Helen Mirren | Tellyspotting

Posted October 31, 2022 - 5 Comments

Remembering ‘Mystery’ on PBS before mystery was cool….

For those PBS Mystery series fans that are currently experiencing the Sunday evening greatness that is Miss Scarlet and the Duke, Magpie Murders and Annika and who have been anxiously awaiting each Summer for the new seasons of Endeavour and Grantchester for the better part of the last decade, you may not be aware of the root history of ‘mystery’ on PBS that needs to be recognized for those that remember way, way back into the 80’s, back when the Earth was beginning to cool from the Ice Age.

Posted October 12, 2016 - No Comment

‘Prime Suspect: Tennison’ to hit PBS’ Masterpiece in 2017

Much like Endeavour has given us invaluable insight into the early years that shaped what we came to know as Inspector Morse in the mid-80’s, ITV has commissioned a ‘prequel’ to the classic series, Prime Suspect. Based on writer Lynda La Plante’s book, “Tennison”, which reveals how DCI, then Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison became such a complex and […]

Posted September 14, 2016 - No Comment

‘The Crown’ brings together ‘Doctor Who’, ‘Wolf Hall’ stars for a Nov 4 binge watching party

While ITV and PBS are chronicling the reign of Queen Victoria in Victoria, the heir apparent to Downton Abbey, Netflix will turn their efforts to the 60+ year reign of Queen Elizabeth II beginning November 4 with The Crown. Reportedly, the most expensive series to date at a cool $156 mil (even more than House of Cards), The […]

Posted July 19, 2016 - No Comment

Cast set, filming begins on ‘Prime Suspect’ prequel, ‘Tennison’

As we are all painfully aware, when it comes to the endless efforts by American broadcast networks to tap in to British telly greatness, remakes of any kind are several cards shot of a full deck. The British, however, seem to not only have written the book on how to create brilliant original content but […]

Posted November 28, 2015 - No Comment

The Winter’s Tale with Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench heads to U.S. cinemas Monday

I know it’s a stretch and probably a huge apples and oranges comparison but one glaring cultural difference between the U.S. and the U.K. occurred at the box office on Thanksgiving Thursday. In the U.S., Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 topped the charts with gross receipts of just over $10 million (4175 theaters). In the UK, […]

Posted September 26, 2015 - No Comment

Hamlet with Benedict Cumberbatch – coming to a theatre near you, Oct 15, via NTLive

For several years now, in an effort to make live theater more accessible to everyone, National Theatre Live (NTLive) decided to make ‘all the world its stage’ by connecting with local theater venues around the globe to stream selected performances. Over the past couple of years, having seen several National Theatre productions such as Othello […]

Posted June 19, 2015 - 2 Comments

‘Prime Suspect’ goes the ‘Endeavour’ route with Jane Tennison prequel

As you know, when it comes to the endless efforts by American broadcast networks to tap in to British telly greatness, I normally do not care one bit for remakes of any kind. The British, however, seem to not only have written the book on how to create brilliant original content but they could also […]

Posted May 23, 2015 - No Comment

With help from the British, American ‘Red Nose Day’ premieres ‘Game of Thrones: The Musical’

If you happened to have switched over on Thursday night to see how America pulled off their inaugural attempt at Red Nose Day, there was a very British feel to the program (even if it was backstage) as The Theory of Everything‘s Eddie Redmayne, Sherlock‘s Benedict Cumberbatch along with Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Helen […]

Posted May 21, 2015 - No Comment

After 30 years, ‘Red Nose Day’ finally lands in America

The UK institution known as Red Nose Day has landed in America. Who knew the flight from Great Britain to America would take right at three decades. The 25+ year staple of a night of BBC 1 programming and the UK’s #1 television fundraising effort finally makes its way across the pond and will be […]

Posted August 11, 2013 - No Comment

The Audience with Helen Mirren back for an NTLive encore

For 60 years Elizabeth II has met each of her 12 Prime Ministers in a weekly audience at Buckingham Palace, a meeting like no other in British public life, it is private. Both parties have an unspoken agreement never to repeat what is said. Not even to their spouses. From Churchill to Cameron, each Prime […]