iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Big Saturday for you chaps on BBC2. A Matter of Life and Death this morning, Mosquito Squadron and The Great Escape this afternoon!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I tried listening from A Long Time Ago instead, but you hadn’t recorded it yet so I had another go this afternoon. Lovely stuff. Arguably the late, great Carrie Fisher’s finest hour, and Harrison Ford’s career peaking right at the beginning!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

You also missed the ultimate meta “and introducing..” with Radar played by Gary Burghoff, who would go on to play Radar… Not often an actor is introduced playing a character then becomes a household name playing that same character. It’s like Stephen Moore was playing Adrian Mole’s dad in ABTF.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Excellent movie this one, but I’m squarely in Camp Duncan here in that the TV series is a much better watch. Neither particularly reflects the early 50s - any more than both were definitely not about Vietnam - but Alan Alda’s Hawkeye is a far less problematic character. Etc.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

A fantastic episode about a film that may well be too good for this podcast. Often wonder if the choice of the name Putin for the political officer is pure coincidence, or if somebody saw something in the air even back then.. 🤔

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Nobili Rubinetterie Amazed it’s taken me this long to spot one!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Is it time for Carry on England yet?

Judy Geeson holding a “sexy” pose in Carry on England

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

“I’m not transphobic,” he explained, before going on to outline the extent of his transphobia.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Duncan finally got his script approved then? Historical accuracy notwithstanding that does look rather fun. Kind of like Darkest Hour meets Where Eagles Dare.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

It also allows certain people to mentally replace members of the original cast, whose views on certain subjects differ from the author’s.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I was at a festival in Switzerland and - because we seemed to be the only Brits there - we had a flag on our tent. Got woken early by an endless stream of concerned Swiss people telling us all about it. Went to Paris on the way home and drove through *that tunnel* without noticing..

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The big problem for me was the radio. All stations switched to an all miserable playlist for what seemed like months! And then that Elton song…

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Quick has form. Je présente: Les French Burgers to commemorate Paris 2024. *Quick is from Belgium.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

But definitely the biggest “Adrian Mole’s dad,” which would’ve been more fun if Duncan wasn’t interned, is Lesley Dwyer, playing Private Beck, who would go on to star as Mr Partidge, the alcoholic Punch ‘n’ Judy man in Hi-de-Hi!

Lesley Dwyer and Felix Bowness as Mr Partidge the Punch ’n’ Judy man and Fred Quilley the riding instructor in Hi-de-Hi

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Despite a galaxy of stars there were a few “and introducings” you missed: The Perry’s daughter is played by Penelope Dudley-Ward’s daughter Tracy, who took her stepfather Carol Reed’s name and grew up to be General Turgidson’s “secretary” in Doctor Strangelove.

Tracy Reed as Miss Scott, General Turgidson’s “secretary” on Doctor Strangelove

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Thank you for finally getting around to my second favourite war film! (We Dive at Dawn! is on iPlayer, just sayin') So glad you noticed the Davenport/Thurtle thing. I just love the idea that they snuck a gay couple in under the censors' noses!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

It’s 100% on the race org, because if you hire that kind of content creator then you should know what kind of content to expect.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Just make sure you pronounce it properly or you might not have the time or energy to watch the cycling 😳

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Excellent. Can’t get enough of Thora Hird shooting fascists!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Great episode, feels strange that I still haven’t seen this film. Surely you chaps did Went the Day Well back in 2023 though. Would this be a revisit, or had you forgotten?

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Reposted by Ben Atkins

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Sorry but the colander thing is such a piece of shit. Fine, it's not safe to stare right at the sun. But let's not pretend I'm going to have a great time watching a tiny shadow on a piece of paper through a fucking kitchen utensil.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I could've waited a bit longer to be honest.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

A couple of great lines that you missed: “You can’t check the rest of me but I assure you it’s French.” And, in a great bit of prescient Paul Schofield that echoes a previous WMT episode, when asked if he enjoyed the parachute training he replies: “Give me a nice French train every time.”

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Love Carve Her Name With Pride. So much better than Odette, which I’m amazed you’ve never heard of because it’s on TV far more often. Odette is actually introduced by Buckmaster, playing himself, and is hugely self-serving in a way that CHNWP is not.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Every single metre that Kasia Niewiadoma is off the front of a bike race I’m bracing myself for the moment she gets caught, gets pipped on the line, for the time gap to be wrong. She breaks my heart almost every time she races, so it’s the greatest feeling when she wins! #TDFF2026

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I like that. Wearing 13 upside down is a cool quirky tradition, but as soon as they start printing it that way it’s ruined.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I think a lot was down to limited motos, but also a fairly limited knowledge of who would do well. There was a definite emphasis on national champions, which are very much of mixed competitiveness, but then we didn’t see ELB’s bike change because we were following PFP/Reusser/Vollering. 🤷🏼‍♂️

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

For those of you with a superstitious nature, Marlen Reusser is wearing number 51. #TDFF2026

World Champion Marlen Reusser (Movistar) on her way to winning the Stage 4 TT. Tour de France Femmes 2026

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Saw her finish. Not sure how much else.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Surely Mafeking is the only one that's properly entered the vernacular? 🚽

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Reading this, I was beginning to suspect that you only really loved us for our climate. And, as our dreary summers begin to fade, your eye was being drawn to other, more drizzly places. Congratulations though. Having written an entire essay about the weather, you have now completely assimilated!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Can't remember how many years ago I saw this, but I think I spent most of it trying to work out why it was called that. And then: Grenada? Really? The only other film where I've seen Grenada even mentioned is Die Hard 2... "Five minutes of fire fights, five weeks of surfing..."

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Women’s match earlier was similarly exciting. With an almost identical number of runs involved!

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

How much is a pair of Joe Bloggs these days?

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Independence Day was actually released on the 3rd of July so that the heroic fight back was what was going to happen tomorrow. I saw it at the cinema in Canada and there was one of the biggest cheers in history when the White House went up!

static.klipy.com

White House Explodes in Alien Attack

Alt: White House is destroyed by aliens in Independence Day

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

(Pretty soon. He’s gonna) Find out why… Or Joe. Obvs. 🐮

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The gravel wins maybe suggest classics races, but MTB riders often come in with great climbing engines too.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

She’s been riding Allied since January last year, but yeah swapping SRAM for Shimano. Assuming it’s not one of those deals that sees her using different kit from the team, but that’s pretty unheard of nowadays.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I think the entire Dambusters Dog section explains why there are so few films about the American Civil War and, to a lesser extent, the Revolution. The whole “don’t let’s be beastly to the Confederates” thing has had a huge influence on where American politics finds itself today.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I really hope it is different on the longer climbs, or the race will be over on Thursday. But yeah, seems strange to have your team lead you onto the final climb, only to look around at your rivals when the sprinting starts.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Agreed. Assuming he survives today he has to do it all again tomorrow. Even if he gets through that there’s no way he’s anything like competitive in Pau. And then there’s the Tourmalet stage… I just hope he’s doing a Cav and respecting the race but goes home tomorrow.

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Reposted by Ben Atkins

Oh God, What Now? – the politics podcast @ohgodwhatnow.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

After the completely reasonable suspension of Balogun’s red card, FIFA announces who’s in charge of VAR for #USABEL tomorrow.

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

It’s currently on S4C (via iPlayer) although today might be the last day. Good for improving your Welsh, and it’s never bad listening to Manon Lloyd and Eluned King! (There are ads, but maybe not as many..?)

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Never felt the need on this one. I remember the trailers for Pacino’s Revolution though, and thought it looked terrible even back then. I now wonder if it’s worth watching now though, for possibly the greatest “and introducing…” of all time, and the prospect of hearing Al Pacino shouting “Ricky!”

Sid Owen (yes, that Sid Owen!) and Al Pacino in Revolution (1985)

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

“Hmm, but is *this* the operation..?”

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Ben Atkins @benatkins.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Really appropriate episode for today. I lost my pith helmet earlier and now I can’t see! I often get this confused with Storm over the Nile, for obvious reasons, which means I keep forgetting which legend of British cinema is going to be blacked up.

John Laurie in brown-face as the Khalifa in The Four Feathers

Ian Carmichael, Ronald Lewis and a black-face Christopher Lee in Storm over the Nile

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