🎙️Episode Overview

He’s back — and the annual TV autopsy has never been messier. Friend of the podcast Paul Critoph returns for his third end-of-year TV debrief, and within seconds we spiral from shower-screen disasters to xenomorph rage, religious reality-TV meltdowns, terrible teen dramas, plus the slow cinematic chopping of vegetables.

Listen as we discuss:

• Alien Earth: Why are the xenomorphs suddenly bulletproof?
• Squid Game 2 & 3: Terrible foreign actors (again), and that infuriating ending.
• Bad Teen TV: The Summer I Turned Pretty — why every character is a vacuum of charisma.
• Smoke: Steve’s sleeper hit of the year — Taron Egerton as a fire investigator in a show that looked glossy but turned out to be gripping.
• One Star TV Hell: The uncanny poshness of AI, American remakes nobody asked for, and All’s Fair — Kim Kardashian as a lawyer (no thank you).
• Star Wars Corner: Paul’s case for Andor as the best Star Wars thing since Empire — fascism, prison planets, and zero space wizards.
• Physical Asia: Paul's fascination with Asian competitive telly continues, and this year, there are additional Australians!
• Bonus: Plus Steve and Paul’s yearly battle to find even one show they both actually watched.

This episode is for anyone who loves television, hates television, or can’t stop watching it even when it’s objectively terrible.

Paul Critoph is a seasoned actor and cultural commentator known for his insightful analyses and engaging discussions on TV and film. With a keen eye for emerging trends and a deep understanding of the industry, Paul offers a unique perspective on the ever-changing landscape of television.

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Podcast: Television Times with Steve Otis Gunn

Host: Steve Otis Gunn

Guest: Paul Critoph – Actor & Cultural Commentator

Duration: 58 minutes

Release Date: January 1, 2026

Season: 4, Episode 32

All music written and performed in this podcast by Steve Otis Gunn.

Please buy my book 'You Shot My Dog and I Love You', available in all good bookshops and online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Christmas week bonus episode, Steve Otis Gunn steps away from the usual guest format for a candid one-man-band chat. Reflecting on the pivotal fourth season and looking ahead to what comes next, Steve shares the behind-the-scenes realities of producing the show solo and hints at potential changes for the future. He also reviews his favourite podcasts of the year!

Subjects include:

• Creative Evolution: A look at the show's original focus and Steve’s pitch for a new comedy character inspired by his former life as a sound engineer.
• Listener Feedback: Steve discusses his desire for audience input on everything from the content to the musical interludes.
• Personal Anecdotes: A quirky dive into Steve's recent experience getting a flu jab and a story about a treacherous journey in Bolivia.

This episode will appeal to aspiring creators and long-time listeners looking for an honest, funny, and slightly unfiltered look at the creative mind behind the mic!

Steve Otis Gunn is a Podcaster, Writer/Performer, and former sound engineer known for his distinctive blend of dark humor, storytelling, and vulnerability. After years of working behind the scenes in the world of theatre, Steve stepped into the spotlight, transforming personal awkwardness into a rich source of comedy. His debut solo show, Steve Otis Gunn is Uncomfortable, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, earning a ★★★★ review for its bold, brutally funny exploration of growing up in a criminal environment and the lingering discomfort that shaped his perspective.

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Podcast: Television Times with Steve Otis Gunn

Host: Steve Otis Gunn

Guest: Steve Otis Gunn

Duration: 47 minutes

Release Date: December 21, 2025

Season: 4, Episode 32

All music written and performed in this podcast by Steve Otis Gunn

Please buy my book, You Shot My Dog and I Love You, available in all good bookshops and online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get ready for a sci-fi-soaked comedy ride as Steve Otis Gunn chats with writer and co-creator of Red Dwarf, Doug Naylor. From the early days of radio comedy and Spitting Image to building one of Britain’s most enduring cult TV shows, Doug brings thoughtful, funny stories from a lifetime in entertainment. They explore Doug’s path through sketch shows, number one singles, and the moment Red Dwarf finally became the show he’d imagined. Doug spills the beans on why the American remake went sideways, and how he'll never get used to the strange feeling of meeting fans who say the show helped them through tough times.

They also touch on the big one: the ambitious new Red Dwarf project that was suddenly cancelled — and what Doug plans to do with it next.

🌟 Episode Highlights

• Writing The Chicken Song and deliberately topping the charts
• How Red Dwarf survived rejections, strikes, rewrites, and producing issues
• How Craig Charles pestered his way into Lister, and Danny John-Jules turned up as the perfect Cat.
• The bizarre financing story behind the unmade Red Dwarf movie

This episode is perfect for anyone curious about how Red Dwarf found its staying power — or for those who can still fire off a Kryten line or a Lister rant without missing a beat.

Doug Naylor is a British writer, producer, and director best known as the co-creator of Red Dwarf, one of the UK’s best-loved comedies. After early work in radio and sketch shows, he wrote for Spitting Image, co-created a chart-topping single, and helped shape modern TV satire. His blend of character comedy and science fiction earned Red Dwarf generations of fans. Beyond TV, Doug has written novels, screenplays, and now children’s fiction.

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Podcast: Television Times with Steve Otis Gunn

Host: Steve Otis Gunn

Guests: Doug Naylor - Writer, Author & Co-Creator of Red Dwarf

Duration: 55 minutes

Release Date: December 18, 2025

Season: 4, Episode 31

All music written and performed in this podcast by Steve Otis Gunn

Please buy my book, You Shot My Dog and I Love You, available in all good bookshops and online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.