Distant Shores is a comedy-drama first shown in the United Kingdom on ITV in January 2005. Like the similar fish out of water dramedies, Northern Exposure and Doc Martin, it focuses on the difficulties of an unwillingly-transplanted metropolitan doctor who is forced to adjust to a rural environment.
Peter Davison plays a successful London plastic surgeon Bill Shore. In a bid to save their marriage, his wife Lisa, played by Samantha Bond, accepts a six-month veterinary research job on a small Northumbrian island called Hildasay.[3] Bill reluctantly agrees to relocate on the island with his wife, daughter and son. The stories revolve around the various ways in which the family adjust to the island and its welcoming, but sometimes peculiar, inhabitants. The dominant themes of series 1 are Bill's attempts to leave the island, and the tragedy which befalls Lisa as she gradually pursues an adulterous relationship with one of its inhabitants. This overarching storyline is essentially reversed in series 2, with Lisa wanting to return to London and Bill considering starting an affair on Hildasay.
Broadcast historyedit
The first series was broadcast in 2005 on ITV. According to one of the show's recurring co-stars, Yvette Rowland, it was "immensely popular", and brought in a viewership of over 6 million.[1] Canadian press releases put the number slightly lower at 5.2 million, but still called the programme "a major hit for Britain's ITV".[4]
Actual ratings data shows both these numbers to be correct, if incomplete. The Broadcasters' Audience Research Board reported that the debut episode of the series was the 20th most popular programme in the United Kingdom for the week ending 9 January 2005, with 7.53 million initial viewers. It was one of only three non-soap operas in the top 20 that week.[5] From this high-water mark, however, the show's audience declined, hovering between 5.2 and 6.2 million viewers. Despite this slip, it usually won its 9 pm time slot. In the last two weeks of the run, however, BBC1 won the time slot due to special programming.[6][7][8][9][10]
A second series was filmed for the next television season, copyrighted 2006.[11] However, it was not aired in the United Kingdom,[12] resulting in the original run of the programme being only six weeks. Rowland has described ITV's failure to broadcast the second series as "a mystery".[1] Davison himself agreed with Rowland's diagnosis in April 2007 when he expressed puzzlement over the shelving of the show, adding, "There's a fair chance it will never be shown in Britain."[13]
Nevertheless, the second series aired outside the UK. In Australia it debuted on Seven Network it was aired on Hallmark Channel in 2009 and repeated again in 2011 on 7TWO.[14][15] In Canada, it premiered on VisionTV,[16][17] while in the United States, it was initially syndicated to PBS stations for a two-year period from December 2006 to December 2008.[18]
Critical receptionedit
During its initial run, two media reporters for The Guardian concluded much the same thing about the series: that it was "genial" or "very comforting" viewing, but that it was an obvious twin of shows like Doc Martin and Ballykissangel.[19][20]The Times agreed, calling the show "an even cosier version of Two Thousand Acres of Sky and Doc Martin" which was "undemanding, predictable and pleasant".[21] Indeed, the similarities to Doc Martin were obvious enough to have crept into pre-launch publicity. Peter Davison responded to the charges in a personality piece in The Journal of Newcastle by saying, "It's only like Doc Martin on paper ... Distant Shores has a completely different tone and feel to it."[22]
Referencesedit
^ abcRowland, Yvette. "Distant Shores". self. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
^"Craster – A Visitor's Guide". northumberland-coast.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Not to be confused with the real-life Scottish Hildasay.
^"Prisoner of paradise". 1 August 2005. Retrieved 22 October 2009.[permanent dead link]
^"Ratings – Who's reaping rewards of Freeview sales uplift?". Broadcast Now. broadcastnow.co.uk. 27 January 2005. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Plunkett, John (13 January 2005). "Houswives favourite for C4". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Brook, Stephen (20 January 2005). "BBC1's FA Cup drama brings in over 8m". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Deans, Jason (27 January 2005). "Football gives Sky a second leg up". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Deans, Jason (3 February 2005). "Good night's sleep for BBC1". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Deans, Jason (10 February 2005). "Football bore draw pulls in nearly 8m". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Caleb Ranson (writer); Sue Pritchard (producer); Philip John (director). "(untitled on screen)". Distant Shores. Series 2. Episode 1. 46:30 minutes in.
^Ford, Coreena (30 August 2009). "Tracy Beaker heads North to film at La Gesse". Sunday Sun. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Methven, Nicola; Polly Hudson (27 April 2007). "Down the Drain". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^"Australian Hallmark Channel series page". Retrieved 22 October 2009.[permanent dead link]
^. Australia. Archived from the original on 25 September 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
^"VisionTV Fall Highlights 2005–2006". Retrieved 22 October 2009.[dead link]
^"A Shore thing". VisionTV. 1 March 2006. Retrieved 22 October 2009.[permanent dead link]
^"Distant Shores (Series II)". American Public Television. Summer 2006. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Novakovich, Mary (5 January 2005). "Pick of the day". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^Smith, Rupert (6 January 2005). "Rearranged marriages". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
^"Viewing guide". The Times. 5 January 2005. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
^Marlow, Wil (3 January 2005). "Doctor on Distant Shores". The Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 23 October 2009.
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Distant Shores is a comedy drama first shown in the United Kingdom on ITV in January 2005 Like the similar fish out of water dramedies Northern Exposure and Doc Martin it focuses on the difficulties of an unwillingly transplanted metropolitan doctor who is forced to adjust to a rural environment Distant ShoresCreated byCaleb RansonStarringPeter Davison Samantha Bond Tristan Gemmill Emma Fildes Justin McDonald Matthew Thomas DaviesGareth ThomasOpening themeNick BicatComposerNick BicatCountry of originUnited KingdomNo of series2No of episodes12ProductionExecutive producersCarolyn Reynolds series 1 Kieran Roberts series 2 ProducerSue PritchardProduction locationsmainly Craster Northumberland 1 2 Camera setupsingle cameraRunning time 46 30Production companiesGranada Television Ltd Granada Manchester Original releaseNetworkITVRelease5 January 2005 01 05 9 February 2005 2005 02 09 Contents 1 Concept 2 Broadcast history 3 Critical reception 4 References 5 External linksConcept editPeter Davison plays a successful London plastic surgeon Bill Shore In a bid to save their marriage his wife Lisa played by Samantha Bond accepts a six month veterinary research job on a small Northumbrian island called Hildasay 3 Bill reluctantly agrees to relocate on the island with his wife daughter and son The stories revolve around the various ways in which the family adjust to the island and its welcoming but sometimes peculiar inhabitants The dominant themes of series 1 are Bill s attempts to leave the island and the tragedy which befalls Lisa as she gradually pursues an adulterous relationship with one of its inhabitants This overarching storyline is essentially reversed in series 2 with Lisa wanting to return to London and Bill considering starting an affair on Hildasay Broadcast history editThe first series was broadcast in 2005 on ITV According to one of the show s recurring co stars Yvette Rowland it was immensely popular and brought in a viewership of over 6 million 1 Canadian press releases put the number slightly lower at 5 2 million but still called the programme a major hit for Britain s ITV 4 Actual ratings data shows both these numbers to be correct if incomplete The Broadcasters Audience Research Board reported that the debut episode of the series was the 20th most popular programme in the United Kingdom for the week ending 9 January 2005 with 7 53 million initial viewers It was one of only three non soap operas in the top 20 that week 5 From this high water mark however the show s audience declined hovering between 5 2 and 6 2 million viewers Despite this slip it usually won its 9 pm time slot In the last two weeks of the run however BBC1 won the time slot due to special programming 6 7 8 9 10 A second series was filmed for the next television season copyrighted 2006 11 However it was not aired in the United Kingdom 12 resulting in the original run of the programme being only six weeks Rowland has described ITV s failure to broadcast the second series as a mystery 1 Davison himself agreed with Rowland s diagnosis in April 2007 when he expressed puzzlement over the shelving of the show adding There s a fair chance it will never be shown in Britain 13 Nevertheless the second series aired outside the UK In Australia it debuted on Seven Network it was aired on Hallmark Channel in 2009 and repeated again in 2011 on 7TWO 14 15 In Canada it premiered on VisionTV 16 17 while in the United States it was initially syndicated to PBS stations for a two year period from December 2006 to December 2008 18 Critical reception editDuring its initial run two media reporters for The Guardian concluded much the same thing about the series that it was genial or very comforting viewing but that it was an obvious twin of shows like Doc Martin and Ballykissangel 19 20 The Times agreed calling the show an even cosier version of Two Thousand Acres of Sky and Doc Martin which was undemanding predictable and pleasant 21 Indeed the similarities to Doc Martin were obvious enough to have crept into pre launch publicity Peter Davison responded to the charges in a personality piece in The Journal of Newcastle by saying It s only like Doc Martin on paper Distant Shores has a completely different tone and feel to it 22 References edit a b c Rowland Yvette Distant Shores self Retrieved 22 October 2009 Craster A Visitor s Guide northumberland coast co uk Retrieved 23 October 2009 Not to be confused with the real life Scottish Hildasay Prisoner of paradise 1 August 2005 Retrieved 22 October 2009 permanent dead link Ratings Who s reaping rewards of Freeview sales uplift Broadcast Now broadcastnow co uk 27 January 2005 Retrieved 23 October 2009 Plunkett John 13 January 2005 Houswives favourite for C4 The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Brook Stephen 20 January 2005 BBC1 s FA Cup drama brings in over 8m The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Deans Jason 27 January 2005 Football gives Sky a second leg up The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Deans Jason 3 February 2005 Good night s sleep for BBC1 The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Deans Jason 10 February 2005 Football bore draw pulls in nearly 8m The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Caleb Ranson writer Sue Pritchard producer Philip John director untitled on screen Distant Shores Series 2 Episode 1 46 30 minutes in Ford Coreena 30 August 2009 Tracy Beaker heads North to film at La Gesse Sunday Sun Retrieved 23 October 2009 Methven Nicola Polly Hudson 27 April 2007 Down the Drain Daily Mirror Retrieved 23 October 2009 Australian Hallmark Channel series page Retrieved 22 October 2009 permanent dead link Distant Shores The Shore Family Profiles Australia Archived from the original on 25 September 2010 Retrieved 22 October 2009 VisionTV Fall Highlights 2005 2006 Retrieved 22 October 2009 dead link A Shore thing VisionTV 1 March 2006 Retrieved 22 October 2009 permanent dead link Distant Shores Series II American Public Television Summer 2006 Retrieved 23 October 2009 Novakovich Mary 5 January 2005 Pick of the day The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Smith Rupert 6 January 2005 Rearranged marriages The Guardian Retrieved 23 October 2009 Viewing guide The Times 5 January 2005 Retrieved 24 October 2009 Marlow Wil 3 January 2005 Doctor on Distant Shores The Journal Newcastle upon Tyne Retrieved 23 October 2009 External links editDistant Shores at IMDb nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Distant Shores British TV series amp oldid 1203924744, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
