State of the Sitcom continues...

We push ever forward in our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to The Good Place and everything in between!

This week, we're joined by the hosts of Bygones: The Ally McBeal Podcast for a spot of Pod & Podcastability as we tackle one of the greatest dynasties of British history, Blackadder. We offer our most enthusiastic contrafibularities to all our listeners as we discuss erotic vegetables, the constituency of Dunny-on-the-Wold and just how hot Rowan Atkinson really is. 

We gave our abs a real workout chatting about one of our favourite British sitcoms ever and remembering what an expertly written show Blackadder is. To hear more from our guests as they make their way through the entire run of Ally McBeal, be sure to check out their podcast and follow them on social media for all the dancing baby memes you can shake a stick insect at.

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

It's the finale!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts on the end of this incredible, prestige TV dragon!

Valar morghulis x

It's the penultimate episode!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.

Valar morghulis x

State of the Sitcom continues...

We push ever forward in our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to The Good Place, literally in this episode, and everything in between!

This week, we're joined by host of The Empire Magazine Podcast, Liverpool fan & journalist, Chris Hewitt! Together, we enter the Schur-niverse to comment on the rule-breaking modern sitcom classic, The Good Place. Covering everything from its breakout star Ted Danson, the problem of ethical writing and why you have to be really clever to write stupid well, we bring Janet levels of knowledge to this funny and forward-thinking sitcom.

We drop a fair few forks, benches and even a couple of C-bombs so the explicit content warning is in full effect this episode and for fans of the Empire Podcast drinking games, we counted at least four instances so keep your ears peeled!

If you're a fan of podcasts, film, TV, Hamilton, or culture in general and you somehow have missed it so far, then be sure to check out the Empire Podcast for weekly doses of news, reviews & enthusiastic responses to films like Pixels - https://www.empireonline.com/tags/empire-podcast/

State of the Sitcom will continue in a fortnight with some even more cunning guests as we journey through time in the company of an enthusiastic contrafibularitious dynasty of dark snakes. In the meantime our weekly Game of Thrones thronedowns continue every Monday so be sure to subscribe!

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.

Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.

Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.

Valar morghulis x

State of the Sitcom continues...

We push ever forward in our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to The Good Place and everything in between!

This week, we're joined by another married podcasting couple, Cathy & Dave from the award-winning The Cinemile Podcast! We head back to the time of shell-suits, crop tops and push-pops as we return to the beloved, Disney channel sitcom, Saved By The Bell. Whether it's chatting about the show's influence on four wide-eyed children from the UK and Ireland or uncovering Dr Who-esque theories about Zack's time-out abilities, this podcast gets deep into all things Bayside High School. GO TIGERS!

We had a rad time recording this and we urge you to check out The Cinemile for all things film & TV, especially their weekly Game of Thrones catchups on Patreon for the next six weeks!

 

We'll also be chatting GoT every Monday and remember to subscribe to get the next episode of State of the Sitcom in a fortnight when we return with a very special guest of lethal cunning who may or may not have done enough good to spend eternity with Ted Danson.

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 8, the final part of the epic saga.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes after every show.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.

Valar morghulis x

State of the Sitcom continues...

We push ever forward in our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to The Good Place and everything in between!

In our first episode of Season 2 we're joined by Kate & Kaitlyn, the legen....wait for it...DARY hosts of the Hey, Beautiful! A HIMYM Podcast to discuss the perfect (even though perfect isn't always perfect) and multi-layered sitcom, How I Met Your Mother.

We geek out over background jokes and nine-season-long payoffs, console each of us over the powerful, emotional journeys the characters encounter and learn amazing new things about a show which already has so much to offer.  We loved recording this and urge our listeners to find the best burger in NYC (or a substitute) and don't postpone joy, just start listening to Hey, Beautiful Podcast on their amazing journey through HIMYM on Twitter, Instagram and Patreon...

Tune in next week for more special guests and maybe some high school hijinks and shell suit stylings!

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

We wish you a sitcom Christmas…

In the UK, one of the most beloved festive traditions is sitting down with your loved ones and arguing over what to watch after you’ve consumed more food than is ever necessary, and top of the festive TV wishlist is usually the sitcom Christmas special of the day.

In this very special Christmas episode, we’re joined by sitcom screenwriting royalty, Mr. Paul Mayhew-Archer. Writer on such small screen classics as The Vicar of Dibley, My Hero, Spitting Image, Mrs Brown’s Boys and script editor on Miranda, Grownups, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and much more, Paul is well-versed in what makes a Christmas special so… well, special!

We discuss what makes a classic sitcom episode, the balance between heartwarming and heartbreaking in comedy and why Yazoo’s Only You still brings us all to tears every year. Paul is one of the most engaging raconteurs bringing his wit and experiences to life with hilarious tales from onset of many beloved shows and exploring the nature of comedy, Christmas and life through his brilliant humour and insight into writing alone, with legends like Richard Curtis or Paul Mendelson, or as part of a larger team.

Paul also discusses the moment he learned he had Parkinson’s disease and how his outlook on life has evolved and shaped his comedy, resulting in his award-winning documentary Parkinson's: The Funny Side and his current live show, Incurable Optimist. His ability to bring so much emotion, joy and laughter to such a sensitive subject as serious illness is inspiring and the show explores the power of laughter as medicine for cancer, depression, loneliness as well as Parkinson’s. To buy tickets to one of the many shows Paul is performing up and down the UK, visit:https://sohotheatre.com/shows/paul-mayhew-archer-incurable-optimist/

State of the Sitcom will return in January 2019 with more special guests and a whole new host of your favourite TV funnies to dissect, your normal JoJCast schedule will resume from next week with some more festive frivolities.

Reality might not always play a huge part in the movies & TV we watch but sometimes the outcome of real life changes the course of fiction more than we know.

Following the sad, untimely passing of Carrie Fisher in 2016 the fact that JJ Abrams had previously intended Episode IX to centre around Leia Organa throws up more than just pain at the loss of such a bright star in the universe. For the scriptwriters there's a potential rewrite of the entire narrative as well as the difficult task of paying tribute to such key character, scribe and real-world icon of the franchise as a whole. In this episode we discuss the possibilities and potential pitfalls which lie ahead for Episode IX whilst also exploring how other films and TV have dealt with the influence of real life situations including House of Cards, Friends, Frasier, The X-Files and more...

We also discuss the merits of persevering with TV shows which may not have piqued your interest first time round in particular the latest Matt Groening series, Disenchantment, and the new season of Bojack Horseman!

Keep it cricket,

JoJ x

After 10 years, 20 movies, and becoming the benchmark for blockbuster movies in the 21st Century, the MCU has become so much more than just a franchise.

After a raft of the franchise's best movies with Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, and the beginning of the end in Avengers: Infinity War 1, there is a lot resting on the back of screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely with Avengers 4 (Infinity War 2).

In this episode, we discuss the difficulties and excitement of writing on that scale and with so many expectations. Plus, we work through our favourite fan theories and ask whether whatever Avengers 4 gives us, will ever be enough?

We also chat about Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events S2 and why sci-fi by it’s very nature has become renowned for breaking new writing ground.

Keep it cricket, JoJ x

Nobody puts baby in the corner…

Well actually sometimes they do but how can writers successfully navigate themselves out of a narrative climax whilst maintaining a satisfying arc? Jo & J discuss how the new seasons of Orange is the New Black and Better Call Saul tackled this very problem as well as some successful and not-so-successful methods from other media like Lost, Heroes, Grant Morrison and How I Met Your Mother!

We also talk some very special screenings we’ve attended recently including Black Klansman with Spike Lee and the documentary Paths of Blood Q&A with former Al Qaeda member turned MI6 double agent, Aimen Dean.

Join us as we navigate our way out of the corner like some kind of modern day Dizzee Rascal.

Keep it Cricket, JoJ x

Welcome to the Shipping Forecast...

We all know the TV tradition that is Will They or Won't They but we want to know how (relation)ships can sink or float a successful series amidst the storm that is television.

From Kirk & Spock and Mulder & Scully to Bill Potts & The Pilot to Ross & Rachel, we shine our lovelight onto the TV romances which have worked and those that have sucked the passion out of a series quicker than the words, "We need to talk"...

Join us on an oddysey through the tricky waters of shipping, moonlighting and edging... 

Keep it Cricket, JoJ x

Having seen Solo: A Star Wars Story recently, we asked ourselves the big question, has there ever been a good prequel?

Join us as we take a screenwriters eye to the problem with prequels and even find a newfound respect for A Phantom Menace. From Better Call Saul to Prometheus and from Monsters University to Hannibal, we uncover what works, what doesn't and whether ticking boxes is ever what fans actually want?

We also discuss the cancellation of two of our favourite Netflix shows, Love and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and we join the Atlanta party a few years late as it finally comes to the BBC in the UK.

Join us for some Jar Jar Binks loving and tell us what your favourite prequel is?

Keep it Cricket,

JoJ xx

State of the Sitcom continues...

What happens when the laughs stop? This week the miniseries looks at tears of sadness rather than laughter as we reach episode five.

We're joined by @Amita Patel and @Sean David Johnson, the incredibly insightful and enigmatic hosts of Inside Pop Podcast to discuss what happens when sitcoms try to tackle the big issues.

Diving deep into some well known moments when things got way too real in our favourite sitcoms, we share the tears, the education and the power behind Diff'rent Strokes' The Bicycle Man, Fresh Prince of Bel Air's Papa's Got a Brand New Excuse, Ellen's The Puppy Episode, How I Met Your Mother's Last Words, and many more. We discuss whether the medium is successful at dealing with serious topics, how modern sitcoms tackle the issues differently to the classics and whether Keeping Up Appearances 'made' it in America!

State of the Sitcom will return later in the summer with more special guests and a whole new host of your favourite TV funnies to dissect, your normal JoJCast schedule will resume from next week, with a slight twist ;)

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

State of the Sitcom continues...

The miniseries takes a break from stateside sitcoms & brings the focus to a little flat in North London.

In our fourth adventure we're joined by @Chris Johnston, the superbly prolific host of Easy Riders Raging Podcast and The Spielberg Pod to discuss the UK cult classic, Spaced.

Quoting the show as if we're its main characters, our passion for this unsung slice of comedy fried gold is evident from the start as we break down why it was so important to us, how it transformed the landscape of British comedy and what the wider cultural impact of Edgar Wright, Jessica Hynes & Simon Pegg's homage-o-meter truly is.

Tune in next week for more special guests who seek to pop 'Inside' the deeper moments in sitcom history!

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

State of the Sitcom continues...

We push ever forward in our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to Rick & Morty and everything in between!

In this third episode we're joined by @Amanda, @Kenyon & Lucy, the criminally talented hosts of the Wine & Crime podcast to discuss the salad tossing and egg scrambling modern classic, Frasier.

Right from the start we get on like a house on fire covering the characters, writing and crepe pan seasoning impact of the show and even manage to bring up some true crime, the US political shitshow and exactly how Kelsey Grammar got his hair like that.  We had a blast recording this and can highly recommend pouring yourself a glass of vino and joining the Wine & Crime podcast on their "obnoxiously active" social media accounts!

Tune in next week for more special guests and maybe a simple motorcyclist and angry cow talking doped up biscuits!

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

State of the Sitcom continues...

We plunge further into our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to Rick & Morty and everything in between!

In this second episode we're joined by Kobi, the enigmatic co-host of both the FlixWatcher and The Wire Stripped podcasts to discuss the staple of 80s and 90s primetime television, The Cosby Show.

We discuss the comedy, scriptwriting and cultural impact of the show in its heyday as well as focussing on the ongoing case against Bill Cosby and other key figures in comedy who have been charged with similar abuse or worse. This deep but fun podcast also covers the best and worst of UK and US sitcoms, how to deal with your heroes falling from grace and the ongoing calamity that is Last of the Summer Wine. We're very proud of how much we covered with Kobi and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it!

Tune in next week for more special guests and maybe pour a criminal glass of fortified wine from Cádiz!

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

State of the Sitcom continues... We plunge further into our miniseries taking on all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to Rick Morty and everything in between! In this second episode we're joined by Kobi, the enigmatic co-host of both the FlixWatcher and The Wire Stripped podcasts to discuss the staple of 80s and 90s primetime television, The Cosby Show. We discuss the comedy, scriptwriting and cultural impact of the show in its heyday as well as focussing on the ongoing case against Bill Cosby and other key figures in comedy who have been charged with similar abuse or worse. This deep but fun podcast also covers the best and worst of UK and US sitcoms, how to deal with your heroes falling from grace and the ongoing calamity that is Last of the Summer Wine. We're very proud of how much we covered with Kobi and hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed making it! Tune in next week for more special guests and maybe pour a criminal glass of fortified wine from Cádiz! Happy Sitcom-ing, JoJ x

State of the Sitcom has landed!

Welcome to our miniseries within our scheduled screenwriting podcast where we take a deep dive into all things sitcom from I Love Lucy to Rick & Morty and everything in between!

In this first episode we're joined by Bryan & Chris, the witty & insightful hosts of For Film's Sake and For Writing's Sake podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/for-films-sake/id1084763473?mt=2) to discuss the animated sitcoms.

From The Flintstones to The Simpsons, South Park to Bojack Horseman and many a detour into dramas, films & Daria cosplay, this is a spralling podcast you don't want to miss.

Tune in next week for another special guest and a classic but controversial choice.

Happy Sitcom-ing,

JoJ x

 

It's a busy month for Sci-Fi so we thought we'd investigate what makes for good science fiction screenwriting in relation to new releases, classic films from the genre & more.

We provide a spolier-free insight into Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, then get spoilerific as we get into Alex Garland's Annihilation and even give our full low down on Season 11 of The X-Files.

In addition we discuss our latest music picks and talk about some recent live events we've been to including Dizraeli, Jamila Woods, Open Mike Eagle and No Such Thing As a Fish podcast.

Thanks for listening, JoJ x

And the Oscar goes to…

The 90th Oscars are set to be groundbreaking for a lot of reasons with #Timesup & #MeToo set to play a big part and the possibility for an Academy Award first if Jordan Peele’s Get Out claims the top spot.

We’re delighted to see so much progress (although there’s still a long way to go) being taken by the Oscars and to celebrate we breakdown the nominees for our favourite category, Best Original Screenplay.

The nominees include some of our top films of the last 12 months and we discuss which one we think should win, which one will win and which film is our favourite.

In addition, we’ll also be live tweeting the whole Oscars Ceremony on Sunday night (Monday morning UK time) on Twitter, so be sure to follow us and join in our special Oscars Drinking Game.

Thanks for listening, JoJ x

2018 is going to be the shit... Following the political double whammy horsecock which was 2016 & 2017, we're starting out 2018 full of hope, joy & antici.............PATION for what's to come and that's in no small part due to the awesome movie releases coming our way.So in our first episode of the year, join us as we run down what we're excited about and why we're so freakin' excited about it, plus you get to hear us make joyful noises about Black Panther, Lynne Ramsay & much more. Anything we missed? Then let us know in the comments what else we should be loving in 2018! Thanks for listening,JoJ x  

It's easy to feel down about 2017 with hate-fuelled politics, climate change & more but JoJ are here to provide you with some good vibes!

The last 12 months have been incredible for pop culture with amazing new music, record-breaking new movies & further proof TV is in its Platinum Age.

We also aim to start 2018 with a positive outlook so we pick our top positive takeaways from the last year to try and bring a glimmer of hope to our lives, and hopefully humanity too!

Thanks for listening for another year, JoJ

Maybe it's because we have a Tory government or a homophobic, racist tyrant in the White House. Maybe it's because the nature of culture is cyclical. Or maybe it's because we all need a bit of nostalgia right now. Whatever the reason, the 80s are back and they're taking over our screens!

Join us as we review and discuss the screenwriting in Bladerunner 2049, Thor: Ragnarok & Netflix's Stranger Things 2 in our 80s Sci-Fi special.

We also discuss the Harvey Weinstein criminal investigation, the impact on Hollywood and other industries and what we can do as consumers.

Plus, in our regular feature #TheEmpireWritesBack(where we discuss scripts in Empire Magazine's Top 100 Movies of All Time as Voted for by Readers), we cover pre-1960 films including Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, 12 Angry Men, Rear Window, Vertigo, Seven Samurai, It's a Wonderful Life & Citizen Kane.

Thanks for listening, JoJ x

To avoid fainting, keep repeating it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast, it's only a podcast...

This month, we discuss fear in three recent releases - IT, mother! and The Handmaid's Tale - focusing on screenwriting and the overall impact of each piece.

We also have our regular feature, The Empire Writes Back, in which we choose titles from @Empiremagazine Top 100 films (as voted by readers) & discuss the screenwriting and whether the film's are still any good. This month we cover comic book movies, The Dark Knight, Avengers Assemble, Guardians of the Galaxy & Captain America: Civil War.

Plus, there's also our take on movie news, new trailers and pop culture happenings over the last month.

Thanks for listening, JoJ

Wow, have we got a jam-packed episode for you this month!

We cover movie news, film & TV trailers plus a boat-load of in-depth discussions on new film and TV releases including Top of The Lake, The Defenders and Okja.

This episode in our monthly feature - The Empire Writes Back - where we discuss scriptwriting in Empire Magazine's Top 100 Films of All Time, we have a Spielberg Special covering seven of the director's top films.

Thanks for listening, JoJ x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! @HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes. Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! @HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes. Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! @HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes. Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! @HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes. Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.Valar morghulis x

Bumper Episode Alert!

We've got a jam-packed podcast for you this month chatting about all things Comic Con, trailers, TV shows and movies! We go back to school and discuss scriptwriting on the "best Spider-Man movie yet" whilst getting deep with new Netflix seasons, Orange is the New Black and Better Call Saul.

Finally, we review the classic Citizen Kane as part of our new feature #EmpireWritesBack and announce a very special #WatchwithJoJ for next month.

Thanks for listening, JoJ

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end. Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!!

@HoBoJoBo & @Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end. Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 7 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros in our weekly minisodes. Join in, let us know your thoughts and how you think the Game of Thrones will end.Valar morghulis x

In this minisode we bring you not one, but TWO JoJCast announcements! Firstly, we have a new feature, that involves YOU! And then we have some Game of Thrones news (not spoilers!) every fan needs to know.

It's a quick update, but a juicy one!

Wow, what a June!

We're back after one of the busiest and most culture-filled months in JoJCast history filled with all the G's - Glastonbury 2017, Gorillaz's Demon Dayz festival, Gillian Anderson some 'godlike' TV and films.

This month we review and discuss scriptwriting in Wonder Woman, American Gods, House of Cards, Baby Driver and Stefan Saagmeister's documentary, The Happy Film.

Stay locked to JoJCast on Twitter and Instagram for a new minisode and podcast feature coming very soon.

Thanks for listening, JoJ

Welcome to the first of our new and improved monthly podcasts exploring writing in film & TV!

In this episode we go interstellar with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and explore the beauty of pasta with Aziz Anzari in Netflix's Master of None Season 2. Allora...!

Our new JoJCast model will see us focusing on scriptwriting and what writing stands out in different film and TV so we'd love to hear your thoughts on these two and anything else you think was written beautifully, or not so beautifully.

Keep it JoJCast, Jo & J

WE'RE BACK! Yes, just like Randy Quaid in Independence Day, or The PolterGeist II, we have returned.So before we get fully into Phase 2 of the JCU (JoJCast Universe), here's a little Minisode to tell you exactly what's changed, what remains the same and a little glimpse into some exciting new features.Plus, we unveil the very, very lucky winner of our super, sweet swag competition.... Keep it JCU, x

It took 80+ years for a woman director to be recognised by the Academy and it's now official, women have been systematically discriminated against by Hollywood (www.indiewire.com/2017/02/major-ho…eeoc-1201783475/)

Following this research and to celebrate Women's History Month, we look at the issues within the film industry against female directors, discuss our favourite films by women and even list our fantasy female director remakes.

As always, please let us know what we've missed or any female directors we should check out. JoJ

PS: We're also still promoting our AMAZING competition so check out the episode intro for more details.

Ever heard a song and just felt like it conjured up a specific place for you?

Well inspired by an interview with Mura Masa on the Dan Digs radio show & a recent all day rave with Jamie XX in Brixton we decided to explore what makes a certain song, artist or music genre become 'the sound' of a city.

We also give out lots of information on our very exciting new competition in which you can win ALL the cool prizes & discuss our entry in the British Podcast Awards. Check it out here: www.britishpodcastawards.com/

As always, we'd love to hear your feedback so get involved in the comments or on Twitter/Instagram and tell us which music soundtracks YOUR city!

JoJ

Happy International Women's Day!

In this episode we discuss equality, feminism and why it's important to Be Bold for Change! We also celebrate women's impact in the world of music and list our top five female musicians you SHOULD have heard about.

Finally, this episode sees us launch our very first competition in which you can win loads of geektastic treats that we still can't understand why we're giving away. To enter, head to Itunes, subscribe to JoJcast and leave us a review then send us a screenshot (links to our Instagram & Twitter below) or your review so we have your entry and know how to contact you! Winner & runners up will be announced in April, competition closes on 30th March 2017 so get subscribing!

#BeBoldForChange

JoJ

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jojcast/ Twitter: twitter.com/jojcast

We've no idea why we'd be thinking about the idea of dystopia right now. Nope, nothing comes to mind. Just random, we guess. So we randomly take a look at the array of dystopian futures that have been proposed by cinema over the years and how likely each situation really is.

We also discuss the 2017 Oscars and THAT moment, plus mini reviews of Moonlight and Loving.

Remember to subscribe and follow JoJCast on Twitter and Instagram @JoJCast. There's still time to join us on our #30daymoviechallenge!

It's the first Pod Sounds episode of 2017!!!

We chat the importance of music & culture in these dark times, we discuss our top picks from the latest new music in January 2017 & we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Radio 4's Desert Islands Discs.

Let us know your picks for Desert Island Discs in the comments & stay strong people. WE LOVE NEW MUSIC!

JoJ

Jo's Desert Island Disc playlist - play.spotify.com/user/hobojobohob…3VyhZ8OkMJcB7PsM

Choose JoJcast. Choose a decent set of headphones. Choose two film geeks chatting about movies and music. To coincide with the release of T2: Trainspotting 2, we shine a spotlight on the films of Danny Boyle and why he's not talked about in the same breath as other major directors of the 90s.Through Shallow Grave to Steve Jobs, we rate our top Boyle films & give shoutouts to The Perfect Podcast, Moviesaurus Rex & Outpost31 podcast along the way... We also discuss the 2017 Oscar noms, the latest Star Wars news and more, so join us in choosing Danny Boyle! JoJ x

Good Riddance to 2016, a year of shit politics, celebrity deaths & further proof that humanity kinda sucks!

Aside from all the racism though, 2016 has been quite the belter of the year for pop culture with a string of amazing new albums, genre-bending new songs, fantastic new movies & another feather in the cap of the Golden Age of TV.

So strap in, forget all the shit that's happened over the last 12 moths and find out our picks for the best and worst music, movies & TV of 2016.

JoJCast

So we saw Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, who wants to touch us!?

We will do a full review at a later date but this is a special little treat to give our initial reaction to the new film set in a galaxy far, far away...

Let us know your thoughts of the film in the comments & subscribe for more treats throughout 2017.

It all started with Frank & Claire Underwood...

So we realised that we've watched an alarming number of the ever-expanding Netflix original series' & thought we should talk about them.

 Our first Netflix podcast covered everything we watched until January our second features new Netflix in the first five months of 2016 & this episode covers all the Netflix original content we've watched since.

We cover the exceptionally excellent, right through the maudlin MOR, to the drearily dull and we need to just stress, Netflix do not pay us to do this, we just really like binging good shows! Come with us and find out what original content from Netflix is worth a binge and what's for the bin.

Come with us back to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter...

This week saw the return to JK Rowling's universe with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them released in UK cinemas.  We review the latest film and rank all of the magical movies from worst to best + we discuss what we've been watching outside at home too.

So pick up your wands and apparate with us to a very special Potter podcast, JoJCast

Happy Birthday Danny DeVito!

We loved to hate him as Louie in Taxi, we hated to love him as The Penguin and we have no earthly idea what to feel for him as Frank in Always Sunny… but one thing is certain, Danny DeVito is a fucking legend!

In light of his new short film, Curmudgeons, and his over 40 years on our screens as actor, producer, director, writer and all-round dude, we decided to chat about everything DDV.

From One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest through Junior and Twins then right up to the beautiful Curmudgeons, we get deep about the man and his ever-adapting career.

Check out his new film here and let us know your favourite Danny DeVito moments. vimeo.com/159449591

Peace JoJCast

Stop. Hey, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down…

What a week! The new president elect has taken a lot of us by surprise and taken a little bit of hope away from those who strive for an accepting, progressive global society. So, in light of this we thought it was a good time to look at the power of the protest song. We talk about decades of the best protest songs, our top 3 protest anthems and how music and words can be hugely important in unifying communities and individuals in even the darkest times.

You can also find a Spotify playlist of top protest songs here; play.spotify.com/user/1130157620/…ChzLkzQ8wny4bT7l

Let us know which songs get you riled up, which anthems have been powerful in your life & help us find a little bit of hope for 2017!

JoJCast

Does 2016 feel like the year of doom to you?

Well don't fear cause we've got a shiny happy podcast for you!  JoJ are here to bring you all the beautiful feels as we discuss the 25th anniversary of REM's seminal 'Out of Time' & the 20th anniversary of DJ Shadow's pioneering 'Endtroducing'.

We cover the albums, the impact they had and how music didn't stop with seminal albums in the 90s but continues to expand and how 2016 is shaping up to be one of the best years in music.

Enjoy, JoJCast

The Fall is back, Gillian Anderson is back, Jamie Dornan is back and JoJcast couldn't be more excited! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts will be breaking down every single episode of Season Three immediately after they air but be careful, spoilers abound. We'll go into detail about the show, its cast, the difficult subjects it covers and much much more so be prepared to go deep into the gritty world of Stella Gibson and Paul Spector once again. Join in, tweet us your questions and let us know your thoughts on one of the best crime dramas of recent years.JoJcast

It's Halloween & things are about to get ghastly!

JoJcast invite you to turn off the lights, head to a graveyard and get your pumpkins out as we bring you our VERY special Halloween Podcast!

This week we're joined by the spine-tingling Jonay Sevillano Regalado + the spooky Mr. Charlie Blythe to talk about what movies and TV really creep us out.

We discuss everything from kids TV shows to serial killers, from public safety films to fiendish monsters, and from creepy children to dolphin rape.

JoJ also cover all things on-screen recently, including trailers for Star Wars: Rogue One, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Logan, the films Swiss Army Man and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and one of our favourite podcasts - Inside Pop - who are currently running their #BigSell30 feature which you can check out here: www.insidepoppodcast.com/

So check your doors are locked, hang the garlic by the windows and hide under the covers as we prepare to scare you witless…

JoJcast

The Fall is back, Gillian Anderson is back, Jamie Dornan is back and JoJcast couldn't be more excited! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts will be breaking down every single episode of Season Three immediately after they air but be careful, spoilers abound. We'll go into detail about the show, its cast, the difficult subjects it covers and much much more so be prepared to go deep into the gritty world of Stella Gibson and Paul Spector once again. Join in, tweet us your questions and let us know your thoughts on one of the best crime dramas of recent years.JoJcast

The Fall is back, Gillian Anderson is back, Jamie Dornan is back and JoJcast couldn't be more excited! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts will be breaking down every single episode of Season Three immediately after they air but be careful, spoilers abound. We'll go into detail about the show, its cast, the difficult subjects it covers and much much more so be prepared to go deep into the gritty world of Stella Gibson and Paul Spector once again. Join in, tweet us your questions and let us know your thoughts on one of the best crime dramas of recent years.JoJcast

The Fall is back, Gillian Anderson is back, Jamie Dornan is back and JoJcast couldn't be more excited! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts will be breaking down every single episode of Season Three immediately after they air but be careful, spoilers abound. We'll go into detail about the show, its cast, the difficult subjects it covers and much much more... so be prepared to go deep into the gritty world of Stella Gibson and Paul Spector once again. Join in, tweet us your questions and let us know your thoughts on one of the best crime dramas of recent years.JoJcast

The Fall is back, Gillian Anderson is back, Jamie Dornan is back and JoJcast couldn't be more excited! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts will be breaking down every single episode of Season Three immediately after they air but be careful, spoilers abound. We'll go into detail about the show, its cast, the difficult subjects it covers and much much more so be prepared to go deep into the gritty world of Stella Gibson and Paul Spector once again. Join in, tweet us your questions and let us know your thoughts on one of the best crime dramas of recent years.JoJcast

Sir Patrick Stewart just blew us…away!

Despite having been fans of the man behind Captain Jean Luc Picard, Professor X and Alistair Burke in Frasier for many years, his performance in this year's visceral Green Room got us to thinking… what makes casting against type so effective?

So enjoy this latest ScreenDump covering all things typecasting including our Top 10 Roles Where an Actor Was Cast Against Type.

Thanks SirPatStew for shaking our preconceptions, long may it continue.

JoJcast

PS: Huge props to @SixSidedDiaries for possibly the most perfect example of casting against type!  twitter.com/sixsideddiaries

As we await the release of Bon Iver's new album, '22, A Million' we look back on his influential debut album 'For Emma, Forever Ago' and hail it as a Modern Classic.

But what makes a Modern Classic and what other 21st Century albums should be put atop the pedestal of 'Classics'?

Jo & J dig ruthlessly into modern music and find out which albums can sit alongside Horses, Dark Side of the Moon, Sgt Peppers, Pet Sounds and Nevermind as... All Time Classic Albums.

Let us know your picks, which albums have we neglected and what makes a classic album for you?

JoJ

We live in a golden age of TV and what better way to celebrate it than hosting a long, glitzy award ceremony? This Sunday brings the 68th Emmy Awards to our screens with some of the finest television shows and films ever to grace the our homes in competition.Groundbreaking comedies, fantasy epics, political dramas and some of the most heart-wrenching scenes this side of Watership Down all vie for glory and we give you our lowdown on the best, the worst, the ones we think should win and the ones who probably will! So join us for a big ol' natter about all things TV and let us know your predictions and any TV shows you think we've missed. JoJcast x

A disturbed killer. A determined detective. A fantastic bloody show!

So Series 3 of the acclaimed BBC Drama 'The Fall' is due out at the end of September and we can't effin' wait. So many questions unanswered, so much detail to unravel with forensic fingerprint dust & of course that shock ending of Season 2!

In preparation we binged the entire of S1 and S2 to bring you this spoiler-filled special, so fill your boots. As the new series is shown we'll also bring you a weekly ScreenDump on each episode discussing everything Stella Gibson, Paul Spector and Belfast as it airs.

Let us know your predictions for Season 3 and what you liked or didn't like about The Fall.

Cheers HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts

Independent cinema...mumblecore...indie...dramedy. What do you call it? This episode we review the latest addition to the genre, Wiener Dog, and take a stab at finding the right name for it. What do we come up with? Listen to find out, and let us know if you agree.

Plus news, trailers and our top 10 of the genre!

30 Years....30 fucking years!!!

Last month saw the release of the 17th feature film from Pixar Studios, Finding Dory, which also coincided with the 30th Anniversary of the amazing animation studio.  In light of this, we decided to not just review the latest release but give our personal insight into the feature films, the shorts, the laughs, the tears and the inimitable voice of John Ratzenberger.

We also do our Top 3 Pixar Films, Top 3 Pixar Shorts and Least Favourite Pixar films too....cause let's be honest, there's not really a bad Pixar film (well except Cars but let's forget that)!

We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed talking about Pixar, let us know your thoughts, top films and insights in the comments.

JoJcast x

An 80s classic. A marketing cash cow. A hated trailer. Women.

This is all we knew going into the all new Ghostbusters film in 2016, what we didn't know was, will it be any good?

Check out our spoilerific review and discussion about all things Ghostbusters, from the hallowed original to the kid-friendly animated series, and from the misguided 1989 sequel to the 2016 reboot.

Who you gonna call?

The battle to be at the front, the anticipation, and the euphoria that hits as the first strains of your favourite song begin. Live music can be the reason for some of the greatest nights of your life. And then sometimes it's not.

That's right, this week we look at the awesomeness that is live music (and a little comedy thrown in for good measure). With the news of Apple's latest patent that will enable venues to disable the camera function on Apple phones, we thought it was a good time to talk about whether this is a necessary step and what it means for gig fans everywhere. Although this features our top five pet peeves about gigs, this is really a celebration of what happens when artists and fans get in the same room.

Keep it live,

JoJ x

We've got time... to discuss the latest instalment of Netflix's hit show, Orange is the New Black. We delve through the myriad storylines, analyse the characters and take a little look at the social questions the show raises.

Spoilers beware...

It's Finished for 10 months!!!!

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series. We're over halfway through Season 6 & we'd love to know your thoughts on the latest episodes of the most popular TV series in the world.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones in our GoT podcasts.

Valar morghulis

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week. Valar morghulis x

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week. Valar morghulis x

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week. Valar morghulis x

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week. Valar morghulis x

It all started with Frank & Claire Underwood...

So we realised that we've watched an alarming number of the ever-expanding Netflix original series' & thought we should talk about them.
 Our first Netflix podcast covered everything we watched until January and this one features new Netflix in the first five months of 2016.  We cover the exceptionally excellent, right through the maudlin MOR, to the drearily dull and we need to just stress, Netflix do not pay us to do this, we just really like binging good shows!

Come with us and find out what original content from Netflix is worth a binge and what's for the bin.

For our first Netflix episode, head here; jojcastpod.podbean.com/e/ep-4-netfilx-originals/

 

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week.
 Valar morghulis x

PS: You'll Never Warg Alone....

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week.
 Valar morghulis x

PS: You'll Never Warg Alone....

So for our latest episode we decided to look at a long-forgotten favourite from our screens, the music video.

With the release of Radiohead's 'Burn The Witch' video and last week's 'Lemonade' epic from Beyonce ScreenDump ask the question, are we on the verge of a new Golden Age of music videos.

Recent years have seen a change in the way music videos are consumed so we decided to take a trip down memory lane and examine one of the greatest periods of artistry on the small screen.

We cover the most influential music videos, our favourites and some which aren't so favourite, let us know your top music videos or any glaring omissions from our list.

For the YouTube playlist featuring all the music videos discussed here and some additional favourites, visit www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB…SBkybMpDme_g3K_PT

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series.

We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones.

Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week.
  Valar morghulis x

It's Baaacckkkk!!!! HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are long term fans of Game of Thrones and so we're pleased to bring you our spoilerific weekly update on the latest episodes for Season 6 of the epic series. We cover the East, West, North & South of Westeros and we even find time for a Game of Game of Thrones. Join in, let us know your thoughts and which Game we should play next week.Valar morghulis x

Are you "having what she's having"? Did we have you at "hello"? Have you realised that "the real love of your life" is us?!

ScreenDump go on a journey through the various incarnations of the Rom Com, looking at the hits, the misses, the embarrassing and the unexpected.

Any glaring omissions? Disagree vehemently? Closet Rom Com lover? Or are you an unabashed Romantic? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter.

Are the best screen experiences the ones where you have no prior knowledge? Do you prefer your trailers to be subtle works of art or do you need a film to bend over backwards to win you over?

This week we get to grips with screen trailers, the art of a movie teaser and the modern phenomenon of showing a bit too much of a film before going in.

Join us as we work out where we stand and Meerkuts tries to pronounce JJ Abrams....

Let us know your thoughts and favourite movie trailers in the comments below... Cheers x

Are we reaching peak comic book movie adaptation? Will Batman vs. Superman be any good? Is Alan Moore right?

This week we cry excelsior and delve into comics, their on-screen adaptations (both good and bad) and the future of the comic book medium on screen.

We're delighted to welcome Paul Clark-Forse, a comic book writer and letterer for indie publishers Dead Canary Comics, who brings his encyclopaedic knowledge, his love of tea and his strange habit of emphasising the second syllable.

We recorded this at around 3am after a few glasses of wine so we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Let us know your thoughts and be sure to check out the DCC catalogue at www.deadcanarycomics.com

Cheers, SD

So they brought the X-Files back...again...

Yes, Mulder & Scully are back in their best G-men suits and the truth is still out there, well supposedly.

HoBo JoBo and Meerkuts settle down to the familiar credits, the sizzling on-screen relationship and the myriad of Williams and ask the biggest questions of them all... should they have brought it back, was it worth it and should we see a Season 11?

So Trainspotting is 20 years old...

We'll just let that sink in for a while. Aside from being an important slice of British cinema it also had an amazingly influential soundtrack which set in motion a new phenomenon in the music world too.

This week @HoboJoBo and @Meerkuts discuss film soundtracks, their influence plus whether the soundtrack for a film has an impact on the music world and visa versa.

Let us know your thoughts and your favourite soundtracks in the comments...

The bookies have delivered their odds, the silverware's been polished and Stephen Fry has been gargling hot toddies in preparation.

We bring you our spoilerific, meandering podcast recorded on a car journey from A to B with our thoughts and predictions for this year's BAFTAs.

Let us know your thoughts and join us on Twitter for a live tweet on Sunday @HoBoJoBo and @Meerkuts

What's this, a Tarantino themed podcast?Say what again, we dare you... we double dare you motherfucker!! 2016 sees the release of the eighth film by QT and so we decided to do 8 Segments of 8 Minutes on the 8 Films of Tarantino. We discuss music, feet, nazi killing, the 'n' word, controversies and, of course, the man himself.Enjoy and let us know your thoughts in the comments, Ms. Pink & Mr. Blonde

It all started with Frank & Claire Underwood... So we realised that over the course of the last year we've watched an alarming number of the ever expanding Netflix original series' & thought we should talk about them.We cover as many as we can from the exceptionally excellent, right through the maudlin MOR, to the drearily dull. Come with us and find out what original content from Netflix is worth a binge and what's for the bin.

The Truth is in here!

Experience HoBoJoBo geeking out about her favourite show EVER, witness Meerkuts' monster of the week belches & delve into the filing cabinet of paranoia that is... The X-Files!

We've rewatched every single episode leading up to the intriguing X-Files Revival which airs this weekend in the USA after a 14 year gap.

We bring you Deep Throat level fact nuggets, we bring you gushing details of our favourite X-Files and we even have a section on Mark Snow!

We want to believe, do you?

2015, a year of heroes, spies, imaginary friends, musical icons, drums and swearwolves. Join us as we delve through our favourites (and not so favourite) films of the year.

We've got it bad, and that ain't good!

A spoilerific post-viewing ramble from five Star Wars fans on their journey home. There will be excitement, there will be prequel bashing, there will be roundabouts...

HoBoJoBo & Meerkuts are joined by Charles Blythe, Jonay Sevillano Regalado and Callum Brown.