The Lead Digest: Gerry Gable, Stranger Things and honouring our New Year's resolutions

Our round-up by The Lead’s team of what we’ve been reading, listening to, scrolling and watching each week.

Hello and welcome back to the Lead’s weekly digest – and the first of the new year! Here at The Lead, we like to consume just as much as we create, which is why we spend a little time each week rounding up our favourite stories, books, podcasts and films to offer our readers a sample of the work that informs our world.

Ed is attempting to read more books in 2026 (if he can keep my eyes propped open after parenting duties!). Freddie Flintoff’s Coming Home was an easy read stocking filler present and a good insight into his transition from cricketer to TV personality and presenter, and now very much back to cricket again. Could have done with him in The Ashes, though!

He is now partway through Post Mortem by the excellent Richard Brooks of Private Eye. It's two years since we were all glued to Mr Bates v The Post office and this book takes you deep inside the details of what was going on — and the harrowing stories of the sub postmasters who were victims of the Horizon scandal.

Zoë also started the year strong, honouring her New Year’s resolution to consume more culture by watching A Real Pain, starring Succession’s Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg. The comedy-drama follows two cousins on a Jewish heritage tour through Poland to honour their late grandmother, exploring themes of trauma, identity and connection. It’s a beautiful, funny film, elevated by a wonderful soundtrack — but what moved her most was its portrayal of second- and third-generation immigrants, and the complicated relationships they have with their family histories.

(Pic: Netflix)

Luke’s Christmas period was built not around family, gifts and dinners, but how he could watch the Stranger Things drops in one sitting. It was very good without being absolutely perfect, and that’s fine and about par for the course for the series. He’s since been fascinated by watching Conformity Gate happen after the fact, which, if you’re lucky enough not to know, is essentially fan speculation that a secret episode would drop this week. It didn’t, obviously. Looking for Easter eggs in things is massive in fan culture, and it’s often rewarded, but this tipped over into entitlement (much like the petitions to have Game of Thrones remade). Writer Wesley Yin-Poole summed it up rather neatly.

Padraig’s recommendation this week is a tribute to Britain’s greatest anti-fascist, Gerry Gable, who died over Christmas, by Steve Silver.

Ella read this Anti-Capitalist Musings piece on “the great exhaustion,” which sums up all the ways and reasons why Brits have become disillusioned with everyday life. It’s a good precursor for The Lead’s new series, The Hope Reset, which you can read more about today.

For balance, though, she recommends this wonderful read from Rebellious thoughts, about how beauty will save the world. It’s the “thin, golden thread, the Songline, that leads us back out of the labyrinth of our own making.” It might be cold and grey, but don’t forget to look out the window and notice how the raindrops cling to the bare branches of sleeping trees.

Or, if you’re as lucky as Natalie, jet off to Jamaica and revel in the sunshine.

Watched, read or listened to something you think we’d like to feature? Drop ella@thelead.uk a line and we will consider for inclusion. And feel free to share this post to a friend or family member who you think needs some reading or listening inspiration!

Our January sale is now live! You can get 26 per cent off an annual subscription to The Lead for full access and a way to support our independent progressive journalism too. It means it’s exactly £36.26 for the year — which is equivalent of £3.02 per month, — instead of £49. Bargain!