Who Moved the Tortoise?

In the last episode of the series we strap on our space suits and launch into orbit with the the Head of UK Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency, Libby Jackson. Watching the 1998 HBO series From the Earth to the Moon was one small step in Libby’s high flying career which included emailing NASA for work experience at a time when the word spam had just made it into the dictionary. Our discussion gravitates around DVDs (if you don’t know what they are, Google it); the importance of asking for the things you want; and how choosing her favourite Apollo mission is like choosing a favourite child. And don’t worry Tortoise lovers, we’ll be back in the autumn for more inspirational science and natural history film and TV chit chat.

In the penultimate episode of our first series, Team Tortoise welcomes writer, producer and director Nat Sharman to talk about possibly the biggest and most celebrated science series of all, Carl Sagan’s 1980 epic Cosmos. Along the way we chat about shitty sticks, brown corduroy jackets and whether bigger budgets are always better.

Alice Jones joins the Tortoises this time for a mid-90s nostalgia-fest. On the menu, Sir David Attenborough’s 1995 series The Private Life of Plants. Our chat takes us via Rednex and Supergrass to How 2, Countdown, filming Will Smith in a submarine and why Carol Vorderman is great. If you’re in the UK, you can watch the episode of Private Life of Plants we’re discussing here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00780vh 

The Tortoises are back at school this week as they visit the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield. Here, head of the (Producing and Directing) Science and Natural History MA Peter Leonard talks about the film that opened his eyes to science filmmaking, the 1986 Equinox episode Prisoner of Consciousness. As well as dissecting this remarkable and affecting film, we also talk about videotape, working for Auntie and the wonders of concrete. We’re nothing if not eclectic. You can see more info about the course Peter runs here: https://nfts.co.uk/directing-and-producing-science-and-natural-history

This time, the Tortoises have stretched the baked bean tins and string as far as the banks of the River Exe in Devon as development supremo Jess Jordan celebrates Scrapheap Challenge. Amidst the nostalgia-fest, there’s chat about generating TV ideas, the current state of the TV industry, hiding science vegetables and Lisa Roger’s vagina. Should Team Tortoise move to Red Alert? It does mean changing the bulb…

Will Benson joins the Tortoises this time, to tell tales of adventure and derring-do. On the menu, the fourth episode of Bruce Parry’s 2005 series Tribe. Our adventure takes us from brain eating parasites to Indiana Jones, via gardening for Judith Hann and a possible Tortoise bromance. Question - would you take the hallucinogenic drug that Bruce Parry did? And will we ever find out why Will thought his own arm was a snake?

Music meets physics this week as the Tortoises welcome Producer/Director Cat Gale to talk about the remarkable BBC4 film Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives featuring Eels frontman Mark “E” Everett. Along the way we natter about the challenges of academia; being a working parent; why we love BBC Four; and what to do with those long lost tapes in your attic. WARNING: This is a late night recording involving three parents of young children and may contain bad language and occasional waffling.

This week Team Tortoise welcome Berlin-based editor Felix Black to break the fourth wall with a documentary about documentary making – the controversial BBC series My Year With The Tribe. We talk Ziggy Stardust, Suede, whistle-offs, naked music videos and naked tribespeople. Hopefully the truth will set us all free. And hopefully we’ll see you next week... unless the lawyers get to us first.