British TV Programs 24/7… And Not Just On BBC America

For this inaugural post, allow me to start with something that isn’t from a British TV show, but a U.S.-based public TV station instead. Namely WETA UK, which launched a month ago yesterday. I think it’s “ab fab.”

As its name implies, WETA UK is station with 24/7 programming from the UK, and in HD at that. It’s a terrific companion to BBC America for fans of British comedies, crime dramas, period pieces, etc., at least fans within its Washington, DC metro service area. And for those without cable, not having any Anglo-centric channel as a viewing option is a thing of the past, because it’s a broadcast channel that almost anyone can access.

Programs include some of my old and new favorites, such as Ballykissangel, Chef!, Hustle, Life On Mars, MI-5 and Monarch of the Glen, as well as shows I hadn’t heard of or seen before, such as Born and Bred, whose cast includes several actors from other British shows screened on WETA UK, such as James Bolam from New Tricks, Maggie Steed from Pie in the Sky, and Clive Swift from Keeping Up Appearances. And there are movies, too, such as Place of Execution and The Last Enemy, both of which I liked a lot.

I spent a good part of WETA UK’s launch weekend in front of the telly. Even though I’d seen many of the episodes before, it was still a refreshing change of pace to be able to immerse myself in British shows for more than the weekly Doc Martin episodes. Since then, WETA UK has become the channel I check first for what to watch.

WETA UK is the first broadcast channel in the U.S. to offer British programs around the clock. While it only serves viewers in the DC metro area, it could serve as a model for PBS stations in other cities to do something similar with one of their multicast channels, assuming it does well in the ratings and continues to get corporate sponsors. I hope it does. This could be an ab fab trend for British TV fans across the country.

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