Raven On: A Pop Culture Podcast

Raven On | AKotSK S1E6 by Natalie Bochenski & Stuart Layt

Natalie and Ben return to SOB INCESSANTLY about the tragic end of a beloved character. Well, Ben is relatively adult and circumspect, but Natalie retains an irrational reaction to the inevitable. Ben has some excellent advice on retrieving lance spear points from your body (don't) and Natalie manages to bring Timothy Dalton into proceedings for some reason. Listen, there's a lot of chat, so strap in and enjoy!

Natalie and Ben return to revel in the majesty of this terrific episode. The Baelor Targaryen Fan Club is in full voice as the pair praise the Sexy Hand for his Sexy Stand. Dunk is lovely, Ben has a bone to pick with Egg, Natalie fears a devastating result, and both agree Steffon can go eat a bag of dicks. Note - there are digressions into musicals and dodgy Australian castles, so beware.

Natalie and Ben are back to delight in a) delightful team bonding between Dunk and Egg and b) Aerion getting smashed in the face. But Ben has questions about exactly what the rules are in jousting, and why it's not clear whether Dunk should take that offer from the Master of Games. In true Raven On style, there are tangents, this time into alcohol culture and famous people getting away with stuff. Enjoy!

Natalie and Ben are back - yes, it's very late, but they've had conflicting schedules and illnesses to podcast around. Anyway, the point is, Episode 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is here, and these two are going to chat about. It's mostly about Ser Arlan's...er... "talent" but rest assured there's jousting, and awkward social interactions, and tug-o-war. Enjoy!

Raven On AKotSK S1E1 by Natalie Bochenski & Stuart Layt

Can you believe it's finale time?! The eighth and final episode of House of the Dragon is here, and Nat and Tom are ready to deep dive like a dragon off the cliffs of Dragonstone. Yeah, that's a metaphor that kind of works. Everyone had something going on in this episode: Rhaena's chasing a mangy feral; Tyland meets a gender-bending admiral; Aegon takes his bad leg (and sizzled wang) on the run; Aemond goes nuts; Helaena seems to be able to drop in on Daemon's dreams; and Rhaenyra and Alicent have a final epic confrontation. Thank you so much for listening to us this season; particularly as we navigate podcasting without the massive talent and presence of the one and only Stuart Layt. He would have loved this season so much. <3

Tom is in Edinburgh prepping a show, and Natalie is also in a very glamourous location (her couch), but nothing can stop them talking all things HotD penultimate episode! Rhaenyra's dragonriding auditions hit full swing with more misses than hits, but still, hits that count. Oscar Tully is everyone's new favourite Daemon-slapping young leader, Ser Larys is shenanigan-ing in the capital, and Alicent has gone bush. One more episode to go! Eeek!

Lordy lordy, quite a saucy moment at the, ahem, climax of this week's episode of House of the Dragon. Nat & Tom break down the magic moment between Rhaenyra and Mysaria; Alicent's terrible relationships with her sons; Daemon's psychological breakthrough at Harrenhal; and the continuing effects of all this on the "Smallfolk" of the title. Plus dragon riding is tougher than you might think; unless you're the right person, of course. Enjoy!

Nat and Tom are back to deconstruct Daemon's dodgy dream in this week's House of the Dragon. The Harrenhal ergot is wild, man. It's a slower episode after the fire and blood of last time, but there's still a lot of great moments and characters wallowing in frustration to make for excellent discussions: Alicent getting mansplained out of a job; Rhaenyra and Jace hoping to plant some new seeds; Aegon's crispy dilemma; the Riverlords getting hella mad. Enjoy!

NO NO NO NO NO WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING Sigh. You watch Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon for a decade and yet you STILL don't think you're going to have your heart broken. We sweet summer children. Tom's in France, but has found an hour away from the champagne and fromage to chat to Natalie about the epic Battle of Rooks Rest, and its terrible climax. Plus - Aegon really wants to matter, Alicent's starting to give no f***s, and Daemon is going slightly mad. Also, at one point, Natalie references a weird-ass thumping dance track from the 90s called "Dead Eyes Opened". It looks as it was originally from an Australian band in 1983, but then it was pumped up in '94, and that's the one Natalie remembers. It's here if you want to take a look: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJJ5WEmW5OI

As Tom says to Nat in this episode re: nudity: "ask and ye shall receive". There's a lot to this week's HotD, but surely Hot D itself is a... well.... large part of it. Join Nat and Tom as they deep dive into Alicent and Rhaenyra's reunion, the arrival of Sir Simon as Ser Simon, Ser Gwayne the Green Knight and more. There's also updates on the impending British election, AND a tangent about why Nat's brain might not be functioning properly. Enjoy!

Nat and Tom are back for more Hot D, and it's all go go go as King Aegon seeks revenge for a little dynastic trouble he's had imposed on him. There's a focus on what the role the smallfolk will play in the battles ahead, as well as some proper acting, tantrums, twin talk, and more. There's also a little Doctor Who season finale wrap-up, plus a bit of chatter about the bonkers British election, or "gennie lec" as the kids might say. Natalie also forgets to do the regular "where you can find us" should out, so just in case - it's @girlclumsy and @tomsalinsky on Twitter/X, www.patreon.com/girlclumsy and www.facebook.com/nataliesthrone. Enjoy!

By the Old Gods and new, this is a very strange thing - to be delighted to be back in Westeros, but still so sad our wonderful friend and bloodrider Stuart Layt isn't here to lead the way with his booming laugh and unparalled knowledge of all things House of the Dragon. While of course Stu is irreplaceable, it's wonderful to welcome podcast regular Tom Salinsky onboard to help steer the dragon through Season 2 of HotD. There's lots to chew over in this first instalment, including the return (briefly) of the Starks, Alicent and Cristan Cole-dancing, Rhaenyra's grief, Aegon's magnanimity, and a terrible crime to wrap it all up.

Singing! Goblins! Singing Goblins! New Doctor! New Companion! It's all happening in Ncuti Gatwa's first full episode as The Doctor in The Church on Ruby Road. John and Tom from the Best Pick Pod join Natalie to recap this Christmas episode, complete with babe left outside a church on Christmas Eve, goblin karaoke, mysterious set-ups for future episodes, and Davina McCall (who is a big deal in the UK, apparently).

The trio of Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials concludes with "The Giggle", in which Neil Patrick Harris has the time of his life with a dance number to a song very close to Natalie's heart. Once again she's joined by Tom and John from the Best Pick Pod to deep dive into David Tennant's last(?) outing as the Fourteenth Doctor and (spoiler!) Ncuti Gatwa's first appearance as the Fifteenth. Thanks for listening to these podcast specials, which of course have been our first since losing the lion-hearted, Doctor Who-loving genius that was Stuart Layt. We know he would have loved them.

It's the second 60th anniversary special, and Natalie is joined once more by Tom and John from the Best Pick Pod to discuss "Wild Blue Yonder". It turns out you can have a slightly-too-cutesy-and-quite-naff pre-credit sequence and then switch things up for a fabulously creepy episode set at the edge of the universe. Enjoy!

Kittens! This is WEIRD. It is WEIRD to podcast without the genius that is Stuart Layt. WEIRD, and NOT RIGHT. Sadly Stu passed away three months ago, and boy am I still mad about it. Particularly since he LOVED Doctor Who with his whole soul. But I am so glad that Tom Salinsky from the brilliant Best Pick Pod reached out about joining forces to recap the David Tennant 60th anniversary specials. And so here it is - Who's Raven On with Tom and John from the Best Pick Pod, chatting all things Star Beast. This same podcast will appear on their feed (albeit with a different top and tail!). I hope you enjoy it. Much love, wonderful listeners.

Hello, my friends. I'm sorry it's been so long. I've recorded a little chat just about Stu, and what it's been like without him, and what might happen next with the podcast. I hope you can take a listen if/when you're up to it. I hope you are all well and happy, wonderful listeners. Much love. xoxo MoK.

Lookout! Natalie's got herself a soundboard and isn't afraid to use it. Will this be enough to alienate Stu? Probably not, because he loves these dang movies too much. When Agent Hobbes needs to take down a car-based baddie, of course he turns to Dom's car-based superhero crew. They hit London to make those stupid Brits look even stupider, and track down the badass Owen Shaw. There's a chase through the Monopoly board, Rita Ora in hot pants, and Letty's back from the dead. Enjoy!

Well HELLO sunshine! Nat & Stu head to Rio de Janeiro for the most ridiculous - and dare we say - most fun instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise so far. Your intrepid hosts are joined by the uber-clever Tom Salinsky from London, a PROPER critic who's ready to throw down in support of the franchise and all it stands for. There's The Rock's beefiness, Vin Diesel's meatiness, Gal Gadot's butt and so much more in this super fun heist caper that features a Scooby gang of car-based criminals. Enjoy!

In an eclectic turn, this podcast features all manner of pop culture subjects including the classic Australian series "Underbelly", the classic English detective series "Vera", and the classic time Nat & Stu watched a porno. That might give you an indication of how much the fourth instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise - conveniently called "Fast & Furious" - held the attention of your erstwhile hosts. Still, there's a bit to dive into about the film, including its somewhat familiar plot, obsession with tunnels, and big twist reveal. Enjoy!

With Vin Diesel and Paul Walker seemingly gone for good, The Fast & The Furious franchise tries to reboot, Tokyo-style, with a whole new cast of racing identities across the Pacific. The kid from American Gothic gets sent to Japan as punishment for illegal street racing, and immediately gets caught up in a whole new set of illegal street races. Nat & Stu dissect it all, including the creepy relationship between the "Drift King" and his girlfriend, the girlfriend's weird Australian accent, and how Han was so cool they go on to bend time around him. Also, Natalie stuns Stu with the revelation that she once dragged race at an official raceway outside venue. Stu cannot believe she would bury this on a podcast he doesn't believe many people will listen to - so prove him wrong! Enjoy.

Nat and Stu re-start their engines for the second instalment in the Fast & Furious franchise: 2 Fast 2 Furious. Brian O'Connor is back - no longer a cop, he makes his money from what else, illegal street racing. But he's given a chance to clear his records by what else, going undercover to run cash for a drug baron. There's no Vin Diesel, but there is Tyrese. Also Ludacris. It's a rappers' delight. Together they WILL jump a car onto a boat. This ep also sees the introduction of commentary by Natalie's brother and F&F fanatic, Simon. Enjoy!

Happy 2023! Nat & Stu return for the new year with a new podcast subsection analytical thingy - it's Revvin' On! Your hosts are beginning their road trip with 2001's franchise origin story "The Fast and the Furious". It's Paul Walker as an undercover cop infiltrating Vin Diesel's street-racing crew. There's cars! Nitrous! Absolutely no bras whatsoever! And a sweaty film of grease covering everyone! Enjoy!

One year and two months after seeing the film in the cinema, Nat & Stu finally return to do their long-promised (or long-threatened?) deep dive into the 25th Bond movie, No Time To Die. It turns out not being furious about the film's big plot twist makes the viewing experience more pleasant, as both hosts are more receptive to this film second time around. There's still a bit of confusion over the plot, but hey, when you're working with NANOBOTS! anything can happen. This is the last podcast for 2022 - have a safe and happy New Year and we'll see you in 2023 for more vocal shenanigans!

It's the movie that literally gave Natalie a bout of vertigo - Robin Hood 2018. That's right, it's a thing that exists. Stu joins Nat as she battles through head-spinning brought on by this batshit insane version of a Robin Hood movie that has very little to recommend it. Mendo is the Sheriff! Jamie Foxx has a metal hand! Marian wears a leather jacket and hands out soup! Robin himself seems to have no concrete plans! And also... Tim Minchin is there, and probably shouldn't have been! There's lots of other sidebars and tangents, including the genuis of the 1993 Three Musketeers movie and fast-forwarding through Lady Chatterley's Lover, plus talk of what's coming next with the pod. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu head back to Sherwood Forest to begin wrapping up their "Robin On" subsection podcast thingy. This time, it's Big Russ' turn in the tights, with Our Cate riding shotgun as Lady Marian. There's a lengthy discussion of Russell Crowe's film history to begin with, before a dissection of why this film is a weird mess. Natalie even goes super history nerd to explain why the historical context just doesn't work. The pair then close out with a chit-chat about the trials and tribulations at Twitter. Thanks to everyone for listening - particularly Patrons! You can join at www.patreon.com/girlclumsy. Enjoy!

Jodie Whittaker's time as The Doctor must come to a close, but not before a jam-packed 90 minute episode featuring the Master (as Rasputin, for at least some of it), the Cybermen, the Daleks, a bunch of former Doctors and 80s super companions Tegan and Ace. Hosts Nat & Stu are joined by London correspondent Tom Salinsky to try to understand exactly what happened in this story, and reflect on Thirteen's time and the Chris Chibnall era in general. Enjoy!

Can you believe the House of the Dragon series finale is here?!?! Nat and Stu roll up their sleeves and dive into an emotionally charged and physically intense episode - particularly for Rhaenyra Targaryen! There's another crazy birth scene, a confrontation with Otto, some classic Daemon insults, Rhaenyra being a boss, and of course, a devastating final sequence that sets up the battles to come. Your intrepid hosts also throw out some ideas for what they'll podcast about next now that HotD has wrapped! Enjoy.

A tense episode capped with an explosive ending, which ensnares our intrepid co-hosts into heated debate about whether it works as a plot contrivance, or hinders future developments. There's a fun chase through Fleabottom looking for Aegon, tension between Alicent and... pretty much everybody, and some hot new twins to lust over. We also get an update on "Stu's Hot Ring", where he reflects on the first Rings of Power series. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu totally lose their heads with this ominous episode of HotD, in which Viserys has to find the strength to put his illness aside for the sake of getting his family to have one goddamn meal together. There's quarrels over inheritance, reputation rants flying around, kids beating the shit out of each other (again!) and some of the more concise dispute resolution we've seen. Nat & Stu also talk about the weird spoiler-happy culture around this show that seems the opposite of the Game of Thrones days. By popular demand, we also hear again from "Stu's Hot Ring": his take on how that whole Rings of Power show is working out. Thanks to all Patron supporters in particular for keeping this ship sailing. Enjoy!

The family drama is HAPPENING this episode, as House of the Dragon takes us to Driftmark for Laena's funeral and the fallout. Nat & Stu are here to take you through it, even if Nat's viewing experience wasn't exactly ideal. There's a happy ending for Lenny & Carl, a weird bloody reunion for Rhaenyra and her uncle, and a lot of fighting kids. Plus Alicent loses her shit! Buckle up and enjoy - we even get Stu's lowdown on how the series is comparing to that OTHER big fantasy show at the moment.

Ten years may have passed, but Nat & Stu are here to get you all up to speed on the latest developments in King's Landing and places beyond. Our lead actors have changed, many children have been introduced, and the body count is sadly high with this one (including a fan favourite, cut down before his sexy, sexy time). Your hosts also discuss the ethical grey areas inhabited by Rhaenyra and Alicent, Laena Valeryon's badassery, Lord Larys' creepiness and try not to kink-shame young Aegon. Plus much more. Enjoy!

What's this? A randomly recorded podcast that Stu is currently looking at thinking "Wait, I didn't record anything extra with Nat this week?!" AH HA STU! You're right! Nat's in Sydney being LOOSE-LIPPED. This is a fun chat that happened on Sun 25 Sept at "Titanic: The Movie, The Play", which is Nat's show happening in Sydney until 2 October. You should come!

It's time for a royal wedding in Westeros, and that means absolutely nothing can go wrong! Nat & Stu are back (super early, with Nat's recap to follow) to discuss all the hijinks of the Lavender Marriage between Rhaenyra and Laenor, the fallout from the Princess' secret assignation with Ser Criston Cole, and the falloff from whatever the hell disease is plaguing poor Viserys. Plus Alicent goes full FASHION. Enjoy!

Raven On is a bit late this week because GUESS WHO fractured her ankle while walking along George St in Sydney? Natalie spends the first 15 mins of this episode relaying her adventures in pavement-induced injuries and hospital visits. But eventually she and long-suffering co-host Stu get down to business to discuss episode 4 of Raven On, where everyone... basically gets down to business. Daemon's back in town and takes Rhaenyra partying, Rhaenyra calls in Ser Criston for some very personal bodyguarding, Alicent finds dissatisfaction in the marital bed, and Otto overreaches. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu are back to discuss episode 3 of HotD, "Second of His Name". They DO eventually do that, but be fair warned that they take a slight detour into Middle Earth so Stu can update Nat on the new Lord of the Rings series. Also, a decent chunk of time is devoted to possibly the funniest "We're going for a drive, kids" story, courtesy of Stu's Dad. Dads in general cop a roasting here, but it's from a place of love. You can also expect boar wars, harts-to-harts, Crabfeeder getting his crab-uppance, and more!

Get ready for the all-you-can-eat seafood buffet, as Crabfeeder is starting to make his mark! Nat & Stu return to recap Episode 2 of House of the Dragon, aka "The One With All The Child Brides". Join your intrepid hosts as they examine how Viserys' personal life is being influenced by his advisers, Rhaenyra coming to grips with grief, trying to involve Dad again and then being betrayed, plus the Dragonstone stand-off between Otto and Daemon. Enjoy!

IT BEGINS! Nat & Stu are delighted to be back and diving into House of the Dragon. They begin with an overview of the hype around the show and the welcome return of event TV; and the set-up for the drama to come, with succession concerns and daddy/daughter dilemmas. The newly-dubbed Matt Daemon gets a good working out, as indeed does his butt; and there's a detailed discussion about the violence in this debut episode - too gratuitous, or basically, it's Game of Thrones, strap yourselves in? A note on recording: unfortunately our mic set-up was suboptimal, and so you will hear Stu sounding more distant than Nat. Your dynamic duo will work on getting this fixed for the next instalment! Enjoy!

The legend had it coming... but was the skewering tasty enough? Nat & Stu are joined by pun-lovin' guest Scott to dissect "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", the 1993 Mel Brooks satire of the legendary outlaw. The team discus where this film sits in the Mel Brooks-verse, it's strengths and weaknesses, and what you could do in the early 90s that you probably wouldn't do now. Enjoy!

After years promising that one day they would sit down and podcast about Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Nat & Stu finally do just that in this long-awaited for (by Nat, at least) instalment of "Robin On"! Sure, Kevin Costner doesn't have an English accent. But if you use that as your opening criticism of this brilliant film, prepare to be beaten over the head by Nat & Stu's enthusiasm for a spectacular adventure full of romance, action, and Alan Rickman being the absolute king of the drama queens. To be honest, we're surprised this podcast came in at 90 mins. They'll probably want to do a follow up with all the stuff they missed... enjoy!

With Robin Hood stories mostly relegated to TV screens in the 1980s, Nat & Stu jump ahead to 1991 to examine the first of TWO Robin Hood movies released in this year. Patrick Bergin pulls on the tights - or rather, the leather pants - in this British-made film that features a surprising number of familiar faces. Nat & Stu dive into the strange world of Robert Hode, his cross-dressing Maid Marian, a young David Morrissey, and the complete lack of a Sheriff of Nottingham. There are some weird choices in this movie, which results in some inevitable comparisons to the *other* Robin Hood film of '91, which we're sure you couldn't possible guess.

You could have smacked Nat & Stu over the head with a raven feather when they heard the news that HBO is developing a potential Jon Snow-focused Game of Thrones spin-off series. Of course, this required an emergency podcast to chat about the (virtually non-existent)details of the proposed show, the possibility of abs, and of course, the need for more Tormund Giantsbane. They also spiral off (surprise) into some other geeky territory including Doctor Who and James Bond. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu's trek through Sherwood Forest continues with 1976's "Robin and Marian". It's Sean Connery wearing a sack and showing his hairy bottom more than you'd probably expect; plus Audrey Hepburn making her return to the screen after 8 years and looking just as luminous as always. Your intrepid hosts deep dive into this more serious, thoughtful, even philosophical take on the Robin Hood legend, in which Robin and Marian are reunited after 20 years of Robin's adventuring - only to find his enemy the Sheriff of Nottingham is still sitting too close to home. There's reflections on ageing, pondering the end of this film, and of course, some hot portcullis action. Enjoy!

"History doesn't remember blood. It remembers names." And here are TWO names for you, friends, Natalie & Stu! Your Westerosi wizards are back to break down the newly released House of the Dragon teaser trailer. They intended to chat for 10 minutes, but it turned into 35, and honestly, are you surprised? It's NEW GAME OF THRONES PEOPLE.

What's this? An out-of-time special episode of Who's Raven On? Why yes! The BBC gave Doctor Who fans an Easter treat... although one might argue it wasn't the finest chocolate bunny in the shop. Still, new Who is new Who, and Who Better to join Nat & Stu than Greg from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast? Strap yourselves in for a two hour deep dive into the Sea Devils and their.... plan? ...for world domination (hint: it involves water). There's talk of Dan's OTT pirate costume, the tease of Thasmin, and the mystifying mystery of what apparently makes Yas so great. Enjoy!

Finally, the Raven Bat anthology comes to a (at least for now) close with the latest installment... The Batman! Greg from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast joins Nat and Stu for a very deep dive into this new Gotham City with its Vengeance Man and its clubs within clubs and its weird incel Zodiac wannabe bad guy. Also Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman. MWAH. Settle in with a snack or two and chill out with this immersive Gotham-y experience. Enjoy!

Slide into nostalgia with the latest episode of Robin On as Nat & Stu take a look back at the beloved 1974 Disney classic! London correspondent and Disney expert Tom Salinsky joins your intrepid hosts as they deep dive into the House of Mouse and why its first full animated feature is not perhaps as high quality as some of its previous - and subsequent - works. There's also a LOT of chat about furries, so, you know, strap on your suit and join us for some real talk.

Welcome to 1952, and is this the blandest man to ever don the green tights? It's a big call to make, but it seems to be the consensus as Nat & Stu dive into the 1952 Disney-RKO Robin Hood co-pro, shot in England. The good news is Peter Finch is in this film as an unsmiling and quietly furious Sheriff of Nottingham. He gets crushed by a drawbridge at the end, spoilers. Your erstwhile hosts get stuck into the plot differences between this and its 1938 predecessor, as well as strange inclusion of Allan a-Dale, the welcome inclusion of Eleanor of Aquitaine and the pantslessness of Little John. Enjoy!