MI5 – Do we really need an American version?

Spoiler Alert: For those of you that find yourself shying away from really fast rides at carnivals and fairs these days because of a weak stomach, please be advised you shouldn’t read any further. On the heels of the news of an upcoming Top Gear USA and possible American versions of both Doctor Who and Torchwood […]

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Last of the Summer Wine meets The Player

Now that reality has set in from last week’s announcement of the longest running sitcom in history, Last of the SummerWine, calling it quits, the Den of Geek offers up some of their best pitches to Last of the Summer Wine writer, Roy Clarke. In a scene reminiscent of Robert Altman’s The Player where the pitch […]

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Forget Lost & 24 – Think Ashes to Ashes

With all the talk centered around the final episode of Lost, Simon’s not on American Idol anymore, 24 is done after 9 seasons, you’d think television, as we know it, will cease to exist with the beginning of the 2010-2011 season. A couple of years ago, it was the end of The Sopranos and we […]

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US v. UK – a view from the 'other side of the pond'

Debra Craine with the TimesOnline opens the debate as to “Who Owns the Small Screen Now?” by asserting that, quite possibly, the Americans are winning the battle. One quick note, she’s talking solely about British vs. American drama here, not comedy. While I can agree with some of what she says when citing the likes […]

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Sherlock leaps to the 21st Century

While it’s sometimes difficult to get excited or even interested in adaptations of classic novels or literature, there’s one coming up that has me in an “I can’t wait” mentality. As we reported last month, the greatest detective of all-time, Sherlock Holmes, is entering the 21st Century, as written by Steven Moffat, the ingenious mind […]

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MI5, Hustle, Life on Mars – what's next?

Post, post BBC Showcase random thoughts…. Kudos Film & Television, the producers of MI5 (Spooks), Hustle, Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, have just been commissioned by BBC One to make a futuristic drama, Outcasts. Set in 2040 and created by Ben Richards, the eight-part series that follows a group of people setting up […]

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The return of Upstairs/Downstairs and more…

The return to 165 Eaton Place If Monday’s news of Sherlock coming to PBS wasn’t enough, there was the announcement yesterday that WGBH and the BBC have signed a major co-production deal to return to 165 Eaton Place with a new Upstairs/Downstairs. Jean Marsh, who won the Emmy for Best Actress in the original series will return […]

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Screenings and Sherlock in the 21st Century

Day two – more screening, more wind, rain and cold weather, then more screening. Another 10 hours of screening yesterday which means another opportunity to see some of the best television being produced today. Some highlights from the day: Hustle – from the producers of MI5 (Spooks) and Life on Mars, comes a really great […]

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BBC Showcase – Brighton, UK

Greetings from BBC Showcase, Day one As you were, hopefully, sleeping the night away this morning, tellyspotting was arriving at the train station in Brighton, England ready to attend the 2010 BBC Showcase on your behalf. What is BBC Showcase, you may be asking yourself? In simple terms, it’s an incredible meeting put on by […]

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Torchwood next up in the great American re-make sweepstakes

In, yet another attempt to take a great British series and “Americanize” it, Torchwood has drawn the short straw. I have two words for the particulars putting this together….Red Dwarf. Oh, and Coupling. Oh, yeah, three more words. Life On Mars. Learn from these attempted re-make mistakes. Anyone think of other failed attempts at American […]

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