Blackadder – should the series with the perfect ending return?

Rumors circulated across the internet in recent weeks concerning a possible return of the greatness of Blackadder for another season. Seems as though when Rowan Atkinson recently announced that Mr. Bean (and Teddy) had officially retired, he quietly hinted that he’d love to see ‘the band get back together’ for another Blackadder series. Of course, […]

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Downton Abbey: Are you more upstairs or downstairs?

Ever since Downton Abbey premiered on ITV1 in the UK and PBS in the States, some of the most interesting pub talk centered on the question of ‘what character do you identify with more’, those who occupy the upstairs or the downstairs of Downton Abbey? While many fashioned themselves as a closet Dowager Countess or […]

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Hugh Laurie rocks PBS 'House' tonight

Shamelessly paraphrasing a line from the Stevie Ray, Doyle Bramhall song The House is Rockin’, “…don’t bother knocking, come on in” is the only way to describe PBS’ house tonight as Hugh Laurie pays tribute to the history and tradition of New Orleans Blues. Hugh Laurie: Let Them Talk — A Celebration of New Orleans […]

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Just 'How long IS a piece of string'?

Sounds like a simple question, right? Simple question = simple answer, right? All you have to do is measure it. But, it’s possible that we take the simple practice of measurement for granted. Imagine a world without it. No distance, no time, no weight, no mass. Not so simple now, you might be saying. If […]

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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. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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PBS House Call set for Sept 30

Old news to some, new to others. Either way, this is news that bears repeating off and on for the next 4-6 weeks so bear with me…until September 30, anyway. During the PBS portion of the recent Television Critics Association summer press tour, Hugh Laurie made a quick ‘house call’ to chat up his upcoming […]

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Hugh Laurie brings passion for the Blues to PBS

The great Hugh Laurie will transform PBS into a house of blues this Fall when his life-long passion for traditional blues music collides with the small screen, Friday, September 30, as part of the long-running series, Great Performances on PBS stations nationwide. In the one-hour program, Laurie leaves the world of Bertie Wooster, Prince George […]

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Feeling a bit down? You might have Downton Abbey Effect.

Not to worry. You’re not alone after all. And, there’s actually a medical term for what you thought was just a simple case of separation anxiety or withdrawal. You, along with countless others, suffer from Downton Abbey Effect. Symptoms seem to center around a sense of loss or, in some cases, distress that is  comparable to […]

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