Andrew Ellard
@ellardent.bsky.social
Writer of Nova Jones (CBBC), Deep Heat (ITV2) and AfterDeath (film). Script editor of far more famous things. Neurodivergent and widowed. A typo in every tweet, guaranteed.
The Diplomat is my binge heaven. No second screening. Whitford and Janney’s plot should impossibly evoke The West Wing, but instead it becomes entirely its own - differently powerful and intense - thing.
And the details! The accurate Britishness! The awkwardness! The food! “What *are* picky bits…?”
And the details! The accurate Britishness! The awkwardness! The food! “What *are* picky bits…?”
October 29, 2026 at 12:47 AM
The Diplomat is my binge heaven. No second screening. Whitford and Janney’s plot should impossibly evoke The West Wing, but instead it becomes entirely its own - differently powerful and intense - thing.
And the details! The accurate Britishness! The awkwardness! The food! “What *are* picky bits…?”
And the details! The accurate Britishness! The awkwardness! The food! “What *are* picky bits…?”
Reposted by Andrew Ellard
Loved #CrystalLake so made this. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdCGbPYm/
October 22, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Loved #CrystalLake so made this. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdCGbPYm/
Loved #CrystalLake so made this. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdCGbPYm/
October 22, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Loved #CrystalLake so made this. https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGdCGbPYm/
I just discovered that nobody on the crew of A New Hope were #StarWars fans. I don’t know how they thought they were qualified to serve Luke’s story.
October 21, 2026 at 5:54 PM
I just discovered that nobody on the crew of A New Hope were #StarWars fans. I don’t know how they thought they were qualified to serve Luke’s story.
I’ve been served up uncensored footage of two different deaths on TikTok today. Horrible accidents both. I don’t believe I’ve trained my algorithm to show that stuff, but just…there it is. And maybe it kinda shouldn’t be?
October 19, 2026 at 1:44 AM
I’ve been served up uncensored footage of two different deaths on TikTok today. Horrible accidents both. I don’t believe I’ve trained my algorithm to show that stuff, but just…there it is. And maybe it kinda shouldn’t be?
Reposted by Andrew Ellard
This is Tommy. Tommy had a question about my allegiances. Listen to the end to hear about his.
October 18, 2026 at 1:17 AM
This is Tommy. Tommy had a question about my allegiances. Listen to the end to hear about his.
I have the brand of neurodivergence that, when watching Gogglebox, hears every time they loop a bar of music so they can edit reactions between the Strictly clips.
October 10, 2026 at 2:09 PM
I have the brand of neurodivergence that, when watching Gogglebox, hears every time they loop a bar of music so they can edit reactions between the Strictly clips.
I’m so-so on the Carrie show after a solid start episode - some stuff works, some doesn’t - but I’m genuinely baffled by a mid-season reveal that felt achingly obvious from the second it started.
One of those “Yes, we know, we’ve seen TV” things. And not at all typical of Flannigan’s savvy.
One of those “Yes, we know, we’ve seen TV” things. And not at all typical of Flannigan’s savvy.
October 8, 2026 at 8:44 PM
I’m so-so on the Carrie show after a solid start episode - some stuff works, some doesn’t - but I’m genuinely baffled by a mid-season reveal that felt achingly obvious from the second it started.
One of those “Yes, we know, we’ve seen TV” things. And not at all typical of Flannigan’s savvy.
One of those “Yes, we know, we’ve seen TV” things. And not at all typical of Flannigan’s savvy.
Perhaps my favourite “this was the scripted line before they redubbed it” in film history - as evidenced by the #IndianaJones and the Last Crusade tie-in comic book.
Two obvious reasons to change the name to Mickey Mouse. No explanation required. But nonetheless an evocative 1940s gag.
Two obvious reasons to change the name to Mickey Mouse. No explanation required. But nonetheless an evocative 1940s gag.
October 1, 2026 at 9:23 PM
Perhaps my favourite “this was the scripted line before they redubbed it” in film history - as evidenced by the #IndianaJones and the Last Crusade tie-in comic book.
Two obvious reasons to change the name to Mickey Mouse. No explanation required. But nonetheless an evocative 1940s gag.
Two obvious reasons to change the name to Mickey Mouse. No explanation required. But nonetheless an evocative 1940s gag.
Nigella Lawson, three likely autistic contestants and a TARDIS joke. It’s like #BakeOff was trying to lure *specifically* me back. (It worked.)
September 23, 2026 at 11:08 AM
Nigella Lawson, three likely autistic contestants and a TARDIS joke. It’s like #BakeOff was trying to lure *specifically* me back. (It worked.)
Spot on.
I’ve been struck with how SNL, surely our most expensive comedy show, is often content to look cheap. It’s because it feels quick. It screams “We’re literally doing this live, right now!” It screams *gig*.
I’ve been struck with how SNL, surely our most expensive comedy show, is often content to look cheap. It’s because it feels quick. It screams “We’re literally doing this live, right now!” It screams *gig*.
Wrote something about SNL:UK and what I learned by going to see it being made…
joelmorris.substack.com/p/live-from-...
joelmorris.substack.com/p/live-from-...
Live from London, it’s SATURDAY NIGHT!
What seeing this week’s episode of SNL UK taught me about comedy.
joelmorris.substack.com
September 21, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Spot on.
I’ve been struck with how SNL, surely our most expensive comedy show, is often content to look cheap. It’s because it feels quick. It screams “We’re literally doing this live, right now!” It screams *gig*.
I’ve been struck with how SNL, surely our most expensive comedy show, is often content to look cheap. It’s because it feels quick. It screams “We’re literally doing this live, right now!” It screams *gig*.
All future Halloween movies will require the makers to pick three previous entries from the series out of a hat and make them, and *only* them, canon to the new film.
September 18, 2026 at 9:22 PM
All future Halloween movies will require the makers to pick three previous entries from the series out of a hat and make them, and *only* them, canon to the new film.
Pressure is a solid movie, and yet…it kinda only has two beats. So it plays the first repeatedly for an hour. Positions are restated and entrenched rather than developed and explored.
Basically, I think I wanted a load more battling between clever people over the minutiae of weather prediction. 🤷🏻♂️
Basically, I think I wanted a load more battling between clever people over the minutiae of weather prediction. 🤷🏻♂️
September 10, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Pressure is a solid movie, and yet…it kinda only has two beats. So it plays the first repeatedly for an hour. Positions are restated and entrenched rather than developed and explored.
Basically, I think I wanted a load more battling between clever people over the minutiae of weather prediction. 🤷🏻♂️
Basically, I think I wanted a load more battling between clever people over the minutiae of weather prediction. 🤷🏻♂️
Gonna recommend The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan and Milady. The 2023 French movies are well worth a rent, doing smart, precise things in adaptation to keep things surprising and stakes-y.
Also, the fights are fabulous. Done in Spielberg-type oners that keep things honest and immediate.
Also, the fights are fabulous. Done in Spielberg-type oners that keep things honest and immediate.
September 4, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Gonna recommend The Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan and Milady. The 2023 French movies are well worth a rent, doing smart, precise things in adaptation to keep things surprising and stakes-y.
Also, the fights are fabulous. Done in Spielberg-type oners that keep things honest and immediate.
Also, the fights are fabulous. Done in Spielberg-type oners that keep things honest and immediate.
I’m terribly behind - have releases of the Doctor Who Collection Blu-rays been paused? Feels like there’s usually one due out in the autumn.
September 3, 2026 at 9:28 PM
I’m terribly behind - have releases of the Doctor Who Collection Blu-rays been paused? Feels like there’s usually one due out in the autumn.
Furious is extraordinary.
Weirdly, of all things, it reminds me of DTF St. Louis - shows that snuck up on you using genre. But both know exactly what they’re about, what they want to say, and never fail to articulate those things, with truth and wit.
Weirdly, of all things, it reminds me of DTF St. Louis - shows that snuck up on you using genre. But both know exactly what they’re about, what they want to say, and never fail to articulate those things, with truth and wit.
September 2, 2026 at 12:18 PM
Furious is extraordinary.
Weirdly, of all things, it reminds me of DTF St. Louis - shows that snuck up on you using genre. But both know exactly what they’re about, what they want to say, and never fail to articulate those things, with truth and wit.
Weirdly, of all things, it reminds me of DTF St. Louis - shows that snuck up on you using genre. But both know exactly what they’re about, what they want to say, and never fail to articulate those things, with truth and wit.
Tim Curry in Charlie’s Angels, though. Can’t forget that one. Misleading everyone that he’ll be the big villain.
August 27, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Tim Curry in Charlie’s Angels, though. Can’t forget that one. Misleading everyone that he’ll be the big villain.
Watching 9 to 5 on Disney+. Despite opening with the traditionally grotty old Fox logo the HD master they’re using is shockingly good. Someone found a good print and put the work in.
August 26, 2026 at 9:54 PM
Watching 9 to 5 on Disney+. Despite opening with the traditionally grotty old Fox logo the HD master they’re using is shockingly good. Someone found a good print and put the work in.
There’s a “spray product” joke in Coyote vs Acme that may be my laugh of the year. What a hoot that movie is!
August 26, 2026 at 4:14 PM
There’s a “spray product” joke in Coyote vs Acme that may be my laugh of the year. What a hoot that movie is!
If talking a lot is something you want from your podcast guests, I sure did talk a lot of it here. Why not play at double speed and experience how irritating it must be to know me. https://youtu.be/b7YPgOMCBx0?is=4oG5qlFvl27Br37y
August 24, 2026 at 5:02 PM
If talking a lot is something you want from your podcast guests, I sure did talk a lot of it here. Why not play at double speed and experience how irritating it must be to know me. https://youtu.be/b7YPgOMCBx0?is=4oG5qlFvl27Br37y
Reposted by Andrew Ellard
A short piece about some early Red Dwarf which went unseen for decades.
www.dirtyfeed.org/2026/08/clos...
www.dirtyfeed.org/2026/08/clos...
August 24, 2026 at 9:51 AM
A short piece about some early Red Dwarf which went unseen for decades.
www.dirtyfeed.org/2026/08/clos...
www.dirtyfeed.org/2026/08/clos...
Me literally only right now realising that the title’s meant to be understood in the Latin sense. 🤦🏻♂️
August 15, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Me literally only right now realising that the title’s meant to be understood in the Latin sense. 🤦🏻♂️
There should be a legal requirement not to label “long term online rental until the platform loses rights” as “Buy”.
Call it what it is, “long rental”. At which point companies are incentivised to figure out how to make buy *mean* buy, or else lose sales to cheaper short rental and physical media.
Call it what it is, “long rental”. At which point companies are incentivised to figure out how to make buy *mean* buy, or else lose sales to cheaper short rental and physical media.
August 11, 2026 at 1:52 PM
There should be a legal requirement not to label “long term online rental until the platform loses rights” as “Buy”.
Call it what it is, “long rental”. At which point companies are incentivised to figure out how to make buy *mean* buy, or else lose sales to cheaper short rental and physical media.
Call it what it is, “long rental”. At which point companies are incentivised to figure out how to make buy *mean* buy, or else lose sales to cheaper short rental and physical media.
Tugged on my script consultant trousers to help out on Proper Ladies. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002v4sv
August 8, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Tugged on my script consultant trousers to help out on Proper Ladies. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002v4sv
Reposted by Andrew Ellard
he's right and he should say it
August 3, 2026 at 7:15 AM
he's right and he should say it