Shows
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 69 - The EscapeGoat Podcast 5th Anniversary Specials (pt 3)The celebration concludes! With a final set of chats about favourite television episodes. First up, we welcome back my brother Matt, with his formative memories of Jackass (Season 2, Episode 6 'Slingshot' from 2001). Next up we have Cat, returning to teach me the good word about the finale of much-loved sitcom The Good Place (Season 4, Episodes 13 & 14, 'Whenever You're Ready' from 2020). Then we have John, bringing the sunshine and illuminating the Christmas Special of The Morecambe and Wise Show from 1977. Finally, Olivia tells me about an imaginative and adorable bottle-episode of The Powerpuff Girls (Season 2, Episode 10a, 'The Powerpuff Girls Best...2025-05-074h 11
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: Stage/FrightSo, here we are... and here, belatedly, is this special episode, with David and John's account of their trip to see the Inside No 9 stage show Stage/Fright in February 2025! And, at time of recording in mid April, it's been announced to be having a UK tour in the autumn! We discuss the show and our thoughts on it in general - SPOILERS start from 15 minutes in. Be warned. This is the end of And Ninthly... Thanks for listening, everyone. We've loved doing it :) If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatt...2025-04-231h 36
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 69 - The EscapeGoat Podcast 5th Anniversary Specials (pt 2)The celebration of the Goat continues! In this episode, Isobel gloriously adapts the brief, and talks to me about the work of one of her favourite authors, the hilarious Jason Pargin (AKA David Wong), author of books including John Dies At The End and If This Book Exists, You're In The Wrong Universe. Following that, Jonny pops up to introduce me to a creative, award-winning (and memeable) episode of Community (Season 3, Episode 4 'Remedial Chaos Theory' from 2011). Shame I only had him for about 10 minutes, but I think you'll get the gist. Finally, James makes a spellbinding return to sing the...2025-04-182h 25
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 69 - The EscapeGoat Podcast 5th Anniversary Specials (pt 1)Happy 5th Anniversary to The EscapeGoat Podcast! And to mark it, we're doing a run of special episodes bringing back guests from all stages of the show's lifespan, talking (mostly) about some of their favourite episodes of television! This first installment is a dinosaur sandwich on cowboy bread (so to speak). First, we feature Nannina talking about the much-loved Firefly (Episode 11, "Jaynestown" from 2002). Secondly, Dru brings me an all-time double bill with The Jim Henson Hour episode "Living With Dinosaurs" from 1989) and Primal (Season 1 Episode 7 "Plague of Madness" from 2020). Kit closes this part with thoughts on on D...2025-03-303h 02
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 68 - Nightmares and DreamscapesHappy New Year! And here, for your unhinged pleasure, is me and returning guest Kit Power discussing our highlights of the 1993 Stephen King short story anthology Nightmares and Dreamscapes. For over (checks notes) 5 hours. An all-time record. Yikes. Vital timestamps below. ENJOY! And we'll be back with more later in the the year! 0.00 - Penguin/Joker 0.26 - N&D/the Intro 1.03 - Dolan's Cadillac 1.43 - Popsy 2.15 - The Doctor's Case 2.49 - Crouch End 3.20 - The End Of The Whole Mess 3.51 - It...2024-12-315h 14
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 67 - Return of the JediJoin me for our final episode of Series 5 in which Matt and Patrick gather with me to discuss the classic Star Wars movie (and shared personal treasure) Return of the Jedi (1983, Richard Marquand). Brace yourself for Sith, Walkers, Ewoks and Harrison Ford impressions! Yub Nub! The EscapeGoat Podcast will revenge... I mean, return..... 0.00 Intro 0.08 Star Wars in general 0.53 Return of the Jedi You can find the show on X at @EGoat_pod (or post at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All ou...2024-10-172h 09
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 66 - South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut/The Chef Aid AlbumOn the penultimate episode of Series 5, we bring Kit back onto the show, to discuss two exemplars from the early years of South Park (Comedy Central, 1997-present). After a bit of chat about Kit's new horror short story podcast, we firstly delve into the movie South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (Trey Parker, 1999) - and how our thoughts on it in 2024 might differ from our teenage ones. We then have a discussion of Isaac Hayes, his relationship with the show, and, specifically, the end of said relationship, leading to the infamous episode The Return of Chef. In the sec...2024-10-043h 53
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 65 - Red Dwarf VIIWe're back with a few more! James Murphy returns, to have a terrific chat about an influential, interesting but most-definitely flawed piece of media for both of us - that is, the seventh series of the sci-fi/comedy/drama show Red Dwarf (BBC, 1997). We cover Lister, Rimmer (and his departure!), The Cat, Kryten and his neuroses, Holly and, of course, Kochanski. Also, fan fiction, addiction, paradoxical assassinations and unlikely heroism. Gum? 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.12 Red Dwarf and our backgrounds with it 1.03 Red Dwarf VII in more detail You can find the...2024-07-271h 48
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep6 - Plodding OnIn this pretty-much-final helping of And Ninthly.. David and John are... well... a little bit overwhelmed, excited and emotional about the LAST EVER episode of Inside No 9 'Plodding On', which aired on 12 June 2024. And then we give our rankings for Series 9. Includes SPOILERS for... I'd say most IN9 episodes (this one, obviously, and quite a few others). Be warned! It's been a real trip, folks. Thank you anyone who listened and shared the episodes - we very much loved doing them, through the cheese, and the crackers. From us both... Stay Ninthly. If you want to...2024-06-142h 07
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep5 - Curse of the NinthIn this stirring movement of And Ninthly.. David and John mull the high and low notes of 'Curse of the Ninth', which aired on 5 June 2024. Includes SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (this one, obviously, and notably 'The Harrowing'). Be warned! And see you in a few days for our coverage of the last ever episode! Then Let Us Be. If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights 2024-06-111h 26
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep4 - CTRL ALT ESCOn this helping of And Ninthly.. David and John analyse their confinement in 'CTRL ATL ESC', which aired on 29 May 2024. Includes SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (this one, obviously, and notably 'The 12 Days of Christine'). We also discuss some aspects of the later seasons of The Sopranos. Be warned! The review of this episode I mention in our discussion was indeed on Den of Geek, and was written by Louisa Mellor - and here it is: https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/inside-no-9-series-9-episode-4-review-ctrl-alt-esc/ If you want to hear previous bits of David a...2024-06-051h 09
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep3 - Mulberry CloseOn this chapter of And Ninthly.. David and John twitch their curtains at 'Mulberry Close', which aired on 22 May 2024. Includes SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (this one, obviously, and notably 'Dead Line'). Be warned! If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) And you can find our episode-by-episode coverage of Series 7 and 8 via And Ninthly... on this thread too...2024-05-241h 02
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep2 - The Trolley ProblemOn this installment of And Ninthly.. David and John muse over the choices made by 'The Trolley Problem', which aired on 15 May 2024. Including SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (most notably 'The Stakeout' and 'Riddle of the Sphinx' but quite a few, really). Be warned! If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) And you can find our episode-by-episode c...2024-05-1659 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S9 Ep1 - Boo To A GooseWelcome back to And Ninthly...! For this first episode of the ninth and final series. David and John are once again joined by the superlative George Daniel Lea to analyse 'Boo To A Goose', which aired on 8 May 2024. We also catch up with George first about his reaction to the tail end of Series 8, including SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (most notably '3 x 3' and 'The Last Weekend'). Be warned! George is a prolific YouTube creator, mostly on videogames, pop culture and literature, whose channel can be found here. His horror fiction and reviews can b...2024-05-111h 24
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 64 - The Hitch-Hiker/Point BreakOn this installment, I'm joined again by Nannina, and we're talking about some great female film directors! After a bit of initial chat about Dorothy Arzner and her pre-Code movie Nana (which Nannina and I managed to watch together recently!).. we move onto the main double bill.... a chat about The Hitch-Hiker (1953, Ida Lupino) and Point Break (1991, Kathryn Bigelow). Fun is had. Enjoy! And Vaya Con Dios. 0.00 Intro/Preamble 0.16 The Hitch-Hiker 1.07 Point Break You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us...2024-05-012h 11
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 63 - Monty Python's The Meaning Of LifeThis week, my brother Matt returns to the show! We have a terrifically fun chat about the deeply flawed, maniacally disturbing and nasty but still kind of wonderful movie Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983, Terry Jones). In the first half, we discuss our general thoughts and reactions to the movie, from childhood exposure to it, til now. In the second half, we do a discursive trawl in rough order through the film's disparate sketches, songs and nightmare fuel. We hope it's a good listen - we enjoyed it! 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.16 The Meaning Of Life (pt...2024-04-172h 00
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 62 - CalvaryFor this episode, I am pleased to be able to welcome back Christine Kelley to the podcast! After a bit of intro chat, we get on to the main topic - the Irish tragic black-comedy Calvary (2014, John Michael McDonagh), pretty much exactly on its 10th anniversary. We discuss the priesthood, guilt, politics, sardonic humour and animal murder - it's a good time! 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.13 Calvary (pt 1) 0.57 Calvary (pt 2) You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escap...2024-03-311h 34
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 61 - The Long Good FridayThis is Series 5! Come on in. We kick off this run with a brilliant combination of returning guests Kit Power and James Murphy, joining me to pick apart (well, gush over) the seminal, thrilling yet melancholic and haunting British Gangster movie The Long Good Friday (1980, John Mackenzie). We discuss Bob Hoskins, Helen Mirren and the snapshot of dawn-of-Thatcher London presented here. Also politics, money, racism, queerness, violence... and Razors. Oh, and THAT ending. Spoilers. 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.14 The Long Good Friday pt 1 1.03 The Long Good Friday pt 2 You can find the...2024-03-292h 22
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 60 - The 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who (pt 2)Part 2 of our 60th Anniversary Doctor Who coverage, including hot takes on The Church on Ruby Road - featuring previous guest Olivia returning to the show, and also for the first time the brilliant Patrick! 0.00 pt 1 - General chat about the recent Specials/Tennant/RTD 0.50 pt 2 - Thoughts about The Church on Ruby Road, and the future of the show Enjoy! And see you in 2024. You can find the show on X at @EGoat_pod (or post at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com...2023-12-311h 22
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 60 - The 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who (pt 1)We're back for a pair of specials, ahead of the end of the year! In this first part, Colleen and Andrew discuss the three November/December 2023 Doctor Who Specials, featuring David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor - particularly The Giggle, which had just aired about 24 hours before we had the chat. It's first draft of history time, folks! Join us as we discuss strange quasi-retirements, fresh starts, disquiet, and, of course, comfort and joy. 0.00 pt 1 - General chat about the Specials/Tennant/RTD 0.37 pt 2 - Thoughts about The Giggle, and where the show goes next...2023-12-121h 34
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 59 - The Straight StoryWe cap off this current series with a great finale episode, in which I am joined by the brilliant Christine Kelley for the first time. After a general chat about a few things, we turn to talking about our mutual backgrounds with the films of David Lynch, and then in the second part we focus in on Christine's favourite Lynch film - the elegiac, melancholy and tenderly unconventional road movie The Straight Story (1999). Such a lovely chat. Hope you enjoy it. This episode is respectfully dedicated to the memory of Dr David Baume (1943-2023). 0.00 pt 1...2023-07-302h 01
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 58 - And Then There Were NoneThis week, I am joined by the fantastic Jack Graham, for his second appearance on the show. In the first hour, me and Jack chat about many things (okay, quite a lot of Star Trek, I'll be honest) and then we turn to the main topic - the classic Agatha Christie novel And Then There Were None (1939), a text that has fascinated Jack for decades. Also... Jack may read a poem insert that I wrote (on the bus) the day following the main recording. I promise, it will make sense in context. A great one, enjoy! WARNING...2023-07-202h 58
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 57 - Star Trek: Invasion! First StrikeIn this latest installment, I'm joined by film critic and pop culture commentator Darren Mooney, to have a ridiculously nerdy and only slightly rambling conversation about Star Trek - both in general terms (initially), and then our respective experiences of the various tie-in book series. Following that, we zero-in on one specific Star Trek novel - that being Star Trek: Invasion! First Strike (Diane Carey, 1996). We had a great time. If this interests anyone else, it will be a bonus. Many thanks to Darren. 0.00 Intro chat/David and Darren's background with Star Trek in general 1.12 A sel...2023-07-032h 45
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 56 - The FlashWe come zooming back, to continue the fourth series! I am thrilled to welcome Jonny to the show for a second appearance, after a substantial gap, to chat about The Flash! After a first half in which we discuss DC Comics' Scarlet Speedster generally, and a little bit about his previous incarnations and adaptations, we use the second half to review the (at-time-of-recording) new movie The Flash (2023, Andy Muschietti). We get spoilery from 1h 16 mins in, if anyone cares about that. Enjoy! 0.00 Intro/The Flash as a character and a symbol 1.02 The Flash (2023) - r...2023-06-232h 11
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 6 - The Last WeekendOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John take a deep luxurious dip into the sixth and final episode of Series 8, 'The Last Weekend', aired on 25 May 2023. We then (from about 1h 13 mins in) give our respective episode rankings for Series 8! Will we see eye-to-eye? Find out.... (spoilers for this series in general, and also spoiler references to 'Sardines' and 'To Have and to Hold'. Once again, be warned!) Thanks for joining us for this series of Inside No 9! It's been terrifically interesting and fun. See you again soon for more mischief....2023-06-011h 42
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 5 - 3 by 3On this episode of And Ninthly... David and John are joined by their mutual friend Dan Hunt to dissect the fifth (and rather surprising) chapter of Series 8, '3 by 3', aired on 18 May 2023. We also spend a bit of time talking about the show in general in the first ten minutes, including SPOILERS for 'Tom and Gerri'. Again, be warned! We will be back next week to talk the final episode of this series, and to lay down our series rankings. Dan is a human man. No other information is currently available. If...2023-05-251h 26
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 4 - Love Is A StrangerOn this installment of And Ninthly... David and John are joined by the brilliant George Daniel Lea to dissect the fourth episode of Series 8, 'Love Is A Stranger', aired on 11 May 2023. We also spend a bit of time talking about the show in general in the first half hour, including SPOILERS for a few IN9 episodes (most notably 'To Have and to Hold', 'The Stakeout' and the Hallowe'en live special 'Dead Line'). Be warned! George is a prolific YouTube creator, mostly on videogames, pop culture and literature, whose channel can be found here. His horror fiction and rev...2023-05-181h 24
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 3 - ParaskevidekatriaphobiaOn this installment of And Ninthly... David and John natter about the third episode of Series 8, 'Paraskevidekatriaphobia', aired on 4 May 2023. If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) And you can find our episode-by-episode coverage of Series 7 via And Ninthly... on this thread too. You can Tweet us at @EGoat_pod and email us with any feedback on esc...2023-05-1057 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 2 - Mother's RuinOn this edition of And Ninthly... David and John talk about the second episode of Series 8, 'Mother's Ruin', aired on 27 April 2023. If you want to hear previous bits of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) And you can find our episode-by-episode coverage of Series 7 via And Ninthly... on this thread too. You can Tweet us at @EGoat_pod and email us with any feedba...2023-05-0556 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S8 Ep 1 - The Bones of St NicholasWelcome back to And Ninthly... where David, John and occasional guests chat about new episodes of the dark comedy drama BBC anthology show Inside No 9, written by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. In this installment we discuss the first episode of Series 8, 'The Bones of St Nicholas', aired on 23 December 2022. If you want to hear previous chunks of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! The Series 1-5 episode below features us talking about 'The Devil of Christmas' S...2023-05-0458 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 55 - Jaws (pt 2)We're back, talking more Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)! This time, John and I are joined by the fantastic Laura Carseldine. After some chat about the film and our fandom, we have a look at the original novel by Peter Benchley, and some of the differences between the source material and the movie adaptation. SPOILERS for the book, by the way! One of them in particular blows my mind. Then we have a discussion of the movie sequels, and their sublime and escalating ridiculousness. You can listen to part 1 (featuring Simon) here. 0.00 Intro chat/Jaws (th...2023-04-232h 05
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 55 - Jaws (pt 1)In a first for the show, we're doing a two-parter! On obscure movie curio Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975). He Is Risen. For this initial part, I'm joined by returning shipmate John and guest skipper the brilliant Simon Barraclough. Together, we start getting our teeth into The Big Fish Film. *WARNING* may contain poetry. Stay tuned for pt 2.... 0.00 A Trip to Amity 1.01 On The Boat You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com...2023-04-091h 56
Poditive Spin: The Friendly Fan ClubWhat We Talk About When We Talk About Stories (feat. David Faggiani of The EscapeGoat Podcast)This month on Poditive Spin, we dissect the ever-growing toxicity of internet fan culture, hoping to discover a healthier approach to film and media criticism.If you’re an arts fanatic, chances are you’ve gotten involved in your fair share of internet spats and mud-flinging over a creative product (movie, show, book, game,etc). A question, it seems, every contemporary film buff should ask themselves is: how can we have these conversations in a more positive, constructive manner that doesn’t devolve into tribalism and intransigence?To help us tackle these big questio...2023-04-071h 07
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 54 - Mostly HarmlessThis week, the brilliant James S. Murphy returns to the show, to chat about The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series (mostly the books, but we touch on some other forms too) and more specifically, the fifth book, Mostly Harmless (1992, Douglas Adams) which we really get into in the second half. A complete and total pleasure, from start to finish - hope it is for you all too! And Don't Panic. 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.08 pt 1 1.14 pt 2 You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggi...2023-03-272h 19
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 53 - Holiday/The Hudsucker ProxyOn this episode, Nannina drops in to chat to me about two movies which kind of orbit the concept of 'Screwball'.... Holiday (1938, George Cukor) starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, and The Hudsucker Proxy (1994, Joel and Ethan Coen) starring Tim Robbins and Jennifer Jason Leigh. I'm watching Holiday for the first time, Nannina is watching Hudsucker for the first time.... what did we think??? Find out by listening! 0.00 Intro 0.07 Holiday 1.00 The Hudsucker Proxy You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us...2023-03-121h 58
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 52 - My Life in Horror Volume IIWelcome to Series 4! We're back with a fresh run in 2023. And we're kicking off by welcoming back the wonderful Kit Power, to talk to me about his new essay collection, My Life in Horror Volume II! Join us as we talk about whether the Nightmare on Elm St movies ever lived up to their potential, whether Bruce Springsteen is a horror writer, why Superman III is utterly terrifying, and much much more! 0.00 Intro 0.08 pt 1 - General chat about My Life in Horror Volume II pt 2 - A closer look at some of the essa...2023-02-262h 52
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 51 - Count DuckulaWe're back! With an autumn special, before a new series in 2023. I welcome once again to the show both Matt and George! After an introductory chat, mostly about our recent Halloween/horror experiences (and the recent Hellraiser movie)... we move onto our main topic... the Cosgrove Hall UK animated classic Count Duckula (ITV, 1988-1993). Including a bit of animation history context from former guest Dru... and our most special guest ever... the inimitable Doreen Edwards (vocalist of the Count Duckula theme tune) We hope it's fun! Stick around after the credits for me and George ha...2022-11-162h 34
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 50 - Aguirre/Nosferatu/FitzcarraldoHere it is - the last episode of our third series! In which returning guest Nannina and new guest Lauren Humphries-Brooks join me to chat about three amazing Werner Herzog movies, Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979) and Fitzcarraldo (1982). And also Bob's Burgers, obviously. Thank you so much to all our guests this year, and everyone who has listened. The EscapeGoat Podcast will return.... 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.19 our backgrounds with Herzog's movies 0.32 Aguirre, the Wrath of God 1.02 Nosferatu the Vampyre 1.31 Fitzcarraldo 1.46 Wrap-up You ca...2022-06-261h 50
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 6 - Wise OwlOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John take on the sixth episode of Series 7, 'Wise Owl', aired on 1 June 2022. Spoilers as always (and, on that note, trigger warnings for discusions of abuse). After that (and a short break) we give our respective rankings of Series 7 of IN9, and some final thoughts! Skip ahead to 1h 7mins for that bit. If you want to hear previous chats of David and John about IN9, it's been the subject of a few The EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion a...2022-06-161h 31
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 5 - A Random Act of KindnessOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John have a discussion about the fifth episode of Series 7, 'A Random Act of Kindness', aired on 25 May 2022. If you want to hear previous chats of David and John about IN9, it's been the subject of a few The EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) Pemberton and Shearsmith record their own podcast for BBC Sounds, Inside Inside No 9, which usually features interesting material about the shows' productions and creative decisions. W...2022-06-0546 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 4 - Kid/NapOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John get carried away by the fourth episode of Series 7, 'Kid/Nap', aired on 18 May 2022. If you want to hear previous chats of David and John about IN9, it's been the subject of a few The EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) As mentioned on the show, Pemberton and Shearsmith record their own podcast for BBC Sounds, Inside Inside No 9, which usually features interesting material about the shows' productions and creative decisions. We...2022-06-0136 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 3 - Nine Lives KatOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John tackle the third episode of Series 7, 'Nine Lives Kat', aired on 11 May 2022. If you want to hear previous chats of David and John about IN9, it's been the subject of a few The EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) As mentioned on the show, Pemberton and Shearsmith record their own podcast for BBC Sounds, Inside Inside No 9, which usually features interesting material about the shows' productions and creative decisions. We...2022-05-2937 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 49 - Skeleton CrewOur latest episode - and our longest ever - in which I welcome back Kit, and we go deep on the 1985 Stephen King horror short story collection Skeleton Crew. And get pretty dark. After 20 mins at the start about Die Hard 2, naturally. Enjoy! 0.00 Introduction/chat about Die Hard 2 0.19 Our backgrounds with short fiction and Stephen King 1.03 The Mist 1.48 Here There Be Tygers 2.01 Milkman (#1 and #2) 2.11 Gramma 2.35 Word Processor of the Gods 3.06 The Jaunt 3.31 Survivor Type You can find the show on Twitter at @EG...2022-05-224h 16
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 2 - Mr KingOn this episode of And Ninthly... David and John dissect the second episode of Series 7, 'Mr King', aired on 27 April 2022. If you want to hear previous chats of David and John about IN9, it's been the subject of a few The EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2) As mentioned on the show, Pemberton and Shearsmith record their own podcast for BBC Sounds, Inside Inside No 9, which usually features interesting material about the shows' productions and creative decisions. Well wo...2022-05-0659 min
The EscapeGoat PodcastAnd Ninthly... An Inside No 9 Podcast: S7 Ep 1 - Merrily, MerrilyWelcome to a new strand of show, And Ninthly... where David, John and occasional guests chat about new episodes of the dark comedy drama BBC anthology show Inside No 9, written by and starring Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton. In this installment we discuss the first episode of Series 7, 'Merrily, Merrily', aired on 20 April 2022. If you want to hear previous chunks of David and John chatting about IN9, it's been the subject of a few EscapeGoat Podcast episodes - here are the links! Series 1-5: discussion and highlights Series 6 (pt 1) Series 6 (pt 2)2022-04-221h 07
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 48 - The White AlbumIn this episode, Rich is my guest to talk about the classic Beatles double-album from 1968 The Beatles (almost always known as The White Album.) After a general chat about our respective Beatles fandoms and histories, we discuss the album in general, and opine what it means to each of us. We then move on to a track-by-track discussion of The White Album, simultaneously presenting our individual picks for a re-versioning of the collection down from 30 tracks to 15! Which was good fun! Hope it's fun to listen to, as well. 0.00 Intro 0.08 The Beatles and...2022-04-112h 10
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 47 - The Men Behaving Badly/One Foot in the Grave finalesFor this episode, John joins me to discuss the respective finale episodes of the UK sitcoms Men Behaving Badly (1992-98, ITV/BBC) and One Foot in the Grave (1990-2000, BBC). WARNING: spoilers for all content in the two finales. In the first half, we talk about the three-part (!) Men Behaving Badly ending, and touch on 90s masculinity, baffling filler karaoke scenes, VideoPlus codes and the bleakness of forced maturity. In the second, we deal with the last installment of One Foot in the Grave, and accidental death, ambiguous murder, fragile optimism and Paul Merton cameos. We hope...2022-03-272h 13
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 46 - The BatmanOur latest episode is a take on the latest caped crusader flick The Batman (Matt Reeves, 2022) - a very hot take: when this was recorded, we'd all seen it just once, 24 hours previously. Joining me once again is Matt - and, for the first time on this show, his regular podcasting partner Mike Dunn! Between us, we chat a bit about our various histories with the Batman movie series, and after half an hour, we move onto a spoiler-free review (if you haven't seen the movie yet, you might want to switch us off at the 54 minute m...2022-03-091h 49
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 45 - The Johnny Maxwell TrilogyThis week, I'm joined by George Daniel Lea and James S. Murphy to wax lyrical about the 90s young adult series by the late great Terry Pratchett, The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy (1992-1996). We chat about Only You Can Save Mankind, Johnny and the Dead and Johnny and the Bomb, and the surreal, often bitter messaging of all three, as well as their positionality and mood rooted in the mid nineties of the UK. We also tie them in to aspects of Pratchett's work with his Discworld series, and talk about how the Johnny books resonate with us now, in...2022-02-272h 01
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 44 - Curb Your EnthusiasmWe're back, with the first episode of series 3 of the show! In which my guest Chris Doughty joins me to discuss the long-running improvised comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO, 1999-). We chat about Larry the character and Larry the real-life creator of the show, talk about the supporting characters and actors that make the show great (from Cheryl to Leon) and we pick our favourite seasons of Curb (and a few specific episodes!) and assess where we think it is now, in quality terms, after 20+ years. Hope you enjoy it - it's good to be back! Pretty, p...2022-02-132h 01
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 43 - Doctor Who: FluxThe final episode of our second series, in which David and Colleen (with a monologue assist from new guest Andrew Blair) tackle the recently-concluded season of Doctor Who (known as 'Flux'), and the 13th Doctor era more generally! Happy early Xmas! We'll be back with new episodes in early 2022. 0.00 Intro/What We Do In The Shadows 0.10 Doctor Who: Flux 0.52 The Andrew Interjection 1.13 The 13th Doctor era more generally/thoughts for the future You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_F...2021-12-081h 52
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 42 - The Green KnightI have Nannina back on the show in order to discuss recent Arthurian arthouse horror fantasy oddity The Green Knight (David Lowery, 2021). After a bit of preamble chat about Foundation (Apple TV, 2021-) N.B. I'd say we start getting sliiiiiightly spoilery about The Green Knight from about the 45 min mark, and it sort of ramps up from there (esp. in pt 2). We don't discuss the specifics of the ending at all until the last 20 mins, though. And I don't spoil Foundation at all, because Nannina hasn't seen it yet. 0.00 Intro/preamble on Foundation 0.1...2021-11-281h 43
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 41 - The Final CutOn this latest episode, I welcome back Kit to finish off the Francis Urquhart trilogy with The Final Cut (1995, BBC). Joining us to see the old man off in style is the legendary Jack Graham. A thoroughly enjoyable chat to have, and hopefully to listen to! You may also wish to listen to our previous episodes on House of Cards and To Play The King. 0.00 The Final Cut 2.17 Bonus extra chat You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with an...2021-11-142h 37
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 40 - Time BanditsOn this installment, Matt returns to talk about a shared childhood favourite, the comic fantasy movie Time Bandits (Terry Gilliam, 1981). We discuss the aesthetic flow of Monty Python and Gilliam movies, the genius of David Warner, and the rough justice of The Supreme Being! 0.00 Our background with Monty Python 0.29 Time Bandits You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All our episodes so far are on Spotify, our YouTube channel, and Apple Podcasts. Do spread the...2021-11-011h 41
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 39 - The Flight of Dragons In this week's episode, I welcome back George, talking about... well many things.... but, from an hour in, about the relatively obscure animated classic The Flight of Dragons (1982). Before that, we touch on Witches Abroad, Adventure Time, Garth Merenghi's Darkplace and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Enjoy! 0.00 Preamble 1.01 The Flight of Dragons You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All our episodes so far are on Spotify, our YouTube channel, and Apple Podcasts! D...2021-10-172h 08
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 38 - WalkaboutThis week, I welcome back both Cat and Nannina, to chat about one of my formative teenage movies - Walkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1971). We talk about the film's unique style, its actors, what it might be trying to say, and its ambiguity and effectiveness. A great discussion. 0.00 Walkabout (pt 1) 0.53 Walkabout (pt 2) You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All our episodes are on Spotify, our YouTube channel, and Apple Podcasts. Do share and enjoy. We also hav...2021-10-031h 35
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 37 - Blackadder IIWelcome back for our second series! For this return, I have a fantastic discussion with Matt and John about the legendary UK sitcom Blackadder II (1986, BBC). We talk about its reinvention after the experimentation of The Black Adder (1983), how its cast make it really fly as an ensemble comedy, and some of our personal highlights. We then work our way through all six episodes, to sieve them for highlights and flaws. We attempted to be critical, but there is also just a fair bit of fanboying, let's face it. 0.00 Intro/preamble 0.09 Blackadder II in g...2021-09-192h 08
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 36 - Prime Minister Priti and other things that never happenedWe're back in the middle of our summer hiatus with a special new episode, to tide you over until September! I’m very pleased to welcome David Bean to the show, to talk primarily about his essay in the new counterfactual political history collection Prime Minister Priti and other things that never happened (Biteback Publishing, 2021), which is due out on 27th July. In the first part of the episode, we talk about David’s essay What if Eric Joyce had pulled his punches in 2012? in the new book, which investigates a recent divergent scenario involving a drunken punc...2021-07-232h 11
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 35 - Inside No. 9 (Series 6 - pt 2)John joins me to wrap up our first season, by finishing our review of Series 6 of Inside No. 9 (BBC, 2014-). We cover episodes 4-6, and then give our respective rankings of the entire offering! Hope you have a good time listening to it. The EscapeGoat Podcast will return with new episodes in September! Until then... enjoy the back catalogue! And thanks again to every single guest, and listener. It's been amazing. 0.00 Intro 0.04 Episode 4 - Hurry Up And Wait 0.27 Episode 5 - How Do You Plead? 0.49 Episode 6 - Last Night Of...2021-06-201h 34
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 34 - Paris, When It SizzlesIn this penultimate episode of the first season (I guess) of The EscapeGoat Podcast, David and Nannina (after some initial chat about Dune) talk about the Audrey Hepburn/William Holden meta-fictional screenwriting rom-com oddity, Paris, When It Sizzles (Richard Quine, 1964.) Spoilers - it's a very odd movie. Enjoy! 0.00 Preamble/Dune 0.27 Paris, When It Sizzles (pt 1) 0.58 Paris, When It Sizzles (pt 2) You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All our episodes so far are...2021-06-171h 45
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 33 - Inside No. 9 (Series 6 - pt 1)John returns to the show to discuss the first half of the long-awaited new sixth series of Inside No. 9 (BBC, 2014-). We cover episodes 1-3 of Series 6, and will be back in June to chat about the remaining episodes and to discuss the series as a whole. Until then, enjoy! 0.00 Intro/general chat 0.21 Initial reactions to Series 6 of Inside No. 9 0.42 Episode 1 - Wuthering Heist 1.10 Episode 2 - Simon Says 1.38 Episode 3 - Lip Service You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggi...2021-05-302h 04
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 32 - System of a DownThis week... I'm not on the show! Which is a novelty. Instead, many-times-prior guests Matt and Isobel host, and discuss the innovative and eccentric Armenian-American metal band System of a Down, a topic very close to both their hearts. They chat about their fervent fandom, youthful and not-so-youthful gig and album memories, and then spend a serious negotiation coming up with a joint 'Top 5' tracks of the band. A great enthusiastic discussion, whether you love SOAD or not! 0.00 General discussion and memories of System 0.40 Matt and Isobel's Top 5 System tracks 1.02...2021-05-231h 23
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 31 - The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeCat returns to the show for the first of hopefully two episodes about her and David's respective favourites in the Legend of Zelda game series! After about 30 mins of chat about their recent podcasting efforts, they get onto chatting about the stone-cold N64 classic, Ocarina of Time (Nintendo, 1998). This includes digressions into fictional maps, orientalism, bisexuality, The Terminator and which tunic Adult Link looks hottest in. Enjoy! 0.00 General chat/making podcasts 0.30 Ocarina of Time You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and e...2021-05-092h 00
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 30 - The Sopranos (Seasons 3 & 4)Matt is my guest this week for our 30th episode, discussing his first impressions of Seasons 3 and 4 of The Sopranos (1999-2007, HBO), which he's watching for the first time. This follows on from our episode on the first two seasons last year. N.B. This podcast contains no spoilers for The Sopranos beyond the end of Season 4, so if you've only seen that far, it's safe to listen! We do make references back to Seasons 1 and 2, as you might imagine. 0.00 Intro 0.08 Season 3 0.55 Season 4 You can find the show on Twi...2021-04-251h 48
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 29 - To Play The King In this installment, I welcome Kit back to the show, to continue our deep dive on the BBC House of Cards series, with the middle part of the trilogy To Play The King (1993, BBC). Also featuring chat about Trump, The Justice League... and, if you stick around til after the credits... some UK politics. Who are we kidding... politics throughout. SPOILERS for House Of Cards and To Play The King. We make minor veiled references to The Final Cut, but spoiler-free we hope, as we'll be back for that. If you like this, I'd definitely recommend you check out Episode 21, wher...2021-04-053h 15
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 28 - Doctor Who (Season 6)This time, I am joined by the wonderful Colleen Cheetham-Gerrard to talk first (relatively briefly) about the WandaVision finale, which had just aired two days ago when we recorded this! Subsequently, we talk about a mutual passion - Doctor Who (1963-, BBC) and more specifically, the Matt Smith/Karen Gillan-starring Season 6 (2011)! Is it fantastic? Flawed? As usual, a bit of both? Listen on... 0.00 WandaVision 0.33 Doctor Who and us in general 0.49 Season 6 in detail You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us...2021-03-212h 16
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 27 - Hail to the ThiefIn this episode, Matt and Rich join me to talk about the slightly divisive 2003 album Radiohead album Hail to the Thief. We discuss what Radiohead mean and meant to us, where they were at in 2003, and the strengths and weaknesses of the album in question. Hope you enjoy! 0.00 General intro chat 0.16 Radiohead and our experience with them 0.47 Hail to the Thief specifically You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us with any feedback on escapegoatpod@gmail.com. All our episo...2021-03-071h 54
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 26 - Gormenghast (2000)New episode, featuring YouTube creator and author George Daniel Lea! After a fun time discussing everything from contemporary horror game Visage to puzzle game classic Lemmings 2 to The Chronicles of Narnia to the ITV sitcom Vicious... we finally (at the 1hr mark) get around to chatting about the main focus of the episode, the Mervyn Peake adaptation Gormenghast (2000, BBC). We talk about the show's amazing ensemble cast, its startling aesthetics, and its differences from Peake's very idiosyncratic books. Hope you enjoy! 0.00 General chat/intro 1.00 Gormenghast (2000) You can find the show on Twitter at @EGo...2021-02-212h 43
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 25 - The Time Machine (1960)For this edition, I welcome back Nannina Gilder, to talk about another Rod Taylor movie (and another of my all time favourites!). We discuss The Time Machine (1960, George Pal) as well as our backgrounds with the Wells novella from 1895, sci-fi in general, and what little we can remember of the 2002 adaptation! Enjoy chat about Morlocks, Eloi, pre-Facebook Asimov internet message boards, offensive adventure fiction tropes and The Big Lebowski. 0.00 General chat/intro 0.24 The Time Machine as a story/our background with Sci-Fi 1.00 The Time Machine (1960) You can find the show on Twitte...2021-02-072h 01
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 24 - SpacedIn this episode, John returns, to discuss one of his favourite shows with me, that being the cult British sitcom Spaced (1999-2001, Channel 4). We talk about the choices Jessica Hynes and Simon Pegg made in bringing the show to the screen, as well as the indelible signature of Edgar Wright as director, and what the other actors contribute to the whole mix. We then have a brief chat about the 'Cornetto Trilogy' of movies (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World's End), particularly what approaches they might continue from Spaced, and what they do differently. ...2021-01-242h 23
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 23 - The US Presidential Election 2020 - pt 2 (Aftermath)For the second part of a conversation either side of the US Election, I am joined this week by Tierney Hamilton, and also by my friends Megan and Sophie. In the first half, we discuss events since the November election, and how Trump and Biden have played the situation. We also unavoidably discuss the storming of Capitol Hill by a pro-Trump mob on 6th January (we were recording on 9th January, so it's pretty fresh). We discuss the possibilities and benefits of impeachment. In the second part we discuss the new shape of the Senate...2021-01-111h 48
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 22 - Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow?To see out 2020 (phew), I am joined by Jonny Kiehlmann to chat about the Alan Moore comics gem, the Superman 'finale' Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? (1986, DC Comics). We also ramble a bit about other Moore works, and some other notable Superman stories, as well as 'endings' in popular heroic fiction generally. Give it a listen, and Happy New Year in advance! See you in 2021. 0.00 Intro and general chat 0.23 Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? 1.10 'Endings' in ongoing heroic fiction You can find the show on Twitter at @EGo...2020-12-271h 40
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 21 - House of Cards (1990)This week, I'm delighted to welcome Kit Power to the show! After some initial and vaguely relevant discussion about Season 4 of The Crown (Netflix, 2016-), we proceed to a thorough chat about a mutual favourite, the 1990 BBC TV political drama miniseries House of Cards, starring Ian Richardson and Susannah Harker. SPOILERS for House Of Cards itself, and very minor spoilers for the US remake show (Netflix, 2013-2018). We make minor references to To Play the King and The Final Cut, but these are spoiler-free, as we hope to cover these sequel miniseries in the future! 0.00 Intro...2020-12-132h 17
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 20 - The BirdsOn this 20th installment, I'm joined by my friend Nannina to talk about one of my favourite films, The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock, 1963). After a general catch up about the post-Election landscape in late November 2020 in the US, we turn to discussion of the indelible Hitchcock movie, in terms of its focus, its characters and its startling aesthetic style. We also touch on the original 1953 short story, by Daphne du Maurier. We then move on to the sad topic of Tippi Hedren's artistically productive but deeply toxic and unpleasant relationship with Hitchcock. Spoiler warnings for The B...2020-11-291h 42
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 19 - Inside No 9This week, it’s my pleasure to take a break from electoral matters, and welcome my friend John to the show (in what ended up being our longest episode yet) to talk about the dark comedy anthology TV show Inside No 9 (BBC, 2014-). We’re both big fans. After some general discussion of the show and our backgrounds with Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, we get into specific analysis of (what else?) 9 episodes that we’ve picked as favourites to chat about in more detail. SPOILERS for these episodes and more from 31 minutes in! I’ve put t...2020-11-152h 48
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 18 - The US Presidential Election 2020 - pt 1For the first part of a conversation either side of 3rd November, I am joined this week by Tierney Hamilton, for a discussion of current US Politics ahead of the rapidly-approaching Presidential Election. In the first half, we have a general political discussion, and get an idea of the mood on the ground in Tierney's part of the States (Rochester, NY). From 41 minutes in, we talk more about the performance of the Trump and Biden campaigns, how we feel about how it's all going, and we make a few predictions about States results and other outcomes. Eeeep.2020-10-251h 23
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 17 - The Sopranos (Seasons 1 & 2)Matt joins me for a chat about his first impressions of the first two seasons of The Sopranos (1999-2007, HBO). He has just finished watching them for the first time, and I'm a massive long-term fan, so I couldn't resist getting his take on the early stages of the show! We also ramble a bit at the start about the current commercial state of cinema in late 2020, and somehow drift from The Sopranos into Close Encounters of The Third Kind at some point. N.B. This podcast contains no spoilers for The Sopranos beyond the end of S...2020-10-111h 35
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 16 - HappinessIn this episode, I welcome Isobel back to the show! After getting distracted with other topics (mostly, my recent rewatch of Season 3 of The Wire - minor spoilers for that show) we turn to an examination of the VERY dark comedy/drama movie Happiness (Todd Solondz, 1998). Skip straight to 34 minutes in for that. It’s a fun conversation, but also touches on some very dark themes, as the movie does. So, content warnings for discussion of harassment, sexual abuse/paedophilia and sexual assault. 0.00 Intro 0.14 The Wire (Season 3 mostly) 0.34 Happiness (pt 1 – Helen, Allen...2020-09-272h 20
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 15 - The Black AdderThis week, I welcome Matt back to the podcast, to talk about a very unusual and much maligned semi-obscurity... the first series of a subsequently highly revered UK comedy, The Black Adder (1983, BBC Television). Is it as bad as its reputation suggests? And what did the following more acclaimed Blackadder series take from it... and what did they leave behind? Matt and I recall our childhood background with the show, discuss The Black Adder in general, including its cast and style, and then examine the six episode series in a bit more detail, including what makes it...2020-09-131h 45
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 14 - The Game of Thrones finale/The Deadwood movieFor this episode... we present the unearthed EscapeGoat pilot! A conversation recorded in June 2019, with the thought of being a dry run for a potential podcast which eventually became this show! In this chat (recorded face to face in a very hot room), Rich and I talked about the then-recent finale episode of Game of Thrones (2011-19, HBO) and what we made of it, and indeed some of the general direction of the show. We go on to talk about the (again) then-recent comeback special/belated finale of Deadwood (2004-2006, 2019), and how it's an odd TV...2020-08-291h 58
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 13 - Pokemon/Monster In My PocketThis week, I'm joined by Olivia, to discuss two respective childhood passions with some similarities - the Pokemon and Monster in My Pocket franchises! We discuss our introduction to the brands as kids, our passion for collecting and exploring these worlds, and the origins, inspirations and symbolism behind the monsters in each series. Olivia talks about how her recent acquisition of Pokemon Shield for the Nintendo Switch has helped her cope with lockdown, and I share how similar rediscovery of my childhood MIMP figures (and a very expensive sticker album!) has helped me deal with a very odd...2020-08-161h 40
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 12 - The Road Runner cartoonsThis week, I welcome back both Rich and Dru to the show, for an extremely enjoyable discussion of the classic Warner Bros Chuck Jones-directed Road Runner cartoons! We have a general chat about why we think they're so brilliant, talk a bit about the context of their creation, and get shamelessly in-depth about some of our favourite gags from the series (particularly from the first 10 films in the series, 1949-1957) and why we think they are enduringly fantastic and creative. Had such a good time doing this! After Dru leaves us, me and Rich then have a q...2020-08-021h 51
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 11 - The Wonderful Story of Henry SugarThis week, my friend Daniel joins me for the first time, to discuss a shared passion of ours, the stories of Roald Dahl! In the first half we focus pretty closely on discussion of Dahl's longish short story The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. In the second half, we broaden the scope to talk a little bit about Dahl's other works, particularly some of his more popular children's fiction, and their ideas around retributive and 'childish' justice. Works discussed include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Witches, The BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox and several others. 0.00 The...2020-07-191h 30
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 10 - Romantic ComediesIn our 10th episode, Cat returns to talk to me about how the US TV industry has been faring since we spoke in April, and a little bit about how US Politics is shaping up ahead of the November Presidential, and in light of the continuing COVID chaos. We then get on to the main topic of discussion, that of romantic comedy movies. We mainly focus on 500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb, 2009), When Harry Met Sally (Rob Reiner, 1989) and Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977). Other films we touch on include Me Before You, While You Were Sleeping, Isn't It...2020-07-052h 04
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 09 - All About Eve/Meet The FeeblesOn this episode, Matt returns, to discuss with me a film double-bill about the perils and pitfalls of getting ahead, knowing who to trust and being an older actress in the theatre world - that is, All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) and Meet The Feebles (Peter Jackson, 1989). After that, we have a brief and hopefully mildly-amusing post-show chat about Star Wars! 0.00 All About Eve 0.56 Meet The Feebles 1.36 Post-show chat You can find the show on Twitter at @EGoat_pod (or tweet at me on @D_Faggiani) and email us w...2020-06-141h 47
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 08 - The PixiesOn Episode 08 of the show, Rich returns! We chat for a while about some television we've been watching recently (and some old associations with it). We then move onto the meat of the episode - a discussion of the early (1987-1992) recording career of the utterly seminal US Alt Rock band The Pixies. We meanderingly traverse their discography, pick out some track highlights, and debate what the band meant to us and what they mean to us now! 0.00 Intro/TV discussion 0.35 The Pixies: Come on Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and Doolittle 2020-05-312h 01
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 07 - Who Framed Rodger Rabbit?On this episode, I sit down with my friend Dru to gush lovingly about the live-action/cartoon LA noir classic Who Framed Rodger Rabbit? (Robert Zemeckis, 1988). In Part 1, we blether on about various fantastic aspects of Rodger Rabbit, the work of Bob Hoskins and Christopher Llloyd in the film, and some of the political resonances of Doom's plan and of the existence and treatment of the Toons in general, as well as our idea for a prequel comic. In Part 2, we get a little bit more into some of the technical innovations of the movie, in...2020-05-171h 58
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 06 - All Good Things/The TNG movies/ST: PicardIn this installment of the show, Isobel returns, and we discuss All Good Things, the classic finale episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994). We talk about what makes All Good Things such an effective and emotional episode of television, and touch on its themes of trauma, healing and solidarity. We then move on to kvetch about a few things which arguably provide a less-satisfying capstone to the Next Generation story - namely, the four TNG movies (1994-2002) and the recent Star Trek: Picard (CBS/Amazon Prime, 2020-). 0.00 Intro 0.04 All Good Things...2020-05-031h 54
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 05 - Ex Machina/UpgradeIn this episode, I'm joined by my friend Cat Hamilton, from LA. We talk a little bit about the current state of the US TV industry (which Cat works in), its short-term reactions to the current Covid-19 crisis, and the future directions it might evolve into, to survive. Speaking of evolution and survival, we then move onto the primary focus of the episode, in discussion of two sci-fi/AI-focused movies from the 2010s, Ex Machina (Alex Garland, 2015) and Upgrade (Leigh Whannell, 2018), and our thoughts about them. We liked one of them a bit more than the other on...2020-04-262h 22
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 04 - South Park (Season 5)This week, I welcome Matt back to the podcast, and am also joined by Olivia Broome, to talk about South Park (1997-, Comedy Central) in general, as well as conducting a full episode-by-episode retrospective on Season 5 of the show, which aired over the course of 2001, and contains episodes including Scott Tenorman Must Die, Super Best Friends, Kenny Dies and Butters' Very Own Episode. We discuss the approach and attitudes of Trey Parker and Matt Stone's work as a whole, as well as their development of South Park in the early years, including the move South Park: Bigger, Long...2020-04-181h 59
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 03 - The Dollars Trilogy/Red Dead RedemptionThis week, I'm joined by Richard Gilbert to discuss a fairly broad swathe of Westerns. First, we talk Sergio Leone and the 'Dollars Trilogy', with particular focus on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Leone, 1966). We definitely touch on mythological tropes, and we probably get a bit pretentious. We then chat about the first three episodes of The Mandalorian (Disney+, 2019-) and especially how it echoes Leone stylings and themes. We then move on to me interviewing Rich about his experience playing the two Red Dead Redemption games (Rockstar Games, 2010/2018), and his take on their scope a...2020-04-111h 56
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 02 - Star Trek: VoyagerIn this episode, I'm joined by my friend Isobel McNally to discuss the television series Star Trek: Voyager (UPN, 1995-2001). Isobel and I discuss our childhood and adolescent Trek fandom, where Voyager sits in our regards, and how it's aged in our eyes, and those of the wider Trek community. We review some of our highlights (and lowlights) of the seven seasons of Voyager, and talk a little bit about where the franchise has been more recently, and our current relationship with all things Trek. (N.B. this episode was recorded with two episodes left to air...2020-04-042h 03
The EscapeGoat PodcastEpisode 01 - Day of the Dead/World War ZWelcome to the first episode of a podcast about most things, flaws and all. And thus completely impossible to promote effectively or monetize. I'm your host David Faggiani. In this first attempt, I am joined by my brother Matt to discuss two pretty important pieces of Zombie fiction - the movie Day of the Dead (George A. Romero, 1985) and the fictional oral history novel World War Z (Max Brooks, published 2006). We touch on the meaning of both these works to us, and discuss the wider Zombie genre, some other Romero movies of note, the adaptations of WWZ (s...2020-03-281h 33
Bald Move PrestigeAn American Werewolf in London (1981)This podcast was commissioned as a wedding gift from David Faggiani to his little brother Matt, to celebrate their life-long love affair with the 1981 John Landis horror/comedy "American Werewolf in London". We discuss the awesome practical effects of the movie, the fine line between comedy and absurdity the film walks, Nazi werewolves, the not-so-friendly people you meet in the English countryside, and much more.Congrats, Matt! Hope you and David have fun in Germany! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2016-03-091h 31