Pete Clarke Wrote:
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> I wish it were still the same. We still have some
> highlights ("Spooks" about the British secret
> services in the post 9/11 world springs to mind)
> but the best stuff on British TV recently has all
> been American - "The Sopranos", "Six Feet Under" -
> even "ER" and "The West Wing" in their later
> series are head and shoulders above most UK output
> at the moment.

I LOVE "Spooks" ( called MI-5 over here). I've watched
the first three seasons. I really miss Tessa because she
made the shows so much more interesting with her own
internal intrigue. It's still great, though.

And your Lynda La Plante series beat anything we've got
over here. And then there's Wire in the Blood, so great.

> That said BBC1 are running modern language
> adaptions of Shakespeare at primetime on Monday
> nights. The first two (Much Ado About Nothing -
> set in a local news studio, and Macbeth - set in a
> trendy restaurant) have been excellent.
> "Midsummer's Night Dream" looks like it may be
> brilliant.

Sounds bold and a bit off-center. My favorite modern
adaptations are those of Peter Sellers, who did really
odd, kinky productions of Mozart operas. The Marriage
of Figaro, for example, was set in the penthouse of
Trump Towers, and Cherubino was a hockey player!!! Don
Giovanni was sung by black twins wearing nothing but
white cotton briefs! Another one was set in a Westchester
diner. They were fantastic!

Sue