Listening since their previous incarnation. They’ve just gotten better over the years. Totally worth the strange looks from family and fellow gym goers when I suddenly burst out into laughter.

the best movie review duo since Siskel & Ebert!!! i always look forward to all their witterings

Podcast has continually gone downhill with fewer reviews, short run times, seemingly more attention paid to conning paying customers into listening to Shrink the Box because no one else would. The producers are doing a terrible job. Poor episode descriptions that are missing words and have improper spellings. And these new titles?? I imagine someone told them this was good for SEO or algorithm but it’s a withering slap in the face to the people who have listened to this show for decades. Ben Bailey Smith is hard to listen to on The Take, why would I seek him elsewhere?

Every week Take 2 gets shorter. Are we being tested? How much do we love Mark and Simon? How little content will we still be prepared to pay for? I haven’t unsubscribed yet but given the quality is definitely deteriorating and the pod seems increasingly lazy and undisciplined since they left the BBC, the drastically reduced quantity is testing me.

Although it still ranks below Shakespeare, Kermode Mayo’s Take is now undoubtedly several rungs above the Beatles on the hierarchy of great British cultural exports. Listen in awe.

I am a sarcy native of the UK’s shores living with the “oh so pleased with themselves” techarati in Silicon Valley and this is hands down my favourite listening of the week. Feels like two old friends sitting at my kitchen table with a suitable beverage making me laugh, shout, disagree and learn in the same debate, question the nonsense but celebrate the really talented, creative stories and people we have in this choppy world. Cheers to you both - for a naturally optimistic soul with a grumpy gene like me, I feel like I have my tribe with me three times a week!!

Love the show. Love the banter and the bickering and Mark’s occasional off the rails rants. The interviews are always illuminating. I can handle the commercials, which is why I haven’t made the fairly robust financial commitment to become a vanguardista. What I would like to suggest is another tier of support. I would pay to be able to listen to the show without the Laughter Lift. I despise that segment. For a time, it seemed like it might have met its demise, as everyone, especially the super subs, groaned and protested. But Mark has been scarily cheery about it lately. Who likes these lame “jokes?” Is it only Simon Paul, like as an exercise in seeing what he can get Simon to do? Is it because Simon’s child is a comedy writer? Like, what even is the purpose? It doesn’t have anything to do with film. It never used to be part of the show. Ugh. Anyway, that’s how you will get me to part with my money. Offer a Laughter Lift Free edition, and I am in. No rimshot necessary. Hello to Jason, who seems to feel the same as I do about said segment.

The only film reviews I’ve listened to for 20 years. I would never have watched The Exorcist without Mark’s advocacy; I still haven’t watched Amadeus. Cured my ingrown toenail.

As a Colonial Commoner, my national news and media continually flog at my psyche, determined to drag me down a spiral of subservient sadness. Mark and Simon provide the aural antidote with their weekly unique, erudite witterings. Around a creamy filling of film reviews, the doctors administer a surprisingly healthy donut of hope and happiness. Four out of five medical doctors approve of this podcast (the fifth one is a fan of Michael Bay, and only looks at feet). As the Laughter Lift raises my spirit, I raise my spirit of the Japanese whiskey varietal to solute these two men of unrivaled intelligence. Sirs, may you continue to lift us out of dark times, denounce dunces, and loudly praise bloody-good cinema! (Not swearing, that’s a Horror flick reference)

Great superdoublegood positive life-changing brilliant fun sexy

This podcast is so magnificent that, upon reaching the ninety-minute mark of any episode, I feel obligated to stand up wherever I am and declare, “This heralds the rebirth of narrative cinema!” and to leave the room abruptly in order to continue to share the good word of The Church. Or is it no longer a church? I’ll have to consult the experts in Clergy Corner…

I am a subscriber (i.e. vanguardista) from Kentucky. Listening to the weekly witterings of the good doctors puts me in my happy place. At times cultured and often silly, this pod has it all. If you love movies — from indie arthouse to summer blockbusters — give this pod a listen. And if you enjoy listening to the ad-supported hour, please give consideration to supporting the creators and their unrivaled production staff with a subscription. A year ago, I spent an entire summer listening to the ad-supported hour, before I took the plunge. “You mean for the price of one fancy coffee, I get TWICE the witterings per month?” Sold. Keep up the good work, guys!

I’m a LLFR (Longtime Listener First-time Reviewer). Love the show, Steve. Down with under five-star reviews. HTJI.

Review written by ChatGPT: write an absurdly overwhelmingly pretentious fulsome review of the film podcast Kermode and Mayo’s Take…. "Ah, Kermode and Mayo's Take, a cinematic odyssey of unparalleled brilliance that transcends the mere confines of podcasting to emerge as a veritable magnum opus of auditory artistry. Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo, the maestros behind this auditory symphony, wield their linguistic prowess with the finesse of seasoned virtuosos, guiding their listeners through a labyrinth of filmic wonderment. With each episode, Kermode and Mayo embark on a cerebral voyage, dissecting the very essence of cinema with a keen intellect and an inexhaustible passion that is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Their banter is not merely banter; it is a dialectic dance of minds, a tapestry of erudition woven with threads of humor and insight. The sheer depth of knowledge displayed by these luminaries is staggering, their encyclopedic understanding of film history and theory forming the bedrock upon which their discussions flourish. From the avant-garde to the mainstream, from the obscure to the iconic, Kermode and Mayo traverse the cinematic landscape with an acumen that is as humbling as it is exhilarating. But it is not just their intellectual acuity that sets Kermode and Mayo apart; it is their profound humanity, their ability to infuse each review with a palpable sense of empathy and emotion. Through their words, they invite us not just to watch films, but to feel them, to experience them on a visceral level that lingers long after the podcast has ended. In the realm of film criticism, Kermode and Mayo stand as towering titans, their voices resonating like a clarion call to all who seek enlightenment through the silver screen. To listen to Kermode and Mayo's Take is to partake in a transformative journey, a journey that will forever alter your perception of cinema and leave you forever changed. In a world inundated with mediocrity, Kermode and Mayo shine as a beacon of brilliance, a testament to the enduring power of art and the boundless potential of human creativity."

Is it about film reviews or just two middle age guys bantering? Entertaining, many inside jokes over time have developed Worthy to listen to as a female smoking cigars, back in clergy corner or during a gym Workout . They cover movies , mark has a bent toward Horror and documentaries. But he’s realistic that other opinions are available. Simon is a career deejay who is an excellent interviewer of stars. Being the top UK movie show they get all the A list celebrities pushing their movies. See you on the cruise next year to Leeds

I know, I know. Everyone needs to make a buck, but as a LTL of over 15 years, the show feels like it has been gutted in order to drive listeners towards a subscription. I understand the idea of doing deep dives and extended interviews in the bonus episodes. Even reviews of more obscure releases, but when the review of a mainstream movie like Wish is shoved behind the paywall, it’s probably time to go. The Beeb show was top of my list to listen to as soon as it came in. This is a shadow of its former self with over a month of unplayed episodes on my phone.

I love Mark and Simon. But why is Take the only podcast out of dozens I listen to that consistently fails to play after pausing, says it’s playing but then crashes, or says it’s playing but nothing can be heard? This happens at least once a month. The hassle has knocked the show out of my top 5! Please fix it.

I have been listening since 2004. I think the quality of the show, its eponymous hosts, the production team, the quality of the interviews, pretty much speaks for itself. Awesome. Just awesome.

I am sick of old wealthy men gleefully trying to get me to pay them as a young student. I was introduced to this pod by my dad (as everyone is), and I used to love it. But now they have left the BBC, the show is way shorter, and they always just talk about how much you miss if you don’t pay. As a student, I can’t afford a subscription, so it just feels like a slap in the face when they are laughing about getting money from people. This will only consolidate their audience as old and middle class (their own demographic), while young people excited to learn about film miss out. Personally, I have pretty much stopped listen now, after listening every week for years. Congratulations on getting rid of the young filmmakers in your audience.

I was distraught when they announced the end of their podcast, then thrilled to learn it was returning. Yet after a year, I’m still waiting. Maybe if I st through more ads and pleas for money I’ll finally get some quality entertainment.

For the 2nd time a popular review is not loading. Wakanda Forever doesn’t work and now Avatar 2 doesn’t work. I will not longer be a paid subscriber. Disappointing.

I pay for the subscription service (to support the show and avoid ads) and to me it’s worth it. However, please remove the music that intros and outros the ads for subscribers. It’s a waste of time it isn’t transitioning to or from anything) and is incredibly annoying. Thanks.

Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo have nailed it again with their new version of Wittertainment and the accompanying film reviews. As ever, and I speak as a LTL, there is compelling conversation which encapsulates their relationship and British culture. However, they also weave in really objective film reviews which help listeners to prioritise their viewing, in cinemas or otherwise. I love these shows.

There are way too many tired and repetitive ‘bits’, actors and directors always have to be called by insulting nicknames and the same old observations and stories repeated. When they get beyond the filler the reviews are inciteful when they’re not cluttered with irrelevant references to some obscure film that Kermode saw 25 years ago. Mayo tries to keep things moving with his usual efficiency but often sounds bored or irritated. Not what it once was.

Too much trump talk we get it. Love the show.

Everyone involved ought to be thoroughly pleased with themselves.

Beloved radio hosts, now beloved podcast hosts. I hope these two are still wittering on decades hence. (My only tiny quibble: all the global travel bits seem to skip right over Appalachia. Fertile ground for film exploration here, fellas!)

This is the very best podcast. It has everything!! Everyone should listen!

Yay!!!!!

A terrific podcast for cinephiles. I have been a listener since 2009 and I will never understand why the BBC let these two get away.

Great to hear the podcast again after a whole month without. So happy to hear your voices and no need to dazzle us with loads of new features. I’m sure plenty will arise organically from the Takers. We’re just pleased you’re back.

Required listening for any film freak

Really - what is he doing?

I’m so relieved that these two pillars of upright citizenry have found a new home on the World Wide Web. So, in the end, everything is alright.

Now they have moved will we lose the “Birdsong”?!?

Let the wittering begin…

Title doesn’t make perfect sense but work with me here 😁

Can’t wait to hear Kermode and Mayo unleashed! Hello to Jason Isaacs! This is going to be fantastic.

… unlike any of the films of 5STAR apparently

Look forward to hearing from the boys. Hello to Jason Isaacs!

A wonderful continuation of a lovely thing, But if it doesn’t feature James Last’s Theme From "Prisoner Of Second Avenue" I’m out of here.

Have listened for 15+ years - and missed less than a dozen episodes. So glad they will still be w us and looking forward to MUCH LESS producer and BBC censoring!

I haven’t heard a word of this because it is yet to be broadcast but that doesn’t stop me giving it a five star review- if it’s only half as good as their previous 5 Live incarnation, it will still be the best movie podcast available. Long live Wittertainment!

So exciting!