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A sweet if somewhat inconsequential entry into the annals of English comedy, Warren Fischer’s A Family Affair – no relation to the Nicole Kidman film set for release later in the year – makes the bold move of setting up a farce with tough economic realities and grief at its core. Set in an undisclosed rural location and populated by English television actors, it explores territory which will feel uncomfortably close to home for many viewers, but does so with a warmth and light-heartedness which hints at ways of coping and, perhaps, moving on.

Edward (Joe Wilkinson) has put everything into his dream hotel, a little island of tranquillity which, with the aid of hippy guru Rhys (Colin Hoult), he markets as a spiritual retreat – but whilst they’re running naked yoga sessions in the garden, customers are running to review sites to complain about everything imaginable. His inbox is full.

Aisling Bea And Matthew Lewis Join Romesh Ranganathan Comedy ‘Avoidance’

Aisling Bea and Matthew Lewis are among the cast who have joined the upcoming season of Romesh Ranganathan’s BBC comedy Avoidance. Filming started this week, and the returning cast includes Jessica Knappett (Drifters), Kieran Logendra, Mandeep Dhillon (Afterlife), Lisa McGrillis (Mum), and Bruce Mackinnon (The Catherine Tate Show). Also joining the show are Louise Ford (The Windsors), Olive Tennant (Belfast), Alex Ranganathan, Jessica Ransom (Horrible Histories), Paula Wilcox (Upstart Crow), Philip Jackson (Brassed Off), Ed Kear (Here We Go), Colin Hoult (Murder in Successville), Michael Spicer (The Room Next Door) and Brona C Titley (The Outlaws). “I’m delighted to be back on set with this amazing cast, so much so it almost makes up for the crushing agony of my recent spandex-filled wardrobe fitting,” said Ranganathan.

Afua Hirsch And Peter Frankopan To Lead History Podcast

Afua Hirsch and...

Exclusive: Ricky Gervais has directed his first BBC project for a decade as the corporation’s Comedy Director Jon Petrie unveils his debut batch of 11 Short Films since taking on the role last year.

Deadline can reveal that The Office and After Life creator Gervais has directed 7 Minutes, a show about two people awkwardly contemplating suicide from his own Derek Productions.

Penned by Harry Carlile and Jonathan Parramint and starring Joe Wilkinson and Seroca Davis, 7 Minutes’ logline reads: “A desolate train track seems the perfect spot to end it all, until someone else turns up with the same idea. Awkward.”

Gervais’ last BBC project was the Warwick Davis-starring Life’s Too Short, which ran from 2011 to 2013 and was co-written with long-time writing partner Stephen Merchant. Since then, he has mostly made shows for Netflix such as global smash After Life.

Petrie’s Comedy Shorts are comprised of 10-15 minute one-offs,...

Created and executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, the anthology series Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is now available to watch in its entirety, as all eight episodes have been released through the Netflix streaming service. And director Vincenzo Natali would like you to know that there is a black and white version of his episode Graveyard Rats on there as well. You just have to go searching for it a little bit.

Natali took to Twitter to inform us, “A reminder: Graveyard Rats is available in glorious Black & White in the ‘Trailers & More’ section of the Netflix Cabinet of Curiosities menu. I like the color version but this is the way I intended it to be viewed. Colin Hoult’s cinematography is gorgeous.“

Here’s the info on that particular episode:

“Graveyard Rats”

Directed by: Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice)

Written by: Vincenzo Natali, based on a short...

If you’ve already caught up on all eight episodes of “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities,” there’s one hidden feature you might’ve missed. Yes, the Netflix horror anthology series has one more trick up its sleeves just in time for Halloween.

Director Vincenzo Natali took to Twitter this week to share that there’s a Silver Screen Horror Edition of his episode “Graveyard Rats” available to stream on Netflix now.

Natali revealed that the monochrome Silver Screen Horror Edition is the way he intended his episode to be watched, highlighting the cinematography by Colin Hoult.

Viewers can find this unique edition for the episode under the series’ “Trailers & More” section.

“Graveyard Rats,” written and directed by Natali based on a short story by Henry Kuttner, premiered on October 25. It stars David Hewlitt as “Masson, a clever but weasley cemetery caretaker who moonlights as a grave robber.

This post contains spoilers for episode 2 of "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities."

After Guillermo del Toro sets up the premise for episode 2 of "Cabinet of Curiosities," titled "Graveyard Rats," the narrative follows a grave robber named Masson (David Hewlett) whose livelihood is endangered due to pesky rats. A horrifying tale about greed and hubris, Graveyard Rats" evokes anxiety and claustrophobia, especially when Masson crawls through narrow underground tunnels in which primordial forces lurk in the darkness. Hewlett, who is sublime as the con man who waxes poetic, struggled during the underground tunnel scenes, as it was a little too claustrophobic for his liking.

The episode director, Vincenzo Natali, recently spoke to Newsweek and recounted the experience of filming in crawl spaces, joking that he was "scarred for life." The "Cube" director also praised Hewlett's dedication to the uncomfortable scenes, as the role demanded a considerable level of physicality. Natali said:

"Then for David,...

This article contains spoilers for “Graveyard Rats” in Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

The use of practical effects is one of the best ways to distill terror into its purest form. Horror is a difficult genre to perfect, and using realistic effects and physical models to engulf the viewer into a believable world will help with the whole “scare people” thing that is the objective of the genre. The makers of “Graveyard Rats” from Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix certainly agree.

The short film, which premiered today alongside fellow short film “Lot 36,” takes the audience on a bone-chilling thrill ride through the catacombs of an underground graveyard. The protagonist of the episode, a grave robber named Masson (David Hewlett), goes with his heart instead of his head when rats start to steal the corpse that possesses the prized jewelry he needs to sell. With...

Globalisation isn’t just about lax child labour laws lowering the price of t-shirts; it also has its downsides. Global markets have a tendency to replace local idiosyncrasy with the accessibly bland. Should, for instance, the makers of Sweden’s chocolate Plopp Bar ever branch out into English-speaking territories, they’d be forced to rename their product to something much less funny, and we’d all be the worse off for it.

Murderville, a US series based on BBC Three’s Murder in Successville, is worse off for just that reason. In the transatlantic translation of the semi-improvised detective comedy, a niche element has been dropped, and with it, much of the original’s charm. Here’s the premise: every episode, a celebrity guest is thrown amongst a regular cast of comedy actors to solve a murder alongside the lead detective. There’s a part-script for everybody but the celebrity,...

How do you say goodbye to one of the best shows on the air?

Fans of Netflix's After Life will be forced to say goodbye on January 14 when the final season launches.

The streamer has unveiled our biggest look yet at the final episodes, and it looks like Tony (Ricky Gervais) has a new outlook on life.

After spending the time following his wife's death thinking that not caring was a superpower, the trailer teases him making good decisions.

We get to see Tony on a very different mission, finding very specific places to scatter his late father's ashes.

One of those places is a bar, and well, that goes about as well as you can expect when he's caught.

Set in the small fictitious town of Tambury, the show follows Tony, a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from cancer.

Whilst...

Ricky Gervais is back for his third season of After Life, and brought a new trailer in advance of the series’ Jan. 14 renewal on Netflix.

Set in the small fictitious town of Tambury, the show follows Tony, a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from cancer. While still struggling with immense grief, Tony starts to realise that making other people feel good is what can give him hope and a reason to live. After all, every end is a new beginning.

The Netflix original series is by Derek Productions. The series is created, written, and directed by Gervais, who also serves with Duncan Hayes as executive producers.

Cast includes Penelope Wilton, Ashley Jensen (Extras), Tom Basden, Tony Way (Edge of Tomorrow), David Earl, Joe Wilkinson (Him and Her), Kerry Godliman...

The trailer for After Life‘s third and final season reveals that Tony Johnson is on a mission — to scatter his father’s ashes — and affirm along the way that “caring about stuff is what really matters.”

Starring series creator Ricky Gervais and set in the small, fictitious town of Tambury, Netflix’s After Life has followed Tony, a writer for a local paper, ever since his life was upended by his wife’s death from cancer. While struggling with that immense grief, Tony started to realize that making other people feel good is what can give him hope — and a reason to live.

One of Netflix's best shows will end in early 2022.

The streamer on Tuesday announced the third -- and final -- season of After Life will touch down on January 14.

Set in the small fictitious town of Tambury, the show follows Tony, a writer for the local newspaper whose life is upended after his wife dies from cancer.

Whilst still struggling with immense grief for his wife, Tony starts to realize that making other people feel good is what can give him hope and a reason to live.

After all, every end is a new beginning.

The series is a Netflix original series from Derek Productions.

It was created, written, and directed by Ricky Gervais.

The cast includes Penelope Wilton, Ashley Jensen (Extras), Tom Basden, and Tony Way (Edge of Tomorrow).

The cast also includes David Earl, Joe Wilkinson (Him and Her), Kerry Godliman (Derek), Jo Hartley (In My Skin...

Naughty Plebs favourtie Ryan Sampson is going to spend autumn pulling off some crazy pranks for ITV2.

Sampson and an ensemble of rising comedy stars will rope the public into taking part in bizarre (and totally fake) reality shows for the new sketch series Glitchy.

Unsuspecting passers-by on the streets will become the stars of phoney competitions like Britain and Ireland's Next Top Hand Model, Date My Daughter and 24 Hours in a Phone Box - and surely embarrass themselves along the way.

An unlucky few might even have an unwelcome encounter with Memzo, a petty thief-turned-creepy street magician.

"I'm beyond excited that ITV have let us loose, giving our own twisted take on all of our favourite TV shows," Sampson said. "It's going to be brilliant. And weird. And weirdly brilliant!"

His revolving cast of co-conspirators includes Ellie White (House of Fools), Gabby Best (Top Coppers), Colin Hoult (Derek), Mona Yousefi...

The fifth and final season of "Being Human" (UK) begins this Saturday, July 13th, on BBC America, and we have a look at the first three minutes of the premiere episode right here!

Episode One – Saturday, July 13, 10:00Pm Et/Pt

Chained up like an animal, Hal (Damien Molony) frantically requests to be set free by best friend Tom (Michael Socha) and new housemate Alex (Kate Bracken). Once released, Hal is accidentally involved in innocent bystander Crumb’s (Colin Hoult) death and “saves” him by recruiting him as a vampire. But the disobedient vampire proves to be difficult to handle. Meanwhile, Mr. Rook (Steven Robertson), a civil servant in charge of keeping supernaturals at bay, is told that his secret department is being shut down.

For more visit "Being Human" on BBCAmerica.com, "like" "Being Human" on Facebook, and follow BBC America on Twitter (#BeingHuman).

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

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It's almost here! The final season of "Being Human" (UK) premieres this Saturday, July 13th, on BBC America, and we have a second teaser trailer to share.

The fifth and final season of "Being Human" premieres July 13th at 10:00pm Et/Pt as part of BBC America's Supernatural Saturday.

Synopsis:

At the end of Series 4, viewers witnessed former housemate and ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow) meeting her supernatural end when she saved the world from being ruled by the powerful vampire group “The Old Ones.” Now Hal (Damien Molony) and Tom (Michael Socha) have a new ghost in the midst of their Honolulu Heights home in Alex (Kate Bracken), a vibrant tomboy who lost her life to a vampire’s fangs in retribution for a crime Hal committed 100 years earlier. After being marooned to the afterlife by Hal, their former romance turned sour. With Hal reeling from guilt and...

While our friends in the UK are already aware of how their version of "Being Human" ended up, we Yanks won't find out until July 13th, when it premieres on BBC America. To whet our appetites, here's a teaser trailer for the show.

Series 5 of BBC America’s "Being Human" premieres Saturday, July 13, 10:00pm Et/Pt, as part of Supernatural Saturday.

Synopsis:

At the end of Series 4, viewers witnessed former housemate and ghost Annie (Lenora Crichlow) meeting her supernatural end when she saved the world from being ruled by the powerful vampire group “The Old Ones.” Now Hal (Damien Molony) and Tom (Michael Socha) have a new ghost in the midst of their Honolulu Heights home in Alex (Kate Bracken), a vibrant tomboy who lost her life to a vampire’s fangs in retribution for a crime Hal committed 100 years earlier. After being marooned to the afterlife by Hal,...

Once BBC America announced it is running "In the Flesh" as a three-night special event that includes this coming Saturday, we wondered what that meant for "Being Human," which was supposed to premiere on June 8th; and today the answer came.

From the Press Release:

BBC America’s supernatural series "Being Human" returns for its explosive final chapter this July. Concluding its five-season run, three unconventional housemates - vampire Hal (Damien Molony), werewolf Tom (Michael Socha, "Once Upon a Time"), and ghost Alex (Kate Bracken) - navigate a turbulent world, searching for their lost humanity. But things quickly turn dangerous when the trio realize the greatest evil known – the Devil – is wandering the earth in the shape of a man, set to conquer and rule the world. The roommates will battle this ultimate enemy in an epic showdown to save both humans and supernaturals and, in the end, their souls.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The last two episodes have been plot heavy and necessarily so to establish the season story arc, this week’s instalment is a more light hearted affair largely due to the absence of the marvelous Phil Davis as Captain Hatch and Colin Hoult’s Crumb.

Before you get too downhearted fear not, The Mighty Boosh’s Julian Barratt is this week’s guest star and he’s playing a recently turned werewolf who is on hand to give our wayward Tom some much need guidance. Although it turns out Larry isn’t quite the success story he makes out he is but this is very much an episode where everybody is putting on a front.

Hal has been making annual trips to visit an old friend, well I say friend he’s been meeting with the ghost of Lady Mary who has believed for over 250 years...

Prepare yourself for an epic Being Human this week - 'The Greater Good' is humorous, heartfelt and shocking in equal measure! Both of our boys find themselves playing babysitter this week, as Tom (Michael Socha) must mentor a fellow werewolf - gentle giant Bobby (Ricky Grover) - while Hal (Damien Molony) takes troubled Crumb (Colin Hoult) back under his wing...

Can hapless Bobby be reintegrated back into society? Is there hope for Crumb? And after his dark side bubbled back up to the surface last week, how much longer can Hal resist the murderous urges that lurk within?

Being Human continues on BBC Three this Sunday (February 24) at 10pm - check out our ten teasers for 'The Greater Good' below. Mild spoilers!

> Being Human: New episode 'The Greater Good' in pictures

> Being Human review: New episode 'Pie and Prejudice'

1. "I'll take Burt Reynolds and Worzel Gummidge please.

Being Human comes one step closer to the final end this week, with episode 5.4, 'The Greater Good', which sees deranged vampire Crumb (Colin Hoult) take up residence at Honolulu Heights for some bloodsucker rehab, but is an on-the-edge Hal (Damien Moloney) really the best mentor?

Tom (Michael Socha) also finds himself playing teacher when he encounters burly werewolf Bobby (Ricky Grover) and must reintroduce his new acquaintance to a world he's long forgotten...

Being Human continues this Sunday (February 24) at 10pm on BBC Three.

> Being Human review: New episode 'Pie and Prejudice'

> Being Human boss on show's demise: 'All good things come to an end'...

UK fans of "Being Human" have just two episodes left before the series finale, and while we here in the States wait for word of when the show's last season is heading to BBC America, here's a clip from next Sunday's BBC Three installment, "The Greater Good."

In this clip Hal tries to save the hotel guests from a werewolf attack; as Crum panics, Alex is extremely unimpressed.

"Being Human" Episode 5.04 - "The Greater Good" (airs 24 February 2013)

It's vampire rehab at Honolulu Heights when Crumb (Colin Hoult) comes to stay. Tom has his work cut out reintroducing werewolf Bobby (Feth Greenwood) to a world he's long forgotten.

The series stars Michael Socha as werewolf Tom, Kate Bracken as ghost Alex, and Damien Molony as vampire Hal.

For more visit "Being Human" on BBC Three, "like" "Being Human" on Facebook, and follow "Being Human" on Twitter.

Visit The Evilshop @ Amazon!

Got news?...

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

By the end of Being Human’s transitional fourth season the last of the remaining original cast members had departed for pastures new. There was certainly a divide within the fan community over the future of their once beloved supernatural show, budget cuts at the BBC lead to a six episode order for the new series which returned to BBC Three Sunday night.

Our new trinity of housemates are having a tough time getting on, vampire Hal (Damien Molony) is trying to remain blood free but being tied to a chair in a messy house threatens to send him over the edge. Werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) is taking those all important steps to adulthood and new ghost on the scene Alex (Kate Bracken) is on the hunt to locate her body to pass over as quickly as possible.

Despite his best intentions, Hal quickly finds himself...

Digital Spy has an exclusive first-look image from the new series of Being Human. Series five's iconic image features the cult BBC Three drama's new lineup - vampire Hal (Damien Molony), werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) and ghost Alex (Kate Bracken). Also glimpsed in the new picture are "gloriously horrible" new villain Captain Hatch - played by Phil Davis - and returning menace Mr Rook (Steven Robertson). New vampire Crumb (Colin Hoult) is the sixth and final (more)...