In this bonus TV Gold episode, Bay of Fires cast member Ilai Swindells (Sammi the tech expert) talks with Andrew and James about working on the hit ABC drama co-created by Marta Dusseldorp. We go behind the scenes to hear about the casting, filming on location in western Tasmania and how the cast were greeted by the locals.

In this bonus TV Gold episode, Bay of Fires cast member Ilai Swindells (Sammi the tech expert) talks with Andrew and James about working on the hit ABC drama co-created by Marta Dusseldorp. We go behind the scenes to hear about the casting, filming on location in western Tasmania and how the cast were greeted by the locals.

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

Hear the latest from the world of TV, radio, entertainment publishing and more in the Mediaweek podcast. This series features regular interviews with the stars, movers and shakers of Australian media industry.

TV Gold

Bonus TV Gold episode: Inside Bay of Fires with Ilai Swindells

Riot Women (SBS, 6 episodes)

Written by Huddersfield-born Sally Wainwright, the show follows five menopausal women who have come together to form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest.
The band consists of five main characters played by Joanna Scanlan (Beth Thornton - keyboards), Rosalie Craig (Kitty Eckersley - stunning as the singer), Lorraine Ashbourne (Jess Burchill - drums), Tamsin Greig (Holly Gaskell - bass), and Amelia Bullmore (Yvonne Vaux - lead guitar). Their is also an impressive supporting cast in this moving drama.

Bait (Prime, 6 episodes)

The story focuses on Shah Latif, a rapper-turned-actor based in West London (played by Riz Ahmed) who is on the cusp of his big break. While he is initially seen as an underdog with a "moderate" first audition, he lands the chance for a second screen test thanks to his determined agent.
Over four crazy days, Shah’s professional pursuit causes his private life to implode. The scrutiny leads to racist harassment as the series explores themes of identity, fame, and tokenism in the film industry. A unique character is a pig's head, which becomes a hallucinated "conscience" or "tough-love therapist" for Shah, voiced by Patrick Stewart.

Andrew also talks about new seasons of Heartbreak High and Paradise.

Then we review the best of the year so far. AS a reminder, our previous 2026 Shows of the Week are:

Goolagong (ABC)
Steal (Prime)
Mel Brooks (HBO Max)
Dog Park (ABC)
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max)
Love Story (Disney+)
Under Salt Marsh (Binge)
The Lady (Binge)
DTF St Louis (HBO Max)
Vladimir (Netflix)
Gone (Stan)
Homebodies (SBS)
The Other Bennett Sister (Binge)

Riot Women (SBS, 6 episodes)
Written by Huddersfield-born Sally Wainwright, the show follows five menopausal women who have come together to form a punk rock band to take part in a local talent contest. The band consists of five main characters played by Joanna Scanlan (Beth Thornton - keyboards), Rosalie Craig (Kitty Eckersley - stunning as the singer), Lorraine Ashbourne (Jess Burchill - drums), Tamsin Greig (Holly Gaskell - bass), and Amelia Bullmore (Yvonne Vaux - lead guitar). Their is also an impressive supporting cast in this moving drama.
Bait (Prime, 6 episodes)
The story focuses on Shah Latif, a rapper-turned-actor based in West London (played by Riz Ahmed) who is on the cusp of his big break. While he is initially seen as an underdog with a "moderate" first audition, he lands the chance for a second screen test thanks to his determined agent. Over four crazy days, Shah&rsquo;s professional pursuit causes his private life to implode. The scrutiny leads to racist harassment as the series explores themes of identity, fame, and tokenism in the film industry. A unique character is a pig's head, which becomes a hallucinated "conscience" or "tough-love therapist" for Shah, voiced by Patrick Stewart.
Andrew also talks about new seasons of Heartbreak High and Paradise.
Then we review the best of the year so far. AS a reminder, our previous 2026 Shows of the Week are:
Goolagong (ABC) Steal (Prime) Mel Brooks (HBO Max) Dog Park (ABC) Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max) Love Story (Disney+) Under Salt Marsh (Binge) The Lady (Binge) DTF St Louis (HBO Max) Vladimir (Netflix) Gone (Stan) Homebodies (SBS) The Other Bennett Sister (Binge)

Easter Special: Riot Women, Bait + Best of 2026 so far

Crackhead (HBO, 5 episodes)

Drug-addicted party-animal Frankie has blown it all up - her inheritance, her relationships, and most recently, her sister's house. It's time to go to rehab. Creator and star Holly Hervey is outstanding in the lead role as Frankie in this New Zealand comedy. Also watch out for Sara Wiseman and Errol Shand who both work at the rehab centre Frankie arrives at.
The filmmakers really want to shock the Crackhead audience. Just minutes into episode one Holly’s character Frankie is on a wild night at a club. She ends up making out and vomiting into a toilet at the same time. That might draw a vidid picture for people trying to imagine that. Surprisingly in the show we get to see it in detail.

The Comeback (Series 3, HBO Max, 8 episodes)

The third and final season of the HBO Original comedy series The Comeback. Two decades years after its debut, the series returns with Lisa Kudrow reprising her Emmy-nominated role as actress Valerie Cherish. And what an awkward character she is.

Homebodies (SBS, 6 episodes)

This is a bold, surprising and heartfelt Australian family drama that explores the courage it takes to accept the ghosts (literally) from our past.
The series stars Claudia Karvan (Bump, Puberty Blues, Love My Way), Luke Wiltshire (Boyish and With Love, Lottie) and Jazi Hall (Playing Gracie Darling), and follows Darcy (Wiltshire), a trans man who reluctantly returns to his regional hometown to care for his estranged mother Nora (Karvan). Roxie Mohebbi is great too as Dee’s childhood friend who features in perhaps the short series’ most interesting storyline.

The Other Bennett Sister (Foxtel/Binge, 10 episodes)

The series features characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The story begins at Longbourn, the Bennet family home, where Mr and Mrs Bennet preside over a lively household of five unmarried daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As society’s pressures mount, the Bennet sisters navigate the glittering yet precarious world of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity.
Andrew dismissed this as one of James’ standard British petticoat dramas…but guess what, he liked it too!
Watch this for Ella Bruccoleri is Mary Bennet, Ruth Jones is great as Mary’s mean mother and Richard E Grant excellent as usual as the befuddled father who sadly lasts only two episodes.

Crackhead (HBO, 5 episodes)
Drug-addicted party-animal Frankie has blown it all up - her inheritance, her relationships, and most recently, her sister's house. It's time to go to rehab. Creator and star Holly Hervey is outstanding in the lead role as Frankie in this New Zealand comedy. Also watch out for Sara Wiseman and Errol Shand who both work at the rehab centre Frankie arrives at. The filmmakers really want to shock the Crackhead audience. Just minutes into episode one Holly&rsquo;s character Frankie is on a wild night at a club. She ends up making out and vomiting into a toilet at the same time. That might draw a vidid picture for people trying to imagine that. Surprisingly in the show we get to see it in detail.
The Comeback (Series 3, HBO Max, 8 episodes)
The third and final season of the HBO Original comedy series The Comeback. Two decades years after its debut, the series returns with Lisa Kudrow reprising her Emmy-nominated role as actress Valerie Cherish. And what an awkward character she is.
Homebodies (SBS, 6 episodes)
This is a bold, surprising and heartfelt Australian family drama that explores the courage it takes to accept the ghosts (literally) from our past. The series stars Claudia Karvan (Bump, Puberty Blues, Love My Way), Luke Wiltshire (Boyish and With Love, Lottie) and Jazi Hall (Playing Gracie Darling), and follows Darcy (Wiltshire), a trans man who reluctantly returns to his regional hometown to care for his estranged mother Nora (Karvan). Roxie Mohebbi is great too as Dee&rsquo;s childhood friend who features in perhaps the short series&rsquo; most interesting storyline.
The Other Bennett Sister (Foxtel/Binge, 10 episodes)
The series features characters from Jane Austen&rsquo;s Pride and Prejudice. The story begins at Longbourn, the Bennet family home, where Mr and Mrs Bennet preside over a lively household of five unmarried daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As society&rsquo;s pressures mount, the Bennet sisters navigate the glittering yet precarious world of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity. Andrew dismissed this as one of James&rsquo; standard British petticoat dramas&hellip;but guess what, he liked it too! Watch this for Ella Bruccoleri is Mary Bennet, Ruth Jones is great as Mary&rsquo;s mean mother and&nbsp;Richard E Grant excellent as usual as the befuddled father who sadly lasts only two episodes.

Homebodies, Crackhead, The Other Bennet Sister, The Comeback

This special episode of TV Gold looks at the Australian comedy Deadloch.
Podcast hosts Andrew Mercado and James Manning review the second season of the hit Prime Video series and also included in the episode after our review is an interview with the stars Kate Box and Madeleine.

About Deadloch Season 2 (Prime, 6 episodes)

Detectives Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) are in Darwin to investigate the death of Eddie’s former policing partner Bushy. However, their plans are soon diverted when a body part is discovered in a remote town called Barra Creek. With the Northern Territory police force focused on a large-scale search for two missing backpackers, Dulcie and a very reluctant Eddie are tasked with identifying the John Doe.

Sticky, sweaty and juggling comprehensive thrush infections, the detectives find themselves embroiled in a world of crocodile-fuelled tourism, overstretched Indigenous rangers, cagey locals, and seven-metre prehistoric predators – all of whom call Barra Creek’s stretch of land, and water, their home.

As the humidity builds, and Eddie and Dulcie dig deeper, more questions arise for our duo – not only about the case, but the many secrets that lie beneath the surface of this small town.

Who’s in Deadloch Season2:

Returning to Deadloch are Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner.

Joining the cast for Season Two are Luke Hemsworth (The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Thor: Love & Thunder), Steve Bisley (The Great Gatsby, Mystery Road: Origin, Mad Max), Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires, Top End Bub and The Office), acclaimed writer/director Jean Tong in their acting debut, Genevieve Morris (Bloom, No Activity), Byron Coll (Time Bandits, The Luminaries), Nikki Britton (How to Stay Married), Anthony J Sharpe (Joe v Carole, Human Error), Blake Pavey (Urvi Went to an All Girls School), Damien Garvey (The Survivors, The Artful Dodger), Ngali Shaw (The Twelve, Ladies in Black), Bev Killick (Savage River, Jones Family Christmas), Ling Cooper-Tang (Troppo, Apples Never Fall, Nautilus), Ursula Yovich (Top End Bub, Mystery Road), Syd Brisbane (High Country, Stateless), Ines English (Last Days of the Space Age, Ghosts Australia), Lennox Monaghan (Windcatcher), Reiden Corpus and Storm Murgha.

This special episode of TV Gold looks at the Australian comedy Deadloch. Podcast hosts Andrew Mercado and James Manning review the second season of the hit Prime Video series and also included in the episode after our review is an interview with the stars Kate Box and Madeleine.
About Deadloch Season 2 (Prime, 6 episodes)
Detectives Dulcie Collins (Kate Box) and Eddie Redcliffe (Madeleine Sami) are in Darwin to investigate the death of Eddie&rsquo;s former policing partner Bushy. However, their plans are soon diverted when a body part is discovered in a remote town called Barra Creek. With the Northern Territory police force focused on a large-scale search for two missing backpackers, Dulcie and a very reluctant Eddie are tasked with identifying the John Doe.
Sticky, sweaty and juggling comprehensive thrush infections, the detectives find themselves embroiled in a world of crocodile-fuelled tourism, overstretched Indigenous rangers, cagey locals, and seven-metre prehistoric predators &ndash; all of whom call Barra Creek&rsquo;s stretch of land, and water, their home.
As the humidity builds, and Eddie and Dulcie dig deeper, more questions arise for our duo &ndash; not only about the case, but the many secrets that lie beneath the surface of this small town.
Who&rsquo;s in Deadloch Season2:
Returning to Deadloch are Kate Box, Madeleine Sami, Nina Oyama and Alicia Gardiner.
Joining the cast for Season Two are Luke Hemsworth (The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Thor: Love &amp; Thunder), Steve Bisley (The Great Gatsby, Mystery Road: Origin, Mad Max), Shari Sebbens (The Sapphires, Top End Bub and The Office), acclaimed writer/director Jean Tong in their acting debut, Genevieve Morris (Bloom, No Activity), Byron Coll (Time Bandits, The Luminaries), Nikki Britton (How to Stay Married), Anthony J Sharpe (Joe v Carole, Human Error), Blake Pavey (Urvi Went to an All Girls School), Damien Garvey (The Survivors, The Artful Dodger), Ngali Shaw (The Twelve, Ladies in Black), Bev Killick (Savage River, Jones Family Christmas), Ling Cooper-Tang (Troppo, Apples Never Fall, Nautilus), Ursula Yovich (Top End Bub, Mystery Road), Syd Brisbane (High Country, Stateless), Ines English (Last Days of the Space Age, Ghosts Australia), Lennox Monaghan (Windcatcher), Reiden Corpus and Storm Murgha.

Bonus TV Gold episode: Inside Bay of Fires with Ilai Swindells

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