Vicious Old Queens

November 2, 2012 7:37 AM

Here's a sitcom with an unusually high pedigree: Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi to play an old married couple in a new british sitcom from Itv, airing in april 2013!
posted by aldurtregi (40 comments total)

That's Sirs Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi.

I am hereby demanding an episode wherein they for some reason have to dress up as actual medieval knights.
posted by griphus at 7:45 AM on November 2, 2012 [20 favorites]

I really needed this news right now. Sandy may have screwed up so much, but this will give me a bounce in my step.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:46 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
posted by PinkMoose at 7:48 AM on November 2, 2012

I will buy that in a heartbeat when it comes out in the US. (And obtain it otherwise if I can't.)
posted by immlass at 7:50 AM on November 2, 2012

Also, if Patrick Stewart doesn't guest-star in at least one episode, I will plotz.
posted by griphus at 7:50 AM on November 2, 2012 [7 favorites]

This sounds great, but OMG squee: The BBC were also recently developing a sitcom with a similar premise. A pilot for George And Bernard Shaw, written by Cabin Pressure's John Finnemore, was filmed last year for BBC One by Feelgood Fiction. It starred Robert Lindsay and Richard Griffiths as a gay couple on the 'wrong' side of 'middle age'.
posted by asperity at 7:50 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

Also, if Patrick Stewart doesn't guest-star in at least one episode, I will plotz

As his character from Jeffery, literally the only thing worthwhile in that whole ...thing. ( what the hell Paul Rudnik you write Addams Family Values what the fuck happened?)
posted by The Whelk at 7:53 AM on November 2, 2012 [6 favorites]

Everyone should be a knight. Grant Morrison to guest star.
posted by Artw at 7:59 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

His character from Jeffery?

Oh you mean that Jean-Luc Picard.
posted by griphus at 8:00 AM on November 2, 2012 [13 favorites]

This show sounds like shameless pandering to how acceptable The Gay is these days. And I love it. I hope it's good and faggy; it's been too long since Queer as Folk.

In the meantime I'll tide myself over with rewatching the 2009 remake of The Prisoner. Ian McKellan is awesome in it, particularly in his scenes with the delicious Jamie Bower.
posted by Nelson at 8:00 AM on November 2, 2012 [4 favorites]

If we're just throwing in guys who worked on I, CLAVIDIVS then Brian Blessed needs to guest-star as his version of Henry VIII.
posted by zombieflanders at 8:09 AM on November 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

It starred Robert Lindsay and Richard Griffiths as a gay couple on the 'wrong' side of 'middle age'.

I'm glad both these concepts take part in an English idiom rather than an American one cause there's only so much bronzer, late in life tattoos, expensive flannel shirts, and HGH-enhanced male pattern baldness I can take in daily life.
posted by The Whelk at 8:11 AM on November 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

Ooooh this sounds just delicious. How tough will it be to view this in the US?
posted by kinnakeet at 8:13 AM on November 2, 2012

hello usenet my old friend...
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:25 AM on November 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

Oh, I had no idea. I knew about Sir Ian, but are you telling me that Sir Derek is also... a comic?
posted by bicyclefish at 8:26 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

This is especially delightful because IIRC Jacobi was his first big gay crush back in school.
posted by elizardbits at 8:49 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

The Master and Magneto married?? How will the world survive? And has the Master agreed to convert?
posted by ubiquity at 8:52 AM on November 2, 2012 [5 favorites]

This is especially delightful because IIRC Jacobi was his first big gay crush back in school.

My very first thought when I saw this post come up.
posted by thomas j wise at 8:54 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

The Master and Magneto

Mikhail Bulgakov is dead and can't stop me.
posted by The Whelk at 8:58 AM on November 2, 2012 [17 favorites]

If Daniel Craig doesn't fall through a skylight, I'm not watching.
posted by sonascope at 9:06 AM on November 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

Oh my.
posted by monju_bosatsu at 9:13 AM on November 2, 2012

If Daniel Craig doesn't fall through a skylight, I'm not watching.

Emerging from the sea in a flesh-colored speedo, surely?
posted by The Whelk at 9:18 AM on November 2, 2012 [3 favorites]

The Master and Magneto

Mikhail Bulgakov is dead and can't stop me.

MAKE IT SO.
posted by asperity at 9:25 AM on November 2, 2012

I may or may not have emitted an audible squeak upon seeing this.

squeak
posted by catlet at 9:26 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

Emerging from the sea in a flesh-colored speedo, surely?

I'm hoping for a bathtub in the kitchen, actually. Did it just get warmer in here?
posted by sonascope at 9:27 AM on November 2, 2012

With Sian Phillips as one of their sisters. Please??
posted by The Sprout Queen at 9:27 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

WHY CAN'T I WATCH THE BRIAN BLESSED VIDEOS?????

(I'm not screaming, I'm just... well, Blessing.)
posted by Madamina at 9:31 AM on November 2, 2012

(never mind, found 'em on the youtubes. EATING CRUNCHY AAAAAAIR!)
posted by Madamina at 9:33 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

griphus, thank you from the bottom of my heart for that link.
posted by not that girl at 9:39 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

I'd be much more surprised to hear about Ian McKellen and Derek Jacobi playing a young married couple.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:45 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

What he does is pretend to be the person he's portraying in the film or play.
posted by TwoWordReview at 9:58 AM on November 2, 2012 [6 favorites]

Oh my.

I hope you meant this as George Takei's "Oh My" because that's the only way I can hear it.
posted by KathrynT at 10:08 AM on November 2, 2012 [13 favorites]

BBC America better get this. Pleeeeeeeeeeeease.

Does BBC America show programmes from its UK rivals like ITV?
posted by acb at 10:16 AM on November 2, 2012

At least John Finnemore has promised that there will be a new series of Cabin Pressure, if only he would stop casting hugely-successful, in-demand actors.

Meanwhile, one can play Yellow Car while waiting for both that and Vicious Old Queens.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:17 AM on November 2, 2012 [2 favorites]

How did he know what to say? It was written down for him beforehand.
posted by drjimmy11 at 10:50 AM on November 2, 2012 [1 favorite]

Sounds like a great combo. Reminded me of Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker as an old lesbian couple in the terrific movie Cloudburst
posted by binturong at 12:03 PM on November 2, 2012

The link led to this story as well:

Sir Ian McKellen (pictured) is heading up the cast of The Academy, a mockumentary pilot which is currently being presented to broadcasters.

The Lord Of The Rings and X-Men actor stars in the pilot episode of the spoof documentary, which focuses on a creative arts venue, alongside other well-known actors including Sylvester McCoy (Doctor Who), Frances Barber (Silk) and Jonathan Hyde (Titanic).


I, for one, welcome a television landscape that is at least 25% Ian McKellen shows, so two would be a good start.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:33 PM on November 2, 2012

Squeeeeeee! This had better be on around here - cannot wait for netflix or whatever.
posted by leslies at 3:50 PM on November 2, 2012

I have a source for this when it finally airs.

Although I had better work between now and then to get my ratio up a bit.
posted by hippybear at 5:07 PM on November 2, 2012

This is great and all, but this:

The BBC were also recently developing a sitcom with a similar premise. A pilot for George And Bernard Shaw, written by Cabin Pressure's John Finnemore, was filmed last year for BBC One by Feelgood Fiction. It starred Robert Lindsay and Richard Griffiths as a gay couple on the 'wrong' side of 'middle age'.

WHAAAT? How can I get hold of this? How can I cogently explain my deep and abiding love for Robert Lindsay?

(OBViously I will watch the shit out of anything Sir Ian and Sir Derek are involved in. And may it be as wonderful as we all assume, and more so.)
posted by kalimac at 5:15 PM on November 2, 2012