Lip Service

[Katy]

I thought some people might have some interest in this upcoming series on BBCThree.

Lip Service

Katy

[Ngoora]

Laura Fraser is in this series, so I am eagerly awaiting it. I am also looking forward to the Diaries of Anne Lister (with the lovely Anna Madeley). I don't know who is in charge at the BBC Drama department but God bless them. Does anyone know the exact date 'Lip Service' starts? I am in Australia and I am desperately hoping someone uploads this series to Youtube, otherwise the wait will certainly kill me. I am currently watching the new series of Skins this way - it's awkward but necessary.

[Katy]

Hey, Ngoora,

Me too! I like Laura Fraser. So, I've been tracking this one. That link is to the page, supposedly, where broadcast information will appear. I keep checking it. It's just a spring 2010 broadcast right now.

And, yes, I'm looking forward to the Anne Lister docu-drama as well. It's also been programmed into the London Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. I think I might be more excited about Sue Perkins' accompanying documentary about Anne Lister and her gang of lesbians. Sue is funny.

I wish I did have more of an idea. It might make waiting more bearable....

Katy

[Ngoora]

Hi Katy,

A documentary as well - can't wait. We've just seen the finish of the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras here in Sydney, but unfortunately for a country that hosts such a wonderful event we don't seem to have the same mainstreaming of gay tv content that Britain does. We have to import shows like Queer as Folk, Skins, TTV, Torchwood, etc (Bless Russell T. Davies) and then play it late at night.

I loved Laura Fraser in Trollope's 'He Knew He was Right'. The production wasn't great, but she shone, which is hard for me to say as I have a great dislike of Trollope. I am native Australian and when he came to visit his son here in the nineteenth century Trollope advocated the complete extermination of my people. Nice!!! But that's not Laura's problem. She's great, and we already know she can handle lesbian action after her wonderful performance in 'Nina's Heavenly Delights'. I just hope the production gives her some lovely dialogue to work with. I don't know any of the other actors so I am hoping for a nice suprise.

If you get to see the Lister documentary please share your review - it will be much appreciated.

[Katy]

Yes, so the BBC Press release said. Sue Perkins is presenting an accompanying documentary for the Anne Lister movie.

As for gay content on TV, I'm not sure how the US rates. I would say for myself the British content is more appealing. But a sheerly quantitative answer I couldn't say.

I did see in the news this morning how the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras commissioned that big nude photo in front of the Sydney Opera House. That was kind of fun.

Did you realize that Laura Fraser had a very brief role in The Boys Are Back, in which she speaks with an Australian accent? I thought it sounded good, but I would not be the best judge about those things. And, I have not seen that mini-series "He Knew He Was Right", so I've missed out. I enjoyed Iron Jawed Angels more than any other. But she was appealing in Nina's Heavenly Delights. But "Lip Service" looks promising.

Katy

[Leigh]

Speaking of LGBT shows, I made a sweep through the various threads, and I didn't see any mention of 'The L Word'. If I missed it, Katy, please feel free to bounce this over to the proper thread.

My point is that this outstanding American series had a huge international following through six seasons. I know this folder is 'All Things British', but I'd love to see a good discussion of what that series accomplished in the eyes of our members. If it needs its own folder, I hope you'll set that up, Katy. After all, yer da bomb!

[Katy]

Leigh, I don't remember any discussion of "The L Word" either. If you want to start a thread, please feel free.

The only thing that gets to me about British mini-series is that they are really, really short. The American series' are long.

Katy

[Ngoora]

I know what you mean. The British never seem to want to hang around for long. The entire Absolutely Fabulous series (about 30 or so episodes) ran for just about the equivalent of one series of US series like Will and Grace. The series 'Rome' supposedly fell apart because the producers couldn't get the British actors to stick around even for two series. I wonder what it is in their national psyches that makes the British run from committing to any program for too long, while Americans tend to drag their shows out until it's obvious they are flogging a dead horse (or 'jump the shark' - if I have that expression correct). 'Frasier' was one of my fav US shows but they really should have quit earlier. It had some amazing comic moments (most with David Hyde Pierce) but it did fizzle a lot towards the end.

Laura Fraser with an Aussie accent? I don't think I want to hear that. Her Scottish accent is so lovely, and I don't think there are many people out there who can say the same of an Aussie accent. It is generally not a flattering accent, although not as bad as generally portrayed in Hollywood films. I saw an appalling film with the actress from my Big Fat Greek wedding recently (it revolved around her character as a travel guide in Greece) and the Aussies in it sounded like bad caricatures from a 1970's Paul Hogan skit (he was a comedian before Crocodile Dundee).

The L Word, while a milestone in lesbian programming on television, held very little in common with the lives of most lesbians that I know. It was fabulous and fun, but I always felt an emotional distance from the characters because they were so 'fabulous'. Alice was the only character I really found any sort of emotional connection with, probably because she was so funny and wasn't as "extraordinary" as the others. The characters in 'Lip Service' look much more like the lesbians I know, just ordinary people - no androgynous studs, femme goddesses, hollywood heavyweights, neurotic writers/directors, sports superstars, etc - but who are still very attractive in a very unHollywood way.

I hope this all makes sense. I am rather tired at the moment as I have just returned from a birthday party, and am therefore a little less than alert. All the best to JM fans, wherever you may be in the world.

[Katy]

I'm sure for those of you awaiting this series' premiere that you already know that it has gotten the official delay. It will now appear somewhere in the Fall/Winter schedule. It was, again, a part of the upcoming season's showreel. I hope that this news means that it is so good they are being a bit more strategic about its scheduling and promotion. it does look a bit slicked up from what I remember seeing in the Spring showreel.

Katy