Episodes has a fighting chance

Full disclosure upfront. I wasn’t going to give the new series from Hat Trick Productions and Showtime much of a chance from the beginning, given that it initially read as a documentary and not a comedy. However, after seeing episode one, this has the potential to be the ‘much-anticipated’ hit that the BBC is hanging its hat […]

Read more

British comedy scattershooting on a Monday….

Survived the first snowstorm of 2011, a whopping 2 inches (insert laughter from Colorado readers here) after all was said and done. Time for a periodic look around the horn at what’s happening in the world of British comedy, British television and the actors/actresses you’ve come to know and love over the years. Can’t save […]

Read more

Downton Abbey opens its doors tonight on PBS

Finally, it’s zero hour in the US. Downton Abbey premieres tonight as part of the new season of Masterpiece on PBS. Both critically acclaimed and a huge audience hit when broadcast this past Fall on ITV, this is definitely television worth watching. According to Simon Heffer of the Telegraph, the authenticity and visual detail makes […]

Read more

North Texas = BBC West on Saturdays

Ok, the BBC and Channel 4 may not have “officially” established a western division of the best of their broadcast line-up, but North Texas viewers will become a bit more anglophile beginning tonight (Saturday) on KERA with an all-new line up of the best of the best from the UK. We begin the night with […]

Read more

Being Human 3 – January 2011 on BBC3?

Still searching for that elusive, definitive, premiere date for Being Human, series 3, on BBC 3, but nothing yet from the more elusive schedulers over at the Beeb. As you have determined from prior posts, I love this show. Premise sounds a bit like it came out of Buck Henry’s mouth in Robert Altman’s classic, […]

Read more

Rowan Atkinson's gift of laughter on HIS birthday today

Seems odd to celebrate Rowan Atkinson’s birthday given the fact that he’s the one that, along with Richard Curtis, has given us the timeless gift of laughter over the years. We all know about the gifts of Blackadder, Mr. Bean and Inspector Fowler in Thin Blue Line. I remember first seeing Atkinson along with Mel […]

Read more

Downton Abbey v. Upstairs Downstairs – UFC, UK style

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, […]

Read more

Setting the Downton Abbey record straight

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 […]

Read more

From the British comedy vault of greatness – Ripping Yarns

Over the past several months there seems to have been a number of well-deserved programs revisiting classic British comedy series such as the celebration of the 30th anniversary of A Bit of Fry and Laurie, a look at the early days of Morcambe and Wise and the return of Ronnie Corbett in The One Ronnie. For my […]

Read more

2011 resolution: Say no to American re-makes

Seeing as though we’re only days away from another questionable American remake of a really well-done British television import, I thought I’d immediately put in the request for my first 2011 New Year’s resolution. You know the drill. Have written about this many times. Readers in the UK, I apologize for taking up space and […]

Read more