What Does Wicker Tells Us About Men?

This episode of Please Don’t contains references to gambling and addiction. If you’re needing to speak to someone about these issues, support can be found at the BBC Action Line. Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård’s latest folk fantasy film, Wicker, has landed in cinemas with a crash and a bang - emphasis on the bang. It’s got everything one may need in a film - goats, fish guts, cuckolding, and wicker penises. But Raven and Joel have found something more to it all, beneath the shagging and excellent casting. Hear their take on why this film actually matters, what it says about men, and why Olivia Colman is a forever please do. Talking of forever please do’s, Bradley Walsh has been in the spotlight this week with his new quiz show, Million Pound Shot, which wasn’t exactly what it seemed… (Spoilers, it was a hoax, designed to get us thinking about gambling) Despite containing acting akin to a GCSE drama exam, Joel thinks shows like this might just have a place for discussing serious subjects over documentaries or very serious current affairs programmes. Listen to find out why, and how former Tomorrow’s World presenter Philippa Forrester has made an enemy of Raven. 90s heartthrob Ryan Phillipe has either had 50p put in him, or has been listening to this podcast, because he’s published his own take of a Please Don’t list. Hear Raven and Joel’s take on it - brace yourselves. Plus, Raven has some 10/10 book recommendations for listener Eliza, and Joel’s found someone who had a dream about getting off with Wallace off of And Gromit fame. Naturally. Raven and Joel are back next Thursday. Welcome to the kennel of the algorithm bloodhounds, bred to sniff out the hottest takes for the chronically online. Columnist Raven Smith, and author Joel Golby, are here to provide you with their cheat sheet for what to think about culture right now. They’ll tell you what they love - but, more importantly, they’ll tell you what's a Please Don’t. Got a hot take? Or even a hot take on Raven and Joel’s hot takes? Email ravenandjoel@bbc.co.uk Please Don’t is a Reduced Listening production for BBC Sounds. https://www.reducedlistening.co.uk/ Producer: David Chipakupaku Digital Producer: Christian Dametto Assistant Producer: Annie Keates Thorpe Executive Producer: Lily Ames Head of Production: Dan Jackson Audio Credits: 17:01 - Wicker trailer - Topic Studios, Tango Entertainment, Votiv, Yoki, Inc., South of the River Pictures, Black Bear Pictures, Roadshow Films