An archive of blog entries about UK TV programmes and production.
The Family Jones cast for Doctor Who
There’s a big family planned for new assistant Martha Jones on Doctor Who. Details over at the Beeb.
UK TV
In Televisual this month…
The latest issue of Televisual has just fallen into my mailbox. It’s a monthly, but there are a few nuggets of info that are relatively interesting:
- Simon Amstell, ex-presenter of Popworld and soon to be the permanent host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks, is going to one of the writers of a new E4 show called Skins. Starring Kidulthood and About a Boy star Nicholas Hoult, it centres on a group of 17-year-old friends as they “drop pills, pass exams, have sex, manage their parents, interface with their teachers and push boundaries”. Very E4.
- 57% of independent production companies reckon the Beeb is the worst broadcaster to work for because of bureaucracy, being “too large and confused”, “rigid and slow” and for having “too much middle management”. However, it was also voted the most improving network by 43%. Channel 4 was voted the best with 29% of votes, with Five close behind on 25%.
- My old boss, Televisual‘s publisher James Bennett, has bought the mag from Centaur! It’s been with Centaur for 24 years, so that’s big news. It’s probably going to be of interest to about 0.01% of this blog’s readers, though. All the same, best of luck to James, Jake, Tim, Poz, Jon and Charlotte in the exciting and scary world of self-employment.
The New Adventures of Old Christine finds a UK home
Julie-Louise Dreyfuss’ latest US comedy, The New Adventures of Old Christine, has found itself a home in the UK, according to Broadcast: UK Gold. Presumably, given the show’s less than a few months old, this is some new definition of ‘gold’ that they’re going with, rather than the previous ‘golden oldie’ definition – something along the lines of gold-top milk, I suspect.
I thought the show was pretty pants when I caught its first episode, but you might find it absolutely the best thing ever. So why is it on UK Gold rather than Channel 4 or Five? I suspect those channels’ purchasers have come to roughly the same conclusion as I did…
UK TV
The Strange Report: the CSI of the 60s
Just in case you’ve not been tuning in, I’d like to issue a semi-hearty recommendation to UK viewers to watch The Strange Report, Mondays on ITV4. It’s a strange combination of the 60s sensibilities that led to The Avengers, The Champions, Department S and the rest of that ilk, with the forensic investigations of CSI. It’s little-remembered but actually deserves better, mainly because of a strong performance by Anthony Quayle.
Adam Strange (Quayle), a retired Scotland Yard detective, investigates crimes that baffle the forces of law and order. Unlike the crimes faced by Jason King, say, these are relatively normal crimes, such as kidnappings and assassinations, and Strange solves them using the very best science the 60s had to offer (the show had a forensic scientist for an advisor).
It’s quite fun, even though it’s played straight the whole time. Quayle embraces the role, but is never hammy, making it almost like Shakespeare at times. The wonderfully named Kas Garas, the token American hunk who’s also a Rhodes scholar, provides able support that offers a little more depth than characters in similar shows of the time.
The same can’t be said for poor Anneke Wills (who played Polly to Hartnell and Troughton’s Doctors Who), whose character is supposed to “slip in and out of undercover roles like a chameleon” but who blends unnoticeably into the background instead. Bad scriptwriters!
All the same, worth a look if you haven’t already tuned in. There’s more over here on the ITC Classics web site.
Review: The Man Whose Arms Exploded
Just in case you’re interested, a somewhat old review of mine covering the Five documentary The Man Whose Arms Exploded has just gone up at Off The Telly. It’s also below the fold.