TV Gold

Hosted by James Manning

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-AU

About the show

Welcome to the TV Gold podcast from Andrew Mercado and James Manning. A podcast for people who love great television.

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60 recent

September 5, 202638 min

Moria, Lioness S3, The Whisper Man, The Gentlemen S2

• Moria (Netflix, 8 episodes) The biographical miniseries follows the journey of Ana María Casanova as she transforms into Moria Casán, a pop-culture icon, television host, and vedette (showgirl) who challenged Argentina's traditional standards of womanhood over six decades. The series blends camp, kitsch, and reality, with Moria herself serving as the intergalactic narrator of her own story. The producers uses three actresses (plus her own daughter) to represent Moria at different stages of her life. • Lioness S3 (Paramount+, 8 episodes) The trouble begins this series as Joe (Zoe Saldaña) leads her CIA team on an infiltration mission in Donetsk, Ukraine, to kidnap a powerful Russian military intelligence leader named Aleksi Yurimov. The mission is a success, but the fallout is immediate and severe. Rather than retaliating against local targets, Russia targets Joe directly, sending contract agents to launch a terrifying home invasion on her family's Virginia property. Following the home assault, Joe's family (Neal, Kate, and Charlie) finally learn the full, dangerous truth about her career. Under the guidance of Kaitlyn (Nicole Kidman) and Westfield (Michael Kelly), the CIA launches Operation Treasure to try and sort out all this mess. • The Whisper Man (Netflix movie) The Whisper Man is a notorious serial killer who targets children, but there’s more lurking beneath the surface. Chasing down the Whisper Man is an unlikely duo: retired detective Pete Willis (De Niro) and his estranged son, Tom (Scott), who’s searching for his own abducted child, Jake (Acston Luca Porto). Old school serial killer thriller that James stayed with but Andrew tuned out early on. • The Gentlemen S2 (Netflix, 8 episodes) In Season 1 of The Gentlemen, former UN peacekeeper Eddie Horniman unexpectedly inherits his late father’s estate and the title of Duke of Halstead, bypassing his reckless older brother, Freddy. Eddie quickly discovers that his family’s massive estate houses a secret, multi-million-pound underground cannabis empire. In Season 2, Eddie has completely transformed from a reluctant aristocrat into a ruthless mob boss as he expands his hidden cannabis empire. Set one year after the events of the first season, Eddie and Susie Glass push their operations past the English countryside and into Italy, forging volatile new alliances while navigating escalating criminal rivalries. One of Guy Ritchie’s best sees him directing a great cast. Watch it alone for the star turn from Hugh Bonneville as a raunchy unprincipled member of the House of Lords. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario lead the drama again as Eddie and Susie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 31, 202639 min

Dalliance, The Cage

Dalliance (Paramount+, 6 episodes) One of the highlights of producer John Edwards’ career as he examines the lives of a group of Sydney friends and lovers in their 60s. Billy, a former cameraman in his sixties, has been happily married to Rose for four decades, but their lives are upended when he has a fateful encounter with Dani, a woman of the same age, on a Sydney Harbour ferry. Meet the characters played by Hugo Weaving, Heather Mitchell, and Georgie Parker. When their unexpected liaison comes to a sudden and shocking end, Billy's friends and family are left picking up the pieces and grappling with the far-reaching effects of his impulsive choices. Those friends and family are played by David Wenham, Catherine McClements, Wayne Blair and more. Andrew and James also pick a John Edwards Top 5 this episode. The Cage (ABC iview, 5 episodes) The series stars Sheridan Smith as Leanne, a widowed mother of two struggling with mounting bills and trying to protect her family, and Michael Socha as Matty, a recovering addict in debt to a dangerous loan shark. Both work inside a Liverpool casino. When Leanne and Matty realise they are both stealing from their employer, their lives are set on a high-stakes collision course. They find themselves entangled with each other, a local gangster named Gary (Barry Sloane) who is using the casino for money laundering, and a police detective named Ning (Sophie Mensah) who is closing in on the operation. A new series created by Tony Schumacher, a former taxi driver and police officer turned novelist, whose writing debut was the SBS series The Responder. That show many will remember with Martin Freeman as a Liverpool copper on the edge of a breakdown. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 27, 202629 min

My Brilliant Career, The Airport Chaplain, Falling

My Brilliant Career (Netflix, 6 episodes) Aspiring writer and strong-willed rebel Sybylla Melvyn (played by Philippa Northeast who heads a brilliant cast) lives a farming life in the Australian bush with her parents and younger siblings. The family receives a letter from Sybylla’s wealthy maternal grandmother, Winifred Bossier (Anna Chancellor), requesting Sybylla move in to her sprawling estate. When she arrives, Sybylla finds herself distracted from her aspirations by the handsome foreman of her grandmother’s estate, Frank Hawden (Jake Dunn), and local society celebrity Harry Beecham (Christopher Chung). Beecham’s upper-crust aunt, Augusta (Kate Mulvany), is a vocal suffragette looking to stir up change. The Airport Chaplain (SBS On Demand, 8 episodes) Airport Chaplain Tobias Wallace (played by Hugo Weaving) has an unorthodox approach to solving the daily crises of an airport, constantly overstepping boundaries and putting him on a collision course with new boss Mira Ansari-Cole. Mira wants him fired but Tobias isn’t giving up his beloved chaplaincy without a fight. Our review of the series includes a look at the production house Wooden Horse and we list Hugo Weaving’s five best roles on TV. Falling (ABC iview, 6 episodes) A British romantic drama television series written by Jack Thorne. (Lord of the Flies, The Hack, Adolescence, Toxic Town). Falling follows Anna, a devout nun who has lived in a convent for 20 years, and David, a progressive Catholic priest. When a chance encounter sparks an unexpected and forbidden romance, both must confront their vows, their faith, and their relationship with God. Watch it for the Catholic lovebirds, Keeley Hawes as Anna and Paapa Essiedu as David. And don’t miss the always brilliant Jason Watkins as Peter, the district bishop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 18, 202639 min

The Bombing of Pan Am 103, The Shards, Ted Lasso S4, Colin From Accounts S3, Ricky Gervais Alley Cats, The Roast of Kevin Hart

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (Netflix, 6 episodes) The Bombing of Pan Am 103, follows the investigation into the crash of the Pan Am flight from its beginning to its conclusion. The tragedy over Lockerbie, Scotland, connected residents of the small town with people around the world who lost loved ones in the disaster, forming a new community out of shattered lives. The six-part series examines those lives, exploring the fallout of the explosion and the investigation into the perpetrators. The Shards (Disney+, 9 episodes) Disney+ is billing The Shards as a series heavy on suspense, seduction and obsession. From prolific executive producer Ryan Murphy, the series is based on the bestselling novel by Bret Easton Ellis which is a fictionalised account of Ellis’s last year of high school. Watch it for Ryan Murphy as he gradually ramps up the suspense after a gentle first episode. Also watch it to se the siblings of Cindy Crawford (Kaia Gerber who plays Susan Reynolds) and Richard Gere (Homer Gere who plays Robert Mallory). Ted Lasso (AppleTV, 10 episodes) Richmond Football Club executives Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins travel from London to Kansas City to convince Ted Lasso to return to Richmond and lead the new women's football squad. Ted initially declines, but after permission from his family, he agrees and brings his son and ex-wife back across the Atlantic. James warned the first episode is a bit of a punish before it slips back into more familiar territory tracking the daily dramas of running an English football team…this time with women players. Colin From Accounts (S3 Foxtel/Binge, 8 episodes) The third and final season jumps ahead following the awkward aftermath of Gordon's botched proposal, exploring whether Ashley and Gordon belong together or if their dog Colin is all that binds them. Gordon continues running his craft brewery, while Ashley settles into her role as a GP following her regional placement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 7, 202635 min

Treasure and Dirt, Believe Me, Furious

Treasure and Dirt (ABC iview, 6 episodes) Detectives Ivan Lucic and Nell Buchanan arrive in the outback town of Nulla to investigate the beheading of local miner Jonas McGee. They find themselves up against combative local police and a hostile community. Believe Me (ABC iview, 4 episodes) The story of three victims of one of the most prolific sex attackers in British history, John Worboys, dubbed by the media as the ‘black cab rapist’ after preying on women under the cover of being a ‘respectable’ licensed taxi-cab driver. Furious (Disney+, 8 episodes) The series follows an FBI agent Alice Black, brilliantly played by Emmy Rossum, on the hunt for a mysterious and calculating female serial killer, played by Lola Petticrew. Both walk their own paths toward justice, and as their lives start to intertwine, the line between right and wrong begins to blur. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

August 2, 202635 min

Lucky, Ride Or Die, The F Ward

Lucky (Apple TV, 7 episodes) The Apple TV+ crime thriller series Lucky follows con artist Luciana “Lucky” Armstrong (Anya Taylor-Joy) who really is lucky. She goes on the run after a multi-million-dollar heist goes wrong. Pursued by the FBI and a mob boss, she must track down the stolen cash and survive her own chaotic past. Also stars Annette Benning and Timothy Oliphant. Ride Or Die (Prime Video, 8 episodes) The action-comedy (loads of action, not many laughs) series follows best friends Debbie Claybourne (Octavia Spencer) and Judith Burton (Hannah Waddingham). Debbie believes Judith is a forensic accountant, but Judith is actually a secret elite international assassin. When a hit goes wrong and a figure from Judith's past emerges, they are forced on a high-stakes road trip across Europe running from dangerous criminals and law enforcement. Also stars Bill Nighy. The F Ward (Stan, 6 episodes) Australian comedy-drama follows a group of flawed medical interns sent to an underfunded coastal hospital for a last-chance program to save their careers. Dan Wyllie is the best thing about The F Ward. Listen to Andrew Mercado drill down on the rest of the cast. Second best thing is the scripts which offer up many laughs, but also some slow, awkward moments. Worst thing is putting the hospital right on the beach. It gives it a Summer Bay feel at times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 24, 202640 min

Little House on the Prairie, The Bear S5, Five Star Weekend, Elle

Little House on the Prairie (Netflix, 8 episodes) The series follows the Ingalls family as they establish their “new forever” home outside the small but quickly developing town of Independence. The foursome, along with their dog Jack, faces the often harsh conditions of 1800s prairie life, including fever, wolves, and fire — obstacles that longtime fans will recognise from the original novels or the original TV series. As the Ingalls attempt to make a life on land they were told was “free,” they encounter Osage native Americans who have long called the prairie home. Little House on the Prairie is the Show of the Week for Andrew and James. The Bear (S5 Disney+, 8 episodes) The morning after Carmy tells his restaurant colleagues Sydney, Richie and Natalie about his retirement from the food industry, a major storm hits Chicago. Most of the final series takes place over one day. The Bear staff attempt to prepare for that evening’s customers despite challenges caused by poor cash flow and faulty plumbing. The series wraps with a surprising love affair (there was not a lot of relationship exploration outside the workplace in The Bear), a changing financial situation, an unexpected restaurant rating, a new business opportunity which has been hinted at in the series for some time, and a plot twist for Carmy. Elle (Prime Video, 8 episodes) A prequel to the Legally Blonde movie franchise. The series takes place six years before the events of the film and it explores the high school years of teenage Elle Woods (originally portrayed by Reese Witherspoon), played here by newcomer Lexi Minetree. Prime Video has already renewed the series for a second season. Five Star Weekend (Binge/Foxtel, 8 episodes) A food blogger, Hollis (Jennifer Garner) tries to rebuild her life after the loss of her husband Matthew (Josh Hamilton). Part of her therapy is organising a five-star weekend getaway at her house on Nantucket with four friends from different stages in her life: Her childhood friend, Tatum – who is waiting on the results of a test for cancer (Chloë Sevigny), her college friend, Dru-Ann – who’s just been cancelled after online comments went viral (Regina Hall), her motherhood friend, Brooke – who suffers from low self-esteem, and is trapped in a stifling marriage with a husband who belittles and isolates her (D’Arcy Carden), as well as a new friend, Gigi (Gemma Chan) – a pilot for Delta, who she recently met online. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 13, 202629 min

Best of 2026 so far: Half Year Report

At the halfway mark of 2026, Andrew Mercado and James Manning list their Top 10 shows of the first six months of the year. There are just three shows that make the Top 10 for both: Riot Women (SBS) Love Story (Disney+) Rivals (Season 2, Disney+) On Andrew's list and just missing out on James' were: Tip Toe (Binge/Foxtel) Half Man (Stan) Listen to the podcast for the full Top 10 from each co-host with explanations about programs they underrated at the time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

July 3, 202623 min

Ms. X, Life Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, After the Flood S2

• Ms. X (Binge/Foxtel, 6 episodes) Ms. X is a six-part dramedy that tells a “good person gone bad” story, through the eyes of a suburban kiwi mum. A stay-at-home mother of two, Mia Bennett (featuring the return of Melissa George), suspects her husband is cheating. He arrives home after a night out apparently dining with clients and then sleeping in his car. Mia enlists the help of an old high school friend, who is now an inexperienced private investigator who she reunites with after he crashes into her car, to find out what he is up to. Andrew’s Show of the Week. • Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness (HBO Max, 7 episodes) A sketch comedy limited series created by Larry David and Jeff Schaffer. Produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama's Higher Ground Productions, the series takes an improvised, comedic approach to major events in American history in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The show consists of seven episodes, each containing approximately four historical sketches. • After the Flood S2 (BritBox, 6 episodes) British police officers Jo Marshall (a wonderful performance from Sophie Rundle) and her police officer husband Pat Holman also featured in the first season of After the Flood where they were involved in an investigation into the death of someone who died in the flooded town. The series also revealed a web of crooked coppers including Jo’s dad who was also in the force. Orchestrating the bent coppers was DS Phil Mackie, who is again a key character in S2. It’s a good watch whether you saw the first season or not. James’ Show of the Week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

June 26, 202634 min

The Killings at Parrish Station, Small Prophets, The Four Seasons

The Killings at Parrish Station (Stan, 6 episodes) When a brutal massacre at a remote desert research station rocks 1987 Australia, Detective Georgia Cooke (Mia Wasikowska) and her partner, Michael Thorne (Xavier Samuel), uncover disturbing links between a delusional survivor, a mysterious text called The Bone Gospel, and the station’s eccentric benefactor, Callum Parrish (Nic English). As the case becomes more inexplicable and descends into the paranormal, Georgia’s grip on reality fractures—costing her career, her daughter Frankie’s (Grace Owens) trust, and ultimately her freedom. A “cosmic horror” drama from Mark Fennessy’s Helium Pictures. Thirty-seven years later, Georgia (Heather Mitchell)—now institutionalised—is pulled back into the Parrish Station nightmare when a string of identical murders emerges. Small Prophets (ABC iview, 7 episodes) A six-part British dark comedy-drama created and written by Mackenzie Crook. It follows Michael Sleep (Pearce Quigley), a grieving man who has drifted through life since his partner, Clea, mysteriously vanished seven years earlier. Urged on by his eccentric, elderly father, Brian (Sir Michael Palin), Michael converts his garden shed into an alchemist's workshop to help find an answer to what happened to Clea. The Four Seasons (Netflix, 8 episodes) Season 2 of The Four Seasons follows the surviving friend group as they navigate life, grief, and relationship changes following Nick's sudden death. With Nick's heavily pregnant girlfriend Ginny now part of their quarterly trips, the group struggles to redefine themselves and find meaning as they enter middle age. Tina Fey and Will Forte return as Kate and Jack, along with Kerri Kenney as Anne, the show’s most complex and interesting character. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.