After You've Gone - Series 3

As the BBC have today started playing trailers for After You've Gone's third series, I think it's safe to say that episode one will broadcast at 6:30pm on Sunday 14th September on BBC One.

I must say that I'm really looking forward to the new series. It's an eight-parter with a Christmas special (to air on Christmas day), and from what I hear is meant to be the best to date.

Looking forward to it, the first episode 'Dawn of the Dad' is quite funny and you have to notice that in the first episode Amanda Abbington is shot from the top half only because she was heavily pregnant at the time and the writers did not write into the show.

It's up against Coronation Street which may hurt ratings but hopefully there is a repeat.

Time updated: the new series will begin at 6:30pm on Sunday 14th September. The move from Friday nights displeases me quite a lot.

Quote: Aaron @ September 5 2008, 1:21 PM BST

Time updated: the new series will begin at 6:30pm on Sunday 14th September. The move from Friday nights displeases me quite a lot.

I hope that isn't a reflection on the content.

Come to think of it, are you sure that isn't just a repeat showing? They do that sometimes.

All reports I've heard have it down as the best series so far, but that move in day, and in time slot, doesn't fill me with confidence.

Moving to the depressing "back to work/school tomorrow" timeslot, from the lighthearted "woo hoo, end of the week" period on a Friday night. Whose crackpot idea was this?

Quote: john lucas 101 @ September 5 2008, 1:24 PM BST

Come to think of it, are you sure that isn't just a repeat showing? They do that sometimes.

Nope.

SITCOM: After You've Gone
On: BBC One
Date: Sunday 14th September 2008
Time: 18:30 to 19:00

Dawn of the Dad.

New series of the sitcom about a jack-of-all-trades. Jimmy resolves to be a 'proper' Dad and do the parenting without Diana's help. It does not take long, however, for Jimmy's work and social life to suffer.

(The 2007 in this case refers to the programme's first year, or is just plain incorrect; that title is known to be the title of one of the new series 3 episodes.)

Quote: Aaron @ September 5 2008, 1:34 PM BST

All reports I've heard have it down as the best series so far

I'd have to agree. "Too Cool for School" is actually pretty hilarious for a family comedy episode, and "Going Solo" has some great singing in (all done in front of the studio audience), provided they don't mess it up in post production this series is in a different league compared the previous ones.
The timeslot is an intresting one, it seems more of a "Last of the Summer Wine" slot (which might have possibly suited the previous series), but I think this series would actually fit in quite well in the old slot in the light entertainment bracket, between the news and more risqué (for BBC1) "Not Going Out".

Here's a picture from the new episode:

Image

Look closely... it's an actor you might recognise. Looks like they're going for a fun 'in the future' segment?

Scheduling this on a Sunday night could well be a disaster though - what are the schedulers thinking?

Very surprised it's going to be on Sunday, although it does move to a later slot in subsequent weeks it seems.

At first I thought it sounded like a bad idea, but on reflection maybe this is programming going in the direction of capturing a wide audience on Sunday evenings, as opposed to rigidly dictating Friday nights as a slot for event-television, regardless of the available audience size? Look at other programmes like Top Gear, which have successfully chosen the Sunday slot to reach massive audiences. Obviously Top Gear is nothing like After You've Gone, however there may be a point in there...somewhere..

*I meant, later slots on subsequent Sundays. Think it moves to an hour later. Just to clarify...

Good point, good point.

On further reflection however, Mark and I decided on a much simpler reason: BBC One have just plain ordered too much 'Friday night' comedy. Let's have a quick run down, off the top of my head: Not Going Out (although later than originally planned; probably not until January now), Have I Got News For You, Little Britain USA, The Armstrong & Miller Show I believe, QI (or is that next series it's moving to BBC One?), After You've Gone, The Green Green Grass, Harry And Paul, and I believe a new series of That Mitchell and Webb Look as well. And of course Children In Need breaking up the schedule for one week too. Those are just the ones off the top of my head, and just the ones likely to be Fridays. There's also Outnumbered which'll almost certainly be another mid-week affair, and umpteen new shows on BBC Three as well. No wonder they've moved things around really!

Blimey. Quite a packed autumn for comedy fans.

Hm. guess so. My, you are a mine of scheduling information!

I think the descision to move to Sundays is mainly due to Coronation Street at 8.30pm which forced BBC One to move all comedies to 9-9.30pm but at the moment, there are no soaps on Sundays which BBC One can use to their advantage and have the family sitcoms on Sundays and more edgy comedies on Fridays.

Also, Strictly Come Dancing results show airs on a Sunday which will provide a great lead in for AYG or Green Green Grass.

Quote: wonderboy85 @ September 10 2008, 1:54 PM BST

Hm. guess so. My, you are a mine of scheduling information!

Of course, there's the question of why it was After You've Gone that was moved. In which case your point comes back into play. Auntie's already shown huge faith in the series by commissioning 20 further episodes pretty much immediately after the second series had ended, so perhaps they reckon that Sunday slot will give it that greater amount of exposure to push the show further.

And the more successful the show, the better for all those involved I suspect. We all know of the stupid money flying around the set of My Family!

Quote: Jonwo @ September 10 2008, 2:00 PM BST

I think the descision to move to Sundays is mainly due to Coronation Street at 8.30pm which forced BBC One to move all comedies to 9-9.30pm.

Highly unlikely. How long has Coronation Street been in that slot? Let's go back in the schedules... *does time machine magic*

Friday 12th October 2007
19:30-20:00
BBC One - My Family (although a repeat)
ITV1 - Coronation Street

20:30-21:00
BBC One - After You've Gone
ITV1 - Coronation Street

And then they had HIGNFY and Not Going Out in the 21:00-22:00 slots up against The Tudors on BBC Two, and a 90-minute Rebus on ITV1.

They're not afraid of going head to head, certainly not with Coronation Street.

Quote: Jonwo @ September 10 2008, 2:00 PM BST

Also, Strictly Come Dancing results show airs on a Sunday which will provide a great lead in for AYG or Green Green Grass.

This of course is a good point.

I'm really looking forward to watching this tonight. I know some people are concerned about the time slot but it kind of makes sense to me. Sunday night is probably the least busy time of the week for most people and so the potential audience is likely to be bigger. There isn't normally anything decent to watch on a Sunday night but this week we have After You've Gone and a double bill of Massive. Sunday nights when I was younger were always so depressing, all that seemed to be on was Last of the Summer Wine, Songs of Praise and Antiques Roadshow. I remember thinking that Monday couldn't come soon enough. There are so many good shows that I have missed because they have been on Friday nights and I haven't been in to see them. I honestly think that more comedy on Sunday nights can only be a good thing.

I'll probably watch this. 6:30 pm is it? It should be quite good. That photo a few posts back is just disturbing.

As long as they haven't done the same to Ryan.