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Pilot TV

Empire Magazine

From the creators of The Empire Film Podcast, Pilot TV is your essential guide to every TV show that matters, providing a weekly rundown of all the new must-see TV shows dropping across streaming, terrestrial, satellite, cable, and beyond. Join Empire's James Dyer, Heat's Boyd Hilton, Steph Seelan, and Kay Ribeiro as they bring you breaking TV news, reviews of the week's major shows, and interviews with some of the biggest names in TV.

Pilot TV is here to make sure every minute you spend in front of the box is a minute worth spending. Served with a heavy helping of insider knowledge, irreverence and humour, Pilot TV won't just keep you informed, amused and entertained, but is guaranteed to save countless hours of your life. Because you can’t watch *everything*.

Enjoying the podcast? Sign up to Pilot+ for a bonus episode every Thursday, in-depth spoiler specials, and early, ad-free access to the regular show! Find out more at www.empireonline.com/pilottv

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32 episodes
weekly
Avg 1 hr 41 min
English

Episodes 32

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S1 · E433
Yesterday · 1 hr 40 min
Treasure Island, The Party, and Time. With very special guest host Russell T Davies
Steph is ill this week so we’ve drafted in a replacement host to cover her absence. That host? The Notorious RTD himself! Having just co-penned his memoir with one Boyd Hilton, Russell joins the pod to chat all about his storied career, what it’s like to work with Boyd and share the details of his mooted Doctor Who/Star Trek crossover episode. Plus we dive into the new adaptation of Treasure Island on Paramount+ (1:16:36), head over to ITV for knotty thriller The Party (1:21:18), and head back to the cell blocks for the third series of Time on BBC1 (1:28:34). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E432
October 5 · 1 hr 47 min
Carrie, Kill Jackie, and Pierre. With guests Sienna Miller and Dominic West
On this week’s show, WAR stars Sienna Miller and Dominic West collar Boyd to talk their divorce drama on Sky Atlantic (48:50-1:01:51), plus we dissect the recent list of The New York Times’ 100 greatest TV shows of the 21st century. Show-wise, it’s Stephen King time again as Mike Flanagan has a crack at the author’s debut novel, Carrie, on Prime Video (1:09:05), and also on Prime we try to find out who’s after Catherine Zeta Jones in Kill Jackie (1:21:52). Plus David Harewood shines a light on beleaguered duty solicitors in Pierre on Channel 4 (1:34:39). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E431
September 28 · 1 hr 50 min
WAR, Break Clause, and Blue Lights. With guest Siân Brooke (and Ziggy)
We have a dog in the studio this week (very good boy 13/10) as guest Siân Brooke brings her miniature sausage dog Ziggy in to see us (and also to talk about the new series of Blue Lights on BBC1)(35:19-1:02:34). The rest of the show sees us banished to our respective homes, however, as we beam in to discuss the aforementioned Belfast police drama (1:35:11), as well as legal thriller WAR on Sky Atlantic (1:18:23), and coupledom comedy Break Clause on Channel 4 (1:25:48). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E430
September 21 · 1 hr 45 min
Youth, The Blame, and The Split Up. With guests Sharon Horgan, Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren
On this week’s show we have a trio of guests as Sharon Horgan joins us to talk Youth on HBO Max (28:01-35:17), while Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan chat all things Mobland on Paramount+ (52:22-1:04:14). Elsewhere, we talk through the winners of this year’s Primetime Emmys, Steph reminisces about Mr T, James looks back at Deep Space Nine and there are many disagreements about this week’s reviews. Speaking of which, they are the aforementioned Youth (1:04:14), The Blame on ITV (1:17:33), and The Split UP on BBC1 (1:31:17). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E429
September 14 · 1 hr 56 min
American Hostage, Slow Horses, and Crew Girl. With guests Patrick Brammall and Sanjeev Bhaskar
We have a guest double show this week as not only does Boyd chat weith Sanjeev Bhaskar about The Split Up (1:09:19-1:25:55), but Patrick Brammall joins us in the studio to chat Lat Seen (and, let’s be honest, Colin From Accounts) (26:24-51:12). There were tears. Plus, we head back to the seventies with Jon Hamm for American Hostage (1:25:55), see if Netflix can steal Prime’s YA crown with teen show Crew Girl (1:43:29), and find out what’s going down at Slough House with the latest season of Slow Horses (1:33:31). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E428
September 7 · 2 hr
Colin From Accounts, and The Gentlemen. With guests Paddy Young and Jack Shep
In this week’s podcast we discover precisely why Steph is playing the new Harry Potter (and why you should never visit the zoo during a heatwave), we take a trip back to the ‘90s in search of reboot fodder, plus Boyd launches into an extended discussion of Bond themes (which apparently ties back in to TV somehow). Plus, we feast our eyes on the final series of Colin From Accounts (1:31:01), and head back to the Lords for the second season of Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen (1:46:54), not to mention welcoming two members of the SNL crew to the show (1:01:05-1:14:30). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E427
August 31 · 1 hr 8 min
Vigil, Trigger Point, and The Rainmaker
We’re off to the Arctic circle this week with the return of Rose Leslie and Suranne Jones’ investigative thriller Vigil on BBC1 (40:00), putting the ‘boom’ back in ITV with the return of VIcky McClure’s Trigger Point (48:07), and getting our Grisham on in the arrival of The Rainmaker, also on ITV (56:38). Plus the team delve into the nepo baby phenomenon, Boyd prepares to head up to Edinburgh to hang out with the stars, and we do our level best to remain professional while beaming into the pod from the comfort of our various homes. Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E428
August 27 · 46 min
PLUS Dark Matter
Have a free episode of PilotTV+ on us! We’re back into the multiverse on this week’s Pilot+ as we delve into the second season of Blake Crouch’s Dark Matter on Apple TV+. And assuming that it is indeed the ‘real James, Boyd and Kay, the team also break open the postbag to tackle a series of compliments AND complaints — the postbag giveth, and the postbag taketh away. Want your messages read out as part of The Postbag? Email us at postbag@pilottvpod.com
S1 · E426
August 24 · 1 hr 56 min
The Terror: Devil In Silver, Dog Park, and Fightland. With guests Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler
We have not one but two Green Lanterns on this week podcast as both Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler put up with James fanboying both over Lanterns on HBO Max and of course the fact that Chandler IS Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights (clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!) (39:38-1:00). Elsewhere we have a big old Lego chat, someone attempts a sweet-based assassination attempt and we tackles the new season of The Terror on Sky (1:18:10), Australian canine comedy Dog Park on U (1:29:35), and criminal boxing thriller Fightland on Sky Atlantic (1:43:49). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E425
August 17 · 1 hr 26 min
Lanterns, Ludwig, and Sunny Nights, plus Animation Education
We’re back to a full house this week as James returns from his holidays, and an even fuller house than that, in fact, as we have a surprise ringer parachuted into this week’s line-up. In a bid to address to the team’s ongoing reluctance to become au fait with animation, we’ve invited animation filmmaker John McEwan-Whyte to join us on the show and provide a crash course in all things cell-shaded (31:08). Plus we catch up on the heroic amount of things that we’ve watched over the past few weeks (including at least one awkward mea culpa) and we jump into this week’s shows. To whit: DC superhero-powered crime thriller Lanterns on HBO Max (1:07:49), series 2 of cosy crime procedural Ludwig on BBC1 (1:14:51), and spray-tan crime caper Sunny Nights on ITV (1:19:44). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E424
August 13 · 1 hr 18 min
House Of The Dragon Season 3 Spoiler Special. With showrunner Ryan Condal
As a special bonus, we're making our House Of The Dragon spoiler special available to everyone! For more of these, early, ad-free access to the main podcast and a second show every week, subscribe to Pilot+ for not very much money at all! www.empire.supportingcast.fm House Of The Dragon reached its fiery (and swordy, and axey) climax this week with a LOT happening as we lay the board for the show’s final season. This season saw dragons in the sky, a new bum on the Iron Throne anshoved up another one. All of which are good reasons for the Pilot gang (well, James and Boyd since Steph is still a little behind) to undertake a full post mortem of everything that happened. Plus, co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal drops by for an extended, spoiler-filled interview spilling all the season’s secrets.
S1 · E423
August 10 · 1 hr 25 min
The Shards, Hit Point, and Alley Cats
Apparently, it’s our 400th episode so to celebrate we invite special guest Darren, our esteemed editor, to join Kay, Steph and Boyd for the opening ‘What we’ve been watching’ segment, which is full of surprises. We also look back to the very first episode, before reviewing the Bret Easton Ellis/Ryan Murphy collab The Shards on Disney+, U&Dave’s first scripted original drama Hit Point, and adult animation Alley Cats from Ricky Gervais. Here’s to the next 400!
S1 · E422
August 3 · 1 hr 43 min
Possession, Benidorm Is Murder, and Lioness. With guest Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais is our guest this week, talking all things Alley Cats, and yes, it’s an animated show, but a very very adult one. We’re also celebrating James’ absence with another two-hander between Boyd and Kay who together review Possession with Gugu Mbatha-Raw on Sky & NOW, Benidorm Is Murder with John Hannah on 5, not to be confused with A Touch Of Cloth, and the star-studded Lioness from the Taylor Sheridan stable. Boyd also counts down his top 10 favourite films, due to public demand. Kind of.
S1 · E421
July 27 · 1 hr 36 min
The Vampire Lestat, Furious, and The Rapture
Furious is definitely the word for this week’s show. Not just because we’re reviewing the serial killer show of the same name on Disney+, but because that is a perfect summation of Steph’s mindset going in. As incandescent as we’ve ever seen her, Steph Hulked out over one of this week’s shows but refused to reveal which one, so you’ll have to wait for the reviews section to find out. Was it the aforementioned (and aptly titled) Disney show? Was it the return of Sam Reid in Interview With The Vampire evolution The Vampire Lestat on BBC2? Or was it apocalyptic thriller The Rapture on BBC1? Listen and find out (but maybe wear a helmet). Also on-brand for this oh-so-livid instalment is our listener question, which sees the team cast watersheds aside to identify the very best swears on telly.
S1 · E420
July 20 · 1 hr 48 min
The Crow Girl, Ride Or Die, and The Hawk. With guest Anya Taylor-Joy
Anya Taylor-Joy is our guest in the studio this week, talking both her new show Lucky on Apple TV and her (and Steph’s) love of dogs (32:50-50:51). But that’s not all, because the team also talk through the TV teachers they wish had filled them with knowledge during their formative years and reviewed three new shows besides. To wit: the return of twisted crime thriller The Crow Girl (1:10:07) on Paramount+, Hannah Waddingham and Octavia Spencer’s buddy action comedy Ride Or Die on Prime Video (1:32:00), and Will Ferrell’s golfing comedy The Hawk on Netflix (1:43:58). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E419
July 13 · 2 hr 6 min
The Westies, Ann Droid, and The Five Star Weekend. With guests JK Simmons and Tom Brittney
We finally unveil (in typically shambolic fashion) our shows of the year (so far) list in this week’s episode as an arcane mathematical formula is applied to our individual favourites, distilling them into the definitive (probably) top 10 of everything out in 2026 to-date (17:33). Plus JK Simmons and Tom Brittney join us to chat MGM+’s new gangster show The Westies (37:18-50:58). We also watch Diane Morgan’s new comedy, Ann Droid, on BBC1 (1:42:17), and Jennifer Garner’s girls’ weekend drama The Five Star Weekend on Sky Atlantic (1:51:38). All that and se do a drop-in to discuss this year’s Emmy nominations (1:06:32) and James makes a landmark admission while discussing what we’ve all been watching. Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E418
July 6 · 1 hr 36 min
The Dark, Human Vapor, and X-Men ‘97. With guest Esther Smith
Esther Smith is our guest on this week’s show, talking all things Trying Season 5 (38:15-48:52). Plus we pick through the wreckage of the TV schedules this week to try and find shows that haven’t been consumed by the world cup, only to stumble across a Scottish crime drama in The Dark on ITV (58:20), a remake of Japanese supernatural story Human Vapor on Netflix (1:11:04), and the long-awaited second season of X-Men ‘97 on Disney+ (1:22:04). All that, and we even find the time to plan our perfect TV-themed getaways as well. Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E417
June 29 · 1 hr 30 min
The Bear, Silo, and Elle
Ever wondered what a ‘winter show’ looks like? Well fear not because Steph clues you in on this week’s show as we dive into another triad of televisual entertainment. First out of the gate this week is the final season of The Bear on Disney+ (51:06). Will the restaurant keep its doors open? Will Carmy and Syd be able to save the day? Will Ritchie yell obscenities across the kitchen? All is revealed in the show’s last hurrah. We also take a trip back to the high school origin story of Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods in Elle on Prime (1:05:50), and head back beneath the earth for a return to the Silo on Apple TV (1:15:45). And if that wasn’t enough, the team make their respective cases for characters who deserved more screen time than they ultimately received and stage a full-throated (steady!) recommendation of what we’re calling ‘the great unifier’, the one show that has aligned James, Kay, Steph and Boyd in unanimous admiration. Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E416
June 22 · 1 hr 18 min
Sugar and The Agency
We’re down to two shows this week as the world cup (or embargoes, depending on who you ask) closes its vice-like grip on the airwaves. But what a pair they are: we’re back in the spy business with Michael Fassbender in the return of Paramount+’s espionage drama The Agency, and on the missing persons beat with Colin Farrell as Apple’s sci-fi-cri Sugar makes its return. Plus we mull over some of the Pilot shows that have dragged us out of our comfort zone and not only does Kay Ribeiro make her triumphant return to the podcast this week, but Steph drops by as well, making this a rare full house. Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!
S1 · E415
June 15 · 1 hr 43 min
House Of The Dragon and The Light In The Hall: Still Waters. With guest Javier Bardem
Thanks to the world cup (and a handful of embargoes), there are only two shows we can cover this week, but that’s okay because not only is one of the triumphant return of Game Of Thrones prequel spin-off House Of The Dragon (1:15:43), but the other is Welsh drama The Light In The Hall: Still Waters (1:01:38), which also exists under the Welsh name Y Golau: Dŵr, which James does attempt to say, albeit with a little assistance. Plus Javier Bardem joins us on the show to chat bringing Max Cady back to our screens in Apple’s adaptation of Cape Fear (35:07-46:23). Note: time stamps are approximate as the ads throw them out, so are only meant as a guide. If you want to avoid this and would like the podcast entirely ad-free (as well as 17 hours early, with a second weekly show and spoiler specials) then sign up to Pilot+!

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