Even though the hit ITV/PBS drama, Downton Abbey, has had a presence at the Primetime Emmys the past couple of years, this year they have a lot of company that they are bringing with them from across the pond, laying further claim to the fact that the UK continues to produce the best television on […]
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Insert Michael Buffer here – Let’s Get Ready to Rumble….. With the recent American Film Institute honoring of Shirley MacLaine with their 40th “AFI Life Achievement Award”, a number of celebrity friends paid tribute to the on-screen achievements of MacLaine. Of obvious interest to PBS viewers of that little series we call Downton Abbey was […]
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The recent announcement that ITV2 was developing what, they hope, would be a ‘channel-defining sitcom’ was not only another example of broadcasters (e.g. Sky, Channel 4, ITV) commitment to increase comedy output but reminded me of a classic 70’s BBC sitcom during the golden age of comedy when it was essentially the BeeB or nothing […]
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The 2012 BAFTA Television Awards have come and gone with the usual ‘some surprises, some expected’ best of the best in British television awards handed out on Sunday evening. A couple of quick personal observations…accent on personal observations. Full disclosure – I haven’t seen either Appropriate Adult or The Fades so they could be quite deserving […]
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Sadly, the BBC’s 40-year renovation project at 165 Eaton Place has come to an end. Upstairs Downstairs has been axed following a relatively poor showing for the second series in the UK. The second and final six episodes of the updated Upstairs Downstairs series will air in the States beginning in October 2012 as part […]
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After 22 years and 65 films, the brilliant David Suchet is allowed to feel a bit ‘gutted’ at the thought of bringing Hercule Poirot to completion. With the upcoming production of the final five adaptations of the remaining Poirot novels, Suchet will have played the infamous Belgian detective in every Agatha Christie story every written […]
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Downton Abbey 3 Spoiler Alert! January 2013 sounds like a long way away, but its really not. Even Fall 2012 sounds far off for the UK premiere of the most popular drama to hit ITV and PBS in more years that I can remember. It’s been too long since the local chapter of the Downton […]
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In Entourage, Jeremy Piven was the epitome of the arrogant Hollywood movie agent. The 3-time Emmy award winner for Best Supporting Actor for his brilliant portrayal of Ari Gold, Piven is now rumored to be trading in the ‘lunch in LA, dinner in NYC’ lifestyle to take the role of American entrepreneur Harry Gordon Selfridge, […]
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Just like the incredibly important job of the editor, a brilliant music soundtrack can elevate a good story into a great one. PBS Masterpiece viewers will, no doubt, remember the haunting soundtrack to Case Histories with Jason Isaacs broadcast last Fall. With the U.S. broadcast of Endeavor with Shaun Evans set for a July 2012 […]
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As Julian Fellowes’ Titanic premiered on ITV1 last night, some in the leering press leading up to the broadcast continually referred to the Julian Fellowes project that, essentially, killed time between Downton Abbey 2 and Downton Abbey 3 as Downton Abbey at Sea. Call me crazy but I see absolutely nothing wrong with that comparison […]
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