Screaming into the Hollywood Abyss

Recent Episodes

Take 154 - Showrunner and Creator Craig Gerber, Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor
154
May 22, 2026

Take 154 - Showrunner and Creator Craig Gerber, Sofia the First, Elena of Avalor

A true fairytale today as we talk to Craig Gerber, creator of Disney princess shows galore. He tells us his fascinating tale of fairies that led him to create Sofia the First while stuck in a traffic jam, the joy of working at Disney and presentation and diversity in writing rooms. He talks about his early career struggles, creating the new Sofia the First: Royal Magic show and what next for his writing career. A heartwarming tale of success in Hollywood articulately told.
Take 153 - Showrunners and Writers Kristin Robinson and Ian Deitchman, It’s Not Like That
153
May 14, 2026

Take 153 - Showrunners and Writers Kristin Robinson and Ian Deitchman, It’s Not Like That

We welcome the dynamic writing duo of Ian Deitchman and Kristin Robinson to the show. We talk about celebrating wins together, the mechanics of a writing pair and their new show It’s Not Like That. They tell us why they have a shared inbox, being mistaken for a couple couple and the changing dynamics of writing rooms. A deep dive into the world of writing partners navigating today’s TV landscape.
Take 152 - Writer, producer, director Thom Harp, Home Delivery, The Donor Party
152
April 16, 2026

Take 152 - Writer, producer, director Thom Harp, Home Delivery, The Donor Party

What a nice man! We have Thom Harp on the show to talk movies, pitches and being nice. We talk persistence, writing what you know and getting the best out of your team. Thom describes the frustrations of years of pushing, how he made the most of the Covid opportunity by listening to sensible advice and the joy of working in a job you love. A really fun, informative and engaging chat.
Take 151 - Showrunner, Writer Courtney Lilly, Black-ish, Everyone Hates Chris
151
April 9, 2026

Take 151 - Showrunner, Writer Courtney Lilly, Black-ish, Everyone Hates Chris

We have the impressive Courtney Lilly on the show. He talks about the state of Hollywood, being in the same storm but a different boat and the luck it takes to succeed. We hear about his start as a journalist, showrunning on a show created by someone else and the importance of Morpheus. Why Black-ish was a success, talented actors over good writing and the importance and value of diversity. A fascinating and insightful interview full of self-reflection, nuggets of wisdom and candour.
Take 150 - Writer, Director David Zucker - Airplane, Top Secret, The Naked Gun
150
Feb. 19, 2026

Take 150 - Writer, Director David Zucker - Airplane, Top Secret, The Naked Gun

Episode 150 and we have a legend on. It’s David Zucker, he of The Naked Gun and Airplane fame. He is as funny and witty and irreverent as you would hope he would be. David tells us the story of how he got Airplane made, we talk about the puns of it all and why he doesn’t like the new Naked Gun movie. He talks about spoofs, his new project the Star of Malta and the self-confidence to move to Hollywood. We hear about when he was king of Hollywood, how they tricked the DGA into letting three of the
Take 149 - Writer Gary Whitta, Rogue One, See you in Hell
149
Jan. 15, 2026

Take 149 - Writer Gary Whitta, Rogue One, See you in Hell

Rogue One writer Gary Whitta returns to the podcast and we talk…podcasts. The British writer explains why he decided he needed to make a scripted podcast, casting Jon Boyega and how bad Hollywood is at the moment. He talks us through where he sees the industry, the process of pitching this show and his views on taking notes. In his usual witty, sardonic style, we also cover advice for writers, the frustrations of projects falling apart and the joy of creating again. A very fun, irreverent and in