Welcome to the Entertainment Section’s ‘Entertainment Round Up’! Each month, Empoword’s Entertainment journalists will be sharing the books, films, TV programmes, theatre shows, podcasts and video games they have discovered and loved. If you are looking for your next page-turning thriller, binge-worthy show or thought-provoking podcast, you have come to the right place.
For our inaugural ‘Round Up’, our writers have reflected on their TV, theatre, podcast and video game highlights from February 2022.
TV
“Reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine that I don’t even feel that guilty about.”
‘I feel like I’m the last person to arrive at the party when it comes to Euphoria. When it first blasted onto our TV screens back in 2019, it was a near instant success, garnering millions of viewers, launching fashion and makeup trends with its signature costuming style, and basically becoming the trendiest show on the market. I, however, have only just started watching it in the last few weeks, and honestly, I’m finally understanding the hype around it. The storylines, the acting (Zendaya especially; it’s clear why she won an Emmy for this), the issues it tackles – it’s all just so good. True, in my opinion there’s far too much nudity for a show effectively focusing on high schoolers, but you can applaud Euphoria for the brutality of it’s honesty about sex, abuse, and addiction. I can see why so many people marathon through it in one sitting; I’m obsessed!’
– Alice Fortt
‘Reality TV is a guilty pleasure of mine that I don’t even feel that guilty about. And Season 2 of Love Is Blind was everything I’ve ever wanted from a cheesy dating show. It’s exactly what we all love to hate. Sure, it’s very easy to criticise. But it also makes us question what we really think about love, whether we can really fall in love that quickly – if it’s wishful thinking on the cast’s part or if they’re just still in a very intense honeymoon phase. Through all its flaws, though, Love Is Blind does feature some very sweet moments that make you feel more optimistic about love and fate. That’s what keeps us hooked. If even my very cynical boyfriend wanted to binge it and hated waiting a week for the next episode, it’s clearly doing something right.’
– Faye Minton
‘I have been absolutely loving the six nations! I’m a Scottish supporter and was on the edge of my seat watching them narrowly beat England last month. Wales played a brilliant comeback game after their defeat against Ireland and (unfortunately!) beat Scotland 2 weeks ago. This weekend should be a good set of games (Scotland vs. France, England vs. Wales, and Ireland Vs Italy). Scotland have beat France at Murrayfield before, but France are the team to beat so we will have to see… The England vs Wales game is set to be tight and I can’t call it. Of course, Ireland will crush Italy but by how much is yet to be seen. It’s a brilliant time to be a rugby fan!’
– Fiona Paterson
‘Succession strikes a healthy dosage of money porn. The series makes my stomach churn in disgust at how billionaires and elites live whilst I simultaneously revel in the Roy’s family drama, politics and power. Created by Jesse Armstrong, Succession is an in-depth character study of the world’s worst, greediest kind of people. And yet here I am hooked on the capitalist high, binge-watching episode after episode for the past month. Like Cersei in Game of Thrones, HBO is again successful in providing viewers with female characters that are just as manipulative and cold as their male counterparts. So, whilst I would hate most of these characters in reality, it’s vital to see complex portrayals of women beyond the usual restrictive stereotypes.’
– Alex Slater
THEATRE
‘Emma Rice’s mesmerising adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights is a masterpiece of theatrical creativity. A collaboration between Wise Children, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal, the play is staged at the stunning National Theatre in London until 19th March. The play dramatizes the beloved story of Cathy (Lucy McCormick) and Heathcliff (Ash Hunter), who are destined to remain apart despite their deep love for one another. Every cast member fulfils the demands of their characters wholeheartedly, and the production is captivatingly brilliant from start to close. The use of props was particularly innovative, as was the deployment of sound effects in creating the chillingly haunting atmosphere of the Yorkshire Moors. My memory of reading Brontë’s novel is tainted by the perplexing family lineage of the Earnshaw’s and the Linton’s, yet Rice’s production is successful in maintaining clarity amidst similar character names and cast doublings, making for a much more accessible theatrical experience than was anticipated. Whether you are a dedicated Brontë fan or are not familiar with her work, Wuthering Heights at the National Theatre is not an opportunity to be missed.
– Isabelle Osborne
PODCASTS
‘Alongside my university studies, I work four mornings a week cleaning a beautiful 15-bedroom home for a lovely local family. Given the size of the house, the job demands a level of physicality that, previously, I could only uphold if I had pounding dance music thumping through my headphones. After weeks of hoovering to the same playlist on repeat, I decided I wanted to shake up my work routine and dip my toe into the pool of podcasts to listen and to learn (and, importantly, to avoid the inevitable tinnitus that was surely waiting for me after another week of dance-floor-fillers). It was the lady of the house who wrote me a comprehensive list of her most recommended history podcasts – my favourite school subject. After devouring various BBC history episodes on the Apple podcast app, I stumbled upon Hallie Rubenhold’s Bad Women: The Ripper Retold. In the fantastic 15-part series, historian Hallie Rubenhold delivers startling revelations about the five victims of serial killer Jack the Ripper, from their upbringings and social standings in London in 1888 to broader discussion around the treatment and prospects of women in the 19th century. Refreshingly, Rubenhold’s interest lies solely in the lives of the women the Ripper brutally murdered as opposed to the ongoing obsession around the identity of the killer – a cold case that will never be solved. Accompanied by atmospheric sounds, an interesting and varied list of guests and excellent voice actors, Bad Women takes listeners on an immersive trip through 19th century London in the Ripper era of fear. It’s a podcast I recommend to all.’
– Lucy Metters
VIDEO GAMES
“Insomniac Games pulled out all the stops and used the accessibility settings to their full potential.”
‘Despite the criticism I have for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, I enjoyed it more than Ratchet & Clank (2016). Unlike the Ratchet & Clank re-imagining, Insomniac Games pulled out all the stops and used the accessibility settings to their full potential. As a player, you can eliminate the dreaded motion blur if you wanted to. It’s a godsend to those of us that suffer from migraines. Unlike this game, the lack of subtitles and accessibility settings and the complete disregard for disabled players and migraine-stricken gamers is a cause for concern when it comes to Spyro Reignited Trilogy. Toys For Bob and Activision need to take notes from Insomniac Games, methinks. Unfortunately, just like Ratchet & Clank (2016), time hasn’t been too kind on the Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart soundtrack (composed by Mark Mothersbaugh and Wataru Hokoyama. Mark Mothersbaugh is well-known for composing the soundtracks for the Crash Bandicootand the Jak and Daxter franchises. The only music tracks that stood out are the main theme, Club Nefarious and a remix of “Drunken Sailor” (which can be heard in the space robot pirate bar on planet Ardolis). I have to be honest, I spent more time in the space robot pirate bar longer than I should have. Identical to Ratchet & Clank (PS4), the graphics are eye-candy, captivating and gorgeous, complete with countless setpieces. It’s too easy to get lost in the atmosphere. In fact, Nefarious City is giving off Haven City (from Jak II: Renegade) vibes.’
– Fiona Li
If you are interested in contributing to next month’s ‘Entertainment Round Up’, please send a 50-200 word summary of what you discover in March, whether this be a book, film or any form of entertainment, to empowordentertainment@gmail.com.
Featured image courtesy of Georgia Vagim via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to the image.
Isabelle Osborne
Isabelle Osborne is currently reading English at University College London. She is an active member of the UCL student journalist community, and has experience in marketing and communications, blogging, copywriting and content creation and radio broadcasting.