Welcome to the Podcast Roundup for February 2023 – our favourites in the worlds of CultBox. 

Our picks this month, in no particular order, are…

Shrink The Box: Ep1 – The Sopranos – Tony Soprano

Actor and comedian Ben Bailey Smith and psychotherapist Sasha Bates team up to put fictional characters on the couch. It’s a great concept and the first instalment delves into the head of Tony Soprano, looking at his relationship with his family and particularly his overbearing mother.

Other episodes have included Breaking Bad‘s Walter White, Beth Harmon of The Queen’s Gambit and Fleabag.

Back to One: Ep 241 – Todd Stashwick

Host Peter Rinaldi talks to Star Trek‘s newest Captain – Todd Stashwick (12 Monkeys) plays Captain Shaw of the Titan on Picard.

There lots of discussion about auditions and role preparation, as well as playing guest roles in other shows. Plus, his thrill at joining the Star Trek universe, shopping with Ewan McGregor and his love for Dungeons and Dragons.

Real Dictators: Adolf Hitler

Paul McGann’s fascinating history podcast returned mid-month, and began the third (and final?) run of episodes on Adolf Hitler; Europe teeters on the edge of war as Hitler annexes Austria, then sets his sights on other territories too. As always, it is compelling listening.

The Sirens of Audio #143:  Stephen Greif – The Perfectionist and the Gentleman

The Doctor Who podcast devoted to the show’s audio endeavours posted a touching tribute to the late actor Stephen Grief. While he worked on various projects for Big Finish, he was principally famous for his role as the first iteration of the Blake’s 7 villain Travis. Having recorded an interview with him in 2021, the hosts provide some previously unshared material and talk about their experiences of the man, before it opens up to friends and colleagues including his Blake’s 7 co-stars Jan Chappell and Sally Knyvette. It’s a fine tribute to a much-missed actor.

Full Disclosure S2, Ep125 – Amanda Abbington

• Amanda Abbington talks to James O’Brien about her path to the stage, coming between Holmes and Watson in Sherlock and her current role in Steven Moffat’s stage play The Unfriend.

Film Stories with Simon Brew

This month, Simon Brew looked at the fascinating Film Stories behind Sleepy Hollow, The Phantom of the Open, A Good Day to Die Hard, Elvis, Moonraker, Look Who’s Talking, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull & The Girl with all The Gifts.

Additionally, for the podcast’s 300th edition, there’s a great interview with Hugh Jackman on the subject of his latest film The Son.

So, happy listening… and do let us know if you have any recommendations too.