MacEwan: 00:19:58

Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I didn't see the first series, which is also available on you, if you want to watch that. And you're right, it is.

It is a bit more like the sort of League of Their Own shows in that it's. It's about challenges and activities. It's not so much about the destination, it's about what they're doing.

And they've been friends, you know, since two pints of lager, which I never really got into, I must admit. But the. The friendship shines through. And particularly you can tell when things are fake in that area.

And this just is really genuine because Ralph is constantly cracking up uncontrollably at what will is, how he's reacting. It's great. So they do some fun things. They stay in a supposedly haunted house and Will is absolutely terrified, as you say. They do the.

They do the drag act at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London, the famous gay venue. And they're very good, I gotta say. And we got. I got to interview them for this and they just. They're an absolute delight.

They really bounce off each other. They're good combo. So, yeah, I very much enjoyed it. Yeah, it'll really cheer you up. I think so. Yeah. Check it out.

Well, we've got to that time, Hannah, where we find out what the hell you've been binge watching this week.

Hannah Fernando: 00:21:17

Well, it'll be no surprise to you that I've been watching the golf. And you know what? I thought I would not be. I'm not a big golfer. My daughter absolute loves golf. My husband loves golf.

And I knew it would be on, but I never thought I'd actually be as interested as I was. And I really was. I watched it, I enjoyed it, and we won.

Ian MacEwan: 00:21:37

I normally love the Ryder cup, but the atmosphere was so toxic and the American fans were so horrific that I couldn't really enjoy. I thought, this is just awful.

Hannah Fernando: 00:21:49

I Love it.

Ian MacEwan: 00:21:50

Absolutely disgusting. Disgraceful. It was appalling.

Hannah Fernando: 00:21:53

It was so awful. And that's. And you know what? That's perhaps what started me looking at it, thinking, God, you know, what is going on here? This is absolutely awful.

But I did drown that out. I love the fact that Rory McElroy just sat there and wouldn't play until they just.

Ian MacEwan: 00:22:10

He is such a great guy.

Hannah Fernando: 00:22:12

Yeah. And you know what? They, they laughed in their faces in the end, didn't they? Karma really is a. You know what? And I just got my. I felt myself.

I loved the fashion from the women. I, I love the, the way it was presented by the sports channels. I just like the whole thing. I really, really got into it.

Ian MacEwan: 00:22:29

Also, can I say that anyone who shouts get in the hole. After someone has struck a golf ball should be struck with a golf ball? Okay. Anyway, moving on.

I watched, of course, yet another true crime documentary series. The this one is on BBC iPlayer. It's called Missing in Paradise Searching for Sami.

And it's about this young woman who disappeared from a yacht in the British Virgin Islands. And it is well worth a look. Now we've just got time to look ahead to next week's offerings. So what's on the agenda, Brenda?

Hannah Fernando: 00:23:07

Well, I can tell you that Keira Knightley is back and she'll be starring in Netflix thriller the woman in Cabin 10, about a murdery. A murdery. A murder. Even on a luxury yacht.

Ian MacEwan: 00:23:17

Yes, what a strange coincidence. Also, the late, great Canadian comedy actor John Candy, who was just brilliant in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Well, he is profiled in Prime Videos. John Candy, I like me. So we look forward to those and much, much more. But in the meantime, dear listeners, keep watching.