Apple's first BBC comedy production is 'Alabama' starring Imelda Staunton

Apple and the BBC are working on their first comedy co-production, a show starring Imelda Staunton, probably best known to Americans as Dolores Umbridge in the "Harry Potter" movies.

The show, tentatively called "Alabama," is an eight-part series also featuring Darren Boyd and Phil Davis, Chortle said. Production is already underway, with director Jim O'Hanlon, writer Andy Wolton, and producer Chris Sussman, the comedy chief at BBC Studios.

The series will premiere on Apple TV+, but only sometime in 2020, Chortle noted.

That could make it one of the first confirmed "second-wave" Apple TV+ shows. The first wave should include projects from names like Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, Oprah Winfrey, and Ron Moore.

Another BBC co-production is "Prehistoric Planet," a documentary series produced by BBC Studios' Natural History Unit with the help of Jon Favreau and "Planet Earth II" producer Mike Gunton. That show will depict Earth as it was 66 million years ago, shortly before dinosaurs went extinct.

Apple will likely reveal plans, pricing, and more concrete programming at a fall press event.

23 Comments

rotateleftbyte 1630 comments · 12 Years

About 5 years ago

Apart from Imelda Staunton, US audiences will have never heard of the other two actors mentioned above.

Hardly a recepie for success is it?

Where is the US Star? (or Starlet?)

Are the three brits going to play baddies?

{Yes I know that I'm stereotyping}

This may play well here in the UK (if it is shown on BBC and not on some Pay-per-View channel) but unless the script is top notch it may well struggle.

Only time will tell eh?

StrangeDays 12959 comments · 8 Years

rotateleftbyte said:

Apart from Imelda Staunton, US audiences will have never heard of the other two actors mentioned above.
Hardly a recepie for success is it?
Where is the US Star? (or Starlet?)
Are the three brits going to play baddies?
{Yes I know that I'm stereotyping}

This may play well here in the UK (if it is shown on BBC and not on some Pay-per-View channel) but unless the script is top notch it may well struggle.

Only time will tell eh?

So, it’s not out yet, and no one’s seen it or read it, but you’re....concerned?

StrangeDays said:

So, it’s not out yet, and no one’s seen it or read it, but you’re....concerned?

It is notoriously difficult to make a TV Comedy series that appeals to both UK and US audiences that isn't pretty bland and safe.
Much British Comedy does not travel well especially to the USA (eg Last of the Summer Wine). Granted, shows like 'Friends' and '30 Rock' were/are pretty popular here but they are pretty safe shows.

Playing safe maybe what Apple has in mind for this. To me that is a shame especially if the script is half decent.

AppleExposed 1805 comments · 6 Years

Just a few minutes ago I was thinking to myself...
Wouldn't Apples service use the most expensive 4K cameras? Apple can afford it.

Believe it or not a lot of "4K" content isn't actually filmed in 4K. This requires newer digital cameras. I hope Apple TV+ will be the first service to offer full 4k/Dolby Vision content on every show and movie. Wouldn't THAT would be great!

lkrupp 10521 comments · 19 Years

rotateleftbyte said:

Apart from Imelda Staunton, US audiences will have never heard of the other two actors mentioned above.
Hardly a recepie for success is it?
Where is the US Star? (or Starlet?)
Are the three brits going to play baddies?
{Yes I know that I'm stereotyping}

This may play well here in the UK (if it is shown on BBC and not on some Pay-per-View channel) but unless the script is top notch it may well struggle.

Only time will tell eh?

I’m kinda tired of all the declarations, yours included, of failure being made about Apple’s entry into this market. There has been a nonstop deluge of hateful and negative opinions about what Apple intends to do in these forums any time the subject arises. All I can do is remind you of the same predictions of abject failure for every product or service Apple has ever put forth that turned into resounding successes. Why can’t we just sit back and see what happens instead of trashing it and dooming it to failure without even giving it a chance?