The Problematic Gaze

Welcome 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 socialsPlease 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 revisit The Poseidon Adventure (1972), beginning with its iconic New Year’s Eve celebration that turns instantly catastrophic. Using the overturned ship as both spectacle and metaphor, we examine how the film reinforces—and occasionally challenges—traditional 1970s gender roles, particularly around masculinity, leadership, faith, and sacrifice. We also place The Poseidon Adventure alongside its sister disaster films of the era, exploring why these large-scale spectacles resonated so strongly with 1970s audiences. In a decade shaped by social upheaval and institutional mistrust, we ask what comfort, reassurance, or ideology these films offered when the world felt unstable.Click here to follow us on all our socialsPlease 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 festive episode of The Problematic Gaze Podcast decks the halls with sarcasm as we revisit Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (1988). Swapping Dickensian gloom for yuletide jokes, unexpected kindness, and plenty of seasonal silliness, we explore why this one-off special has become a cult Christmas favourite. From time-travelling spirits to Rowan Atkinson at peak comic charm, this is a warm, witty celebration of Christmas television—proof that even Blackadder can discover the joy of goodwill (with a smirk). Grab a mince pie and join us for a merry stroll through one of the BBC’s most beloved Christmas treats. 🎄Click here to follow us on all our socialsPlease 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 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 socialsPlease 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!

For decades, the Morecambe & Wise Christmas specials were more than just television — they were a seasonal institution. In this episode of The Problematic Gaze, we take a joyful deep-dive into the 1971 Morecambe & Wise Christmas Special, fondly remembered as one of their most beloved festive showcases. Broadcast on Christmas Day 1971, this classic brought together Eric Morecambe, Ernie Wise and an unforgettable lineup of guests — including showbiz legends like Shirley Bassey, André Previn and Glenda Jackson — for a rich variety of sketches, musical performances and moments that have become part of British Christmas tradition. We’ll revisit Eric’s ridiculous piano concerto with Previn, Shirley Bassey’s set malfunction, and the duo’s effortless blend of slapstick and warmth that made millions tune in each holiday season. This episode celebrates how the 1971 special helped define festive TV entertainment — bringing laughter, music and a sense of shared joy to families across the UK and beyond.Click here to watch the 1971 Morecambe and Wise 1971 Christmas Special on IPlayerClick here to follow us on all our socialsPlease 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 focus on Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Click here to watch on Amazon Prime in the UK

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SOME BACKGROUND INTERFERENCE! WE BLAME OUR DAVE'S HANGOVER. APOLOGIES, MUST TRY HARDER (OR DRINK LESS)Welcome 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 socialsPlease 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 smart yet light-hearted look at It’s a Wonderful Life  from 1946, starring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, the man whose shattered dreams somehow become the emotional glue holding Bedford Falls together. We explore how the film mirrors a nation rebuilding itself after WWII, balancing hope, anxiety, and the looming pressure of the corporate machine embodied by Mr. Potter.We dig into the film’s gender politics, especially the Madonna/Whore dynamic that frames Mary as the idealized homemaker while Violet is cast under the town’s moral magnifying glass. We also zoom out to the cultural moment: the news events shaping the postwar world,  the film landscape Frank Capra re-entered after the war, and the popular songs that set the mood of 1946.Deep dive into with us into a beloved holiday classic—proof that beneath all the tinsel lies a rich tangle of ideals, anxieties, and unfulfilled ambitions.Click here to follow us on all our socialsPlease 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 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 socialsPlease 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!