September 9, 2010

Talking Telly: Breaking down the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ lineup

I’m generally not big on shows that feature dancing or ice skating, although I make a big exception for “Let’s Dance For Comic Relief” every other year. Note the “every other year” part, and the fact that it’s only four weeks long and doesn’t last for seemingly five hours each Saturday night during its run.

However, “Strictly Come Dancing” is one of those grand television traditions that pays for the salaries of at least three writers per tabloid each time it comes out. And since last year’s series did not fare well against “The X Factor,” there was a lot more pressure to bring out a lineup that at least gets people talking. That was accomplished in spades with only one name: Ann Widdecombe.

Widdecombe is a former Tory MP who held ministry posts under John Major. She’s probably better known to the younger folk for some of her conservative campaigns and for documentary programmes where she basically decried the declining morality of Britons. She is also not the skinniest of people. I hate to even bring such superficial things into this, but hey, it’s going to be mentioned all over the tabs for months, believe me, so don’t let it be a shock. Between her getting on this show and the whole Wayne Rooney mess, this week’s return of “Mock The Week” has pretty much written itself.

Probably the second biggest name (in England, at least) is Patsy Kensit, who is departing a longtime role on “Holby City” and has been married to a good portion the of the 1990′s heyday of Britpop. Then there’s former rugby star Gavin Henson, who just broke up with “Voice of an Angel” Charlotte Church. Both have spent a fair amount of time in the press.

Felicity Kendal should be the public’s sweetheart. She’s an OBE who became famous on “The Good Life” and was a guest star on Series 4 of “Doctor Who.” The possible fave as far as demonstrated dancing ability is probably former Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams. The John Sargeant of the year may possibly be 72-year-old TV magician Paul Daniels. And for the weird quotient is DJ and party circuit regular Goldie.

For the rest, I rely on descriptions from my fellow Brit culture geek Joe, who would fill in all the sport questions if we were doing pub quizzes. Pamela Stephenson the first non-North American cast member on Saturday Night Live back in the day and is married to Billy Connolly. Peter Shilton was the England goalkeeper who was on the receiving end of Maradona’s Hand of God goal at the 1986 World Cup.

Most of the rest are all your usual Brit soap filler, IMHO – “Coronation Street’s” Tina O’Brien, and “EastEnders” stars Scott Masien and Kara Tointon. Also, “Blue Peter” presenter Matt Baker and “East is East” star Jimi Mistry.

All in all, through my day job I am paid to actually care about “Dancing With The Stars,” who announced their own lineup this week. I like this one better. I knew what about 2/3 of the cast are actually famous for, which is a high percentage on these shows. Some of them look like they might be really good. And if I can stomach those loooooong episodes, I might tune in and see how long I can try to hang on to see Patsy Kensit dance – she’s a particular fave of mine after her very good episode of “Who Do You Think You Are?” And since all indications point toward this being Bruce Forsyth’s last series on “Strictly,” maybe it’s time to take a national treasure for a last spin.

BBC loses court battle; The Stig’s identity presumably revealed

The BBC has failed to halt the publication of a planned memoir by a former Formula Three driver who claims to be Top Gear’s the Stig.

The High Court in London refused to grant an injunction against HarperCollins of an autobiography written by Ben Collins. The BBC had launched legal action last week, arguing the book would breach confidentiality obligations.

Several British publications had already speculated that Collins was the Stig, who wears a white racing uniform and does racing test runs for the BBC Two show, based on financial records from his company.

When the BBC began to seek the injunction, officials with HarperCollins accused executives of wasting taxpayers’ licence fees on attempting to keep The Stig’s identity secret. However, representative of the BBC cited confidentiality statements signed by Top Gear talent and staff and said that such a revelation violates copyright.

Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman said in a blog post on the show’s website last week that the rights to The Stig belong to the licence payers, “not to some opportunists who think they can come along and take a slice when they feel like it.”

The whole point of the Stig is the mystique – the bizarre characteristics he has, the wonderment created about what he might think, feel, do or look like. Kids adore the conceit, and I believe adults, although they know it’s a man in a suit (or is it?), gladly buy into the whole conceit because they find it entertaining.

Collins, who has not been officially verified by the BBC as The Stig, presumably took over the role in 2003 after the original “black” Stig, driver Perry McCarthy, also outed himself in an autobiography.

To see immediate reaction to the news from within British entertainment (including Jonathan Ross’ Tweet that he himself is actually the Stig) check out my British TV Twitter list.

Talking Telly: BBC to produce more ‘Sherlock’ next year – More Details Inside!

It was a foregone conclusion after a huge debut on BBC One that more episodes of “Sherlock” would be coming. But now it’s official that Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat’s retelling of the classic will be back on British television screens next fall.

At the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, BBC Controller Jay Hunt said that three additional 90-minute episodes of the show, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, have been commissioned. The first three episodes of the show aired on BBC One in July and will air in the US on PBS in October.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the warmth of response to our new Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and can’t wait to take them on three new adventures next year,” said Gatiss and Moffat in a statement. “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?”

Gatiss also took to his Twitter account with the news, although he later said to fans, “Hope you understand that the writing & production of 3×90′ films doesn’t happen overnight.” Presumably that was to squelch the frustration that there will be another year to wait now after one of the better cliffhanger endings on modern television.

At the festival, Hunt also said the network has commissioned two additional two-hour specials of “Luther” to air next year, a new comedy panel show headed by Welsh comedian Rhod Gilbert, and yet another British cookery show, this one with food author Simon Hopkinson.

New Sherlock Series 2 Order Confirmed (and Luther)!

We’ve known since the series ended a couple weeks ago that there would be more Sherlock – but now it’s been made official. The BBC have ordered three more 90 minute episodes to premiere in Fall 2011. Luther has also been renewed for a second series.

From the official BBC Press Release:

(Jay) Hunt (BBC Controller) also confirmed the recommissions of Sherlock Holmes and Luther for BBC One. Following a highly successful launch with over 7.5m viewers watching the first episode in July 2010, Sherlock returns for three new 90-minute episodes in Autumn 2011, while Luther comes back with two, two-hour specials

Hunt says: “Sherlock was the hit of the Summer. Luther the most memorable new detective on the block. I am delighted they will both be returning to BBC One.”

Talking of the Sherlock recommission, co-creators, Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, say: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the warmth of response to our new Sherlock Holmes and John Watson and can’t wait to take them on three new adventures next year. 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?”

Great news all around! Though it’s going to be a long wait until fall 2011 for more Sherlock!

Talking Telly: BBC head says global iPlayer coming ‘within a year’

The BBC has said there’s a global version of its on-demand iPlayer on the way for at least a year. But finally a date line has been drawn in the sand.

BBC director-general Mark Thompson said at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival Friday that, “Within a year, we wish to launch an international commercial version of the iPlayer.”

Thompson said the BBC Worldwide division has been making slow process in building their own version of the UK-only platform, which currently has both live streaming of all the BBC television networks and on-demand streams of shows for a seven-day period after airing.

Moreover, Thompson said that the network is developing a way for verified UK license payers to be able to use the existing iPlayer platform from non-UK IP addresses, presumably for Brits traveling abroad or expats who maintain residence in Great Britain and another country.

But there are still questions to be answered on the non-UK “global” iPlayer in its final execution. If people are paying a fee to the BBC for access (probably the most logical option) would this mean they’d also pay for the right to, say, watch “Doctor Who” and “Sherlock” on the much earlier UK timetable, or would shows that have US rights sold be blocked?

That would be bad news for the many DW fanatics who would gladly pay for legal viewing when it airs in the UK instead of seeking out not-so-legal downloads of the show online, and those people are many of those willing to pay a monthly fee for the privilege. However, for a network like PBS that is banking on this enormous “Sherlock” buzz for their fall ratings, at least the illusion of exclusivity is part of the price they pay for the rights.

Also, will this BBCWW iPlayer also include live streaming as well as on-demand? Note: only live UK television requires a license fee under the current structure, although UK culture minister Jeremy Hunt has said the exemption should end for video-on-demand. But if we’re paying, can’t we at least get BBC One and Two live? And could we also, just for the fun of it, get all those region-blocked previews and trailers that are on the BBC.co.uk site? After all, there would have to be some sort of logging into the site and cookies involved.

BBCWW has licensed some of their programmes out already in the US via Hulu, and Thompson said, “British ideas are no longer strangers in LA and the world’s other media capitals.” That may be true to an extent, especially with the division’s coproduction deals with Starz for “Torchwood” and “Spartacus.”

However, surely Thompson and others overseeing the development of the US market for BBC as a whole know that they cannot offer a limited amount of product such as what’s available on Hulu as a way to grow their audience here. There are some of us who won’t be happy until we can see “EastEnders”, The One Show”, “Mock the Week” and “That Mitchell and Webb Look”, amongst so many others, in as close to real time as they can legally and technologically make available.