On the pilot TV podcast this week, we are waging war on heaven with the long-awaited third

series of his Dark Materials on BBC One, discovering that Nick Cage always casts a very

long shadow in national treasure, edge of history on Disney Plus, and exploring an infamous

true crime murder in Lippe Nchenko on ITV Plus. Plus, his Dark Materials star Amir Wilson

talks to Helen O'Hara about the show's dimension-hopping final instalment.

I'm James Dyer and welcome to the pilot TV podcast, your weekly guide to every show that matters

and the penultimate regular show of the year before we pack it all in until 2023, but exhausted

and desperately in need of some Christmas specials as we are, I am joined once again by my

two square-eyed companions, Boyd Hilton and Kare Barrow, one of which I can exclusively

reveal is celebrating a very special day. It's the birthday, Boyd. How are you, Boyd?

Is this how you dreamed you'd spend your birthday at the time you check the clock?

9.30 in the morning. With your two favourite people.

I deliberately asked for us to record this podcast. We could have done it yesterday together

in the studio or whatever, but I thought, no, we've got to do it on my birthday morning.

We've got a better way to usher in my 42nd year than to do this podcast.

With those mining places. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Did you get any of your presence, Boyd?

The only person I've got literally ever and I've got a sofa is from K, which is a fantastic

copy of Harlan Coban's new book, Signed, brilliantly signed by the great man himself.

Obviously, the flood of gifts will commence as soon as I start recording this podcast

or something, I don't know. Yeah, but yeah, well, I look forward to seeing them.

There's a very good way to do this. Do you think anyone want to buy you any trainers?

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