PBS' Sherlock — 'Must see TV' — Sunday

Having just watched a stellar 4-part documentary from the BBC on the history of NASA, it seems appropriate to begin today’s post with a space reference. T-minus 36 hours and counting until the premiere of Sherlock on PBS Critics agree from coast to coast. Perhaps the best example of the phrase “…if you watch one […]

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Dateline New Orleans: 2010 BBC Showcase

Working extremely hard on your behalf, it’s Thursday and we find ourselves in New Orleans attending the third annual BBC Syndication Showcase meeting. New Orleans?  BBC? Fair questions. Well, this is THE meeting where public television programmers from around country sit in a room for several days screening BBC programming for possible acquisition and broadcast. As […]

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Downton Abbey – January 2011 on PBS

All I need to do is mention Downton Abbey upfront and fans of British television on both sides of the pond will know of what I speak. Written and created by Julian Fellowes, Oscar-winning writer of Gosford Park and star of Monarch of the Glen, and starring the likes of Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and […]

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Classic moments from Rutland Weekend Television

Trolling around the internets today we stumbled on an interview with Eric Idle for the Scotland on Sunday website referencing Idle’s hit musical, Spamalot, was coming to the Playhouse in Edinburgh beginning tonight, 18 October. Having seen the original some years back in Chicago with the likes of Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce and Hank […]

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Connie Booth checks out of Fawlty Towers – for good

It’s an old story, but one worth re-telling. You’re an actor/actress targeted for life for a role done a lifetime ago. A legion of fans worldwide don’t want to let go. It’s something that every actor worries about. In the world of British comedy alone, just ask Patricia Routledge (Hyacinth Bucket), John Cleese (Basil Fawlty) […]

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British comedy duo French and Saunders "getting the band back together"…

“Chuffed to blooming heck…” is how Dawn French described her feelings regarding the news of her and long-time British comedy partner, Jennifer Saunders, reuniting to host three, 2-hour, programs for BBC Radio 2 this holiday season. The French and Saunders programs can be heard on Boxing Day (26 December), New Year’s Day (1 January) and 3 January with […]

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BBC reveals what we've all known for some time…

In a not-so-earth-shattering, earth-shattering, announcement, the BBC, yesterday, revealed what we’ve all known for a long, long time. Doctor Who is immortal. The reasoning behind the timing of the announcement points directly from the edict of the Time Lords, which has long stated that Time Lords can only regenerate only 12 times before they die. […]

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The concept of British comedy as explained by the Mighty Boosh

The British comedy team of Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding, a.k.a. The Mighty Boosh, were recently presented with a difficult task. Explain the core component of British comedy as we know it. Not too daunting a task to try and put into words. Using their own hugely successful series, The Mighty Boosh, as an example, Barratt […]

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The Doctor invades Utah desert

Finally putting all the rumors to rest, the BBC announced just this past week that Doctor Who will be filming in early November in the Utah desert for the upcoming two-part season six premiere. For those that have followed the series closely over the years, this will be the first time filming for the series […]

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John Lennon – a belated 70th b-day remembrance

We’re still a little over a month away from a not-to-be-missed American Masters doc, but since this past Saturday would have been John Lennon’s 70th birthday, we thought it was the perfect time to share this recently released preview of the upcoming LENNONYC program on PBS and KERA. For those that may have missed a couple of […]

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