Happy 50th, Martin Clunes

The man known, in recent years, for his portrayal of the ornery, cantankerous, cranky (pick one) Doctor Martin Ellingham in the hit British comedy/drama, Doc Martin, turns the big 5-0 today. Thankfully, Martin Clunes has what his television alter ego seems to be without….a heart, as evidenced by the simple fact that you’d actually feel […]

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Giving thanks for British television brilliance

No matter where you are this Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a traditional time to take a moment and think about family and friends and the things you are thankful for. When it comes to the best that television has to offer, one can’t help but think of a few genuine gems from across the pond that […]

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It's an All Creatures Great & Small Christmas

More presents coming by way of the BBC to UK telly watchers as part of the annual blockbuster Christmas line-up. Word comes via the Guardian of an All Creatures Great and Small prequel, entitled Young Herriot which will focus on the vets early years in 1930’s Glasgow. The original series, based on the diaries of […]

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Rev returns tonight on BBC 2

At long last, it’s time for everyone in the UK to return to the inner-city world of St Saviour’s in East London beginning tonight, Thursday, 10 November at 2100 on BBC2. Reverend Adam Smallbone (Tom Hollander) is back in Rev, along with Alex, his long-suffering solicitor wife, Colin, Mick and the entire motley congregation en tow for […]

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Psychoville Halloween Special – one and done :(

Two bits of greatness that you could always count on to grace the small screen during Halloween have been The Simpsons Halloween Special and, last year’s classic newcomer, the brilliance of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Psychoville Halloween Special. While the Simpsons has remained a staple of Halloween viewing for the past 20+ years, there […]

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How Fawlty Towers almost never opened its doors

This gem comes from Shaun Usher over at Letters of Note, a Manchester site dedicated to the seeking out fascinating letters, postcards, telegrams, faxes, and memos. To the British comedy world, there is none more ‘fascinating’ that this accompanying 1974 memo graphic supplied by Sam Ward. While we knew of this story through several interviews […]

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Rowan Atkinson – America is a 'tough bean' to crack

Credit where credit is due here. That brilliant headline comes from Susan King at the Los Angeles Times. With Rowan Atkinson’s new film, Johnny English Reborn set to open in U.S. theaters nationwide today, the British comedian has found, historically, that the American market is, indeed, a tough ‘bean’ to crack when it comes to big screen […]

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Alan Partridge – He's alive!

Thankfully, for all our sakes, not to mention Alan Partridge, Steve Coogan has decided to not pull the plug on his alter-ego any time in the near future. What started out as a brief stint as a spoof sports reporter on the BBC Radio 4 program, On the Hour, has led to a comedic empire […]

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Vote for comedy on public television in 2012!

BBC Syndication Showcase 2011 postcript As we close the book on the third annual BBC Syndication Showcase, PBS stations across the country leave BBC West (New Orleans) armed with an incredible number of potential choices for programming of all genres to acquire for broadcast in their individual markets. Science, Natural History, Drama, Factual and Comedy. […]

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Red Dwarf S10 production bits and bobs

Red Dwarf series 10 ramps up for November, wobbly sets and all We’ve known for some time, thanks to a series of cast interviews, that there were plans for the return of Red Dwarf in the not-too-distant future for a welcomed tenth series. First it was Craig Charles (Lister) who ‘leaked’ the commissioning of the […]

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