Once again, this is being posted after the East Coast premiere of the second episode "Torchwood: Miracle Day" and talks about the plotline of the episode. If you haven't seen the episode yet, it's recommended that you do so before reading this post. If you are in the UK, you won't see it until next … [Read more...]
About Dana Franks
I'm a Brit at heart but was somehow accidentally born in a tiny town in southern Tennessee. I've wandered around a lot, mostly due to my career in new media for local TV stations, I currently live in the Midwest and use my TARDIS to watch British TV - more than American, really. Basically, anything with a panel show is probably a fave. I seem to get therapy out of hearing British comedians rant. Also love Britcoms and, of course, Doctor Who and Torchwood.
Talking Telly: Week 1 of “Torchwood: Miracle Day” – MANY SPOILERS
July 8, 2011 By 5 Comments
Note: I am writing and posting this after the first airing of "Torchwood: Miracle Day" on Starz on the East Coast. If you haven't seen it yet, this post contains spoilers. If you're in the UK, you have a week to wait and it sucks, I know. Please come back and read this after it airs there. I … [Read more...]
Seeing Historic London With the London Pass
June 26, 2011 By 1 Comment
A couple of months ago, I visited London during the Royal Wedding week (yeah, I know, we didn't mention it in the least at the time, did we?) Since I got back I have been horribly remiss on writing about everything I did because I moved to a new city and took on two new jobs in the weeks surrounding … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: See BBC Drama Trailer, With Actual New Torchwood Footage!
April 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I have become very spoiled this week in London, because I have gotten to watch so many of the shows I already know and love live in the proper time slot. But I also have gotten some very nice surprises, such as seeing this at the end of BBC's Royal Wedding coverage this afternoon. There's a … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Catherine Tate to replace Steve Carell on ‘The Office’? Maybe
April 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
She might not have been the Brit that fans thought might replace Steve Carell as the boss in charge of Dunder Mifflin on the US version of "The Office." Heck, many of them have probably not heard much about her. But Catherine Tate has entered the lineup of guest stars on the show's May 19 episode … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: ‘The Thick Of It’ back in 2012
March 25, 2011 By 1 Comment
Great news for everyone who's been wondering exactly what Malcolm Tucker would think about the coalition government - we'll get to hear his wonderfully graphic rants in about a year. It's been announced that the political comedy "The Thick Of It" will be back for a fourth series in 2012. … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: See highlights from this year’s Comic Relief special
March 20, 2011 By 3 Comments
The British version of Comic Relief is honestly one of the highlights of the year for me, and is something I wish we did full-out here in the US. For about a month, pretty much everyone funny (or not so much) goes out and raises money for the charity, which funds major charitable work in Africa and … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Report – Katie Price gets £1M US TV deal
March 17, 2011 By 4 Comments
I think most Anglophiles have a list of Brits they'd love to see get their own American TV show. I wonder how many of them have Katie Price on that list. Ah well, because reports indicate that she is, once again, going to be on our television screens. Price, also known by professional moniker … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Watch 24 hours of live panel shows for Comic Relief NOW
March 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
To raise money for Comic Relief, David Walliams is currently hosting 24 hours of different British panel shows - everything from QI to Just A Minute to the Generation Game to Room 101 (boy, I miss that show) to Never Mind the Buzzcocks - on "24 Hour Panel People" which is streaming live now and then … [Read more...]
Tinie Tempah, Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons and Take That Win Big At Brits – Brit Awards Winners List
February 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Canadian festival favorites Arcade Fire are possibly having their highest profile week ever, capping off a huge Grammys win with two Brit Awards Tuesday night. Arcade Fire won awards for Best International Group and Best International Album at the Brits, while fellow Grammys nominees Mumford … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Review of 10 O’Clock Live
January 20, 2011 By 5 Comments
The first thing that should be be done in the future in relation to Channel 4's 10 O'Clock Live is to get rid of the "British version of The Daily Show" label that we've all attached to this programme. By its very essence, it's not. It's an hour long, aired live and only once a week and has four … [Read more...]
Royal Wedding: Help Me Decide What Is Must-Do That Week
January 19, 2011 By 17 Comments
Jonathan helpfully reminded me that today is exactly 100 days until the royal wedding. That means it's about 96 days until the day that I arrive in London for my first-ever excursion to the UK. Due to a lucky bit of fortune in having a wonderful person offer me lodging while they, as many … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Piers Morgan Tonight review, night 1
January 17, 2011 By 4 Comments
I'm just going to state this up front, because this is a very controversial stance to make in a Brit-American forum such as this - I love Piers Morgan's TV work. I already made this clear in the past. I've seen every episode of his Life Stories show on ITV, and I was thrilled from the moment his … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Anyone should’ve known what was coming with Ricky Gervais on the Golden Globes
January 17, 2011 By 11 Comments
It's amazing how suddenly a large percentage of America has suddenly discovered that Ricky Gervais is not some meek, mild US network sitcom character in the past 24 hours. I knew this mythical idea existed after hearing some of the audience reaction at the taping of Gervais' last HBO special in … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Review of ‘Episodes’, episodes 1 and 2
January 14, 2011 By 1 Comment
It's slightly ironic that Episodes, a BBC/Showtime coproduction about a UK show import going bad very quickly in Hollywood, is popping up in both America and Great Britain right now, as a new era of television's most uncomfortable "special relationship" is really kicking in here in the US. Just … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Dear Torchwood fans, give the new series a chance (SPOILERS)
January 8, 2011 By 35 Comments
Starz had its presentation at the Television Critics Association tour on Friday, where Russell T. Davies took the stage to preview the next series of Torchwood. For anyone who loves Brit TV who has been living without Internet access since July 2009, the show is now going to be a co-production of … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Watch the first episode of ‘The Ricky Gervais Show’, Season 2 now!
January 7, 2011 By 1 Comment
HBO has released the first episode of their second season of the animated comedy "The Ricky Gervais Show" a week early, both on iTunes and HBO.com. They were kind enough to let us feature the episode below. Ep. 14: Clive Warren - Full Episode I know that some of the hardcore Gervais/Merchant … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Review of Come Fly With Me, Episode 2
January 1, 2011 By 21 Comments
Wow, I must say that I never expected to see the number of people who commented on my first week review of Come Fly With Me. Also amazed by how many people flat-out hated it. Most people seemed to find it offensive, with the rest thinking it just wasn't funny. Me, I can't help comparing it - as … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Review of Episode 1 of Come Fly With Me
December 25, 2010 By 31 Comments
At long last the debut of the new sketch show from Little Britain's David Walliams and Matt Lucas bowed Christmas night on BBC One, and it was definitely a fine end to a day of Christmas specials and festivities. And much like Christmas festivities themselves, it was almost too much of a good … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: A first-hand look at Ricky Gervais’ Out Of England 2 special
December 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
It's a little bit special to get the chance to review a British comedian's TV special before it airs anywhere, much less in America. It's even more special when you aren't even previewing an advance copy of the special on DVD. But I was lucky enough to attend the main taping of "Ricky Gervais: Out … [Read more...]
‘The King’s Speech’ leads nominations for Golden Globes
December 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
There will be plenty of Brits in attendance at next year's Golden Globes Awards ceremony. Beyond being hosted again by Ricky Gervais, the nominee leader board was topped by The King's Speech with 7 nominations. The film is not only up for Best Picture, Drama and Best Director for Tom Hooper, … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Roku provides a new way to watch lots of British TV
December 12, 2010 By 14 Comments
I've been looking for new ways to both downgrade my cable subscription (sorry, but BBC America is not offering enough real Brit programming to justify extended digital service anymore) and to be somewhat lazy and order what I want, when I want as far as TV and movies from the comfort of either couch … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Karl Pilkington’s ‘An Idiot Abroad’ coming to US
December 9, 2010 By 1 Comment
The hilarious "An Idiot Abroad", following the global exploits of Karl Pilkington as mechanized by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, aired on Sky1 this fall. Now American audiences will get their chance to see Pilkington whine his way to the Seven Wonders of the World. The Science Channel will … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Christmas Specials – See the BBC drama trailer
December 4, 2010 By 1 Comment
This trailer features Doctor Who, Whistle And I'll Come To You, Upstairs Downstairs, Toast, Eric And Ernie and EastEnders. Looks really good. I'm personally looking really forward to Doctor Who, Eric and Ernie and EastEnders, but we'll all have our own favorites. … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: See first trailer for Matt Lucas and David Walliams’ new show
December 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The BBC has released their first trailer for Come Fly With Me, a brand-new sketch show starring Little Britain's Matt Lucas and David Walliams set in a fictional British airport. Its first episode will air on BBC One in the UK on Christmas night. Thanks for not region-blocking this, BBC! … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Global iPlayer to be launched as iPad app?
December 1, 2010 By 2 Comments
According to reports, the BBC has plans to launch their global version of the iPlayer as a subscription-based app for the iPad, initially in the US. Apple Insider relays a report in the Financial Times (subscription-only) quoting Luke Bradley-Jones, managing director of BBC.com, as saying that … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Preview of BBC’s Christmas lineup – 2010 British TV Christmas Special Round-up
December 1, 2010 By 1 Comment
The best thing about a British Christmas is, for me, the Christmas specials. Networks in the UK go the extra mile to bring in fans of all sorts, from the popular current hits to the classic shows to beloved performers showing up on either of the first two or in their own one-time show. And it's … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Fond flashback to Charlie Brooker’s take on TV snow coverage
December 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
As our poor British readers continue to shovel themselves out and most of us Americans prepare for our first major snowfall, it's a great time to watch my very favorite segment about news coverage of weather events - a clip from Charlie Brooker's Newswipe from this past winter about "Frozen … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: Peter Davison to join Law & Order: UK cast
December 1, 2010 By 1 Comment
[picappgallerysingle id="8271610"] Peter Davison, best known for his stint as the 5th Doctor and as Tristan Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small, is set to join the cast of ITV's Law & Order: UK as filming begins on another 13 episodes of the show. Davison will play the part of Henry … [Read more...]
Talking Telly: First US X Factor promo from Fox
November 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
It's not exactly the most exciting or groundbreaking video in the world, but it's a start. I do like the bridge. I hope that the American version avoids all the red-and-silver, flashing, migraine-inducing graphics that the UK show has. I know this is a Simon Cowell show though, so I'm not … [Read more...]
British Pound Exchange Rate
Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia was started to get us back to the UK for a trip and it did that in 2009. Now, the goal is for Anglotopia to make our dreams of traveling to the UK whenever we want a reality.
