the lions tour documentary

Lions Tour documentary Two Sides to be aired on ITV

The British & Irish Lions in conjunction with The South African Rugby Union will release a much-anticipated three-part behind-the-scenes documentary of the 2021 British & Irish Lions Series.

The documentary series ‘Two Sides’ explores what transpired in the Springbok and Lions camps during the 2021 Tour of South Africa.

Stepping away from the traditional format, ‘Two Sides’ tells the story of both the Lions and Springboks during the first Tour to South Africa since 2009.

The documentary features fly-on-the-wall footage of both camps as they took part in a fascinating series of games, which was successfully completed against the hugely challenging backdrop of a global pandemic.

This is the latest in a long and critically acclaimed series of Lions Tour documentaries that includes the mould-breaking ‘Living with Lions’ released 25 years ago.

As well as illuminating insights into the teams’ preparations and what went on during the matches, the documentary will also give fans a rare glimpse into the workings of a unique and memorable sporting event.

The British & Irish Lions and The South African Rugby Union are delighted to bring this three-part series to supporters with our broadcast partner ITV and broadcast sponsor Vodafone. Details on where the documentary will be shown in all other territories will be announced in due course.

The three hour-long episodes of Two Sides, produced by Whisper and T + W, will be shown on Sunday 19 June (10.20pm BST); Monday 20 June (10.45pm); and Tuesday 21 June (10.45pm). The first episode airs on ITV1 at 10.20pm this Sunday. Visit itv.com/hub/tv-guide/2022-06-19 for the full broadcast schedule.

Speaking on the new documentary, Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions Managing Director, said: “The British & Irish Lions and documentaries are inextricably linked. Going back to 1997 with the unforgettable ‘Living with Lions’, the Lions have produced a documentary capturing behind-the-scenes moments of every subsequent Tour.

“This particular documentary shows how both sides rose to the unprecedented challenge of hosting a major sporting event during a global pandemic.”

South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux added: “I know rugby fans are going to find this documentary fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, with the added twist this time of getting a fly-on-the-wall view of both camps involved in this unique tour.

“We are delighted to partner with The British & Irish Lions on Two Sides, which will act as a wonderful archive for rugby fans to look back upon for decades to come.”

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How iconic rugby doc Living With Lions was made

By Max Miller 2021-07-09T14:19:00+01:00

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Before Amazon Prime Video’s All Or Nothing, the Lions Tour documentary pioneered the behind-the-scenes technique.

On Friday, Amazon Prime Video revealed that the next subject of its All Or Nothing documentary series will be Arsenal . 

However, long before the OTT streamer took fans behind-the-scenes of clubs such as Manchester City and Tottenham, rugby documentary Living With Lions became iconic for its portrayal of the 1997 Lions Tour of South Africa.

With unprecedented access to players and the backroom team, Living With Lions inspired a generation of rugby fans by taking a closer look at what happens on tour outside of the matches.

Speaking on the Inside The Tour podcast this week, Fred Rees and Duncan Humphreys - the pair who financed and produced the film - were joined by Fran Cotton, John Bentley, Austin Healey, Keith Wood and Brian O’Driscoll to give a view into how Living With Lions was made.

You can read selected quotes of their insights below, from getting players and coaches to help with the filming, to having to deal with Keith Woods’ 34 ‘F bombs’ in 30 seconds.

On how the Living with Lions idea was born:

Fred Rees: “We just thought wouldn’t it be brilliant to be able to make a documentary about the upcoming Lions tour, that was about four pints in, and, in a fit of drunken enthusiasm, we decided we would actually pursue it. I was also one of the cameramen, and I was responsible for editing the whole thing and putting it all together, which was quite a challenge.

“Duncan and I used to meet up fairly regularly and go down the pub to talk about rugby endlessly. We just sit there drinking beer talking about rugby and films and this idea came up after about four pints and the following day, after that session in the pub, Dunc got on the phone and called Fran Cotton. It transpired that Fran was thinking about doing something along those lines and they hadn’t quite worked out what, but that was kind of how it began really.”

Duncan Humphreys: “My role in ‘97 was director / cameraman, I suppose. Fred and I actually worked in the same roles and capacities throughout the Tour and we were also the originators of the idea in a drunken stupor. I was complaining bitterly about my lack of satisfaction in what I was doing, and Fred said: “Well what the bloody hell are you going to do about it?” and, and I said: “Why don’t you go make a film about the Lions.” And he said: “Yeah, that’s a really good idea!” So we started looking into it, that’s basically what I remember.

“I vaguely knew Fran from his playing days and I phoned him up at Cotton Traders and pretty quickly I was talking to Fran. I had to go to Bedford Rugby Club and Fran just said: “Yeah, you can do it.”.

On how they got the film off the ground financially:

Duncan Humphreys: “If you look back then, there were big questions whether the Lions were even going to survive. What was their place in the modern game? The media was full of it. You know, ‘this could well be the last Lions Tour.’

“We ended up going down to Weybridge where they were based before flying out. That was quite interesting, we got some pretty good material but they were feeling out each other, the players, and they kind of just accepted us as I don’t think they put two and two together at that point that we were going to be there for the entire time,

“Nowadays the players will have media sheets, ‘on Wednesday, you’re doing rafting with the camera crew’, or whatever it is. In those days, there was nothing. It wasn’t sort of confronted in any sort of major way that we were going to be there.”

Fred Rees: “There was a thing with the Lions at that point because the game was shifting to the professional era. It was the first Lions Tour within that scope, and obviously money therefore became a much more important thing for them. So when we pitched the idea of the film to them. Their thinking was: ‘Well, we just need a whole bunch of cash up front to help oil the wheels of our Tour’. So they said to us, well if you pay us 30,000 quid then you can have the rights to make the film. Then once the Lions have that money and we had the rights we’d be able to go to the BBC or ITV or whoever it was, and get them to commission the documentary.

“Sadly for us, when we decided we would pay the 30 grand, we went to the TV stations, who, to a man, looked at us like we were crazy and said: “Why have you done that? There’s no film in this. The Lions are going to get smashed. No one’s interested.” Which left us in a position where we either had to throw off 30 grand away, because obviously the Lions weren’t going to hand it back to us at that point, or we had to somehow stump up the money ourselves to make the film. In a fit of madness that’s what we decided to do. So we sort of rustled together as much as we could, basically re-mortgaged our houses and leapt over the edge. If the whole thing had gone sort of tits up it would have been quite catastrophic to get away. We probably wouldn’t have quite ended up on the street, but it was a big gamble, for sure.

“I don’t remember there ever being a meeting where we were introduced to the team. There was no real explanation, with us being present anyway, of what was going on. From a filming point of view, we definitely did approach the thing of wanting to capture what was genuinely happening. So therefore, in effect, being a true kind of fly-on-the wall film, as much as we could do that. If you film people doing things, where they can’t really think about the camera they have to just focus on what they’re doing, then obviously you capture the real truth of what is happening, and therein lies the power of watching a documentary. If you feel that it’s true and you’re really in the moment with the people as they go through their things that they’re doing within that lies a good film.” 

On the inspiration for providing players with cameras:

John Bentley: “I always remember our first meeting, in the corner of the room there was a tripod and a camera and we were being filmed. There were a couple of guys and we didn’t know who they were. Never met them before and we’d not been introduced. On the Friday night, during the drinking session, I ended up talking to them and they didn’t have the camera with them. I said, Why are you here? What are you doing? And they said “oh, we want fly-on-the-wall” and I said you’ll never get it. There’s only a player who can get fly-on-the-wall. You’ll never be able to get fly-on-the-wall.

“All the boys were preparing to go to the gym and there was a knock on my door and one of the lads, the film crew boys. He came into the room and he had a little carrier bag and inside he pulled out a piece of equipment that I’ve never seen anything like his tiny little handheld camera, and he said: “Do what you want with it.” I actually took it to the gym and nobody knew it was their camera, they all thought it was mine.”  

Fred Rees: “When we turned up to do the shoot we already decided that we were going to try and give the players cameras, so we had these three little cameras that we turned up with. That was always on our agenda to get them to try and help. Obviously John was fantastic in that and leapt into it and grasped it with both hands. His enthusiasm for that shines through in the film and it’s a really integral part of the film.”

On getting Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer mic’d up for training and matches:

Fred Rees: “The initial edit that we made of the film was about 10 hours long. And then the final piece ended up being just shy of three hours. There was definitely stuff that hit the cutting room floor that I’m sure people would have enjoyed but wasn’t necessarily quite right.”

Duncan Humphreys: “Fred put the editorial together in a way that was very filmic; it wasn’t a traditional documentary. The key elements were the technical ability to mic the two main coaches - that was incredible. We had no kind of agreement with the Lions that we would be able to make them up and literally on the very first day of training our sound man wandered out with two radio mics, and just mic’d them up. I think Geech and Jim just assumed that was what was going to happen, however much they were unhappy about it. The next thing you know the poor buggers were mic’d-up every single day of the Tour. It’s what elevated it to being so special. Their relationship for starters, because it gave a grounding in kind of what was going on and the emotions surrounding it, but also then as the games became more and more important they took on this role of the two old men up in the balconies looking down  and they were just so involved. You saw just how close they were as friends, colleagues and coaches. That part of the film came from the sound man David Brill just wandering over micing them up. That’s how I remember it.”

Fred Rees: “I can’t recall any outward hostility from Jim and Ian in terms of us making the film. I mean, obviously, internally they were pretty worried about it to begin with. When David Brill where to put the radio mics on them, they just presumed that that was what they were meant to do, so they just sort of went along with it. Then they just sort of got so caught up in what they’re doing that they sort of forgot about it. Maybe internally, there were many more debates about what the hell were they doing letting people film, but they didn’t really broadcast that to us. I mean there’s such a lovely pair of gentlemen. They were always very kind to us and I think, in a way, the whole radio waking them up every morning became sort of part of their ritual for the beginning of their training sessions and their meetings.”

Duncan Humphreys: “Jim used to mic himself up by the end of it. I think there was only one instance, where Barry Williams and Mark Regan had a little kick off. That was the only time where you see Jim react to the camera. It was right there and he knew he was microphoned. We got it pretty clearly what was being said between the two gentlemen. And you saw Jim say “Look, there are cameras around, you can’t do that.” That was the only mention in the whole Tour of cameras being there.”

On how they managed to access the inner sanctum of the changing room:

John Bentley: “Jason Leonard was the captain for that first Tour game at East London and the film crew were in the changing room and he asked them to get out. They made a decision to go and approach Fran. If you don’t get in the first changing room, they wouldn’t get in any changing room, so it was important that they had to get back in. Fran went in, had a quiet word with Jason and let them back in. From then on, they were in every changing room and you never knew they were there.”

Fran Cotton: “I could understand from Jason and the players point of view, you’re trying to get yourself ready for a game you don’t want anybody poking a camera in your face. I didn’t realise that the players had kicked them out of the dressing room. In fairness, they actually did it very discreetly. You know you wouldn’t have known they’re in the dressing room, quite honestly. After that some of the footage that they got of dressing room incidents and Woody [Keith Wood] firing off a lot of expletives.”

Duncan Humphreys: “Jason asked us to leave the changing room before he gave his team speech. I think we felt pretty strongly that you know, if you’re out for one, you’re out for them all. And without being in those you’re, you haven’t got a film, or basically. We went and spoke to Fran, who just backed us 100%. It was only Tim Rodber, who kind of kicked us out of the changing room, so I filmed the door instead.”

Fred Rees: “Up until that point, unless you were a rugby player at that kind of level, no one no one had ever seen what it was like inside that environment. There is a bit where basically Woody  manages to sort of drop 13 ‘F bombs’ in about 10 seconds. Listening to this, we thought ‘wow this is actually this is so much swearing that how’s this going to go down?’  So we phoned Woody up and we sort of said: “Look Keith, we’ve got this scene. It’s really brilliant but, you know, we’ll just play it to you. So we played it to him and he said: “Bloody hell, maybe you should take out a few of those swear words because I might have to open a supermarket at some point and it might not help!” So using the magic of editing, we managed to chop half of them out. Then we phoned him up and played it to him, and he listened to it and he said: “No, that doesn’t sound right, you better just throw them all back in again.”

Keith Wood: “I had 34 ‘F bombs’ in 30 seconds and they call it down to 17. Actually, that’s the one that is there, the reality is it’s twice as many. And I know Guscott was just wetting himself in the background saying: “My god he’s a looper!”

Fred Rees: “He was one of the ones that was always there for a chat. He was very open but when he got his game face on the ‘F bombs’ did fly, let’s put it like that. I think it was Woody’s use of words around his swearing, because he was always about ‘it’s our day, we make it, and we’ll take the pain and we’ll take the plaudits at the at the end of it and it’s our greatest moment’, and you know that kind of stuff was truly inspiring.”

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Living with Lions

Documentary covering the British & Irish Lions' rugby team's successful tour to South Africa in 1997. Documentary covering the British & Irish Lions' rugby team's successful tour to South Africa in 1997. Documentary covering the British & Irish Lions' rugby team's successful tour to South Africa in 1997.

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• Aug 6, 2021
• November 29, 1997 (United Kingdom)
• United Kingdom
• Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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• Runtime 2 hours 47 minutes

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New documentary on 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour to be aired on ITV

Published Tue 14 Jun 2022

New documentary on 2021 British & Irish Lions Tour to be aired on ITV, with the first episode on Sunday 19 June at 10.20pm

The British & Irish Lions in conjunction with The South African Rugby Union will release a much-anticipated three-part behind-the-scenes documentary of the 2021 British & Irish Lions Series.

The documentary series ‘Two Sides’ explores what transpired in the Springbok and Lions camps during the 2021 Tour of South Africa.

 Stepping away from the traditional format, ‘Two Sides’ tells the story of both the Lions and Springboks during the first Tour to South Africa since 2009. The documentary features fly-on-the-wall footage of both camps as they took part in a fascinating series of games, which was successfully completed against the hugely challenging backdrop of a global pandemic.

This is the latest in a long and critically acclaimed series of Lions Tour documentaries that includes the mould-breaking ‘Living with Lions’ released 25 years ago.

As well as illuminating insights into the teams’ preparations and what went on during the matches, the documentary will also give fans a rare glimpse into the workings of a unique and memorable sporting event.

The British & Irish Lions and The South African Rugby Union are delighted to bring this three-part series to supporters with our broadcast partner ITV and broadcast sponsor Vodafone. Details on where the documentary will be shown in all other territories will be announced in due course.

The three hour-long episodes of Two Sides, produced by Whisper and T + W, will be shown on Sunday 19 June (10.20pm BST); Monday 20 June (10.45pm); and Tuesday 21 June (10.45pm). The first episode airs on ITV at 10.20pm this Sunday. Visit itv.com/hub/tv-guide/2022-06-19 for the full broadcast schedule.

Speaking on the new documentary, Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions Managing Director, said:

“The British & Irish Lions and documentaries are inextricably linked. Going back to 1997 with the unforgettable ‘Living with Lions’, the Lions have produced a documentary capturing behind-the-scenes moments of every subsequent Tour. This particular documentary shows how both sides rose to the unprecedented challenge of hosting a major sporting event during a global pandemic.”

South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux added:

“I know rugby fans are going to find this documentary fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, with the added twist this time of getting a fly-on-the-wall view of both camps involved in this unique tour. We are delighted to partner with The British & Irish Lions on Two Sides, which will act as a wonderful archive for rugby fans to look back upon for decades to come.”

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Two Sides documentary nominated for an Emmy

Two Sides, a critically acclaimed three-part behind-the-scenes documentary series on the historic 2021 British & Irish Lions tour, has been nominated for an International Emmy.

A co-production between South African production company T+W and Wales-based Whisper Cymru, the series ‘Two Sides’ has been shortlisted for Best Sports Documentary against just three other international nominations. The documentary was commissioned by, and made in conjunction with, the British & Irish Lions and the South Africa Rugby Union.

The documentary series ‘Two Sides’ explores what transpired in the Springbok and Lions camps during the 2021 Tour of South Africa. Stepping away from the traditional Lions doc format, ‘Two Sides’ tells the story of both the Lions and Springboks during the first Tour to South Africa since 2009. The documentary features fly-on-the-wall footage of both camps as they took part in a fascinating series of games that were successfully completed against the hugely challenging backdrop of a global pandemic.

GLOWING REVIEWS

In May 2022, Two Sides was broadcast across M-Net and SuperSport in South Africa, followed by ITV, UK and Virgin One, Ireland in June. The series attracted much social media interest and media attention. Reviews included:

“Quite simply the best documentary I have ever seen about rugby and indeed all sport... A masterpiece of documentary making." - Martin Hannan, The Herald

“Emotion, levity and turmoil, the latest Lions documentary is compelling viewing… a breath of fresh air.” - Ben Coles, The Telegraph

The British & Irish Lions, The South Africa Rugby Union and SuperSport funded and supported the series.

Rian Oberholzer, South African Rugby Union CEO: “Rugby fans will find this documentary fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, with the added twist this time of getting a fly-on-the-wall view of both camps involved in this unique tour. Two Sides will act as a wonderful archive for rugby fans to look back upon for decades to come.”

Rendani Ramovha, SuperSport CEO: “As a broadcaster, we constantly strive to tell the greatest stories in Africa, and from a sporting front there’s no exceptions. Two Sides showcases two world-class teams and gave us the opportunity to take viewers behind the scenes of a Lions tour that took place during the most difficult time for sport in recent memory. The nomination is testament to the hard work, planning, and execution from the production teams from both continents.”

Gareth Whittaker, T&W CEO: “An Emmy nomination is not something that comes around very often, much like the possibility of filming a once-in-a-lifetime tour. We pride ourselves on telling great stories, and the Springboks’ rivalry with the British and Irish Lions will always provide a brilliant first draft. Add the layer of Covid-19, empty stadiums, and a tour in jeopardy on top of that, and our work was cut out to ensure that no page was left unturned. Two Sides ranks as one of our greatest achievements, and the Emmy nomination is something we’ll not only treasure but hope to convert into a win!”

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Watch: 2021 Lions series documentary trailer

‘Two Sides’, SuperSport’s official documentary series of the 2021 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa, is set to premiere in May.

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Living With The Lions: Moments you might have forgotten from 1997 South Africa tour documentary

Watch all of the documentaries spanning the British & Irish Lions tours to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand from 1997 to 2017 on Sky Sports in January and February

By Sky Sports Rugby Union

Wednesday 6 January 2021 18:03, UK

The British & Irish Lions' 1997 tour to South Africa was notable for being the first of rugby union's professional era, but it also gave hitherto unseen insights to what it is like for the players and staff.

The Living With the Lions documentary brought fans into the den like never before, producing plenty of memorable moments from behind the scenes of the build-up and key incidents in the 2-1 Test series win over the Springboks.

Here, we pick out some of the moments you may have forgotten which capture the agony and the ecstasy, as well as the more light-hearted side, of life on tour with the Lions…

1. Dealing with the media

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The 1997 tour saw the Lions under the microscope like they had arguably never been before. Every game was being broadcast on Sky Sports , while there was a notable press pack from Britain and Ireland, along with the South African media, scrutinising their every move.

Before flying out, the squad were put through some hypothetical scenarios by their press officer at their base in Weybridge so they would be prepared for some tough questions which may come their way.

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After Martin Johnson had calmly fielded a couple about disciplinary issues, Doddie Weir was called on to explain being caught breaking curfew in a nightclub just before a Test match. Calmly, the distinctive 6ft 6in Scottish second row answered: "Mistaken identity" - to uproarious laughter from his team-mates.

2. Player cams

To get a real insight into what life was like on tour, the makers of Living With The Lions gave a camera to players to film their own insights and really get under the skin of what it was like for individuals on tour.

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Few perhaps embraced this as much as John Bentley, with the England winger showing his dry Yorkshire sense of humour whenever he had the camera in his possession.

That was underlined best at one of the early gym sessions on the tour, where he went around quizzing the squad's Welsh contingent and asking prop Jason Leonard about his workout routine.

3. Telfer gets tough

The phrase 'no nonsense' was seemingly invented for Jim Telfer, the former Scotland and Lions back row who was later head coach on the 1983 tour of New Zealand and assistant to Ian McGeechan in 1997.

Telfer's particular focus this time around was on the forwards and preparing them to tackle the might of the South African scrum - an area the hosts strongly believed they had the upper hand against the tourists in.

Having called a meeting of the forwards in the squad, Telfer laid down in no uncertain terms his expectations of the packmen to be honest with him and each other, and to accept criticism from him. Then followed an insight into one of his now-infamous scrummaging sessions.

4. The agony of touring

As well as creating plenty of magical memories which will last a lifetime, at the other end of the scale Lions tours can be tough and gruelling for those involved as the Living With The Lions documentary laid bare.

Moments such as Rob Howley suffering a tour-ending shoulder injury in the clash with Durban Natal ahead of the first Test and Will Greenwood sustaining a serious head injury against Free State showed how raw it can be.

But arguably nothing encapsulated that quite as much as the moment Doddie Weir was informed by team doctor James Robson a knee injury against Mpumalanga meant he would be going home. The emotional player cam view of Weir's last day with the squad showcased how playing for the Lions means so much as well.

5. Geech's speeches

Lions head coach Ian McGeechan knew all about what it took to win a series in South Africa, having played on the iconic 1974 tour which saw the team go unbeaten and beat the Springboks in three matches with a draw in the fourth Test.

Fast forward 23 years and the former Scotland fly-half was the man charged with masterminding victory for Britain and Ireland's finest, and left his side in no doubt about what it meant for them to be the latest group to wear that famous red jersey.

Although not the sort for tub-thumping speeches, McGeechan's calmly-delivered words of wisdom pre-match were among the stand-out moments of the documentary - none more so than the one he gave the team ahead of the all-important second Test. The rest, as they say, is history.

Watch all of the documentaries from the 1997 to 2017 British & Irish Lions tours on Sky Sports in the coming weeks. 'Up Close And Personal', the documentary of the 2001 tour to Australia, airs next on Sky Sports Arena on Tuesday, January 12 at 10pm.

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The British & Irish Lions tour docu-series on ITV

June 15, 2022

The British & Irish Lions, in conjunction with The South African Rugby Union, will release a three-part behind-the-scenes documentary of the 2021 British & Irish Lions Series on ITV.

The documentary series, called Two Sides , tells the story of both the Lions and Springboks during the first Tour to South Africa since 2009. The documentary features fly-on-the-wall footage of both camps as they took part in a fascinating series of games, which was successfully completed against the hugely challenging backdrop of a global pandemic.

The three episodes of Two Sides , produced by Whisper and T + W, will be shown on June 19th, 20th and 21st on ITV.

Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions Managing Director, said: “The British & Irish Lions and documentaries are inextricably linked. Going back to 1997 with the unforgettable Living with Lions , the Lions have produced a documentary capturing behind-the-scenes moments of every subsequent Tour. This particular documentary shows how both sides rose to the unprecedented challenge of hosting a major sporting event during a global pandemic.”

South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux added: “I know rugby fans are going to find this documentary fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, with the added twist this time of getting a fly-on-the-wall view of both camps involved in this unique tour. We are delighted to partner with The British & Irish Lions on Two Sides , which will act as a wonderful archive for rugby fans to look back upon for decades to come.”

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• Premier Sports scores Asia rights to Lions Tour of South Africa
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Tags: British Lions , itv , rugby , south africa

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2021 BRITISH & IRISH LIONS TOUR DOCUMENTARY TO BE AIRED ON ITV1

The British & Irish Lions in conjunction with The South African Rugby Union will release a much-anticipated three-part behind-the-scenes documentary of the 2021 British & Irish Lions Series.

Co-produced by Whisper and T + W, the documentary series ‘Two Sides’ explores what transpired in the Springbok and Lions camps during the 2021 Tour of South Africa.

Stepping away from the traditional format, ‘Two Sides’ tells the story of both the Lions and Springboks during the first Tour to South Africa since 2009. The documentary features fly-on-the-wall footage of both camps as they took part in a fascinating series of games, which was successfully completed against the hugely challenging backdrop of a global pandemic.

This is the latest in a long and critically acclaimed series of Lions Tour documentaries that includes the mould-breaking ‘Living with Lions’ released 25 years ago.

As well as illuminating insights into the teams’ preparations and what went on during the matches, the documentary will also give fans a rare glimpse into the workings of a unique and memorable sporting event.

The British & Irish Lions and The South African Rugby Union are delighted to bring this three-part series to supporters with our broadcast partner ITV and broadcast sponsor Vodafone. Details on where the documentary will be shown in all other territories will be announced in due course.

The three hour-long episodes of Two Sides, produced by Whisper and T + W, will be shown on Sunday 19 June (10.20pm BST); Monday 20 June (10.45pm); and Tuesday 21 June (10.45pm). The first episode airs on ITV1 at 10.20pm this Sunday (19 June).

Speaking on the new documentary, Ben Calveley, British & Irish Lions Managing Director, said: “The British & Irish Lions and documentaries are inextricably linked. Going back to 1997 with the unforgettable ‘Living with Lions’, the Lions have produced a documentary capturing behind-the-scenes moments of every subsequent Tour. This particular documentary shows how both sides rose to the unprecedented challenge of hosting a major sporting event during a global pandemic.”

South African Rugby Union CEO Jurie Roux added: “I know rugby fans are going to find this documentary fascinating and entertaining in equal measure, with the added twist this time of getting a fly-on-the-wall view of both camps involved in this unique tour. We are delighted to partner with The British & Irish Lions on Two Sides, which will act as a wonderful archive for rugby fans to look back upon for decades to come.”

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The Beach Boys Hold ‘Family Reunion' at ‘Surfin' Safari' Spot in Clip From Band's Documentary

The Beach Boys hold a "family reunion" at the same spot where their Surfin' Safari was photographed in this exclusive clip from the upcoming Disney+ documentary about the trailblazing group.

In The Beach Boys clip from 2023 - and premiering on the 58th anniversary of the release of Pet Sounds - director Frank Marshall gathers the group's Brian Wilson, Mike Love, and Al Jardine at California's Paradise Cover, where the cover of their 1962 debut album was captured; Marshall even conjured up the original surfboard featured on the cover.

"The fact that this group came along and put lyrics and harmony to surf music, the Beach Boys sound is the sound of joy, so I thought it would be sort of poetic for the Beach Boys getting together where it all started," Marshall says in the clip.

"The whole day was so joyful and memorable, it was really like a family reunion."

The Beach Boys  was directed by Marshall and Thom Zimny and features new interviews with surviving members Wilson,  Mike Love , Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. There will also be contributions from former band members Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar, as well as the band's contemporaries and artists they went on to inspire - like Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder, and Don Was - plus archival interviews with late Beach Boys Carl and Dennis Wilson (who died in 1998 and 1983, respectively).

An official soundtrack featuring songs from the film will hit streaming services on May 24, the same day the documentary arrives on Disney+.

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Jodorowsky’s wild art, Hockney’s ‘Turandot’ and the best L.A. culture to see now

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David Hockney! Bob Dylan! Cyrano’s nose! Welcome to another week of the Essential Arts newsletter, your guide to the culture of the moment in Southern California. Before we dive into the week’s headlines, let’s get your calendar set for the week ahead ...

Best bets: What’s on our radar

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1. ‘Taking Venice’ The 60th Venice Biennale is underway in La Serenissima, and things are generally as serene as usual in Italy’s uber-romantic city of canals. The scene, however, wasn’t exactly placid 60 years ago when the Biennale cranked up some outraged headlines for choosing an American artist — for the first time — to receive the Grand Prize for Painting (now called the Golden Lion). Was the 1964 selection process rigged for Robert Rauschenberg? The new documentary “Taking Venice” looks at the uproar that ensued. A sneak-peek of the film is scheduled for Thursday at the UCLA Hammer Museum, followed by a Q&A with director Amei Wallach. She’ll do the same on Friday and Saturday nights at the Laemmle Royal in West L.A. A full review of the doc will post at latimes.com/arts on Monday. 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Hammer, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., L.A.; opening Friday at the Laemmle Royal, 11523 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A. and the Town Center 5, 17200 Ventura Blvd., Encino. zeitgeistfilms.com/film/taking-venice — Christopher Knight

2. ‘Another World’ The iconoclastic Alejandro Jodorowsky , the 95-year-old Chilean-born cult film director, has traveled from his home Paris to L.A. for a weekend retrospective at the American Cinematheque. It’s his first visit in more than six years, and the series includes sold-out screenings of his seminal psychedelic works “El Topo” (1970), “The Holy Mountain” (1973) and “Santa Sangre” (1989). If you couldn’t score tickets, you can catch the director’s artistry another way: Jodorowsky will present an art gallery exhibition titled “Another World,” featuring paintings co-created with his wife, Pascale Montandon-Jodorowsky. Working under the moniker pascALEjandro, they will show illustrations that have been painted and augmented with found objects. Through June 29. Blum, 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., L.A. blum-gallery.com — Carlos Aguilar

3. ‘The Lion King’ There’s no contest: Thirty years after its theatrical release, “The Lion King” remains one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Disney is marking the occasion with two live-to-film concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, screening the original 1994 film with a live orchestra, fireworks and musical performances from cast members from the animated classic (Jason Weaver, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella), the 2019 remake (Billy Eichner) and the Tony-winning stage musical (Heather Headley, Bradley Gibson). Jennifer Hudson, Lebo M. and North West will also make appearances. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday . Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., L.A. hollywoodbowl.com/events — Ashley Lee

4. ‘Topsy Turvy (A Musical Greek Vaudeville)’ The ancient Greeks knew a thing or two about plagues, so it makes sense that Tim Robbins would be thinking along Athenian lines when responding theatrically to the last four years. There’s a lot of ground to cover in this Actors’ Gang world premiere production written and directed by Robbins. Pandemic closures, a political coup, civil strife — it’s been busy! To respond to the tumult, Robbins has created a hybrid work that blends classical Greek theater (complete with chorus) and vaudeville. Aristophanes would no doubt approve. Robbins has contributed original songs, performed by a small orchestra and large ensemble seeking communal harmony after all the exhausting chaos. Through June 8. Post-show discussion with Robbins every Friday. The Actors’ Gang, 9070 Venice Blvd, Culver City, theactorsgang.com — Charles McNulty

5. ‘Mickalene Thomas: All About Love’ If an editor were to gauge museum exhibitions by the number of writers clamoring to cover them, this Broad launch would win show of the season. Thomas’ first international touring exhibition consists of more than 80 works including painting, collage, photography and installation, all spanning two decades. The show, which will move on later to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Hayward Gallery in London, has some special only-in-L.A. moments, including a living room that emulates the artist’s childhood home in Camden, N.J. — a place where museum-goers can read, rest and contemplate everything they have taken in. May 25-Sept. 29. The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., L.A. thebroad.org — Craig Nakano

The week ahead: A curated calendar

“18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium” Final weekend for an exhibition recounting the 80-year history of the L.A. venue that was a focal point for boxing, wrestling, roller derby, punk rock and so much more. Through Sunday. LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, 501 N. Main St., L.A. lapca.org

“All Things Are Changing in All Dimensions” An exhibition of rarely seen drawings, paintings and sculptures by the late Chilean-born artist Roberto Matta, including seven terra-cotta figures that have not been shown publicly before. Through June 29. Blum Gallery, 2727 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles. blum-gallery.com

“Ghost Waltz” Playwright Oliver Mayer mixes music, magic, drama, passion, spirituality and dance to tell the story of overlooked 19th-century Mexican composer Juventino Rosas, whose work was often attributed to Europeans. Through June 2. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. latinotheaterco.org

“Two Stop” and “Pang Spa” David Johann Kim’s Koreatown-set plays, produced by Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA and Chalk Repertory Theatre, respectively, navigate the L.A. riots from 20 years apart. Through June 9. Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles. estlosangeles.org

Kraftwerk The German electronic music pioneers mark the 50th anniversary of their album “Autobahn” with nine shows, the first eight devoted to specific albums and the finale showcasing five decades of innovative work. 8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; and May 28-30. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com

Pearl Jam The Seattle quintet — Jeff Ament, Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready and Eddie Vedder — tours behind its 12th studio album, “Dark Matter.” 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday. Kia Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood. thekiaforum.com

Don’t Knock the Rock 2024 The music-driven documentary and narrative film festival founded by filmmaker Allison Anders and musician/music supervisor Tiffany Anders features a dozen films, including the L.A. premiere of “Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story,” and a pair by filmmaker Susan Seidelman: “Smithereens” (1982) and “Desperately Seeking Susan.” Through May 27. Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles. americancinematheque.com

“Hit Man” Glen Powell and Adria Arjona star in director Richard Linklater’s sexy-smart neo-noir comedy set in New Orleans. Laemmle Monica Film Center, 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica; Laemmle Glendale, 207 N. Maryland Ave., Glendale. laemmle.com/film/hit-man

“Humaira Abid: Searching for Home” The artist’s sculpted wooden creations evoke the untold tragedies of the global refugee crisis and its wake of displaced people, which disproportionately affects women and girls. Through Aug. 18. USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu

Montero + Mozart The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra joins with Grammy-nominated pianist Gabriela Montero for an evening that includes Mozart, Schubert and a world premiere by Nina Shekhar. 8 p.m. Friday. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa; 8 p.m. Saturday. Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. laco.org

Sky Ferreira The electro-pop singer marks the 10th anniversary of her debut full-length album “Night Time, My Time.” 8 p.m. The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. livenation.com

Madness The British ska/pop band’s first U.S. tour in 12 years features guests Berlin and the Untouchables. 7 p.m. YouTube Theater, 1011 Stadium Drive Inglewood. youtubetheater.com

Simone Leigh The exhibition includes works from the artist’s 2022 Venice Biennale presentation, and ceramics, bronze, video, installation and social activation that explore Black feminist theory and more. Thorugh Jan. 20. California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park, Los Angeles, caamuseum.org ; LACMA, Resnick Pavilion, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. lacma.org

L.A.’s biggest culture news

David Hockney ‘s storied production of “Turandot” has its Los Angeles Opera premiere Saturday night, three decades after the towering (and very red!) sets wowed audiences in San Francisco and Chicago. David A. Keeps has the story behind how the sets were pulled out of storage in Modesto, trucked to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and prepped for their glorious return to the stage . Warning: The schematic drawing of how the pieces fit together will make your head spin. (Look for our critic Mark Swed ‘s review to come later.)

Another titan’s work is hitting a different L.A. stage. “Girl From the North Country,” with score from the music catalog of Bob Dylan , opened at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre . In his review , Times critic Charles McNulty says problems with the storytelling are offset by phenomenal singing, not to mention the singular genius of Dylan.

The nation’s oldest and largest Asian American producer of Asian American theater has a new artistic director: Lily Tung Crystal will take over East West Players , replacing Snehal Desai , who left to lead Center Theatre Group . Staff writer Ashley Lee has an engaging conversation with Tung Crystal, who comes from Minneapolis but whose previous work in Hollywood may provide some new directions for EWP .

Up the 110 Freeway, Pasadena Playhouse announced its 2024-25 season . Staff writer Jessica Gelt has the details on the lineup, which includes Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play “Topdog/Underdog,” the crowd-pleasing musical “La Cage aux Folles” and Martin Crimp ’s version of Edmond Rostand ’s classic “Cyrano de Bergerac,” in which Cyrano’s big nose is all in his head.

Meow Wolf revealed the location for its L.A. outpost targeting a 2026 opening: a portion of what it currently a Cinemark multiplex at the Howard Hughes L.A. center. Todd Martens has the details on how the cinematic site fits in with Meow Wolf’s plans for this city.

Finally, staff writer Christopher Reyolds ’ “101 best West Coast experiences” is always a reminder of the joys beyond our doorstep. The list published Thursday includes the Cheech in Riverside, Watts Towers and Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum . Check it out!

More culture news, briefly ...

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The iconic glass structure known as Wayfarers Chapel in Rancho Palos Verdes is scheduled to be disassembled and stored until it can be put back together in a new location at a later date. The church, which was designated a National Historic Landmark late last year, was designed in 1951 by architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, Lloyd Wright . The Wayfarers website notes that the structure, perched above the Pacific, has been damaged by landslides and remains at imminent risk of further damage should it remain in its current location.

California’s $ 44.9 billion dollar budget deficit spells very bad news for arts funding in California, with Gov. Gavin Newsom ’s recently revised proposal for the 2024-25 state budget calling for elimination of the $12.5 million earmarked for the state’s Performing Arts Equitable Payroll Fund . The revision also proposes a 38% reduction in state grants for small arts nonprofits through the California Arts Council .

David Zwirner will open its flagship Los Angeles gallery to the public Thursday with an exhibition featuring three decades of work. The new building, by Selldorf Architects , is at 606 N. Western Ave., adjacent to two David Zwirner spaces that opened last year.

Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge is getting a new eatery as it breaks ground on a restaurant called Farmhouse by chef Richard Mead . The farm-to-table dining room is scheduled to open in the fall .

The Broad Stage in Santa Monica has announced its 2024-25 season lineup featuring actor Patrick Page ’s exploration of Shakespearean villains, “All the Devils Are Here”; a multimedia dance performance titled “Is It Thursday Yet?” by Jenn Freeman and Sonya Tayeh , presented in association with La Jolla Playhouse ; as well as appearances by the contemporary dance company Rubberband and comedian Maria Bamford .

And last but not least

Alas, the volcano will erupt no more. Hard Rock International announced this week that the Mirage Hotel & Casino will cease operations July 17. The resort, perhaps best known as the home of Siegfried & Roy , is expected to become a Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. The volcano will be replaced by a nearly 700-foot-tall guitar-shaped building.

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Jessica Gelt is an arts and culture writer for the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles Times art critic Christopher Knight won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for criticism (he was a finalist for the prize in 1991, 2001 and 2007). In 2020, he also received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Art Journalism from the Rabkin Foundation.

Charles McNulty is the theater critic of the Los Angeles Times. He received his doctorate in dramaturgy and dramatic criticism from the Yale School of Drama.

Ashley Lee is a staff reporter at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes about theater, movies, television and the bustling intersection of the stage and the screen. An alum of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Critics Institute and Poynter’s Power of Diverse Voices, she leads workshops on arts journalism at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. She was previously a New York-based editor at the Hollywood Reporter and has written for the Washington Post, Backstage and American Theatre, among others. She is currently working remotely alongside her dog, Oliver.

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Hans Zimmer’s life and career to be celebrated in new documentary

‘Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel’ airs on BBC Two later this month

The life and career of Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is set to be explored in BBC documentary Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel .

The hour-long film will chart the composer’s 40-year career from post-war Germany to Hollywood royalty. Over his career, he’s composed scores for blockbuster films like The Lion King, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Gladiator, The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, Dune and many others.

Along with his work in Hollywood, the documentary will cover his work on BBC projects like Planet Earth II, Blue Planet II and Frozen Planet II .

Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel also features interviews with directors Ron Howard, Denis Villeneuve, Christopher Nolan , Jeffrey Katzenberg, Barry Levinson, James L Brooks, Gore Verbinski, Steve McQueen, Stephen Frears and Tim Bevan.

Speaking about the documentary, Zimmer said: “I’m honoured to be sharing this insight into my career and life with the BBC audience. My hope is that this documentary inspires and emboldens you to unapologetically pursue your passions and find a deeper understanding for my scores, and above all, music.”

Francis Hanly, director of the documentary, said: “The sheer number of standout movies Hans Zimmer has scored over the past 40 years is incredible. It was a dream job to sit and film him at the keyboard in his studio as he gave us an intimate and exclusive demonstration of the techniques and sounds he’s created and the ideas that lie behind some of his most famous scores.”

Recommended

Hans Zimmer: Hollywood Rebel airs on BBC Two on Sunday October 16 at 9pm BST.

Earlier this year, the composer announced a 2023 European tour, including a series of arena shows in the UK and Ireland . For the tour, Zimmer will perform some of his classic scores with his band and the Odessa Opera Orchestra & Friends.

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Netflix lands 2024 Christmas NFL games, with Chiefs, Texans, Steelers, Ravens on slate

The perfect holiday gift for NFL fans in 2024 might be a Netflix subscription.

They'll need one to watch the pair of Christmas Day games – the Kansas City Chiefs will play the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Houston Texans, Netflix announced – that the streaming giant will carry as it acquires more sports properties and live rights.

The first game, Chiefs-Steelers, kicks off at 1 p.m. ET, while the second game is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. ET start.

The league and Netflix agreed to a three-year deal, and Netflix will stream at least one holiday game for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

In addition to making a rare move by scheduling games in the middle of the week (Dec. 25 is a Wednesday), the league now gains another media partner as it has further leaned into streaming. Prime Video began exclusively streaming "Thursday Night Football" in 2022 and the game put one of its playoff games – the AFC wild card round between the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins, which set streaming records – on Peacock.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Although Netflix is not part of the NFL's current media rights deal, the league technically created new inventory by scheduling the contests on a Wednesday. It is unknown how much Netflix paid for the Christmas Day rights.

It's likely all four teams involved in the Christmas Day slate will play on Saturday, Dec. 21, to mimic the four days off between games that occur between a Sunday contest and "Thursday Night Football."

Dec. 25 traditionally belonged to the NBA, which aired games in standalone windows the entire day. But the NFL has scheduled games for the past four years. Last year, three games averaged nearly 30 million viewers.

Netflix first broke through in sports programming with documentaries such as F1's "Drive to Survive" and the PGA Tour's "Full Swing." The streamer acquired the rights for the boxing fight between. Recently, Netflix partnered with the NFL and star quarterbacks for the documentary "Quarterback," which featured the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons (then with the Minnesota Vikings). "Receiver," a documentary that chronicles wideouts, followed five pass catchers – Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders), Justin Jefferson (Vikings), George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers), Deebo Samuel (49ers) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions) – during the 2023 season.

“We couldn't be more excited to be the first professional sports league to partner with Netflix to bring live games to fans around the world," NFL executive vice president Hans Schroeder said in a release. “The NFL on Christmas has become a tradition and to partner with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is typically this holiday, is the perfect combination to grow this event globally for NFL fans."

As far as live rights, Netflix has been largely untested. Netflix will carry the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight on July 20.

The Christmas games will be available on the participating teams’ local television markets and on U.S. mobile devices with NFL+. 

The production and announcing crews are not yet known.

The full NFL schedule, including the matchups for the Christmas Day games, will be released at 8 p.m. ET.

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‘oh, canada’ producers talk nerve-racking wait for interim agreement – cannes, ‘rendez-vous avec pol pot’ review: rithy panh’s return to the killing fields spotlights importance of today’s conflict journalists – cannes film festival.

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Rithy Panh has dedicated the lion’s share of his career to interrogating the genocidal Khmer Rouge era in his native Cambodia, and it is no trivial obsession. Panh fled Phnom Penh when he was just 11, and after his family was devastated in the Killing Fields, he escaped to a Thai refugee camp at 15. Now 60, Panh has been committed to keeping the memory of the impact of Pol Pot’s tyrannical regime alive in documentary, narrative and animated film.

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Loosely adapted from journalist Elizabeth Becker’s account of her visit to Phnom Pehn with academic Malcolm Caldwell and journalist Richard Dudman in When the War Was Over , Panh’s story follows Lise (Irène Jacob), Alain (Grégoire Colin) and Paul (Cyril Gueï) on a tightly stage-managed tour of the regime’s policies in action ahead of an exclusive interview with Pol Pot. Alain, as the Caldwell cipher, is ideologically aligned with the Khmer Rouge, but his colleagues’ attempts to see past the spin is treated with suspicion, and ultimately violence.

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It isn’t the first time Panh has flirted with Becker’s work in the region. His 1996 documentary Bophana: A Cambodian Tragedy also adapted an excerpt of her experience. But Panh’s singular examination of this dark chapter in his country’s history, and the ways its impact is still being felt, over a long career in cinema, has kept the memory of this genocide alive, and Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot feels particularly piquant as the post-truth era continues to impact Western politics.

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The journalists in Panh’s film aren’t superheroes; their quest for that truth has its own motivations. Yet, the importance of their journey to find it cannot be understated, especially as newsrooms seek to cut back on ground coverage of war, and regimes continue to restrict access. When Gueï’s photojournalist snaps an illicit photograph of emaciated bodies half-buried in mud, Panh intercuts real photographs from the Killing Fields, and there is no denying their impact.

Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot may not walk totally fresh ground for Panh, but there is real power in one filmmaker’s dedication to re-examining real world horror from many angles over many years.

Title:  Rendez-vous avec Pol Pot (Meeting with Pol Pot) Festival:  Cannes (Premiere) Director : Rithy Panh Screenwriter:  Pierre Erwan Guillaume Cast:  Irène Jacob, Grégoire Colin, Cyril Gueï Sales agent:  Playtime Running time:  1 hr 53 min

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Winners and losers from 2024 NFL schedule release, plus ranking the best revenge games

Here's everything you need to know about the nfl for may 16.

Welcome to the Thursday edition of the Pick Six newsletter! 

I'm guessing you've probably heard by now, but in case you haven't: THE NFL SCHEDULE WAS RELEASED LAST NIGHT. 

If you're wondering why I'm writing in all caps, it's because I've had 12 cups of coffee since yesterday morning and my brain is so fried that I'm not even sure I believe in the existence of sounds anymore. 

Anyway, I'm guessing you already know what we're going to be covering today and if you guessed the NFL schedule, then you are correct. We're going to cover the schedule release, the schedule release and more schedule release. If you missed the schedule release, you  can see a list of all 272 games here . 

As always, here's your daily reminder to tell all your friends to sign up for the newsletter. Actually, you don't even have to tell all of your friends; just tell two of your friends and I'll be happy. To get them signed up, all you have to do is  click here . 

1. Today's show: Instant reaction from the schedule

I wasn't the host of today's episode of the Pick Six Podcast, which was probably for the best, because if I had been hosting, I would have demanded that we individually cover all 272 games on the 2024 NFL schedule. However, I was told that wasn't a practical idea because it would take 37 hours, so we didn't do that. Instead of me as host, Will Brinson was in charge of things today and we were joined by Tyler Sullivan, and the three of us gave our instant reaction to the schedule. 

One of the things talked about was the slate of holiday games for 2024, and that conversation included each of us picking our favorite Thanksgiving game. 

• Breech: Dolphins at Packers. Sure, the Dolphins have lost 11 straight games when the weather is under 40 degrees, but I still feel like this will turn out to be a good game. Win or lose, the Dolphins are almost always fun to watch and I don't think this will be an exception. 
• Sullivan: Bears at Lions. Sulley is excited about this game because it will give us all a chance to see Caleb Williams on the national stage. By the time Week 13 rolls around with the Thanksgiving games, we'll have a good idea of what Williams can do and if he's starting to look like a star, then this game will become must-see TV. 
• Brinson: Giants at Cowboys. Brinson was mostly excited about this game because it could end up being the beginning of the end for Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys coach is going to have a lot of pressure on him this year and if he loses to the Giants on Thanksgiving, Jerry Jones might not let him stick around much longer after that. 

You can hear the rest of our schedule reaction  by listening to today's show here . You can also  watch the entire thing on YouTube by clicking here .

2. Ranking the top revenge games on 2024 schedule

If there's one thing we love to do around here, it's ranking things, so we decided to rank the best revenge games on the 2024 schedule.  

As the CBS Sports expert on revenge, we let Will Brinson handle the rankings, and here's the top three games on his list: 

1. Chiefs at 49ers (Week 7).   "There is absolutely no revenge quite like "Super Bowl Revenge" and the 49ers will get their shot at redemption."

2. Steelers at Broncos (Week 2).   "Russell Wilson versus Sean Payton? Shoot it into my veins. Russ got cut by the Broncos this offseason and eventually signed with the Steelers on a dirt-cheap, one-year contract. He has all the spite in the world for being publicly embarrassed, even though the Broncos are still paying him roughly $85 million not to play for their team."

3. Ravens at Chargers (Week 12).  "It's the Harbaugh Bowl. If you want to argue this isn't "revenge" because Jim and John are brothers and ultimately love each other, that's fine. But Jim has never beaten his brother and despite winning a college football championship at his alma mater Michigan this past year, he doesn't have the Super Bowl ring that John owns. Worse news for Jim: John won his Super Bowl against his brother in Super Bowl XLVII."

If you want to check out Brinson's full rankings,  be sure to click here .

3. NFL schedule breakdown: One good thing and one bad thing on each team's schedule

The NFL spends a lot of time every year putting the schedule together, and although the league does its best to make sure every team is happy, the fact of the matter is that making everyone happy is impossible when you're putting together a schedule that consists of 272 games.  

With that in mind, I went through all 32 schedules to find one thing that should make each team happy about their schedule and one thing they're probably irate about. Let's check out three teams: 

• One good thing for the Steelers:  The Steelers get to start off the season by playing three straight games against teams that all finished under .500 last year (Falcons, Broncos, Chargers) and they're going to need to take advantage of that by getting off to a quick start because the second half of their schedule is ugly.
• One bad thing for the Steelers:  The backend of the Steelers' schedule is almost unfair. From Week 11 thru Week 18, the Steelers will play eight straight games against teams that finished last season with a winning record (Ravens, at Browns, at Bengals, Browns, at Eagles, at Ravens, Chiefs, Bengals). This stretch includes a span of three games in 10 days where they'll face the Eagles, Ravens, Chiefs from Dec. 15 thru Dec. 25. 
• One good thing for the Chargers:  The Raiders won't be leaving Las Vegas a single time between Nov. 20 and Dec. 24. That 34-day stretch is the longest span that any team will go without playing a road game this year.
• One bad thing for the Chargers:  Starting in Week 11, the Chargers have a four-week span where three of their games are against the Bengals, Ravens and Chiefs. Those three teams are the only three that have made the AFC title game over the past three seasons, which makes that qualify as a rough stretch. 
• One good thing for the Lions:  From Week 1 thru Week 15, the Lions will only play ONE outdoor game, which means they won't have to worry about the possibility of bad weather slowing down their speedy offense. Over the first 15 weeks, the Lions have eight games at home and five road games in a dome plus a bye (Their only outdoor game is at Green Bay).  
• One bad thing for the Lions:  Coming out of their Week 5 bye, the Lions have to play four of their next five games on the road and the worst part is that three of those four road games are against teams that made the playoffs last season (Cowboys, Packers, Texans). If the Lions are going to struggle in 2024, that could be the stretch where it happens. 

You can see one good thing and one bad thing from  each team's schedule by clicking here . 

4. Winners and losers from the schedule release 

Like everything in life, there were winners and there were losers during the NFL's schedule release on Wednesday. Cody Benjamin sifted through all 272 games on the schedule to try and figure out who came out of the schedule release as a winner and who came out as a loser and here's what he came up with: 

• Jets fans.   "You could just as easily put them in the 'Losers' category, if they're concerned about Aaron Rodgers staying upright following a lost 2023 season. But six prime-time games in the first 11 weeks? Talk about getting a real spotlight! If Gang Green actually lives up to its potential, they will justify the must-see-TV approach by the NFL."
• Caleb Williams.   "Chicago's first 10 games are some of the easiest in the entire NFL in strength of schedule, with matchups against rebuilding squads like the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers."
• Eagles.   "A year after enduring a gauntlet of title contenders, the Eagles will finish with four of their final five games at home, and even the road matchups in those cases aren't going to require a massive trek."
• Ravens.   "Lamar Jackson and Co. drew the Bengals, Chiefs, Bills and Cowboys in the first five weeks alone, and their bye doesn't come until the all way in Week 14, the middle of December."
• Jaguars.   "Maybe the NFL really wants Trevor Lawrence and Co. to prove they're for real. Because their opening four-game stretch is tough: at Miami Dolphins, vs. Cleveland Browns, at Bills, at Houston Texans. It's not unreasonable to think Jacksonville could start 1-3."
• Weekday breaks.   "This isn't an issue for the whole schedule, but it's hard to overstate just how intrusive the NFL schedule has become. We all love football, no doubt. But the Chiefs are a prime example: They will end up playing on almost every day of the week thanks to this year's Wednesday Christmas games, also occupying Monday, Thursday and Saturday appearances."

If you want to see Cody's full list of winners and losers, be sure to click here . 

5. Netflix is taking over the NFL: Streaming company lands Christmas games

The biggest winner of the NFL schedule release might have been Netflix. The streaming company made some major headlines on Wednesday, and here's why: 

• Netflix wins rights to two key games. The NFL decided to put its two Christmas games up for bid and Netflix ended up winning that bid by offering to pay  a reported $75 million PER game . This now means that Chiefs-Steelers and Ravens-Texans will both be streaming exclusively on Netflix this year . 
• Netflix signs three-year deal with the NFL. Not only will Netflix be getting two Christmas games this year, but the streaming company will also get at least one Christmas game over each of the next two seasons (2025 and 2026). 
• There will also be a Jerry Jones documentary. Getting two Christmas games wasn't quite enough for Netflix. The company also announced that it will be releasing a 10-episode documentary on Jerry Jones that will explore his early years of owning the Cowboys. You can read the full details on the series here . 

In other Netflix news, the company also has a series coming called "Receiver," which is a follow-up to "Quarterback," which starred Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota. The new series will star Davante Adams, Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Amon-Ra St. Brown. 

6. Extra points: Giants unveil wild throwback uniforms

It's been a busy 24 hours in the NFL, and since it's nearly impossible to keep track of everything that happened, I went ahead and put together a roundup for you.

• Giants have a new alternate uniform and you have to see it.  The Giants are celebrating their 100th anniversary this season and as part of the celebration, they have a new throwback uniform that combines multiple eras: It's a modernized version of a 1933 jersey combined with pants from 1925 and a helmet from 1938. Personally, I give the jerseys a "B" and the new helmet an "A." You can check out the full look here . 
• Giants set to be on new version of 'Hard Knocks.'  The NFL revealed that the Giants will be featured on an OFFSEASON version of "Hard Knocks." The new version of the show will take place and show things that happen between January and July, which means we'll get an inner look at what teams do during free agency and the NFL Draft. The new show kicks off a five-episode run starting on July 2. You can read more about it here . 
• Cam Heyward sitting out OTAs . Steelers star Cam Heyward is looking for a contract extension and since he hasn't gotten it, he's decided he's going to sit out OTAs . Heyward's current contract expires at the end of the 2024 season, so it's understandable that he wants an extension, but he's also 35, so it's also easy to see why the Steelers haven't given him a new deal just yet. 
• JJ Watt reveals what players look for on NFL schedule .  Have you ever wondered what players look for when the schedule comes out? Well, Watt answered that question yesterday and he said most players look at who the opponent is going to be in the first game along with when the bye week will come. He also said he personally looks at the the dates of any Thursday games (because the players get a weekend off after that). You can see his full answer here . 

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