Our Dave and Dr Lee  welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Pack your wedding dress and your ABBA mixtape, darling — this week we’re heading to Porpoise Spit.

Muriel’s Wedding made us laugh, cry, and secretly want to walk down the aisle to “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do.” But beneath the sequins and self-tan lies a biting portrait of 1990s Australia — where success meant a white dress, a husband, and a ticket out of small-town obscurity.

Dave and Dr. Lee take a nostalgic (and occasionally uncomfortable) look at how female friendship, fat-shaming, and fame fantasies play out in this cult classic. And what does this film tell us about the LGBT small town experience?

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

GAZER HOMEWORK: Next Week we dissect an episode of notorious sitcom Mind Your Language. Click here to watch our chosen episode on YouTube

Fresh from winning 'Best History Podcast' at The Independent Podcast Awards, welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we rewatch the very first episode of Game of Thrones with our eyes wide open — and the rose-colored glasses off. Once hailed as a gritty feminist epic, the show’s legacy now looks a lot messier. We dig into how Game of Thrones glorified sexual violence, punished ambitious women, and stripped its female leads of power and complexity. But it didn’t stop there: we also unpack the show’s troubling handling of race — from the white savior fantasy of Daenerys to the one-dimensional portrayal of the Dothraki and Unsullied — and how disability was reduced to metaphor or moral punishment. In the game of thrones, you win or you die… but some characters were never even given a fair shot.

We watched Game Of Thrones Season 1, Episode 1 'Winter Is Coming' on Sky Box Sets on the UK.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

This week on The Problematic Gaze, we dive paws-first into the fur-covered chaos of Are You Being Served?’s infamous 1977 episode “Mrs. Slocombe Expects.” It’s pregnancy panic at Grace Brothers when Mrs. Slocombe’s feline-related misunderstanding leads to a scandalous stir—and some jaw-dropping innuendos that would never make it past the censors today.

We unpack:

• The smirking sexism behind the staff room banter
• The not-so-subtle class digs and gender politics
• And the complicated legacy of Mr. Humphries — allowed to mince, wink, and flounce across the screen, but never allowed to be gay. John Inman’s performance is iconic, but what does it mean when queerness is only palatable as long as it stays in the realm of innuendo?

Was it cheeky fun or a problematic time capsule? Hit play and find out why this episode is still raising eyebrows nearly 50 years later — and what it says about how far we've really come.

Click here to watch the episode of 'Are You Being Served" discussed in this podcast.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

This week on The Problematic Gaze, we’re joined by the brilliantly opinionated Michael and Hilary Whitehall, hosts of The Wittering Whitehalls Podcast, for a dive into one of the more bizarre corners of 1960s British television: The Avengers episode “Quick-Quick Slow Death”  from 1966.

From first hand tales of Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg and Honor Blackman, with a side swerve of Dame Peggy Ashcroft and Tony Hadley, Michael and Hilary are the perfect guests to explore the 1960's and all things 'The Avengers' with. 

Espionage meets ballroom dancing in a surreal swirl of murder, Cold War paranoia, and mid-century missteps. Together, we unpack:

• The camp and charm of Steed & Mrs. Peel
• Rationed emotions and outrageous plotlines
• And what this all tells us about post-war Britain on the small screen

With the Whitehalls bringing their signature dry humour, this episode is a witty waltz through nostalgia, nonsense, and necessary critique.

To find out about The Wittering Whitehall on tour and more click here!

You can watch the episode of The Avengers (S4 E19 - Quick-Quick Slow Death) discussed in this episode on Amazon Prime Video.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

In this episode, Dave is late to the Only Murders In The Building party and Dr Lee survives his post wedding blues to report on unfolding events in Morpeth!

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we dive headfirst into the controversial Cagney and Lacey episode titled "The Gimp." Aired in the gritty 1980s heyday of network TV, this installment tackled disability, desire, and the thin blue line — but did it break ground or just break bad? Join us as we unpack the ableist tropes, dated language, and surprisingly progressive moments that still spark debate today. Was The Gimp a bold move toward inclusivity or just another case of good intentions gone cringe? Let’s get into it.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

In this mini-episode we announce our future special guests, Michael and Hilary Whitehall from The Wittering Whitehalls podcast. We're giddy kippers as we've been nominated for 3 awards at The Independent Podcast Awards!! And we chat about our short film about Molly Houses which is up on our YouTube Channel!

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we take a closer look at one of The Office (UK)’s most painfully awkward episodes: “Training.”

From David Brent’s relentless need to perform authority to the complete breakdown of professionalism, “Training” is a masterclass in how power, ego, and insecurity collide in everyday workplaces.

We break down how the episode uses discomfort as comedy, what it reveals about early 2000s office culture, and whether the cringe still lands—or just feels exhausting.

Is Brent a mirror of real-life managers... or something much darker?

And who doesn't love Tim and Dawn's romantic rollercoaster?

The Office 'Training'  Click here to watch our chosen episode on IPlayer

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Next week we discuss classic US crime Drama 'Cagney and Lacey  Click here to watch our chosen episode on IPlayer

Ever watch an old TV show or film and think, “Could you get away with that today?”

Join TV writer Dave Moor and social historian Dr. Lee Arnott as they take a wry, thoughtful and lighthearted look back at six decades of television and film — from Sex and the City to Threads, The Golden Girls to Love Actually, Benny Hill to Only Fools and Horses.

Each week we revisit the shows, news headlines, and pop culture moments that shaped their eras, asking the awkward questions with humour, heart, and a splash of nostalgia. Think Top of the Pops meets Trevor McDonald.

Winner of 'Best History Podcast' at the UK Independent Podcast Awards 2025 and named by Radio Times as one of the Top 30 Podcasts to Listen to Right Now, The Problematic Gaze doesn’t cancel — it celebrates, questions, and laughs along the way.

So, pour yourself a glass, pull up a chair, and take off those nostalgia-tinted specs.
This is The Problematic Gaze!

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Secret Diary of a Call Girl wants you to think it's in control — sexy, smart, subversive. But is it really? In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we peel back the glossy layers of the pilot episode to expose the contradictions hiding beneath the lingerie. Who’s really being seduced here?

We break down how Secret Diary plays with fantasy, flirts with feminism, and whether its bold aesthetic is actually reinforcing the very gaze it claims to subvert. With its playful fourth-wall breaks and picture-perfect escort life, is this just empowerment wrapped in a high-gloss package... or something more complicated?

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Next week we discuss UK comedy classic The Office. Click here to watch our chosen episode on IPlayer

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Buckle up Gazers this ain't gonna be pretty! In 1965, the BBC made a film so terrifying, so brutally honest about nuclear war, they banned it before it ever aired. The War Game wasn’t a horror movie—it was a government-funded drama-documentary about a nuclear attack on the UK that hit too close to home.

Why did the BBC pull the plug? What did Peter Watkins show the public that authorities didn’t want seen? And how did this “lost” film become one of the most chilling—and prophetic—anti-war statements of the 20th century?

This week on The Problematic Gaze, we uncover the shocking story behind The War Game, the politics of censorship, and why this forgotten film might be more relevant today than ever.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a welcome bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Watch excerpts from The War Game, from 1965 on YouTube By Clicking here. 

In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we revisit Only Fools and Horses' classic 1989 outing The Unlucky Winner Is—the one where Del enters Rodney’s teenage artwork into a kids’ competition and wins a family holiday to Spain… with a few strings attached.

We explore how this sun-soaked farce touches on the cultural landscape of late-80s Britain—from the rise of the yuppie dream to the era’s growing emphasis on safe sex messaging, and how these ideas filter through the show’s humour and character dynamics.

As Rodney is forced to play the role of a 14-year-old while grappling with his adult identity, we look at how Only Fools balances its sharp wit with emotional moments, and what the episode tells us about masculinity, aspiration, and brotherly loyalty in Thatcher’s Britain.

It’s a nostalgic package holiday of laughs, awkward moments, and cultural insight—bucket and spade not required.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Watch excerpts from The War Game, from 1965 on YouTube By Clicking here. 

In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, Dr. Lee and Our Dave dive deep into the glossy paranoia of The Stepford Wives (1975) — a chilling suburban satire that’s part sci-fi horror, part feminist nightmare.

What does this cult classic really say about gender roles, domesticity, and the backlash to second-wave feminism? 

We explore the film’s historical context, its uncanny aesthetic, and its lasting influence on how society frames women, perfection, control, and conformity. 

Whether you’re into feminist film analysis, horror tropes, or just love unpacking problematic classics — this one’s for you.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Series 6, Episode 4 of Only Fools and Horses, titled “The Unlucky Winner Is…”

This week on The Problematic Gaze, we hop in our Telly Tardis and jump between the year 2000 and 1985 — courtesy of Will & Grace’s infamous two-parter, Lows in the Mid-Eighties. It’s the big bang of the Will & Grace universe, where we witness the origin stories of our favorite neurotic New Yorkers: Will's awkward coming out, Grace's wedding-that-wasn’t, Jack’s dramatic entrance (obviously), and Karen… just being Karen, with fewer highlights, even less shame and Martina Navratilova!

In this episode we focus on the US sitcom Will and Grace with the two-part "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" episodes (episodes 8 and 9 of season 3)

We break down the fashion crimes, the emotional chaos, and the surprisingly heartfelt moments buried under layers of hairspray and shoulder pads. Was this a nostalgic masterpiece, or a chaotic retcon with a laugh track? 

So slip into your acid-wash denim, crank up the Eurythmics, and join us for a walk down memory lane — one that’s paved with drama, denial, and deeply questionable hair choices.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Click here to watch 'The Stepford Wives' from 1975 on YouTube

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, we deep dive into 'America's Next Top Model', the US reality show launched in 2003. Now heavily criticised for its promotion of unhealthy body images and questionable racist undertones, this immensely popular show highlights how the modelling industry, and reality TV can age like a glass of fine milk! 

Click her to watch 'Top 20 Outrageous America's Next Top Model Moments' discussed in this podcast.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
 And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the US sitcom Will and Grace with the two-part "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" episodes (episodes 8 and 9 of season 3)

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, we deep dive into the one off TV event 'It's A Royal Knockout' from 1987. It's a time when Princess Diana had the world in her thrall and the rest of the Royal family fumed in her shadow. Prince Edward decided it would be a great idea to plunge Princess Anne, Fergie and (ahem) Prince Andrew into the world of celebrity, with a special version of It's A Knockout. Cue a series of silly games, pomp and pageantry. Celebrities of all ilk appeared. Where else would you get Su Pollard and John Travolta on the same billing? The result is a mix of fever dream and LSD trip. Not for the faint hearted, pour yourself a stiff drink and buckle up! What could possibly go wrong? Quite a lot it seems!!

Click here to watch on YouTube  'It's A Royal Knockout'

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
 And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the US reality show 'Americas Next Top Model'  Click here to watch the 'Top 20 Outrageous Moments.' clip we will focus on.

Fresh from winning 'Best History Podcast' at The Independent Podcast Awards, welcome Gazers to The Problematic Gazette, a bonus addition to our main show. Our Dave and Dr Lee chew the fat, read out Gazer comments  and  discuss things we've seen, read and heard this week.

To watch video versions of our full episodes check out The Problematic Gaze YouTube channel here!

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

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Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, we step back to into the world of high glam, high fashion and crime busting women with an episode of hit US crime drama 'Charlie's Angels' from 1976. What can these plucky females tell us about the representation of women on the television in the mid seventies? Feminist statement or yet more female exploitation? All is discussed. And just what is Dave's beef with Dr Lee concerning Double Deckers?

 Click here to watch on YouTube our chosen episode of 'Charlie's Angels'

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.
 
 And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the British gameshow featuring the royal family, It's A Royal Knockout from 1987. Click here to watch on YouTube 

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, we step back into the world of the grotty student flatshare with an episode of the anarchic cult sitcom 'The Young Ones' from 1984.

Click here to watch our chosen episode of 'The Young Ones' from 1984.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the US drama 'Charlies Angels' from 1976. Click here to watch on YouTube

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, as we attempt to record ourselves for YouTube (watch this space!) we cast out Gaze back to the year 2000 and join spirit animals Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha for a dissecting of the international smash hit comedy series Sex And The City. What can this show teach us about the advance (or demise) of female sexual emancipation in the 21st Century? Do the sexual and romantic antics of our heroines hold up in 2025? Pour yourself a cosmopolitan, kick off your Manolos and listen to how this show changed the TV landscape.

We watched Season 3 Episode 1 of Sex And The City entitled 'Where There's Smoke'

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the UK sitcom 'The Young Ones' from 1984. Click here to watch on YouTube

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, as the UK swelters in a heatwave, we turn up the heat and cast our gaze on 80's blockbuster action film Top Gun. There's aerial dogfights, a plucky but tortured hero, shiny Hollywood masculinity, power ballads and THAT volleyball scene. If we weren't already hot under the collar we discuss those famous shower scenes. 

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on Sex And The City. Season 3 Episode 1 'Where There's Smoke...'

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  Continuing our Pride Month special curation, we watch the celebrated, Academy Award winning film musical Cabaret. Starring Liza Minelli and Michael York and Joel Grey, the film celebrates the decadence of early 1930's Berlin, in all its LGBTQIA+ glory, amidst a backdrop of looming fascism. The film is ever more prescient, given the current political climate in Europe and the USA.

Click here to watch the classic musical film 'Cabaret' from 1972.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on Top Gun, the US film from 1986.

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  Continuing our Pride Month special curation, we watch the cult LGBT+ comedy film 'But I'm A Cheerleader' starring Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Rupaul, and Cathy Moriarty.  Megan Bloomfield is a lesbian in denial, and is sent away to be 'cured'. 

We also look at the history of conversion therapy. Can you turn, and ultimately 'un-turn' gay? 

If you want to watch 'But, I'm A Cheerleader'   Click here

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we continue our Pride celebrations with  the classic musical film 'Cabaret' from 1972. Click here to watch

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  Continuing our Pride Month special curation, we watch the critically acclaimed US documentary Paris Is Burning from 1990. Set in New York during the late 80's, it follows the lives of a number of characters associated with the New York Ballroom scene. Loud and unashamedly proud, it explores how a marginalised subculture found escape and refuge in the fabulous and fierce world of catwalks, competition, high fashion and vogueing.  

If you want to watch Paris Is Burning from 1990  Click here to watch on YouTube 

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we continue our Pride celebrations with  But I'm A Cheerleader. Click here to watch

PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week we kick start our special month of shows, curated to celebrate Pride Month. We take a look at a pioneering magazine show, first broadcast in the UK in 1980. We visit Heaven Nightclub and The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London. We watch interviews with Drag Queens, Leather Queens and everyone in between. Filmed before the AIDS epidemic, this programme offers a unique insight into the lives of LGBTQ+ people in a time of transition, and explore what it was like to grow up queer in the early 80's.

If you want to watch our chosen episode of Gay Life, the UK magazine show from 1980. Click here to watch our chosen episode on YouTube.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we continue our Pride celebrations with  Paris Is Burning, a US documentary into the ball culture of late 80's New York. Click here to watch on YouTube 

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week we take a look at the controversial satirical UK TV show from 1997. Focusing on drugs, the team look at the explosion of new synthetic drug Cake on UK streets and the effects it has on 90's youth. But is all as it seems? And what has Claire Rayner got to say about it?

If you want to watch our chosen episode of Brass Eye, the UK docu-comedy from 1997. Click here to watch on YouTube.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode, to kick start Pride Month we focus on Gay Life,  the UK documentary television programme from 1980. Click here to watch our chosen episode on YouTube.

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week we enter the sleazy world of  1970's London to visit Hobo, the hip and happening Soho nightclub where we encounter Tony, our eponymous 'hero' and Fontaine Khaled, played by the magnificent Joan Collins. Is this an innocent erotic romp, or does it harbour more sinister observations on the sexual politics of the seedy Soho set and their rich, upper class overlords?

If you want to watch the saucy cult classic The Stud from 1978, You can rent it on Amazon Prime here.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on Brass Eye, the UK docu-comedy from 1997. Click here to watch on YouTube.

👻 To celebrate Spooky Season, here's an episode from the PG Vault for our new Gazers to enjoy! 🎃

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we watch the supernatural BBC 1 drama 'Ghostwatch' from 1992. Find out why it had the nation in uproar and jammed the BBC switchboard. Just who is Pipes? And dare you enter the Glory Hole?

Sadly the version of Ghostwatch we watched on YouTube has been taken down. But click here to watch a fab documentary about the Ghostwatch controversy by Shrouded Hand.

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And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week join us on as we dive into shiny floor UK gameshow Blind Date fronted by singer, presenter and icon Cilla Black. A staple of UK TV for 18 years from the 80's to the 00's, follow plucky romantics in their search for love. In 1996, were the cracks beginning to show? What can the contestants tell us about the murmurings of reality TV that was to follow. And if you want to see how far dentistry has advanced in 30 years, look now further!

Click here to watch the episode of Blind Date we watched from 1996.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the saucy cult classic The Stud from 1978. You can rent it on Amazon Prime here.

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week join us on our inaugural Antipodean voyage as we bask in the glory of Prisoner: Cell Block H. Considered a pioneering soap opera from Australia, the female inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre garnered fans spanning the entire globe. Our telly Tardis lands in 1982 and we focus on an episode widely considered a classic. Featuring a showdown between two titans of the show, top dog Bea Smith and sadistic prison warder Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson. As battle commences, a fire rips through the prison and not everyone will make it out alive!

Click here to watch the inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in action in our chosen episode: 326 from 1982! 

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on the classic UK TV gameshow Blind Date hosted by the glorious Cilla Black. Click here to watch the episode we watched from 1996.

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week  we jump in the telly TARDIS and cast our Gaze over the classic UK sitcom 'The Royle Family' from 2000.  Not a crown, throne or palace in sight, this is the family that captures the true meaning of family, namely warmth, love and bickering. Nana's friend Elsie has died, and Barbara can wait to get her hands on her lovely set of saucepans. And the UK tradition of Chippy is dissected. Just one question... scraps or crackling? 

Click here to watch our chosen episode of The Royle Family on IPlayer.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on classic Australian soap opera 'Prisoner: Cell Block H'. Click here to watch the inmates of Wentworth Detention Centre in action! 

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, as a follow up to last weeks celebration of Celebrity Big Brother, we jump in the telly TARDIS and cast our Gaze over BBC drama 'The Year Of The Sex Olympics' from 1968. Viewed as a classic due to its stark foretelling of the rise of the reality show and a satire on sensationalist television and the media, what can this drama tell us about our society in 2025. In a world where we are all slaves to our social media feed, are we edging ever closer to the nightmare world presented in this programme?

 Click here to watch The Year Of The Sex Olympics.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: In our next episode we focus on The Wicker Man from 1973. Available on Amazon Prime in the UK

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week, as the latest series of Celebrity Big Brother starts on ITV in the UK, we called out to our Gazers to tell us their favourite Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother moments from the last twenty five years. And who should drop us a line but Big Mother herself Davina McCall! From Nasty Nick to Kim Woodburn, from 'Who Is She!' to 'David's Dead!', relive the best, and worst of Big Brother.

You can watch the latest Celebrity Big Brother on ITV and ITVX in the UK

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Gazer Homework: Click here to watch The Year Of The Sex Olympics, the topic of our next episode.

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week we cast our Gaze over the 2004 UK sitcom Nighty Night, written by and starring the wondrous Julia Davis. Follow the sex starved Jill as she prepares to take full advantage of her husband's terminal illness. Co-starring a veritable who's who of UK comedy talent, this comedy pushes the boundaries of taste and morality. Needless to say, we LOVE it!!

Click here to watch Nighty Night on BBC IPlayer in the UK

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear.  This week we cast our Gaze over the 1981 film 'Mommie Dearest' starring Faye Dunaway. Much derided by critics and viewers alike upon its release, it has since become a cult camp classic, deeply embedded in gay culture.  But do the harrowing scenes of abuse lie easily alongside the fantastically colourful scenes of Hollywood glamour? Just how true is this story? And why you would NEVER want to get into a fight, scripted or not, with Faye Dunaway.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. This week we take a look at Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut Reservoir Dogs (released in the UK in January 1993).  Controversial upon its original release for its ultra-violent style and bad language, what can this film tell us about the portrayal of masculinity in movies? Did you see the cops ear getting cut off? Think again! And what happens when a tricky actor walks onto set?

You can watch Reservoir Dogs on Netflix in the UK.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. This week we zoom back to 1987 for a gritty, comedic snapshot of life in a northern town. Controversial upon release, Rita, Sue and Bob Too sees an older married man embark on a seedy affair with two schoolgirls. This sordid premise gives way to a wry and thought provoking observation on life in Thatcher's Britain. So titivate your mullets and join us at the working men's club for a gang bang with Black Lace. One things for sure, the beer will be cheap!

Click here to watch Rita, Sue and Bob Too. For a better quality version, UK gazers can watch on Channel 4 streaming service.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. Fresh from awards season, we cast our Gaze on the body horror film 'The Substance'. Featuring an Oscar nominated turn from Demi Moore, this film has a lot to say about Hollywood and the pressure to stay young and relevant. If you had the chance to do it all again, would you? And what price would you be prepared to pay?

Click here to watch see how you can watch The Substance in the UK.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

👻 To celebrate Spooky Season, here's an episode from the PG Vault for our new Gazers to enjoy! 🎃

Join Lee and Dave for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week, in celebration of Halloween, we cast our gaze on the classic film An American Werewolf In London. From the Yorkshire Moors to Piccadilly Circus, this film caused a stir upon its release in 1981. Is it a horror or a comedy? Is Jenny Agutter the poshest nurse ever? Let's take a visit to the most unwelcoming pub in England. And have you ever woken up in a wolf enclosure? Easily done.

Also, did Lee and Dave first meet on a donkey in 1981? And the side plate going for a song at £155.00!!

You can watch An American Werewolf in London on Amazon Prime in the UK.

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

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Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. The BRIT Awards 2025, the UK equivalent to the Grammy's, will be broadcast this Saturday 1st March. To celebrate, we take a look at some of the most controversial events in BRITs history. From Stormzy to Bananrama. From Sam Fox to Madonna. It's all here. Just one question..... Has anyone seen 'Charlie'?

Click here to watch be taken to our YouTube Playlist of controversial BRITs moments which features all the clips talked about during this episode. Watch along with us!!

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear. February marks LGBT+ History month in the UK. To celebrate we focus our Gaze on the landmark film 'The Naked Civil Servant' from 1975. Starring John Hurt in his BAFTA winning title role, this was a pioneering film, charting the life of the bold, courageous and unapologetic LGBT trailblazer Quentin Crisp. We also chart the progression of gay rights throughout the 1970's in Britain. 

Click here to watch 'The Naked Civil Servant' on YouTube and join in with our conversation!

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. As the fourth instalment of the Bridget Jones series 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' is released worldwide, we cast out gaze back to 2001 and discuss the first film 'Bridget Jones's Diary.' Just what makes Bridget Jones, played by Renee Zellweger, such a well loved, endearing character? And what can the first film tell us about the  cultural landscape at the turn of the century? Crack open the Chardonnay, spark up a ciggy, and let Dr Lee and Dave guide you through.

You can watch 'Bridget Jones's Diary' from 2001 on many streaming services worldwide.

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Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

GAZER HOMEWORK:
In next week's episode, in celebration of LGBT History month in the UK,  we'll focus on 'The Naked Civil Servant' from 1975. Click here to watch on YouTube and join in with our conversation!

Greetings from PG Towers! Join social historian Dr Lee Arnott and TV Producer Dave Moor for a lighthearted look at the world of TV,  Film and Popular Culture from yesteryear that has since been considered problematic. This week we cast our Gaze over 'The Comeback' from 2005. What does this satire starring Lisa Kudrow tell us about the treatment of women in the entertainment industry? And we chat about the recent comebacks of actors like Demi Moore, Pamela Anderson and Cameron Diaz?

You can watch The Comeback on Sky TV, Now TV, Apple, Amazon Prime and Youtube in the UK.

Click here to follow us on all our socials

Please leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. They really help to spread the word of The Problematic Gaze.

And if our fellow Gazers want to comment on what they've heard in our episodes, or to suggest future topics, please email us at theproblematicgaze@gmail.com. We love hearing from you!

GAZER HOMEWORK:
In next week's episode we'll focus on Bridget Jones Diary from 2001. Have a watch and join in with our conversation!