Screen Babble Podcast #56: Silent Night and Vigil season 2 reviews, and a look back at Sky comedy Yonderland

Screen Babble is your essential TV podcast that brings you all you need to know about what's on television, from the mainstream to the marginal. I'm National World’s podcast producer and this week I'm joined on the podcast by our resident TV critic Steven Ross.

Steven's had some good news this week which he shares with us and despite living in a wifi-free zone he's managed to watch a couple of atypical Christmas movies. Silent Night a new Sky movie, akin to a festive John Wick or Nobody (aka revenge adventure) and Black Christmas, from the mid 70s which is essentially a slasher flick set at Christmas.

My viewing has been slightly more eclectic. I finished the Lenny Henry/Russell T.Davies collaboration Three Little Birds, which I thoroughly enjoyed, hear why on the podcast. I am persisting with Boat Story but I think it's too drawn out and I am very much looking forward to finishing it. I've started Netflix's new scandi-drama A Nearly Normal Family which I am enjoying very much. Finally, I talk about Leave the World Behind, another new Netflix addition starring some big names like Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Kevin Bacon and Mahershala Ali. This one has critics divided so tune in to find out what I thought.

On the 'deep dive' this week I talk about the return of Vigil for a second season. Detective Chief Inspector Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) is back following a military drone display that turned catastrophic where several air force members were killed at a Scottish military base. It's got all the action and excitement of the first series but minus the submarine. So far, so good.

Finally, Steven takes us back to the future with Yonderland, from the makers of Horrible Histories. Written and produced much in the vein of Monty Python this is the comedy Steven says he has enjoyed the most over the last few years.

Join us again next week for episode #57 when we will talk about our favourite shows of 2023!

Listen to Screen Babble #56 here

Where can we watch this week’s shows?

• Silent Night is coming to Sky on Christmas Eve, 24th December.
• Black Christmas is on Amazon Prime or Apple TV.
• Three Little Birds is on ITVX.
• Boat Story and Vigil are available on BBC iPlayer.
• Leave the World Behind and A Nearly Normal Family are both new on Netflix.

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