

Radio Times Podcast
Radio Times
We’ve all been there – sat in front of the television, flicking through channels, getting increasingly frustrated – there’s so much on, but nothing to watch. TV critics Caroline Frost and Shem Law have you covered. Each Friday, they serve up short, sharp television recommendations to mark your cards for the week ahead. They’ll tell you what to watch – and what to avoid. They watch it all, so you don’t have to. No more asking: what’s on TV tonight? What to watch? Or, what should I watch? Instead, listen to Smart TV for your weekly round-up of TV programmes and film reviews. You’ll find out about the latest series dropping that week, what to binge and what television show will become the next watercooler moment. Radio Times’ journalists Caroline Frost and Shem Law will cover all things terrestrial as well as what’s on the streaming sites – they’ll cover what’s broadcast on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky to NOW, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix and Apple TV. Whether you like Entertainment, Current Affairs, Documentaries, Dramas, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Thrillers, Sports or Radio – they’ll have you covered.If you enjoy our weekly round-up of television reviews, do search for the View From My Sofa podcast which sees Kelly-Anne Taylor sit down with a celebrity guests to talk about their lives through the prism of TV.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 16, 2025 • 29min
Smart TV: Lazarus, love triangles and a touch of Julia Roberts
Caroline Frost chats to guest host Garath McLean about the best things coming up on the box this week.
TV:
Lazarus, from Wednesday, Prime Video
The Forsyte Saga, Monday 9pm, Channel 5
Leonard and Hungry Paul, Monday 10pm, BBC Two
FROST BITE:
Celebrity Traitors, BBC
THE ARCHIVE:Moonlighting, STV Player
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Oct 10, 2025 • 25min
Smart TV: Sally Wainwright’s comeback and Hamza’s wild adventure
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
TV:Celebrity Traitors, BBC1Riot Women, BBC1Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, BBC1The Iris Affair, Sky Atlantic
FROST BITE:Familiar faces in The Diplomat bring serious West Wing nostalgia
THE ARCHIVE:The Great Philosophers (1987), BBC2
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Oct 3, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: New Alan Partridge and Suranne Jones is everywhere
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
How Are You? It's Alan (Partridge), BBC1
Celebrity Traitors, BBC1
Frauds, ITV1
Film Club, BBC3
FROST BITE:
‘Worlds Apart’ movingly brings contestants, and viewers, together
THE ARCHIVE:
Robert Redford Night, BBC4
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Sep 26, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: Blue Lights and Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue
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Sep 19, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: Slow Horses and Strictly Return
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
The Hack, ITV1
Slow Horses, Apple TV+
Strictly Come Dancing, BBC1
FROST BITE:
Teen dramas - why are so many older viewer tuning in?
THE ARCHIVE:
Arena, BBC4
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Sep 12, 2025 • 23min
Smart TV: Rob and Rylan Return and Twiggy Doc
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India, BBC2
Twiggy, BBC2
Michael Palin in Venezuela, Channel 5
FROST BITE:
How the PSBs are fighting back against Netflix, and why it matters
THE ARCHIVE:
Fawlty Towers: The Play, U&Gold
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Sep 5, 2025 • 25min
Smart TV: Only Murders in the Building and Freddie Flintoff's Ultimate Test
Caroline Frost chats to Gareth McClean about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams: Ultimate Test, BBC1
Only Murders in the Building, Disney +
The Newsreader, BBC2
FROST BITE:
Partings are such sweet sorrow - how can a TV show end on a high?
THE ARCHIVE:
Robin Wright evolution (Santa Barbara, to Princess Bride, to Forrest Gump, to House of Cards, etc)
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Aug 29, 2025 • 20min
Smart TV: I Fought The Law and Educating Yorkshire Returns
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
I Fought The Law, ITV1
I Am Martin Parr, BBCFour
Educating Yorkshire, Channel 4
FROST BITE:
Why We All Need to Watch ‘The Apprentice’ Far More Carefully
THE ARCHIVE:
Arena - Peter Sellers, BBCFour
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Aug 22, 2025 • 20min
Smart TV: Thursday Murder Club and 1066 Drama
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Thursday Murder Club, Netflix
King and Conqueror, BBC1
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, Disney+
FROST BITE:
Real-life legal cases - who do they serve?
THE ARCHIVE:
King and Conqueror Night, BBC4
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Aug 15, 2025 • 24min
Smart TV: Life After Lineker for MoTD
Caroline Frost chats to Shem Law about the best things coming up on the box this week.
You can get in touch with our hosts via email (podcast@radiotimes.com) and Spotify users can write in directly using the Q&A box at the bottom of the episode.
SHOW NOTES:
TV:
Hostage, Netflix
Match of the Day, BBC1
Confessions of a Brain Surgeon, BBC2
FROST BITE:
Why Americans still can’t get enough of us Brits, as long as it’s their version
THE ARCHIVE:
Jasper Carrott Night, BBC4
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