Normal But Weird: Blending Familiarity With Unconventional Depths

Like This, Love This · January 08, 2026 · Listen to Original Episode →

Original Title:

TL;DR

Comedy's iterative feedback loop, where jokes are tested live, offers a more immediate learning process than filmmaking, which requires extensive preparation and lacks direct audience reaction.
Pursuing diverse creative interests, rather than focusing on a single medium, can lead to a fulfilling career, even if it means sacrificing potential financial gain.
The success of "Twin Peaks" demonstrates that compelling television can be built on atmosphere and emotional experience rather than solely on solving a clear-cut mystery.
"Time Bandits" showcases Terry Gilliam's ability to blend absurd fantasy with gritty realism, creating a child-friendly film that acknowledges the existence of genuine peril and complex consequences.
Wilkie Collins' "The Moonstone" established foundational elements of the modern detective novel, including red herrings and character-driven perspectives, influencing subsequent mystery fiction.
The success of "Twin Peaks" and "Time Bandits" highlights that commercially successful works can exist at the intersection of mainstream appeal and unconventional, "weird" artistic expression.
The epistolary novel format, as seen in "The Moonstone," allows for a nuanced exploration of societal perceptions and biases by presenting events through multiple characters' subjective viewpoints.

Deep Dive

Alasdair Beckett-King's creative journey reveals a consistent drive to explore the "normal but weird," blending accessible storytelling with unconventional depths. This approach, evident across his comedy, writing, and media production, highlights a fundamental insight: compelling narratives often emerge from the unexpected intersection of the familiar and the bizarre, offering both profound resonance and commercial success. The implications of this perspective suggest that embracing complexity and subverting audience expectations are key to creating enduring and impactful work, whether on stage, in print, or on screen.

Beckett-King's diverse output demonstrates a cohesive artistic philosophy. His podcast choice, "The Comedian's Comedian," by Stuart Goldsmith, serves as a masterclass in understanding the comedian's craft and industry survival, yet his own experience with the show reveals the psychological toll of intense self-scrutiny, indicating that even professional validation can trigger profound self-doubt. This tension between external recognition and internal anxiety underscores the personal cost of artistic pursuit. His TV choice, "Twin Peaks," revolutionized television by prioritizing atmosphere and enigmatic storytelling over straightforward plot resolution. The show's legacy, as highlighted by Beckett-King, lies in its creation of immersive, "dreamlike" worlds that inspire subsequent media, from "Stranger Things" to the works of Ryan Murphy, demonstrating how a willingness to embrace the incomprehensible can redefine genre and audience engagement.

Further illustrating this "normal but weird" theme, Beckett-King's film choice, "Time Bandits," exemplifies a childhood love for Terry Gilliam's blend of fantasy, history, and dark humor. The film's success, despite initial studio rejections, underscores the value of distinctive vision, supported by unexpected patronage like George Harrison's. Its impact on Beckett-King's own creative trajectory suggests that embracing unconventional visual styles and narratives can be a powerful catalyst for personal artistic development, even leading to an accidental career in stand-up comedy. Finally, his book choice, Wilkie Collins's "The Moonstone," represents the foundational elements of the modern detective novel. It showcases how early narrative structures, like epistolary storytelling, can be used to explore societal commentary, class dynamics, and progressive ideas about female independence, even within a seemingly straightforward mystery. The enduring appeal of these diverse choices lies in their shared ability to make the audience question the familiar, revealing the inherent strangeness and richness within everyday life and established genres.

The overarching implication of Beckett-King's selections is that authentic creativity thrives when it interrogates the boundaries of the expected. By consistently returning to themes of the peculiar within the ordinary, he demonstrates that profound connection and lasting impact are achieved not by providing easy answers, but by inviting audiences to explore complex, often unsettling, yet ultimately human experiences.

Action Items

Create a framework for analyzing narrative structure: Identify 3-5 core storytelling elements (e.g., clear question, character motivation, world-building) across selected media (TV, film, books).
Draft a "normal but weird" content creation guide: Define 3-5 principles for blending recognizable formats with unexpected or absurd elements, inspired by comedian's approach.
Audit creative output for "image-driven" moments: Review personal projects (writing, sketches) to identify and enhance 3-5 memorable visual concepts that drive narrative.
Implement a rapid iteration process for children's books: Establish a 2-week cycle for drafting and reviewing 1-2 chapters to ensure timely series completion for target age group.
Design a cross-media inspiration log: Track 5-10 recurring themes or techniques (e.g., epistolary narrative, unreliable narrators) observed in chosen media to inform future creative work.

Key Quotes

"Being an author is much more solitary than being a comedian because the audience is there while you're writing jokes and I've written the fifth and the reason for that is that children age really fast so if you want to if you want to write a series for them you have to write it quickly enough that they aren't like cool teenagers by the time you get to the last book and they're too cool to read them anymore."

Alasdair Beckett King explains that the rapid aging of children necessitates a quick writing pace for a book series. This highlights the practical considerations of writing for a young audience, where timeliness is crucial to maintain engagement before the target demographic outgrows the material.

"I made short films and I did uh I did little bits here and there but I never properly broke into the industry I'm not sure I've ever really broken into any industry properly but um I you know I was I was trying to make short films off my own back off my own off my own bat."

Alasdair Beckett King reflects on his early filmmaking endeavors, noting his struggle to gain a foothold in the industry. This demonstrates his persistent, self-driven approach to creative pursuits, even without immediate professional success.

"I think the weird thing about comedy is that you know it's it's got its hierarchy it's got its it's got its ladder that which stretches off but actually you can make a living just going around doing 20 minutes of comedy on you know on weekends to without being without being a famous person without being a household name and I think there's something sort of really respectable about being sort of an itinerant comedian that you know with a you know you've got you've got some good jokes and you're working on new jokes all the time."

Alasdair Beckett King discusses the accessible nature of making a living as a comedian, even without widespread fame. He expresses respect for "itinerant comedians" who consistently work on their craft and perform, suggesting that simply being paid to tell jokes is a significant achievement.

"I think it is just because I'm a frustrated would be filmmaker the only way I can persuade myself to make a sketch now is to think well what kind of lighting style can I imitate you know how can I I don't want to just spoof the tropes of a genre I want to I want to as much as I can with my face that is the same in every shot spoof the way that things are framed and shot and like the tone of things because that because I like all of that sort of thing."

Alasdair Beckett King explains how his YouTube sketches allow him to channel his filmmaking aspirations. He details his approach of imitating specific lighting, framing, and tonal styles of genres, rather than just parodying their conventions, demonstrating a deep engagement with cinematic techniques.

"The point is to experience it and to have uh it's a wonderful bizarre parodic show uh you know the first two series are a parody of soap opera the return is a parody of prestige streaming dramas but it's a completely sincere show about the power of love and goodness and cooper as this sort of uh holy fool character you know just a really good guy."

Alasdair Beckett King describes Twin Peaks as a show that, despite its parodic elements of soap operas and prestige dramas, offers a sincere exploration of love and goodness. He highlights the character of Cooper as a "holy fool," suggesting the show's deeper thematic resonance beyond its stylistic commentary.

"I love mysteries but the idea of reading the first mystery novel appealed to me and uh I think I think I'm fairly well up on wilkie collins's books because he's he's not as well remembered as his his pal charles dickens but he's like uh I think it feels like he's like the cool kids know about wilkie collins because like uh dickens is so mainstream man yeah dickens is like oh yeah you know you know classic lib but if you're a proper leftist you then you go for wilkie collins the much the slightly more radical."

Alasdair Beckett King expresses his interest in The Moonstone due to its status as an early mystery novel and his appreciation for Wilkie Collins. He contrasts Collins with Charles Dickens, suggesting that Collins appeals to a more discerning or "cooler" literary taste, positioning him as a slightly more radical choice.

Resources

External Resources

Books

"The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins - Mentioned as the first, longest, and best of modern English detective novels, introducing common tropes like red herrings and quirky detectives.
"The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins - Referenced for its intelligent and hard-headed female character, despite being described as unattractive.
"No Name" by Wilkie Collins - Discussed as a novel about two sisters who become actors to survive after their parents' marriage is invalidated, highlighting independent women in the 19th century.
"The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis - Mentioned as an example of an epistolary novel, similar to "The Moonstone" in its narrative structure.
"Robinson Crusoe" - Referenced as a source of wisdom and explanation for life's conundrums by the character Gabriel Betteredge in "The Moonstone."

Videos & Documentaries

Twin Peaks - Chosen as a TV series that kickstarted prestige television, noted for its world-building, humor, and exploration of love and kindness amidst incomprehensible evil.
Fire Walk With Me - Mentioned as the film companion to Twin Peaks, featuring a scene where a woman's dance is decoded by Gordon Cole.
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Referenced as a point of origin for Terry Gilliam's work and style, with connections to the film "Time Bandits."

Research & Studies

Structuralist interpretations of the fairy tale - Mentioned as the subject of Alistair Beckett King's dissertation during his film school studies.

Tools & Software

16mm cameras - Mentioned as equipment used during Alistair Beckett King's film production studies at the London Film School.
Steenbecks - Referenced as editing decks used in the early 21st century during Alistair Beckett King's film school education.

Articles & Papers

"All the Year Round" (Charles Dickens' magazine) - Mentioned as the publication where "The Moonstone" was originally serialized.

People

Alasdair Beckett King - Guest on the podcast, comedian, author, and creative mastermind.
David Lynch - Director of Twin Peaks, also mentioned for his role as Gordon Cole in the series and his creative decision-making process.
Terry Gilliam - Director of "Time Bandits," noted for his visual style, imaginative storytelling, and connection to Monty Python.
Michael Palin - Co-writer of "Time Bandits" and member of Monty Python.
George Harrison - Beatle who financed "Time Bandits" through Handmade Films.
David Warner - Actor who played "Evil" in "Time Bandits."
Ralph Richardson - Actor who played "The Supreme Being" in "Time Bandits."
John Cleese - Actor who played Robin Hood in "Time Bandits."
Wilkie Collins - Author of "The Moonstone," described as a more radical choice than Charles Dickens.
Charles Dickens - Author, mentioned as a contemporary of Wilkie Collins and a more mainstream literary figure.
T.S. Eliot - Literary critic who described "The Moonstone" as the first, longest, and best of modern English detective novels.
Sergeant Cuff - Celebrated detective from Scotland Yard who investigates the theft in "The Moonstone."
Gabriel Betteredge - Character in "The Moonstone," the butler of the country house, whose narrative forms the first part of the novel.
Drusilla Clack - Character in "The Moonstone," a pompous and pious cousin.
Franklin Blake - Character in "The Moonstone," a cousin who is the protagonist investigating the theft.
Mrs. Clack - Character in "The Moonstone," a pious Christian who leaves religious tracts.
Dezray Burch - Comedian, mentioned as a previous guest on the podcast.
Stuart Goldsmith - Host of "The Comedian's Comedian" podcast.
Eleanor Morton - Co-host of the podcast "Eleanor and Alistair Read That."
James - Co-host of the podcast "Lawmen."

Organizations & Institutions

London Film School - Institution where Alistair Beckett King pursued his master's degree.
BBC Radio 4 - Mentioned as the platform for Alistair Beckett King's own show.
Chortle Awards - Award ceremony where Alistair Beckett King won "Breakthrough Act."
Scotland Yard - Mentioned as the origin of Sergeant Cuff, the detective investigating "The Moonstone."

Websites & Online Resources

Cars.com - Mentioned as a platform for finding new and used vehicles.
YouTube - Platform where Alistair Beckett King hosts his channel, mentioned in relation to subscriber count and receiving a plaque.
Wikipedia - Source of information about Alistair Beckett King's education, which he deliberately does not correct.

Podcasts & Audio

Love This, Like This - The podcast featuring the interview with Alasdair Beckett King.
The Comedian's Comedian (with Stuart Goldsmith) - Chosen as a favorite podcast, offering masterclass interviews with comedians about their craft and industry survival.
Eleanor and Alistair Read That - A podcast co-hosted by Alistair Beckett King and Eleanor Morton, where they read and discuss children's books.
Lawmen (with James) - A podcast co-hosted by Alistair Beckett King and James, focusing on folktales and local legends.

Other Resources

Point and click adventure game - Genre of video game, exemplified by "Nelly Cootalot."
Nelly Cootalot - A point and click adventure game created by Alistair Beckett King.
Adventure X - An annual game writing event.
Nordic Noir - A genre of crime fiction and television, referenced in relation to one of Alistair Beckett King's popular YouTube sketches.
Prestige television - A category of television programming, with Twin Peaks cited as a groundbreaking example.
Soap opera - A genre of television drama, with Twin Peaks' early seasons described as a parody of it.
Epistolary novel - A literary genre where the narrative is told through documents such as letters or diary entries, exemplified by "The Moonstone."
Red room scenes - A distinctive element of Twin Peaks, associated with Dale Cooper's visions.
The Black Lodge - A mysterious location featured in Twin Peaks.
Trilogy of Imagination - A series of films by Terry Gilliam, including "Time Bandits."
IP (Intellectual Property) - Discussed in relation to how "Twin Peaks" is better off not being treated as a piece of IP.
Who done it - A subgenre of detective fiction, with "The Moonstone" considered a proto-example.
Gothic - A literary genre, mentioned in conjunction with mystery in "The Moonstone."
Muppet Christmas Carol - Mentioned as a film with straight performances that work well, similar to "Time Bandits."
Marvel Universe - Referenced as an example of established fictional universes, contrasting with the unique creation of Twin Peaks.
Star Wars Universe - Referenced as an example of established fictional universes, contrasting with the unique creation of Twin Peaks.
American Horror Story - A television series created by Ryan Murphy.
The Examiner - A recent book by Janice Hallett, mentioned as a modern interpretation of the epistolary novel format.
The Appeal - A book by Janice Hallett, mentioned as a modern interpretation of the epistolary novel format.