It's easy to get lost in the bombast of the blockbuster season and the allure of festivals just around the corner. But BBC2 is here to remind you they've got some tremendously promising, high caliber wares coming to a small screen near you, which might be enticing enough to skip heading the multiplex altogether. The station has dropped a trailer for their new season of original programming, and there are some highlights and first footage worth paying attention to.
First up, there's "Parade's End" starring Benedict Cumberbatch and our fave, Rebecca Hall. Based on the book by Ford Madox Ford, the story is set against the backdrop of WWI and follows Christopher Tietjens (Cumberbatch), a top civil servant from a background of wealth and privilege, whose marriage to Sylvia (Hall) declines, just as it begins. On top of this, Chris is dealing with shell shock and partial memory loss that he endures during the war. Susanna White, who helmed the acclaimed "Generation Kill," is behind the camera and Tom Stoppard wrote the script, and this thing looks pretty great already, so sign us up.
Next up, there's "The Girl" starring Sienna Miller and a heavily made up Toby Jones, with the actors playing Tippi Hedren and Alfred Hitchcock respectively. Directed by Julian Jarrold ("Becoming Jane," "Red Riding: 1974") and penned by Gwyneth Hughes ("Miss Austen Regrets," "Five Days"), the 90-minute drama for the BBC focuses on the director's obsessive relationship with the actress who starred in "The Birds" and "Marnie." Do they pull it off? You tell us.
Finally, there's Jane Campion's mini-series "Top Of The Lake" featuring "Mad Men" star Elisabeth Moss. The project reunites Campion with Gerard Lee, the writer of her 1989 film “Sweetie,” for the tale of a detective investigating the disappearance of a 12-year-old pregnant daughter of a local drug lord. "The Piano" star and Oscar winner Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan ("Tyrannosaur," "War Horse"), David Wenham (Faramir in a couple of "The Lord Of The Rings") and Lucy Lawless all feature. And it looks like a great gear change for both Campion and Moss already, with some really moody atmosphere and chills coming through.
Check it all out below with footage from season two of "The Hour" and the new 1930s jazz world drama "Dancing On The Edge" with Chiwetel Ejiofor in there as well. Hopefully much more from all of these coming soon. [Bleeding Cool]