Considered by many as the most successful and influential British drama series ever to have graced the small screen, one thing was always clear over the five seasons of the original Upstairs Downstairs, the inhabitants above and below the stairs at 165 Eaton Place are quite the resilient bunch. They’ve survived social change, political upheaval, […]
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Belgravia, 10 April: Thankfully, 165 Eaton Place recently took down the “To Let” signage and opened it’s doors once again after some 40 years of being on the market. The BBC signed a long-term lease on the newest incarnation of a television classic with the commissioning of a second series for a late Fall 2011 […]
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Still suffering from Downton Abbey separation anxiety? Can’t wait for the Upstairs Downstairs premiere on PBS’ Masterpiece series in April? Not to worry. The greatness that is Red Nose Day 2011 handed the airwaves to Jennifer Saunders, Kim Cattrall and Harry Enfield in an attempt to satisfy both ailments. The result? Uptown Downstairs Abbey, obviously. […]
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It’s the final day of the annual BBC Showcase held in Brighton (for the last time, as it turns out, with Liverpool being next year’s destination) which saw another day packed with screenings the last ‘official presentation’ from the BBC drama department. It’s been a strong year already from an output standpoint as was pointed […]
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It was a showcase of comedy yesterday during day four of this years BBC Showcase. With the focal point of both the screenings and the ‘organized’ presentations centering around the best of the best from the BBC comedy department, it was immediately clear that 2012 could be a good year on both sides of the […]
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Fresh with the news that Colin Firth and The King’s Speech will be bringing home the Oscar statue in the 2011 Academy Awards, its day #2 of the 2011 BBC Showcase. Even though we are 6000 miles away from the Oscar red carpet, it was a star-studded evening Sunday night at the BBC Showcase in Brighton. […]
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It’s only February, but it’s time to circle Fall 2011/Winter 2012 on your calendar for round two of the bout between Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs. We all know the story of the mega-hit from ITV, Downton Abbey. Broadcast last Fall in the UK to record viewer numbers and followed by a US premiere on […]
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It’s been a long time since there has been a good television war of words. Far too long. One has to go all the way back to the 1980’s to remember the Dallas vs. Dynasty smackdown, but that’s all I can think of. Enter 2011 and we have Downton Abbey vs. Upstairs Downstairs. In one corner, […]
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Ever since the brilliant premiere of Downton Abbey in the UK this past Fall, the anticipation for its Sunday, 9 January, premiere on PBS’ Masterpiece series has been at an all-time high. Both critically acclaimed and a hit with audiences, the period drama returned ITV, at least for a bit, to the forefront of UK […]
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Television just doesn’t get any better than this. Broadcast earlier this year as part of PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery series and recently seen as part of ITV’s Christmas Day schedule in the UK, maybe a suggestion for New Year’s Eve viewing if you haven’t seen as of yet? David Suchet has spent a lifetime playing Agatha […]
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