British American Tangled TV Epics

With absolutely not a single show other than endless sweaty episodes of BBC America's Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares to vaguely hold my interest on television this past winter, Spring '08 is certainly shaping up to be a sensational season for epic masterpieces in the eternal tangle of British American historical topics.

Simply cannot get enough of HBO Films' bloody fantastic  and completely epic 7 part mini series event John Adams, airing Sunday nights at 9pm. Paul Giamatti, whom we all fell for on his sad, yet hopeful Pinot-Noir-induced romp through the Sideways vineyards of Santa Barbara mountains a couple years back is utterly compelling as America's stumpy, obstinate, steadfastly determined, law-abidingly dutiful second president.

Giamatti's passionate portrayal of the man said to be the true father of the United States (it was Adams who apparently persuaded Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence due largely to the latter's more congenial popularity & ability with prose)is paired to perfection with Laura Linney's stoic interpretation of Abigail Adams, wife, confidant , stoic, sage New England Matriach to statesmen and America's sixth president.

Said to have been America's most influential first lady, harsh, frozen mid-winter farm scenes of pre-independence from British rule depict a woman every bit as capable as her intellectual-legal eagle of a revolutionary husband.

One of the most gut-wrenching scenes for me was the early immunization option Abigail Adams and her offspring bravely endured during a raging smallpox epidemic. Won't go into gruesome details on this one, but it was a stark refresher for those of us who continue to be proponents of immunization in a civilized nation of long-dormant disease.

Set, costume, casting, altogether an incredible work and one which teaches the early history of American independence in the late 1770s to a vast and potentially global audience like no history book could truthfully have a hope in hell of aspiring to. Not even author David McCullough's initial book commanded this scope of audience, yet copies of the reprint will hopefully fly off the shelves.

Taping the shows has been an added advantage, and I'll likely be first in line for the boxed DVD version of the life and times of the first president to live in the White House  when HBO releases the entire series.

Even before the John Adams series draws to a close, the British American audience will be spoiled for choice with a much anticipated new series of Wire in the Blood. Second only to English actor Clive Owen in my very own top two UK actor ratings, Northerner Robson Green returns as Dr.Tony Green in a first-time episode to be shot stateside, in Austin, Texas.

According to BBC America's website, psychologist Tony and his partner, DI Alex Fielding  join forces to hunt down a missing girl, ritualistic killers, a serial rapist and a killer - or killers - with a mother fixation. Wire in the Blood starts this Sunday, April 6th at 8pm.

And if that's not enough of Brits being sent packing from America and making their way back for more peaceful cohabitation over the next two centuries, check out cheeky ex-pat   
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union on Showtime. Tracey's a riot at the best of times and I'm happy to hear that she has settled here in the States. Just hope she doesn't offend the locals like Sasha Baron-Cohen did of late. Tracey's tongue-in-cheek comic depictions of American characters include a squinting Renee Zellwegger, an ambitious Paulie Walnuts aka Tony Sirico of the Sopranos, a rather expressive newscaster, a poetic  pharmacist  and even fellow ex-pat David Beckham. 

American's don't mind poking fun at themselves, but it's quite another thing to have a pesky Brit dare to dish the dirt. We'll see how Tracey's show goes down!

Last but not least, I'm leaving you with another look at PBS Masterpiece Theater's  well-reviewed 
Room With a View, which airs on April 13th. All things are forgiven when Forster's graceful tale takes center screen. Who could possibly hate the Brits for this?

Comments

[Lindsey]

No sign of Life on Mars yet? Is brill!!! Watch out for it.

[Frances]

No sign of Life on Mars Season 2 showing up on BBC America this Spring, although it looks like Season 1 must have run last year and I missed it. Will keep 'em peeled.

[Lesley]

I saw the last two episodes of Life on Mars last year when I was home for Easter. So when it came to TV here I was so excited I got to go back and watch from the beginning. I have to agree Lindsey it was brill, I loved the music too, but now I'm showing my age.