Since the beginning of time, well, at least since 1946 when Pinwright’s Progress premiered on the BBC, the British sitcom has always saluted the labor force. After Pinwright’s Progress, the evolution of how the situation comedy dealt with the workforce really took off. Up next in the mid-50’s was Hancock’s Half Hour where Tony Hancock seemed […]
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The are many that believe comedy, British comedy in particular, began with Tony Hancock and the brilliant, Hancock’s Half Hour. The original BBC Radio series and subsequent BBC television series of the same name from the mid-50’s is thought to be, by many, the beginning of the British sitcom introducing “situation” into the comedy mix […]
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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 […]
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Those lucky enough to reside within range of a BBC Two signal last night, hopefully, saw a brilliant episode from the new season of the genius British comedy series, Lead Balloon, starring Jack Dee. In an apples and oranges kind of scenario, this reminded me of last years “Rope” episode from Psychoville in that it […]
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Admit it. You’ve probably thought, many times, watching a sitcom, “….I could write that.” I’m guessing, however, that there are a fair amount of folks out there that would forego the opportunity to write a sitcom and go straight to the thought of being in a sitcom. You look at the Royles (Royle Family), Brockmans […]
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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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10 reasons why a Blackadder return makes sense Already one of the most classic British comedies of all-time, a Blackadder V return would be an instant audience hit after finishing second in the Britain’s Best Sitcom balloting several years ago. Principle actors have, for some time, expressed interest in being a part of a Blackadder […]
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From Behind the Britcom: From Script to Screen, coming to PBS stations nationwide in March 2011, we continue our look at the making of British comedy while celebrating those that pen the programs that make up one of the most intelligent television genre’s on the planet. Over the course of producing the program, we talked […]
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Move over Dame Edna, Mrs. Brown invades Great Britain might be a better way to describe the newest situation comedy, Mrs. Brown’s Boys, when it premieres on BBC One beginning this Monday, 21 February. The writer, creator and ‘face behind’ Mrs. Brown is Irish actor, Brendan O’Carroll. Even with the 1,000’s of stand-up appearances, the five […]
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As we rapidly approach the PBS national premiere of Behind the Britcom: From Script to Screen , which features a look into the minds of the creators of some of the best situation comedy on television anywhere, one thing struck all of us involved in the production of the program besides the known commodity of […]
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