All the excellent nonsense I was happy to endure during JULY
Idris Elba... literary scandals... soccer for ladies... we have it all
Hello! Yes it is August, but that doesn’t mean July never happened! That’s not how it works! Here’s all the things that helped Bec and Patrick get through July…
PATRICK RECOMMENDS
The Witcher
As you might know, my job is just television. I watch television, I have thoughts about it. What this has meant is that I now basically have a panic attack when I haven’t seen every single TV show. “You would have watched The Bear” they say to me. Not “have you watched The Bear”, just a blanket assumption. No I haven’t! I’m busy! This weekend I have to somehow binge all of Heartstopper s2 so I can write about it. I mean, i’m not complaining - I’ll take this over manual labour or stitching people’s legs back on any day - but it does mean that TV has gone from something I enjoy to work.
Except The Witcher. The Witcher is so stupid that I can’t possibly turn it into work. I can’t think of any angles to write about, no cultural commentary. Just muscular grumpy man killing things with sword. Just beautiful sexy wizards casting spells.
I can’t tell you how little I understand what is happening. It’s season 3 or 4 now, and apart from understanding everyone’s names, I don’t know why they hate each other. There will be an episode where on character betrays another, but it means nothing because I don’t know why or what they want?
But it doesn’t matter, because I’m just letting it wash over me like champagne bubbles.
Stranger Than Fiction on Shameless Media
Look, I don’t want this recommendation newsletter to just be the place where I talk about all the cool things my partner does, but unfortunately she constantly does cool stuff, so it is.
You should listen to Eilish Gilligan’s new podcast on Shameless, Stranger Than Fiction. It’s about scandals and drama in the literary world, and the first episode is all about the fabricated memoir that fooled Oprah (and the world)
BEC RECOMMENDS
Hijack
It takes a lot these days for a random tv show to grab my attention and hold it. I am more likely to flick around and watch the first 10 minutes of 6 shows than one episode of a new show. But not last week, when I was scrolling through AppleTV and was enticed with the beautiful sweater-clad shoulders of Mr Idris Elba. The show was called hijack, and it is about Idris Elba being on a hijacked plane. But don’t worry - he has incredible negotiating skills.
It is an incredibly silly show, and I watched every last minute of it and loved it. If you don’t believe me, read my friend Sinead’s column about it. HIJACK HIVE RISE!
Rin McArdle
One of the best feelings you can have is when a friend makes and releases art, and you genuinely vibe with and love it. I have had the pleasure of that experience this week with the release of my friend Rin’s album. I didn’t actually have any idea what the album was going to be like, I’d never heard her music before - and I love it. She played all the instruments, and it’s giving me country pop 90’s rock tegan and sara alanis vibes, hard to pin down. All I know is it makes me feel emotional! This song below features Georgia from Camp Cope <3
The rest of the songs can be found here, and there is a lovely interview here with Rin, I recommend it as well.
Women’s World Cup
If you aren’t watching, what is wrong with you? There has been amazing story after amazing story. Germany just got knocked out, which meant Morocco got through! South Africa out and Jamaica in! The little guys are shining! It’s the Mighty Ducks baddies losing! The Matildas have an exciting game on Monday! Get on board!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't understand the witcher either but I did notice this season seemed so bloody. More people killing than Monsters. Then off stomped Henry Cavill, into the forest grumpy as ever. Kind of sad really. The best episode- when he goes on a dragon hunt. Season 1 or 2? Ah well.