With a majority of the commercial networks setting their Fall schedules this week with their respective upfront presentations to advertisers, PBS announced Tuesday at their annual meeting in Miami Beach the date of January 5, 2014 for the long-awaited return of Downton Abbey and the premiere of series 4. Approximately 8 million viewers tuned […]
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Looking to capitalize on Downton Abbey mania, PBS has commissioned a multi-generational American drama with all the hallmarks of the hit British drama — an arranged marriage, class conflict, sweeping vistas and history. Leave it to the New York Post to call it Downton Abbey…with flava. The PBS pilot, which carries the working title “Alta […]
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Ok, I’m having a really hard time with both of these. Harder than my usual rant when it comes to the concept of an across the pond re-do of a successful series. Seems as though the U.S and the UK are getting ready to trade remake attempts of highly successful situation comedy series in the […]
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I can only imagine the commissioning pitch for Mad Dogs. Probably started off as ‘…it’s somewhat of a Fargo meets Twin Peaks meets Sexy Beast meets Mulholland Drive mash-up’. Thankfully and selfishly, for me, Mad Dogs was commissioned because it is pure guilty pleasure telly greatness. To start with, it has an unbeatable cast […]
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On the virtually impossible outside chance that The Rolling Stones sound a bit off during their current “50 and Counting” tour which began this past week at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, they have a good reason. According to Downton Abbey star, Laura Carmichael (Lady Edith), guitarist Ronnie Wood confessed the Stones’ love of […]
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Normally, if I heard that an actor or actress was attempting to follow in the footsteps of Benedict Cumberbatch, I would say just move on and get in another profession. In this case, however, I think Downton Abbey‘s Michelle Dockery will be ok, even though when the star of the BBC’s Sherlock (and just about […]
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Finding out earlier this year that the brilliance of Neil Gaiman was tapped to write another Doctor Who episode for the second half of series seven and with the knowledge that it was about the Cybermen was almost cause for more excitement than the law allows. Gaiman’s first episode for the series, the 2011 episode […]
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Apparently, there is very little that Hugh Laurie cannot do. From his brilliant comedy work in Blackadder, A Bit of Fry & Laurie and Jeeves and Wooster to playing everyone’s favorite TV curmudgeon, Dr. Gregory House, to his best selling author effort with The Gun Seller (1996), it’s time for Laurie, yet again, to conquer […]
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While it’s often been said by those involved both in front of and behind the camera, whether it be comedy or drama, the strength of a supporting or ensemble cast is right up there in setting British television output apart from the rest of the world of telly. Besides the writing, casting is spot on […]
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Given that there are still a few episodes left in the first series of Mr. Selfridge for U.S. audiences, there may be more spoilers than the law allows in today’s post so read on at your own peril if you are in the U.S. It’s safe to say that in both the U.S. and the […]
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