Best Quintessential Voices Podcasts (2024)

1
Rated or Dated: Fever Pitch 29:34

2h ago29:34

29:34

Based on the much-lauded Nick Hornby classic, our Jen has picked filmic festival of football, Fever Pitch. But will protagonist and giant man-child Paul, played by Colin Firth, float Hannah or Jen’s boat? And what is the film trying to say, other than that women don’t like football? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Harriet Wistrich seeks justice 27:32

1h ago27:32

27:32

Having been involved in some of the country's most high-profile cases, lawyer and fearless campaigner for justice, Harriet Wistrich has some incredible stories to tell. Many of which are in her new memoir, Sister In Law. Hannnah chats to Harriet about the Stockwell shooting, Spycops, the media and Sally Challen, and asks if some of us are better bu…

1
Sue Cleaver is a Work in Progress 25:52

1h ago25:52

25:52

Best known as Coronation Street’s loveable matriarch, Eileen Grimshaw, Sue Cleaver is a woman of many talents. As well as treading the boards as Mother Superior in Sister Act the musical, she’s written a book - A Work In Progress. Part memoir, part manifesto, it champions women in midlife and beyond. Our Corrie fanatic, Jen, caught up with Sue to c…

1
Flicking #53: Killers of the Flower Moon 38:02

1h ago38:02

38:02

Hannah’s picked Martin Scorsese’s take on the string of brutal murders of the oil-wealthy Osage Nation that took place in 1920s Oklahoma. It stars Robert de Niro (natch) and Leonardo DiCaprio (also natch) and features a brilliant performance from newcomer Lily Gladstone. But does it warrant the stonking three-and-a-half-hour run time? WTF is going …

1
The Bush Telegraph: Quintessentially British, or not 31:14

1h ago31:14

31:14

Hannah and Jen are on duty this week and, naturally, they’re wondering (like the rest of us) WTAF is “Britcore”? They’re also pondering the benefits of Brexit and, across the pond, just how many copies of his self-published book is a would-be Trump assassin likely to sell? The Boss, Sarah Millican, is back with some more Light Relief for our £5 and…

1
Rated or Dated: Women in Love (1969) 31:06

9m ago31:06

31:06

It’s a first time watch of Larry Kramer and Ken Russell’s erotically charged adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s 1920 novel for both Mick and Jen. Will they finally understand teenage Hannah’s obsession with Alan Bates? How many times can Mick sing Liberty X? And what’s (young) Olly Reed doing to Jen’s bloomers? Also contains – and no one was expecting t…

1
Catherine Standish makes a stand (ish) 20:37

1h ago20:37

20:37

Slow Horses is back for a fourth series on Apple TV and Hannah's been on the Zoom with one of its stars, Saskia Reeves, to talk about the wonder of Catherine Standish, the odour of Jackson Lamb and how the series keeps on creating great roles for women over 50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
The Bush Telegraph: Ordinary men, horrific crimes 32:34

7d ago32:34

32:34

This week, Mick and Jen are focusing on two stories gripping most women they know: the horrific mass rape case currently going through the French courts (and the astonishing bravery of Gisèle Pélicot), and the brutal murder of Olympian Rebecca Cheptegei. We’d apologise for it being so grim, but it’s hardly women’s fault, eh? For balance, there’s no…

1
RoD Sideways (2004) 26:17

2d ago26:17

26:17

Sideways might be regarded as one of the best films of the century, but is it just two middle-aged men on a drunken road trip? Let's find out... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Standard Issue

1
The Quintessential Buffy The Vampire Slayer 1:17:38

3d ago1:17:38

1:17:38

The Quintessential Buffy Join Mick and Ben in this hilarious and insightful episode where they delve into the quintessential Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes, trying to pick out what made the show such a fan favourite with a lasting impact that no one may have expected from it's early days. Plus they review the Beetlejuice sequel, and discuss the …

1
Vanessa Kisuule is in MJ recovery 24:52

3d ago24:52

24:52

Award-winning poet Vanessa Kisuule is, in her own words, “a recovering Michael Jackson obsessive”. Yeah, that’s a tricky one to negotiate. Fame and all of its disciples are at the heart of Vanessa’s debut non-fiction (non-poetry), Neverland: the Pleasures and Perils of Fandom, in which she explores the fan/celebrity relationship, the big feelings w…

1
Marina Gerner’s Vagina Business 26:54

4d ago26:54

26:54

When journalist Marina Gerner heard about a potentially life-changing innovation in heart health for women, she was keen to spread the word. But why were none of her usual editors interested in this “niche” subject area? In her new book, The Vagina Business: The Innovative Breakthroughs that Could Change Everything in Women’s Health, Marina takes u…

1
The Bush Telegraph: Noasis, no-brainers, and bog off Boghossian 27:03

8d ago27:03

27:03

Hannah and Mick have looked at the news, had a big scream and are now ready to talk to you about Ticketmaster chaos, the ‘duty of candour’ law and why it’s a no-brainer to apply it to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and why just because Peter Boghossian hasn’t heard feminists talking about Afghanistan doesn’t mean feminists aren’t talking about Afghani…

1
Rated or Dated: Muriel’s Wedding (1994) 29:20

9d ago29:20

29:20

PJ Hogan’s 1994 classic, Muriel’s Wedding, launched his own career, as well as those of Toni Collette and Rachel Griffiths. But has Jen misremembered the Aussie comedy as a “feel-good” movie? Is Muriel/Marial/Muriel a likeable protagonist? And will Mick and Hannah ever stop laughing about an unzipped beanbag? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…

1
Hibernophobia in Fantasy 1:15:34

10d ago1:15:34

1:15:34

On this episode of Sure Look, Sure Listen, we take a look at the dodgy world of Irish coding your villains and characters in Fantasy settings, starting with the booming popularity of Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses, or as Ben calls it; fairy smut. We take a look at the problematic way in which the author bases her fictional worlds of Hy…

1
Reah Bravo on complicity 25:19

10d ago25:19

25:19

When Reah Bravo encountered sexual misconduct at the hands of a former employer during her time as a broadcast journalist, she was surprised by the way she handled it. As, she discovered, were many other women in similar situations. As Reah questioned the impact of the #MeToo movement, she set about examining the ways in which women are socially co…

1
Wright and the right 22:05

23d ago22:05

22:05

We often talk about how social media is radicalising men and boys, but it absolutely happens to women and girls, too. In a new BBC3 documentary, America's New Female Right, Layla Wright heads to the US to find out why so many young women are advocating against their own interests. She chats to Hannah about domineering dads, the church, the thrill o…

1
Sleep, glorious sleep with Lisa Artis 24:18

14d ago24:18

24:18

Who doesn’t love a good night’s sleep? And yet, 40% of us in the UK struggle with some sort of sleep issue. And yes, you guessed it, it affects women more than men. Sunday marks the start of Sleeptember, so Mick grabbed the opportunity to get Lisa Artis, deputy CEO of The Sleep Charity, on the Zoom to talk about those all-important zeds – and why w…

1
The Bush Telegraph: Blood, social work and tears 21:36

27d ago21:36

21:36

It's Bush Telegraph time again and this week Hannah and Mickey are covering perhaps the widest range of topics ever: Oasis, menstrual blood, coercive control and cutting a whale's head off with a chainsaw. You are welcome. And in Sexism of the Week, Mickey's looking at how life is worsening for women in Afghanistan. We didn't say it was cheery. But…

1
Rated or Dated: Bowfinger 28:12

16d ago28:12

28:12

Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy x2 star in this satirical comedy from 1999, which is a firm favourite of both Hannah and Mick. Pressure. Which Eddie Murphy will steal the show? Will Heather Graham out Heather Graham herself? Will Hannah be able to stop watching the same three minutes of the film to watch all the film? Why is Mick practicing her kung-…

1
Exhumed: Blade (1998) 1:12:31

17d ago1:12:31

1:12:31

n this episode of Sure Look, Sure Listen the hosts dive into a nostalgic review of the 1998 action horror film 'Blade', exploring its impact on vampire media and its place in 90s pop culture. They shift gears to discuss the riveting second season of AMC's 'Interview with the Vampire', noting its skilful use of unreliable narration and rich period d…

1
Inside and out, with Jules Rowan 18:27

27d ago18:27

18:27

Adjusting to life on the outside is, for a lot of prisoners, very hard. But there's a wealth of advice on hand from the Life After Prison podcast and in this episode, Hannah chats to one of its co-hosts, Jules Rowan. They talk about what prison is for, who should and shouldn't be sent there, and how Jules has been using her experiences "inside" to …

1
Flicking #52: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 34:17

1M ago34:17

34:17

Tissues at the ready, because Yosra's picked a surprisingly dark Marvel film for this month's Flicking. The final outing for James Gunn's ragtag family of heroes led by Chris Pratt's Peter Quill puts half its focus on Rocket's (hellish, heartbreaking) backstory and the other on saving a Guardian in mortal peril. But does it have enough of its usual…

1
The Bush Telegraph: Sprinkles of hope on the cupcake of shit 23:29

1M ago23:29

23:29

Hannah and Mick are finding glimmers of good in the bad news this week, as they celebrate the brave women seeking justice in cases involving sexsomnia (sure, yer Honour) and, separately, mesh complications. And what’s that? Extreme misogyny being recognised by the Government as an ideology dangerous to women and girls? There have never been such ti…

1
Rated or Dated: District 9 (2009) 32:19

1M ago32:19

32:19

Is Wikus a hero, a villain or neither? Is Mickey over her aversion to gore? Does Hannah do a decent Johannesburg accent? Find out in this week's Rated or Dated, as we watch 2009's District 9. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesBy Standard Issue

1
Bubblegum Dystopia 1:13:28

25d ago1:13:28

1:13:28

Alien Romulus, Bubblegum Dystopias, and More! Join hosts Mick and Ben on this week's episode of the 'Sure Look, Sure Listen' podcast as they explore the concept of 'Bubblegum Dystopia' and its origins. Bubblegum Dystopia refers to a society that is polished and pleasing on the outside but has dark, insidious undertones. Examples discussed include f…

1
Angela Patton and Natalie Rae on Daughters 22:11

1M ago22:11

22:11

As part of her work as CEO of Girls for a Change, Angela Patton was faced with girls in her community who desperately wanted to spend quality time with their fathers. But in this case, the girls’ fathers were in jail, in a system that increasingly prevented contact time with loved ones. Not one to be phased by a challenge, Angela pioneered the high…

1
Outside The Box #67 43:34

1M ago43:34

43:34

So much sport, has there even been any time to watch telly? Of course there has. This month, Hannah, Mickey and Jen are talking about Simon Biles Rising, The Bear, Those About to Die, Slip, The Lady in the Lake, High Country, The Jetty and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

1
Jenny Off The Blocks Olympics Special 45:09

1M ago45:09

45:09

This week, Jen's joined by Hannah to chat about the carnival of sporting achievement that was Paris 2024. They're chatting about gender parity, Team GB winners, Raygun, whether the 100m is over-rated, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and what the hell is Hannah talking about when she says "I've been watching the running up the wall." Plus, if you now feel…

1
Rated or Dated: Mary Poppins (1964) 30:51

1M ago30:51

30:51

It’s a bona-fide classic in the Rated or Dated chair this week, as Hannah and Mick watch Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins for the umpteenth time and Jen comes at it fresh. Well, as fresh as someone with a four-year-old can be. The songs are bangers, the plot’s ridiculous and surely no one’s comfortable with being told how amazing they are all of the t…

1
The Quintessential X-Files 1:09:37

1M ago1:09:37

1:09:37

In this episode, Mick and Ben take a look at what makes an X-Files episode quintessential. They start with the spooky pilot episode, which probably could have been named 'Evil Forest,' move onto the terrifying 'Squeeze,' discuss the almost-bottle episode 'Ice,' explore 'Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose,' and conclude with the more comedic 'Jose Chung'…

1
Bryony Byrne is a Fan/Girl 24:51

1M ago24:51

24:51

Writer, performer and comedian Bryony Byrne loved playing football at primary school. So why can’t she remember any footballers post 1998? She explores this, as well as gender stereotypes, and female rage, through the spirit guidance of Eric Cantona in her Edinburgh show, Fan/Girl. Jen chatted to Bryony about the '90s, ladette culture, and falling …

1
Harriet Constable on Anna Maria della Pieta: the orphan who made Vivaldi famous 24:47

1M ago24:47

24:47

Anna Maria della Pieta. Chances are you’ve heard of Antonio Vivaldi, but you’ve never heard of Anna Maria or her fellow female orphans at the Ospedale della Pieta, which in 18th century Venice boasted the greatest orchestra in the world. Without these ridiculously talented girls and women, The Four Seasons might not exist. Harriet Constable’s debut…

1
Bribing horses with Kerenza Bryson 26:23

1M ago26:23

26:23

Here at Standard Issue, we love the Olympics - because who doesn't? But we especially love the modern pentathlon, which got underway at this summer's Games on August 8 and continues until the final day of the Olympics on Sunday 11. Jen had the joy of chatting to Team GB modern pentathlete Kerenza Bryson just before she headed out to Paris. Kerenza’…

1
Rated or Dated – The Karate Kid (1984) 32:10

2M ago32:10

32:10

This week it’s Jen’s pick, ably assisted by Mick, who suggested 1984’s Rocky for kids, The Karate Kid. Why was she was so keen to rewatch that, we wonder. In unrelated news, how will Mick’s crush on Ralph Macchio have dated? How many times can she talk about The Karate Kid Part II? And how will this seminal film of Noonan's youth fare with Balboa f…

1
Surviving Warhammer 40k: Worlds Less Grim and Dark 1:15:36

2M ago1:15:36

1:15:36

Join hosts Michael and Benjamin in this entertaining episode of Sure Look, Sure Listen; the podcast taking a pop at culture. The hosts then take a dip into the grim realities of the Warhammer 40k universe, discussing various factions and the feasibility of living on different planets peacefully within this dystopian setting, highlighting factions l…

1
Leave Juliet Cowan alone 26:13

2M ago26:13

26:13

Twenty-five years after making the final of So You Think You're Funny, Juliet Cowan has taken her first show to the Edinburgh Fringe. She talks to Hannah about taking the estrogen goggles off, the rashness of perimenopause, returning to comedy, and her successful acting career, which has included roles in This Life, Back To Life, Back to Black and …

1
Anna Akana warns us It Gets Darker 23:59

2M ago23:59

23:59

US comedian Anna Akana’s tagline might as well be ‘hello darkness my old friend’, because she travels into some pretty dark places for her comedy. This included talking about the stalker who hounded her so much she gave up standup for years, her sister’s suicide 17 years ago, and that time her dad ran off to fight in Ukraine. In this episode, she c…

1
Amy Conway invites you to a controversial funeral 23:07

2M ago23:07

23:07

Actor, playwright and civil celebrant Amy Conway's new one-woman show Catafalque opened at the Fringe last week and is soon to head off on a short tour of Scotland. In today's podcast, she's chatting to Hannah about funerals during Covid, the dilemmas celebrants can face and what it was like to write her own eulogy. Tickets for Catafalque at Summer…

1
The Bush Telegraph: Choppy waters and gratuitous tits 30:21

2M ago30:21

30:21

Mick and Jen are on Bush Telegraph duties this week and trying not to get seasick as they negotiate the choppy waters of the Seine, remaining buoyed by Flavor Flav’s unlikely appearance in a pool. Meanwhile, there may be tough times ahead for Rachel Reeves, horrors unfold on the streets of Southport, and one woman has tits galore right in her face.…

1
Rated or Dated: Parenthood (1989) 31:03

2M ago31:03

31:03

Hannah's picked one of Jen's faves, so how's that going to pan out? This week, we're watching Ron Howard's comedy about raising kids, that comes with an all-star cast. Does Frank deserve redemption? Does Mickey like the change of pace for Rick Moranis? And is Dianne Wiest the best thing in it? Spoiler alert on that last one - she is. Learn more abo…

1
Deadpool &Wolverine: The Ultimate Fan Service 1:17:32

2M ago1:17:32

1:17:32

Deadpool and Wolverine: Comic Con Unleashed & Pop Culture Explosion! Join Michael and Benjamin on the 'Sure Look Sure Listen' podcast as they dive into the latest pop culture news from San Diego's Comic Con, including casting announcements, trailer releases, and shocking returns. They review the highly anticipated Deadpool and Wolverine film with n…

1
Sue Elliott-Nicholls’ History Social Club 28:16

2M ago28:16

28:16

London's East End has inspired hundreds of books, films, TV programmes and characters. Now, there's a new podcast dedicated to its history, courtesy of writer, actor, and broadcaster Sue Elliott-Nicholls and Immediate Theatre. The Hackney and Newham History Social Club tells stories of the lives of people from the two London boroughs, as well as ma…

1
Susannah Walker goes feral, walking The Hard Way 22:04

2M ago22:04

22:04

Susannah Walker is one of the co-founders of brilliant charity Make Space for Girls, which campaigns for parks and other public spaces to be as welcoming for teenage girls as they are for teenage boys. Because it has implications, not least the question ‘who do public spaces belong to?’ Spoiler: it ain’t women. And so, in Susannah’s new book, The H…

1
Isa Guha takes the lead 22:07

2M ago22:07

22:07

Isa Guha, former cricketer, member of England’s World Cup winning team, and the first South Asian player to represent the country in the sport, has carved out a successful role for herself as a presenter since she retired from the game. Now, through her charity Take Her Lead, she wants to help other young women and girls to get a foothold in the ma…

1
Bush Telegraph and sport: The right time to quit and skills for a modern soldier 33:30

2M ago33:30

33:30

Another roller coaster of a week, so strap in for the Bush Telegraph with Lembit Opik and ... no, away with you... with Hannah and Jen. This time they're talking about Hannah's new career as a freelance White House advisor and Jen's got Track & Trace PTSD. In Sexism of the Week, there's some horrifying figures on violence against women and in Jenny…

1
Rated or Dated: Metallica: Some Kind of Monster 38:11

2M ago38:11

38:11

How many women in this week’s Rated or Dated? ZERO WOMEN. Must be a Mickey pick, eh? Correct. But what a pick: 2004’s rockumentary classic/accidental comedy, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster from filmmakers Joe Berlinger and the late Bruce Sinofsky. And man, oh emotionally stunted man, does it raise a lot of questions about the human condition. And …

1
Rebekah Pierre on putting the care back into care 26:29

2M ago26:29

26:29

There are currently 82,000 children in care in the UK. What's life like for them and how will growing up in care go on to affect their lives? Hannah's been on the Zoom with Rebekah Pierre, editor of an excellent new book, Free Loaves on Fridays: The Care System As Told By People Who Actually Get It, to find out more. Learn more about your ad choice…

1
Ilaria Bernardini is happy being the forest 25:36

2M ago25:36

25:36

Italian author Ilaria Bernardini is a big deal in her home country. And rightly so. Her latest novel in English, We Will Be Forest, was longlisted for Italy’s presitigious Strega Prize when it originally came out in 2018, and she’s received a tankload of plaudits for her works for the page and screen. In this episode, Mick’s chatting to Ilaria abou…

1
Flicking #51: Nyad 32:46

2M ago32:46

32:46

What’s this, not one but two older women with a lot to do? In the same film? There’s never been such times. Mick’s picked Nyad, the 2023 sports biopic from dream team Elizabeth Chai Vasarheluyi and Jimmy Chin about marathon swimmer Diana Nyad’s attempts to swim the 110 miles of open ocean from Cuba to Florida – in her 60s. But will Hannah and Yosra…

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