Joseph Oldham
@paranoidstylist.bsky.social
Historian of television, intelligence, conspiracy narratives. Currently working on a book about John le Carré adaptations on TV (1966 to 2018 and beyond...). Written things for Doctor Who Magazine. I am not a number, my views are my own!
Pinned
Flipping the Script - Dr Joseph Oldham explains how 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' changed television drama forever
A website devoted to Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the BBC productions of John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People
guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Is it possible that #TheNightManager has the record for longest gap between Seasons 1 and 2, at 9.5 years? Obviously loads of dramas have come back after long hiatuses, but all the ones I can think of generally built up a much larger body of work before the gap.
November 27, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Is it possible that #TheNightManager has the record for longest gap between Seasons 1 and 2, at 9.5 years? Obviously loads of dramas have come back after long hiatuses, but all the ones I can think of generally built up a much larger body of work before the gap.
The TLDR of this is that I'm currently working on a book about all the John le Carré adaptations for television, from Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn (1966) to The Little Drummer Girl (2018) and beyond (?)...
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Flipping the Script - Dr Joseph Oldham explains how 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' changed television drama forever
A website devoted to Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the BBC productions of John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People
guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com
October 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
The TLDR of this is that I'm currently working on a book about all the John le Carré adaptations for television, from Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn (1966) to The Little Drummer Girl (2018) and beyond (?)...
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Flipping the Script - Dr Joseph Oldham explains how 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' changed television drama forever
A website devoted to Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the BBC productions of John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People
guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Flipping the Script - Dr Joseph Oldham explains how 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' changed television drama forever
A website devoted to Alec Guinness as George Smiley in the BBC productions of John le Carré’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People
guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Really enjoyed doing this interview for the brilliant Guinness is Smiley website - covering past research, new research, some rare oddities in the presentation of John le Carré's work on television, and exciting information about my new book project: guinnessissmiley.blogspot.com/2025/10/flip...
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
New essay: REJECT TRANS DOOM-POSTING.
It's about grief, loss, institutional failures, and the horror of the current moment.
It's also a love letter to trans community, and the things we do with and for one another.
It's about grief, loss, institutional failures, and the horror of the current moment.
It's also a love letter to trans community, and the things we do with and for one another.
Reject Trans Doom-Posting
This week I took the long train down to the south of England for my friend Robyn’s funeral. She died very suddenly three weeks ago, aged just 32. Robyn gave so much love to the world, and was so lo…
ruthpearce.net
September 25, 2025 at 5:01 PM
New essay: REJECT TRANS DOOM-POSTING.
It's about grief, loss, institutional failures, and the horror of the current moment.
It's also a love letter to trans community, and the things we do with and for one another.
It's about grief, loss, institutional failures, and the horror of the current moment.
It's also a love letter to trans community, and the things we do with and for one another.
I'm investigating Rediffusion Films, the film arm of Rediffusion London, whose first production was Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn (1966). I'm curious about whether they ever made anything else - anybody know? I'm looking at some press cuttings which indicate they wanted to continue if DIWDIM did well...
August 31, 2025 at 11:43 AM
I'm investigating Rediffusion Films, the film arm of Rediffusion London, whose first production was Dare I Weep, Dare I Mourn (1966). I'm curious about whether they ever made anything else - anybody know? I'm looking at some press cuttings which indicate they wanted to continue if DIWDIM did well...
I have signed the open letter in support of continued independent access to the BBC Written Archive Centre. The BBC WAC is such a brilliant resource with such a helpful staff, and it has been so useful to my research in the past - indeed its materials are integral to my current book project.
Our campaign for the continuation of independent access to the BBC Written Archive Centre is highlighted this morning by Vanessa Thorpe in The Observer. Her article, with excellent contributions from David Kynaston and Ian Greaves, outlines the issue with clarity.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Historians dismayed by ‘scandal’ of BBC cutting access to...
Critics say new limit to trove of information sounds knell for independent research
observer.co.uk
August 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
I have signed the open letter in support of continued independent access to the BBC Written Archive Centre. The BBC WAC is such a brilliant resource with such a helpful staff, and it has been so useful to my research in the past - indeed its materials are integral to my current book project.
An interesting curio - a letter from Brian (Avengers/Professionals) Clemens to the Radio Times with his opinions on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
August 24, 2025 at 7:33 AM
An interesting curio - a letter from Brian (Avengers/Professionals) Clemens to the Radio Times with his opinions on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Finally getting to see some of Codename: Portcullis, apparently the BBC's answer to Callan, and wincing at some of the most hamfisted exposition I've ever heard. Could Anthony Valentine sell this in the lost series version? I have my doubts... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az53...
CODENAME PORTCULLIS 1969 Clifford Evans, Peter Jeffrey - Pilot film for TV series
YouTube video by PREHISTORICTELEVISION1956
www.youtube.com
August 21, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Finally getting to see some of Codename: Portcullis, apparently the BBC's answer to Callan, and wincing at some of the most hamfisted exposition I've ever heard. Could Anthony Valentine sell this in the lost series version? I have my doubts... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az53...
Somehow, I've only just noticed that Ailsa Brimley from A Murder of Quality has the tiniest one-paragraph cameo in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. She even makes it into the TV version, and so Glenda Jackson is not the only person to play her, although oddly they misspell/change her name to Alisa.
August 20, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Somehow, I've only just noticed that Ailsa Brimley from A Murder of Quality has the tiniest one-paragraph cameo in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. She even makes it into the TV version, and so Glenda Jackson is not the only person to play her, although oddly they misspell/change her name to Alisa.
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
Just under three weeks until the belated launch event for Penda's Fen: Scene By Scene at the Barbican. We'll have copies for sale, and Spencer Banks on the panel. And Cinema 1 is the best possible way of seeing the glorious 2016 remaster. Tickets here: www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/202...
Penda’s Fen (12*) + ScreenTalk with Spencer Banks, Ian Greaves and Gareth Evans | Barbican
David Rudkin’s mystical TV film on paganism, and a discussion with actor Spencer Banks and writer Ian Greaves, whose new book reveals how the masterpiece was made.
www.barbican.org.uk
August 18, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Just under three weeks until the belated launch event for Penda's Fen: Scene By Scene at the Barbican. We'll have copies for sale, and Spencer Banks on the panel. And Cinema 1 is the best possible way of seeing the glorious 2016 remaster. Tickets here: www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/202...
My head is spinning trying to figure out the chronology of the unproduced adaptation of le Carré's A Small Town in Germany in the late 1960s. Le Carré's memoir The Pigeon Tunnel claims that he worked on the screenplay with Sydney Pollack over Christmas 1967 and (elsewhere in the book) 1968...
August 10, 2025 at 3:27 PM
My head is spinning trying to figure out the chronology of the unproduced adaptation of le Carré's A Small Town in Germany in the late 1960s. Le Carré's memoir The Pigeon Tunnel claims that he worked on the screenplay with Sydney Pollack over Christmas 1967 and (elsewhere in the book) 1968...
Writing about production of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold - the bit where screenwriter Guy Trosper suggests changes that John le Carré doesn't like, but then falls ill and withdraws. For some reason, I'm struggling to find a phrasing that doesn't read like I'm implying le Carré was responsible.
August 7, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Writing about production of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold - the bit where screenwriter Guy Trosper suggests changes that John le Carré doesn't like, but then falls ill and withdraws. For some reason, I'm struggling to find a phrasing that doesn't read like I'm implying le Carré was responsible.
I've been reading a few things lately where people have converted JICTAR ratings (measuring ratings by numbers of households) into numbers of individual viewers. Is there an agreed calculation by which such numbers are estimated?
August 7, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I've been reading a few things lately where people have converted JICTAR ratings (measuring ratings by numbers of households) into numbers of individual viewers. Is there an agreed calculation by which such numbers are estimated?
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
You will not see a more tangible encapsulation of the genocide. A war of utter annihilation waged as a joint enterprise between the Israeli state on the ground and its allies in consistent support. The debt of reparations that the West owes to the Palestinian people at this point is incalculable.
This is amongst the most impactful two minutes of broadcasting I’ve ever seen.
By Emma Murphy, International Editor, ITV News. #Gaza
By Emma Murphy, International Editor, ITV News. #Gaza
August 5, 2025 at 10:12 AM
You will not see a more tangible encapsulation of the genocide. A war of utter annihilation waged as a joint enterprise between the Israeli state on the ground and its allies in consistent support. The debt of reparations that the West owes to the Palestinian people at this point is incalculable.
Spent forever trying to find the rehearsal and recording dates for a 1970 TV play, only to realise they were written on the copy of the rehearsal script I had the whole time.
August 4, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Spent forever trying to find the rehearsal and recording dates for a 1970 TV play, only to realise they were written on the copy of the rehearsal script I had the whole time.
Does anyone know the survival rate of Story Parade (BBC 2, 1964-65)? (I.e. the series that's apparently best-known for the adaptation of Asimov's The Caves of Steel, even though we only have a clip.) I think I read there might be a surviving copy of The Little White God episode, but is that all?
July 22, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Does anyone know the survival rate of Story Parade (BBC 2, 1964-65)? (I.e. the series that's apparently best-known for the adaptation of Asimov's The Caves of Steel, even though we only have a clip.) I think I read there might be a surviving copy of The Little White God episode, but is that all?
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
Good to see this, at least 18 months after it became undeniable, but nothing can happen as a result because the recognition contains within it extremely serious allegations against this country’s most prominent politicians and media figures, and those guys are not about to quietly admit culpability.
July 16, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Good to see this, at least 18 months after it became undeniable, but nothing can happen as a result because the recognition contains within it extremely serious allegations against this country’s most prominent politicians and media figures, and those guys are not about to quietly admit culpability.
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
On the 25th anniversary of the show @paranoidstylist.bsky.social uploaded his in-depth article on BUGS and its position as "an unacknowledged influence on a later generation of stylish, issue-led thriller series of the 2000s"
June 11, 2025 at 9:50 AM
On the 25th anniversary of the show @paranoidstylist.bsky.social uploaded his in-depth article on BUGS and its position as "an unacknowledged influence on a later generation of stylish, issue-led thriller series of the 2000s"
Matthew Macfadyen is old enough to play George Smiley?! Now this makes me feel old... variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Matthew Macfadyen to Play George Smiley in John le Carré Series in the Works From Ink Factory, Fifth Season
A TV series based on the works of John le Carré with Matthew Macfadyen attached to star is heating up the marketplace.
variety.com
May 17, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Matthew Macfadyen is old enough to play George Smiley?! Now this makes me feel old... variety.com/2025/tv/news...
Delighted to find this early student film by Youssef Chahine, made when he was a teenager at Victoria College. @josearroyo.bsky.social, have you seen this? Also @charloween.bsky.social and @twistedsoup.bsky.social - it's the *real* Alexandria Why... www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI3G...
Youssef Chahine, School Life 1944 بدايات المخرج الكبير يوسف شاهين
YouTube video by 100 years of cinema
www.youtube.com
May 7, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Delighted to find this early student film by Youssef Chahine, made when he was a teenager at Victoria College. @josearroyo.bsky.social, have you seen this? Also @charloween.bsky.social and @twistedsoup.bsky.social - it's the *real* Alexandria Why... www.youtube.com/watch?v=PI3G...
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
You can also sign a joint letter from two trans rights organizations (TransActual and FGEN) that's going out to select MPs tomorrow.
Act fast, though. Deadline is 7pm.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Act fast, though. Deadline is 7pm.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Re Operation of Single-Sex Services after the Supreme Court Ruling
Explainer: FGEN (feministgenderequality.network) and TransActual (transactual.org.uk) have thrown their support behind this letter and want to make it an official petition for a face to face meeting ...
docs.google.com
April 22, 2025 at 1:16 PM
You can also sign a joint letter from two trans rights organizations (TransActual and FGEN) that's going out to select MPs tomorrow.
Act fast, though. Deadline is 7pm.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Act fast, though. Deadline is 7pm.
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Joseph Oldham
regardless of today’s outcome, it is morally indefensible to have a court ruling on something that affects a population, using evidence and findings that did not consult a single member of that population.
April 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
regardless of today’s outcome, it is morally indefensible to have a court ruling on something that affects a population, using evidence and findings that did not consult a single member of that population.
Was interviewed for this BBC Culture article on the current prevalence of TV spy dramas. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
'The baddies reflect the worries of today': How TV spy thrillers are booming in an age of distrust
From Netflix hit The Night Agent to Apple TV+'s beloved Slow Horses, secret agents and sinister plots are becoming ever more popular again. That's because they resonate with the times.
www.bbc.com
March 8, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Was interviewed for this BBC Culture article on the current prevalence of TV spy dramas. www.bbc.com/culture/arti...
Does anyone have any good recommendations for a basic Film Theory introductory textbook?
February 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Does anyone have any good recommendations for a basic Film Theory introductory textbook?