The Thursday Murder Club and Kpopped

Ian MacEwan: 00:00:53

Foreign.

Hannah Fernando: 00:00:59

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: 00:01:09

August: 2025

Hannah Fernando: 00:01:41

We'll also be checking out Korean music talent show K Pop, Apple TV plus and action thriller terminalist Dark Walker on Prime Video. First in what is in the news.

Ian MacEwan: 00:01:52

Remember the Apple TV plus comedy Stick, starring Owen Wilson as a washed up former professional golfer mentoring a gifted teenager? Well, I do. We liked it and it's coming back for a second season. What else is in the news, Hannah?

Hannah Fernando: 00:02:07

Well, Netflix action comedy the leading man based on comic book will start John Chener and Kevin Hart and sent on a gung ho actor who finds out that his co star is an undercover agent who defunk it.

Ian MacEwan: 00:02:19

Good stuff.

Well, you cannot fault us for variety because we've got a historical epic, we've got a music talent show, we've got a military action thriller and we've got some cozy crime. Yes. So we're going to start on on BBC iPlayer with a period drama called King and Conqueror. And here's a clip. Power is like a fire.

Unchecked, it will destroy everything. Harold, we're battle together. Normandy and Wessex together, together. Maybe you and I are better than all of them. The devil is coming.

I cannot let William even think that.

Hannah Fernando: 00:03:07

He can take the crown.

Ian MacEwan: 00:03:09

So you might have seen episode one of this on Sunday night on BBC1. And the whole shooting match is available on BBC iPlayer should you wish to binge your way through. So we're back to the 11th century. Yes.

ple, most people are aware of: 1066

So this is eight episodes and it's telling the story of Harold who was an Anglo Saxon nobleman. He's played by the fantastic James Norton from Happy Valley and lots of other great stuff.

And as William, Duke of Normandy, we have game of Thrones star Nikolai Costa Wildau, who is very good.

Now, I watched episode one of this and I had to continually rewind because obviously they're introducing all the characters and how they're all related to each other. And in fact, the Duke of Normandy is related to lots of these, well, noblemen and kings over in England.

So, yeah, I had to keep rewinding, thinking who's what, what. And also at times, the dialogue went very quiet when people were doing some improv, important exposition. So there is a.

Some slightly clunky exposition, I guess they have to be, because they've got to kind of map this all out and give a bit of the background, the historical background and the significance, for instance, of. Of someone marrying someone else, you know, someone being crowned king. Anyway, it is good. I did enjoy it.

I mean, these period dramas, you just look at the sets and you think they're amazing.

I'm pretty sure some of it must have been done possibly in Hungary, where they filmed a lot of these historical things and they have these huge sort of villages where there's everything there that you need, that they've built. Anyway, let me tell you who else is in it. So you have Eddie Marsan. Yes. Who is being crowned over in England. England.

You've also got Clement's poesy from Harry Potter as Matilda, who's the wife of William and Edith. Swan Neck is played by the Pursuit of Love's Emily Beauchamp, and she is the wife of Harold. Anyway, you'll get the gist. So it all starts off.

They're all friendly to start with, but there's sort of battles between two different areas of England. There's a fierce rivalry. Yeah. So I don't think I need to lay it all out there. You'll get the gist.

You may have to rewind here and here and there, but stick with it because it's good stuff. What did you think, Hannah?

Hannah Fernando: 00:06:25

As you say. I mean, a brilliant cast and also a brilliant kind of. It just must cost a fortune, mustn't it? Creating these.

This scenery and just making it is incredibly well done. I. I really thought that.

And also, like you said, you learn so much because, yeah, we kind of all know what happened in the history books and what we're taught with the GCSE or A level curriculum or whatever it might be that you've studied up to. But actually, the. The events leading up to this huge clash is not as well documented, is it? So I found it really, really interesting.

And the fact that you've got such big Names in it, I think always suggests that something's going to be good. They've seen the script, think it's going to be great and I don't know, it just, you come away from. I mean, I like things like this. I like.

So those historical dramas, I, I do enjoy that. There's a massive takeaway from that for me. But also, I mean, yes, I, I kind of agree with you, that's all.

That's sort of not clunky, but there are some bits that are a bit sort of odd but actually they, by and large, I think, I think they go relatively unnoticed because really it overall it's very, very good. So I, I thoroughly, I thoroughly enjoyed what I've seen.

Ian MacEwan: 00:07:38

Well, a complete change of pace now because over on Apple tv plus we have a new reality show called K Popped. And here's a clip.

Hannah Fernando: 00:07:50

Iconic artists you all love, Spice Girls, who combine forces with our hottest K Pop group to create performances like you've never seen.

Ian MacEwan: 00:08:00

And it's all going down in song.

Hannah Fernando: 00:08:02

All Korea get ready for an epic song battle.

Ian MacEwan: 00:08:06

We'll see who brings it.

Hannah Fernando: 00:08:07

I know we're gonna win. Yes. This is really, really unusual. So when I first got this to review, I thought, oh, I'm not sure this is for me.

I don't think I'm gonna like this very much. But there were two big kind of flags for me that would suggest this is going to be good and go against my original initial feelings.

And that is, firstly, it's Apple tv, as we always talk about. They're pretty good, decent shows, aren't they? And also the.

Again, we talked about names when we were talking about the last series, but this has got big names too, really big names. And so this is a really unusual reality show, I suppose. And reality, I think in recent times has kind of taken a bit of a dip to a degree.

And we've seen some reality shows cancelled. Have they run the course and try and to find new things that people will be interested in? Perhaps this is it, perhaps they've nailed it.

So it's, it's eight parts and it's a completely new concept and it sees music legends team up with some of the biggest names in K pop. Now, K Pop is an absolute phenomenon and a lot of people won't, won't know, I think.

I mean, I don't really know a lot of the music, but it's completely different. It's very, very precise and it's, it's bizarre to think that you could reimagine some of the Biggest hits that we know in a K pop kind of fashion.

So that's exactly what happening.

They're using the biggest names in K pop, teaming up with the biggest names in sort of popular culture music for us, creating greatest hits and these musical showdowns. So, so it's. Let's talk about the names. I mean, Boy George is there, Jess Glynn, Kylie Minogue, a couple of the Spice Girls and we.

Heaven forbid that Vidoria Beckham might turn up. She did not have a cameo performance, I'm afraid to tell you. She was busy on a yacht somewhere with David being Lady Beckham. But anyway, I digress.

And they come together to make these hits have this fresh, very fresh K pop twist. And they're all very, very nervous about doing it because the actual original is there.

There's a live audience and in Seoul and South Korea where it's set and they'll have to choose which song is. Is the best K pop hit. Some incredible dance moves. So you have to see, you know, some of the groups aren't as good at dancing.

You've got the highs and the lows of this. It's not just all kind of. You see the moments where people are really struggling with it, but it's really interesting.

I'm be interested to see how well this does, how interest invested people are. But as I say, you've got some big. You've got some big names here and it is a. It is a twist to reality tv.

It is a bit different and K pop is a phenomenon. It's absolutely huge. So you've got the Spice Girls with wannabe Kylie Minogue. Can't get you out of my head. Jess Glynn, hold my Hands.

It's a real mega tunes that are kind of real popular culture tunes for us. So we're very, very. It's unusual to hear the twist that they have, but also equally brilliant. What did you think, Ian?

Ian MacEwan: 00:11:26

Well, for a long time my knowledge of K pop started and finished with Ed Balls dancing to Oppang Gangnam Style on Strictly. And in fact Psy, who sang that track is the co host with a Korean comedian called Su Jeong Sun. However, I've got a bit more.

There've been quite a lot of TV shows about K pop, haven't they? And I've learned that, yes, as you say, I mean they work them hard, these bands.

They make our girl and boy bands look pretty slack, it has to be said. So the dancing, the moves are incredible and everyone in the group has a specific job.

Like there could be a one could be a rapper, one could be a dancer, one could be a lead singer. It's very kind of formulaic in a way. Yeah.

And basically they're K popping these big hits and the people who perform the hits are coming on and sort of, well, they're going to sing them backed by K pop artists. I would say two things. It's not really aimed at me. Let's be fair. I found the level of excitement annoying quite a lot.

A lot of kind of fake enthusiasm. But I guess you kind of need that on a show like this bit like the X Factor or whatever, Pop Idol.

The bit I like the best was when the K pop groups perform their own songs. I thought that that was amazing. It really impressed me. Not so keen on them, you know, performing alongside stars like the ones that you've mentioned.

But, yeah, it is something different. And I gotta say, I did enjoy it. And great to see Patti LaBelle in episode one. She was fab doing Lady Marmalade. So, yeah, recommended.

Over on Prime Video, we have a new action thriller called the Terminalist Dark Wolf. And here's a clip. When we step on that battlefield, we fight for each other.

You're moving on a restricted target, which is why it's so hard to give up that brotherhood. You had to shoot him to end the fight. An example needs to be made. Along with this insignia comes the trust that we putting you to wear it.

You've broken that trust. So this is a prequel series.

So in: 2022

So there's been some kind of leak or conspiracy or whatever. And basically the Terminal List is the list of people he's going to sort of rub out for doing it. Okay, now we're turning back the clock.

Okay, so when he was working in Syria alongside Ben Edwards, who is played by true detectives Taylor Kitsch. And so he is the central character in this. And spoiler alert, in episode one, Edward's conduct after a mission results in him leaving the service.

I won't say more than that. And then he gets involved in working as part of CIA Special Ops. Okay, so it's all pretty macho. I won't deny that.

You've also got Westworld's Luke Hemsworth is in there as CIA contractor Jules Landry. You got the Umbrella Academy's Tom Hopper as Lieutenant Ralph Hastings. So, yeah, if you like it, kind of.

If you like your thrillers, macho and military, this will be for you. I think it's pretty well done, I've got to say. And I did. I did like the central character. He's a slightly different leading man to what you.

You might imagine you'd be seeing in a show like this. What did you think, Anna?

Hannah Fernando: 00:15:32

I thought it was. I thought it was quite good from what I've seen, because actually it was looking at the Navy SEALs, which you don't see much about, do you?

I mean, that's the. That. That. I think that's the thing, kind of seeing their work and what they're doing. But it's.

I mean, it is an action thriller, and for me, it is action packed. But it's. I don't know. I go back to what I always say, which is, can you do something while you're watching this? No, I don't think you can.

You just need to be sat there watching it, completely invested in it, because there's a lot of winding about the clock. There's a lot of seeing what happened before, and. And you need. You need to absolutely concentrate. I don't. It's not particularly for me.

Do I think it's well done? Yeah, I think. I do think it was. I do think it was well done, but it's. Yeah, it's. You've got to concentrate, Ian, and I can't.

I can't concentrate for long.

Ian MacEwan: 00:16:26

Sir? Sir? Yes? Sir? May I review another show, sir? Thank you, sir. I should. I should have been in the forces.

Hannah Fernando: 00:16:32

You should have been.

Ian MacEwan: 00:16:33

I was in the cadet force at school.

Hannah Fernando: 00:16:35

It's never too late.

Ian MacEwan: 00:16:36

I've missed my window.

Okay, well, we're gonna finish with the biggie, really, for this week had a lot of anticipation because on Netflix, it's the film adaptation of Richard Osmond's cosy crime book, Thursday Murder Club. And here's a clip.

Hannah Fernando: 00:16:58

There she is. Joyce, are you a nurse? Bang on target. I'm Elizabeth. Would you take a look at that for me, please?

Ian MacEwan: 00:17:06

Dear God.

Hannah Fernando: 00:17:07

Tis a lot of blood. Would you care to join us to discuss things further? Who is us? I'm sorry, how rude of me. We're the Thursday Murder Club. Oh, my goodness me.

This is just so exciting, isn't it?

I read Richard Osmond's debut novel, the Thursday Murder Club, when I was on holiday this year, so I was probably a little bit late to the party and everyone had been talking about it, but, my goodness, did I love it? Yes, absolutely.

100% and when I found out that this was going to be made into something that could be televised, the pressure must be utterly huge on something like this, because we know history dictates that books don't always transpose that well to, you know, to the screen. Or it's done slightly differently, or, you know, when you read it, it's your imagination and it's your interpretation, I suppose.

And this is then the producers, the editor's interpretation of this book to a degree. However, then we started to see the cast signing up, didn't we? And we started to see the massive names that were going to get involved in this.

So for anybody who hasn't read the book, number one, read it.

I mean, you won't need to read it to watch this, of course, but do read it because it's absolutely brilliant and it won't take you long to read because you'll, you'll binge it. You absolutely will. And going back to the names, we've got Dame Helen Mirren playing Elizabeth, the very brilliant Elizabeth.

We've got Ron being played by Pierce Brosnan, who's got a really wild beard in this. Quite different actually to kind of the Pierce Brosnan style that we've seen before, I think.

We've got Ibrahim, played by Sir Ben Kingsley, and then we've got former nurse Joyce, played by Celia Imrie. So we've got some big massive clout there, haven't we? And this Thursday Murder Club is literally what it says on the tin.

They meet up each Thursday to try and crack unsolved crimes from the past, but they actually have a present day mystery that they've got to unravel.

And again, I mean, I feel like I'm telling the story and everyone's read this, but essentially that they're kind of, they're running a lot alongside the police and probably better, to be honest with you, but it's, it's all of the. There's so many smaller stories within this and that's what's so brilliant.

So you've got this Thursday Murder Club, which it all hangs together on, but actually each person, each main character has a huge story of love, of treachery, of kind of loads of different reasons to kind of get involved with each cast member. And it's just. Yeah, I mean, for me it was going to be very, very hard to beat that book.

And I'm not saying it has beaten it, but it's certainly doing it justice.

I've really enjoyed what I've seen so far, and as I say, some big Names in there, which they must have felt the pressure too, I would think, to do the right thing with this. There are some differences. There's a couple of bits there that I.

That I Straight away, or interpretations, as I said earlier, that are slightly different. And I think, oh, no, I didn't imagine that person to do that. I didn't imagine that person to be.

Because when you read it and words off the page and when they. They deliver those lines, Helen Mirren, Elizabeth, I mean, she's quite a forthright human being, but I didn't imagine her to be.

Dame Helen Mir really nails that and sometimes think, oh, I didn't. Didn't imagine her speaking quite like that. But she does. And it's soon. You soon get taken over and it's. Yeah, Ian, it's as good.

As good as it should be. What do you think?

Ian MacEwan: 00:20:55

Well, I haven't read the book and I'd like to start by saying that I really like Richard Osmond. I think he's an incredibly talented and nice guy. However, this wasn't for me at all. I mean, it's got an incredible cast.

Well, for starters, why are any of these people in. In a retirement village? That, to me was. I didn't believe that anyway. I just felt the dialogue was dreadful, the characters pretty poor.

Some of the accents, what. I mean, Mirin and Brosnan were in Mobland, and he did get some stick for his accent in that. And I don't know what the hell he's trying to do in this.

Completely mysterious. So, yeah, I just did. I didn't like it at all. Although it's directed by Chris Columbus, who did Mrs. Doubtfire with Pierce Brosnan.

And I actually switched it off after about half an hour because I thought, I've seen enough of this. So maybe you're talking about all these backstories. Maybe once it gets into that, it might have held my interest, but, yeah, it just wasn't for me.

I know that the book is huge and I know that fans of the book, I'm sure they will absolutely love it. And the cast list is just staggering. It's got David Tennant overacting to the max. It's got Danny Mays, who I love. So, yeah, I mean, it just.

It just didn't work for me. But I'm sure everyone else will, like you will be. Will thoroughly enjoy it. Well, now I've got that over with. It's.

Hannah Fernando: 00:22:34

You needed to get that out, didn't you? That was like therapy.

Ian MacEwan: 00:22:38

It's time to find out, Hannah, what the hell you've been binge watching?

Hannah Fernando: 00:22:43

Well, the summer I turned pretty.

Ian MacEwan: 00:22:45

Which summer was that then?

Hannah Fernando: 00:22:47

The new one?

Ian MacEwan: 00:22:48

Well, it was always been that's nice.

Hannah Fernando: 00:22:54

But yes, it's one of those things that you can watch. It's sort of my generation in between us and my children. So we can all watch together. It's on prime video. Get watching.

Ian MacEwan: 00:23:06

Fab.

And it's been all about the sport for me because, yes, the women's Rugby World cup is on and I saw the lionesses glorious victory in their opening game.

And also because I went to stay with my sister and she's got sky, I managed to see Tommy Fleetwood winning a golf tournament after a very long wait to do so. So that was great fun. Now we've just got time to look ahead to next week's offerings. So what's on the agenda, Brenda?

Hannah Fernando: 00:23:37

Well, Denzel Washington will star in Spike Lee's crime thriller Highest to Lowest on Apple tv.

Ian MacEwan: 00:23:43

And get ready for this because it is quite superb. Sheridan Smith plays the bereaved mother who campaigns to change the double jeopardy law in the compelling real life drama I Fought the Law on itvx.

Do not miss it. So we look forward to those. But in the meantime, dear listeners.