I am the master of bad timing - just a fortnight ago I took BBC America to task for their rerun heavy sked and less than inspired program choices of late and quicker than you can ask "Are You Free?" they turn around and kick off the new year with a spate of new series and specials that make me look like Frank Spencer at a Robson Green look alike contest. Oh well...as the kids say today - my bad.
Among the AmeriBeeb's new offerings are a Lee Evans sitcom, the all time classic pop prog. Top of the Pops, the mystery anthology series Murder in Mind, an evening of royal specials and a hip new gardening show.
So What Now?
I've never been a huge Lee Evans fan. His schtick has always
seemed far too ingratiating and forced for my tastes, the whole
love child of Chaplain, Lloyd,Lewis and Frank Spencer thing leaves
me cold. That's not to say he's not talented just that his brand
of masochistic slapstick just isn't my cup of tea. His series,
So What Now?, is a bit of a hybrid of such familiar shows
as The Odd Couple, Man About the House, Some Mothers Do 'ave
'em and Tony Hancock. Evan's chews his usual allotment
of scenery, aided and abetted by similarly voracious co-stars
Sophie Thompson (Emma's sister and part of Gosford Park's
stunning ensemble cast) and Steve O'Donnell (Comic
Strip Presents).
Fans of well executed but broad slapstick will find much to cherish in Evan's incessant mugging, those with drier wits will want to steer clear.
Nude Jelly Wresting
Filling out the hour behind So What Now? is this modest collection
of short, vaguely comedic, animations. Well, it's nice to see
student filmmakers get a chance to be seen on national telly isn't
it.
Liquid News
Three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) Christopher
Price delivers catty, and oft borderline libelous, gossip
in this new entertainment news series that plays like Entertainment
Tonight taken over by Fleet Street tabloid hacks.While not
to everyone's taste Liquid News does the whole celebrity sleaze
thing as well as anybody and the British slant on things can be
delightfully arch.
Top of the Pops
Beginning January 12 BBC America will bring Top of the Pops
to America's airwaves, and it's bloody well about time. Though
it's a bit late for me, my formative TotP years featured the likes
of The Smiths, Aztec Camera and Bannanrama as
frequent guests, it still remains the ultimate pop music showcase.
Swerving wildly, from the naff to the sublime, TotP offers up
all the hottest acts in every pop music genre with virtually no
star to big to climb onto their tiny stage and cavort with Britain's
