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171 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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THE GAZETTE: Trump, Artemis 2, Bananarama & The Studio
10 april 2026 · 28 min
This week on The Gazette, we kick things off with a cozy chat about UK gardening and wildlife—blue tits nesting in the eaves, wasps causing chaos, and the latest updates from our bee hotel—before diving into listener emails about our Tootsie episode, reactions to America’s Next Top Model, and some Star Trek recommendations. Lees meer
We talk about nearing the end of a full Carry On film watch (and the disappointing drop in quality), plus a new 2026 satirical series about organizing the FIFA World Cup, and what we’ve been watching lately, including The Studio. Then things take a turn into the unexpected with YouTube reaction videos praising Cilla Black.
From there, we get into heavier territory: concerns about Trump, shifting narratives among right-wing pundits and grifters, and the wave of online misogyny targeting Artemis 2 astronaut Christina Koch—plus bizarre flat-earther conspiracy reactions.
We wrap up with highlights from an interview with former Bananarama member Jacquie O’Sullivan and a look at the Paley Center reunion celebrating the 50th anniversary of Charlie’s Angels.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Tootsie (1982) with Andrew Mercado: US Soap Opera Secrets & 80s Drag Deception!
7 april 2026 · 1 uur 17 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze podcast we dive into the 1982 cross dressing classic Tootsie, and we're thrilled to be joined by our Down Under correspondent, TV historian, host of TV Gold Podcast, and former TV VJ Andrew Mercado! Lees meer
Andrew joins us in “Culture Corner,” where we unpack what 1982 looked like in both the US and Australia.
We cover key cultural moments and trends—from Brisbane’s Commonwealth Games and political repression under Joh Bjelke-Petersen to E.T., the rise of MTV, early home computing, teen sex comedies, the Lindy Chamberlain case, Men at Work, and Cold War nuclear anxiety.
Andrew breaks down the golden age of US daytime soap operas, highlighting major shows and some of the more bonkers storylines, and we connect that directly to Tootsie’s soap setting.
We also critically analyse the film’s satire of sexism, Michael’s toxic behaviour, the ethics of deception, its relatively non-homophobic approach for the time, underdeveloped supporting characters, and its romantic comedy ending—asking whether Tootsie still holds up today.
Find Andrew on his own podcast TV Gold here
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE GAZETTE: Jane McDonald reigns supreme, Madonna prepares her comeback, and Denise Welch: Tiger Mom!
3 april 2026 · 19 min
This weekend on the Gazette, we chat through an Easter bank holiday weekend filled with solo parenting, noisy dogs, and even planting tomatoes and cucumbers—alongside deep dives into culture past and present. Lees meer
We recap our latest main episode on Bo’ Selecta! and Britney Spears, correct the truth about Fergie’s one-handed cartwheel, and explore Madonna’s resurgence as Into the Groove trends again on TikTok. We also discuss reports of Madonna filming in London and a possible cameo with Seth Rogen and Julia Garner.
Plus: Jane McDonald topping the charts, Denise Welch’s viral tweet, Last One Laughing, Daily Mail headlines, looksmaxxing discourse, a preview with Andrew Mercado, and excitement over newly discovered Doctor Who episodes.
If you love pop culture commentary, TV history, music throwbacks, and sharp but funny conversation, this is for you.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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“Bo’ Selecta (2003): From Iconic to Offensive
31 maart 2026 · 55 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we’re diving headfirst into the messy, hilarious, and sometimes uncomfortable world of early 2000s pop culture. Lees meer
This time, we head back to 2003 to unpack Bo’ Selecta! (Series 2, Episode 2), a chaotic snapshot of pre-social media celebrity culture. From exaggerated caricatures to shock-value humour, we explore how this episode acts as a time capsule of what audiences once laughed at—and what might not fly today.
We watched this episode of Bo Selecta from 2003 : Check It Out here!
In our Culture Corner, we set the scene: the era of Tony Blair and the Iraq War protests, the rise of early platforms like MySpace and Bebo, low-rise fashion, and the explosion of UK TV hits like Little Britain, Peep Show, and Pop Idol. We also revisit the sound of the year—from Girls Aloud to Dizzee Rascal and The Darkness.
We break down the episode’s sketches and get into the bigger conversation around its humour—looking at how it leans on “punching down,” sexism, homophobic jokes, and racial caricature, including the controversial portrayal of Craig David. We also reflect on how the show was later removed by Channel 4 in 2020, and the apology from creator Leigh Francis.
Funny, reflective, and at times uncomfortable, we ask:
was this just the humour of its time—or something we should have questioned all along?
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE GAZETTE: Manosphere Meltdowns, Midlife Injuries & TV That Hits Back & The Comeback Comes Back!
27 maart 2026 · 26 min
In this edition of our bonus episode, we dive into listener emails, TV comebacks, midlife mishaps, and the relentless pace of modern life. Picking up from last week’s Fight Club debate, we unpack Louis Theroux: The Manosphere and the rise of influencer culture—asking whether it’s all just a phone-fuelled grift. Lees meer
New listener Fiona writes in with a recommendation for Deadloch and a nudge toward Star Trek—so we ask: where should we even start?
We celebrate the reopening of Camden’s iconic LGBTQ+ venue The Black Cap (now with a Lily Savage tribute), swap our own “getting older” injury stories, and talk honestly about exercising after 50.
Along the way, we take aim at absurd headlines, reflect on how news used to travel slower, and discuss what social media and endless scrolling are doing to all of us. Plus: TV chat on The Comeback, Last One Laughing, and The Apprentice—including one painfully awkward shopping task.
Got thoughts on your own scrolling habits? We’d love to hear from you.
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week we dissect comedy sketch show Bo Selecta from 2003 : Check It Out here!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Fight Club (1999): Project Mayhem and the Manosphere
24 maart 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
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This week on The Problematic Gaze we revisit Fight Club (1999)—soap, anarchy, and all. We unpack the plot, cast, and reception, and take on the enduring question: is this a razor-sharp critique of toxic masculinity, or a film that accidentally glamorises it?
We place Fight Club back in its late-’90s moment, with a detour through 1999 Britain—Y2K jitters, New Labour optimism, Cool Britannia swagger, Spice Girls-era pop, club culture, and the early days of dial-up and brick-like mobile phones. It’s a “lads, lads, lads” landscape shaped by football and magazines like Loaded and FHM, and we explore how that cultural backdrop speaks to the film’s anxieties.
From male malaise and the lure of support groups to violence as a search for meaning, we dig into Project Mayhem’s cult logic and, yes, that twist. We also consider the film’s afterlife—how Fight Club has been reinterpreted (and often misinterpreted) online, especially within incel and manosphere spaces.
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week we dissect comedy sketch show Bo Selecta from 2003 : Check It Out here!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE GAZETTE 'Last One Laughing' to a dog eating a rabbit! —This Week Got Messy
21 maart 2026 · 23 min
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This week on The Problematic Gazette, we’re back for a chaotic spring equinox catch-up—sharing garden mishaps, recovery updates, and what’s next after our Psycho episode.
We get into what we’ve been watching, from the return of This Life on iPlayer to Channel 4’s A Woman of Substance, a twisty ITVX thriller with David Morrissey and Eve Myles, and Last One Laughing season two on Prime.
Listener messages take us everywhere—from The Two Ronnies nostalgia to pushback on a Daily Mail hair-length article. We chat about post-COVID work-from-home life, the UK coal industry now employing around 350 people, forgotten phrases like “carbon copy,” and the removal of Torchwood’s Ianto shrine.
And yes… we end on a genuinely graphic story involving a dog and a rabbit—before teasing next week’s Fight Clubepisode.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Mother Knows Best: Psycho (1960), Hitchcock, and the Birth of the Slasher
17 maart 2026 · 56 min
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We’re checking into the Bates Motel this week on The Problematic Gaze Podcast as we dive deep into Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960)—the horror classic that changed movie history one shocking shower scene at a time.
First up, our Culture Corner spins the dial back to Britain in 1960—a world of lingering post-war austerity, buttoned-up social conservatism, emerging youth culture, and a time when homosexuality was still illegal. We set the scene with the films, music, and social climate of the era before turning our gaze to Hitchcock’s most infamous thriller.
We unpack the production history of Psycho, its box-office smash success, awards buzz, and how it pushed the boundaries of screen violence, laying the groundwork for the modern slasher genre. Then we walk through the film itself—from Marion Crane’s desperate theft and flight, to the eerie roadside stop at the Bates Motel, to the unforgettable shower murder, and the investigation by Lila Crane and Sam Loomis that leads to one of cinema’s most legendary twists: Norman Bates and Mother.
Along the way we debate Hitchcock’s reputation, the film’s portrayal of mental illness, and the complicated ways Psycho has been interpreted through gender and trans-adjacent readings.
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week get out toxic masculinity heads on and take a look at Fight Club (1999).
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Doctor Who Lost Episodes, Ryan Murphy Backlash & Apprentice Chaos
14 maart 2026 · 33 min
This week on The Problematic Gazette, apparently two days in the office is now enough to completely wipe us out. When did that happen? We talk about how ageing sneaks up on you, why work feels different than it did in our twenties, and we ask listeners to weigh in on the eternal struggle of work–life balance. Lees meer
Then we stumble across a brilliant showbiz connection that sends us down a disco rabbit hole. Legendary producer Biddu wrote Tina Charles’ smash hit I Love to Love — and the track also features Trevor Horn before he became one of the most influential producers of the 1980s. We talk about Tina’s meteoric success and her Streatham roots.
Next up: huge Doctor Who news. Two missing episodes from 1965 have just been recovered, meaning the number of lost episodes drops from 95 to 93 — and they’re heading to iPlayer at Easter. We also celebrate Maximum Power, the documentary about Blake’s 7 icon Jacqueline Pearce, which has just landed an RTS award nomination and lands on Apple TV.
From there we get stuck into a ridiculous Daily Mail headline policing women’s hair over 45 (because apparently that’s still a thing), catch up on the latest chaos in The Apprentice, and dive into the debate around Ryan Murphy’s portrayals of real people — including the controversy surrounding his upcoming series about JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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FROM THE GAZER VAULT: 'Mommie Dearest' from 1981. Faye Dunaway, Wire Hangers and Camp Classics
10 maart 2026 · 52 min
IN A CHANGE TO OUR ADVERTISED SCHEDULE (The Day Jobs Have Swamped Us This Week! Tune in next week for our take take on 1960's Psycho!) HERE'S ANOTHER CHANCE TO HEAR OUR MOTHER'S DAY TAKE ON 'MOMMIE DEAREST' FROM LAST YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! Lees meer
Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. This week we cast our Gaze over the 1981 film 'Mommie Dearest' starring Faye Dunaway. Much derided by critics and viewers alike upon its release, it has since become a cult camp classic, deeply embedded in gay culture. But do the harrowing scenes of abuse lie easily alongside the fantastically colourful scenes of Hollywood glamour? Just how true is this story? And why you would NEVER want to get into a fight, scripted or not, with Faye Dunaway.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Gas Masks & Gladiators: THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE
7 maart 2026 · 16 min
In this relaxed Saturday chat, we talk about Britain’s obsession with the weather and the struggle of “wrong jacket season,” before drifting into existential reflections on old student films and Dr Lee’s memories of watching — and later working with — the legendary Siân Phillips. Lees meer
Dave brings up Dubai influencers facing government crackdowns over missile-related posts, which leads to memories of Bahrain during the 1990 Gulf crisis and a discussion about the limits of influencer freedom.
Along the way we note Shakin’ Stevens turning 78, discover Disney dating site Mouse Mingle, laugh about a long-misheard lyric in “One Way Ticket to the Blues,” and react to Richard Osman leaving House of Games. We also plug our socials and preview Tuesday’s Mother’s Day episode on Psycho.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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The Worm That Turned (1980): Gender Panic, PVC Fascism & Thatcher’s Britain
4 maart 2026 · 57 min
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we begin by digging into gender inequality statistics before turning to one of British television’s strangest dystopias: The Worm That Turned, the 1980 eight-part serial from The Two Ronnies. Lees meer
Set in a nightmare vision of 2012 Britain, the serial imagines a world where women rule, men are domesticated and forced into women’s clothing, and law and order is enforced by a PVC-clad female Gestapo led by screen siren Diana Dors. We follow the unlikely heroes Janet and Betty (Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett) as they flee the regime, seek out the resistance, and attempt to escape to Wales.
We place the serial in the political and cultural context of 1980 Britain — early Thatcherism, unrest, and rapidly shifting TV and music trends — and ask whether the comedy is mocking women’s power or exposing male fear of it. Along the way, we note the male-gaze elements and fascist aesthetics, but also the moments that highlight just how “shit” women’s lives are under patriarchy.
Click here to watch 'The Worm That Turned' on YouTube
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week for Mother's Day we focus on the Hitchcock classic: PSYCHO from 1960.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Gladiators, TikTok Conspiracies & Noughties Reality TV Scandals | The Problematic Gazette
28 februari 2026 · 30 min
Welcome back to The Problematic Gazette — The Saturday spin off to our main show - The Problematic Gaze- the queer pop culture podcast where nothing is off limits. Lees meer
This week:
🏋️ Why we’re suddenly obsessed with Gladiators (and yes… it’s homoerotic)
📺 The reckoning of America’s Next Top Model and toxic 2000s reality TV culture
🎭 Celebrating Kenneth Williams at 100 and the genius of the Carry On era
📱 TikTok conspiracy rabbit holes — can social media rewrite history?
🐩 A poodle haircut that channels Auntie Peggy
💌 Listener emails & Pride Month film planning
From noughties body-shaming to modern media literacy, from gladiatorial thighs to archive-based history, we cover it all — with laughs, nostalgia, and just a touch of feverish delirium.
If you love:
✔️ Queer cinema
✔️ British comedy history
✔️ 80s & 90s TV nostalgia
✔️ Reality TV deep dives
✔️ Smart cultural debate with chaos energy
You’re in the right place.
🎧 New episodes every Tuesday & Saturday
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965): Sex, Speed & Second-Wave Fury
24 februari 2026 · 55 min
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In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we revisit Russ Meyer’s cult classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) and ask: could it get away with it today?
We explore its violent, quotable tale of three go-go dancers tearing through the California desert—drag racing, fighting, kidnapping, and flipping gender roles on their head. Is it pure exploitation, accidental feminism, or both?
In our Culture Corner, we set the film against 1965 Britain: post-austerity optimism, Swinging London, strict gender expectations, censorship, racism, and a society on the brink of change. We look at what life was really like for women at the time—limited rights, rigid roles, and growing feminist unrest.
We unpack the film’s kinky boots, hyper-feminine styling, and female rage; Russ Meyer’s provocative worldview; and the movie’s journey from box-office flop to cult touchstone. Along the way, we consider its influence on everyone from Quentin Tarantino to riot grrrl culture and pop icons like Madonna and Beyoncé.
Can a film objectify women while also celebrating their power? We debate, we rate it, and we leave you to decide.
Watch Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! on YouTube
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week we watch The Worm That Turned from The Two Ronnies. Watch it here on YouTube
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Wuthering Heights, Andrew's Arrest & Small Prophets!
21 februari 2026 · 34 min
We return to the Problematic Gazette on our new Saturday slot and quickly tackle the Prince Andrew revelations, including the iconic photo of him being taken away. Lees meer
We recall the UK ‘Rear of the Year’ celebrity award, from Barbara Windsor as the first winner (1976) through Amanda Holden as the last (2019)
We recap our recent Dempsey and Makepeace episode and talk about paparazzi, media scrutiny, and made-up tabloid narratives.
And we mark the death of songwriter Billy Steinberg writer of major hits including ‘Like a Virgin,’ ‘True Colors,’ ‘Eternal Flame,’ ‘So Emotional,’ ‘Alone,’ ‘I’ll Stand by You,’ and ‘I Touch Myself.’
We chat about being glued to the Winter Olympics (including curling and moguls), and touch on the Instagram dialect debate we accidentally ignited about Geordie vs Northumbrian accents, which drew hundreds of comments and even input from a linguistics academic!
We also discuss Netflix’s America’s Next Top Model documentary and Tyra Banks’ lack of accountability, recommend the gentle comedy-drama Small Profits (with Michael Palin and others), and get into Doctor Who rumour-mill talk about Russell T Davies, possible new showrunners, and speculation around David Tennant and Billie Piper returning.
We share listeners reaction to Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights film and preview our next main-show episode on Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Dempsey and Makepeace (1985): Fast Cars, Choppy Bobs & Fatal Attractions
17 februari 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
Watch 'Dempsey and Makepeace: Love You To Death' on YouTube Lees meer
Click here to watch The Problematic Gaze on YouTube
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we turn our attention to “Love You to Death” (TX 1985) from Dempsey and Makepeace — the glossy Anglo-American crime drama that paired hard-boiled NYPD import James Dempsey with aristocratic British detective Harriet Makepeace.
“Love You to Death” trades on seduction, jealousy, and lethal obsession, but beneath its high-concept crime plot lies a fascinating web of gendered power dynamics. We explore how the episode frames female desire as dangerous, how male volatility is coded as charismatic rather than threatening, and how the camera lingers — inviting us to participate in a distinctly 1980s televisual gaze.
What does this episode reveal about transatlantic masculinity? How does it negotiate Makepeace’s professional competence against Dempsey’s swaggering authority? And in a decade obsessed with glamour and excess, where does romance end and possession begin?
Join us as we unpack the aesthetics, performances, and cultural assumptions embedded in this stylish slice of mid-80s prime-time drama — and ask whether “Love You to Death” is simply a product of its era, or a case study in how television taught audiences to look, desire, and judge.
GAZER HOMEWORK: Before our next episode: Watch Faster Pussycat Kill Kill!!! on YouTube
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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ANTM: FROM THE GAZER VAULT: Smize, Cry, Conform: The Messy Legacy of 'America’s Next Top Model'
14 februari 2026 · 1 uur 13 min
POP CULTURE EMERGENCY!! New documentary “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model” drops on Netflix on the 16th February. In anticipation of this, here’s another chance to hear our take on this iconic reality milestone. Lees meer
Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. This week, we deep dive into 'America's Next Top Model', the US reality show launched in 2003. Now heavily criticised for its promotion of unhealthy body images and questionable racist undertones, this immensely popular show highlights how the modelling industry, and reality TV can age like a glass of fine milk!
Click her to watch 'Top 20 Outrageous America's Next Top Model Moments' discussed in this podcast.
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the US sitcom Will and Grace with the two-part "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" episodes (episodes 8 and 9 of season 3)
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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This Valentine’s Day, We’re Side-Eyeing 'Pillow Talk' (1959)... Hard!!
10 februari 2026 · 1 uur 2 min
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube Lees meer
This Valentine’s Day,The Problematic Gaze takes aim at Pillow Talk (1959), the pastel-perfect rom-com that taught generations of viewers to confuse deception with desire. 💋
With sparkling dialogue, immaculate interiors, and a romance built on lies, this film asks us to root for a man who gaslights a woman into falling in love—and calls it charming. We unpack the gender politics, the fantasy of heterosexual warfare, and why mid-century romance keeps looking suspiciously familiar.
Light a candle, pour a drink, and join us as we lovingly dismantle a Valentine’s classic that might be more red flag than rose. 💔🌹
GAZER HOMEWORK: Click here to watch crime drama Dempsey and Makepeace from 1985
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Traitors, The Queens's Worms and Charlie Sheen!
6 februari 2026 · 30 min
You can make Dave a happy boy and subscribe to our YouTube Channel here! Lees meer
In the 21st episode of the Problematic Gazette, we hosts dive into a jam-packed schedule discussing high fashion knitwear, a fun Geordie Shore retrospective, and tales of celebrity encounters and family links. We also talk about the recent portrayal of Charlie Sheen’s tumultuous life in a Netflix documentary and remember the late Catherine O’Hara. We touch on the Irish edition of 'The Traitors,' Dr Lee's new job, Dave's YouTube tribulations, Claire Foy’s bout with parasites, upcoming Valentine’s Day plans, and a preview of our next show covering the classic 1959 film, 'Pillow Talk.'
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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'Geordie Shore' from 2011 Reality TV, Sexism, and the Birth of Influencer Culture
3 februari 2026 · 51 min
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube Lees meer
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we dive headfirst into a 2011 episode of Geordie Shore to unpack everything early-2010s MTV reality TV thought was normal. From lad culture and binge drinking to sexual politics, gender performance, and working-class stereotypes, this episode is a perfect snapshot of a pre-Instagram, pre-cancel-culture media landscape.
We break down how Geordie Shore helped shape British reality TV, launched accidental influencers, and normalized behavior that now reads as wildly problematic, sexist, and chaotic. Is this show a guilty pleasure, a cultural artifact, or a cautionary tale? Probably all three.
Click Here to watch the episode of Geordie Shore from 2011 discussed in this episode
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Take That, ANTM Controversy and Victoria Beckham sings.
30 januari 2026 · 19 min
Click here to visit our YouTube channel where you can see our beautiful faces and subscribe and leave comments! Lees meer
In this episode of 'The Problematic Gazette,' we discuss an array of topics ranging from Victoria Beckham and a secret affair to letters from our Gazers on fashion, TV shows, and more. We delve into the cultural impact and casual racism of the sitcom 'Dad's Army' and issue a call to arms for our YouTube channel! We also review Agatha Christie's 'Seven Dials' adaptation on Netflix and the gripping series 'Steel' on Prime Video. Additionally, we await with interest a new documentary on America's Next Top Model and discuss tell-all documentary about the British boy band 'Take That.' Dr. Lee shares his guest appearance on another podcast, discussing 1960s Doctor Who films. Join us for a lively chat blending nostalgia, contemporary critiques, and witty banter.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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Dad’s Army (1973) 'Don’t Tell Him, Pike!’
27 januari 2026 · 49 min
Few British sitcoms are as warmly remembered as Dad’s Army, and “The Deadly Attachment” — originally transmitted in 1973 — remains one of its most beloved episodes. In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we return to Walmington-on-Sea as the Home Guard are tasked with guarding a German U-boat crew. Lees meer
While we do explore some problematic elements through a modern lens, we also talk about what Dad’s Army gets right, why its characters and catchphrases — including the iconic “Don’t tell him, Pike!” — still resonate, and how its gentle satire, performances, and wartime humour helped make it a classic worth revisiting with affection and thoughtful context.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: The Beckhams, Traitors and the ABBA effect
23 januari 2026 · 27 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
In this week's Gazette we dive head first into the Beckham's feud scandal, get excited for the Traitors final, and recount tales of wildlife massacres in the countryside!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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Welcome to The Problematic Gaze Podcast
21 januari 2026 · 1 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gaze! We're Dave and Dr Lee. Find out more about who we are and what we're about. If you love TV and Film and want to find out more about what life was like when they were released, then we're the podcast for you! A blend of critique, history and culture. We're lighthearted, fun, and never take ourselves too seriously! We hope you enjoy our show! Lees meer
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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'The Word" from 1993. Youth TV and the Death of Subtlety
20 januari 2026 · 59 min
This week on The Problematic Gaze, we bravely press play on 'The Word ', a UK live youth magazine show from Friday 19th November 1993 — a time when TV was live, loud, and deeply unconcerned with tomorrow’s headlines. Featuring a young Dave Chapelle, Reeves and Mortimer, the death of River Phoenix and Pulp. Lees meer
Once hailed as edgy, anarchic brilliance, The Word promised that anything could happen… and frequently did. Watching it now is a mix of nostalgia, disbelief, and the strong urge to say “they really let this go out live?” From laddish banter to awkward moments everyone pretends were ironic, we revisit the chaos with fresh eyes and a healthy sense of humour.
Was it shocking? Yes. Ground-breaking? Sometimes. Comfortable viewing in 2026? Absolutely not. Join us as we laugh, cringe, and gently interrogate one of 90s TV’s most infamous Friday nights — because nothing says “youth culture” like a format that feels like a social experiment gone slightly wrong.
Click here to watch the episode of 'The Word' discussed in this podcast.
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Traitors, Pluribus and Run Away
16 januari 2026 · 23 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Dirty Dancing (1987): When Feminism, Horniness, and Class Politics Collide
13 januari 2026 · 52 min
Dirty Dancing (1987) is remembered as a feminist awakening, a sexual coming-of-age story, and one of the most beloved romances in pop culture history—but how does it hold up when we really look at it? In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we revisit the summer of ’63 through an ’87 lens, unpacking age gaps, power dynamics, class politics, reproductive rights, and the film’s complicated ideas about masculinity and desire. Is Dirty Dancing quietly radical, deeply troubling, or somehow both at once? Nobody puts this rewatch in a corner. Lees meer
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
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FROM THE GAZER VAULT: 'Grease' Movie Musical from 1978. T-Birds, Pink Ladies, Sex and Slut Shaming
6 januari 2026 · 1 uur 11 min
Dr Lee and Dave are having the week off! Before our next week's episode on 'Dirty Dancing', here's an episode from last year for our Gazers new and old to enjoy! Lees meer
Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast our Gaze over high school musical 'Grease' from 1978. The Travolta phenomenon steps up a gear and Olivia Newton John hops aboard. Many a teen girls and gays favourite. Euphoric, innocent fun? Or perhaps a darker representation of teens, cultural morals and gender roles.
Also, Dr Lee bursts Dave's 'fake it till you make it bubble'. And just who is the Sandra Dee, and who is the Rizzo in this friendship.
You can watch Grease on many media formats in the UK and across the globe!
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Gazer Letters and 2025 retrospective!
2 januari 2026 · 32 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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New Year’s Eve Aboard The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Ringing in Disaster
30 december 2025 · 54 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we revisit The Poseidon Adventure (1972), beginning with its iconic New Year’s Eve celebration that turns instantly catastrophic. Using the overturned ship as both spectacle and metaphor, we examine how the film reinforces—and occasionally challenges—traditional 1970s gender roles, particularly around masculinity, leadership, faith, and sacrifice. We also place The Poseidon Adventure alongside its sister disaster films of the era, exploring why these large-scale spectacles resonated so strongly with 1970s audiences. In a decade shaped by social upheaval and institutional mistrust, we ask what comfort, reassurance, or ideology these films offered when the world felt unstable. Lees meer
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Bah, Humbug… or Is It? Christmas with Blackadder (1988)
23 december 2025 · 56 min
This festive episode of The Problematic Gaze Podcast decks the halls with sarcasm as we revisit Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (1988). Swapping Dickensian gloom for yuletide jokes, unexpected kindness, and plenty of seasonal silliness, we explore why this one-off special has become a cult Christmas favourite. From time-travelling spirits to Rowan Atkinson at peak comic charm, this is a warm, witty celebration of Christmas television—proof that even Blackadder can discover the joy of goodwill (with a smirk). Grab a mince pie and join us for a merry stroll through one of the BBC’s most beloved Christmas treats. 🎄 Lees meer
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Our Dave shops 'till he drops and Dr Lee loses his spark!
19 december 2025 · 21 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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'Morecambe & Wise' from 1971: The Christmas Show That United a Nation
16 december 2025 · 56 min
For decades, the Morecambe & Wise Christmas specials were more than just television — they were a seasonal institution. In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we take a joyful deep-dive into the 1971 Morecambe & Wise Christmas Special, fondly remembered as one of their most beloved festive showcases. Broadcast on Christmas Day 1971, this classic brought together Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise and an unforgettable lineup of guests — including showbiz legends like Shirley Bassey, André Previn and Glenda Jackson — for a rich variety of sketches, musical performances and moments that have become part of British Christmas tradition. Lees meer
We’ll revisit Eric’s ridiculous piano concerto with Previn, Shirley Bassey’s set malfunction, and the duo’s effortless blend of slapstick and warmth that made millions tune in each holiday season. This episode celebrates how the 1971 special helped define festive TV entertainment — bringing laughter, music and a sense of shared joy to families across the UK and beyond.
Click here to watch the 1971 Morecambe and Wise 1971 Christmas Special on IPlayer
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next week we focus on Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Click here to watch on Amazon Prime in the UK
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Host…
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Palladium Pantomimes and Radio Times!
12 december 2025 · 28 min
THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SOME BACKGROUND INTERFERENCE! WE BLAME OUR DAVE'S HANGOVER. APOLOGIES, MUST TRY HARDER (OR DRINK LESS) Lees meer
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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'It’s a Wonderful Life' (1946) Jimmy Stewart and the Shattered American Dream
9 december 2025 · 49 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we take a smart yet light-hearted look at It’s a Wonderful Life from 1946, starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, the man whose shattered dreams somehow become the emotional glue holding Bedford Falls together. We explore how the film mirrors a nation rebuilding itself after WWII, balancing hope, anxiety, and the looming pressure of the corporate machine embodied by Mr. Potter. Lees meer
We dig into the film’s gender politics, especially the Madonna/Whore dynamic that frames Mary as the idealized homemaker while Violet is cast under the town’s moral magnifying glass. We also zoom out to the cultural moment: the news events shaping the postwar world, the film landscape Frank Capra re-entered after the war, and the popular songs that set the mood of 1946.
Deep dive into with us into a beloved holiday classic—proof that beneath all the tinsel lies a rich tangle of ideals, anxieties, and unfulfilled ambitions.
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Listener Letters Corner, Christmas TV, Rowland & Janet,
5 december 2025 · 19 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Unwrapping Downton Abbey's 2011 Christmas Special. Period drama and the Myth of the Good Aristocrat.
2 december 2025 · 1 uur 3 min
In this festive deep dive, The Problematic Gaze visits the candlelit halls of Downton Abbey to dissect the beloved—and controversial—2011 Christmas Special. From Mary and Matthew’s snow-dusted proposal to the unspoken emotional labor of the servants, we unwrap how the episode uses holiday warmth to soften the edges of Edwardian class hierarchy, gender expectations, and the romanticisation of aristocratic life. Through critical analysis and cultural context, we explore how period drama is often used to remind us of the good old days, when everyone knew their place, Britannia ruled the waves and even the poorest could be happy (unless you're Daisy the kitchen maid, and then life was actually shit!) Lees meer
Watch the episode of international hit drama Downton Abbey from Christmas Day 2011. Click here to watch on itvX in the UK
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect the beloved US Christmas film (or is it?) It's A Wonderful Life from 1946
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE: Grange Hill, Collagen and Christmas Markets
28 november 2025 · 13 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Servalan and the sexual politics of 'Blake’s 7' from 1980. With special guest Toby Hadoke
25 november 2025 · 1 uur 8 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we’re joined by actor, writer, comedian, and classic TV chronicler Toby Hadoke for a deep dive into Series 3, Episode 10 of the enduring British cult sci-fi phenomenon Blake’s 7 from 1980. Toby brings his insight, humour, and encyclopaedic genre knowledge to a conversation about what made the series daring, flawed, and unforgettable. We explore the show’s gender politics, performances, production challenges, and the fascinating contradictions that helped cement Blake’s 7 as one of British sci-fi’s most compelling—and complicated—television landmarks. Lees meer
To watch the episode of Blakes 7, Harvest of Kairos, discussed in this podcast Click here
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect we kickstart our Christmas curation with an episode of international hit drama Downton Abbey from Christmas Day 2011. Click here to watch on itvX in the UK
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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FROM THE GAZER VAULT: 'Love Actually' from 2003. Romantic Loveliness or Misogynistic Mess?
21 november 2025 · 56 min
Dear Gazers, As Our Dave and Dr Lee are off on holiday there’s no Problematic Gazette this weekend. So instead please enjoy this episode from the Gazer Vault. To ease you into the festive season we focus on the Christmas favourite ‘Love Actually’. But beware, it’s not all cutesy lovehearts and romantic festive fayre, anything but! Enjoy!! Lees meer
Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we break out the mince pies and sherry to watch the British Christmas movie 'Love Actually' from 2003. A word of warning! If this film fills you with festive cheer, prepare to have your nostalgia vibes well and truly violated! This film is what The Problematic Gaze was invented for. Buckle up! Our peace and goodwill runneth on empty!
Also, Lee knows his onions when it comes to cold remedies. And Dave brushes up on his extremely rusty customer service skills.
We watched Love Actually on Sky Movies.
Click here to follow us on our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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'Benefits Street'. Was 2014 the Year Reality TV Crossed the Line?
18 november 2025 · 50 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we peel back the layers of the notorious 2014 documentary series Benefits Street, zeroing in on its explosive first episode. We explore how the show, the tabloids and even the government framed poverty, constructed narratives of the “deserving” versus “undeserving” poor, and used editing to transform real lives into sensationalist entertainment. And just how did a mortgage crisis in the USA contribute to austerity in the UK? Lees meer
Join us as we unpack how a single episode became a national talking point—and a case study in the power (and danger) of televised storytelling.
To watch the first episode of Benefits Street discussed in this podcast on YouTube Click here
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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect an episode of UK cult sci-fi drama Blakes 7 from 1980. Click here to watch
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE Race Across The World, Ariana Grande and All Her Fault
14 november 2025 · 18 min
Welcome to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Racism in the Classroom: Revisiting 'Mind Your Language' from 1979
11 november 2025 · 48 min
In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we step back into 1979 with Series 3, Episode 1 of Mind Your Language — a British sitcom that turned cultural stereotypes into punchlines and classrooms into chaos. Once celebrated as lighthearted comedy, the show now raises serious questions about race, representation, and the politics of humor. Lees meer
We unpack the episode’s jokes, characters, and reception — asking: What did 1979 find funny? How did the show reflect Britain’s uneasy relationship with multiculturalism? And what can today’s audiences learn from revisiting a sitcom that both entertained and offended in equal measure?
Join us as we explore how nostalgia meets discomfort in the world of Mind Your Language — and how comedy’s “classroom of errors” still echoes through pop culture today.
To watch the episode of Mind Your Language discussed in this podcast on YouTube Click here
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect an episode of UK documentary Benefits Street from 2014. Click here to watch our chosen episode on YouTube
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE Reform Cancel Christmas and Dr Lee's a True Gentleman!
7 november 2025 · 16 min
Our Dave and Dr Lee welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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“You’re No So Terrible, Muriel" ABBA and Escape 'Muriel's Wedding' 1995 (UK)
4 november 2025 · 59 min
Pack your wedding dress and your ABBA mixtape, darling — this week we’re heading to Porpoise Spit. Lees meer
Muriel’s Wedding made us laugh, cry, and secretly want to walk down the aisle to “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do.” But beneath the sequins and self-tan lies a biting portrait of 1990s Australia — where success meant a white dress, a husband, and a ticket out of small-town obscurity.
Dave and Dr. Lee take a nostalgic (and occasionally uncomfortable) look at how female friendship, fat-shaming, and fame fantasies play out in this cult classic. And what does this film tell us about the LGBT small town experience?
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect an episode of notorious sitcom Mind Your Language. Click here to watch our chosen episode on YouTube
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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THE PROBLEMATIC GAZETTE 'Celebrity Traitors', 'Bake Off' and 'Doctor Who' news!!
1 november 2025 · 18 min
Fresh from winning 'Best History Podcast' at The Independent Podcast Awards, welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments and discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week. Lees meer
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
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Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FROM THE HALLOWEEN VAULT! 😱 'Ghostwatch' BBC TV Drama from 1992. Parky, Pipes and Brown Pants!
31 oktober 2025 · 52 min
👻 To celebrate Spooky Season, here's an episode from the PG Vault for our new Gazers to enjoy! 🎃 Lees meer
Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we watch the supernatural BBC 1 drama 'Ghostwatch' from 1992. Find out why it had the nation in uproar and jammed the BBC switchboard. Just who is Pipes? And dare you enter the Glory Hole?
Sadly the version of Ghostwatch we watched on YouTube has been taken down. But click here to watch a fab documentary about the Ghostwatch controversy by Shrouded Hand.
Click here to follow us on our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FROM THE HALLOWEEN VAULT! 🐺 'An American Werewolf In London' from 1981. Nurses, Curses and Piccadilly Circus!!!
30 oktober 2025 · 49 min
👻 To celebrate Spooky Season, here's an episode from the PG Vault for our new Gazers to enjoy! 🎃 Lees meer
Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, in celebration of Halloween, we cast our gaze on the classic film An American Werewolf In London. From the Yorkshire Moors to Piccadilly Circus, this film caused a stir upon its release in 1981. Is it a horror or a comedy? Is Jenny Agutter the poshest nurse ever? Let's take a visit to the most unwelcoming pub in England. And have you ever woken up in a wolf enclosure? Easily done.
Also, did Lee and Dave first meet on a donkey in 1981? And the side plate going for a song at £155.00!!
You can watch An American Werewolf in London on Amazon Prime in the UK.
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to follow us on our socials
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FROM THE HALLOWEEN VAULT! 👻 'The Wicker Man' from 1973. Virgins, Vegetation and Fiery Sacrifice
29 oktober 2025 · 50 min
👻 To celebrate Spooky Season, here's an episode from the PG Vault for our new Gazers to enjoy! 🎃 Lees meer
Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV, Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. This week we jump in the telly TARDIS and cast our Gaze over the seminal horror classic 'The Wicker Man' from 1973. Join Edward Woodward on a trip to the verdant Scottish island of Summerisle where all is not what it seems. Paganism, sacrifice and turquoise beans. It's all here.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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HALLOWEEN SPECIAL 🎃: Slasher Horror and Queer Fear at 'Sleepaway Camp' (1983)
28 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
In this special Halloween episode, The Problematic Gaze dives into Robert Hiltzik’s Sleepaway Camp (1983), a cult classic slasher that mixes lakeside gore with one of the most infamous twists in horror history. What begins as a standard teen body count film turns into a messy collision of gender anxiety, repression, and moral panic. Lees meer
We unpack how Sleepaway Camp reflects (and distorts) early ’80s fears around gender nonconformity, the portrayal of trauma and queerness in horror, and how its shocking ending continues to haunt trans and queer representation decades later. Is Sleepaway Camp an accidental critique of heteronormative horror, or just another relic of exploitation cinema gone wrong?
Join us as we navigate the murky waters between camp and cruelty — with a few screams along the way.
Click here to watch Sleepaway Camp from 1983 on YouTube
To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!
Click here to follow us on all our socials
Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Click here to visit our YouTube site, The Gaze Channel, where you can watch video versions of our podcast.
Our YouTube site also contains playlists for each episode with provides wider context to each episode.
Click here to follow us on all our socials
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.