Finlay McLaren
@finlay24.bsky.social
Writer for the Lion and Unicorn
Pinned
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
I wrote this article about BBC Archive and nostalgia for pre-digital Britain
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
Neil Innes performing "Back In '64" (from the RUTLES ARCHEOLOGY album) in 2003. Such a deft hand with lyrics that fuse fun pastiche with emotional sincerity. And that ending resonates even more with me the older I get...
December 10, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Neil Innes performing "Back In '64" (from the RUTLES ARCHEOLOGY album) in 2003. Such a deft hand with lyrics that fuse fun pastiche with emotional sincerity. And that ending resonates even more with me the older I get...
Happy 65th to the best loved street in the nation
December 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Happy 65th to the best loved street in the nation
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"That’s the paradox at the heart of BBC Archive’s appeal: we are nostalgic for the pre-digital world, yet only the digital world can give it back to us."
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:59 AM
"That’s the paradox at the heart of BBC Archive’s appeal: we are nostalgic for the pre-digital world, yet only the digital world can give it back to us."
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
The Wicker Man was released this week in December 1973.
Fifty years after the fictional date of the clifftop singalong sacrifice, we went to be the village pub band for a re-enactment, and I wrote this piece to try and capture a flavour of that moment.
open.substack.com/pub/joelmorr...
Fifty years after the fictional date of the clifftop singalong sacrifice, we went to be the village pub band for a re-enactment, and I wrote this piece to try and capture a flavour of that moment.
open.substack.com/pub/joelmorr...
"They will not fail..."
May Day, and the true meaning of folk.
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:42 AM
The Wicker Man was released this week in December 1973.
Fifty years after the fictional date of the clifftop singalong sacrifice, we went to be the village pub band for a re-enactment, and I wrote this piece to try and capture a flavour of that moment.
open.substack.com/pub/joelmorr...
Fifty years after the fictional date of the clifftop singalong sacrifice, we went to be the village pub band for a re-enactment, and I wrote this piece to try and capture a flavour of that moment.
open.substack.com/pub/joelmorr...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
From the Sunday Times's guide to the paperbacks of the year.
December 7, 2025 at 5:05 PM
From the Sunday Times's guide to the paperbacks of the year.
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
Just blocked someone for a) saying McCartney’s Temporary Secretary is the worst song ever recorded and b) Delivering this information with a “C’mon, we all know it” false confidence.
December 6, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Just blocked someone for a) saying McCartney’s Temporary Secretary is the worst song ever recorded and b) Delivering this information with a “C’mon, we all know it” false confidence.
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"The past doesn’t go away anymore. Instead, it sits patiently in our pockets, waiting to be tapped open. Old songs, old pictures & old videos. All available in seconds. There’s never been a better time to be nostalgic"
@finlay24.bsky.social on Auntie's archive
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on Auntie's archive
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:29 PM
"The past doesn’t go away anymore. Instead, it sits patiently in our pockets, waiting to be tapped open. Old songs, old pictures & old videos. All available in seconds. There’s never been a better time to be nostalgic"
@finlay24.bsky.social on Auntie's archive
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on Auntie's archive
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"If you’ve never missed a moment you can never return to, you simply haven’t lived."
@finlay24.bsky.social on nostalgia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on nostalgia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:51 AM
"If you’ve never missed a moment you can never return to, you simply haven’t lived."
@finlay24.bsky.social on nostalgia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on nostalgia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
I wrote this article about BBC Archive and nostalgia for pre-digital Britain
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
Last night on YouTube: BBC Archive
FINLAY McLAREN gets nostalgic over highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute.
thelionandunicorn.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:58 AM
I wrote this article about BBC Archive and nostalgia for pre-digital Britain
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/12/04/l...
And in this week's episode of the Beatles Anthology, the part of Paul McCartney will be played by Mr Chow Mein
November 30, 2025 at 12:29 PM
And in this week's episode of the Beatles Anthology, the part of Paul McCartney will be played by Mr Chow Mein
That was only the first day!
November 30, 2025 at 9:51 AM
That was only the first day!
Have just finished the first draft of my next piece! It's about highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute. Expect it to arrive sometime next week, Fin-fans!
November 29, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Have just finished the first draft of my next piece! It's about highland crofters, pub pianists and the morning commute. Expect it to arrive sometime next week, Fin-fans!
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"Across three series, they spar, flirt and circle one another with the usual passive aggression of the English upper classes in mating season, until, inevitably, they marry"
Our @finlay24.bsky.social on why it's modern comedy that's guilty of airs and graces👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Our @finlay24.bsky.social on why it's modern comedy that's guilty of airs and graces👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Last Night on YouTube: To The Manor Born
In our series on individual episodes of British television, FINLAY McLAREN brings a touch of class.
thelionandunicorn.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:59 PM
"Across three series, they spar, flirt and circle one another with the usual passive aggression of the English upper classes in mating season, until, inevitably, they marry"
Our @finlay24.bsky.social on why it's modern comedy that's guilty of airs and graces👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Our @finlay24.bsky.social on why it's modern comedy that's guilty of airs and graces👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"It would be easy to hate Audrey or Richard; to have some modern authorial self-insert wander in & tell them off for their privilege. But we don’t. We’re invited to laugh at their ridiculousness without malice"
@finlay24.bsky.social on how comedy loves vanity👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on how comedy loves vanity👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Last Night on iPlayer: To The Manor Born
In our series on individual episodes of British television, FINLAY McLAREN brings a touch of class.
thelionandunicorn.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:51 AM
"It would be easy to hate Audrey or Richard; to have some modern authorial self-insert wander in & tell them off for their privilege. But we don’t. We’re invited to laugh at their ridiculousness without malice"
@finlay24.bsky.social on how comedy loves vanity👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on how comedy loves vanity👇
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"The real scandal in all of this is that we begged our leaders to lock us up, strip our freedoms and bankrupt our future. And that is why the whole sorry mess has been forgotten."
@finlay24.bsky.social on covid amnesia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/11/d...
@finlay24.bsky.social on covid amnesia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/11/d...
Decade: Lockdown (2020)
Do you remember the covid lockdowns? asks FINLAY McLAREN. Of course you do. So why have we chosen to forget?
thelionandunicorn.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:25 AM
"The real scandal in all of this is that we begged our leaders to lock us up, strip our freedoms and bankrupt our future. And that is why the whole sorry mess has been forgotten."
@finlay24.bsky.social on covid amnesia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/11/d...
@finlay24.bsky.social on covid amnesia.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/11/d...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"We laugh at them, and with them, and, crucially, we love them. The way you’re supposed to with sitcom characters."
@finlay24.bsky.social on "To the Manor Born".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on "To the Manor Born".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
Last Night on YouTube: To The Manor Born
In our series on individual episodes of British television, FINLAY McLAREN brings a touch of class.
thelionandunicorn.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:49 AM
"We laugh at them, and with them, and, crucially, we love them. The way you’re supposed to with sitcom characters."
@finlay24.bsky.social on "To the Manor Born".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on "To the Manor Born".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/11/16/l...
A new Finlarticle coming to you all soon!
November 14, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A new Finlarticle coming to you all soon!
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
News coming in that our @finlay24.bsky.social has committed content again...
November 13, 2025 at 8:37 PM
News coming in that our @finlay24.bsky.social has committed content again...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
We wouldn't have any of this Bond handwringing if we hadn't allowed the art of Hack Writing to die out. Stick a paperback novelist in his shed for the weekend with a bottle of whisky, and you'd have got cinema gold.
November 11, 2025 at 11:34 AM
We wouldn't have any of this Bond handwringing if we hadn't allowed the art of Hack Writing to die out. Stick a paperback novelist in his shed for the weekend with a bottle of whisky, and you'd have got cinema gold.
Pointing at straight people
November 10, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Pointing at straight people
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"It seems the furry folk really are out and about tonight..."
Today we shall mostly be remembering TV writer Nigel Kneale, who died 29 October 2006.
Here's @finlay24.bsky.social on his TV play "During Barty’s Party".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/07/20/d...
Today we shall mostly be remembering TV writer Nigel Kneale, who died 29 October 2006.
Here's @finlay24.bsky.social on his TV play "During Barty’s Party".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/07/20/d...
Last night on YouTube: Beasts
FINLAY McLAREN on the horrific genius of Nigel Kneale.
thelionandunicorn.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:38 AM
"It seems the furry folk really are out and about tonight..."
Today we shall mostly be remembering TV writer Nigel Kneale, who died 29 October 2006.
Here's @finlay24.bsky.social on his TV play "During Barty’s Party".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/07/20/d...
Today we shall mostly be remembering TV writer Nigel Kneale, who died 29 October 2006.
Here's @finlay24.bsky.social on his TV play "During Barty’s Party".
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/07/20/d...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
The editorial team at L&U are pleased as Punch for our @finlay24.bsky.social that his essay on the PARKINSON debate between Kenneth Williams & trade union legend Jimmy Reid has now been endorsed by two generations of Reids. (Thank you @joanireid.com.)
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
October 25, 2025 at 3:21 PM
The editorial team at L&U are pleased as Punch for our @finlay24.bsky.social that his essay on the PARKINSON debate between Kenneth Williams & trade union legend Jimmy Reid has now been endorsed by two generations of Reids. (Thank you @joanireid.com.)
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
Reposted by Finlay McLaren
"These old debates are reminders that intelligence and civility once shared the same studio space and that we were all the richer for it."
@finlay24.bsky.social on Kenneth Williams vs Jimmy Reid on Parky's show.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on Kenneth Williams vs Jimmy Reid on Parky's show.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
Last night on YouTube: Parkinson
FINLAY McLAREN watches Kenneth Williams and Jimmy Reid going at it (ooh matron).
thelionandunicorn.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:57 AM
"These old debates are reminders that intelligence and civility once shared the same studio space and that we were all the richer for it."
@finlay24.bsky.social on Kenneth Williams vs Jimmy Reid on Parky's show.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...
@finlay24.bsky.social on Kenneth Williams vs Jimmy Reid on Parky's show.
thelionandunicorn.com/2025/10/23/l...