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!