11 - The Office

Released 15/08/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Diminishing Returns discuss all things The Office in anticipation of Ricky Gervais' film David Brent: Life on the Road.

TV shows covered in this episode:

The Office (UK)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 94%

The Office (US)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 80%

Stromberg: Der Film
Allen: n/s
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

We review David Brent: Life on the Road in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of David Brent: Life on the Road

Sol's review of David Brent: Life on the Road

10 - It Follows

Released 08/08/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Diminishing Returns follow their last episode with an episode about how they'd follow It Follows.

Films covered in this episode:

It Follows
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 74%

9 - Batman

Released 01/08/2016 as “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Diminishing Returns presents a Batman epic, spanning 2 hours, in which Allen, Calvin and Sol embark on a whistle-stop tour of the screen iterations of Batman, covering everything from the 1943 movie serial to the upcoming Suicide Squad. Oh, and Superman also.

Films covered in this episode:

The Batman (1943)
Allen: n/s
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 50%

Batman: The Movie (1966)
Allen: n/s
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 75%

Batman (1989)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 64%

Batman Returns
Allen: ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 67%

Batman Forever
Allen: ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 47%

Batman & Robin
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ½
Overall score: 37%

Batman Begins
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

The Dark Knight
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 87%

The Dark Knight Rises
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 64%

Man of Steel
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 50%

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Allen: ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 44%

We review Suicide Squad in:
"Review of the Year 2016"
and
"Suicide Squad"

Allen's review of Suicide Squad

Episodes in the DC Extended Universe series:
"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"
"Suicide Squad"
"Wonder Woman"

You might also be interested in:
"The LEGO Batman Movie"

8 - The Bourne Identity

Released 25/07/2016 as “The Bourne Legacy”

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Diminishing Returns go back to their spy-movie roots and take on the Bourne franchise, consisting of The Bourne Identity, Supremacy, Ultimatum and Legacy.

Films covered in this episode:

The Bourne Identity
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

The Bourne Supremacy
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 54%

The Bourne Ultimatum
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 54%

The Bourne Legacy
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰
Overall score: 50%

We review Jason Bourne in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of Jason Bourne

If you liked this episode, you might also be interested in:
"Dr. No"

7 - Frankenstein

Released 18/07/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

This week, Diminishing Returns use Frankenstein as a jumping-off point, with Calvin, Sol and Allen each taking ideas from elsewhere and cobbling them together to create ambitious, grotesque and ultimately doomed pitches for the sequel.

Films covered in this episode:

Frankenstein (1931)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

Bride of Frankenstein
Allen: n/s
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 90%

Son of Frankenstein
Allen: n/s
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

The Ghost of Frankenstein
Allen: n/s
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Allen: n/s
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

House of Frankenstein
Allen: n/s
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Young Frankenstein
Allen: ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 57%

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 54%

I, Frankenstein
Allen: n/s
Calvin: ✰ ½
Sol: n/s
Overall score: 30%

Victor Frankenstein
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: n/s
Overall score: 70%

Did we pique your interest for Calvin's short film "The Bride of Vernon"? If so, you can watch it in full on YouTube.

Episodes in the Universal Monsters series:
"Frankenstein"
"The Mummy"

6 - Star Trek

Released 11/07/2016 as “Star Trek Into Darkness”

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

In this episode, Diminishing Returns discuss Star Trek before pitching their ideas for the 13th film in the franchise.
If, like Calvin, you aren't a Trekkie and know nothing about Star Trek, then take this crash course with Diminishing Returns.
If you are a Trekkie, then fire up your keybord and start arguing with us in the comments.

Films covered in this episode:

Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Allen: ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 45%

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 75%

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Allen: ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 55%

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 80%

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 65%

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Star Trek Generations
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Star Trek: First Contact
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 65%

Star Trek: Insurrection
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 65%

Star Trek: Nemesis
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: n/s
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 70%

Star Trek (2009)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 74%

Star Trek Into Darkness
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 64%

We review Star Trek Beyond in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of Star Trek Beyond

Sol's review of Star Trek Beyond

5 - Ghostbusters

Released 04/07/2016 as “Ghostbusters II”

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Diminishing Returns take some time to discuss human-diminishing-returns (i.e. ghosts). They also find the time to discuss Ghostbusters and how they would have handled the third film in Sony's supernatural comedy franchise.

Films covered in this episode:

Ghostbusters (1984)
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Overall score: 74%

Ghostbusters II
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 64%

We review Ghostbusters (2016) in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of Ghostbusters (2016)

Sol's review of Ghostbusters (2016)

4 - Absolutely Fabulous

Released 27/06/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

In a slightly mould-bending episode, the Diminishing Returns trio chime in with their thoughts on classic television series Absolutely Fabulous, discuss Britcoms making the leap to the cinema and pitch their own ideas for how best to adapt the show to the big-screen.

TV series covered in this episode:

Absolutely Fabulous
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

We review Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Sol's review of Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

3 - Independence Day

Released 20/06/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Independence Day: Resurgence, the 20-years-too-late sequel to 1996's Independence Day, is out this week. What would the film have been like had Allen, Calvin or Sol been in charge? Listen to find out. Warning: contains disproportionate levels of Will Smith.

Films covered in this episode:

Independence Day
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰
Sol: ✰ ✰
Overall score: 57%

We review Independence Day: Resurgence in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Allen's review of Independence Day: Resurgence

2 - Finding Nemo

Released 13/06/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

Calvin, Sol and Allen are back with sequel ideas for Finding Nemo. As usual, Dreamworks manages to get in on the act, too.

Films covered in this episode:

Finding Nemo
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 74%

Steve Carell as Gru on the Ellen Show.

As discussed in the episode, here's that clip of Steve Carell appearing on Ellen while in character as Gru.

We review Finding Dory in:
"Review of the Year 2016"

Read Allen's review of Finding Dory

1 - Dr. No

Released 06/06/2016

This classic episode is in the Diminishing Returns vault. Sign up to our Patreon for as little as £1 to access our back-catalogue episodes!

The debut episode of Diminishing Returns! Calvin, Sol and Allen take turns pitching sequels to Dr. No, the first film in the James Bond franchise.

Listen on:
Patreon

Films covered in this episode:

Dr. No
Allen: ✰ ✰ ✰
Calvin: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Sol: ✰ ✰ ✰ ½
Overall score: 67% 

Episodes in the James Bond series:
"Dr. No"
"From Russia with Love"
"Goldfinger"
"Thunderball"
"You Only Live Twice"
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
"Diamonds Are Forever"
"Live and Let Die"
“The Man with the Golden Gun”
“The Spy Who Loved Me”