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British TV Updates: A Tale of Two Cities, Blue Lights, New Tommy & Tuppence
Published about 3 hours ago • 3 min read
This week marks 50 years since the premiere of Fawlty Towers, the show that turned Basil Fawlty from a frayed hotel keeper into one of Britain’s most beloved characters.
Created by John Cleese and Connie Booth, the series ran for justtwo seasons—twelve episodes in total—but its razor-sharp wit, chaotic hotel antics, and unforgettable one-liners secured its place in comedy legend.
Sadly, the show isn't streaming via ANY strictly legal means in the US at the moment, though you can definitely track it down on DVD. It's quite surprising that someone like BritBox or Acorn TV didn't bring it back for the big anniversary, given that it's one of the most famous British TV shows of all time.
Though Connie Booth has been retired and out of the public eye for quite a while now, John Cleese remains professionally active. In fact, he's currently in the middle of a tour celebrating 50 years of Monty Python & the Holy Grail.
Watching: Mallorca Files - I needed something fun and light to re-watch, and this one fit the bill. If you were watching back when it was on BritBox, you may have missed the third season, which is exclusive to Amazon. The light crime series follows the slightly uptight, British Miranda alongside the more laidback German Max - all set against the sunny backdrop of Mallorca.
And season 4? No word on season 4 yet, but a recent podcast interview with Elen Rhys saw her saying she hopes the future brings much more of it (and no suggestion that it's been officially cancelled).
Reading: Clown Town by Mick Herron - The new season of Slow Horses comes to Apple TV+ next Wednesday, so it seemed like a great time to dig into the latest Slough House book (released on the 9th). The plot revolves around a missing book at Oxford's Spooks' College, something River begins investigating while out on medical leave.
Season three of BAFTA-winning police drama Blue Lights premieres November 13 on BritBox, with new episodes weekly until December 18 (six in total).
Returning cast includes Siân Brooke, Katherine Devlin, Nathan Braniff, Martin McCann, and Fran Blake, joined by Cathy Tyson as Dana Morgan and Michael Smiley as intelligence officer Paul “Colly” Collins.
Set two years into Grace, Annie, and Tommy’s careers as response officers, the new season plunges them into the hidden world of accountants and lawyers enabling organized crime. With Belfast now under the grip of global gangs, danger hits closer to home than ever before.
New 'A Tale of Two Cities'
L-R: Kit Harington (Image: Matthew Brookes) and Mirren Mack (Image: Iona Wolff)
The BBC has commissioned a new four-part adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, starring Kit Harington, François Civil, and Mirren Mack. Directed by Hong Khaou and written by Daniel West, the series will also air on MGM+ in the US, with filming beginning in October.
Set in 1782 London and Paris, the story follows Lucie Manette (Mack) as she discovers her father may be alive after 20 years. She becomes entangled with French émigré Charles Darnay (Civil) and lawyer Sydney Carton (Harington), sparking a volatile love triangle against the backdrop of the French Revolution.
Producers describe the adaptation as a modern, suspenseful take on Dickens’ epic tale of romance, sacrifice, and upheaval, set to premiere in 2026.
BritBox is reviving Agatha Christie’s detective duo Tommy & Tuppence in a new six-part contemporary drama that brings the married sleuths into the 21st century. Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor) stars as Tuppence, with Josh Dylan (Buccaneers) as Tommy, a crime writer whose block lifts with Tuppence’s inspiration. Imelda Staunton (The Crown, Harry Potter) joins as Aunt Ada, a retired private detective.
The cast also includes Saffron Burrows, Sean Pertwee, Alice Krige, Alex Jennings, Sebastian De Souza, and Denise Black. Written by Phoebe Eclair-Powell, the series follows Tommy and Tuppence as they take on detective work for both fun and profit, updating their romance and adventures for a modern setting.
First introduced in Christie’s 1922 novel The Secret Adversary, the couple went on to appear in four more works, notable for aging alongside their readers. Filming begins later this year, with a premiere date still to be announced.
Subtitle Spotlight: Veronika
Veronika (2024) is a Swedish crime thriller starring Alexandra Rapaport as Veronika Gren, a small-town police officer battling disturbing visions of unsolved crimes. When she begins seeing a dead boy named Oskar and a murdered young woman, Hanna, she’s drawn into a tense investigation.
She teams up with newly arrived detective Nassir (Arvin Kananian) while trying to keep her family life with husband Tomas (Tobias Santelmann) and their children from unraveling.
British TV news for American audiences. Enjoy British TV shows like Sherlock, Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, or Midsomer Murders? Wish it was easier to know when new shows are out on each of the different streaming services? Want a way to discover older British shows you might like? Sign up and we'll keep you updated.
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