Raven On: A Pop Culture Podcast

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!

Pull on your tights and get that feather in your cap - it's time to begin our life in Sherwood Forest! Nat & Stu return with another capsule movie recap series, and this time it's all things Robin Hood. While there are Robin Hood films BEFORE the 1938 classic "The Adventures of Robin Hood", there's no real point starting anywhere but this BANGER featuring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Your outlaw hosts discuss Errol Flynn as the epitome of "problematic fave", the joyous colour and sound of this Technicolour marvel, and how life on the run in Sherwood just seems like the best time ever. Enjoy!

WE'VE DONE IT... we've released the Snyder Cut! Well, the Snyder Cut-esque version of our podcast on Justice League, both the Whedon and Snyder varieties. Confused? You'll only get MORE so after listening to more than two hours of history, film critique and nostalgia. We're not kidding, stay tuned for Nat's tragic still living in the Nineties rants. Anyway, point is, we wanted to give this film/these films a go, and get a whole lot of bamboozled along the way. Definitely free free to listen in sections; or not, we won't be offended. Enjoy!

Secret password for this podcast is "Iron Man Sucks!" Yes, Natalie and Stu get a very welcome piece of absolute f***ing delight with The Lego Batman Movie. From Will Arnett's grisly tones as the Dark Knight, to the appearance of villains as obscure as the Condiment King, to the appearance of Robin and Babs Gordon - this movie is a damn joy. But where does it sit in the annals of Batman film history? Join Nat & Stu for effusive praise and meta-commentary.

Here we go, Batfans... the first appearance of Batfleck! After being let loose with Superman, director Zach Synder persuaded Warner Bros to let him create a sequel... basically so he could make a Batman movie. Nat & Stu grind their way through this often dour movie, brightened somewhat by Henry Cavill's pure beauty, and Gal Gadot's scene-stealing turn as Wonder Woman. Stay tuned to the end where they'll reveal what they're going to focus on once this Batman series is complete! Enjoy!

MMPFHFH! YUFSFU SUYFISHHF OIFNMMM SDISFLK! That's Bane saying "Welcome! It's time for The Dark Knight Rises!" in muffled mask voice. Yes, Nat & Stu have arrived at the final instalment in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, and they've brought superfan and magician Pete Booth along for the ride. Enjoy this thorough discussion of a film that has a lot of flaws, but surprisingly seems to stand up better than certainly Nat & Stu recollected. There's also lots of talk about magic on film, Gotham's strange city colours, and many impressions of Tom Hardy's theatrical take on Bane. Enjoy!

It's not the podcast you deserve... but it's the one you NEED. That's right, Nat & Stu are back for their deep dive into The Dark Knight. Along for the ride is Dan from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast, who wasn't initially a fan of this film. Has his opinion changed? Lots to chat about with this one, including the themes of terrorism and the shadows we cast; along with whether Maggie Gyllenhaal was a better Rachael Dawes then Katie Holmes, the tragic fall of Harvey Dent, and the sheer batshit wonder that is Heath Ledger's Joker. The Australian actor's untimely death also looms large over this entire film, and your intrepid podcasters go in to his legacy.

Welcome to 2022! Nat and Stu are back for another year of pop culture banter, and kicking off the New Year with the Doctor Who Eve of the Daleks special. In the spirit of making it a party, special guests Greg and Tom are back to throw in their two cents on this time loop episode. It turns out this was probably more enjoyable as a standalone than much of "The Floox" series, but as we'll find out, there are still some questionable elements. Enjoy!

We got the WHOLE FAM back together for the final episode of The Floox! Both Greg from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast and Tom from the Best Pick Pod return to help Nat & Stu sum up the storyline and lessons learned from this six-episode adventure. There's a lot of confusion and a fair bit of frustration - mostly from Natalie when her jokes bomb. But also, everyone's a bit emotionally battered by Chris Chibnall, so if you are too, join us in the TARDIS (which apparently isn't sick anymore, even thought it was... oh never mind, just listen). Thank you so much for listening to this Who's Raven On podcast subsection - a special thank you to all of the Patrons over at patreon.com/girlclumsy

"What if Doctor Who but a seizure?" That's how special guest Tom Salinsky begins his take on The Flux, Episode 5 "Survivors of The Flux". Seizure indeed, as there's so much happening in this episode it'll make you spin - Yaz, Dan and Jericho trekking around Earth in 1904, the Doctor outside the universe with an old friend (enemy?) and Dot Cotton from Line of Duty jumping all over the place to start and stop UNIT. Tom and Stu have predictions for the final episode, and there's a bit of a chat about episodes gone by that really hit it out of the park, and what RTD might bring back. Enjoy!

SWEAR TO ME... that you'll listen to Nat & Stu as they jump cowl-first into the 2005 gritty reboot of the Batman movie franchise! It turns out it takes a bunch of British and Irish creatives to make this classic American comic book hero come to life. Liam Neeson gives off BTE (Big "Taken" Energy) plus Michael Caine is MVP as Alfred. Oh, and Katie Holmes and Morgan Freeman hold up the American end. Your gravelly-voiced hosts (they wish) dive into it all, so enjoy!

Weeping Angels! So many Weeping Angels! Plus a psychic, a creepy kid, a village cut out of the planet and a proper stiff-upper-lip British paranormal investigator. Nat & Stu are joined by Greg Wah from the Smart Enough To Know Better podcast to deep dive into "The Cursed Village", a title we never actually mention, but that's fine, because there's a whole bunch of stuff we DO mention. There's lots of talk about where The Flux series might be heading too; as well as Greg and Stu dipping into the world of Cowboy Bebop right at the end. Enjoy!

We've reached the half way point of The Flux, and the extended story is all becoming clear! Jokes, there's some more characters introduced this time and a whole bunch of timestorm back story drama to keep your head spinning. Nevertheless, Nat & Stu are ready to dive in to discuss how the Doctor saves Yaz, Dan and Vinder from being sucked into... something? While simultaneously being dragged back into her own past to meet the Jo Doctor again and her first encounter with the "Ravagers". Also, this pod has a number of particularly good tangents, if we may be so bold. From devastating burns for Cybermen, to hot babies (context is important here), it's a chuckle-fest. Enjoy!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SERIOUSLY, SPOILERS! Do not listen unless you have seen the film! No Time To Die was finally released in Australia, and Nat & Stu took in the movie TOGETHER with a bunch of friends in a private screening (big ups to Greg Wah of the SE2KB podcast for organising!). Afterwards, they huddled in the corner of a carpark to get down on tape their initial impressions of the film and some MAJOR FUCKING SPOILERS YOU GUYS. Seriously, if you listen and get spoiled, IT IS ON YOU. Nat & Stu will be back at some point with a longer, deeper dive into this massive event in the Bond franchise.

It's War of the Sontarans time, which means a lengthy tribute to Mary Seacole from long-time fan Nat, while Stu politely listens. But there's other things to natter about too in this second instalment of "The Flux" series: the Sontarans' temporal war-waging; stupid British military generals; Dan running around Liverpool with a wok; Yaz and Vinder finding themselves trying to repair some offline high priestesses of time, or something. Our mysterious trio of baddies are back, as is everyone's favourite man without a dog because he IS the dog, Karvanista. Enjoy!

Weeping Angels! Sontarans! Dog creatures! Some weird creepy possibly incesty disco makeup twins! The Flux! It's all happening in the first episode of The Flux, Jodie Whittaker's last full season of Doctor Who. The Doctor and Yaz save a new likely companion in the shape of Liverpuddlian Dan, who turns out is VERY important to one special pooch. The Flux seems to be a ravenous planet-eating cloud machine heading towards Earth, while some ancient enemy of the Doctor's called "The Swarm" has freed himself from prison and rescued his very blue sister for some possible incest? So much to digest, and Nat and Stu are keen to get cracking! Also there's a Sontaran Tongue Thing, so enjoy that. Thanks for listening!

Natalie and Stu are joined by special guest Eloise to deep dive into the gaping maw that is 1997's Batman & Robin. George Clooney dons the Batsuit, but doesn't really seem to care; Chris O'Donnell is Captain Whines-a-lot; Alicia Silverstone turns up to be a winsome Batgirl while illegal street racing on the side; Uma Thurman camps it up as Poison Ivy and Michael Gough brings the acting chops as a dying Alfred (not that anyone seems to care). But the real star is Big Arnie as Mr Freeze, and his ice/snow/cold puns. It's a thing of beauty. Or at least, enough to help tank the Batman franchise for almost ten years. Enjoy!

Your friends Nat and Stu are *somewhat* excited about the first official teaser trailer for "House of the Dragon". And by *somewhat*, of course we mean *LOSING THEIR FRIGGING MINDS*. Listen as they go back to Raven On Classic Edition and chat all things HOTD, including jousts, swords, Hand of the King badges, and of course, an astonishing number of blonde wigs. Valar Morghulis!

It's time for Nat & Stu to tackle Val Kilmer's solo outing as the Caped Crusader, Batman Forever. Or, as special guest Nick calls it "The Gay One". Certainly it seems new director Joel Schumacher added something to the franchise beyond just the Bat Nipples and Bat Butt (a loving shot of Val Kilmer's taut buttocks in tight leather). This movie is a rollercoaster of convoluted or possibly non-existent plot, 60s campiness mixed with 90s angst, two incredibly hammy villains vying for priority, and Nicole Kidman with a bat fetish that Batman himself is totally awkward about. And yet... it still might be better than Batman Returns? Enjoy a deep dive into Batman Forever, citizens!

Nat & Stu return to the Raven Bat series with a look at 1993's animated film "Batman: The Mask of the Phantasm", one of Stu's personal favourites. Bruce Wayne is faced with his past in more than one way when a new masked vigilante arrives in town wreaking revenge. Also, the Joker is there. Your intrepid interlocutors mourn the inability to crack as many jokes as they'd like because the film is not only competent, but actually comprehensible!

So Batman Returns was the BEST 90s Batman, right? RIGHT? Nat & Stu get quite a shock as they revisit this classic from their childhood and realise it's WAAAAAAY hornier and messier than they remember. From Danny DeVito's unhinged Penguin with many plans but none of them good; to Michelle Pfeiffer's banging but batshit insane Catwoman, to Christopher.. Walken... doing what... he always... does, there's tons to enjoy in this episode. Also, Natalie takes you down memory lane with a wild story from her high school musical days involving a catsuit and a very inappropriate award. Hoorah!

Have you ever danced with some podcasters in the pale moonlight? Well, now you can, as Natalie, Stu and guest Scott Driscoll throw themselves into the weird twisted parade that is 1989's Batman. Stu takes us through the pop culture moment that this film created; while Nat gets into a shame spiral about Vicki Vale's alleged weight. Stu and Scott discuss why Batman is a great film, but not the best Batman film. NOTE: Natalie's audio is slightly muffled in the first half of this podcast, due to not realising she was being recorded on her AirPod microphone. Around half way through we had technical difficulties and lost Stu, so there is a sharp cut. However after that Natalie realised her mic situation and switched back to her proper mic and the audio is much better!

Holy tardy podcasters, Batman! Yes, after being teased for months, Raven Bat - the Raven On Batman-based sub-section - is finally here. Time to strap on the seatbelts in the Batmobile and jump into the screen exploits of the world's most popular brooding superhero. Nat & Stu kick off in the only acceptable manner - with the classic Adam West/Burt Ward 1966 masterpiece, "Batman". It's high camp and low budgets all the way, baby. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu team up for one final trip to the Citadel At The End of Time to confront the Big Bad - who actually seems to be the same dude they've been hinting at all season! Loki and Sylvie have a long conversation with "He Who Remains" about life, the universe and everything, before turning on each other about how best to deal with him. Meanwhile Mobius & Ravonna have it out, and Loki winds up in...GASP! A second season! There's some diversions along the way, of course, particularly about Natalie's hair, but that's par for the course at this stage. Enjoy!

This week Nat & Stu drag Dan from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast down to their level as they have a romp about The Void in the penultimate episode of Loki. The team all agree it was a belter of an episode in terms of character, comedy and some fricking hilarious easter eggs (Thanos Copter!) Natalie comes up with what she thinks is a very clever prediction for whom the Big Bad might actually be; and tune in til the end to hear Dan and Stu absolutely ROAST Nat over her poor form in consuming classic cinema. You'll need hot sauce, it's so smokin'.

Nat & Stu are once again joined by guest Greg Wah from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast to discuss an overabundance of pruning and self-passion in episode four of Loki. Has Loki found his true love in himself? Will we see Mobius on a jet ski eventually? How proud is Nat of herself being right about the TimeKeepers? And how giggly can Stu and Greg get about those surprise guests at the very end?! All this and more as we head into the final two eps of the series. Enjoy!

It's a villainous buddy adventure bottle episode this week, and Nat & Stu are joined by Greg from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast to break it down. Loki has found himself - and herself, or maybe not? - on the doomed planet Lamentis-1. In a fit of irony nobody saw coming, Loki and Sylvie have 12 hours to recharge a TemPad and establish a shaky truce so they get off the rock before it's obliterated. There's lots of end of the world tropes, magic from Loki, small revelations from Sylvie and a cool one-take fight scene. Enjoy!

Things get a little bit SAUCY on this episode of Raven On Loki, which Stu describes as "surprisingly blue". He and Nat get into the Battalingus controversy rocking the comics world, 70s-era weird cartoon porn 'Fritz the Cat', the erotic sounds of cash registers and Sex and the City's pansexual foretelling. Somewhere in there they also discuss episode 2 of "Loki", which, you know, was pretty fun! Enjoy!

They're back, and they're low-key excited! Nat & Stu dive into the multiverse, or at least, multiverse-adjacent, in the first episode of the new Marvel Disney+ show "Loki". They discuss the Tom Hiddleston's wonderful acting despite his greasy hair, try their best Owen Wilson accents, and talk about the heavy-lifting this exposition dump episode does. Enjoy!

Good lord, it's finally here - the long overdue Falcon and the Winter Soldier season finale recap wrap-up! This podcast was recorded just days after the final episode of "The Wild Stallion and the Sexy Guy" dropped - but you can blame Natalie's stupid face and busy schedule for not getting the edit finished on time! Nat & Stu wrap up the final episode, it's good points and flaws, starting of course with the tremendous debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America. There's also a sidebar into "House of the Dragon" territory, because goddamn if Nat isn't going to try to recap former glories if at all possible. Enjoy!

They're back, and they're... OK? about the penultimate episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (aka Wild Stallion and the Sexy Guy). Both Nat & Stu are sad at what seems to be Zemo's departure from the series, but excited about the potential for Sam to realise the role of Cap from next week. There's an interesting chat about Marvel trying to have its cake and eat it too when it comes to thorny issues of race and the Captain America "brand", a lot of boat fixing and montage talk, as well as a breakdown on *that* cameo appearance. Also don't be distracted by the early sidebar discussion on Dragonball Z, Nat & Stu just needed to get that out of their system.

There's gonna be CAPsequences, baby, because John Walker did a Bad Thing and also Natalie is trying to invent a new word. That's right, it's time for another Wild Stallion and the Sexy Guy instalment, with Stuart Layt riding shotgun to discuss John Walker's move into superserum territory, the arrival of the Wakandans, Zemo remaining awesome and Sharon really probably is the Power Broker. There's a brief detour where the show because the SWOLEcast due to Natalie's recent gym adventures; and there's also a bittersweet Game of Thrones moment, so enjoy!

It's time for TEAM ZEMO, baby! The debut of the dishy Daniel Bruhl in ep3 of FAWS dominates the discussions between hosts Nat & Stu this weekend, and with good reason - he is incredibly awesome. Stu argues that the split second cut of him dancing in Madripoor is probably in the Top Five MCU moments. There's lengthy chats about how Zemo can walk out of a prison sentence straight back into the criminal underworld, Sharon Carter's role in the MCU and the confusing purpose of the Flag Smashers, as well as diversions into satisfying YouTube channel Boats Over Haulover and the impending Game of Thrones stage show. I mean I guess we talk about Falcon and the Winter Soldier too, but hey, didn't you hear? BARON ZEMO! Enjoy!

The chocolate-voiced mountain god that is Stuart Layt may be a touch croaky this week, but nothing will stop him and Natalie getting their Wild Stallion and the Sexy Guy chat on! This week, our two beautiful heroes share the screen for the first time; parachuting into Germany for a mission that reveals the presence of super soldiers; then grappling with demons big and small, including Bucky's resentment at Falcon for giving up the shield, and Falcon's resentment at not being told about a Black Captain America hero from the 50s. Also the new Cap starts kind of interestingly introspective and then gets real cocky, which Natalie believes is all due to meth.

Welcome one and all to the debut Raven On podcast for "Wild Stallion and The Sexy Guy"! Yes, it's Marvel's second MCU-set TV show, which Natalie misnamed in a WandaVision ep a few weeks' back. But she's back with trusty co-host Stu to delve into what's been happening with Sam and Bucky as they negotiate life post-Blip. Key takeaways from this episode include whether or not you can smash a flag, why don't superheroes get paid, and Natalie's brand new comedy character "Old Man Cap". All this, and more. Enjoy!

Stu is back, fighting fit, and ready to get into the nitty-gritty of the WandaVision season finale. The pair discuss the pressure that was put on this series after Covid bumped it up to be first on the Marvel Stage 4 slate, and how that didn't necessarily match the relatively simple tale of grief it was trying to tell. But there's also some disappointments, such as the lack of consequences for Wanda for, you know, mind-controlling a town. There's also a 10-15 minute diversionary conversation about superhero costumes, with Superman's red pants featuring heavily. And finally, would you believe it, somebody actually CALLS IN TO THE PODCAST! Enjoy!

Oh no! She's recast Stu! With poor Stu out with illness, Natalie has recruited Greg Wah from the "Smart Enough To Know Better" podcast to examine the penultimate episode of WandaVision. As Agatha takes Wanda on a flashback "tour of sadness", there's much to dissect including how and when Wanda had witchy powers, their boosting by Loki's mindstone, and Wanda's grief powering the whole hex and the re-creation of Vision. Also Natalie comes up with an idea for the much-flagged and mysterious cameo expected in the finale - and if it comes off, she demands immediate recognition as a genius. Enjoy!

Nat & Stu crack on with the gleeful and delightfully witchy reveal that ends this episode, and the implications it has for the remainder of the series. After Pietro and now Agatha, are there more reveals to come? Your pontificating pair of co-hosts then delve into the Modern Family/The Office-style theming of this sitcom episode, complete with talking heads on camera; Darcy and Vision's cute MCU recap and the POWERING UP of Monica Rambeau. Enjoy!

It's Halloween in WestView, and time for Wanda, Vision and Pietro to don their cheesiest costumes to celebrate. Join Nat & Stu as they dive into the spooktacular tribute to "Malcolm in the Middle", complete with boys talking to camera even as they discover their powers, and Unky Pietro trying to work out what's happening with Wanda. There's also a small Joss Whedon sidebar in which Natalie rejoices in being on Team Xena all these years, and Stu once again laments the loss of his childhood heroes.

WOW! What an ending! So much changed in just a few seconds! Except Natalie has no idea why that is, so it's up to Walking Wiki Stu to fill in the gaps on why this episode of WandaVision has big ramifications for the show itself AND the MCU. Your hosts are face to face this week, and get very excited about the gaps being filled in Wanda's story, and to a lesser extent, Vision's head. Enjoy!

It's a big episode 4 as WandaVision starts to let us in on the secrets behind the retro sitcom love-fest. Nat & Stu delve into the backstory of Monica Rambeau (pronounced "Rambo" apparently), as well as talk through the super cute FBI agent Jimmy Woo, whose surname Natalie mispells (she didn't realise at the time). Plus there's some meta Full House chat. Also a massive shout out to Natalie's Patreon supporters, just because they're awesome and Natalie failed to vocally mention this in the podcast due to tiredness.

Nat & Stu are back with the third instalment of "WandaVision", aka the super speedy baby delivery 1970s homage! Be warned, there's a bit of an intense discussion of childbirth straight up, so maybe skip eating while you're listening. But then there's a fun chat about the increasing kookiness of Wanda's powers and the show's use of metaphor and real world elements. Enjoy!

Get ready for some retro superhero fun, as your favourite (wow, big claim there) podcasters are back with a look at the first two episodes of Marvel's "WandaVision". Nat & Stu wax lyrical about the glorious pastiches of 50s and 60s sitcoms, while trying to figure out what darker mysteries lie beneath.