2012 shaping up to be a great year for comedy output

Forget the annual Christmas Day BBC 1 vs. ITV 1 battle royal. 2012 brings an even bigger main event to the forefront with challenger, Sky 1 declaring they are poised to be the ‘home of original British comedy’ and taking on the perennial powerhouse, the BBC, on their home turf – comedy and light entertainment. […]

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Strictly Come Downton Abbey

Full credit to Ian Wylie, London-based freelance journalist with a particular interest and acute knowledge of all-things television, for the brilliant headline, photos and accompanying story. As we recently learned, one of the Downton traditions on Christmas Day is that the staff is traditionally given the day off and Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) takes charge […]

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To: Julian Fellowes; From: Judi Dench; Re: Downton Abbey 3

While the second series of Downton Abbey is coming to a cliff-hanging close on Christmas Day in the UK and with all eyes in the United States on Sunday, January 8, 2012 when the second series premieres as part of PBS’ Masterpiece, series 3 is just around the corner. As most everyone, except maybe the […]

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BBC1 vs. ITV1 in Christmas Smackdown 2011

Will 2011 be the year that ITV unseats the 600 pound giant in the room, BBC One, for Christmas Day ratings dominance? Cue Michael Buffer….Let’s get ready to rumble! The infamous long-awaited Christmas Day schedules for both BBC One and ITV1 have been set, sort of, (as of today, anyway) and war has officially been […]

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Happy 50th, Martin Clunes

The man known, in recent years, for his portrayal of the ornery, cantankerous, cranky (pick one) Doctor Martin Ellingham in the hit British comedy/drama, Doc Martin, turns the big 5-0 today. Thankfully, Martin Clunes has what his television alter ego seems to be without….a heart, as evidenced by the simple fact that you’d actually feel […]

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Giving thanks for British television brilliance

No matter where you are this Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a traditional time to take a moment and think about family and friends and the things you are thankful for. When it comes to the best that television has to offer, one can’t help but think of a few genuine gems from across the pond that […]

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It's a Doctor Who Christmas – The Doctor, The Widow & the Wardrobe

It’s never too early to begin thinking about the holidays. Unfortunately, with only 35 days to go before Christmas, this now becomes a VERY valid statement no matter where you are. Part of the UK Christmas tradition is to begin to piece together the Christmas Day telly battles and offerings between the BBC, ITV and […]

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It's an All Creatures Great & Small Christmas

More presents coming by way of the BBC to UK telly watchers as part of the annual blockbuster Christmas line-up. Word comes via the Guardian of an All Creatures Great and Small prequel, entitled Young Herriot which will focus on the vets early years in 1930’s Glasgow. The original series, based on the diaries of […]

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A Downton Abbey Christmas

As avid U.S. viewers of Downton Abbey are acutely aware, lucky UK telly watchers have already been treated to an early Christmas with the recent completion of the second series of the hit ITV series. But wait. There’s one more present to unwrap. Even though the Downton Abbey Christmas Special broadcast schedule has not yet […]

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Poirot and Miss Marple ↑ — Prime Suspect ↓

Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot The news couldn’t be any better for television drama fans, no matter which side of the pond you’re waking up to today. As tweeted a couple of days ago by the brilliant David Suchet (@David_Suchet), there are more Hercule Poirot episodes in the works from ITV. The upcoming season of Poirot […]

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