‘Ordinary Lies’ heads to public television this Spring

There are several new British comedies headed to a number of public television stations over the course of the next few months. Having touched briefly on both Still Open All Hours and W1A, we turn our attention to Ordinary Lies, a series that starts a bit slow, can be a bit gripping at times but is, ultimately, brilliant […]

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‘Home Fires’ headed to PBS, ITV

When it rains drama on PBS, it pours. Next up in the long line of ‘well worth your time television viewing to help you deal with the fact that there’s still 9 months until both Downton Abbey and Sherlock return’ is Home Fires, the series inspired by Julie Summers’ non-fiction book, “Jambusters”. The 6-part series is set to transmit […]

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PBS' Masterpiece delivers with Call the Midwife tonight!

When Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine) first arrives in London’s East End, she knows nothing about hardship, poverty or indeed, life itself. Raised in the wealthy English countryside, she’s previously spent time in Paris and could have chosen any career. But she chose to become a nurse and now, as a newly qualified midwife, Jenny has […]

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BBC Showcase – Day one: Drama

It’s now down to business at the 2012 BBC Showcase and the opportunity to screen the best of the best when it comes to telly from the BBC. As we make the grueling 50 yard trek over bitter terrain from the hotel lobby to the screening booths for the 2012 BBC Showcase, it’s immediately clear […]

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Call the Midwife – Sunday night drama in 2012

Thankfully, Mad Men is set in the 60’s putting an end to inconceivable bandwagon-jumping comparisons between the hit AMC series and the upcoming BBC series, Call the Midwife. The series, which will focus on the joys and hardships of a group of midwives working in London’s East End in the 50’s is definitely not your typical […]

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Judi Dench talks situation comedy

Let me just start this off by, again, saying that I think Dame Judi Dench is about ten shades of brilliant. Now, B.B. King may still be the hardest working man in the music business, but you just can’t convince me that Jay Leno should continue to be tagged by his peers as the hardest […]

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A Zen moment for PBS begins Sunday on Masterpiece

Rufus Sewell stars as Aurelio Zen, a Venetian detective who possesses “an unfortunate reputation for honesty“. As you can imagine, this presents a challenge in the somewhat morally complicated world of the Italian police. A doubly hard existence especially when you are in Rome and are Venetian. Based on author Michael Dibdin’s international best-selling Italian detective […]

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Upstairs Downstairs opens its' doors tonight on PBS

It’s been almost a lifetime since a young head parlor maid, Rose Buck (Jean Marsh), put her hand on the bannister at an empty 165 Eaton Place for what, she thought, would be the last time. Little did she know that some 40 years later, she would return full of memories and put her hand […]

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Upstairs Downstairs….165 Eaton Place gets a facelift

Scheduled for Boxing Day (26 December) on BBC One, with parts two and three to follow the next two days, UK viewers don’t have long to wait before we return to 165 Eaton Place (U.S. premiere is set for April 10, 2011 on Masterpiece Classic). On the surface, the challenge of bringing back perhaps the […]

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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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