Channel 4 forecloses on ‘Home’ after only two series

Taking an unfortunate page out of the Mulberry playbook, Channel 4’s thinking-person’s comedy series, Home, has not been renewed for a third series. Sadly, it could lead one to believe that cerebral comedies are short-lived while those with a lowest common denominator storyline can continue on well past their sell-by date.

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R.I.P. Geraldine McEwan – Miss Marple/Mulberry actress dies at 82

Mulberry has finally come to take hold of Miss Rose Farnaby’s hand and escort her across the bridge… Actress Geraldine McEwan, known primarily in recent years for playing Agatha Christie sleuth Miss Jane Marple on ITV and PBS, has died at the age of 82. McEwan, who appeared in 12, 2-hour episodes as Miss Marple, […]

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Bear with…Miranda Hart pulling the plug on 'Miranda'

Aside from John Cleese and Ricky Gervais, you can probably count on one hand when the star of a British sitcom knows when enough is enough and gets to be the one that actually pulls the plug on their own show. Unfortunately, for show creators, writers and stars, in most cases, they usually find out […]

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BBC's Call the Midwife 4 headed to PBS in 2015

There was a dark time, back in the day when the Earth was cooling, that fans of countless comedies or dramas wouldn’t know until well after the traditional angst-ridden season finale of their favorite telly pastime as to whether or not the series would be renewed. In some cases that we care not to mention, […]

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R.I.P. – Bob Larbey

These are getting harder and harder to write with each passing but they seem to come more frequently these days than any of us would like. The British comedy world, actually, the comedy world, lost a good friend this past week when Bob Larbey passed away. While you may not be familiar with the name, […]

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Mulberry – the ending that never was

As Time Goes By, Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served, Good Neighbors, Last of the Summer Wine. All a part of our lives for a number of years and a number of seasons. The one thing, however, that most of these British comedy classics had in common is that they all ended on their […]

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Waking the Dead calls it a day

After ten brilliant seasons, the British forensic crime drama is taking it’s toys and going home. Waking the Dead producer, Colin Wratten writes in this edition of the BBC TV blog about the last days of the series (there might be a few spoilers here for those that don’t want to get a hint as […]

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Behind the Britcom at BBC Television Centre

In London Sunday, taping the host portions of the upcoming PBS special, Behind the Britcom: From Script to Screen at BBC Television Centre. The cool thing is that we are taping in Studio TC8 which was home to the likes of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, The Good Life, Keeping Up Appearances, Are You Being Served and […]

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Mulberry – brilliant Britcom that lasted only two seasons

There are times that BBC commissioning folks get it right and times they don’t. Mulberry is one of those “didn’t get it right” moments in British comedy history. After two wonderful seasons (13 episodes) with brilliant scripts by Bob Larbey and, then, writing partner, John Esmonde and a wonderful cast headed by Karl Howman in […]

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The minds that create your favorite British comedies

Without question, when a British comedy fan is asked what it is they like about British comedy, the first answer is “…the writing“. Ask any actor or actress what it is that sets British comedy apart from the rest of television as we know it, the answer is always “…the writing“. It’s intelligent television that […]

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