Speaker 1: For Hello listeners, and welcome to this the one hundredth
episode of the Underwooden Flinch Saga here in my free
podcast feed. Happy birthday Underwood and Flinch, you old centenarian
podcast saga you, and may there be many many more.
I can tell you that we're well on our way
to a second centenary because over at Patreon, following this
episode there are another forty four Underwood and Flinch Saga episodes,
so we're just shy of being halfway to that second centenary,
which is pretty good. But anyway, I asked you in
the last episode to drop me some comments for this
one hundredth episode in my Facebook pages, you know, the
Mike Bennett author page and the Underwooden Flinch podcast novel page,
and some of you were kind enough to do so.
So I will be reading those comments out later on
after the story bit of the show, because I know
that if I put them ahead of it, many of
you might skip over them in your haste to get
to the story. After all, it's been a month, hasn't it,
and we don't want that. So in just a second,
we can go to the old Patreon recap to lead
you into the episodes and you will need a recap,
ladies and gentlemen, because sadly, this episode does not lift
you off the cliffhanger I left you on at the
end of the last episode with Miguel entering Claire Edmond's bedroom. No, instead,
it goes back further in time to reveal how he
came to be there. I know that maybe vexing for you.
Sorry about that, but it is a novel, not a
Flash Gordon serial from the nineteen thirties. I can't follow
a chapter like the last one without letting you know
how the situation came about, now, can I of course not,
But don't worry. Once we know all the events that
led up to that scene, then we will continue it.
And when we do, trust me, your listening pleasure will
be all the more delectable for it. Okay, So with
that said, then I will hand over to myself for
the original Patreon recap for this episode. This one follows
on from episode forty four, in which Lydia woke up
to learn that Miguel had killed Alice and left her
body in a skip that had then been discovered by
the police, and so now she and her Black Circle
chums find themselves the quarry of a police murder hunt.
That was bad enough news, of course, But at the end,
just as everything seemed to have kind of got sort
of smoothed out amongst them, and a plan had been
formulated to ensnare and fascinate Inspector Claire Redmond to spill
all her beans to Lydia and then become her spy,
Lydia got a bit more bad news, and we'll get
to that in just a second, but before we do,
a couple of other sort of necessary reminders for you.
Lydia met the night before with James Harrington, a Satanist
with a mysterious master that Lydia very much suspects is
a vampire of considerable influence and power. She will be
meeting with James for a second date at the Dorchester
Hotel later on this evening, after she has taken care
of the Claire Redmond business in that hotel in Whitechapel.
You remember that, don't you, of course you do. Also,
the Bensons in episode forty four volunteered to be blood
donors for Lydia and Miguel because there was no other
source of blood available since Miguel had killed Alice and
so they were without a victim to feed on. Gerald
let Lydia feed from him, and he got a bit
lightheaded afterwards. And I think that's about it. Really, that's
all we need to know. So without further ado, then
let's strum the strings of the harp that makes everything
go all wobbly as it takes us back in time
to the ending of Underwood and Flinch Underground Pisode forty four,
and from which we will segue straight on into episode
forty seven. Cynthia, we we have to tell her. Lydia
stopped and looked back. Gerald had returned to the table
and was standing beside Cynthia with his hand on her shoulder.
Cynthia was looking downcast as she brought her hand up
to rest upon Gerald's. She nodded and looked up at Lydia,
her eyes filled with fresh anxiety. Tell her what said
Lydia earlier, said Gerald, when we were online, we didn't
just check the UK papers for news on Anas's body.
We also checked the Spanish news to see if there's
any news on the business at La Fantasia, you know,
just in case the police had raided our house in
our messina or something, and have they no, no, they haven't.
Well that's good. So what do you both looking so
worried about? Well, bearing in mind that our Spanish isn't
up too much. He looked down at Cynthia. And when
we copied the text and put it into Google Translate, Well,
it's not always right, is it. I mean, some things
don't translate literally, do they. What are you trying to say, Gerald, said, Lydia.
It's your brother, Darling, said Cynthia David David. Lydia frowned.
What about him? Don't tell me they've given him the
death sentence? No, Darling, quite the opposite. He's out. Lydia's
face darkened. He's what He's being released without charge, said Gerald.
David is a free.
Speaker 2: Man Underwood and Flinch Season six in.
Speaker 1: Tennerbress, Written and performed for podcast by Mike Bennett. This
podcast is intended for an adult audience. Listener discretion is advised.
Episode two, Lydia's fists clenched. She looked from Gerald to Cynthia.
How he's the only bloody suspect for Christ's sake, I've
no idea, said Cynthia, but Lydia did. It's Hernandez, That's
who it is our lawyer? Yet I knew he was good.
But her voice trailed off as her thoughts raised ahead,
bringing her to an answer. Carlos Ala con of course,
and between him and her nandis it was only a
matter of time who he asked Cynthia alar Khan's Amalaga
province Commissario or principal his long term sect year my
dad he came to Wondwards Resurrection. Yes, he'd know David
from that fisco, not that you'd think he would have
made a favorable impression, But what does it matter. David's
the head of the fucking sect now, isn't he. They
can't have him going down for the mess at La Fantasia.
Oh no, They'll find someone else to pin it on,
like that Serbian gang Darko Petrovitch's lot or that would
suit them just fine, wouldn't it. That would suit everyone
just fine. I mean, what's the point in locking up
a useless dick like David when you could lock up
an actual menace to society? Why? I suppose that does
make sense, said Gerald, especially since David is at least
sort of innocent. No, Gerald, Lydia's tone was that of
afraid and exasperated teacher with a maddeningly obtuse child. He's
not innocent at all. He got more blood on his
hands than I do. Gerald, who was growing accustomed to
Lydia's increasingly psychopathic tendency to see things not as they were,
but as she preferred them to be, backpedaled. Oh no,
you didn't mean he was innocent. I was just saying that.
In terms of Gerald trailed off. Lydia's seething rage was
almost crackling in the air around her. There was nothing
he could say that wouldn't bring that down on him
other than augh. No, No, you're right. He's utterly to
blame too, right he is. But now he's out scot free.
He gets the sect, my sect, mind you, I fucking
built it. He wanted nothing to do with it, and
now he's the fucking master of it all. Jesus. And
he gets the house too, Cassa underw it. That's my house,
not his. I live there more than he ever did.
Then a sharp intake of breath, she closed her eyes,
her face tightening with pain. Oh my god, the whole
Underwood estate, not just Casah Underwood, but all of it,
the houses in London the houses all around the world, everything,
even the stuff in that fucking Spanish removal van that's
coming here. It's all his. Gerald, who was still a
little light headed from blood loss, said he you, sharlady.
Of course, I'm fucking shah. Lydia screamed, who the fuck
else is there? All the Flinches are dead, remember John
me Tavy's the only one of us still alive. And
you know what makes all this worse? I nearly killed
him myself. I had him at La Fantasia like a
cat with a mouse under its paw. But then the
fucking meat heead Demo intervened. I tell you, I was
this close. She pinched a half inch of air between
finger and thumb for Gerald and Cynthia to see. But
I thought I had time, didn't I. I thought I'd won.
She slumped down at the table and her voice sank
with her. I thought I'd won. The Bensons exchanged an
anxious look. They both knew that though optimism wasn't being
well received, to confirm Lydia's pessimistic outlook would only make
matters worse. Straining a smile and turning back to Lydia,
Cynthia said, well, you did in a way. Dear you
stole the dark gift from Underwood, you defeated him and
escaped with your life. Surely that's a win, yes, said
Gerald Glass half full Aeson. Always look on the bright side,
Lydia turned baleful eyes upon the now ever so slightly
chipper Gerald bright Side. Gerald blanched, Ah, oh well, it helps,
doesn't it. Try to keep an even keel. My brother,
my runaway turncoat, goody two shoes, bastard of a brother
who was personally responsible for the death of our beloved friend,
my boyfriend Beltran, who I loved, mind you, I actually
really loved him. David architect of my downfall, David fucking Flinch. No, No,
he's not worthy of our name. He shunned it all
his fucking life. Call him what he's always called himself,
David Smith. Him, that bastard that's now getting everything that
is rightfully due to me. He's free and he's master
of my sex. And you're telling me that there's a
bright side. Uh well, liyah. Jerald looked at Cynthia like
SyncE said, dark Giftum, that's a bright side in a
sort of a dark way. Gerald. Lydia raised a warning hand,
just stop, stop there, and don't say another thing until
I tell you it's okay, all right, because you're not helping, Sorry,
lady Gerald shrank just trying to stop. Gerald stopped. Lydia
closed her eyes and, as her yoga teacher had used
to instruct her, drew in a deep, calming breath through
her nose. Then she sighed and said, you know what
would help. As the only person who currently felt they
had permission to speak, Cynthia replied no, dear ripping David's
throat out, just hopping on the next flight back to Spain,
dropping by Cassa Underwood and murdering him slowly. And then
once I return in glory a vampire queen, after all
my dealings with James Harrington's master, I can then reclaim
my sect, and then hernandez alar Khan, Daventry and West
all of them all will fall on their knees and
bow before me as they should, said Cynthia brightly. All
hail Lydia beneath the table. Her knee nudged Gerald's. Ah, Yes,
said Gerald, all hail Lydia. Lydia smiled, thank you. So
is that the plan, then said Cynthia with a note
of cautious optimism. Are we going home to Spain? No,
at least not yet, not until I've met and won
over James's master, and that could take some time. But
what if David, I don't know, did something with the
sect in the meantime. I mean, he's sure to be
in touch with him, isn't he a tightness returned to
the corners of Lydia's mouth. Yes, yes he is. He
could create problems, Darling, telling them what you did to Underwood.
Oh that, Cynthia. Lydia snapped, damn it a bloody no. Chastened,
Cynthia lowered her eyes. Sorry, Darling, just trying to help.
Migirl had been watching all of this from where he
sat in disgrace, nursing the Lydia inflicted crockery wound on
his head. When no one spoke for thirty seconds, he
raised a finger. I have an idea, Lydia turned to him,
her low expectations evident in her face and tone. What
you're saying, how David took Beltrand from you, how he
killed your lover. Seeing Lydia close her eyes and not
knowing whether it was in grief or to banish the
sight of him. Miguel went quickly on, well, why don't
we do the same to him? His girlfriend is here
in England. No. For a moment, Lydia stood perfectly still.
Then the clouds of rage seemed to lift from her face. Yes, she,
Miguel smiled, So why don't we go and pay her
a visit. You can't take her from him like he
took Beltran from you. You mean murder, said Gerald, See
why not. Jerald was about to say why not, when
Lydia got in ahead of him with a slightly awe struck.
Oh my god. All eyes shifted to her, and Miguel,
delighted to see that his idea had had this effect,
said you like, eyes wide and looking into the middle
distance where her plan was taking shape. Lydia replied, we
get her to call him. We fascinate her and get
her to call David. Oh, she's terrified. Some men have
broken in. They want David there now or else. So
she calls him and she's all, oh, David, come quick.
Are they going to kill me? Ah? Yes, said Miguel,
this is even better than my idea. Of course, it's
better than your idea. You think just killing her would
be enough when we can use her as bait to
catch the fish we really want to skew her. Oh,
he'd have to drop everything, whatever he was doing, whatever
he was planning on doing, he'd drop it all to
come and save her. Yeah, Miguel grinned, and the when
he does, we are waiting for him. As soon as
he comes in, we strike. He smacked a fist into
his open palm. Gerald, not liking the idea of another murder,
was thinking deeper into Lydia's plan, envisioning Lisa's possible living
arrangements and seeing multiple homicides stacking up therein What about
her flatmates? What said Lydia her flatmates? Oh, girl, her
age isn't likely to be living alone, especially if she's
from Awed and over here to study English. I'd say
she probably lives in a shared house or flat, so
there's going to be let me stop you there, Gerald,
You're right she does. But according to the last report
from the Brighton detective we had following David, she's currently
staying at his flat. I suppose the poor thing needs
to study away from the racket of student digs, so
she's there all alone, just waiting for her prince to return.
So we'll be doing her a favor, won't we We'll
be getting him back to her all the sooner, all right,
said Gerald reluctantly. But surely David's going to be expecting
a fight. He'll come prepared with what again, h mcgirl scoffed,
What do we care? I don't know what with. But
he knows there's going to be trouble waiting when he
opens the door. Okay, so we had where Gerald laughed,
in the wardrobe behind the curtains. It doesn't i'mar aware.
All we need is for him to come inside. He
sees his girl. We have heard her, maybe we have
fed from her. She's bleeding, calling to him because we
fascinated her, said Lydia. Yeah, she's fascinated. She says whatever
we want. He comes in and then she bites him,
said Lydia, What, said mcgirl, frowning. She bites him because
we've made her a vampire. Oh, said Cynthia. Well that's
a dark twist. Why would you do that? What turn
his girlfriend into the weapon that kills or infects him
with the thing he despises most in the world. Lydia chuckled. Personally,
I think it's almost beautifully cruel, assuming he doesn't kill her,
said Gerald. Oh, dear, and how terrible would that be
for poor David. How soul wrenchingly, mind shatteringly horrific would
that be? Oh Lydia, said Cynthia. Talk about revenge being
a dish best serve cold. That's the coldest thing I
think I've ever heard. Yes, do you like it?
Speaker 2: Er?
Speaker 1: Cynthia, feeling a need for more positivity from the bens
in camp, smiled, yes, it's truly awful, Thank you, darling.
It'll be easy, peasy. We can wait in the car
down the road, and when we see David go inside,
we just wait a while for events to take their
natural course, and then we go back in, where we'll
find him either dying in her arms or her dying
in his. I mean, there's no way he's going to
want her to stay that way? Is there? Then? What?
Said Gerald? Well, if she's been in him, he'll be weak,
fading out. We can easily fascinate him and kill her,
maybe even get himmed kill her. Or if he's already
killed her, then he'll be consumed with despair. He won't
even see us come in. But when he does, he
looks into my eyes and he's all mine again. Either way,
he's mine to kill. Then a thought occurred to her, Hey,
we could bring him back here. Then there's no need
to hurry, is there? I can kill him at my
leisure that. Gerald said quietly. That really is quite monstrous.
Then he remembered to smile and added, bravo. Thank you.
Lydia went over to Miguel and stroked his cheek and
thank you, darling for giving me the initial idea. It's
now a perfect plan. Miguel took her fingers and pressed
them to his lips. Gratias, Lydia, for you, I do anything, actually,
said Gerald. I'm not sure if it is a perfect plan.
I don't mean to be a spoilsport, but if David's
been released from prison today, surely that isn't going to
give you much time to do it, is it? What? Well?
It could be telephoning people right now, couldn't he I'm
we a bit late, shit, Lydia hissed. What time is
he released? I don't know, said Cynthia. It just said
that he was to be released today. Lydia turned to
mcgirl get on the phone to Spain and find out.
Call the papers, call the police, call the bloody Prime
Minister if you have to, But find out what time
David was released, see Lydia. Miguel hurried out of the
room and upstairs to his mobile. It could have been
any time, said Lydia optimistically. He mightn't even be home yet.
I would have thought it was most likely this morning,
said Gerald. Then perhaps you'll have gone back to the
lawyer's offices, take care of business and so on. You
don't know that, Lydia snapped. Ah, no, I don't. You're right.
Of course, could have been lunch time, all this afternoon, oh,
even this evening, said Cynthia. But even if it was
this morning, Gerald, after what David's been through, I can't
imagine that sect business would be foremost on his mind.
He'll have just gone out of jail Underwood's dead. Lydia
is dead, and if he has inherited things, the house
or whatever. All told, it's going to be a lot
for him to deal with. I imagine he'll need time
to let it sink in. Get pissed, you mean, said Lydia.
The thought buoyed her. Yes, of course he will. He's
got nothing to stay so before anymore, has he? I
bet he had Hernandez take him to the nearest part
of the moment he got out, He's probably drunk as
a lord by now. Miguel came running down the stairs
and back into the room. Three o'clock this afternoon, he
was met by his lawyer. The news of the release
didn't cheer Lydia in the slightest shit. Well, there is
that good news, said Gerald. Like you say, he's probably
not even home yet, especially if he's gone out celebrating. No,
it is not good news. None of this is good news.
The bass that should still be banged up. Cynthia gave
her a sympathetic smile. I am sorry, Lyddy, not as
sorry as he's going to be when we get our
teeth into that little frouline of his. Uh so you're
still thinking of doing that, said Gerald. I mean, regardless
of whether David's gone home or down the pub, he'll
still have told Hernandez everything already, and he, in turn
will have passed it on to the sex. Top brass.
Lydia was unphased by top brass Gerald. In the absence
of underwood or we flinches, you're talking about a couple
of old geezer lawyers here in London, not al Capone
or Darth Vader. They won't do anything until they know
exactly what's happened and are certain that Underwood's debt. To
that end, they be wanting to speak to David in person,
so we have to kick him before that can happen.
But Charlie Lydia, this is going to have disastrous consequences
for you. You said a few days ago that if
they know you killed Underwood, then they turned the sect
against you. Killing David's only going to make matters worse,
isn't it. Ah. But they don't know I'm alive, nor
will they know that David is dead. He'll just be gone.
They'll conclude, based on his already established form of shunning
our family, that he's decided to do so again. Well,
but when they learned that you are alive, what then
two things? One I'll have a very different version of
events as to what happened at La Fantasia than David did,
and one that he won't be around to dispute either.
And two I will be a vampire. Deaventry and West.
That's the law firm. The lawyers in question their very
riise on debt is to serve a vampire. Used to
think Underwood was the only one, but now I strongly
suspect that he isn't. Going by what James has told
me of his master, that means that Daventry and West
and the entire sect bereft of their master may well
be pining for a new one. Isn't it somehow fitting
that that be me? I am, after all, a flinch
last of the bloodline and the last true guardian of
the late Lord Underwood. Well, I'm sorry to be a
stick in the mud again, Lydia said Gerald, but there
is one small issue. Lydia's eyes narrowed. What Underwood? Of course?
What if he isn't actually dead? I mean, isn't that
why we're here? To find out where the contents of
that removal Laurie are being sent, and then to see
if Underwood's going to be there to meet them. Lydia
picked up a packet of cigarettes on the table and
lit one. She smoked thoughtfully for a moment, then said,
so what if he is, Well, I think it's fair
to say he may be somewhat ticked off, don't you. Oh,
he's already ticked off with me, Gerald, I plotted to
kill him and David, and for that he sentenced me
to death. So what difference does it make if I
actually do kill David. Either way, Underwood wants me dead,
so I may as well get my revenge and go
out laughing in his face. Yes, said Cynthia. And of course,
if Underwood is dead, then this new killing David plan
does actually have some distinct advantages when it comes to
regaining control of the Sect. Jerald turned to her with
a questioning look, to which she replied, but we have
to think of the future, Jerry. If we're to become vampires,
we're going to need help from the Sect. We'll need guardians. Then,
hoping he would catch her intimation, she added, and so
will Lydia and Miguel. Unless you think that being their
guardians is a job you'd prefer us to do indefinitely,
she smiled as if she were joking. Gerald nodded, understanding, No, no,
of course, not that that wouldn't be good for anyone.
We'd make an awful pair of guardians, wouldn't we. Lydia laughed,
ha ha, you two guardians? Oh my god, what an idea?
Not that they wouldn't trust you to watch my back, Darlings,
I can't imagine anyone better, but I want you to
around for eternity. After all, we're black circle one and all. Huzzah,
Cynthia sang. Gerald refrained from huzzaing along with his wife
and turned to the wall clock. All right, then, well,
I suppose you'd better get going if you're going to
get this trap of yours set up and sprung tonight.
Lydia frowned. Tonight. Well, yes, David, even if he has
gone out on the piss tonight, he'll be on the
phone first thing tomorrow morning, won't they making arrangements with
the lawyers, his girlfriend, other friends back home. Shit, tonight,
damn it. I can't do this tonight. I've got to
deal with Inspector Redmond, and then I've got my dick
with James. Oh well, Gerald shrugged. Maybe tomorrow night, then,
with a bit of luck, David will go on a
bend of the last few days. No, we have to
get him out of the picture asap. Lydia turned to
mcgul clearly considering something, as if reading her mind. Miguel
stood up and pushed out his chest Lydia, let me
get him. I can do your plan exactly as you say.
I infect his girl, trap David, and then bring him
on to you. Lydia drew on her cigarette. She glanced
at the Bensons. No, there was no way they could
do it. This job absolutely called for a vampire. If
it couldn't be her, Miguel was the only other possible candidate,
but it was McGill, who had now repeatedly proven himself
to have serious issues with self restraint. I don't know,
she mused, This is a very important job, Miguel, Lydia. Please,
I am a vampire. I can do anything you can do.
On Seeing Lydia's eyebrows rise, he added hastily, I mean
in the sense of the vampire abilities. You know your
plan calls for these abilities. It's no good sending Gerald
or Cynthia. They can bite and infect his chica. They
can fascinate her, fascinate David. Not only you and I
can do this. Cynthia raised her nose in contempt. Well
we could if we were made vampires as well. No,
not yet, Darling, said Lydia, her eyes never leaving Miguel,
I need you and Jerry to stay human for now.
This didn't surprise either Cynthia or Gerald, something they confirmed
to one another as their eyes met in a shared glass.
Ants to Miguel, Lydia continued, you think you can do it?
I know I can, and I must, Lydia, I want
to try and repair the damage I did when I
kill Alice to make up for my accident. Lydia turned
to the Bensons. What do you think, Cynthia shrugged. Well,
he is a vampire. He can certainly do the physical things.
But but I'm sorry, Miguel, but Lydia threw those cups
and plates at you for a reason. Would you think
I am incompetent, Cynthia, Come on, it was one time two,
said Gerald. You're forgetting Monica. Okay too, but you can't
use this never to trust me again. I'm only human.
I mean I was human, but he is the same thing. Now.
We all make mistakes, but we learn from these mistakes
and become better because of them. Lydia, please give me
the chance I can do this. Lydia considered for a moment,
then looked at the clock. If he's going to do it,
he needs to go now, said Gerald. Yes, Lydia turned
to Gerald, and I want you to go with him.
What me why he can't do it alone? It's a
two man job. But I don't see what I can
do to help where you can drive. For one thing,
your name's on the car Hire ideal, not his, which is, now,
I come to think of it, a blot on your
copy book. Gerald. You shouldn't have let him have the
car last night. If you'd been there, this whole skip
fiasco could have been avoided. Well, Gerald halfed, suddenly indignant.
I beg your pardon, Lydia, but I was somewhat distracted.
We've been up all night cleaning up Miguel's bloody murder scene,
and I was exhausted, which is exactly why I need
you to go with him tonight, Gerald. Why because I
may exhausted, at which I am, by the way, No,
because if you're there, you can make sure that we
don't have another cock up like the skip incident. She
raised her eyebrows at him, imploring him to understand. Oh, yes,
I suppose you have a point. Satisfied and grateful, Lydia nodded,
thank you, Gerald. She turned to Miguel. All right, Miguel,
you're on, but Gerald's coming too. He'll drive you there
and back and make sure you don't have any little accidents.
There won't be any accidents, said Miguel, But I accept
that you know best. He inclined his head to her
in a small bow. Goodbye, Migaalito. She came over to
him and cupped his cheek. I know you'll make me proud. Well,
right then, said Gerald, rising. I suppose we'd better get going, yes,
said Lydia. And Cynthia and I need to go and
have some words with Inspector Redmond. I'm going to take
a quick shower now, Sin could you go online for
me and find a cheap hotel with rooms available for tonight? Yes?
But why I thought you and James were going to
the Dorchester. We are, but I need another place to
conduct my little chat with the inspector. Oh okay, well
I'll do that now. Cynthia was about to rise when
Miguel came hurrying over. No hold on. He sat down
beside her in the seat Gerald had just vacated. I
need to feed Cynthia. You said you would provide for me,
like Gerald just did for Lydia. Cynthia looked to Lydia,
who gave a short nod of approval. If he doesn't,
he'll be hungry when he's infecting David's girlfriend and we
can't afford that. Cynthia sighed and pulled up the sleeve
of her cardigan. Eh, all right, then, just go easy, Miguel.
I'm not a bottomless well of blood. Don't worry. I'm
in control, trust me. Cynthia felt an instinctive need to
pull her arm back when Miguel took it in both
hands and raised it to his mouth. Be gentle with me,
won't you, Miguel. Gentle is all I know, Cynthia. He
kissed the underside of her wrist, lingering a moment to
savor the rapid beating of her pulse against his lips.
You're in the safest hands, Cynthia gasped as he bit
into her, and all eyes in the room rested on
the back of Miguel's head as he began to suck
and slur at her wrist. Gerald came over to lay
a hand on Cynthia's shoulder, then he looked pointedly at Lydia.
The safest hand. Eh. Yes, Lydia turned and walked from
the room. Those'll be yours, Jerry. That's why you're going
see you in the morning. And so now we know
who turned David's girlfriend into a vampire trap back at
the start of season three. But there's just one thing.
Speaker 3: Why didn't they trap David and bring him home for
Lydia to kill? There are still secrets to uncover, my
friends in Underwood.
Speaker 2: And Flinch season six.
Speaker 1: The music you're listening to is Ahmad Ahma by Farid
Fajad from the album and Rusa Volume four, courtesy of
Taranay Records and our good friend Fawaz al Malud. You
can stream the track from Spotify, YouTube Music, Google Music,
and all the other music streamers out there. This podcast
continues after the break Welcome back, and so there we
are listeners. That was season six, episode two, and I
hope you enjoyed it. At Patreon, this chapter is Underwood
Flinch Underground episode forty seven. So if you want to
continue the story immediately, and you feel flush enough to
shut out a mere three dollars a month or your
local currency equivalent to sign up as a patron there,
then you can continue the Underwood and Flinch odyssey today,
starting at Underwood and Flinch Underground episode. It's just to
the math to forty eight ahzah. Okay, So a TV
show update, then, I'm pretty sure I said there would
be one, and so here we go. What's going on
with the possible Underwooden Flinch television series over there in
Hollywood or wherever it's happening. Well, as always, I'm afraid
there is no news. It remains in so called development
hell with no movement forward or back. Is this normal?
I don't know. I'm not a TV executive, but I
asked chat GPT what it thought, you know that found
of all wisdom that it is, and it said, I'll
just read you some of its answer. It's not uncommon
for Hollywood TV series to experience development hell, where a
project remains in a prolonged state of development without moving
forward into production. This can happen for a variety of reasons,
including issues with scripts, changes in creative direction, difficulties securing funding,
network or studio hesitations, or problems with securing talent. How
common is it? The development process for TV series is
inherently complex because it involves multiple stakeholders studios, network, show runners, writers, etc.
And getting everyone alive and can be a challenge networks
and streaming platforms are flooded with pitches and pilots, which
increases competition. A lot of series of greenlit for development,
but very few actually make it to production. Many well
known series spent years in development hell before getting made.
Some examples include Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan spent several
years trying to sell the show before IMC finally picked
it up. The Crown Peter Morgan worked on this project
for years in various formats before Netflix picked it up,
and Stranger Things The Duffer Brothers faced multiple rejections and
rewrites before Netflix eventually bought the series. So how long
can development hell last? The length of time a series
can remain in development hell can vary greatly. It can
last months, years, it says. More commonly, projects can remain
in limbo for several years as scripts are rewritten, casting
changes occur, or the network of streaming service deliberates on
its overall strategy, or even decades. In rare cases, a
series may stay in development for over a decade. For example,
the live action Halo series based on the video game
was in development for nearly a decade before it finally
premiered on Paramount plus in twenty twenty two, and Chat
says in conclusion, while it's not uncommon for TV series
to go through development, how the length of time can
range from months to decades. The process is often unpredictable,
and only a fraction of projects actually make it out
of this phase. So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen.
As you know, it's been years, it could be decades,
or it could all come to an end in the morning.
There's just no way of knowing. All we can do
is keep our fingers and toes crossed and hope for
the best. Right, So let's get to those comments of yours,
shall we. I know a lot of podcasters read listeners
facebook comments out on their shows, but it's not something
I typically do because it's not an arrangement we have,
is it. You know, you may not want your comments
read out on the show, but for this specific episode,
I did elicit the comments for airing on the show,
and so it's okay. So with no further ado, then
let's hear what you had to say in a section
that we'll call have your say. Here we go. This
is from the the Mike Bennett Facebook page. Hazel Smith says, yay.
I must admit I was late to the UNF party,
but I binged. I work alone and have my earbuds
in listened to you in F for three to four
hours Monday to Friday. Huzza, huzzar, indeed, Hazel, thank you. Scott.
Hayden says, congrats, Mike. I started listening to your podcast,
read through Dracula and then decided to give you an
effort go and I'm so glad I did. I started
out on the free feed on Spotify, but when I
caught up, I took the plunge and joined you on Patreon.
I've listened to the Devil of Claverton and the accompanying
Q and A podcast just building up to starting season eight.
Really hoping the network moves forward with the TV show.
I'm very intrigued as to what they have planned for it.
Keep up the great storytelling. Thank you, thank you, Scott,
and yes, sir, we were all really hoping the network
moves forward with the TV show. Fingers Cross Day. Alexis
Trasimus says, I found the brilliant Underwooden Flinch around twenty
fourteen and fell in love. I then devoured everything else.
Mike Bennett created, including one among the sleepless, and haven't
stopped since. I think Underwood and Flinch is so original
and filled with original plotlines and well developed characters. Add
in that Mike Bennett has perfected the art of audioner
eting and this is a winning combo. I cannot wait
for the TV series. In fact, I love Underwooden Flinch
so much that Mike Bennett is the only creator I
support with monetary donations, and I have uninterrupted for the
last eight years. Congratulations Mike. I look forward to another
one hundred episodes. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Alexis.
Speaker 1: Iris van Werden says, huzzah, congratulations Mike, Thank you Iris.
Carol Donohue says, I started listening to one undred and
Flinch in I think it was late two thousand and nine,
first to get me company as I painted a house
we had just moved into. Then the characters would accompany
me while walking the dogs. The dogs enjoyed longer walks
so I could stop the story at breakpoints. Those dogs
who are now ghosts and still come on the walks
and the current crew thank you well, Thank you Carol,
and I'm very sorry to hear about your late dogs.
But hopefully the as you say, the current crew are
keeping you company with similar canine enthusiasm. Maria Johnson says,
congratulations and thank you, Maria. Bryce Thompson says, really lovely stories, Mike,
you tell them perfectly. It really gets me in the
energy to do my ghost tours at night. Fantastic, Thank you, Bryce.
That's brilliant. Rebecca Erskine says, this is awesome. Yes, it
certainly is, Rebecca, Thank you. Nicole Valario says, whoa, and
as a little sort of a party popper there as well,
So that's a that's nice. Thank you. Nicole. Gal Zilberman says,
love the stories and the way you tell them. Even
the What's in my Fridge episodes are fun. Well, there's
something you don't hear every day. Thank you, Gal, appreciate it.
Pedia Stano Stano yich. I think I hope I've pronounced
that right. Pedya, congratulations, Mike Bennett. I started listening to
audiobooks in twenty sixteen while I was living in Malta
as I needed something to avert my mind from the job,
which I mildly said I didn't like. Then I stumbled
upon Underwood and Flinch on LibriVox. Oh my god, I
was fascinated immediately. Episode after episode. Then some of the
bad guys turned out to be the Serbs. As a Serb,
I was thinking, why again, Serbs? Sorry about that, Pedia,
But again I said to myself, we need the bad
guys in the book. Mike is a great writer. Just
go with the flow. I've listened to the first two books,
I don't know, maybe five times each. The third season
maybe three times. I'm not kidding. Now I live in
the UK and I'm still listening to my favorite book,
slash podcast Underwood and Flinch. Hopefully I will try Patreon.
Keep up the good work, Mike, amazing job. Ah, but
for me for now, at least until the moon rises again.
Over Underwood and Flinch, Farewell, farewell, Padia, and thank you
so much. Steve Morris says, it's been a wonderful ride.
Can't wait to see where you take us next. Thank you, Steve.
Nicholas Rapp says, I'm so happy for you and everything
you've created. The very first intro to Underwood was diabolical,
though it nearly gave me a panic attack. When he
was forcing the private Iti slit his wrist in the
bathtub as an aspiring writer. I can safely say I
was hooked on your impressive use of storytelling and dialogue.
It paints a picture in my mind that lets me
nearly be there in your story with the characters, especially
your personal narration of it. I'm a plumber from Colorado
in the US, and I listen to your audiobooks while
I work building America and or protecting the health of
the nation. I can safely say you have got me
through some strange days while crawling through endless, dark, vermin
and spider infested labyrinthian catacombs of the Midwest's Eldritch Estates.
Thank you, Nicholas, I will indeed, and I hope your
writing career gets you out of those spider infested labyrinthian
catacombs as soon as possible. Chris Jiamano says, it's been
so long since I listened, and I'm in a not
so financially stable place to rejoin your Patreon, but you
have legitimately helped me through some bad times in my life.
I've listened to Underwood and Flinch countless times, and there's
one part that still gets me every single time. It's
towards the end of the original run in the club
when David embraces who he is. I'm sorry, Miguel, but
I'm the guardian of Lord Underwood, a job for which
good men need not apply. Thank you for our conversations,
for the world you built, and here's to another eight seasons. Huzzah.
Thank you, Chris, and I do hope you get to
a more financially stable place soon. So that's the comments
there on Mike Bennett author facebook page. Now let's log
in as Underwooden Flinch Podcast vampire novel and see what's
going on over there. Again. I haven't read these yet,
I've been saving them up. Hopefully there's nothing horrible there.
If there is, maybe I'll read it, Maybe I won't.
Let's see wow twenty comments. Here we go. Tracy Grenfell,
your reading of Dracula first and then decided to check
out what else you were involved in. Obviously landed on
Underwooden Flinch and have been a fan ever since. Congratulations
Mike from it you'd low ulow you loow. Sunshine Coasts, Queensland, Australia.
Thank you, Tracy. Rudy S. Toledo says, congrats. The range
of stories in the Hall of Mirrors was great. And
the imagination given to Underwood and Flinch is wonderful. Thank you, Rudy.
Kirstin bower Lee says, congratulations. I came across your podcast
through listening to your Dracula reading. Love Underwood and Flinch
so much. I work midnights and it has been a
joy listening to all of your stories. Thank you, Thank
you Kirstin. It's nice to know there's another person that
found me through the Dracula reading. That's always interesting sort
of marketing knowledge. Thank you. Uh and Sheard Parker replies
to Kirstin Bowerley with the comment same, okay, well same
to you. Then shereed thank you. Rolling down we have
Stephanie Larsen Newland. Hello Stephanie, congratulations on the one hundredth episode.
I have been listening to your amazing stories ever since
I found one among the sleepers on Potio Books over
twenty years ago. In the years since I have started listening,
I have watched both of my kids grow from babies
to adults. Crazy how quickly time goes by, isn't it though? Yes,
I look forward to every episode of Underwood and Flinch
and wish you all the best. Huzza. Huzzah, Thank you, Stephanie.
Joe Dunn says, have been listening with my work mates
whilst gardening on why Hikey Island, New Zealand. Again. I
hope I pronounced that correctly. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Joe, and give my best regards to your
work mates. Alessio Bozo says, love the story, the voice,
the characters, the mood. Have been listening to the podcast
during long journeys between London and Edinburgh and between Germany
and Italy. It's been great company. Gratzy from Italy. Gratzy
to you too, Alyssio. Thank you. Sharon Boyne came across
Underwood Finch a few years ago and I'm obsessed. Told
everyone plus all your other staff. Mike is amazing. Thank you, Sharon,
and thank you for telling everyone. That's really really appreciated.
Ben Masters. We just love all of it, the story,
the voices, the characters. We've met some of those characters
in Spain. Goodness gracious, I hope only the nice ones, Ben,
Thank you. Chris Crouch says during working from home because
of COVID in twenty twenty, I wanted to try audiobooks
for the first time. So, as a fan of vampire
films who had never actually read Bram Stokers Dracula, It's
sing the obvious choice. Listening to Mike's excellent voice with
outstanding characterizations throughout, I was really looking forward to listening
to his own novel, written and performed for podcast. Not
only did I swiftly decide Underwood and Flinch was the
best van story I've heard, but I could instantly envisage
a TV or film adaptation way more successful than the
damp offering Twilight. I've thoroughly enjoyed the Q and A
podcast with Mike and Pauline, with one of mine actually
being mentioned in one of their recordings. Huzza, huzza. As
I'm a current Patreon subscriber, I'm obviously up to date
with the Underwood and Flinch universe, but to be honest,
I do miss my Binge listening during lockdown lol, although
during bus journeys or long walks. I'm guilty of beginning
from night crossing to Rebinge listening three times since finding
mister Bennett's masterpiece, and I don't feel bad about it either,
and nor should you. Chris, nothing wrong with an Underwood
and Flinch binge or three or four even or five.
So I can only thank Mike for creating such a
fabulous literature masterclass with such awesome characters and depths of detail.
That's lovely. Thank you, Chris and Iris Van Orden says
Chris Crouch, well said, well said, indeed, thank you, Iris,
desree El Desimuki Simmons says fan for life and then
gives a big thumbs up EMOJI. Thank you, Desre. It's
good to hear that. Raymond Tanner says, mesmerizing and neck
nippingly addictive. Thanks from Raymond and Odi. And then there's
little poor print. So presumably Odi is a dog, maybe
a cat, but Odie's more of a dog name, isn't it. Yes,
thank you Raymond and Odi.
Speaker 2: Of course.
Speaker 1: Robert Bobby d Davidson, Sorry, Davidson says I don't know
how we found each other, but I'm glad we did.
I listen at work making headstones, carving away the marble
to create an angel or a daffodil, be it in
granite or yorkstone. So basically we are linked with making
a living from death. And wow, I'm hooked already. Listen
to all your pods and I need more, Mike. You're
acting narrating skills are among the best, if not the best,
I have heard, and I would love to be bitten
and sucked by one of your vampire characters in a novel.
Take care, my friend, and when the full moon shines
down upon you, how like the crazy man you are?
Love and wishes Bobby D. Thank you, Bobby D. I'm
not sure if I will go out and howl at
the moon because my neighbors will probably throw things at me,
but I appreciate the sentiment. Nasa Hayes says, your dulcet
tones have kept me company for many, many thousands of
kilometers behind the wheel of a road train around Western Australia.
Thank you, thank you for your truly wonderful storytelling. Thank
you so much, Nasa. That's lovely, and I hope to
be keeping you company for thousands more kilometers in that
road train of yours. And then underneath that, she says
me leaving Norseman wa, what's that Western Australia. After getting
fuel heading for the Western Australia South Australian border with
approximately seventy two thousand liters of various wine on board, toot,
hang on, Oh wow, craiky, look at that. So a
road train is it's a like a like a mac
truck pulling not one, but multiple at least three three, yes,
three tankers, you know, like like it would be normally
it would be fuel tankers, but evidently in this case
it's wine. Goodness, I've never seen anything like that. The
roads around here don't accommodate things like that, I can
tell you. NESSA moving on ronder holder Bennett McKinley Owens says,
so exciting. It is exciting, isn't it. I'm very excited,
Thank you, Rhonda. And oh look, Alan Butcher visited Oldwitch
Station from Underwood under Flinch from Underwood and Flinch Underground
in a U and F T shirt. What a star
And that's that's brilliant. There's a picture of Alan there
that's absolutely fantastic. Carries Will Thompson Scott says, multiple handclaps
and can't wait. Thank you, carrist And finally here at
the Underwood Flinch Podcast of Vampire novel Facebook page, it's
Richard Poppy with all caps, best ever podcast. Thank you, Richard.
I couldn't agree more. But then you know that's me
and there is one more thing to read you, ladies
and gentlemen. I got a message through Facebook from a
listener who would prefer to remain anonymous, but she says,
good morning, Mike. Just listen to episode one of series six,
and of course I'm dying to hear the rest. You
mentioned celebrating unf's one hundredth episode. So I found Underwood
Flinch through your reading of Dracula, and I was so
impressed by your voices that I wanted to listen to
your other work, and since you were advertising UNF on there,
as soon as Dracula was finished, I listened to your story.
I was hooked and binge listened to it. Underwood and
Flinch helped me through my final year at university a
way to switch your brain off, as you said, but
it also helped me deal with a stressful period in
my life where my marriage was potentially ending. It didn't, thankfully,
but underwooden Finch gave me the space to disconnect from
my life and immerse myself in another, and it made
for excellent escapism. I also listened to your other work too,
another favorite being the story of the One that being
one among the sleepers of course, and as a former
professional dominatrix, those scenes had me howling. I love your
work and I hope to get to listen to your
stories for many, many more years. Kindest regards and name held.
But yes, thank you so much for that message. I
just wanted to say, it's so nice, you know, having
written about that whole sort of dominatrix thing in One
among the Sleepless from a position of never having seen
a dominatrix. Then you can take my word for that.
You'll have to take my word for that, but it's
so nice to know that I got it right, or
at least that it was credible in the ears of
someone who has done that for a living. So if
you haven't listened to One among the Sleepless, maybe that
will pique your interest a little to check it out.
It is in my podcast feed, which is the same
feed that you're listening to this episode in. So when
this episode finishes, why not scroll back through the podcast,
find One among the Sleepers and give it a go.
Why don't you? So that's it. That's all the comments,
well wishes and personal messages I received from listeners, and
that it's absolutely fantastic to hear from you all. Thank
you so much, and so I leave you. Thank you
for listening. I do hope you've enjoyed it, and that
you will stay subscribed to this podcast and the adventures
of Underwood and Flinch for another one hundred or two hundred,
or god knows how many episodes before it all finally ends.
Don't forget to tell someone about it. If you know
someone who likes podcast, or you've a friend or two
friends or three friends, tell them too. It would be
enormously appreciated by me and hopefully appreciated by them too.
Oh what a good idea. You're so clever and so strong.
But from me for now, until the moon rises again,
over Underwood and Flinch, take care and farewell.