ITV and BBC 2013: Let the Drama Games begin
ITV: Where Drama Lives 2013
Ordinarily, I’m not a big fan of trailers as, in many cases, they contain all the good bits. Admittedly, in most cases, this is directly related to movie trailers more so than television series promos. However, a promo comes along once in awhile that is just plain brilliant that just has to be shared. Such is the case with the newest ITV campaign, Where Drama Lives, for their always stellar drama line-up. After last weeks BBC Original Drama promo, it’s plain to see that it’s going to be an all-out war in 2013-2014 between the drama heavyweights and the winner is going to be the viewer every time.
As you can see, an incredible amount of creative effort and thought went into the production of this spot. Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey), Paddy Considine (Mr Whicher, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher), Katherine Kelly (Lady Mae Loxley, Mr Selfridge), Martin Clunes (Dr Martin Ellingham, Doc Martin), Jeremy Piven (Mr Selfridge), Anna Maxwell Martin (Susan Gray, The Bletchley Circle), Jim Carter (Carson, Downton Abbey), Shaun Evans (Detective Constable Endeavour Morse, Endeavour), Rupert Penry-Jones (DI Chandler, Whitechapel), Phil Davis (DS Miles, Whitechapel) Brenda Blethyn (DCI Vera Stanhope, Vera), David Leon (DS Joe Ashworth, Vera) Aisling Loftus (Agnes Towler, Mr Selfridge) and Joanne Froggatt (Anna Bates, Downton Abbey) were filmed for these specially shot scenes for the new Where Drama Lives campaign. Viewers will also see Sebastian’s beloved teddy bear, Aloysius, from Brideshead Revisited, although as, quite possibly, the subject of the next episode of Whitechapel.
As you can see, there’s an incredible history to ITV drama. Current series cast members are joined by Inspector Morse (John Thaw, Morse), DCI Jane Tennison (Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect), Sebastian Flyte (Anthony Andrews, Brideshead Revisited) and Hercule Poirot (David Suchet, Poirot) all of whom were added through post production techniques and all representing some of the channel’s defining, iconic characters.
BBC: Original British Drama 2013
Last weeks release of the annual BBC Original Drama campaign pieced together some amazing scenes (and sometimes a first glimpse of more brilliant drama such as The Musketeers, Sherlock, The Great Train Robbery, Quirke, The Escape Artist, Ripper Street, What Remains and By Any Means. Consider the fact, too, that there was no Doctor Who or Call the Midwife anywhere to be see just yet and imagine yet another stellar year from the BBC.
With the brilliant drama output from both BBC and ITV, 2013-2014 is shaping up to be a great year for all of us.
