165 Eaton Place lease renewed for a second year

It’s only February, but it’s time to circle Fall 2011/Winter 2012 on your calendar for round two of the bout between Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs. We all know the story of the mega-hit from ITV, Downton Abbey. Broadcast last Fall in the UK to record viewer numbers and followed by a US premiere on […]

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Downton Abbey v. Upstairs Downstairs – UFC, UK style

It’s been a long time since there has been a good television war of words. Far too long. One has to go all the way back to the 1980’s to remember the Dallas vs. Dynasty smackdown,  but that’s all I can think of. Enter 2011 and we have Downton Abbey vs. Upstairs Downstairs. In one corner, […]

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Setting the Downton Abbey record straight

Ever since the brilliant premiere of Downton Abbey in the UK this past Fall, the anticipation for its Sunday, 9 January, premiere on PBS’ Masterpiece series has been at an all-time high. Both critically acclaimed and a hit with audiences, the period drama returned ITV, at least for a bit, to the forefront of UK […]

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David Suchet talks 'Murder on the Orient Express'

Television just doesn’t get any better than this. Broadcast earlier this year as part of PBS’ Masterpiece Mystery series and recently seen as part of ITV’s Christmas Day schedule in the UK, maybe a suggestion for New Year’s Eve viewing if you haven’t seen as of yet? David Suchet has spent a lifetime playing Agatha […]

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Being Human, season 3 – behind the scenes

While it’s not ‘officially’ 2011 as of yet, doesn’t mean we can’t set our sights on several series that premiere during the first part of the new year. You already know about Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs, which as a reminder, transmits tonight (Boxing Day) in the UK. A placeholder note to the U.S. that Downton […]

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Upstairs Downstairs….165 Eaton Place gets a facelift

Scheduled for Boxing Day (26 December) on BBC One, with parts two and three to follow the next two days, UK viewers don’t have long to wait before we return to 165 Eaton Place (U.S. premiere is set for April 10, 2011 on Masterpiece Classic). On the surface, the challenge of bringing back perhaps the […]

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Upstairs Downstairs – it was 40 years ago today…almost

As the UK moves closer to the Boxing Day premiere of a 21st century remake of Upstairs Downstairs and with American audiences not far behind with an April 2011 premiere as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series, it’s time to look back to a day almost 40 years ago when the original London Weekend Television series premiered […]

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BBC Christmas 2010 w/ Upstairs Downstairs preview

For those that reside east of the Atlantic, the BBC has given the world a hint of what you’ll be treated to on Christmas Day 2010 with a really top-notch trailer below. As we’ve talked about at great length, schedulers at The Beeb take their jobs extra serious on this day, recognizing the desires of […]

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BBC/PBS DVR alert: 165 Eaton Place is back

Good news no matter what side of the pond you find yourself on as we approach the holiday season. No, not talking about the upcoming Doctor Who “A Christmas Carol” special. While I am waiting for that Steven Moffat gem, I’m really looking forward to something much more classic. Television’s most famous address, 165 Eaton Place, opens […]

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A BBC retro-Christmas 2010

To amplify the point that the Christmas/Boxing Day television schedule war between the BBC and ITV is something akin to Wrestlemania XXVI, one has to look no further than this years schedule plans for both outlets. Even though the BBC is more Hulk Hogan to ITV’s Vince McMahon, both continue to throw the kitchen sink […]

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