The UK Autumn Schedule

British telly may not be able to boast the kind of budgets being thrown at the US studios at the moment but it’s still good in it’s own right. This shows with what is a very strong autumn schedule.
     The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing are currently enjoying very strong runs. Despite concerns over The X Factors viewing figures it still continues to dominate most peoples Saturday night. Another show enjoying a strong return is Downton Abbey and there are already plans for a 3rd series next year. I believe a Christmas special has already been filmed. Spooks is another show that returned a few weeks ago. It is currently enjoying it’s final series to strong viewing figures.

It isn’t all about returning shows though with a new Gervais/Merchant collaboration coming soon. Life's Too Short is a spoof documentary starring celeb dwarf Warwick Davies. It apparently boasts a better cameo hit than extras with Johnny Depp and Steve Carrel already confirmed. The series apparently revolves around a Dwarf talent agency run by Warwick and if The Office and Extras are anything to go by it should be both hilarious and cringe worthy in equal measure.


No, the vet drama isn’t making a return, not in it’s original form anyway. Young James revoles around James Herriots younger days as he made his way through Vet collage in Glasgow. The role made famous by Christopher Timothy has been taken by former Corrie star Iain de Caestecker. He played a young Adam Barlow. The three part series is due to air in November.


The first series of Downton Abbey was a resounding success and so a second series was inevitable. War has now engulfed Europe and that effects the residents of Downton, both upstairs and down. With a number of the characters fighting in the trenches the series switches between the horrors of war and the tranquillity of Downton seamlessly. And that is testament to the writting of creator Julian Fellowes. I’m a relative newcomer to the show having only recently watched the first series on DVD but I am a huge fan now. With a Christmas Special due to air on Christmas Day and a third series scheduled for next year there are still many Downton tales to tell.


The Jury first aired back in 2002 and this second outing is scripted by the man behind that first incarnation. Staring Julie Walters as the defendants QC it is due to be shown 5 nights over a single week next month. With her defendant standing accused of a gruesome triple murder Walters will need to be at her National Treasure best.

I'm going to finish with an exclusive clip from Lifes Too Short, a show that I'm really looking forward to.