BBC locks the door at 165 Eaton Place

Sadly, the BBC’s 40-year renovation project at 165 Eaton Place has come to an end. Upstairs Downstairs has been axed following a relatively poor showing for the second series in the UK. The second and final six episodes of the updated Upstairs Downstairs series will air in the States beginning in October 2012 as part [...]

Birdsong – another Masterpiece, 4/22 on PBS

The upcoming April 22 premiere of Birdsong will, undoubtedly, bring endless comparisons to Downton Abbey. Airing as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series on April 22 and 29, the BBC adaptation of Sebastian Faulks’ modern classic set during the First World War has, literally, been 20 years in the making.
When this appeared in the UK in [...]

BBC Showcase – comedy, comedy, comedy in 2012

One thing was quite clear after day two in Liverpool at the 2012 BBC Showcase. While it’s been an exceedingly good year for the BBC with regards to drama with the premiere of Call the Midwife, the return of Whitechapel, the continuation of Upstairs Downstairs and the brilliant end to Spooks (MI5), it’s clear that [...]

BBC Showcase – Day one: Drama

It’s now down to business at the 2012 BBC Showcase and the opportunity to screen the best of the best when it comes to telly from the BBC. As we make the grueling 50 yard trek over bitter terrain from the hotel lobby to the screening booths for the 2012 BBC Showcase, it’s immediately clear [...]

165 Eaton Place reopens its doors on Sunday

As Downton Abbey barrels towards its second series conclusion on Sunday evening in the States, it’s time for the UK to return to 165 Eaton Place with the beginning of the second series of Upstairs Downstairs. (PBS broadcast in the States is, tentatively, Spring 2013)

On all counts it has been a tough year for the [...]