Best Rob Macfarlane Podcasts (2025)

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Richard Gorodecky, Throwing Feathers in the Wind 59:33

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3d ago59:33

59:33

Throwing Feathers in the Wind is a new book out by Richard Gorodecky, a fly angler who moved full time to Ireland five years ago to be closer to the river fishing that he loves so much. Richard was a long-time visitor to these shores fishing all over the country before settling in south Munster but his obsession with fly fishing has also seen him f…

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Together (2025): Why We Couldn't Tear Our Eyes Off The Screen 1:02:03

4d ago1:02:03

1:02:03

This week, Ben and Rob dive into Together (2025), a tangled, self-aware horror-drama that asks big questions about love, identity, and whether two people can ever really exist as individuals or if they’re doomed to dissolve into one another. It’s part relationship study, part metatextual puzzle, and part… something else entirely. Is Together a sens…

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Stephan & Marina Dombaj: Risking it all for the salmon 42:16

7d ago42:16

42:16

Midst the doom and gloom about the future of wild salmon, we have to believe - and have faith - that our collective actions – be it through conservation efforts, awareness campaigns, political lobbying – can and will have an effect. And it is for the long term, for the next generation, that we really have to be thinking about wild salmon and for th…

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Laynie Browne : Apprentice to a Breathing Hand

8d ago

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What does it mean to write toward or under the aura of another poet one admires, to write in homage, as a celebration of another? What happens to language when it hovers between two writers, between how they each separately inhabit it? What does it say about the self, or is discovered about it—within the poem and in the world at large—when that sel…

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War Of The Worlds (2025): It's So Much Worse Than You Think 1:02:54

11d ago1:02:54

1:02:54

This week, Ben and Rob suffer through War of the Worlds (2025), a baffling “screen life” style disaster starring Ice Cube and directed by Rich Lee. It’s a modern retelling of the classic H.G. Wells War Of The Worlds; except instead of tension, thrills, or coherence, we get glitchy video calls, insane leaps of logic, and a lead performance that sugg…

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Grilse run update - from the bad to the sublime 54:01

11d ago54:01

54:01

We’re at the tail end of the grilse run now and with the summer conditions we’ve had, coming off the back of a poor spring run, we’ve been desperately looking for some good news on the salmon front. And we found it – or sort of – because this week Johnny Casey and Yamil Turcuman two passionate salmon anglers who we’ve spoken to before – join us to …

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Who Should Lead the Ontario Liberals with Kyla Ronellenfitsch 56:53

13d ago56:53

56:53

In this episode, we sit down with pollster and political commentator Kyla Ronellenfitsch to discuss her polling about potential leadership candidates in the lead-up to the Ontario Liberal leadership review in September.Where to Find Us: Social Accounts: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_c…

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Black Bear (2020): Aubrey Plaza And The Chambe(a)r of Secrets 59:55

18d ago59:55

59:55

Ben and Rob head deep into the woods with Black Bear (2020), Lawrence Michael Levine’s tense, layered meta-drama starring Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Abbott, and Sarah Gadon. It’s part relationship breakdown, part filmmaking fever dream and maybe part psychological horror told in a way that proves three might actually be the magic number. What does t…

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Sprats, overfishing, heatwaves & ecosystems in danger of collapse 55:46

20d ago55:46

55:46

You may have seen the recent campaign and news stories about the disappearance of sprat from our coastal waters and the government’s unwillingness to do enough to protect our marine habitats – but what has it got to do with you if you're an angler and only interested in freshwater? Well in the current environmental climate, pretty much everything, …

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Will the Outer Hebrides be the UK's Salmon Stronghold? 57:51

21d ago57:51

57:51

We know salmon numbers are down and we know there’s an existential threat endangering their very future, but this week on the Last Salmon, Jim Murray finds out why the Outer Hebrides could be the UK’s salmon stronghold. Jim speaks to the chair of the Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust, Richard Davies, who believes that their engagement with fish farms …

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Martha Anne Toll : Duet for One 1:54:02

22d ago1:54:02

1:54:02

Today’s guest is writer and critic Martha Anne Toll. Through a discussion of her latest novel Duet for One we explore the perennial mystery of writing and art-making, namely how to render something that lives beyond representation, and how words can become a vehicle to evoke what words themselves cannot adequately describe. In this case, we look at…

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Warfare (2025): This Is Not A War Film, Let Us Tell You Why 57:28

25d ago57:28

57:28

Ben and Rob lock and load for Warfare (2025), the haunting, hyper-realistic war film co-directed by Alex Garland and former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza. Known for cerebral sci-fi like Ex Machina and Annihilation, Alex Garland shifts gears into combat territory—while quietly stepping back to share authorship in a way that feels as radical as the film itse…

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Titane (2021): What Is This Insane Movie Actually About?! 58:39

1M ago58:39

58:39

Ben and Rob strap in for Titane (2021), the brutal, brilliant body horror from writer-director Julia Ducournau. Following her breakout debut Raw, Ducournau returns with Titane, a genre-defying mix of horror, surrealism, and melodrama that left one host completely wrecked—in the best way, the other in the worst. Is Titane about love, loneliness, or …

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The Last Salmon: Rob Macfarlane & why rivers are alive and should have rights 49:15

1M ago49:15

49:15

Is a river alive? What a question….it throws up so many if, buts, maybes, but most importantly, why not? They are our lifeblood, our circulation, our healing waters. But they also need saving now in these troubled times of extraction, industrialisation and pollution. To kick off Season 2, we’re taking the big picture view when it comes to rivers, a…

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Rob Macfarlane: Why rivers are alive and should have rights 49:16

1M ago49:16

49:16

Is a river alive? What a question….it throws up so many if, buts, maybes, but most importantly, why not? Rivers helped save me, and I truly believe they are our lifeblood, our circulation, our healing waters. But they also need saving now in these troubled times of extraction, industrialisation and pollution. To kick off Season 2, we’re taking the …

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The Future of the Ontario Liberal Party with Bonnie Crombie 1:07:56

1M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

In this episode, we’re joined by the leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Bonnie Crombie. We talk about the fallout from the recent provincial election, her party's upcoming leadership review, and her vision for Ontario's future. Where to Find Us: Social Accounts: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com…

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Civil War (2024): What Does The Most Timely Film Alex Garland Has Ever Made Really Mean? 1:01:34

1M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Ben and Rob head to the frontlines with Alex Garland’s Civil War (2024), the film that he intended to be his last in the directors chair. Starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Nick Offerman, Civil War isn’t your typical dystopian epic. Instead, Alex Garland delivers a chilling, ground-level road movie where journalists race throu…

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The Last Salmon: Season 2 Launching July 25th 1:13

1M ago1:13

1:13

Wild salmon are in a perilous state. But we can’t and won’t give up.The Last Salmon with Jim Murray is back for another season, launching July 25th, addressing the problems and hearing from all sides of the argument, to find the solutions to help save our wild salmon.It’s not too late, the salmon haven’t give up, and nor can we. The Last Salmon, pr…

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Season 2 Trailer 1:13

1M ago1:13

1:13

Wild salmon are in a perilous state. But we can’t and won’t give up. The Last Salmon with Jim Murray is back for another season, launching July 25th, addressing the problems and hearing from all sides of the argument, to find the solutions to help save our wild salmon. It’s not too late, the salmon haven’t give up, and nor can we. The Last Salmon, …

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Rob Macaisa Colgate : Hardly Creatures & My Love is Water 2:32:30

1M ago2:32:30

2:32:30

Today’s conversation with Rob Macaisa Colgate is about two books, his poetry collection Hardly Creatures and his verse drama My Love is Water. You could say these two books are approaching the same questions, but from opposite, if complementary vantage points. Questions of care and disability, of accessibility and community, of Filipino-American id…

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‘If the rod doesn’t talk to you, you’re not doing it right’ Packy Trotter on a lifetime of fly fishing teaching and learning 59:03

1M ago59:03

59:03

We should never stop learning – and in fly fishing especially, we’re never done. This week we hear from Packy Trotter a life long fly angler, guide and instructor who epitomises the spirit of teaching and learning in the sport. STANIC and APGAI qualified, Packy then travelled to the Catskills where he took the FFF certified and FFF masters qualific…

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Rebuilding the Green Movement on PEI with Matt MacFarlane 47:20

1M ago47:20

47:20

In this episode, we’re joined by the new leader of the Green Party of Prince Edward Island, Matt MacFarlane. We talk about what it means to lead with bold ideas in Canada’s smallest province and what it will take to finally win government. Where to Find Us: Social Media: YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.…

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Raw (2016): Why Shouldn't We Call This A Feminist Horror?! 1:01:50

2M ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Ben and Rob bite into Raw (2016), the feature debut of writer-director Julia Ducournau. This French body horror classic follows Justine, a lifelong vegetarian who develops a craving for human flesh during her first year at veterinary school. With visceral imagery, unflinching performances, and gallons of fake blood, Raw made Ducournau one of the mo…

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The Wrap-Up Alberta: By-Election in Battle River-Crowfoot 51:43

2M ago51:43

51:43

The deep blue riding of Battle River–Crowfoot will be up for grabs in a by-election this summer. We break down why this Conservative stronghold matters nationally, what to watch for in the campaign, and the ripple effect the campaign will have on Pierre Poilievre's leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. Where to Find Us: Social Media: YouT…

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The Bucket List: Ronan Collins on Fly Fishing in Africa 58:59

2M ago58:59

58:59

Continuing our fly fishing in hot waters theme on the show, this week we’re joined by Ronan Collins, a well-known and well-travelled fly angler who is just back from a trip to Gabon in west Africa. Ronan tells us why fly fishing in Africa should be on everyone’s bucket list with an incredible array of species to be caught from crevalle to snappers,…

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Men (2022): The Secret Meanings Behind Alex Garland's Strangest Film To Date 1:07:16

2M ago1:07:16

1:07:16

Ben and Rob summon ‘Men’ (2022), written and directed by visionary director Alex Garland. This surreal, unsettling folk horror stars Jessie Buckley as a grieving woman plagued by a series of near-identical men—all played by Rory Kinnear—in a remote English village. As Alex Garland leaves behind the structured sci-fi of Ex Machina and Annihilation, …

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Love & Mercy (2025): Is This The Best Music Biopic Ever Made? 1:01:33

2M ago1:01:33

1:01:33

Ben and Rob wade into the beautiful mind of Brian Wilson’s mind waters with ‘Love & Mercy’ the biopic that, much like the man, is split right in two. With Paul Dano as the young Brian Wilson crafting Pet Sounds and battling hallucinations, and John Cusack as the older Brian Wilson trapped under the thumb of a manipulative therapist, ‘Love & Mercy’ …

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The Wrap-Up Alberta: Defending Alberta's Place in Canada with Thomas Lukaszuk 43:10

2M ago43:10

43:10

In this episode, we’re joined by former Deputy Premier of Alberta Thomas Lukaszuk to discuss his grassroots campaign to defend Alberta’s place in Canada against rising separatism. Where to Find Us: Social Media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProgressCanada Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/progress_canada_podcast Facebook: https://www.facebo…

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The Assessment (2025): Why This Is The Best Debut Film Of The Year 1:02:17

2M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

Ben and Rob take the test this week with The Assessment (2024), a stark, unsettling sci-fi drama that might just be the strongest directorial debut we’ve seen in years. With Elizabeth Olsen delivering what could be one of the best performances of the year, The Assessment throws us into a chilling future where personal worth is measured, judged, and…

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The Wrap-Up Ontario: The Ontario Liberal Leadership Review 1:18:50

2M ago1:18:50

1:18:50

After a losing election campaign, the Ontario Liberal Party’s Constitution requires a leadership review to take place at the party’s upcoming convention in September. In this episode, our panel tackles key questions ahead of the vote: What does Bonnie Crombie need to do to convince members she deserves a second chance to lead the party to victory? …

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Trout in Hot Water – Ken Whelan on fly fishing in a changing climate 56:14

2M ago56:14

56:14

This week, with the hot temperatures we’ve been having and the noticeable lack of rainfall, we wanted to speak to renowned fisheries scientist, Ken Whelan, who gave a talk at the recent Irish Spring Angling Fair, called ‘Trout in hot water’. Ken details the impact and consequences of rising temperatures on our freshwater fish as well as their food …

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Robert Macfarlane : Is a River Alive? 2:12:14

2M ago2:12:14

2:12:14

Don’t miss today’s conversation with Robert Macfarlane. A polyvocal deep dive into the mysteries of words and rivers, of speech acts as spells, whorls as worlds, of grammars of animacy, of what it means to river, and to be rivered. From the Epic of Gilgamesh to Virginia Woolf’s wave in the mind to Ursula K. Le Guin’s fellow feeling to Leanne Betasa…

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Annihilation (2018): Breakdowns, Biology and Bears That Scream With Anguish 1:01:08

2M ago1:01:08

1:01:08

Ben and Rob welcome Annihilation, Alex Garland’s 2018 cosmic horror that proved too complex for the box office despite critical adoration. Starring Natalie Portman as a biologist on a grief-fuelled mission into a zone where DNA scrambles and metaphors get literal, Annihilation is part horror, part elegy, and part existential crisis. Alex Garland’s …

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The Mid-Season Review – the highs & lows of the season so far 36:40

2M ago36:40

36:40

This week, in honour of the midsummer solstice, we’ve recorded a midseason review to find out how the fishing has been so far, the highs and lows, and what we can expect for the second half of the season. It might be the height of summer but it won’t be long before the long days start getting shorter so make the most of your fishing while you can. …

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Power, Politics, and the Path Ahead with Kathleen Wynne 56:11

2M ago56:11

56:11

As Ontario's 25th Premier, Kathleen Wynne broke barriers, led Ontario through major challenges, and was a powerful voice in Canadian politics. In this episode, the former Premier joins us to reflect on the changing political landscape, the rise of polarization, and what it takes to lead with integrity in uncertain times. We also talk about the next…

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Paddy Gargan on his Landmark Sea Lice Study 1:08:29

3M ago1:08:29

1:08:29

This season we’ve heard about the disastrous spring salmon run and there hasn’t been much to report yet for the grilse run – all in all, our worst fears about salmon numbers seem to be coming true – and not just in Ireland. One of the worst culprits of course is aquaculture and the effects that sea lice from salmon farms has on migrating salmon, wh…

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The Future of Prince Edward Island with Mark Ledwell 1:01:35

3M ago1:01:35

1:01:35

Prince Edward Island’s governing Progressive Conservativesare choosing a new leader and the next premier. Today, we sit down with leadership contender Mark Ledwell. A lawyer and public policy expert with deep Island roots, he brings decades of experience advising on complex issues related to infrastructure, energy, agri-food, and finance to his bid…

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adrienne maree brown : Ancestors 2:23:56

3M ago2:23:56

2:23:56

With the arrival of Ancestors, the third and final book in adrienne maree brown’s Grievers Trilogy, we take the iconic frames she has created in her nonfiction work—emergent strategy, pleasure activism, fractal responsibility, loving corrections and more—and look at how they are dramatized within this fictional near-future Detroit. Much as the thre…