Game of Thrones is the one show I can’t miss when it is on and more and more it feels like the end of an era. Is there any other show where the next day work colleagues rush to discuss with each other, some slouch scampering away to avoid spoilers because they missed it last night. People watch on their tablets and phone in their lunch breaks to see it as soon as it hits midday Monday morning Australia time. This is the last of the water cooler shows, something that has infected the pop culture so much that there is common ground amongst fandom. As we fall more and more into echo chambers and niche markets Game of Thrones is the closest thing we have to a unifying thing. In America it rates 17 million viewers but per captia that’s nothing compared to the well over 1 million Australians who tune in one way or another.
With such a community of fans its no surprise to find that a whole cottage cheese industry has sprouted up around it of recappers, predictors and reviewers. Even I had my own humble go at it for Heavy Magazine on the eve of season 7 in 2017. There’s plenty to recommend Emergency Awesome on YouTube gets over a million views over night going over in detail the previous episode and predicting what may come. My regular haunting place on YouTube Screen Junkies News (now Fandom Entertainment) have their own recap show Watching Thrones featuring the ever talented Roth Cornet and co.
Yet when it comes to Australia, one woman reigns supreme and that is Mother of Kittens Natalie Bochenski. Her written recaps have been published nationally and she has developed a podcast where she recaps with her fellow writer Stuart Layt.
Recently on assignment for Scenestr magazine at the Brisbane Powerhouse I saw a sign indicating a live recording of the podcast. I first found out about Bochenski when I saw her perform in ImproMafia’s Lord of the Thrones two years ago. I’ve seen a few of her shows since then and always been impressed by her talent – this was a no brainer.
So following the all important and action packed Battle of Winterfell episode I headed back to the Powerhouse last Tuesday to see the live recording of the Raven On podcast. We were located in the Mary Mae’s bar which is the one of the last places at the Brisbane Powerhouse I hadn’t been to before. You can read my review here https://www.weekendnotes.com/raven-on-game-of-thrones-recaps-mary-maes/ or download the podcast here https://soundcloud.com/girlclumsy/raven-on-s8e3 . By the way Karen gets mentioned at one point during the podcast at around the 32 minute mark.
Weekend Notes are a growing online magazine with a wealth of contributors based out of several cities across the United Kingdom, Australia and New York. Articles are leisure related and can include a wide variety of subjects from rainforest hikes to cultural festivals, from what hot new play is on at your underground theatre to a ultra trendy eatery. Writers are paid for their work based partly on how many views their articles get so please feel free to stop by and show some love.
This is my tenth post with Weekend Notes following reviews for Woman at War at BIFF 2018, Ash is Purest White at BIFF 2018, Arctic at BIFF 2018, Chasing Smoke (one of the best shows I saw last year), King of Thieves at the British Film Festival 2018, On The Basis of Sex, Death of a Salesman by Queensland Theatre in 2019, After Hours at the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2019, Heartfelt High by ImproMafia at the Brisbane Comedy Festival 2019 and now Raven On: Live by Natalie Bochenski and Stuart Layt.
-Lloyd Marken
Back to the Drawing Board Productions 
GoT enthusiasm in the blogosphere seems to have wained compared to the hoopla over Endgame. I refuse to add on HBO to my service so I’m waiting to buy the series later in the year.
They’re about equal from where I stand but more kids can watch Avengers. You get it from Foxtel here in Oz and the service costs twice as much the competitors. So I sympathise with waiting for DVDs. I might do the same with Big Little Lies season 2.
I read the review, Lloyd. Unfortunately, I have never seen GOT, so it meant little to me. Great to see you getting those writing gigs though! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
It’s nice to be getting published. It’s now been over two years and I feel very fortunate. Who knows where it all ends. This was a no brainer though to see Bochenski doing her thing for free at my beloved Powerhouse. It’s like a cool secret you get to be a part of.
I’ve never saw GOT. 🤔
That’s okay Lyndsey, plenty of shows out there. I’m definitely a fan. To give you an indication, some of the best TV for me in the past few years Fargo Season 2, True Detective, Big Little Lies and Game of Thrones. Although I like comedians on panel or quiz shows just to keep it light. 🙂
Thank you for your suggestions Lloyd. I would be starting from scratch if I watched anyone of these shows, which for me is quite the dilemma, do I invest my time in these particular shows, or do I wait for something new and make sure I jump on the bandwagon at the beginning, so I’m not lagging behind. The best thing for me when watching your favourite comedian is the show lasts what about sixty minutes and your done, I do prefer stand-up. 🙂
I agree with you Lloyd on GOT. As much as I want to, i am not watching any of the last season until it is finished so I don’t have to watch them without waiting a week. And I am trying to not read anything about GOT’s last season until I finish my binge watching. Although I did break down and read about the Starbucks coffee on a table. Reminds me of several thins like watching a set staircase revolve to reveal a beer can sitting on a step.
Hopefully the beer can was period appropriate 🙂 I asked my parents the other day if they were aware of any spoilers for Avengers: Endgame since they wouldn’t be watching it until it came to cable in the months to come. They reported they seemed to be managing. 🙂 Coincidentally my Mum indicates a preference for Chris Evans out of the Marvel Chris’s. Chris Pine might reign supreme overall. She thinks Hemsworth had good comedic chops in the Ghostbusters remake.
Feeling much better. Thanks for asking, Lloyd.
How are you these days?
Like Pete I’ve never seen Game of Thrones, I must be one of the few people who knows absolutely nothing about it. I’m glad to see your still enjoying the writing gigs, long may it continue.
That should read you’re not your. Why do we only notice mistakes after pressing post?
Oh donr worry about that, i hate when autocorrect does something stupid.
There have been times ive waited to respond on my laptop to avoid mistakes in a lengthy response. Have a good week mate.
Same to you Lloyd.
It is a lot of fun getting published and I hope it continues but I’ll always have my blog and my blogging buddies and that me asks a lot.