Advertise on podcast: Tom Hanks Defence Force

Over a million films are listed on IMDB, and over 800,000 TV shows are available for your viewing pleasure. However, we at THDF had an epiphany, because do you know what there truly isn’t enough of? TV shows about films. So, we put our heads together and came up with some delightful and diabolical new shows that examine your favourite films in ways never seen before. From Star Wars retrospectives presented by Jar Jar Binks legend Ahmed Best to travelogues asking why these locations inspired the action, the BBC’s spam folder has never been more inspired.  So sit back, enjoy our latest Mystery Pitch, and get excited for the wild unstoppable return of Behind-the-Scenes TV… as soon as we can produce them.

“Every film has the potential to be the most terrifying thing you’ve ever seen.” Jack and Alex, at some point, probably.In this episode, Jack and Alex imagine what if our favourite franchises had the likes of Blumhouse, Del Toro, Carpenter, or King at the helm. What if, instead of fantastical, they were frightening? What if, instead of hilarious, they were horrifying? How about a disaster horror, where Imperial captains desperately flee an exploding Death Star? What if a film chronicled Morgoth’s arrival on Middle Earth? And isn’t Shelob’s Lair scary enough anyway?Find out what new nightmares they’ve dreamt up in the new episode of Tom Hanks Defence Force

Ay Caramba! The Simpsons is now in its astonishing 36th season. It’s the longest-running primetime scripted show in American history, second only to WWE Raw in the highest number of episodes. So this begs the question: When and how will The Simpsons actually end? For our stupid, sexy final episode of the year, Alex, Jack and Sideshow Ala delve into the storylines of its most beloved characters and episodes. Together, they draw on behind-the-scenes information, fan theories and the finales of iconic 90s sitcoms to ask how it’s possible to conclude a franchise so rooted in everyday timelessness. Is it truly “unpossible” or could Comic Book Guy finally call it the “best episode ever”?*Recorded before the announcement of Pamela Hayden's retirement. Thank you, Pamela! We wish you the very best.

The Ring, The Fly and Vanilla Sky - often considered the scariest remakes of all time. But what if there were more, frightful and fantastic, lurking in the depths of possibility?In today’s horror feature, Jack, Alex and an unexpected guest pay tribute to the art of reimagining. Delving into potentials and pitfalls alike, they ask ‘What could be remade now?’ and, perhaps more importantly, ‘What should be remade now?’From ancient folklore to secret islands, and murderous beings to malicious tech, the boys explore the logic and lore of what makes a great reboot. And to conclude, they figure out why the perfect remake may in fact be hidden deep in the black lagoon.Be sure to follow Tom Hanks Defence Force for more film and TV ideas you may never have dreamed of before.

What’s the most famous line from the entire Pirates franchise? “I love weddings! Drinks all around.” But what Captain Jack Sparrow didn’t realise was that in the wacky world of Tom Hanks Defence Force, weddings are far from conventional, especially when the reception is a Mystery Pitch. To celebrate co-host Jack’s upcoming nuptials, the boys ask questions and improvise to create your dream wedding films. What is this mysterious venue? Who is that surprise wedding singer? And what has the Best Man done with the Groom? Find out in Mystery Pitch: Wedding Season.

First there was France. Then there was Frank Sinatra. Now, there is Franchise. And they’re everywhere! Those dinosaurs didn’t just escape from their pens. Harry Potter spends seven years at Hogwarts. There’s more than one Hunger Game. But even for the world’s most diehard fans of palaeontology, capes, Jennifer Lawrence, 18th Century piracy and Gamorrean guards, is this all getting a bit too much? Joined by returning guest Henry Mendoza, the team ask: Is it possible to sustain a franchise, while also shaking things up a little? Is it possible to inject horror and westerns into sci-fi and fantasy worlds? How can audience fatigue be avoided? And is there a moment when world-building can supersede narrative?

Nobel laureate William Faulkner once wrote: “The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.” Can this explain why you, a 32-year-old, skipped your uncle’s birthday to binge Dawson’s Creek? Why the older you get, the more you see yourself as Citizen Kane? And does the key to an industry competing to define the future lie embedded in the lyrics to Nickelback’s ‘Photograph’? Featuring the nostalgic return of special guest Henry Mendoza, the guys explore the rapid reappearance of decades-old characters, the relationship between nostalgia and immortality, whether audiences long for childhood stories or simply how we watched childhood stories, and what it means to feel “at home again.”

BAFTA, commonly mistaken for British After-Fart Trapped Air, has awarded the finest craftspeople in cinema since 1947. But does it still hold sway over the films we watch? Does the accomplishment of Best Film draw you in to click play? And how could the most prestigious of awards evolve in an age of constantly morphing audience tastes? Find out in BAFTA Defence Force.

Why has the Halloween franchise, and in particular Michael Myers, withstood such a stirring test of time? Is it a fascination with ‘why’ he came home? Is it because he inspired Slipknot’s fashion? (Well, hopefully). Is it because we’re all secretly afraid of William Shatner? Let’s find out. And yet, the prevailing influence of this 1978 masterpiece leaves us with even more questions. How did it kickstart the slasher generation? What would it have looked like if Dr Loomis had been played by, say… Sir Christopher Lee? And is this truly the end for it? Let’s get spooky with our favourite fictional serial killer in the latest episode of John Carpenter Defence Force.

Everyone loves birthdays - especially your parents’, partner’s and friends’ debit cards. So on Jack’s birthday, we decided to treat him with a very special gift - a Mystery Pitch so random and chaotic, it makes The Joker’s brainstorming session look like Winston Wolf’s Netflix cleaning special. Joined by special guest and seasonal expert Eleanor Winterbottom, we pitch those mysteries like we’re pitching Jack for the crown. Enjoy!

There’s a lot of things merging in the 4 billionth, 545 millionth year of our great wet rock. The virtues of stoicism with your 12-year-old neighbour creating their TikTok account. The cost of living with the feeling of touching mould down the back of your sofa. The mixing of emotions when Mr Incredible finally becomes truly uncanny. But none are as complex and as fascinating as the mergers and acquisitions disrupting the entertainment industry at a colossal rate. With the agility of a Wild West showdown and the inescapability of Jeff Bezos’ hypnotic cackle, Hollywood is acquiring and selling content like never before. But how have these great shifts in film and TV affected us, the viewers? And how will they continue to shape the nature of content, and the nature of how we consume our content, from here on? Find out in MergersBowl: The Tom Hanks Defence Force Take.Disclaimer: This episode was recorded prior to Warner Bros. Discovery cancelling Batgirl… and our hearts.

Great things come in 50s. Jack Daniels’ alcohol percentage. Fines issued to the Conservative government under PartyGate. And shades of grey. But perhaps most importantly, Tom Hanks Defence Force episodes. In our 50th episode special, Jack and Alex finally ask a question that Oxford and Cambridge will be debating for years to come: What truly is the best Tom Hanks film? And using bespoke data science, we find out why YOU the audience also love this celebrated uncle of America more than your own children.

Its 2022 and Netflix has just revved up two investments: Another addition to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, and nostalgic content. As Leatherface began slicing his way through cornfields (and in our nostalgia-crazed minds: Korn-fields), Jack and Alex couldn’t help but wonder two things: What if all this madness was concocted by none other than Alfred Hitchcock with a lawnmower? And do we know what you did in 2005? Drawing on a creative legacy of mystery pitch mayhem, the THDF duo return with ‘names’, as they plan out Netflix’s next hits: Alfred Hitchcock’s Lawnmower Massacre and I Know What You Did in 2005.

It’s no secret that we at Tom Hanks Defence Force can talk horror – probably until Jason Blum “remembers” he left a light on in the original Paranormal Activity house and needs to an excuse to leave.So, we doubled down on this obsession with demonic possession and invited two devilishly special guests to join us in our latest episode. Our topic? The value of horror in this day and age. Our broadcasting location? Beyond the grave.So just when you thought we couldn’t gleam any more from the genre of screams, we’ll remind you before 2022 why horror remains at the front of the queue.

Batman Begins is over 15 years old. Would you believe it? We can’t! That’s why in this episode, Alex, Jack and special guest Kathleen delve deep into Christopher Nolan’s masterful trilogy. Together, they discuss their strengths, weaknesses and how the trilogy transformed public perceptions of what superhero films should look and feel like. Why so serious? The new Tom Hanks Defence Force episode is out. Sit back, relax, and let us take you back to the first time you saw the reinvention of Batman.