‘The Coroner’ continues the changing face of daytime drama in the UK

In America, ‘daytime dramas’ have always been called ‘soaps’ and largely said with a bit of a snicker when talking about them to others. More often than not, ‘soaps’ are considered guilty pleasures in the States where viewers find it difficult to admit that they know that Tracy Quartermaine’s life was saved by Dr. Marcus […]

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‘The Durrells’ is full of warmth, humor and just plain fun

One of the brightest spots in the drama category at the recent BBC Showcase in Liverpool was The Durrells. Based on ‘The Corfu Trilogy’, three autobiographical novels (which include ‘My Family and Other Animals​’​) by environmentalist Gerald Durrell​,​ ​The Durrells is set on the Greek Island of Corfu in 1935, ​and ​follows the adventures of Gerald and his […]

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‘Call the Midwife’ promises to both uplift and upset as series 5 cycles its way to PBS

UK viewers closed the book on another gut-wrenching series of Call the Midwife last night. Without exception, the Heidi Thomas creation has to be considered the most fearless series on television. Having dealt with domestic abuse, prostitution, infant mortality, homosexuality, racism, poverty and alcohol addiction, the series tackles its most difficult and/or boldest subject to date when Call the Midwife returns […]

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The day ‘Downton Abbey-Nation’ hoped would never come

Oddly, in this instance, the seventh and final game of baseball’s World Series is a bit like tonight’s broadcast of Downton Abbey. Stay with me here. Just like the seventh and final game of the World Series, you know that no matter who wins, the next day there is no baseball. After tonight’s broadcast of the ninth […]

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Grab Your coconuts and ‘Seek the Grail’ Sunday night on KERA

If you are a British comedy fan, you’ve probably watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail until you can quote this dialogue like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. If you’re like me, this is one of those movies that when you’re flipping around on the remote no matter where you are in the film, you stay put and watch […]

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‘Maigret’ + Rowan Atkinson = stunning!

Given his trademark pipe, fondness of fine alcohol and reliance on godlike intuition in solving cases, the character of Jules Maigret is frequently referred to as the Sherlock Holmes of France. Having first appeared in print in 1931, Maigret is the creation of Belgian author Georges Simenon who wrote 75 Maigret novels and is considered […]

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A London re-cap including a brush with Bill Nighy greatness

I knew this would happen. First day back on U.S. soil from a jam-packed two weeks in the UK for the 2016 BBC Showcase in Liverpool and I find myself wide awake and it’s just a bit shy of 4:00am local time. Guess it makes sense considering it’s almost 10:00a London time which is what I’ve […]

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First look at ‘Grantchester’ S2, returning tonight on ITV with PBS not too far behind!

Heads up, Grantchester fanatics! James Norton (Happy Valley, War and Peace) reprises his role as Sidney Chambers, the charismatic, charming, crime-fighting clergyman, and Robson Green (Touching Evil, Strikeback, Wire In The Blood) returns as his partner in crime, Detective Inspector Geordie Keating, when the second series of Grantchester begins tonight at 9:00p on ITV. Not to worry U.S. Grantchester fans, the […]

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