MAGGIE MAY... SOONER THAN LATER

The BBC has commissioned a sitcom centered around a trade unionist (I'm not sure, but I picture the type of characters found in "I'm Alright, Jack".) who moves to a small, conservative village in County Durham. The press release says that other characters in the show would be a wealthy womanizer, a man-child and his battle-axe of a mother, a techno-wizard and an insane survivalist.

Usually I hold off on talking about pilots and proposed series until they actually air - why bother, if they're not going to be part of Toobworld in the end? But there was one intriguing item in the story: depending on when it is finally aired, it will be set in the future.

As a general rule, episodes of TV shows take place around the same time that they're first aired, unless they were definitely set in the Past or the Future. But even though the first episode is timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the miners' strike, it will kick off (litterally) with the death of Margaret Thatcher.

Like I said, the location of 'Silver Acres' on the Toobworld timeline depends on when it airs. The "Iron Butterfly" is still alive, (although in poor health mentally, I'm led to believe), so if it airs before she passes away, then it will be in the future on first airing. Not that I'm wishing it, but Mrs. Thatcher could join the Choir Invisible tomorrow; and then 'Silver Acres' would be set in the past.

I'll have to keep a lazy eye on this one......

[Pictured: Lindsay Duncan as Margaret Thatcher]

BCnU!
Toby O'B