In this episode of the Geektown Behind The Scenes podcast, we're heading into the world of Gilead to explore the incredible sound design of The Handmaid’s Tale, now airing its sixth and final season on Channel 4 & Prime Video in the UK, and Hulu in the US.

Host Dave Elliott is joined by David McCallum, supervising sound editor specialising in dialogue and ADR, and Brennan Mercer, sound designer and sound effects editor. Together, they reveal how the sound of The Handmaid’s Tale is crafted — from the oppressive quiet of Gilead to the chaos of refugee trains.

We talk about:

• How ADR and sound effects shape character and emotion
• Elisabeth Moss’s passion for sound as a director
• Creating motifs like the "Gilead theme" with tape delay
• The intense work behind the infamous “milk train” scene
• Why subtle sound design can be more powerful than big effects

Whether you're into sound design, filmmaking, or just love The Handmaid’s Tale, this is a fascinating deep dive into one of TV’s most uniquely crafted soundscapes.

🔊 Listen now, and don’t forget to subscribe for more behind-the-scenes episodes!

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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[00:00:00] – Intro & Matt’s return

[00:00:15] – Matt rewatched Friends: reflections, relationships & “don’t reboot it!”

[00:05:02] – Big Bang Theory vs Friends: early impressions from a kitchen binge

[00:14:10] – Dave finally goes back to the cinema – Marvel’s Thunderbolts

[00:19:35] – Why is Marvel spoiling their own post-credit scenes?

[00:24:51] – Welcome to Wrexham S4 begins: football ambition meets documentary gold

[00:26:15] – Murderbot on Apple TV+: Soap-opera-loving cyborgs and sci-fi fun

[00:28:59] – Doctor Who: Eurovision episode, surprise cameos & companion thoughts

[00:34:10] – Is Ncuti Gatwa regenerating already? We speculate...

[00:10:37] – Matt ranks and reviews all 15 Naughty Dog games

[00:12:50] – Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Chapter 12, cursed warehouses, and talking tigers

[00:14:10] – When games drag: pacing issues, box puzzles & skipping side quests

[00:35:08] – TV News: Finales for 9-1-1 and Dr. Odyssey – what now?

[00:37:40] – Sesame Street saved by Netflix after HBO Max bows out

[00:39:45] – HBO Max becomes... HBO Max again. Warner Bros Discovery logic, folks

[00:41:52] – Big Netflix renewals: Bridgerton S5–6, The Diplomat, Fallout S3

[00:43:56] – Patience, Bookish, LOL: Last One Laughing, Ellis & more

[00:45:40] – Air date roundup: The Rookie, Ironheart, The Bear, Strange New Worlds, Alien: Earth

[00:50:10] – Buffy reboot pilot casts Ryan Kiera Armstrong as the new Slayer

[00:54:34] – Jessica Jones returns: Krysten Ritter joins Daredevil: Born Again

[01:00:08] – SWAT gets a surprise spinoff series with Shemar Moore

[01:01:35] – The Chelsea Detective S3 – May 21 (U&Drama)

[01:01:35] – Nine Perfect Strangers S2 – May 22 (Prime Video)

[01:01:35] – Big Mouth Final Season – May 23 (Netflix)

[01:01:35] – Clarkson’s Farm S4 – May 23 (Prime Video)

[01:01:35] – Death Valley – May 25 (BBC One)

[01:01:35] – Hudson & Rex S7 – May 25 (U&Alibi)

[01:01:35] – Wild Cards – May 27 (Paramount+)

🎤 Guest Info:

Matt – Host of EntertainmentTalk.org

Covers The Last of Us, gaming, TV, films & more. Follow on socials: @etalkuk / @entertainmenttalk

📣 Find Geektown At:

🌐 Geektown.co.uk

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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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Hosted by: Dave Elliott

Co-host: Gray Panton

In this packed episode of Geektown Radio, we dissect the carnage of US TV Bloodbath Week, chat about the best (and worst) of recent TV, discuss the surprise BAFTA wins and snubs, and Dave shares his hands-on experience with Apple’s ultra-premium Vision Pro headset.

00:00 – Intro

Welcome to Episode 460! Gray is back and we kick off with birthday catch-ups and life updates.

03:10 – What We've Been Watching: TV Reviews & Reactions

• Poker Face Season 2 (Sky/Now)
• YOU Season 5 (Netflix)
• I, Jack Wright (Now/Alibi)
• The Studio (Apple TV+)
• Black Mirror Season 7 (Netflix)
• Doctor Who (BBC/Disney+)
• Race Across the World (BBC)
• The Genius Game (ITV)
• MobLand (Sky)
• Grace & Beyond Paradise (ITV/BBC)
• Hacks, Tracker, Bosch, 9-1-1, Dr. Odyssey

30:45 – BAFTA TV Awards 2024 Recap

• Jessica Gunning’s sixth win for Baby Reindeer
• Blue Lights, Mr Loverman, Would I Lie to You?
• Danny Dyer wins for Mr Bigstuff?!
• Joe Lycett’s surprise victory over Ant & Dec
• The Traitors snub shock

39:00 – Hands-On with Apple Vision Pro

Dave visits the Apple Store and tries the £3.5k headset – here’s what works, what doesn’t, and whether it’s worth it.

50:30 – US TV BLOODBATH WEEK: Cancellations, Renewals & Pickups (Network by Network)

• 🔪 NBC axes Found, Suits: LA, The Irrational, Night Court, Lopez vs. Lopez
• ✅ Dick Wolf shows (Chicago & Law & Order) safe
• 📉 CBS cuts FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International, The Equalizer
• 🆕 Pickups: Tom Ellis’ CIA, Boston Blue, Einstein, 9-1-1: Nashville, Memory of a Killer, and more
• 🎬 Fox renews Doc, Grimsburg, Going Dutch, cancels Rescue: HI-Surf
• 🤔 ABC is the most stable – Grey’s Anatomy, Will Trent, The Rookie renewed; The Connors ends

1:23:30 – TV Highlights for the Week Ahead

• Love, Death & Robots S4 (Netflix) – May 15
• Murderbot (Apple TV+) – May 16
• Welcome to Wrexham S4 (Disney+) – May 16
• Code of Silence (ITV) – May 18
• The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (BBC One) – May 18

1:28:20 – Outro & Where to Find Us

Stay up to date by subscribing via your favourite podcast app or visiting Geektown.co.uk.

📱 Follow us on social:

• Twitter/X: @geektown
• Instagram, Threads & TikTok: @geektownuk
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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/geektown.

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