When you watch as much British television and as many British movies as I do, you begin to notice things. You begin to see patterns and links between actors. Like, "Hey it's that guy! You know, the one that was in that other movie with Bill Nighy!" A sort of six degrees of separation for British actors. Stephanie calls this The British Acting Mafia.
To give an example(Doctor Who of course, since it's what I've been watching obsessively): David Tennant, the current Doctor, starred in Secret Smile with Kate Ashfield, who was the lead chick in Shaun of the Dead. She starred in Shaun of the Dead with Jessica Hynes (who, incidentally, guest starred on two episodes of Doctor Who). Jessica Hynes was in Bob & Rose with Lesley Sharp. Lesley Sharp gave a tour de force performance in The Second Coming with Christopher Eccleston, who ALSO PLAYED THE DOCTOR in Doctor Who! TA-DA. See? British Acting Mafia! And I'm only skimming the surface here*.
Anyway. Because I'm a dork and was thinking about how much Stephanie and I squee whenever we recognize someone and make these links, I developed a game. Instead of fantasy football or baseball or whatever, with its statistics and trading and all the nonsense that I just don't get, Fantasy British Acting Mafia. Here's how it works. Think of your favorite British actors. Imagine them in an awesome roll. When it comes true, you win!
The first installation of Fantasy British Acting Mafia we have one of the coolest things ever. I am so bummed that it's sold out/I don't have a Sugar Daddy/I can't just up and go to England.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor in Othello. Whoever cast that, you get a medal. That's going to rock.
*Ok, I could also mention that Kate Ashfield was in The Best Man with Richard Coyle, who you know from Coupling, who was also in -- get this -- Othello with Christopher Eccleston. I KNOW. I could go on all day like this.
To give an example(Doctor Who of course, since it's what I've been watching obsessively): David Tennant, the current Doctor, starred in Secret Smile with Kate Ashfield, who was the lead chick in Shaun of the Dead. She starred in Shaun of the Dead with Jessica Hynes (who, incidentally, guest starred on two episodes of Doctor Who). Jessica Hynes was in Bob & Rose with Lesley Sharp. Lesley Sharp gave a tour de force performance in The Second Coming with Christopher Eccleston, who ALSO PLAYED THE DOCTOR in Doctor Who! TA-DA. See? British Acting Mafia! And I'm only skimming the surface here*.
Anyway. Because I'm a dork and was thinking about how much Stephanie and I squee whenever we recognize someone and make these links, I developed a game. Instead of fantasy football or baseball or whatever, with its statistics and trading and all the nonsense that I just don't get, Fantasy British Acting Mafia. Here's how it works. Think of your favorite British actors. Imagine them in an awesome roll. When it comes true, you win!
The first installation of Fantasy British Acting Mafia we have one of the coolest things ever. I am so bummed that it's sold out/I don't have a Sugar Daddy/I can't just up and go to England.
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor in Othello. Whoever cast that, you get a medal. That's going to rock.
*Ok, I could also mention that Kate Ashfield was in The Best Man with Richard Coyle, who you know from Coupling, who was also in -- get this -- Othello with Christopher Eccleston. I KNOW. I could go on all day like this.
Labels: Dorkdum, Movies, The Boob tube
4 Comments:
Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor in Othello.
WHAT?!?!111!!!!!!1!!!!
Holy Fuck. I am so jealous of the UK right now.
I! Know! So they're brilliant over there.
We're so not that brilliant, trust me. I work for the beeb, and believe me, we would kill to get the time and resources to be able to make anything that remotely came near to the brilliance of West Wing, or 24 or Lost, or Heroes...the list could go on and on....But back in the real world of British television, it's all how cheaply and quickly can we make this so that we don't have to make everyone redundant after doing it!
I beg to differ. American TV is such rubbish. West Wing, 24, Lost and Heroes being the exception, not the rule. Trust me. At least at the BBC they have complete story arcs, and they don't drag shows out forever needlessly (I'm looking at YOU ER). Christ, we run everything into the ground here. And we cater to the lowest common denominator. Plus you pay your writers properly, UNLIKE OVER HERE. Get on it, AMPTP.
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