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The Thick Of It
''The Thick of It'' is a British comedy television series that satirises the inner workings of British government. Written and directed by Armando Iannucci, it was first broadcast for two short series on BBC Four in 2005, initially with a small cast focusing on a government minister, his advisers and their party's spin-doctor. The cast was significantly expanded for two hour-long specials to coincide with Christmas and Gordon Brown's appointment as prime minister in 2007, which saw new characters forming the opposition party added to the cast. These characters continued when the show switched channels to BBC Two for its third series in 2009. A fourth series about a coalition government was broadcast in 2012, with the last episode transmitted on 27 October 2012. The series has been described as the 21st century's answer to ''Yes Minister.'' It highlights the struggles and conflicts between politicians, party spin doctors, advisers, civil servants and the media. In similar fashi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Black Comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discuss. Writers and comedians often use it as a tool for exploring vulgar issues by provoking discomfort, serious thought, and amusement for their audience. Thus, in fiction, for example, the term ''black comedy'' can also refer to a genre in which dark humor is a core component. Popular themes of the genre include death, crime, poverty, suicide, war, violence, terrorism, discrimination, disease, racism, sexism, and human sexuality. Black comedy differs from both blue comedy—which focuses more on crude topics such as nudity, sex, and Body fluids—and from straightforward obscenity. Whereas the term ''black comedy'' is a relatively broad term covering humor relating to many serious subjects, ''gallows humor'' tends to be used more specifical ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roger Allam
Roger William Allam (born 26 October 1953) is a British actor, who has performed on stage, in film, on television and radio. He played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the stage musical ''Les Misérables'', First Officer Douglas Richardson in the award-winning radio series ''Cabin Pressure'', and DCI Fred Thursday in the TV series '' Endeavour''. He is also known for his roles as Illyrio Mopatis in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'', Royalton in ''Speed Racer'', Lewis Prothero in the 2005 adaptation of ''V for Vendetta'' and as Peter Mannion MP in ''The Thick Of It''. He has been nominated a Laurence Olivier Award six times, winning thrice. Life and career Allam was born in Bow, London, England. He was educated at Christ's Hospital and Manchester University. His father was rector of St Mary Woolnoth. He played Mercutio for the Royal Shakespeare Company, in 1983. From 1985 to 1986, he played Inspector Javert in the original London production of the sta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stereophonic Sound
Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration of two loudspeakers (or stereo headphones) in such a way as to create the impression of sound heard from various directions, as in natural hearing. Because the multi-dimensional perspective is the crucial aspect, the term ''stereophonic'' also applies to systems with more than two channels or speakers such as quadraphonic and surround sound. Binaural recording, Binaural sound systems are also ''stereophonic''. Stereo sound has been in common use since the 1970s in entertainment media such as broadcast radio, recorded music, television, video cameras, cinema, computer audio, and internet. Etymology The word ''stereophonic'' derives from the Greek language, Greek (''stereós'', "firm, solid") + (''phōnḗ'', "sound, tone, voice") and i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1080i
1080i (also known as Full HD or BT.709) is a combination of frame resolution and scan type. 1080i is used in high-definition television (HDTV) and high-definition video. The number "1080" refers to the number of horizontal lines on the screen. The "i" is an abbreviation for "interlaced"; this indicates that only the even lines, then the odd lines of each frame (each image called a video field) are drawn alternately, so that only half the number of actual image frames are used to produce video. A related display resolution is 1080p, which also has 1080 lines of resolution; the "p" refers to progressive scan, which indicates that the lines of resolution for each frame are "drawn" on the screen in sequence. The term assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9 (a rectangular TV that is wider than it is tall), so the 1080 lines of vertical resolution implies 1920 columns of horizontal resolution, or 1920 pixels × 1080 lines. A 1920 pixels × 1080 lines screen has a total of 2.1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HDTV
High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the generation following standard-definition television (SDTV), often abbreviated to HDTV or HD-TV. It is the current de facto standard video format used in most broadcasts: terrestrial broadcast television, cable television, satellite television and Blu-ray Discs. Formats HDTV may be transmitted in various formats: * 720p (1280 horizontal pixels × 720 lines): 921,600 pixels * 1080i (1920×1080) interlaced scan: 1,036,800 pixels (~1.04 MP). * 1080p (1920×1080) progressive scan: 2,073,600 pixels (~2.07 MP). ** Some countries also use a non-standard CEA resolution, such as 1440×1080i: 777,600 pixels (~0.78 MP) per field or 1,555,200 pixels (~1.56 MP) per frame When transmitted at two megapixels per frame, HDTV provides about five times a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC HD
BBC HD was a 24-hour high-definition television channel provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007 before its discontinuation on 26 March 2013. It broadcast only during the afternoon and evening and only broadcast material shot in high definition, either in a simulcast with another channel or by inserting a repeat of an HD programme. The channel featured a mix of programming including new episodes of '' Top Gear'', ''Doctor Who'' and '' Hustle'', repeats of HD programmes including '' Planet Earth'', ''Bleak House'' and ''Torchwood'' as well as live coverage of large events such as The Proms, Wimbledon, the Eurovision Song Contest and the FIFA World Cup. The channel closed for the final time at 01:20 am on Tuesday 26 March 2013, and was replaced with BBC Two HD, partly as a result of budget cuts affecting the entire corporation. History Trial BBC HD began broadcasting on 15 May 2006 as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio channels, it is funded by the television licence, and is therefore free of commercial advertising. It is a comparatively well-funded public-service network, regularly attaining a much higher audience share than most public-service networks worldwide. Originally styled BBC2, it was the third British television station to be launched (starting on 21 April 1964), and from 1 July 1967, Europe's first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour. It was envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming, and while this tendency has continued to date, most special-interest programmes of a kind previously broadcast on BBC Two, for example the BBC Proms, no ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002"Culture, controversy and cutting edge documentary: BBC FOUR prepares to launch" BBC Press Office, 14 February 2002. Retrieved 2 April 2010. and shows a wide variety of programmes including arts, documentaries, music, international film and drama, and current affairs. It is required by its licence to air at least 100 hours of new arts and music programmes, 110 hours of new factual programmes, and to premiere twenty foreign films each year. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adam Tandy
Adam Tandy is a British television producer and director, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Armando Iannucci. As such, he has worked on ''The Saturday Night Armistice'', ''The Armando Iannucci Shows'', ''Time Trumpet'' and ''The Thick of It''. '' bbc.co.uk'', URL accessed February 3, 2010 In 2009 he moved into film producing with the hit ''Thick of It'' adaptation '' In the Loop''. After the 2012 series of ''The Thick of It'', he has produced '' |
Jon Plowman
Phillip Jon Plowman (born 1953 in Welwyn Garden City, England) is a British television and film producer. He has been a producer at the BBC since 1980, when he produced Russell Harty's chat show ''Harty''. He moved on to executive producing at the BBC in 1986, working on sketch show ''A Bit of Fry and Laurie'', and became Head of Comedy Entertainment in 1994, mainly responsible for sketch shows. He produced the first four series of the BBC comedy show ''Absolutely Fabulous'' between 1992 and 2001, plus the big screen version in 2016. Biography Plowman was educated in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire and at University College, Oxford, where was a member of the University College Players and made friends with others who went on to establish successful careers in comedy. One, Mel Smith, directed Plowman in a production of ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead''. After Oxford, Plowman followed Smith to the Royal Court Theatre, where he met the director Lindsay Anderson. Plowman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Geoffrey Streatfeild
Geoffrey Streatfeild (born 1975) is an English actor in film, television, stage and radio. He is a member of the Streatfeild family. Career His notable film and TV roles include ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' and '' Kinky Boots''. He also appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's "Histories" company in 2007-08 as Prince Hal/Henry V ('' Henry IV Part One'', '' Henry IV Part Two'' and ''Henry V''), Suffolk (''Henry VI Parts I and II''), Rivers ('' Henry VI Part III'' and ''Richard III''). His elder brother Richard Streatfeild, as a serving Major in the Rifles, advised Geoffrey on military life for his roles in ''Henry V'' and ''Journey's End''. Streatfeild joined the cast of '' Spooks'' for its final series in 2011, playing the character of Calum Reed, a Junior Case Officer at MI5 until its end. In 2012 Streatfeild joined the cast of the BBC2 political satire ''The Thick of It'' as the "Inbetweener" junior minister in DoSac. In 2015 he reprised his role as Calum Reed in the spy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
