A Sunday night tradition kept alive and a bit of British comedy news from the UK
LONDON – July 19, 210: It’s Sunday night. You know the drill. Whether you admit it or not, you can’t wait to settle in and cap off the weekend with your favorite British comedy programs wherever you are across the U.S. or abroad. Just so you know, I kept the tradition alive last night 5000 miles away from home with a night of both BBC and Channel 4 comedy programs on Sunday. Started out with Rev on BBC One, then Gavin and Stacey on BBC Three and, finally, The IT Crowd on Channel 4.
Full disclosure, I did have a weak moment after The IT Crowd and watched a Merle Haggard doc on BBC Four that will, actually, be broadcast nationally on PBS this coming Wednesday, July 21 (9:00pm CT on KERA/Dallas) as part of the American Masters series. If you get a chance, watch or DVR it on Wednesday. Well worth the time.
Thought I’d catch everyone up with some quick British comedy bits that have been in the paper this week that we’ve found in-between interviews.
From the Telegraph.co.uk, Rowan Atkinson upsets neighbors with futuristic country house plans. So what if it looks like a petrol station from The Jetsons.
The Scotsman looks back at 37 years of Last of the Summer Wine. One interesting fact occurred in 2005 when the city of Holmfirth, where LOTSW was filmed, raised their demand for filming inconvenience compensation from 50 pounds to 500 pounds. This so infuriated the producers that they wrote a scene where Nora Batty put her house up for sale and threatened to move production to another city if the issue wasn’t resolved.
The Guardian brings you every Doctor Who villain and monster that has ever appeared in the series since 1963. The Excel version within the article is a trivia contest contestant’s dream file. To help you visualize, the folks at Many Eyes attempt to graphically help you out.
Finally, it only took two seasons, but already, the rumor is that the BBC may be looking for a new Doctor if Matt Smith bolts for the lure of making it big in America. According to Metro.co.uk, Smith has been telling friends he wants to leave the show and descend on Hollywood next year. What it is about actors that play the Doctor for a couple of years and that automatically qualifies you to conquer the American screen.
Interviews continue tomorrow with Karl Howman, Mulberry…on, who else but Mulberry.
