BBC, PBS' Masterpiece have Great Expectations

With 2012 marking the bicentenary of Charles Dickens’ birth (be easier if someone would just say 200th  anniversary), the BBC and PBS’ Masterpiece series have teamed up and commissioned a new adaptation of Dickens’ classic, Great Expectations. According to the BBC, filming will begin in July in London with Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) starring as […]

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How did you celebrate National Towel Day?

In Canada, they appointed a Towel Day Ambassador. Imagine, not only did the guy with the Don’t Panic tattoo not win, the winner was from Tennessee. There was a Towel March against the Vogon violence in Sao Paolo (who wouldn’t march against that on any day), a combat de serviette in Paris, towel-wearing flash mobs […]

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Happy Birthday, Arthur Conan Doyle, it's a BAFTA for Sherlock!

How appropriate. It was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s birthday. At a mere 152, he certainly would have enjoyed Sherlock’s BAFTA award for Best Drama series last night besting Downton Abbey, Misfits and the brilliance of Being Human. Along with the series win, Martin Freeman won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Doctor Watson in […]

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A little British Friday the 13th scattershooting

The Doctor is In for a 5th series Martin Clunes will return as the curmudgeonly GP, Dr. Martin Ellingham, terrorizing the residents of the picturesque Cornish fishing village of Portwenn (or vice versa) for a 5th series of the hit ITV comedy/drama, Doc Martin. Also returning will be the great Caroline Catz (Louisa Glasson) and Ian […]

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Upstairs Downstairs opens its' doors tonight on PBS

It’s been almost a lifetime since a young head parlor maid, Rose Buck (Jean Marsh), put her hand on the bannister at an empty 165 Eaton Place for what, she thought, would be the last time. Little did she know that some 40 years later, she would return full of memories and put her hand […]

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Spooks (MI-5) 10 confirmed, I think

Ok, I’m a bit late to the dance, but doesn’t mean the band’s not coming back for another set. Just doing a bit of digging today on the eve of series 9 of MI5 (Spooks), which begins broadcasting on a number of public television stations across the U.S. this week. I had not “officially” heard […]

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Spooks (MI-5) better than 24 – part 37

Forgive me. It’s been far too long since I last ranted that the brilliant BBC drama, Spooks (MI5), was better than it’s American counterpart, 24. Not to worry. With every new season, comes a host of reasons why I will forever continue to believe that Spooks (MI5) is the best show on television. Series 9 […]

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PBS' Sherlock — 'Must see TV' — Sunday

Having just watched a stellar 4-part documentary from the BBC on the history of NASA, it seems appropriate to begin today’s post with a space reference. T-minus 36 hours and counting until the premiere of Sherlock on PBS Critics agree from coast to coast. Perhaps the best example of the phrase “…if you watch one […]

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