The Way They Were

Natalie Wood & Robert Wagner: The Mystery That Still Haunts Hollywood

This week on The Way They Were, we’re unlocking one of our most popular Patreon episodes of the year and sharing it on the free feed. We’re doing something a little different today. Chantal swaps her mic for a magnifying glass and Gráinne pulls her fedora low as they step away from the usual romantic nostalgia and into the glittering golden age of Hollywood. This time, our sleuthing duo turn their attention to the tragic, endlessly puzzling story of Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner: movie stars, tabloid royalty, and the centre of one of Tinseltown’s most haunting mysteries. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive, pop culture, history, mystery, and two hosts gently sparring their way through it, there’s plenty more where this came from. Join us on Patreon: ⁠⁠patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere⁠⁠ You can also access our exclusive bonus episodes every other week and take part in The Gossip our exclusive Patreon group chat! Happy New Year!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Way They Were at Christmas: Crimbo Films of the Past, Present and Future

This week on The Way They Were, Gráinne and Chantal hang the tinsel, spike the mulled wine, and take a sleigh ride through Christmas past, present and future via Crimbo movies. From Judy Garland’s golden-age yearning, through Jimmy Stewart’s moral reckonings, to Cate Blanchett’s ice-cool elegance and Alicia Silverstone teaching us that even Netflix makes mistakes .Along the way, Chantal reveals herself to be a Guardian Angel sent directly from Heaven to revive our Christmas spirits, while Gráinne is a big-city lady who’s forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and must be gently but firmly guided back to her Irish roots.Merry Christmas. God bless us, every one.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Love Actually: Ranking Every Awful Couple

This week on The Way They Were, we do the unthinkable: we go back to Love Actually. Gráinne and Chantal rank the couples from least offensive to “maybe we should call the police”, asking the big questions Richard Curtis never did. Who do we hate the most? Are half these characters quietly unhinged? What exactly is going on with Keira Knightley’s extremely youthful bride? And is the secretary secretly a feminist icon? (No.)Along the way we interrogate Christmas number ones, language barriers, workplace power dynamics, and why we will always, always cry during that Emma Thompson scene.The full episode is available now on our Patreon: ⁠⁠patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere⁠⁠ You can also access our exclusive bonus episodes every other week and take part in The Gossip our exclusive Patreon group chat! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chelsea Birkby: Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom (Our first ever Kardashian episode!)

Back in the early 2010s, few celebrity romances burned brighter (or faster) than Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom. She was the breakout star of reality TV’s royal family; he was the NBA hero. One month in, they were married. Soon after, their love life was a franchise. For a moment, it looked like reality TV had actually delivered a fairy tale but it was not meant to be.This week on The Way They Were, Kardashian super fan and brilliant stand-up Chelsea Birkby joins Gráinne and Chantal to relive the whirlwind: the TV spin-offs, the tabloid storms, the sex doll, the hookers, and so much more that even the Kardashians couldn't keep up with it.To get episodes ad free and early, join us our Patreon: ⁠⁠patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere⁠⁠ You can also access our exclusive bonus episodes every other week and take part in The Gossip our exclusive Patreon group chat! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ian Smith: Effie Gray & John Ruskin (A Very Victorian Scandal)

Effie Gray and John Ruskin looked like the perfect Victorian power couple: she, bright and brilliant; he, the era’s leading art critic. But behind the portraits was one of history’s strangest age-gap marriages. Unconsummated, uncomfortable, and the sort of story that would make Gen Z turn away in horror.This week on The Way They Were, Gráinne and Chantal team up with one of Britain’s best stand-ups, Ian Smith, to look at the grottiest couples we've ever looked at on the show.To get episodes ad free and early, join us our Patreon: ⁠⁠patreon.com/TheWayTheyWere⁠⁠ You can also access our exclusive bonus episodes every other week and take part in The Gossip our exclusive Patreon group chat! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.