Get Lost in ‘Spaced’ This Sunday
July 19, 2008 by Chandra
Any fans of the fabulous Britcom Spaced out there? If so, note that BBC America has a very special television event scheduled just for us at 3pm EST on Sunday, July 20 — Lost in Spaced, featuring six back-to-back episodes of the cult comedy handpicked by creator-stars Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes, as well as director Edgar Wright. What more could you ask for to end your weekend on a high note?
The occasion for all of this TV-marathon goodness is the upcoming North American release of the collector’s DVD set Spaced: The Complete Series. I’ve written about this before, and I repeat that the day to rush to your retailer of choice is this Tuesday, July 22.
Starting on that same day, BBC America will also air the entire 14-episode, two-season Spaced series in one-hour blocks each early morning, excluding July 27–28, at 3am EST.
Take a look at the trailer for the DVD release after the jump.
Susan Sarandon Visits ‘The Graham Norton Show’
June 14, 2008 by Chandra
The third season of BBC America’s hit late-night talk series The Graham Norton Show is now almost half over, but the big-name guests are still showing up regularly.
Tonight at 10pm EST, host Norton will welcome the latest veteran actress to grace his stage, the one and only Susan Sarandon. I have no doubt the New York native will be able to keep up with his trademark raunchy improvisation and banter, so the appearance is definitely one worth looking forward to.
Also stopping by are English comedian Jon Culshaw, who has a knack for impressions, and musical guest The Feeling, a British soft rock band. Check out photos from the episode after the jump
Cynthia Nixon Visits ‘The Graham Norton Show’
May 31, 2008 by Chandra
As everyone in the United States knows, the long-awaited film version of Sex and the City opened in theaters yesterday. Fans of the series will get a treat tonight when star Cynthia Nixon pays a visit on the latest episode of BBC America’s The Graham Norton Show.
Also on the schedule are English comedian David Mitchell (Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look) and American rockers One Republic. Check your local television guide for air times either before or after taking a look at the following stills from the episode.
‘Spaced’ Is Coming to America
Despite — or perhaps because of — the controversy surrounding the proposed McG-U.S. adaptation of the British cult TV comedy Spaced (which has since reportedly failed to get picked up), the United Kingdom’s Channel 4 has finally announced a street date for the North American release of the sitcom. Spaced: The Complete Series, a three-disc collector’s DVD set, is heading to this side of the pond in late July, arriving in retail outlets on July 22, with advance orders possible starting June 17.
Spaced lasted for two seasons (1999 and 2001) of seven episodes each on the United Kingdom’s Channel 4. Most often described as surreal, the series was directed by Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead co-writer and director Edgar Wright and stars co-creators Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) and Jessica Hynes (formerly Jessica Stevenson; Shaun of the Dead, Son of Rambow) as Tim Bisley and Daisy Steiner, respectively.
Tim and Daisy become roommates after they meet unexpectedly while apartment hunting and subsequently decide to pretend to be romantically involved in order to satisfy the rental requirements for an affordable unit. The show then depicts various aspects of their lives as they continue to play at being a couple in their twenties by making the mundane exciting through Hollywood-inspired exaggeration.
English comedian and actor Eddie Izzard, star of The Riches, sums up the show pretty accurately with his observation that it’s “annoyingly good.” Here’s what proud new owners of Spaced: The Complete Series will get by way of bonus features for the suggested retail price of $49.98:
What’s on Tonight: The Graham Norton Show
If you have cable network BBC America and want a change of pace tonight, I highly recommend checking out an all-new episode of the fab Graham Norton Show.
For those who aren’t familiar with Norton, the popular late-night host is an Irish comedian and actor who’s gained a tremendous, deserved following for his always entertaining and often raunchy (or “cheeky,” as they say in the United Kingdom) humor.
His BBC America series has a format familiar to fans of the genre — the requisite monologues, improvised bits, and, of course, interviews with tons of people famous and not even close.
What differentiates The Graham Norton Show from its American counterparts, aside from the talented host’s signature flamboyant style, is the flexibility he has on European television to introduce subjects that would give FFC members and network censors here fatal heart attacks on a regular basis. In other words, it has lots of the weird, off-the-wall — and, yes, sex-related — stuff that people really talk about when they’re hanging out with friends and family.
The third season of The Graham Norton Show just debuted stateside last Saturday, with Tony Curtis and Kevin Bacon as guests. Norton welcomes another great group tonight, as well, including entertainment veteran Martin Sheen (The West Wing).
Irish comedian Ed Byne shares the couch with the actor, while Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas will be joined by Girls Aloud member Cheryl Cole to perform their new single “Heartbreaker.” Sounds like a good time to me.
Check out a few photos from the episode after the jump to get a better look at what’s in store, and also visit the BBC America website for The Graham Norton Show to watch exclusive video clips and see more photos.