Squid Game And Heroes & Villains of 2024

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The most popular show in Netflix’s history returns for its second season. Does it carry the story along, and what does it say about culture now? Richard and Marina also give us some of their recommendations for TV in 2025 but before that they tell us their heroes and villains of 2024.
Producer: Neil Fearn + Joey McCarthy
Executive Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

Inside This Episode

• Squid Game Season 2:
  • Netflix’s most successful series returned on Boxing Day, with all episodes released at once. The show revisits the death game theme with new twists, such as contestants voting to leave or split the prize.
  • Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk continues to write and direct every episode, a monumental task reflecting his dedication. He reportedly earned substantially more for this season than the first, highlighting the series’ massive success.
  • The show is an allegory for late-stage capitalism, reflecting societal despair, economic disparity, and the loss of agency among the youth. It resonates globally, although some subtlety in the original Korean script is reportedly lost in translation.
• Heroes and Villains of 2024:
  • Discussed cultural trends such as the rise of authentic and “messy” stars like Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter, in contrast to overly polished celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.
  • Highlighted entertainment figures and efforts, including Polly Hill and Gwyneth Hughes for their work on Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, and Anne Mensah for producing multiple Netflix hits.
  • Named Harry from The Traitors as a standout villain for his calculated gameplay, while calling out toxic fandoms for their growing impact on creative processes and social media dynamics.
• New Year’s TV and Entertainment:
  • Explored the importance of New Year’s Day as the most significant day for television, with key BBC offerings like The Traitors and SAS Rogue Heroes.
  • Highlighted how broadcasters leverage this time to solidify their shows’ cultural relevance while streamers like Netflix release major content, including Harlan Coben’s Missing You.
  • Celebrated the continued success of traditional TV in engaging large audiences despite the dominance of streaming platforms.

Media Mentions

Movies:

• Dune
• Call Me by Your Name

Television Shows:

• Squid Game
• The Traitors
• SAS Rogue Heroes
• Mr Bates vs. The Post Office

Books:

• Harlan Coben’s Missing You

Hot Takes

• “[Squid Game] is a ‘wonderful allegory for late-stage capitalism.’”
• “I cannot actually believe that this show about the race to the bottom of late-stage capitalism has become a franchise. I found that irony too heavy.”
• “I find it absolutely beyond depressing that [Netflix is] trying to make a sort of Marvel product …out of something which is supposed to be a …searing indictment of all of that.”
• “Cole Palmer is a cultural artifact who should be placed in the British Museum, a non-looted one, which is nice.”
• “Toxic fandom is sort of out of control, and they’re starting to have a big effect on the creative process”

Who’s Who

• Hwang Dong-hyuk – Creator of Squid Game.
• Cole Palmer – Chelsea footballer, praised as a cultural highlight.
• Anne Mensah – Head of UK drama at Netflix.
• Polly Hill – Commissioner at ITV.
• Gwyneth Hughes – Writer of Mr Bates vs. The Post Office.
• Harlan Coben – Bestselling novelist, author of Missing You.

Featured/Recommended

The Traitors

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