Welcome to Rosie the Reviewer, a Dutch-Canadian female-led WW2 media podcast. A new episode airs every Friday!

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8th Air Force

Ep 103 – Beb, Bob, and The Bombardment – When Your Liberators Drop the Bombs

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by Lisa Koolhoven, Dutch historian and WWII Rotterdam bike tour guide, and Kristen Hayford, American-in-the-Netherlands, who joined forces to make the podcast Beb & Bob | Collateral Damage about their journey to discover whether their grandparents’ paths may have crossed in the Forgotten Bombing of Rotterdam by the Allies.

Together, we review The Shadow in My Eye (2021), a Danish film based on Operation Carthage, during which the RAF accidentally bombed a school in Copenhagen in March 1945.

We discuss the myth of the faultless liberator, what mainstream war media consistently refuses to show, and why the words ‘collateral damage’ carry so much weight.

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Band of Brothers

Ep 86 – Bruce McKenna on The Pacific, Band of Brothers, and the stories he’d like to tell.

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we welcome an extraordinary guest: Bruce McKenna, co-executive producer, creator, and principal writer of The Pacific, and writer of the Bastogne episode of Band of Brothers. We talk about the moral stakes of war, what made it into the episodes and what didn’t, and why everything is about narrative and theme.

We explore Bruce’s creative process and the kind of stories he likes to tell. This one may change how you look at WWII media.

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Rosie the Reviewer the Monuments Men cover image
European Theater

Ep 82 – The Monuments Men – Art Preservation During WWII

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we talk The Monuments Men (2014), George Clooney’s glossy take on the true story of Allied soldiers racing to rescue Europe’s art from the Nazis. Joined by Merc, we unpack the film’s stacked cast, its mix of humour and drama, and why it never quite decides if it wants to be a comedy, a war drama, or an art heist. From Rose Valland’s secret lists to the missing Ghent Altarpiece, we explore what’s fact, what’s fiction, and why the real story deserves better.

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Image features SAS Duty Before Glory book cover, an image of Tony Rushmer and a sepia toned photo of Reg Seekings, Eric Musk and Bob Seekings, courtesy of Bob Seekings' family.
Author Interview

Ep 79 – SAS: Duty Before Glory – A Conversation with Tony Rushmer

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by journalist and author Tony Rushmer, whose book SAS: Duty Before Glory tells the story of Reg Seekings, one of the original members of the Special Air Service. Tony talks to us about how a documentary during lock down led him from sports journalism to writing about this WWII history that started in the Fens.

Alongside our returning guest George, we take a closer look at Reg Seekings: his humour, his friendship with Johnny Cooper, and his stoic yet warm nature. Tony shares how he came to know the Seekings family, his conversations with the late Mike Sadler, and the rich archival work and Reg’s personal recollections that shaped his writing. We also touch on the portrayal of the SAS in Rogue Heroes and how storytelling, fictional or not, keeps history alive for new generations.

We’re also happy to report that Tony recommends five excellent books on WWII at the veryend, so stick around to find out.

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Rosie the reviewer the pacific episode 77
eugene sledge

Ep 77 – The Pacific – Closing Out the Best War Show of All Time (Part Three)

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we wrap up our three-part discussion of The Pacific (2010) with episodes 7-10. Brace yourself for the brutal fighting on Peleliu and Okinawa to John and Lena Basilone, his final chapter and the long road home for Eugene Sledge and Robert Leckie. Alongside our returning guest George, we talk about leadership, disillusionment, the role of civilians, and the way grief and memory follow these men long after the war ends.

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Rosie episode the pacific part two
eugene sledge

Ep 76 – The Pacific – Episodes 4-6 the Battle of Peleliu and More (Part Two)

Joining us to discuss episodes 4-6 of The Pacific (2010) is our friend Merc. We get into the meaty middle part of the show, saying hello to some new favourites (and clinging to them before they have to leave us again) while watching others go home. Its’ Peleliu time, which means everyone is having a terrible time. And Pavuvu, which is apparently not much better.

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Rosie the Reviewer their finest title card
donut dollies

Ep 74 – Their Finest – Wartime Propaganda with The Donut Dollies

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by Winnie and Gabby from the Donut Dollies podcast to discuss Their Finest (2016), Lone Scherfig’s adaptation of Lissa Evans’ novel Their Finest Hour and a Half. Together we unpack the film’s blend of romance, tragedy, and wartime propaganda, as well as how it compares to the book. Surprisingly much debate about Sam Claflin’s casting, the power of women in the Ministry of Information, and why Bill Nighy steals every scene as Ambrose Hilliard. Plus, the real history of women in Britain’s propaganda machine.

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Rosie the Reviewer episode 70. Walking with the Enemy
European Theater

Ep 70 – Walking with the Enemy – Hungarian WWII History Unpacked (with our friend Katie!)

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we review Walking with the Enemy (2013), exploring its depiction of WWII Hungary, the life of Elek Cohen (loosely based on Pinchas Rosenbaum), and the country’s political shifts during the war. We discuss standout performances, the film’s narrative choices, and are joined by our friend Katie, who shares insights into Hungary during WWII.

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Eighth Air Force

Ep 69 – Masters of the Air – Tuskegee Airmen, POW Marches and Closing Thoughts (Part Three)

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re wrapping up our three-part journey through Masters of the Air with a look at episodes 7-9.  We’re once again joined by George! From the marches out of Stalag Luft III to Rosie Rosenthal’s decision to fly more missions and Croz sleeping through D-Day. We get into the show’s depiction of the Tuskegee Airmen and see where everybody ends up. Safe flight, Masters!

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Eighth Air Force

Ep 68 – Masters of the Air – Rosie Rosenthal, Black Week and the Hundredth’s Losses (Part Two)

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we continue our Masters of the Air series with episodes 4 through 6. George is back again to help us cover everything from Quinn and Bailey’s escape routes to Black Week, and welcome Rosie Rosenthal. We break down new character arcs, major missions, and quiet emotional … uh, breakdowns, including Bucky’s slow downward spiral, Crosby’s grief, and Rosie finding his rhythm (with some help from Artie Shaw).

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Eighth Air Force

Ep 67 – Masters of the Air – The Spielberg-Hanks WWII Saga (Part One)

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we cover the first three episodes of Masters of the Air, the latest Spielberg-Hanks WWII series following the Bloody Hundredth Bomb Group. Joined by our resident SAS Rogue Heroes correspondent George to talk about not the SAS, we unpack what works and what doesn’t. From Buck and Bucky banter to B-17 flight scenes you come to a WWII show for. We talk ball turrets, bike races, bomber boys, what we think is a missed opportunity to cast a critical look at the morality of bombing strategies.

Plus: why Harry Crosby’s memoir is a must-read, how the ground crew kept the B-17s flying, and straight-out-of-Blackadder Brits.

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Clare Mulley

Ep 63 – Clare Mulley on the Women Who Fought – Polish Paratroopers, Nazi Test Pilots & Churchill’s Favourite Spy

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we’re joined by award-winning historian Clare Mulley, author of The Spy Who Loved…, The Women Who Flew for Hitler, and Agent Zo. We talk about Polish paratrooper Elżbieta Zawacka (Zo), Nazi-resisting test pilot Melitta von Stauffenberg, and the razor-sharp Christine Granville. Clare shares how she builds trust with her readers, balances storytelling with historical rigour, and restores women to their rightful place in the WWII record. And, this episodes is full of stories about the heroic women Clare writes about. You’ll want to pick up a book or two after this!

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Book

Ep 58 – Other Than Honorable – A Riveting Debrief with Spy Fiction Author Matt Hartman

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, we sit down with Matt Hartman, retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer and author of the WWII spy thriller Other Than Honorable. We talk about writing spy fiction, morally complex heroes, the feeling of Berlin on the brink of war and what it’s like building a Jason Bourne-ish spy with zero suave and actual consequences. From the emotional roots of Ridge Frost to Hartman’s enigma rabbit holes, this one’s got historical deep cuts, an awkward leading man and a leading lady who might be more competent than the man himself. We love spy shit.

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Bobby Schofield

Ep 54 – Bobby Schofield on Playing Dave Kershaw in SAS Rogue Heroes, Being a History Nerd & WWII Acting

In this episode of Rosie the Reviewer, actor Bobby Schofield joins us and SAS Rogue Heroes Correspondent George to talk about his role as Corporal Dave Kershaw in SAS Rogue Heroes (available on BBC iPlayer, MGM+, and Max). We explore his journey from lifelong WWII history nerd to series regular, including the deep research and sleuthing that shaped his portrayal. Bobby shares stories of on-set camaraderie, unscripted lines like “No pasarán!”, and the emotional weight of playing a real WWII figure. We also discuss hopes for Season 3, listen to Bobby nerd out about Band of Brothers and grill him about life on set.

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