Raven On Podcast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy 2021, everybody! Finally, 2020 is over and we can start afresh and positive... oh wait, there's a Doctor Who festive special to dissect. Dan & Greg from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast join Nat & Stu to forensically examine "Revolution of the Daleks", which compared to some previous episodes of this era, is... fine. Except when you start to get into it. Then things get VERY. SHOUTY. Enjoy almost two hours of geeking out, if that's your thing!

The James Bond Retrospective comes to a climax (for now) as Nat & Stu grab some notebooks and compile a bunch of "Best of" lists from the 25 films they've watched in this, the year of Covid-19. The pair also take the opportunity to list some magic moments from the movies, as well as some less than ideal ones. Also, they bag out Spectre again because, seriously, what was WITH that whole thing? Thank you so much for listening to this series - stay tuned as next on the line-up for Nat & Stu is "Raven Bat".

The writing's on the wall for Nat & Stu as they finally rewatch and review "Spectre", the 24th Eon Bond film and one that Nat has not seen since loathing it in the cinema in 2015. Is it better than she remembers? Did she just dream up that whole "Blofeld is Bond's weird stepbrother" angle? No? Well, then, you can probably expect some ranting. Stu has some good points to make too, often more coherent and sensible than Natalie's. Plus there's a fair bit of comparison (and not in a great way) to the BBC Sherlock series, so please keep your complaints nice. :P This is the final official Raven Bond podcast until "No Time To Die", but don't worry, Nat & Stu Will Return!

Ahead of their Spectre podcast, Nat & Stu got together to talk about the death of Sean Connery. This includes a discussion of Connery's misogynistic behaviour and comments about women, and how social media responds to celebrity deaths and so-called "problematic faves". Also there's a great yarn about Connery calling out director Brett Ratner for being a fraud. You can also read Natalie's reflections on Connery's life and work on her website: www.nataliebochenski.com Thanks for listening!

Let the SKY FAAAAAALLLLLL as Adele's rounded tones welcome us to the 50th year of Bond onscreen and the 23rd Bond film, Skyfall. Nat & Stu are joined by Brisbane journalist and fellow Bond tragic Alison Sandy to pick over the now old & busted bones of Britain's premier secret agent, who apparently is nearing the scrapheap despite only just getting his Double-O status. The trio get down and dirty with Xavier Bardem's flamboyant villain Raoul Silva, discuss M as the ultimate Bond girl, and Natalie gets REALLY ANGRY about the whole "let's keep Moneypenny's identity a secret and then reveal it at the very end in an incredibly clunky way" thing. And fair enough too, because it's VERY FRUSTRATING. Enjoy!

For the first time in Bond history - a sequel! Nat and Stu are joined once more by the encyclopedic brain of Tom Salinsky (from Best Pick Pod) to discuss Daniel Craig's second outing as the super spy. And it's a strange beast, with lots of super fast choppy editing, weirdly underwritten characters (especially the women) and plot threads left dangling in the breeze like so many unfurled-until-the-last-possible-second parachutes. But as Tom tells us, writing cohesive scripts is hard, and QoS has much to teach us about having strong narrative vision. Also Natalie's mad there aren't enough sex scenes, so it's classy talk all the way. Enjoy!

You know his name... it's Daniel Craig! The first truly 21st century Bond, whose concept of the character harks back to the original Fleming novels. Nat & Stu are joined by Greg Wah from the Smart Enough to Know Better podcast to talk all things Craig, his blue eyes, THAT swimsuit scene, his rookie dangerous "win at all costs" attitude, his mad poker skills, and how this movie subtly creates the Bond we know as it progresses. Also - there's probably too much chat about Eva Green and not enough about Mads Mikkelsen, but just the right amount of talk about thrashing testicles. Enjoy!

Madonna urges Sigmund Freud to "analyse this" in her theme song to Die Another Day, but surely even the cocaine-crazed Austrian shrink would have trouble deciphering this one. Yes, it's the 20th Eon Bond film that also marked the series' 40th anniversary on screens, AND has the legacy of near-ruining Pierce Brosnan's reputation as Bond. Nat & Stu are joined once more by guest Nick Wiggins to chat about the initial promise of this film, let down by poor directing choices, lacklustre casting, some terrible writing and dodgy AF CGI. There's a LOT to discuss. Enjoy!