Sister Wendy | Brass Eye | Dear John | Changing Stages
My dream behind-the scenes special would have included the anatomy of an episode from request to approval to filming featuring interviews with production team member explaining the selection process and the joys and hazards of filming a TV series in a family's back garden. Interviews with past recipients of the Ground Force treatment would have been nice with accompanying peeks at what has become of the garden once Alan T. and chums have departed. Cast member picks for best garden, most difficult shoot, funniest moment, most helpful civilians would have also been welcome. and what about poor Will Shanahan -the forgotten cast member didn't even get an mention in the special.
Those looking for outtakes and behind the scenes info on Ground Force (and Changing Rooms) can find a better selection at BBC America's website dedicated to the recent Hard Labor DIY programming stunt
Wish list
:
British Drama
Watching the excellent Changing Stages on PBS recently got me to wondering why we haven't been treated to more classic televised drama here in the US. (Changing Stages is, by the way, not a new DIY series hosted by Carol Smillie and pitting rival community theaters against one another but an insightful history of British theater and it's diverse influences) British television, the BBC in particular, have a long and distinguished history of airing faithful adaptations of the best plays the British stage has to offer, as well as a large number of productions created solely for broadcast. We've gotten a taste of these now and again but for the most part they've kept them to them selves.
Changing Stages showed so many mouthwatering clips from plays by the likes of
Bill Shakespeare (a productive playwright who seems to have something of
a following these days), G.B. Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Brendan Behan,
John Osbourne and many more. And these are but the tip of the iceberg..
Hopefully someday soon some smart chap in the international sales office of the
BBC will have the bright idea to start letting more of these fine presentation
out to entertain and delight the nation. Well it could happen...
Dear John
Before their was Judd Hirsch their was Ralph Bates. In Dear John that is. The
TV
series Dear John. Well, actually the two TV series Dear John. First came the
British series starring Ralph Bates, who had previously had successful careers
on both the stage and in a number of wonderful
Latest Articles