Making a Portwenn ‘house call’ to the set of Doc Martin

Patients of Dr. Martin Ellingham finally received word this week that the new season of Doc Martin will begin on Monday, 12 September, in the UK (ITV). In the States, on public television, we can now, with virtual certainty, announce that Dr. Martin Ellingham will resume making house calls in Portwenn beginning in April 2012. […]

Read more

Spooks S10 – Early report from the grid

Unfortunately, no news as to an official transmission date in the UK for the final season of brilliant BBC series, Spooks, with initial reports still saying ‘Fall’, and all that implies. Still on tap for an April 2012 broadcast in the U.S. on public television so, that much, we know. As most know, filming is […]

Read more

Live in a sitcom or drama and need to write about it?

If you’ve every thought, as I’m sure we all have at one time or another, 1) this would make a great sitcom or, 2) I’m living in the middle of a sitcom, the BBC has all the answers in the BBC Writersroom. There are those that will argue that the “Sit”, or situation, needs to […]

Read more

Tinker Tailor – UK, September 16. U.S., now December 9 :(

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Unfortunately, U.S. audiences will have to wait just a bit longer as it turns out which, obviously, means Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, starring Colin Firth, Gary Oldman and Benedict Cumberbatch, is really worth waiting for. On the good news/bad news front, what has been widely […]

Read more

TV's Downton Abbey would be so proud

If you’re ITV, you just can’t pay for this kind of press leading up to the premiere of the new season of your most highly successful series in some time. Scandal = audience in the 21st century. It’s definitely a case of art imitating life rather than the reverse when it comes to the mega-hit, Downton […]

Read more

Dame Eileen Atkins moves out of 165 Eaton Place

According to the BBC, Dame Eileen Atkins will not return when filming commences on Upstairs Downstairs 2 in Cardiff in October. Atkins, who created the series with fellow actress, Jean Marsh, did not appear in the original 1970’s ITV series, but was cast in last years revival of the series as the free-thinking mother-in-law Maud, Lady […]

Read more

Page Eight, a PBS Masterpiece, Nov 6

With Page Eight having recently premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and, then, the big announcement that it would close The Toronto International Film Festival, I really can’t wait for this. Actually, they had me at the cast given that it stars the likes of Bill Nighy, Michael Gambon, Rachel Weisz, Ralph Fiennes, Tom […]

Read more

In the trenches with Downton Abbey 2

It’s been a long road for young Matthew Crawley who started out as a middle-class Manchester solicitor and heir apparent of Downton Abbey. For the upcoming second series of the critically acclaimed, audience mega-hit, he now finds himself deep in the trenches of the First World War. “It was miserably cold and wet and muddy,” […]

Read more

The Hour. A British Mad Men? Uh, no.

It can be both a blessing and a curse to be linked to a previous hit program or series. Calling a comedy “…the next Seinfeld” or a drama “…the next Sopranos” can be great for a few fleeting moments, but then you have to deliver. Tonight’s U.S. premiere of The Hour (after a July premiere […]

Read more

Uptown Downstairs Abbey – a house divided…by stairs

Unfortunately, the whole of the UK seems to be reeling this week with the news that the second series of Sherlock will now not broadcast until early 2012. Well, as a card-carrying member of the U.S. Sherlock support group, welcome. As most of you now know, Sherlock 2 will not air in the U.S. until […]

Read more