News

Apple TV+ has canceled “Constellation” after one season.

The series starred Noomi Rapace as Jo, an astronaut who discovered that key pieces of her life seemed to be missing upon returning to Earth after a disaster in space, and set out on a quest to expose the truth about the hidden history of space travel and recover what she’d lost. Along with Rapace, the cast included James D’Arcy as Magnus, Julian Looman as Frederic, William Catlett as Paul, Barbara Sukowa as Irena and Rosie and Davina Coleman as Alice.

“Constellation” premiered in February and ran through March. The series received a score of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, though Variety critic Alison Herman wrote in her review that, “There’s a fine line between enticing the audience with a promise for answers and confusing them with an amorphous mass of hints and atmospherics. By straining to sustain a suspenseful mood over an entire season,...

Jason Isaacs' portrayal of Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 was exceptional, showcasing his ability to play complex villains. Isaacs' performance as Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot was memorable, showcasing his talent for playing over-the-top villains. In the miniseries Archie, Isaacs captured the spirit of Hollywood legend Cary Grant with a nuanced and humanizing performance.

The villainous Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 is just one of Jason Isaacs' many great acting roles in film and television. Best known for playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, Isaacs excels at playing complex and compelling villains. Isaacs has cited the cruelty and bullying he witnessed in childhood as preparation for the villainous roles he would later play as an actor. Originally, Jason Isaacs studied to become a lawyer, but his experiences as a member of Bristol University's acting society inspired him to make a career change.

Mark Harrison Aug 5, 2016

Hello! From Armageddon to Harry Potter, we salute the screen work of Mr Jason Isaacs...

This feature contains spoilers for Event Horizon and the Harry Potter films. This spoiler warning contains spoilers for the list.

Hello to Jason Isaacs! Through roles in an impressive array of movies, from indies to massive blockbusters on both sides of the pond, he's become one of our favourite character actors. We've found that no matter how the film turns out, you can guarantee that if he's in it, his performance is going to be one of the highlights.

Off-screen, Isaacs has a whole other profile of popularity. Out of several prominent celebrity fans of Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's film review show on BBC Radio 5 Live, he's the patron saint of their “church of Wittertainment”, and “hello to Jason Isaacs” is the show's first, most popular catchphrase.

Some might argue...

In its latest book acquisitions, Colin Callender’s prestige drama producer Playground Entertainment has secured the rights to two new bestsellers with plans to adapt them into TV series. The Widow is a psychological thriller by Fiona Barton and published by Penguin Random House Books while Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories is a non-fiction account of the famed UK lawyer’s life by Thomas Grant and published by John Murray. The deals follow the recent option of Patrick…...

Pinewood Group has recruited the producer of Fortitude, The Enfield Haunting and The Last Kingdom to lead its newly-formed TV production company.

Pinewood Television, a joint venture with StoryFirst Pst, has hired Helen Gregory as creative director to create, develop and finance drama series for the international TV market.

Pinewood Group opened conversations with experienced producers in 2011, with the new division expected to produce its own content as well as work as a co-production partner on dramas in need of funding.

Pinewood has already invested in a dozen feature films, including A Fantastic Fear of Everything and Kill Your Friends, and said it now planned to develop, produce, market and distribute high-end TV drama to build up a library of TV content. It is currently arranging long-term external financing from a group of investors and banks.

Chief executive Ivan Dunleavy said: “The global demand for high-end television continues to rise dramatically and, with high-end...

When will the new seasons of the PBS shows start airing? What happened to that Own show? Gone for good? Which Reelz TV shows have been cancelled? Which Pivot and Ovation shows have been renewed? How many episodes?

Below, you'll find the status of recent/current/upcoming scripted TV shows on Ovation, Own, PBS, Pivot, Reelz, and Sundance. To see a series' ratings (if available), click the links in the middle column.

Shows include The Artful Detective, Babylon, Call the Midwife, Case Histories, The Crimson Field, Deutschland 83, Downton Abbey, Endeavour, Fortitude, Foyle's War, Grantchester, Greenleaf, Hap & Leonard, Harvest, The Haves and the Have Nots, If Loving You Is Wrong, Impress Me, Last Tango in Halifax, Lewis, Love Thy Neighbor, Mercy Street, Mr. Selfridge, Please Like Me, Poldark, Rectify, The Red Road, The Returned, Schitt's Creek, Sherlock, Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse, Vicious, Wallander, Wolf...

Last Cab to Darwin.s Emma Hamilton and City Homicide.s Ryan O.Kane head the cast of Network Ten.s Mary: The Making Of A Princess.

FremantleMedia Australia's telemovie will follow the chance meeting of Tasmanian-born Mary Donaldson and Crown Prince Frederik Andre Henrik Christian of Denmark at. Sydney's The Slip Inn in 2000. That led to a four-year courtship which culminated in their marriage.

The producer is Antonia Barnard, Sam Strauss wrote the screenplay and Jennifer Leacey is the director.. Shooting in Sydney starts on July 20, with Damian Wyvill as the DoP..

Hamilton played Anne Stanhope in The Tudors and will be seen in the fourth series of. Mr Selfridge. Her credits include Jeremy Sims. Last Cab to Darwin and TV.s The Musketeers, Poirot and Case Histories.

O.Kane appears in two upcoming Australian movies, Abe Forsythe.s black comedy Down Under and Peter Andrikidis. Alex & Eve.

We chat to Peter Harness, writer of Doctor Who and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, currently airing on Sunday nights on BBC One...

Writer Peter Harness is currently on a roll. After attracting praise for his work on Wallander, his Doctor Who episode Kill The Moon brought him to more mainstream attention. But it’s his current work which should propel him to the A-List of British writing talent, a place fully deserved. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, the 800+ page period fantasy novel, considered by many to be unadaptable, has debuted as a TV series on the BBC to rave reviews (not least on this site).

One of the adaptation's key strengths is the streamlined nature of the script, which still captures perfectly the world and characters created by novelist Susanna Clarke. For that, Perter Harness must earn the plaudits. Proving to be a very charming and clever guy, he took the...

ITV Studios has acquired a minority stake in Monumental Television, the fledgling indie set up by film producers Alison Owen and Debra Hayward.

Owen and Hayward established the company in September and are in “advance development on several scripted series”.

The former is the founder of Ruby Film and Television, which launched in 1998 and produced dramas including Case Histories, Dancing on the Edge and Emmy award-winning Temple Grandin.

It also produced Oscar-nominated movie, Saving Mr Banks, and Jane Eyre.

Hayward most recently produced the Golden Globe-winning film Les Miserables and was head of films at Working Title, where she oversaw Bridget Jones’ Diary, Atonement and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

As part of the deal, ITV Studios Global Entertainment will exclusively distribute all of Monumental’s television productions.

The relationship will be managed by ITV Global Entertainment executive vice-president of content and co-productions, Ruth Clarke.

It is ITV’s latest production sector deal, following investments...

Jason-Isaacs-in-Case-Histories

Within the crowded field of British detective shows, Case Histories truly stands out as one of the very best contemporary dramas in recent years. It’s not as gloomy as Vera, not as gory as Luther, and it lacks the frivolity of Midsomer Murders. What it does offer is a realistic central character played brilliantly by Harry Potter bad-guy Jason Isaacs. Jackson Brodie (Isaacs) is broody but he’s positively jovial when compared with Wallander. He’s something of a lady’s man and could be described as Scotland’s answer to Jim Bergerac only with a penchant for cigarettes rather than booze. Brodie has his demons and he’s not immune to the odd cock-up but he’s a good guy at heart and he usually unravels the perplexing mysteries that land in his lap.

Case Histories ran for two seasons each comprised of three feature length mysteries.

Waterloo Road co-creator Eileen Gallagher has called the axing of the school-based BBC drama "a lost opportunity".

The producer told The Daily Record that moving the show from Rochdale to Scotland in 2012 was "a game-changer for the Scottish TV industry".

"All my life I have argued for the real need Scotland has for a continuing network drama," she said. "It has never had it and this was an attempt to establish one.

"I'd hoped it would become Scotland's Holby City or EastEnders – the kind of drama which is there year in, year out. In terms of creating a critical mass of TV drama talent, you need something like that. It's a big railway sleeper.

"You can grow talent, you can keep an experienced base of crew who have work they can rely on. All of that is fundamental to create a network production hub, which Scotland should be.

"I do...

For many actors, Downton Abbey was their first big break in television.

But not everyone can be a Lord Grantham or a Carson. For many - whether they chose to leave or were written out - their fortunes changed after exiting the ITV drama.

So after the news that Dan Stevens has joined Beauty and the Beast, Digital Spy looks at the careers (so far!) of 9 actors who have bowed out of Highclere Castle...

1. Ed Speleers

After starring in series three, four and five of Downton, Ed Speleers left Jimmy Kent behind for another role in a big budget British TV drama.

We most recently saw him in the part of Edward Seymour in Wolf Hall, and he will also star in upcoming films Remainder and Howl. Most prominently, he's been cast alongside Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter in Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass.

2. Amy Nuttall...

See Eddie Marsan in action in this first look at BBC One's terrific-looking Jonathan Strange And Mr Norrell...

"Magic is not ended in England..."

...not now that the BBC has adapted Susanna Clarke's tremendous historical fantasy novel Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, it isn't.

We first heard news of this ambitious adaptation over a year ago, and it hasn't budged from our 'must-watch' list since then. The quality of Susanna Clarke's source material combined with the calibre of the creative team and cast will tell you why.

Peter Harness (Doctor Who, Wallander, Case Histories) has written the seven-part series, which was directed by Toby Haynes (Doctor Who, Sherlock, The Musketeers). In the two lead roles are Eddie Marsan as Mr Norrell, "quite a tolerable practical magician", and Bertie Carvel as Jonathan Strange, with support from Alice Englert, Charlotte Riley, Paul Kaye, Marc Warren and more.

See the briefest...

"Sherlock" may not return for its fourth season until -- say it ain't so -- 2017, due to the hectic film schedules of in-demand stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. In the meantime, you can rewatch all three seasons and soon you can binge on Cumberbatch in "The Imitation Game" and Freeman in "The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies." But what then?

If you're craving more veddy British crime solving, you don't have far to look. Here are some of the best series the BBC (and ITV) has to offer, with private detectives, psychiatrists, cops, spies, and forensic pathologists all cracking cases, catching criminals and drinking lots of tea.

1. "Sherlock Holmes" (1984-1994)

If it's more Sherlock you crave (and not just Mr. Cumberbatch), then you must see Jeremy Brett's intensely intellectual (and equally arrogant) period-appropriate take on the legendary detective. This Watson is also solid, especially in "The House of the Baskervilles.

13 year old Millie Innes stars in Millie Inbetween (previously known as The Millie Show), a new comedy about families coming to Cbbc in October.

Millie (represented by Colours Management) from Glasgow, has been acting since she was three. She plays Maisy in Cbbc series Dani's House, and received rave reviews for her role as Marlee Brodie in the award winning BBC Drama Case Histories as Jason Issacs daughter. Millie also starred alongside Suranne Jones playing David Tennant's youngest daughter Evie, in the critically acclaimed 2010 drama Single Father.

In Millie Inbetween, Millie’s parents have just split up and she and her big sister Lauren are alternating between Mum’s house and Dad’s flat. Millie soon spots the upside to this family set-up - two chances to celebrate Christmas, two birthdays and two bedrooms. But the downsides are harder to come to terms with - like the fact that...

Jason-Isaacs-in-Case-Histories

It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost three years since Case Histories season one aired on PBS. A second season of the very popular detective show premiered in the UK last summer and it finally makes its long awaited Us debut this week with the release of the second season on Acorn DVD.

Case Histories is set in Edinburgh, Scotland and is based on the Jackson Brodie novels written by Kate Atkinson. The central character is a private eye with a colorful past who struggles to make ends meet by taking on a wide variety of investigative work. Brodie is played by Harry Potter villain Jason Isaacs — sans the blonde wig. For someone so often cast as a bad guy, Isaacs actually does very well in this part. He’s not the most engaging or energetic bloke you’ll ever find but he’s persistent, loyal...

Damian Lewis has signed up to play Henry VIII in BBC Two's upcoming drama Wolf Hall.

Mark Rylance will also star as Thomas Cromwell in an adaptation combining Hilary Mantel's novel of the same name and sequel Bring Up the Bodies, to be broadcast in 2015.

Peter Kosminsky (The Government Inspector) will direct the drama, which follows the rise of Cromwell from being a blacksmith's son to Henry VIII's closest advisor.

Claire Foy (The Promise) will star as Anne Boleyn in the six-part series, written by Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).

Jonathan Pryce will appear as Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, while Joanne Whalley will play Henry's first wife Catherine of Aragon.

Mark Gatiss will star as Secretary Stephen Gardiner, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Game of Thrones) has been cast as Cromwell's ward Rafe Sadler.

The cast is completed by Anton Lesser (Endeavour) as Thomas More, Mathieu Amalric (The Grand Budapest Hotel) as Ambassador of Spain Chapuys,...

Doctor Who has appointed two new writers for the upcoming eighth series.

Wallander writer Peter Harness and Being Human scribe Jamie Mathieson have both confirmed their involvement on Twitter.

Well. I've been desperate to say this since 1979... I'm writing an episode of Doctor Who!!!

— Peter Harness (@mrpeterharness) April 30, 2014

I am writing for Doctor Who! http://t.co/reEoKAVeKM

— Jamie Mathieson (@Jamti) April 30, 2014

Harness has previously written scripts for Channel 4's City of Vice, BBC One's Case Histories and Michael Caine movie Is Anybody There?.

Mathieson is best known for writing the 2009 comedy Faq About Time Travel, while he has also written episodes of Being Human and Dirk Gently.

Steven Moffat will write two episodes of Peter Capaldi's first series as The Doctor, while there will also be episodes by Mark Gatiss, Phil Ford, Stephen Thompson and Gareth Roberts.

Tom Riley and Ben Miller are among the actors who...

News Simon Brew 30 Apr 2014 - 11:39

Doctor Who series 8 adds two writers who've never written for the show before...

The latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine is landing with subscribers around about now, and as usual, it comes with news about the now-shooting Doctor Who series 8. In particular, two more writers - both new to Doctor Who - have been confirmed as writing episodes for the new series.

First up is Peter Harness. He's previously worked on Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me and Case Histories. You can find him on Twitter here as well.

And then Jamie Mathieson, who penned the film Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel is also on board. He's on Twitter here. Both seem to have an episode each, although no details of their exact stories have been revealed.

Doctor Who Magazine is on sale now. It is also very good.

Thanks to the Guv'nor,...

Filming has begun on a fourth series of ITV's Scott & Bailey.

Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp will return for a fourth run of the crime drama, which is expected to air later in 2014.

The series is shooting in Oldham and Manchester for eight new episodes, which will see both characters vying for promotion to Detective Sergeant.

Amelia Bullmore will also return as Dci Gill Murray, while she will write four of the scripts as well.

Former Coronation Street star Lee Warburton will write two episodes, and Emily Ballou (Case Histories) will write the remaining episodes.

Danny Webb (Locke) has joined the cast as DC Chris Crowley, while Danny Miller returns as DS Rob Waddington.

Co-creator and writer Sally Wainwright will executive produce along with Red Production Company's Nicola Shindler and former producer Tom Sherry.

It will be produced by Juliet Charlesworth, while Simon Delaney (Drifters) will direct with Noreen Kershaw...

The Millie Show is a new family sitcom coming to Cbbc, starring rising Scottish starlet 12-year-old Millie Innes.

Described as poignant and funny in equal measure, the show tells the story of a young girl whose parents have just split up. Millie loves the upsides of her new family set-up - two chances to celebrate Christmas, two birthdays, and two bedrooms. However, the downsides are more tricky to come to terms with, as her parents start new relationships - those new partners have kids... and it looks like they all want to move in!

Millie (represented by Colours Management) played Maisy in  Cbbc series Dani's House, and received rave reviews for her role as Marlee Brodie in the award winning BBC Drama Case Histories as Jason Issacs daughter. Millie also starred alongside Suranne Jones playing David Tennant's youngest daughter Evie, in the critically acclaimed 2010 drama Single Father.

The Millie...

Posthumous award announced as nominations revealed for the 9th Screen Nation Film & Television Awards.

Guest announcers Fernand Frimpong Jnr, from Vox Africa, and Venus vs.Mars actress Letitia Hector revealed the nominations in London (see below for full list).

Felix Dexter, the late comedian and actor, will be posthumously awarded the Edric Connor Inspiration award.

Actor-director Bill Duke, best known for his roles in Commando and Predator, is to receive the Outstanding Contribution award.

Honorary awards will also be bestowed on classic works such as Do the Right Thing, The Cosby Show and Desmond’s.

The awards ceremony will take place at Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London on Feb 23. The ceremony will be hosted by the Ali Baba, known as the Godfather of Nigerian comedy, and Caroline Chikezie, best known for her role in Us series 24, starring Kiefer Sutherland.

Voting for the nominees in all categories will be open to the public from today (Jan 23) until...

Posthumous award announced as nominations revealed for the 9th Screen Nation Film & Television Awards.

Guest announcers Fernand Frimpong Jnr, from Vox Africa, and Venus vs.Mars actress Letitia Hector revealed the nominations in London (see below for full list).

Felix Dexter, the late comedian and actor, will be posthumously awarded the Edric Connor Inspiration award.

Actor-director Bill Duke, best known for his roles in Commando and Predator, is to receive the Outstanding Contribution award.

Honorary awards will also be bestowed on classic works such as Do the Right Thing, The Cosby Show and Desmond’s.

The awards ceremony will take place at Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London on Feb 23. The ceremony will be hosted by the Ali Baba, known as the Godfather of Nigerian comedy, and Caroline Chikezie, best known for her role in Us series 24, starring Kiefer Sutherland.

Voting for the nominees in all categories will be open to the public from today (Jan 23) until...

Other film nominees include The Wee Man and Fire In The Night.Scroll down for full list of nominees

Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.

The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.

Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.

The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.

Full list of nominees

Film Actor/Actress

Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending

Martin Compston The Wee Man

George MacKay For Those in Peril

TV Actor/Actress

Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour

Peter Mullan [link...

Other film nominees include The Wee Man and Fire In The Night.

Paul Wright’s For Those In Peril, about a young man in a Scottish fishing village reeling after a tragic accident, leads the film nominees for the BAFTA Scotland Awards 2013.

The film, which was selected for Cannes Critics’ Week, has four nominations: best actor (George MacKay), writer (Wright), director (Wright) and best film.

Documentaries Fire In The Night and I Am Breathing each got two nominations, as did feature film The Wee Man.

The awards will be held in Glasgow on Nov 17. They honour both Scottish productions as well as Scottish talent working in other UK productions.

The nominees are:

Film Actor/Actress

Iain De Caestecker Not Another Happy Ending

Martin Compston The Wee Man

George MacKay For Those in Peril

TV Actor/Actress

Ford Kiernan The Field of Blood: The Dead Hour

Peter Mullan The Fear

Sharon Rooney My Mad Fat Diary

Animation...

Jason Isaacs has joined the cast of the upcoming thriller John Wick.

The former Awake star will join Keanu Reeves and Willem Dafoe in the revenge film, according to Deadline.

Chad Stahelski and David Leitch's film is currently shooting in New York.

It is not currently known what role Isaacs will play. He joins fellow supporting actors Alfie Allen and Michael Nyqvist.

Reeves stars as John Wick in the film, an ex-hitman who is being targeted by his old friend (Dafoe), after being hired by a crime boss.

Jason Isaacs has also joined the cast of Brad Pitt's World War II thriller Fury, alongside the likes of Shia Labeouf, Logan Lerman and Michael Pena.

The British actor spoke to Digital Spy earlier this year about his BBC drama Case Histories.

In case you’re out of the loop (and if you’re a fan of the Outlander series, I’m rather certain that you aren’t), Starz is bringing you an Outlander TV series in 2014, and you now have a couple more names to add to your list.

Graham McTavish will be playing Dougal MacKenzie, and Gary Lewis is Colum MacKenzie.

It’s alt-fiction, time travel, bodice-ripping, Scottish warfare… ok, actually, I barely know what it is. But, I know Diana Gabaldon’s series is massively popular, and we have another cable network hoping to spin a series into the next thing everyone has to talk about. The cast seems to be shaping up nicely.

Starz in association with Sony Pictures Television has announced today that Graham McTavish (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, “24”) will play Dougal MacKenzie and Gary Lewis (Billy Elliot, Gangs of New York) will play Colum MacKenzie...

David Morrissey returns to UK television this week, reprising his role of Murray Devlin in BBC One's Field of Blood - the latest outing for investigative reporter Paddy Meehan (Jayd Johnson) is The Dead Hour, a thriller set against the backdrop of the miners' strike and the changing face of 1980s journalism...

Digital Spy spoke to Morrissey about the two-part drama, the public's renewed interest in TV crime and what it's like splitting his time between the Us and Britain...

What should we expect from the new Field of Blood? Your character Murray has a new rival, of sorts...

"He doesn't have a rival... what he has is a boss! He's the editor of the paper [and] he's lucky enough to run the day-to-day [goings-on] of the paper, but it's come under new ownership now and a woman comes up from London... basically to put a rocket up their arse!

"The paper is failing,...

"Masterpiece" on PBS has picked up its next period piece from across the pond -- a medical drama set in the 1960s called "Breathless."

The six-hour drama is set in a London hospital in 1961. It stars Jack Davenport, late of "Smash," as the head of the hospital's gynecology unit at a time when the birth-control pill had just become available and abortion was still illegal. The cast also includes "Downton Abbey" alumni Iain Glen (also of "Game of Thrones") and Zoe Boyle and Natasha Little ("Case Histories," the U.K. "Mistresses").

"Television dramas that tell good stories about women's lives in the 20th century are endlessly interesting to me ... and apparently to lots of other people -- look at the appeal of 'Call the Midwife' and 'Mad Men,'" "Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton says. "We're all fascinated by the enormous changes that happened just a short time ago.

The Voice UK topped Sunday night's ratings for BBC One, overnight data has revealed.

However, the second of the Knockout Round episodes fell further to a new season low of 5.57 million viewers (27.0%) on average from 7.15pm.

Jason Isaacs's Case Histories gained back over 200,000 viewers for its third episode with 3.69m (15.6%) at 8.30pm. The final Matt Lucas Awards amused 1.62m (10.5%) at 10.30pm.

On BBC Two, new series Peter Jones Meets... was seen by 1.05m (5.5%) at 7pm, followed by Ice Ace Giants with 1.74m (7.5%) at 8pm. Australia with Simon Reeve brought in 2.42m (10.2%) at 9pm.

ITV's coverage of England's 2-2 draw with Brazil scored 5.44m (24.3%) from 7.30pm, (112k/0.6% on +1). The final Catchphrase of the season was seen by 3.25m (18.3%) at 6.45pm (215k/1.0%).

On Channel 4, documentary Spying on Hitler's Army educated 929k (4.0%) at 8pm (206k/0.9%). Daniel Day-Lewis film Nine brought in 370k (1.9%) at 9pm.

Channel 5's Once Upon a Time continued with 702k (3.1%) at 8pm,...

Britain's Got Talent was easily the most watched show on Sunday evening, overnight data has revealed.

An average of 8.14 million viewers (38.0%) tuned in to see Simon Cowell and his fellow judges pick their finalists at 8pm. However, this is 700,000 less than last Saturday's (May 19) episode. A further 431k (2.0%) tuned in on +1.

Earlier, Stephen Mulhern's Celebrity Catchphrase entertained 4.23m (24.9%) at 7pm.

On BBC One, Countryfile was seen by 4.54m (23.5%) at 7.30pm. Hugh Dennis's My Hero tribute to Ronnie Barker attracted 2.18m (15.6%) at 10.30pm.

Jason Isaacs drama Case Histories appeared to struggle against Talent, as it lost around 1.4m viewers from last week's premiere, falling to 3.47m (16.0%) at 8.30pm.

BBC Two's Ice Age Giants brought in 1.59m (7.1%) at 8.30pm, followed by Australia with Simon Reeve with 2.34m (11.8%) at 9.30pm.

On Channel 4, Clare Balding's Secrets of a Suffragette was seen by 856k (4.0%) at 8pm (171k/0.8% on +1).

Channel 5's cricket coverage scored 661k (3.9%) at 7pm,...

He's become a familiar face in Us television drama, but Jason Isaacs has returned to home shores for a second series of BBC One's detective drama Case Histories - based on the best-selling novel series by author Kate Atkinson.

Speaking to Digital Spy, Isaacs reveals how it felt to play the show's lead Jackson Brodie again after two years away, his plans for the future and whether a third series of Case Histories is on the cards...

Case Histories first aired in 2011 - was it just your busy schedule that meant we've had to wait for series two?

"Yeah, I went to America to make a different television series [NBC's Awake] and made that for a long time, then made some films, and then when they wanted to make [series two], to be honest, I said no, because I was living in America with my wife and my kids are in school…

"But it was my missus who said,...

The 2013 British Soap Awards was the most watched programme on Sunday night, according to overnight figures.

Hosted by Phillip Schofield, an average of 5.42 million (23.6%) viewers tuned in to see Coronation Street dominate the awards at 8pm on ITV. A further 295,000 (1.5%) tuned in on +1.

Earlier, Stephen Mulhern's Catchphrase puzzled 4.45m (22.3%) at 7.15pm (166k/0.7% on +1).

On BBC One, Countryfile brought in 5.42m (30.6%) at 6.30pm, followed by Antiques Roadshow with 5.39m (25.8%) at 7.30pm.

Jason Isaacs drama Case Histories returned for its second series with 4.86m (20.8%) at 8.30pm. The final Match of the Day of the season won 3.46m (29.6%) at 10.30pm.

BBC Two's new series Ice Age Giants attracted 1.97m (8.8%) at 8pm, while Australia with Simon Reeve was seen by 2.72m (11.5%) at 9pm.

On Channel 4, World's Weirdest Weather brought in 1.32m (5.9%) at 8pm (236k/1.0%). A screening of The Social Network grabbed 1.14m (5.9%) at 9pm (246k/2.0%).

Channel 5's Once Upon a Time entertained 709k (3.2%) at 8pm,...

Jason Isaacs in Case Histories

N Conrad

Case Histories returned to BBC1 tonight with a typically complex storyline involving two similar cases related to kidnapping, prostitution and wayward cops. Funny woman Victoria Wood played a mall security guard and former cop who was confronted with a moral conundrum that evoked painful memories from her past. She ended up buying a child from a neglectful mother in an attempt to exorcise demons related to a thirty year old case in which she let a similarly mistreated child disappear into a legal maze.

Jackson Brodie (Jason Isaacs) soon took an interest in both cases. He was partly inspired by a recent incident in which he was duped into kidnapping a child from her birth mother. Brodie spent much of the episode having Wallanderesque moments of introspection and smoking cigarettes. In the end though, he just about navigated the ethical obstacles in his...

The actor, 49, on Lucius Malfoy, starting the day with handfuls of ibuprofen and tennis

Acting is a simple job, just hard to do. People tell funny stories about pretentious actors, but all that matters is the audience watches and they are not reminded that you are a strange, poncy person with make-up on.

My job is irrelevant to my kids. The only effect the Harry Potter films have is that sometimes weirdly life stops for a minute or two while Dad has to deal with someone who wants to talk to him. I'm not Lucius Malfoy, I'm their dad, and 99.99999% of their existence with me is nothing to do with work.

I still don't know what I'm going to do when I grow up. I look in the mirror and I'm horrified by how old I look, because I don't feel this old.

My wife and I could not have been more polar opposites.

Jason Isaacs in Case Histories

N Conrad

After what seems like an eternity, Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter) is returning to BBC1 in a new three part series of Case Histories. The Edinburgh based crime drama is based on books by the novelist Kate Atkinson. Isaacs resumes his role as private eye Jackson Brodie while his co-stars in the new series include TV funny woman Victoria Wood.

As season two begins, Brodie is brooding about a botched investigation into a kidnap case. However, he has very little time to reflect on his own shortcomings before a new case involving kidnap, police corruption and child abuse lands on his doorstep. The precise broadcast details have yet to be revealed but Case Histories will air on BBC1 during the week of May 18 – 24.

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BBC America will co-produce a seven-episode series based on "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell," the sprawling, best-selling novel by Susanna Clarke.

The BBC announced late last year that it had commissioned a series based on the novel. BBC America's participation helps ensure the show will air in the United States as well -- it's scheduled for 2014 and will be part of the channel's "Supernatural Saturday" programming.

Peter Harness ("Case Histories," "Wallander") is adapting Clarke's book, which tells an alternative history of England in the early 19th century through the story of two magicians, Gilbert Norrell and Jonathan Strange. Toby Haynes ("Doctor Who," "The Reichenbach Fall" episode of "Sherlock") will direct.

Production is scheduled to begin in the summer in multiple locations, with part of the series set to film in Canada. No one is attached to the cast yet.

Are you excited at the idea of a "Jonathan Strange" series?...

News Louisa Mellor 27 Mar 2013 - 12:50

Actress Amanda Abbington has been confirmed as appearing in the new run of Sherlock episodes...

A flurry of (well-labelled, at least) Sherlock spoilers have been doing the online rounds since filming began on the third series last week, the majority centring around an exterior scene filmed in Portland Square, Bristol. Said shoot revealed what we imagine to be some fairly spoiler-y things to the fans-turned-extras in attendance, things we won't repeat here. If you want to go looking for it, it's out there. We'll leave it at that.

Officially confirmed by the BBC today though, is the involvement of a co-star spotted filming scenes with Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch in Bristol: Amanda Abbington (Mr Selfridge, Being Human, Case Histories and much more). Abbington is a familiar face on UK television, with roles in dramas, soaps, geek fare, and, according to her IMDb page,...

New York — "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy didn't hesitate when given a chance to pay tribute to his American idol, legendary TV producer Norman Lear, at the 40th International Emmy Awards.

Lear's sitcom "All In the Family" – and its spinoffs "Maude" and "The Jeffersons" – mixed humor with an honest examination of the key social issues of the day – racism, sexism, even abortion, rape and homosexuality. Decades later, Murphy is following the path blazed by Lear with his shows, "Glee" and "The New Normal."

Murphy and Lear are to receive honorary awards at Monday night's International Emmy Awards Gala. A total of 38 nominees from 15 countries will compete for awards in nine categories. British television productions received a leading seven nominations, including best actor and actress nods for Jason Isaacs, the villainous Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, in the crime mystery "Case Histories" and newcomer Joanna Vanderham in "The Runaway."

"I...

New York — "Glee" co-creator Ryan Murphy didn't hesitate when given a chance to pay tribute to his American idol, legendary TV producer Norman Lear, at the 40th International Emmy Awards.

Lear's sitcom "All In the Family" – and its spinoffs "Maude" and "The Jeffersons" – mixed humor with an honest examination of the key social issues of the day – racism, sexism, even abortion, rape and homosexuality. Decades later, Murphy is following the path blazed by Lear with his shows, "Glee" and "The New Normal."

Murphy and Lear are to receive honorary awards at Monday night's International Emmy Awards Gala. A total of 38 nominees from 15 countries will compete for awards in nine categories. British television productions received a leading seven nominations, including best actor and actress nods for Jason Isaacs, the villainous Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, in the crime mystery "Case Histories" and newcomer Joanna Vanderham in "The Runaway."

"I...

Channel 4’s award winning comedy-drama about the hilarious and painful truths of being a student is being released on DVD for the first time on October 8th. We have three copies of the DVD to give away to our readers. Winner of a British Comedy Award for Best New Comedy and two Rts Television Awards for Best Scripted Comedy and Best Writer – Comedy. Fresh Meat is created by Peep Show writers Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, Fresh Meat follows a group of six students embarking upon the most exciting period of their lives so far: university! Fresh Meat focuses on an assorted bunch of fresher’s when their new university accommodation office places them together in a shared house. There’s Jp (Jack Whitehall), a public school boy with good teeth and an inflated sense of entitlement; Kingsley (Joe Thomas, The Inbetweeners), charming and crushingly insecure; Josie (Kimberley Nixon,...

TV viewers in the U.K. will once again get the chance to see actors Michelle Asante and Zawe Ashton in their respective supporting roles on the second series broadcasts of ITV's Monroe and BBC's Case Histories for the upcoming television season. Asante reprises her role on medical drama Monroe as medical assistant Kitty Kelly, alongside lead actor James Nesbitt. It's been described by some as the British version of U.S. series House, MD, but fans of Monroe would likely beg to differ. Adapted from Kate Atkinson’s novels, Case Histories is a Ruby Film and Television production for BBC One through BBC Scotland. Ashton's humorous turn as secretary...

'Line of Duty' star Martin Compston has begun shooting ITV drama 'The Ice Cream Girls' in Ireland alongside British actresses Lorraine Burroughs (Spooks) and Jodhi May (The Scapegoat). Based on Dorothey Koomson's 2010 international best-seller of the same name, filming on the three-part series got underway in Bray, Co Wicklow, yesterday (August 27) with English director Dan Zeff (Lost in Austen, Case Histories) at the helm.

With cinematic releases at the moment mostly involving the not-particularly inspiring likes of "That's My Boy" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," it's hard not to look to television for a little nourishment. The trouble is that the TV season has wrapped up for the year. While a few shows (namely "Girls") are still wrapping up, and others get underway shortly ("The Newsroom," "Breaking Bad," "Louie"), it's pretty quiet on the box, with cast and creatives focusing on making a hiatus movie, campaigning for Emmy, or just getting some sleep for once.

Still, with the 2011/2012 TV season done, we thought we'd shine a light on the small screen this week. Tomorrow, we're going to run down our ten favorite TV series of the last 12 months, but today, we wanted to pick a few stars of these shows that we think are set to break out as movie stars before too long,...

Cinema Retro has received the following press release:

The leading ‘Best British TV’ streaming service Acorn TV is now streaming full seasons of several popular British mystery and drama series, along with two critically acclaimed Canadian series. This week Acorn TV also has a special Memorial Day Weekend Midsomer Marathon with the first 22 episodes of its best-selling series,Midsomer Murders, and the U.S. debut of John Nettles final episodes.

Acorn TV is currently streaming a full season of Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect; the final seasons of the universally acclaimed Canadian dramedy Slings & ARROWSand Derek Jacobi’s mystery series Cadfael; the U.S. debut of the newest season of Murdoch Mysteries; Lynda La Plante’s Trial & Retribution; John Mortimer’s Under The Hammer; the final episodes of WWII drama Wish Me Luck; Richard Griffiths (Harry Potter) in Pie In The Sky; and John Nettles final episodes with Midsomer Murders,...

"Whenever I've won an award or been nominated for an award, I had known the day the ink was drying, and it's always the script," says Jason Isaacs. The actor has two chances for Emmy attention this year: he starred in the PBS miniseries "Case Histories" as well as NBC's drama "Awake." "Case Histories," which premiered last June in the UK and in October in America, is based on thee novels by Kate Atkinson and follows the investigations of Jackson Brodie (Isaacs), a police inspector-turned-private eye. Though it will compete as a miniseries at the Emmys, the drama is set to return with more episodes later this year. "Awake," however, struggled to find an audience despite the praise of critics and was officially canceled by NBC on May 11; its last episode airs on May 24. On the series, Isaacs plays Det. Michael Britten, a Los Angeles homicide detective caught between two...

April 6

8:00 p.m.

Millennium Film Workshop

66 East 4th St.

New York, New York 10003

Hosted by: Millennium Film Workshop

Experimental filmmaking collaborators Elizabeth Henry and Tony Gault will appear live in person to present a selection of their work made over the past fifteen years. Their approach to poetic documentary filmmaking “examines the human impulse toward dualism and narcissistic command of the planet Earth.”

The program will run for about 60 minutes and will be followed by a post-screening discussion with Henry and Gault. The full lineup of the films is below, which includes their two most recent works and the classic Case Histories in Psychotherapy.

Tabernacle (1998, 10m)

Case Histories in Psychotherapy (2008, 8m)

Fossil Light (2009, 7m)

Ghost of Yesterday (2012, 6m)

An Evening Scene on the Same Subject (2012, 7.5m)

Four Cubic Feet of Space (2010, 8m)

Through These Trackless Waters (2007, 12m)...

To celebrate the 75th birthday of a leading founder of New German Cinema, the Film Museum in Munich released a collection of Alexander Kluge’s fourteen feature films and sixteen shorts from 1960 through 1986. Facets Multimedia is now bringing them out in North America, and In Danger and Deep Distress, the Middleway Spells Certain Death (1974) will be available this spring. Kluge is a master director of Autorenfilm as well as a great author and theorist who has produced several volumes of social theory, dozens of films, and thousands of short stories and television programs. Influenced by his friend and mentor Theodor Adorno and by his experience as Fritz Lang’s assistant on The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959), Kluge recognized “the necessity of a new politics for the cinema” early in his career. In response to the crisis of German cinema in the 1950s, he led twenty-six West German filmmakers to declare “Papas Kino ist tot!

We’ve been telling you about the upcoming dual-reality NBC show Awake, starring Jason Isaacs (star of the Masterpiece Mystery series Case Histories, Lucius Malfoy in The Harry Potter movies), premiering March 1. NBC has now kindly released a very long clip from the premiere, for our viewing pleasure:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I am totally in, I love messing-with-my-mind shows, and can’t wait to see the premiere.

Awake, starring Jason Isaacs, Laura Allen, and Dylan Minnette, premieres Thursday, March 1 at 10/9c on NBC.

Downton Abbey

N Conrad

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World war I has taken its toll on the residents of Downton Abbey but it is finally over. The cunning Lady Grantham (Maggie Smith) managed to use the end of the war to her advantage and manipulated cousin Isobel into leaving Downton Abbey and taking on a new role in the effort to alleviate the refugee crises.

While she was on her way out, her long lost cousin Patrick was making a return from his watery grave … or was he? A disfigured soldier with a Canadian accent showed up at the Abbey claiming to be Patrick. He said that he had been saved from the wreck of the Titanic( Which coincidentally just happens to be the topic of Julian Fellowes new ITV drama) and that he’d been suffering from...