All change at the Vatican and in Palo Alto - but at least Bill and Ted go on

I did what a lot of people did on hearing news of the death of Pope Francis on Monday: I watched Conclave.

- Emma Brockes

Monday The Oscar-nominated movie, adapted from the Robert Harris novel, unpacks the process of electing a new pope and between Sunday and Monday it enjoyed a 283% surge in streaming figures. I'd like to say it deepened my understanding of life in the Vatican, but the truth is it just made me wish we could have Ralph Fiennes for pope, while reminding me - I'm not alone in this - that we've seen quite enough of Stanley Tucci for the time being.

The pope's demise was foreshadowed by an event that, like a plague of locusts, should trigger anticipatory dread in any context, which is the appearance of JD Vance. The US vice-president - a Catholic convert - was granted a brief audience with the pope on Easter Sunday, after what People magazine described as his "brushing off" by the pontiff the day before. After the vice-president's departure, the pope delivered his Easter address via an aide, which included the line, "how much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized, and migrants!" - surely a one-star Yelp review directed at the second most powerful man in the world.

Now we must wait; for the funeral on Saturday, followed by the puff of white smoke to indicate the election of a new pope, a reminder that the Catholic church never short-changes on theatrics. Among the handful of lead contenders we are, of course, feverishly hoping for success for the candidate with the name that's a small but perfect gift from God: Italian cardinal and top Vatican official to the Middle East, Pierbattista Pizzaballa.