Its success paved the way for two more six-part serials: "Quatermass II" in 1955 and "Quatermass and the Pit" in 1958. Early television technology considerably influenced the quality of the broadcast product: almost all productions were broadcast live from a small studio, with inserts shot on 35 mm film at the beginning and end of episodes. After the invention of videotape the production could be recorded for re-runs. In November 1960 the BBC televised a thirteen-episode adaptation of Charles Dickens's "Barnaby Rudge". In December of that year it broadcast a four-episode dramatization of Jane Austen's "Persuasion".
United Kingdom
Miniseries
Miniseries | United Kingdom
The British television "serial" is rooted in dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars The British television "serial" is rooted in dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars. In the 1920s the BBC pioneered dramatic readings of books. Itis rooted in dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars. The British television "serial" is rooted in dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars.
when does marvel's the defenders take place
user
August 18, 2017
assistant
what is the defenders?
user
American streaming television miniseries
assistant
who wrote this?
user
Petrie and Ramirez
assistant
who are the characters in this series?
user
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist
assistant
how did its development take place?
user
Development began in late 2013, with Cox the first actor cast in May 2014
assistant
where is the second mentioned actress from?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
how was her early days like?
user
Sorry. I cannot find the answer based on the context.
assistant
what is the definition of the type of series mentioned earlier?
user
It is a television program that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes
assistant
where did it first begin?
user
The term was coined in the US in the early 1970s
assistant
what is the historical account behind this?
user
The term was coined in the US in the early 1970s; with the proliferation of the format in the 1980s and 90s, television films broadcast over even two or three nights were commonly referred to as miniseries
assistant
how was it in the uk?
user
In 2010, a spin-off series set three years after the film, "This Is England '86", was shown on Channel 4. A sequel to the series set two and a half years later, "This Is England '88", was broadcast in December 2011. A third installment, "This Is England '90", was shown in September 2015.
This Is England | TV miniseries
In British television, the term "serial" is used instead of "miniseries." Like telenovelas, these programs are stand-alone dramas, with a conclusion at the last episode of the season.
Limited-run series | United Kingdom
In the UK, the series was shown on the History Channel in April 2011 and on BBC Two and BBC HD in June 2011. Public response were generally positive.
The Kennedys (miniseries) | United Kingdom ratings
The entire series can viewed for educational purposes through the online academic archive, Film and Sound Online - within the Anglia Television Library collection. This archive is available to teachers and students in UK Further and Higher Education institutions possessing Athens accounts.
Who Were the British? | Availability today
The British is a 2012 British television series produced by Sky Atlantic. It comprises seven fifty-minute episodes. It covers several major events in the history of Britain throughout the years 43 AD to 1953. Including the Norman Conquest, Industrial Revolution and the Queen's Coronation. It stars Russell Brand, Jessie J, and Dame Helen Mirren, and is narrated by Jeremy Irons.It premiered 6 September 2012 on Sky Atlantic.
The British (TV series) | Introduction
On 7 April 2014, Network Distributing released all extant material on a Blu-ray/DVD set in the UK. This release includes the first two episodes as broadcast, the first two episodes as recorded, which included the material removed from the TV broadcasts, and all available film inserts. New linking material for film inserts was recorded by Jones and Palin especially for this release, and included as a 50-minute programme entitled "The New Incomplete Complete and Utter History of Britain".
The Complete and Utter History of Britain | Home media
It always seems to me, that it is the first duty of an adapter to reproduce in another medium the original flavour and atmosphere of the book". Inglis compressed several characters into one and simplified the plotline. The production struck a chord with listeners and served as a prototype for serials that followed it. Post-war BBC television picked up the classic radio serial tradition by broadcasting "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope over six-episodes in 1951. "Pride and Prejudice" was serialised in 1952, "Jane Eyre" in 1955. In 1953 the BBC broadcast the first serial written specifically for television: the six-part "The Quatermass Experiment".
Miniseries | United Kingdom
The British television "serial" is rooted in dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars. In the 1920s the BBC pioneered dramatic readings of books. In 1925 it broadcast "A Christmas Carol", which has become a holiday favourite. Later, John Reith, wanting to use radio waves to "part the clouds of ignorance", came up with the idea of a "classic serial", based on a "classical" literary text. In 1939 the BBC adapted the romantic novel "The Prisoner of Zenda" for radio broadcast. Its adapter, Jack Inglis, summed up his approach as follows: "The story is simple, with clear cut characters, and falls easily into episodes.
Miniseries | United Kingdom
The series is available in the UK (Regions 2 and 4) as a six-disc DVD (BBCDVD1127, released 18 November 2002) in widescreen PAL format. Its special features include short interviews with Simon Schama, a text-based biography of the historian, and the inaugural BBC History Lecture of Schama's "Television and the Trouble with History". In Region 1, it was released as "A History of Britain: the complete collection" on 26 November 2002. A five-disc set, the episodes were presented in full-frame NTSC format and included various text-based features. It was re-released on 22 July 2008 in a new slim-case version. It was released again in Region 1 on 17 August 2010 in a format nearly identical to the UK version noted above.
A History of Britain (TV series) | DVDs and books
For many years the entire series was believed to have been wiped. However, copies of the first two episodes (as broadcast) have now been found, as have the complete first two episodes "as produced". The latter are in the form of poor quality video recordings, probably in CV-2000 format, with visible line structure and numerous instances of dropout. These were taken from the personal collection of the director, Maurice Murphy.
The Complete and Utter History of Britain | Concept
The 1991 and 1992 dates can be clearly seen on several newspapers and car tax discs shown on screen.
A Very British Coup (miniseries) | Plot
Its success paved the way for two more six-part serials: "Quatermass II" in 1955 and "Quatermass and the Pit" in 1958. Early television technology considerably influenced the quality of the broadcast product: almost all productions were broadcast live from a small studio, with inserts shot on 35 mm film at the beginning and end of episodes. After the invention of videotape the production could be recorded for re-runs. In November 1960 the BBC televised a thirteen-episode adaptation of Charles Dickens's "Barnaby Rudge". In December of that year it broadcast a four-episode dramatization of Jane Austen's "Persuasion".
Miniseries | United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, History UK was scheduled to screen the miniseries beginning on April 7, 2011. Tom Davidson, managing director of AETN-UK stated on the History website: "Securing the UK premiere of "The Kennedys" is a major coup for the History channel. Bringing to life the story of America's most iconic family, the drama is a bold and epic account of the Kennedy dynasty and we are delighted that viewers in the UK will get to see it on History first." Writing in "The Daily Telegraph", TV director Sebastian Doggart commented: Also in the UK, the BBC presented the series, beginning Friday, June 17, 2011, in both standard definition and HD.
The Kennedys (miniseries) | United Kingdom
However Harry finds support in Joan Cook, a loyal Member of Parliament (MP) and Home Secretary; and Thompson, Perkins' Press Secretary; Inspector Page, his Head of Security and Sir Montague Kowalski, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser. It provides an intimate view of the machinations of a particularly British political conspiracy. The series is set in 1991 and 1992, which was then the near future from when it was made (1988), with a King as the British monarch (the royal cypher on one of the Prime Minister's red boxes is shown as "C III R," suggesting that the monarch is Charles III, the current Prince of Wales).
A Very British Coup (miniseries) | Plot
The series was originally broadcast on regional versions of BBC One.
A Very British History | Broadcast
By the latter episodes, however, all "Three Kingdoms" are parts of the United Kingdom.
A History of Britain (TV series) | Criticisms
Schama's illustrative presentation was aided by readings from actors, including Lindsay Duncan, Michael Kitchen, Christian Rodska, Samuel West and David Threlfall.
A History of Britain (TV series) | Introduction
The show is notable for its wry humor, its muted sepia colour scheme, and the appearance of a chorus of dishwashers with Down syndrome who discuss in intimate detail the strange occurrences in the hospital. The first quartet of episodes ended with numerous questions unanswered, and in 1997, the cast reassembled to produce another group of four episodes, Riget II (The Kingdom II).
The Kingdom (miniseries) | Introduction
In part, this was due to problems with the age and condition of the prints used, and the loss of (or lack of access to) the original source footage which would normally be used as the basis of a remaster.
The Professionals (TV series) | United Kingdom
The first series aired on the ITV network in the UK at 9 p.m. on Sunday nights from 22 April to 27 May 2007. The second series was commissioned before the first episode was broadcast. It was filmed from July to September 2007 and broadcast from January to February 2008. The third series was commissioned in March 2008 and began broadcast on 7 June 2009. STV decided not to broadcast series 3. International distribution rights were bought by Portman Film and Television, which sold the series to 14 international networks by February 2007. Seven regional European Hallmark Channels broadcast it, with other showings on NRK in Norway, RÚV in Iceland, YLE in Finland, Rai Tre in Italy and één in Flanders.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Broadcast history
Furthermore, he believed that Britain's history comprised a number of tales worth telling: "No matter how much you tell them, you never quite know … how compelling and moving they are."
A History of Britain (TV series) | Background
The Complete and Utter History of Britain is a 1969 television comedy sketch show. It was created and written by Michael Palin and Terry Jones between the two series of "Do Not Adjust Your Set". It was produced for and broadcast by London Weekend Television but was not shown in all of the other ITV regions.
The Complete and Utter History of Britain | Introduction
Accordingly, he and the producers determined that to give each king and queen absolute equal coverage was out of the question: "That way lies madness," he said. Instead, he worked out the essential themes and stories that demanded to be related. Schama explained why, at the time of its making, it was right to produce another historical documentary on Great Britain. At that moment, he argued, Britain was entering a new phase of its relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, and where it would end up depended a great deal on where it's come from. He stated that the stories needed to be told again and again so that future generations could get a sense of their identity.
A History of Britain (TV series) | Background
Who Were the British? is a six-part Television Series made by Anglia Television, and written and presented by Dr Brian Hope-Taylor, focusing upon the early history and origins of Britain. It was shown on ITV in a late-night slot, with starting times varying between 10:40pm and 11:20pm.
Who Were the British? | Introduction
The U.S. remakes have sometimes been imported back into the UK. By contrast, original British programmes are rarely seen on the major U.S. networks in modern times (in the 1960s the airing of UK-produced programs such as "The Avengers" and "Fireball XL5" on U.S. network TV occurred frequently) and are usually broadcast only on the Public Broadcasting Service and on cable television, especially BBC America, with only a few purely British shows having gained mainstream popularity in the United States. This list includes a number of pilots not subsequently made into series.
List of American television series based on British television series | Introduction
When Simon Schama was approached by the BBC to make the series, he knew that it would be a big commitment and took a long time to decide whether it was something he wanted to do. He surmised that if he were to take it on, he would want to "dive in" and be very involved with the production. Besides writing the scripts, which the historian saw as a "screenplay", he also had input into other aspects, including the choice of locations. He was concerned that even 15 hour-long programmes would not be enough to tell a story of such magnitude.
A History of Britain (TV series) | Background
British television differs from other countries, such as the United States, in as much that programmes produced in the United Kingdom do not generally have a long season run of around 20 weeks. Instead, they are produced in a series, a set of episodes varying in length, usually aired over a period of a few months. See List of British television series.
Television in the United Kingdom | Programming
The idea (inspired by a sketch in an earlier show, "Twice a Fortnight") was to replay history as if television had been around at the time. Sketches included interviews with the vital characters in the dressing-room after the Battle of Hastings, Samuel Pepys presenting a TV chat-show and an estate agent trying to sell Stonehenge to a young couple looking for their first home ("It's got character, charm and a slab in the middle"). Seven programmes were written and produced, but LWT amalgamated the first two episodes into a single "stronger" (in their opinion) episode, resulting in a six-part series - the final cut of the first episode being 25 minutes like the others (i.e., of the first two episodes as originally recorded, 25 minutes were discarded).
The Complete and Utter History of Britain | Concept
Although most United States-made television series are directly exported to the United Kingdom using the original production and cast, some successful shows have been remade for the British market. The following list include American TV shows and concepts remade for a British audience.
List of British television series based on American television series | Introduction
The TV series of "A Very British Coup" was released in the UK on DVD (region 2) in September 2011.
A Very British Coup (miniseries) | Home media
The series was filmed in and around London. The series gathered respectable viewing figures, with the first part gathering 5.92 million viewers, and the second attracting 4.07 million. Notably, the series has yet to be repeated or released on DVD.
Fallen (British miniseries) | Introduction
Its adapter, Jack Inglis, summed up his approach as follows: "The story is simple, with clear cut characters, and falls easily into episodes. It always seems to me, that it is the first duty of an adapter to reproduce in another medium the original flavour and atmosphere of the book". Inglis compressed several characters into one and simplified the plotline. The production struck a chord with listeners and served as a prototype for dramatic productions that followed it. BBC television broadcasts ceased in 1939, as did the production of television receivers, resuming in 1946 after World War II. The golden age of British TV enjoyed its peak around the same time as in the United States, ranging from approximately 1949 to 1955 – although the term has been used to describe the period right through until the 1970s.
Golden Age of Television | United Kingdom
The Australian rights were picked up by the Seven Network, although the ABC aired seasons 1 and 2 in 2011 and season 3 late in 2012, with TVNZ buying it for New Zealand. The programme aired in the United States on some PBS affiliates in early 2008. A wider syndication deal was struck with American Public Television later that year for the first two series to be available to all affiliates, and other public stations; the third season begins distribution on 1 December 2009. In Canada, the first and second series are being broadcast this year, (April–June, 2010), on the Vision TV network.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Broadcast history
In 2007, Lucas and Walliams announced that there would be no more of the British "Little Britain", but they taped an American continuation of the programme entitled "Little Britain USA", which featured both returning characters from the British series as well as new American characters. According to Walliams, the new show was "effectively "Little Britain" series four". The show debuted on HBO at 10:30 pm EST Sunday 28 September 2008, then the following week on BBC One in Britain. It also started airing on The Comedy Network in Canada in January 2010.
Little Britain | "Little Britain USA"
A making-of special was filmed for the ITV3 "Behind the Scenes" strand and was broadcast on 27 May 2007, immediately following the end of episode six on ITV.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Production
From the 1950s until the early 1980s, the television play was a television programming genre in the United Kingdom. The genre was often associated with the social realist-influenced British drama style known as "kitchen sink realism", which depicted the social issues facing working-class families. "Armchair Theatre" (ABC, later Thames, 1956–1974), "The Wednesday Play" (BBC, 1964–1970) and "Play for Today" (BBC, 1970–1984) received praise from critics for their quality.
Television play | United Kingdom
Filming on the third series ran from July to September 2008 for broadcast from 7 June 2009. Stephen Fry announced in October 2009 that ITV was cancelling the series, a fact later confirmed by the channel, which said that given tighter budgets, more expensive productions were being cut.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Introduction
Little Britain USA is an American spin-off-continuation of British sketch show, "Little Britain", produced and aired by HBO. As in the British series, Matt Lucas and David Walliams play the majority of the characters: originals such as Lou and Andy, Daffyd Thomas, Sebastian Love, Marjorie Dawes and Vicky Pollard, as well as new characters not previously seen in the British series. The first series started filming in March 2008 in Wilmington, North Carolina. HBO showed the first episode of the season in the United States on September 28, 2008; The Movie Network broadcast it in Canada the same day, followed by BBC One on October 3 in the UK.
Little Britain USA | Introduction
A History of Britain is a BBC documentary series written and presented by Simon Schama, first transmitted in the United Kingdom from 30 September 2000. A study of the history of the British Isles, each of the 15 episodes allows Schama to examine a particular period and tell of its events in his own style. All the programmes are of 59 minutes' duration and were broadcast over three series, ending 18 June 2002. The series was produced in conjunction with The History Channel and the executive producer was Martin Davidson. The music was composed by John Harle, whose work was augmented by vocal soloists such as Emma Kirkby and Lucie Skeaping.
A History of Britain (TV series) | Introduction
Three accompanying books by Simon Schama have been published by BBC Books. All entitled "A History of Britain", they were subtitled as follows:
A History of Britain (TV series) | DVDs and books
The novel was also adapted for Thames Television as a series, broadcast in seven one-hour episodes from 6 September to 18 October 1977. The cast included Derek Farr as Mr Josser, Madge Ryan as Mrs Vizzard and Patricia Hayes as Connie Coke.
London Belongs to Me | Television series
These are "pitched" in the traditional way, but since the creators handle all the writing requirements, there is a run of six or seven episodes per series once approval has been given. Many of the most popular British comedies have been made this way, including "Monty Python's Flying Circus" (albeit with an exclusive team of six writer-performers), "Fawlty Towers", "Blackadder" and "The Office".
Television show | United Kingdom
The film is currently available on DVD in Australia and New Zealand on Madman Entertainment's Directors Suite label, in the UK from Second Sight, and in the United States from Koch-Lorber Films
The Kingdom (miniseries) | Home media
37 Days is a British drama miniseries that was first broadcast on BBC Two from 6 to 8 March 2014. The three-part miniseries covers the 37 days before World War I, from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on 28 June 1914 to the United Kingdom declaring war on Germany on 4 August 1914.
37 Days (TV series) | Introduction
In the United Kingdom and in the United States, it was broadcast in two parts, albeit in different lengths, by the ITV network in the UK and by NBC in the US. In both countries, the first part was aired on 3 April and the second on Easter, 10 April 1977. During its original showing in the UK, "Jesus of Nazareth" had an estimated audience of 21 million viewers. When the first episode was broadcast in the US, it was a major success. "The New York Times" reported it "swamped all competing programs on Sunday night", with overnight Nielsen ratings of 53% in Los Angeles and 46% in New York City.
Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries) | Reception
Britain From Above is a 2008 six-part British television miniseries in which journalist Andrew Marr takes to the skies over Britain to research aspects of past and present British life and the interconnections that make Britain what it is today. The series is described by the BBC as "An epic journey revealing the secrets, patterns and hidden rhythms of our lives from a striking new perspective". According to the BBC, "Cutting edge technology allows you to see through cloud cover, navigate the landscape and witness familiar sights as never seen before." The series was filmed in High Definition and aired on BBC One, Two and Four for three weeks starting 10 August 2008 and is repeated regularly.
Britain from Above | Introduction
On 6 June 2013, Channel 5 in the United Kingdom broadcast the miniseries as an extended-length film.
Coma (American miniseries) | International broadcasts
Despite the failure of the revolt a new class of serf, the farmer, emerged who rented land. Education with the advent of cheap paper made England one of the most literate countries with schools being built all over the country. The cloth trade made England rich. UK viewing figures: 1.23 million
The Great British Story: A People's History (TV series) | Episode four: The Great Rising
In the UK, television plays from the 1950s and 1960s tackled a range of controversial subjects, yet still managed to garner large audiences. These televised plays were regarded as a benchmark of high-quality British television drama, part of what some television historians refer to as the "golden age" of British television. British television drama writer John Hopkins has been noted for "...successful[ly] pioneering...the short series for serious drama," which "...established an important precedent in Britain" and served as a model for subsequent television writers such as Dennis Potter and Alan Bleasdale. The UK's National Film and Television School (NFTS), which teaches creative and commercial skills, notes the "...
Quality television | In the United Kingdom
The series was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on January 17, 2012, and features bonus interviews. The BBC bought the UK rights to the documentary and aired it in spring 2013 under the title "The United States of Television: America in Primetime". The series was re-edited to a 58-minute run time and hosted by Alan Yentob and broadcast on BBC Two from 20 April 2013. They were shown in a different order to the original US transmission: Man of the House; The Misfit; The Independent Woman; The Crusader.
America in Primetime | Release and reception
The first series was released by 2 Entertain Video on 28 May 2007 and includes the ITV3 "Behind the Scenes" special. 2 Entertain holds the worldwide rights to the DVD release in 2007. The complete second series was released on six DVDs in "The Daily Telegraph" and "The Sunday Telegraph" between 1 and 7 March 2008 and was also generally released from 15 June 2009.
Kingdom (British TV series) | DVD releases
Both the United Kingdom and the United States have television shows which are similar, as they are either carried by the other nations' networks, or are re-created for distribution in their own nations. Some popular British television shows that were re-created for the American market in more recent years include "House of Cards", "The Office", "Pop Idol" ("American Idol"), "Strictly Come Dancing" ("Dancing with the Stars)", "Top Gear", "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?", "Weakest Link" and "The X Factor". Some American television shows re-created for the British market in more recent years include "The Apprentice" and "Deal or No Deal".
United Kingdom–United States relations | Television
The TV version of "A Very British Coup" won four Bafta Awards in 1989 – for Best Actor (Ray McAnally), Best Drama Series, Best Film Editor (Don Fairservice) and Best Film Sound – and a 1988 International Emmy Award for Best Drama.
A Very British Coup (miniseries) | Awards
As the title implied, it presented TV drama which had relevance to current social and economic issues, done in a way calculated to intrigue or even shock the viewer. As well as using established writers, it was effectively an apprenticeship for new ones who were trying to make a name for themselves; Dennis Potter, John Mortimer, Arthur Hopcraft and Jack Rosenthal all served time on "Play for Today" before going on to write their own independent series. In style, the plays could go from almost documentary realism (of which "Cathy Come Home" is the best known example) to the futuristic or surrealist ("The Year of the Sex Olympics", "House of Character").
1970s in television | United Kingdom
Four of the decade's Academy Award winners for best picture were British productions, with the epic "Lawrence of Arabia", starring O'Toole as British army officer T. E. Lawrence, winning seven Oscars in 1963. British television series such as "Danger Man" (renamed "Secret Agent" in its US airings), "The Saint" and "The Avengers" began appearing on American screens, inspiring a series of American-produced espionage programs such as "I Spy", "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", and the parody series "Get Smart". By 1966, spy series (both British and American) had emerged as a favorite format of American viewers, alongside Westerns and rural sitcoms.
British Invasion | Film and television
"Radio Times" said: "Scarily realistic ... chilling ... a remarkable piece of reality based drama ... a credible scenario ... a wonderful piece of television ... so plausibly done that it should really have a warning flash in the corner of the screen saying 'fiction' in big red letters ... loving pastiches of news reports, corporate videos, magazine covers, press conferences - the fakery is fascinating, like looking at a forged bank note. It works as a smart riveting drama and also as a warning of the power of the financial markets".
The Day Britain Stopped | Reception
In the course of its run it featured about 2,000 performers. Each show was up to an hour long.
The Good Old Days (British TV series) | Introduction
In the United States, the miniseries experienced a TV ratings growth over its eight-episode run, with daily ratings tripling from its premiere to its finale. The premiere episode drew 2.1million viewers, before increasing to an average gross audience of 8.2million viewers on HBO. In the United Kingdom, where it aired in September 2016, the first episode drew 468,000 viewers on Sky Atlantic. The show eventually drew an audience of 2.5million viewers across Sky's On Demand platforms.
The Night Of | Ratings
The third series premièred on the Flemish channel één on 10 April 2009.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Broadcast history
The coloured backgrounds denote the result of each of the shows:
Don't Ask Me Ask Britain | Episodes
Kingdom is a British television series produced by Parallel Film and Television Productions for the ITV network. It was created by Simon Wheeler and stars Stephen Fry as Peter Kingdom, a Norfolk solicitor who is coping with family, colleagues, and the strange locals who come to him for legal assistance. The series also starred Hermione Norris, Celia Imrie, Karl Davies, Phyllida Law and Tony Slattery. The first series of six one-hour episodes was aired in 2007 and averaged six million viewers per week. Despite a mid-series ratings dip, the executive chairman of ITV praised the programme and ordered a second series, which was filmed in 2007 and broadcast in January and February 2008.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Introduction
This Is England '88 is a 2011 British drama miniseries written by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne as a spin-off from the 2006 film "This Is England". It is also a sequel to the 2010 television sequel-series "This Is England '86", set two and a half years later and starring as previously Thomas Turgoose as Shaun, Vicky McClure as Lol and Joe Gilgun as Woody.
This Is England '88 | Introduction
The BBC aired a later series by the same title in 2010 presented by David Dimbleby and covering a narrower time period.
Seven Ages of Britain (2003 TV series) | 2010 BBC series by the same title
A miniseries is distinguished from an ongoing television series; the latter does not usually have a predetermined number of episodes and may continue for several years. Before the term was coined in the US in the early 1970s, the ongoing episodic form was always called a "serial", just as a novel appearing in episodes in successive editions of magazines or newspapers is called a serial. In Britain, miniseries are often still referred to as serials. Several commentators have offered more precise definitions of the term. In "Halliwell's Television Companion", Leslie Halliwell and Philip Purser argue that miniseries tend to "appear in four to six episodes of various lengths", while Stuart Cunningham in "Textual Innovation in the Australian Historical Mini-series" defines a miniseries as, "a limited run program of more than two and less than the 13-part season or half season block associated with serial or series programming." Still, with the proliferation of the format in the 1980s and 90s, television films broadcast over even two or three nights were commonly referred to as miniseries.
Miniseries | History
The first release of the UK show, featuring the first two series, was released on DVD in America on 27 March 2007 by A&E Home Entertainment, and in the UK on 25 January 2008 by Channel 4. The UK edition is edited to remove references to the ad breaks. Also, British episodes were released on VHS (in the UK only) in the mid-1990s. Additionally, a play-at-home book was printed in 1989, related to the British series. Almost all of the UK versions (135 of 136 episodes) of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" are available for free to those living in the UK on All 4.
Whose Line Is It Anyway? (British TV series) | DVD release
In the United Kingdom, colour channels were now available; three stations had begun broadcasting in colour between 1967 and 1969. However, many viewers continued to watch black-and-white television sets for most of the decade, which meant for example that televised snooker (in which the colour of balls is important) did not reach the heights of its popularity until the 1980s. Notable dramas included "Play for Today" and "Pennies from Heaven". In police dramas, there was a move towards increasing realism; popular shows included "Dixon of Dock Green", "Z-Cars", "Softly, Softly", and "The Sweeney". The science fiction show "Doctor Who" reached its peak.
1970s | United Kingdom
In the United States, it aired in first-run syndication. Only six episodes were shown in the Netherlands. UK repeat runs varied among regions. Granada, HTV and Tyne Tees continued to air the series into 1972, while the Midlands repeated it four times in colour between 1969 and 1974. In other areas, like Yorkshire, it was not repeated at all. In the mid-1980s, the ITV network broadcast the series on Saturday mornings as well as in segmented form as part of Night Network.
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons | Broadcasts
"Blackadder" (1983–1989) and "Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister" (1980–1988, 2013) moved what is often a domestic or workplace genre into the corridors of power. A later development was the mockumentary in such series as "The Office" (2001–2003, 2013). Also coming of age in such series as "The Inbetweeners" (2008-2010).
Sitcom | United Kingdom
The original broadcast dates in the United Kingdom were:
Long Way Down | Broadcast schedule
How We Built Britain is a series of six television documentaries produced by the BBC in 2007 and repeated in 2008. The series was written and presented by broadcaster David Dimbleby. In the series Dimbleby visits some of Britain's great historic buildings and examined their impact on Britain's architectural and social history. The series was a follow-up to Dimbleby's 2005 BBC One series, "A Picture of Britain", which celebrates British and Irish paintings, poetry, music, and landscapes.
How We Built Britain | Introduction
The series was commissioned by BBC Four Channel Editor Cassian Harrison and former Factual Commissioning Editor Clare Paterson.
A Very British History | Production
What we are trying to achieve is something that resembles a Norfolk accent that cannot be pinned down." However, he failed to identify any area of Norfolk in which the accent contains a Mummerset "r". ITV executive chairman Michael Grade was pleased with the series, describing it at a conference in June 2007 as having "done well for [ITV]" in the prestigious 9 p.m. slot.
Kingdom (British TV series) | Reception
Entertainment USA was a British television series broadcast by the BBC. It was first shown on BBC2 in 1983, ran for eight years and was devised and presented by Jonathan King. The show presented entertainment news, clips, interviews and music from the United States to a British audience. It was produced by Michael Hurll and directed by Gordon Elsbury. It was nominated for a BAFTA award as Best Light Entertainment Programme in 1987. It had an audience peak of 9.7 million. Each series was repeated later in the year, updated with new music video clips and movie trailers. There were several connected specials at Christmas, and featuring festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.
Entertainment USA | Introduction
Gifford sought to draw a distinct definition for British comics history, as the Golden Age and other historical eras of comics were first defined to describe US comics history. These eras relate to UK comics only as a result of American influence on the UK market and creators, and do not acknowledge key differences in British comics of the period, notably the preponderance in Britain of humorous anthologies rather than the genre titles, most especially superheroes, that predominated in the US. Gifford observed that the "Thirties were the Golden Age of British comics" due to the profusion of successful, high quality and specifically British humour comics beginning in the 1930s, including D.C.
Denis Gifford | Historical classification of British comics
Syndication did not exist as such in United Kingdom until the arrival of satellite, cable and later, from 1998 on, digital television, although it could be argued that many ITV programs up to the early 1990s, particularly imported programming was syndicated in the sense that each ITV region bought some programs independently of the ITV Network, and in particular many programs out of prime time made by smaller ITV stations were "part-networked" where some regions would show them and others would not. Nowadays there are many channels in the UK (for example, Gold) which repackage and rebroadcast "classic" programming from both sides of the Atlantic.
Rerun | Repeats in the United Kingdom
In a preview, "Radio Times" described it as "Sunday night television at its cosiest", though called the plot of episode one "feeble". Comments by "The Stage" echoed this, calling the storyline a "run of the mill affair", but praised the locations and referred to the series as a whole as "nice". Following the broadcast of the first episode "The Guardian" wrote that the series "slips down as smoothly as a pint of Adnams" and (with tongue in cheek) welcomed it as a change from "loutish" Michael Kitchen in "relentlessly vulgar" fellow Sunday-night drama "Foyle's War". "The Times" had a negative view, awarding the episode one star out of five and criticising Stephen Fry for "playing Stephen Fry".
Kingdom (British TV series) | Reception
The show first premiered on August 30, 2011 and aired on ITV2 for one eight-episode series.
Minute to Win It | United Kingdom
Best of British is a British television documentary series, created by Robert Sidaway, Ashley Sidaway, Maurice Sellar and Lou Jones and produced by Robert Sidaway. Narrated by John Mills and Anthony Quayle, the series comprised five seasons and sixty seven episodes all originally broadcast on BBC1. Designed as entertainment for a broad audience, the complete series encompasses a comprehensive view of British cinema from the 1930s to the 1980s by examining a different theme and / or genre in each episode through the extensive use of film clips.
Best of British (TV series) | Introduction
1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Table of years in British television | 1900s
Although many popular shows of recent years began life on BBC Radio, there have been many successful and influential series which were designed purely for TV. In contrast to their US counterparts, which have seasons of up to 26 episodes a year, British sit-coms traditionally have series of just 6 episodes. The main reason for this is that British shows are generally written by one or two dedicated writers - often the people that created the show in the first place - as opposed to the US model of having a larger writing team. In part, this is a reflection of the difference between the size of the TV audience in the two countries, and the economics of television production; for decades sit-coms were the shows on US television that delivered the highest ratings; in Britain the highest ratings figures were normally for soap operas, which generally run several times a week, year-in year-out, and as a result generally required larger writing teams.
British comedy | Television
Whilst the re-working of the show was generally well received, the TV audience was the lowest for five years, with an average viewership of 4.8 million viewers peaking at 5.9 million.
2011 Brit Awards | Introduction
The miniseries was initially broadcast as five 2-hour episodes on NBC, beginning February 27, 2000. "The 10th Kingdom" won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design in 2000. It was broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky One. Variety's Laura Fries (Feb. 21, 2000) asserted that "Kimberly Williams is doe-eyed and pretty and is heavily featured throughout, but 10 hours is a lot for this star to carry on her shoulders." Christopher Null "Filmcritic.com" felt that "Larroquette was an unfortunate casting choice. 30 minutes of "Night Court" has always been my limit on the guy. 417 minutes is too much of his abrasive attitude to handle."
The 10th Kingdom | Broadcast and reception
Popular American television shows that are currently popular in the United Kingdom include "The Big Bang Theory", "" series, "Family Guy", "Friends", "Modern Family", "Scrubs", "The Simpsons", and "South Park". The BBC airs two networks in the United States, BBC America and BBC World News. The American network PBS collaborates with the BBC and rebroadcasts British television shows in the United States such as "Doctor Who", "Keeping Up Appearances", "Masterpiece Theatre", "Monty Python's Flying Circus", "Nova". The BBC also frequently collaborates with American network HBO, showing recent American mini-series in the United Kingdom such as "Band of Brothers", "The Gathering Storm", "John Adams", and "Rome".
United Kingdom–United States relations | Television
The series was first broadcast nationally in the United Kingdom in 1977 on the ITV network (albeit at differing times due to the then regional structure of the network). Repeats of the full series were initially shown on BBC1 on afternoons in the late 1980s and early 1990s and it had frequently been running daily since the late 1990s on ITV and more recently ITV3 through until early 2010, in various time slots (usually 8 am, 2pm, and early morning). The show was shown on Universal Channel, with episodes on Sunday morning, and one episode at 8 am (repeating at 4 pm and 5 am the following morning) through the week.
Quincy, M.E. | United Kingdom
The series made a visual trope of, as Ackroyd walked around London or was sitting in his study, the persons of famous and anonymous historical figures would fade in and out and act their testimonies. These were played, in alphabetical order, by:-
London (TV series) | Cast list
The British film industry emerged in the 1890s when cinemas in general broke through in the western world, and built heavily on the strong reputation of the London legitimate theatre for actors, directors and producers. The problem was that the American market was so much larger and richer. It bought up the top talent, especially when Hollywood came to the fore in the 1920s and produced over 80 percent of the total world output. Efforts to fight back were futile—the government set a quota for British made films, but it failed. Hollywood furthermore dominated the lucrative Canadian and Australian markets.
History of the United Kingdom | Cinema and radio
There is much crossover appeal in the modern entertainment culture of the United Kingdom and the United States. For example, Hollywood blockbuster movies made by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have had a large effect on British audiences in the United Kingdom, while the James Bond and Harry Potter series of films have attracted high interest in the United States. Also, the animated films of Walt Disney as well as those of Pixar, DreamWorks, Don Bluth, Blue Sky, Illumination and others have continued to make an indelible mark and impression on British audiences, young and old, for almost 100 years.
United Kingdom–United States relations | Film
Disappearing Britain was a three-part TV mini-series broadcast on the Five channel in Britain. The series contained rare archive film of Thatcher-era Britain, with a retrospective commentary, and interviews with the general public. Three shows were broadcast:
Disappearing Britain | Introduction
The remaining eleven episodes were broadcast between 11 January 1989 and 22 March 1989.
Best of British (TV series) | Season Two episodes
The miniseries was released in the UK in three weekly episodes. Originally set to premiere in the UK during Christmas 2018, "The War of the Worlds" actually premiered in Canada on T+E between 6 and 20 October 2019. It was also broadcast in two parts instead of three on New Zealand's TVNZ 1 between 13 and 20 October 2019. Mammoth Screen announced in September 2019 that the miniseries was expected to be released in the UK in late 2019; the first episode had its UK premiere on 17 November 2019. ITV Studios Global Entertainment is responsible for the international distribution of "The War of the Worlds" miniseries.
The War of the Worlds (British TV series) | Broadcast
Several British sitcoms have been successfully remade for the American market. Notable examples include "Steptoe and Son" which became "Sanford and Son", "Till Death Us Do Part", which became "All in the Family" and "The Office" which was remade into an American series of the same name. Three's Company, a remake of Man About the House, spawned identical spinoffs: The Ropers (George and Mildred) and Three's a Crowd (Robin's Nest). Other American remakes of British sitcoms include The Rear Guard which was based on Dad's Army, and What a Country! which was based on Mind Your Language. More recently, shows such as "The Inbetweeners" have been adapted, as well as "Misfits" and "The Thick of It" as "Veep".
British sitcom | United States
The television market was dominated by sitcoms, soap operas, and fictional presentations of real life events; there were series like "Freddy's Nightmares" (1988–90) and "" (1987–90), but they were often hampered by network censorship, commercial breaks, low budgets, and "cheesy execution." Other factors increased the risk of a network doing a film or miniseries version of a King story in the late 1980s to 1990; theatrical King screen transfers were performing poorly at the box office, and big TV events like miniseries or films were becoming far less important to viewers due to a rise in VCR ownership by 20 percent from 1985 to 1990.
It (miniseries) | Context
The series began airing on the Community Channel from 22 February 2015 at a post-watershed time slot due to mature content. This initial broadcast run was made available online to UK based users on two platforms (TVPlayer and TVCatchup) where viewers are able to stream live television.
PREMature | United Kingdom
British television, like its American counterpart, began developing in the 1930s, with the BBC Television Service beginning regular broadcasts in 1936. The early British television drama borrowed a great deal from dramatic radio productions developed between the First and the Second World Wars. In the 1920s the BBC pioneered dramatic readings of books. In 1925 it broadcast "A Christmas Carol", which has become a holiday favourite. Later, John Reith, wanting to use radio waves to "part the clouds of ignorance", came up with the idea of a "classic serial", based on a "classical" literary text. In 1939 the BBC adapted the romantic novel "The Prisoner of Zenda" for radio broadcast.
Golden Age of Television | United Kingdom
Episode-viewing figures are from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board.
Titanic (2012 miniseries) | United Kingdom ratings
The programmes also reflect a personal and national search for security in enduring but elusive British values, beliefs and identity in what Fox depicts as a century of crisis and upheaval, in which much more had perhaps been lost than gained.
British Masters (TV series) | Introduction
A multicultural society began to grow that in the old lands of Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall a revival of old languages has been rekindled. Wood speculates that it has been Britain's ability to change and embrace modern technologies that will enable the British people to move forward.
The Great British Story: A People's History (TV series) | Episode eight: Modern Britain
This page indexes the individual year in British television pages. Each year is annotated with a significant event as a reference point.
List of years in British television | Introduction
The official website features all the films from the programmes, exclusive material including Rewinds through time at 16 different locations, Rough Cuts of magic moments and Behind the Scenes. The site also shows aerial images by photographer Jason Hawkes.
Britain from Above | Introduction
The miniseries received very positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 97% based on 64 reviews, with an average rating of 9.05/10. Rotten Tomatoes's critical consensus reads, "Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw impress in "A Very English Scandal", an equally absorbing and appalling look at British politics and society". Metacritic gives the miniseries a weighted average rating of 84 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". In 2019, the series was ranked 76th on "The Guardian"'s list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century. The real Norman Scott spoke out about the show's characterisation of him and its portrayal of his life.
A Very English Scandal (TV series) | Critical response