Cheerio, PopWatchers. Welcome to the first installment of a new weekly column designed to bring you up-to-date on the best of British entertainment (and how to watch/read/listen to it without breaking the bank at Virgin Atlantic or Amazon.co.uk). If you’re not an Anglophile yet, I hope/think you will be: We’ve got some great offerings in the next few months (Simon Pegg’s Spaced on DVD, an interview with Inspector Lynley himself, and…well, let’s not spoil our own work, shall we?)
In honor of Wanted’s massive opening weekend at the U.S. box office, let’s get the party started by loving up its brilliant Scottish star, James McAvoy, for his telly work. The guy steals every movie he’s in (sorry, Forest), but any self-respecting Anglophile knows he’s been doing the same thing for years on British TV. So fire up that Netflix account, hit YouTube, and check out these shows (all available on DVD):
1. Shakespeare Retold: McAvoy’s Macbeth segment is the highlight of these BBC Bard updates. He’s a tasty chef with a sprinkling of killer instinct, thanks to his ambitious wife, played by MI-5 vixen Keeley Hawes. Not sold? Watch this clip. Our boy even sings!
2. Shameless, Season 1: Steve (McAvoy) is a car thief. His girl, Fiona (McAvoy’s real-life bride Anne-Marie Duff) is living on a Manchester estate (Britain’s version of public housing) and caring for her five younger siblings. The show’s humor (drunken teenagers, naked bums) is, well, shameless. Watch the entire first episode here.
3. State of Play: The DVDof this thrilling Paul Abbot whodunit—which stars McAvoy, Bill Nighy, John Simm,and Kelly Macdonald as journalists investigating the murder of apolitical aid—was a hot commodity at EW.
4. The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Season 1: James out-creeps The Wire’s Idris Elba and Colin Firth’s little bro Jonathan in episode three, in which a woman is knifed to death during an acting retreat in Scotland. Shake in your Wellies.
The hardest thing about being an Anglophile is finding the stuff,so I’m ending each column with a list of things to look out for duringthe week. And please, give me your own suggestions and opinions on McAvoy (and any other Brit you think is the bee’s knees)!
Monday: At 9 pm, watch Shameless (sans McAvoy) on Sundance.
Tuesday: Tune in to BBC America’s Tuesday Night Comedies at 8pm. The line-up: Coupling (with Swingtown’s Jack Davenport), Not Going Out, and AbFab.
Wednesday: Rent Rebus: Set 3,the 2007 episodes of the Scotland-set crime show based on Ian Rankin’snovels (the most popular mystery books in Britain right now).
Thursday: Check out David Gray on Sundance’s Live From Abbey Road at 10pm. Pray he sings "This Year’s Love."
Friday: Watch a rerun of comedian Russell Brand’s (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) hilarious Letterman appearance at 11:30 on CBS.
Saturday: At night, enjoy the Britcoms Coupling, The Vicar of Dibley, and Absolute Power on PBS (check local listings for airtimes).
Sunday: Listen to Office co-creator Stephen Merchant’s funny BBC6 radio show here. At 9pm, watch Billie Piper’s husband Laurence Fox on Masterpiece Mystery! in the uber-excellent Lewis.
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I enjoyed that Marc Warren, who played the thoroughly abused Dominic Foy in “State Of Play,” was cast as the Repairman in “Wanted.” He finally got to smack somebody else around for a change.
Also, book your ticket to Austin, TX now. The legendary Alamo Drafthouse is showing a Spaced marathon with Edgar Wright and “special guests” at the end of the month. Odds that I get a ticket are slim, but I have to try!!
Trevor Eve is my favorite Brit – Waking the Dead should be coming around again soon on BBCA. Until then I will have to make due with Insp Lewis, Foyle’s War and Lynley on PBS Mystery this summer.
Thank, thank you! Looking forward to Vol 2!
I love James McAvoy and have had a terrible time trying to find some of his earlier work over in the UK. Thanks for highlighting stuff that is often overlooked!
Love Spaced, State of Play and Shameless. Oh, why can’t we have more than one BBC in the states?!?
I didn’t get Spaced but that’s really besides the point here isn’t it? Shameless and State of Play are terrific and not to be missed.
Check out any of Ricky Gervais’s interviews with Karl Pilkington…the best one is here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=NQBlZIXu3Yg
Aubry- Love this new addition to popwatch! I’m guess its because of all those killjoy’s on the Secrets of a Call Girl TVWatch. What about Starter for 10 I think its one of the best James McAvoy movies. Seriously that should go ahead of all the other movies.
I waited, waited, waited for State of Play to come out of video and bought it as soon as I saw it available. I got tired of checking Amazon for it and screamed when I saw a review for it in EW earlier this year. It’s really one of the best miniseries.
State of Play fans should look into The Last Enemy.
thanks – great idea and great name – not just informative (appreciated by this stranded ex-pat brit) but well-written too!! thanks aubry – also looking forward to vol 2
For your next column, you should devote some love to Richard Armitage, who plays Sir Guy of Gisborne in BBC’s “Robin Hood”. I dare you not to watch him in “North & South” without rewinding the last scene over an over again.
How could you forget Dr Who on Friday nights on Sci fi?
Oh, I enthusiastically second the call for a Richard Armitage day, and that’s with only “North and South” under my viewing belt. I stumbled on that DVD a few years ago and have gotten much, much use out of it.
So please, tell me what other R.A. things are worth the time and effort in finding them!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I’m a total anglophile and glad you are recognizing all the wonderful things the brits have to offer! Looking forward to more installments.
I had to laugh at the Wanted premire when the man behind me shouted out “Its Danny Blue” at the same time I said”Hey, Its Danny!” Love James McAvoy. Love Marc Warren.
Yes to Richard Armitage! His appearance on the Vicar of Dibley was the most adorable character I’ve seen in years. He absolutely smolders as John Thornton in the BBC mini “North and South.” And the chance to see him shirtless or dressed in head-to-toe leather on Robin Hood is the only reason I watch that series on BBC-A.
Also, gotta give David Tennant some love. Of course he’s adorable as the Doctor on Doctor Who. I also loved him in Viva Blackpool and Recovery, neither of which is available on DVD in the US, sadly. But thanks to the internet I’ve seen both. However, Casanova is available and he was remarkable in that production. And I think Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is going to air soon and David had a bit part in that as well. And if you need further proof of his appeal, just check out his promotional photos for Hamlet. *drool*
Brit actor who I think is under the radar is Andrew Lincoln. He played Chiwetal’s best friend in Love Actually. The one who was in love with Kiera Knightley’s character. Plus, he was in Teachers, this BBC show that had a strong Scrubs feel to it, but set in a school setting.
McAvoy fans will also enjoy the British mini-series “State of Play” (available from Blockbuster.com and Netflix). McAvoy is part of a great ensemble cast that includes David Morrissey, Bill Nighy, and John Sim. This story is being remade as an American movie (starring Edward Norton, I think?) but it’s going to be tough for them to boil down a 6-hour mini-series into a 2-hour movie, IMO. I recommend renting the original for a James McAvoy fix.
A bit puzzled why you start off your article by saying toodle-pip, but heyho. Teachers, Shameless and Spaced, which is not just Simon Pegg’s it’s also Jessica Hynes (Stevenson as was), are all Channel 4 shows – not beeb material.
Other shows to look out for are Skins – though 2nd series is much better, Gavin and Stacey – which I think may be being remade for USA already, Ideal, The Mighty Boosh – lots of it is available on YouTube, The Armstrong and Miller Show – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DR3vGUOVUA the airmen are the best!
Also the follow up to Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, must be coming your way soon.
James McAvoy was also in the excellent Sci-Fi channel miniseries “Children of Dune”. Worth checking out!
One more for Richard Armitage. Sparkhouse was an inspired reworking of Wuthering Heights (a story that’s never really done it for me before) swapping the Cathy/Heathcliff gender roles. It was terrific.
Armitage isn’t the lead, but he really caught my eye (I only tuned into Robin Hood because I spotted him in the commercials).
i love james mcavoy. i also love matthew goode — another handsome and talented brit who was in the tepid film ‘chasing liberty’ with the bland, pseudo-actress mandy moore. i’d like to see more of him in higher quality film/ tv.
How much do I love you Aubry D’Arminio? James is #1 on my favorite actors list and he’s there to stay. It’s high time he gets the recognition he deserves!
Ironically, I was just thinking of having a James McAvoy night with my roommates. This certainly helps with finding his older roles. Thanks, EW, for helping fuel my unhealthy crushes.
Richard Armitage is in that Macbeth with James McAvoy. Youtube has a clip where you can see him. It’s kinda weird out of context: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB_KT7e0JSE
I know it’s not a tv show, but how rad is James McAvoy in Wimbledon? Stinky movie, but a funny performance.
James McAvoy was electrifying as Leto II in “Children of Dune.” Truly a breakout role! He was gripping and sympathetic as the heir to a messianic father. He WAS that series,especially in the ending when he becomes “one with the Worm.”
I heard he MIGHT be starring as Bilbo in the Hobbit movies.
I’d cast him as Frodo&Galadriel’s angsty love child instead. He’d be pretty and brooding… an elf with hairy feet! Sort of like Leto II.
I know this isn’t coming on tv anytime soom but it was on HBO about a moth ago and it is one of my favorite movies. its Starter for 10 its one for James McAvoy’s first rolls and it is very funny in a British way and all around feel good type thing. Its kind of difficult to find in the US but its worth searching for.
Richard Armitage is a gift from God. I thought I was the only one who replays the last scene from North and South. Even though he is not the hero, he is the reason we watch Robin Hood.
When I saw, Children of Dune I kept asking all my friends if they knew who that guy was who played Leto II. He was fabulous! When he was not on screen the show king of dragged, but just running around the desert McAvoy held my attention.