Tellyspotting

I’ve ranted enough in recent months about how American comedy simply cannot re-create British comedy. Looks like the British have figured it out by imitating a comedic style and not trying to duplicate a specific program.

In somewhat of a role reversal, the UK comedy world is now copying a style of comedy that American writers / actors / producers  have known for years. What has become known as a “sim-com” as opposed to a Sitcom or Britcom, is where the principle actor is playing an exaggerated version of him or herself. Programs like Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm or, for those that remember farther back, the greatness of The Garry Shandling Show have been long a part of American comedy.

To me, this started with a series that I’m a huge fan of in Lead Balloon with Jack Dee as a grumpy, stand-up comic whose life is one let down after another. Admittedly, his character name is Rick Spleen, but it is an exaggeration of  Jack Dee’s life on the small screen.

The rise of the sim-com in the UK has delivered some of the best new comedy in years. Recently, Simon Amstell’s Grandma’s House, a fictionalized version of his actual life. In the show, Amstell plays a TV presenter by the name of, you guessed it, Simon Amstell. Currently slated for broadcast on BBC2 later this month is The Trip, starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as “loose versions of themselves” visiting a selection of top restaurants and researching a series of reviews for the Observer.

What do you get when you possess ten BAFTA’s, seven Laurence Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Golden Globes, one Academy Awards and a Tony Award? Obviously, you get to spend a week with Marilyn Monroe. Okay, not really, but Dame Judi Dench (A Fine Romance, As Time Goes By) has signed on for the film My Week with Marilyn, a film based on the diary of Colin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier who looked after Monroe in London back in 1957.

Clark looked after Monroe during the Pinewood Studios filming of The Prince & the Showgirl, which tells the story of a London variety show dancer and a stuck-up European prince. The film will chronicle the clash of the titans between Olivier and Monroe during filming. Dame Dench will play actress Sybil Thorndike, who played the Dowager Queen in the film. The film will also star Michelle Williams as Monroe and Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier.

Lots of Doctor Who news swirling around the Internets the last few days regarding the upcoming season with Matt Smith and Karen Gillan. Some worth repeating and some not so much. I promise to forego the constant rumors of Matt Smith leaving, Karen Gillan leaving, Steven Moffat leaving, etc. Rather than have you spend hours and hours in the search bar, here are the bits of info worth repeating.

• To start it off, here’s a quick clip of Steven Moffat discussing his plans for two separate seasons next year. While promising a “game-changing cliffhanger” at mid-season with an “earth-shattering climax” for DW in the coming year, Moffat also discussed his early impressions of Matt Smith during casting and the odd-notion that Karen Gillan was originally considered “too sexy” by some.
• While there’s no comment from the BBC, or anyone else from that matter, The Sun recently reported that the Doctor’s sidekick, Amy (Karen Gillan), will die as a part of a “devastating plot twist” during the the initial set of programs. Remember no on has commented, it was The Sun that reported it and the source for the article is “unnamed”. FYI, this isn’t the first time that it was rumored a companion was to be killed off. You may recall back in 2008, this article that suggests either Billie Piper (Rose) or Catherine Tate (Donna) would die fighting alongside David Tennant. That said…decide for yourself.
• Sherlock co-creator, Mark Gatiss, will write an episode for the upcoming sixth season. The idea that both Gatiss and Neil Gaiman will be writing episodes for the new season makes it already worth the price of admission.
• From the department of “what do you do after you’re The Doctor“? So far, David Tennant has played Hamlet and Christopher Eccleston starred in the BBC special slated for PBS later this Fall, Lennon Naked. Now, comes news that a former “Doctor” is likely to be cast in The Hobbit. Word is that the great Peter Jackson may fill the vacant director’s chair also. Sylvester McCoy, the seventh Doctor is currently in talks with producers for a “wizard” role.
• Finally, Doctor Who with a little twist of The Simpsons. For several years, fans of both series have created a scenario in their minds where this would work and be fun. Never substantiated to this point, but drawings from, yet again, unnamed sources, have begun surfacing on the Internet. Also, it has been rumored that Karen Gillan would love to voice a character on The Simpsons. What easier way than to voice herself….just sayin’. As a huge fan of both series, I would love to see this, maybe in the annual Simpsons Halloween classic episode, just for fun?

Enough for today. BTW, you should see the stuff I didn’t print. Anyone else find anything of interest?

In what could have been a scene right out of a Blackadder V pitch to the head of BBC Light Entertainment, the seventh century village of Oxfordshire came close to exhibiting their best imitation of the Dibley Town Council recently. Over the last several months, plans by the actor and star of British comedy classics such as Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line surfaced which detailed his desire to demolish his current 1930’s mansion called Handsmooth House with an architecturally futuristic “petrol station” as described by several Oxfordshire neighbors. One of the top U.S. architects, Richard Meier, has designed the structure, which received backing from a number of the world’s leading architects.

While plans were objected to by the Ipsden Parish Council and several local planning officers, the approval was also not welcomed by neighbors who felt that “…money and fame have been used to bulldoze their way through the planning process. The decision on this monstrosity is outrageous and sets a very dangerous precedent.”

Upon receiving approval for his proposed project, Atkinson responded by saying to his fellow Oxfordhire and Ipsden neighbors: “I fully understand the concern of members of the community about change and the introduction of a contemporary design into sensitive countryside. I can promise them that they need have no fear.”

“It would be a terrible shame if people felt that there was no place in the countryside for modern design when what there should be no place for in the countryside is bad design. My belief is that this house could be part of a long English tradition of contemporary architecture in the countryside, examples of which have caused some concern when built but which are now highly protected listed buildings. I have lived in South Oxfordshire for 28 years and wish to continue to live here while grasping a unique opportunity to create something of real and lasting value.”

Works for me. Let’s hope the Ipsden Parish Council and South Oxfordshire District Council ultimately feel the same way.

Leave it to the great Richard Briers to be able to brilliantly put in to words what I have thought for a long time. With a resume that includes the British comedy classic, The Good Life, along with other notable series in both the British comedy and drama worlds such as Ever Decreasing Circles and Monarch of the Glen, he knows of what he speaks.

According to Briers, there is a danger that quality television drama is over given the meteoric rise of cheap television clogging the airwaves. Briers goes on to say that “…TV is full of cookery, gardening and reality shows that are suffocating new talent“.

While this is a very valid opinion, where or when does it end? Who’s to blame for this? The program commissioners at the network level, the program producers or the audience, whose appetite for these programs never ceases to amaze me? Is it the commissioners / producers / funders saying that they are providing television that has been demonstrated as being the type viewers want to see or are viewers watching more and more of the reality-based, unscripted programs because that’s all there is to watch.

Unfortunately, personal opinion is that the bottom-line is to blame. The reality-based, unscripted programs are cheaper to produce making for a better ROI than really good quality drama or any other genre for that matter. I can somewhat disagree with Briers on a very, very small point. While there may be a great number of the how-to genre for our own good, reality shows are the ones that people need to take aim at. Cooking and gardening can be entertaining, educational and intelligent. When you have shows such as Deal or No Deal, The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, Shedding for the Wedding, Wife Swap or The Nanny, that’s where I see the divide between good and worthless television.

Agree? Disagree?

“Official” rumors from the BBC of a second series of the brilliant Steven Moffat / Mark Gatiss Sherlock series have been confirmed. This is really great news for people on both sides of the pond. For those in the UK, you know what’s coming with series one transmitting recently to both critical acclaim and strong audience numbers. For those in the U.S., when series one premieres on the 40th season of PBS’ Masterpiece series, you will relish the thought as soon as the three episodes are done (Oct 24, 31, Nov 7) that there will be more to come.

Benedict Cumberbatch returns in the title role as does Martin Freeman as Dr. Watson. In very cryptic ‘Sherlock’ fashion, comes this from co-creators, Moffat and Gatiss…“There’ll be baffling new puzzles, old friends and new enemies – whether on two, or four legs. And we might well be seeing the cold master of logic and reason unexpectedly falling. But in love? Or over a precipice? Who can tell?”

Not knowing the date, day or time for series two, I’m just setting the DVR now for Sherlock to be sure I don’t miss it. I can’t wait.  Don’t forget, Sherlock (series one) premieres on PBS beginning Sunday, October 24, 2010.

Temps are hitting mid-90’s so Summer’s at an end soon. Time for your last Summer/Fall Book Club assignment from a favorite in the British comedy world. First up was The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie, followed by The Hippopotamus by Stephen Fry.

This week another great read by someone you may or may not know by name, but you definitely know his writing. All I really need to say is The Young Ones and Blackadder. But, add to that his writing for West End stage plays, a collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber for the stage and, then, the wildly successful musical, We Will Rock You featuring music by the rock band Queen. Then there’s the matter of 13 books over the years. But our recommendation for the end of summer is….

Popcorn by Ben Elton

Set in Hollywood, this is an exceptional crime drama that centers around the motion picture and television industry. A must read. Not only is it a book about the movies, but it is also an indictment of the movie industry. What I love is that it’s a great read, has a lot of tension throughout, but at the end of the book, you really want to be part of a book club so you can talk about it as it makes you think. Much more to the book than just the premise.

Full disclosure time: I resisted the temptation to list the all-time classic book by a English writer because I made a snap judgment that most of you had read this. If so, I’d suggest a re-read. If not, it’s the #1 book for your Fall Reading Club from Tellyspotting. I’m talking High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Great movie with John Cusack, but a brilliant book.

Anyone else have a book to add to the list?

Ever wonder what your favorite Britcom stars of yesteryear are doing these days? Well, you’re in luck if you’ve always wondered what the shorter Ronnie of The Two Ronnies is doing since the ‘good old days’ of classic British comedy. You may or may not remember Ronnie Corbett as the master of those priceless monologues delivered straight to camera each week. If not, you need to check some out. They are classic. If you know of Ronnie Corbett and are a fan, you no doubt know of his lifelong love of being in the kitchen.

Fast forward to the 21st century where if you love food AND British comedy, we’ve got something of a perfect storm for your television viewing pleasure. For those with access to the UK digital channel, Good Food, you can see the premiere of Ronnie Corbett’s Supper Club with special guest, Rob Brydon (Supernova, Gavin and Stacey, Rob Brydon Show). Billed as ‘part chat, part cookery, but a lot of fun’, the show plays upon Corbett’s fond memories and love of food and the kitchen. You might think his fondest memories center around his early days on The Frost Report where he spent time with the likes of John Cleese, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman or his years of working in tandem with the great Ronnie Barker. Corbett, himself, will say some of his favorite memories, especially of food, come from his childhood and “Mum’s Sunday pot roast lunches“.

To this day, I think one of his personal highlight achievements must have been when he was a guest on Gordon Ramsay’s F Word where he challenged Chef Ramsay to a cook-off. No spoiler alert here, you’ll have to watch to see who wins. Insert a “strong language word of warning” here, the show is titled Gordon Ramsay’s F Word, after all.

Forget SAT scores. His admission application reads like no other that has entered the hallowed halls of MIT. He’s regenerated 10 times, which means he’s been near death that many times. He travels through time and space in a time machine, the Time And Relative Dimension (s) in Space (TARDIS). He has two hearts, otherwise known as a “binary vascular system” and, should he get shot, can go into a self-induced coma by virtue of a small nerve cluster in his left shoulder that controls motor functions.

However, what really attracted MIT admissions to this individual known as “The Doctor”, was his extra-curricular activities where he explores the universe at random, using his extensive knowledge of science, technology and history (from his perspective) to avert whatever crisis he encounters unless it is a fixed point in time and space. Beats a 1600 on the SAT’s any day.

Doctor Who, the new incoming freshman this Fall at MIT or just the annual prank of the hackers atop Building 10 at 77 Mass. Avenue.

The late, great Douglas Adams, whose best known work, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, was brilliantly transformed into a short run British comedy television series, will have another classic adapted for the small screen. According to our friends at the British Comedy Guide, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, written by Adams in 1987, has been commissioned by BBC Four for broadcast. How can you go wrong with something described on the book cover as a “thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy-epic“?

If you get a chance, hunt down the BBC Radio 4 adaptations of Adams’ first two Dirk Gently novels, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul, that were done in 2007-2008. The great Harry Enfield starred as Gently along with a very familiar name to the British comedy world, Andrew Sachs. This behind-the-scenes clip of the making of the radio series says it all.

Unfortunately, for all of us, Adams passed away at the way too early age of 49 before he was able to finish his third Dirk Gently novel, The Salmon of Doubt.

If the television version is anything close to the greatness of Hitchhiker’s Guide, it will be well worth the wait.