Tag: BBC America

Make Mumma a TV Special, Sweetie, You’re So Clever

Filed under absolutely fabulous news –  those Bolly-swilling, high life-living dames of Absolutely Fabulous, Edina and Patsy, will soon be returning to the small screen in 3 special episodes just in time to commemorate the show’s 20th anniversary. Not seen since the last season in 2005, God willing the fad-following PR guru and glamous sex-mad magazine editor haven’t aged a day.

The specials will be a co-production of BBC America and Logo, which has been airing the original five seasons of Absolutely Fabulous since April. The BBC’s release notes that the specials will pretty much pick up where the series left off. As a devoted fan I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Reprising their iconic roles as Edina Monsoon and and best pal Patsy, leads Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley will be joined by other original cast members Julia Sawalha as put-upon daughter Saffy, June Whitfield as Edina’s mother and Jane Horrocks as personal assistant Bubble. Other surprise guests will also be on board.

In the first episode, audiences rejoin the ensemble in the middle of a “life-changing experience for one – which affects them all.” In the second show, Edina sets her sights on changing the career of someone described by the BBC as “a very big fish indeed.” In the concluding episode, Eddy and Patsy play their own part in the 2012 London Olympics.

All I ask is that they embrace the same hilarious disregard for societal mores as they did in the past.

Fall Premieres – What About the Weekend?

Even thought it’s Saturday that doesn’t mean you won’t find new episodes in the TV ether, you’ll just need to look a little further up the dial on an extended cable channel. For fellow anglophiles, tonight BBC America begins playing the third season of its motherland network’s modernized (i.e. more youthful, and without tights) retelling of the classic Robin Hood story.

Robin Hood, BBC America 8/7cBeing a lover of the timeless “rob the rich to give to the poor” legend in all guises (God help me, I can even stomach Kevin Costner’s less-than-feeble attempts at a British accent), the first and second seasons, while not groundbreaking, were good fun with an enjoyablely passionate and cheeky Robin Hood, sassy/adventurous Maid Marian and comically evil (scene-stealing without being cartoonish) Sheriff of Nottingham.

Coming into the third season the show shows signs of maturing and appears to be delving into darker terrain than its previous light-hearted years, with events of the second season finale driving the hero towards all-consuming feelings of exacting vengeance on his enemies after losing all reason to care, an interesting place to put a character who is synonymus with the act of unconditional giving. Unfortunately this will be the final season for the archery ace and his merry men as the BBC announced earlier this summer they will not be bringing the series back for a fourth year.

In case you missed it, catch up with Seasons 1 and 2 available on iTunes, and watch the final 13 episodes every Saturday starting tonight on BBC America.

Set Your DVRs

  • 9/8c – Robin Hood, BBC America