Political Fictions: political drama on screen and on the page
Cory Hazlehurst / Mark Pack
Join Cory Hazlehurst and Mark Pack as are digest some of the best - and some of the worst - depictions of politics in fiction: film, TV and even the occasional book. What political advice is smuggled into these stories and how do they impact on what people think about politicians today?
Episodes
The Thick of It Specials, with Sam Freedman (#21)
Top author and newsletter writer Sam Freedman joins us this week to talk about The Thick of It special episodes 'Rise of the Nutters' and 'Spinners and Losers'. We talk about how prescient the episodes are about both the rise of Gordon Brown and the Conservative rebranding under David Cameron, top political advice about how you can ensure you get a good desk in an office, Cory gets massively distracted by the cricket, and we end by wondering whether the show has been misunderstood. Sam's newsletter is Comment Is Freed, and you can listen to Mark's previous chats with Sam about his writing here and here. If you are in the UK, you can watch these episodes on BBC iPlayer. Next time, we're talking about The Manchurian Candidate. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
State of Play, Part 2 (#20)
Mark and Cory conclude their discussion of the classic TV series State of Play. Mark reports back on his correspondence with a cast member and also auditions for a role as a defence counsel, whilst they also talk about which elements of the plot remain realistic today and which are complete MacGuffins. The Guardian article Cory refers to can be read here and the previous podcast episode, covering State of Play episode 1, is here. Next time, Sam Freedman joins us to talk about The Thick Of It specials The Rise of the Nutters and Spinners and Losers, both of which you can watch on BBC iPlayer. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
State of Play, Part 1 (#19)
Mark and Cory begin their two-part series on the classic TV series State of Play by discussing episode one. It begins with Mark recoiling in horror at the low score Cory intends to give it, almost causing an irreparable rift in Political Fictions Towers. Thankfully, they manage to repair the relationship by talking about what the show tells us about politics in the early 2000s, praise the excellent cast (especially those who are able to stand awkwardly in the background very effectively) and undertake some seriously impressive letterbox-based investigative work. You can view more about State of Play, including details of where it's currently streaming, here. Next week, we'll be returning to talk about the rest of the series. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
The Lives of Others (#18)
Mark and Cory discuss The Lives of Others, a modern classic about Stasi surveillance in 1980s East Germany. They start off talking about how to cope with a terrible dictatorship and how the film is about the power of art. However, they quickly get sidetracked with some suspicious behaviour of the Stasi officers including keeping bottles of tomato sauce in the sink and drawing floorplans of flats a little too quickly. (A note of caution: this episode does contain discussion of themes including suicide and sexual assault where this is relevant to the film's plot.) Anna Funder's article on the film which Cory references can be found here, and the more academic article on suicide can be found here. Timothy Garton Ash's The File is highly praised by both Cory and Mark in the episode, whilst you can also buy tickets for the play here. This episode kicks off a special miniseries in which we will be putting out weekly episodes for the next month or so. Next Thursday, we're starting a two-part series on the classic TV serial State of Play. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
The West Wing: Let Bartlet Be Bartlet (#17)
Mark and Cory talk about a giant of American political drama for the first time this week, as they tackle The West Wing. They talk about Let Bartlet Be Bartlet, the nineteenth episode of series one. In it, Mark wonders if The West Wing is actually the epitome of the "Boris Johnson school of politics", Cory outmanoeuvres Mark into confirming we will record a Christmas Special about Love, Actually and they debate whether the central message of this episode has been misunderstood. Next time, we're discussing The Lives of Others. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod/incompetech.com and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.
The Death of Stalin (#16)
Mark and Cory talk about Armando Iannucci's 2017 black comedy The Death of Stalin. You can watch the film for its exploration of the nature of evil, think about whether the license that is taken with the truth is completely appropriate, or just wait for the amazing memes to appear on screen. The Guardian article on the film's accuracy which Cory mentions can be found here, whilst the academic critique that Mark was looking forward to reading so he could disagree with it can be found here. After last week's emergency episode on The Absence of War, we're returning to fortnightly episodes. In two weeks' time we are talking about The West Wing episode "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet", which is the 19th episode of series one. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The Absence of War, with John Cotton (#15)
Our normal programme is interrupted with an emergency episode! David Hare's play about a fictionalised version of the 1992 general election, The Absence of War, is on BBC iPlayer for a limited period. So before it goes, Mark and Cory talk about it with the former leader of Birmingham City Council, John Cotton. They discuss the reasons Labour lost the 1992 election, whether the play has the right lessons about how to be successful in politics, the dilemmas facing leaders and why political dramas never seem to get the fonts quite right. Watch The Absence of War before Wednesday September 16 on BBC iPlayer here. Next week, we're discussing The Death of Stalin. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Jeffrey Archer's 'First Among Equals' part 1, with Shane Whaley (#14)
Cory and Mark are joined by Shane Whaley of the Spybrary podcast this week. Shane has picked for us to watch First Among Equals, a prime time ITV political drama from the 1980s. As its episodes total up to 494 minutes, this time we're dipping into the first episode only. Take a listen to see if we - and you - want to watch the rest of the series. The series is based on the book by Jeffrey Archer, once a highly praised and successful novelist whose books were festooned with quotes praising his literary abilities. With the advantage of hindsight, however, we ask if Jeffrey Archer's work is best compared to Anthony Trollope or a McDonald's Filet-o-fish? Watch the first episode of First Among Equals, and indeed the rest of the series, on YouTube here and second-hand copies of a DVD version are available from the usual places. The original novel is also widely available. Next week we're interrupting our planned schedule and talking about David Hare's The Absence of War to mark its return to BBC iPlayer. Watch that before next Thursday's episode comes out here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The Division Bell Mystery, with Elinor Taylor (#13)
Mark and Cory are joined by Elinor Taylor for our first book! It is Ellen Wilkinson’s The Division Bell Mystery, a political thriller disguised as a golden age detective story. It is written by one of the country's first female MPs and is full of convincing and vivid political detail about what it is like being a bag carrier for an important minister. The plot's setting is accurate right down to some key architectural detail on which it all hinges. But is it also a good murder mystery? Find out as they discuss ridiculous murder plots, why politicians should beware of the weekend, and what this novel tells us about class, sex and empire. You can find The Division Bell Mystery on Goodreads here. Next time, we're watching the first episode of First Among Equals. Watch it on YouTube here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Mr Smith Goes to Washington, with Aidan Byrne (#12)
Aidan Byrne joins Mark and Cory to watch the classic Mr Smith Goes to Washington. It's a film full of shameless emotional manipulation, especially from some of the children in it. They marvel at the performances of Jimmy Stewart, Claude Rains and especially Jean Arthur, wonder if this film has an anti-FDR message, and Mark takes handwriting experts to task. You can find Aidan on Blue Sky as Plashing Vole. Next time, we're reading Ellen Wilkinson's The Division Bell Mystery. You can view the IMDb page for Mr Smith Goes to Washington here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Subscribe to our newsletter for some additional bonus content and to get alerted whenever a new episode comes out. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Offside (#11)
To coincide with the men's football World Cup, Mark and Cory talk about the 2006 Iranian film Offside, about a group of Iranian women who disguise themselves as men to sneak into a stadium. Mark gets to deploy some football knowledge, they discuss how the film isn't a great advert for national service and ponder the symbolism of Iranian toilet graffiti. You can view Offside on IMDb here. Next time, we're watching the classic Mr Smith Goes To Washington. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Brexit: The Uncivil War (#10)
To mark ten years since the Brexit referendum, Cory and Mark talk about James Graham's TV movie starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Brexit: The Uncivil War. They talk about the ability of Mark Gatiss to chew scenery without actually being on screen, how the story the film tells of how Leave won has aged rather badly, and Cory has a rant about the most shambolic doorknocking encounter he's ever seen. You can view Brexit: The Uncivil War on IMDb here. Next time, we're watching the 2006 Iranian film Offside. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Yes, Minister: Party Games (#9)
Mark and Cory talk about the O.G. of British Political Sitcoms: Yes, Minister. They marvel at the genial Machiavellian genius that is Jim Hacker exploiting the British sausage to win a leadership contest, explain why this episode is a good guide for would-be leadership contenders, and lay it on a bit thick with their marmalade discussion. If you're in the UK then you can watch this on BBC iPlayer. Next time, we're watching Brexit: The Uncivil War. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
King's Game (#8)
In a scheduling choice completely unconnected to any contemporary political events, Mark and Cory talk about the 2004 Danish film full of leadership plotting, King's Game. This is a proper conspiracy thriller, where even the children are Machiavellian geniuses. They question whether it really makes sense for plotters to document their evil schemes in such meticulous detail, bemoan the bad use of political polling in the film and debate how useful this film is as a how-to guide for potential leadership candidates. You can view the IMDb page for King's Game here. Next time we're talking about the Yes, Minister special "Party Games". If you're in the UK then you can watch this on BBC iplayer. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
No (#7)
Cory and Mark talk about the political film that's probably most likely to be accidentally bought on Amazon: Pablo Larrain's No. It's about a referendum, and one with several parallels with the Brexit vote. Mark fact checks Cory on a number of occasions, they discuss how successful campaigns always seem to have three word slogans, and chew over the significance of a scene involving baguettes. You can view the IMDb page for No here. Next time, we're discussing the Danish political thriller King's Game. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Borgen on Greenland (#6)
Mark and Cory talk about Scandi Ballot Box dramas for the first time. They discuss the Borgen episode in which there are revelations about how Greenland is being used for CIA rendition programmes. They talk about whether photogenic politicians giving inspirational speeches is all that’s needed to solve the world’s problems, the difficulty of writing political fictions with Donald Trump in the White House, and Mark gets even more excited about a door than usual. The Borgen IMDb page is here and we discuss the fourth episode of series one. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Next time we are talking about Pablo Larrain's film No.
All The President's Men (#5)
Mark and Cory talk about All The President’s Men, which was released 50 years ago this month. Mark gets to do his rant about how this film is basically Raiders of the Lost Ark, we ponder whether it’s got the most realistic rubbish of any movie, get very excited about a door and explain why the film presents Queen Elizabeth as launching a bid for absolute rule. You can listen to Slate’s Slow Burn series on Watergate which Cory recommends here. Mark talks about Jane Alexander’s Oscar-nominated role as Best Supporting Actress despite her only being on screen for less than seven minutes. (Apologies for the mistake about saying she won that year.) There is an interview with her in The Guardian to mark the film’s 50th anniversary here. Cory’s email newsletter is Paperback Rioter and Mark has a family of email newsletters. Our theme tune is “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The Thick of It, Series 1 (#4)
Mark and Cory talk about political TV for the first time, and there's nowhere better to start than The Thick of It. After rewatching the first series, they talk about which fictional policy proposals ended up becoming reality, why it's important that focus groups thought Keir Starmer was an eagle, and given that Malcolm Tucker keeps screwing everything up perhaps the secret genius behind the British Government is actually Terri Coverley? You can view the IMDb page for The Thick of It here and UK listeners can watch the show on BBC iPlayer. If you enjoyed our segment on focus groups, you may enjoy Mark's latest post on the topic here (note the date). Next time we are watching the classic All The President's Men. As well as appearing in your favourite podcast app, you can find all our episodes online at the show's website, www.politicalfictionspodcast.com. You can find Cory writing about politics at Paperback Rioter or playing chess, while Mark can be found at The Week in Polls and his Parliamentary activity on the Parliament website.
This House (#3)
Mark and Cory talk about James Graham's play This House. The hit play, available to stream from the National Theatre, is about party whips trying to prop up a government without a secure House of Commons majority in the 1970s. Mark and Cory marvel at the kipper ties and rotary dial phones, discuss the importance of treating your political opponents with respect, and ponder whether works of art would be improved if they spent more time celebrating the achievements of Labour governments. Regular listeners will know we have a 'Phil Woolas award' segment in the show. Our sincere condolences therefore to his friends and family on the news that broke just before publishing this episode of his death from cancer at 66. You can view the IMDb page for This House here. Next time we're reviewing the first series of The Thick Of It, which UK listeners can currently watch on BBC iPlayer. As well as appearing in your favourite podcast app, you can find all our episodes online at the show's website, www.politicalfictionspodcast.com. You can find Cory writing about politics at Paperback Rioter or playing chess, while Mark can be found at The Week in Polls and his Parliamentary activity on the Parliament website. Our theme tune is "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Election (#2)
Cory and Mark watch Election, the 1999 film starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick. They talk about whether any of the characters in this film are actually likable, the importance of tying string to your pens, and how although so many commentators have compared Reese Witherspoon's character to Hillary Clinton, maybe the best historical parallel in this film is with the Miliband brothers. You can find the IMDb page for Election here. The alternative ending which we talk about can be viewed on YouTube. Next time we're talking about This House, which you can watch on National Theatre Online here. As well as appearing in your favourite podcast app, you can find all our episodes online at the show's website, www.politicalfictionspodcast.com. You can find Cory writing about politics at Paperback Rioter or playing chess, while Mark can be found at The Week in Polls and his Parliamentary activity on the Parliament website. Our theme tune is "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
The Iron Lady (#1)
In the first episode of Political Fictions, Cory and Mark talk about the 2011 film The Iron Lady. They discuss how the film presents the human side of politicians, what it says about Margaret Thatcher and her legacy, and ponder the appearance of some mysterious milk. You can view the IMDb page for The Iron Lady here. Next time we're discussing Election, the 1999 film starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick. If you're in the UK it's currently available to watch on iplayer. As well as appearing in your favourite podcast app, you can find all our episodes online at the show's website, www.politicalfictionspodcast.com You can find Cory writing about politics at Paperback Rioter or playing chess, while Mark can be found at The Week in Polls and his Parliamentary activity on the Parliament website. Our theme tune is "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Coming soon: Political Fictions, a new podcast
Starting in February 2026, join Cory Hazlehurst and Mark Pack as they digest some of the best - and some of the worst - depictions of politics in fiction: film, TV and even the occasional book. Subscribe in your favourite podcast app or listen online at https://www.politicalfictionspodcast.com/ Our theme tune is "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) and licensed under the Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).