Bend it like Britain: BBC First’s second season is now out on Zee Café

Zee Café’s latest season of BBC First brings us 12 new British dramas and some serious TV love

Take two (Left) A still from Paula and (below) Aparna Bhosle

Last year, when the folks at Zee Entertainment studied content on all English general entertainment channels, they realised almost 90% of the shows telecast in India were American. It was time to make room for British content, so Aparna Bhosle, Business Cluster Head, Premium channels, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), and her team, culled a line-up from a catalogue of almost 70 shows and launched the first edition of BBC First. One of the hot favourites of the first season was the Emmy-nominated Fleming: The Man Who Would Be Bond . Used as the season’s launcher, it was a peek into the life of Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.

Now the channel is back with the second season of BBC First. Launched in association with BBC Worldwide on July 16, three of the 12 new shows are second seasons of the popular series

Doctor Foster ,

Top Of The Lake , and

Maigret . The nine new ones span various genres, including historical drama,

Wolf Hall , that chronicles the rise of Thomas Cromwell, who became King Henry VIII’s chief minister. “I have a British hangover,” admits Bhosle, adding, “No one else can do storytelling the way the British do. The characters are grey and so human.”

What’s new

This season, expect a riveting and glamorous Paris fashion house drama, the tumultuous story of Richard Burtorn and Elizabeth Taylor, a mystery series boasting Nicole Kidman, and several BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Globe winning or nominated series.

Maigret ’s Season 2 follows Chief Inspector Jules Maigret (Rowan Atkinson) as he chalks cunning plans to capture criminals and deliver justice.

Broken is the story of a priest who struggles to reconcile the beliefs of his congregation with the challenges of daily life.

Burton & Taylor , directed by Richard Laxton, is based on the legendary acting duo and former husband and wife, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, during their preparation for a 1983 theatrical production of the play,

Private Lives . Starring Helena Bonham Carter and Dominic West, the series was nominated for the Golden Globe Award and Emmy Awards.

Where are the laughs?

The British have been known for more than just their dramas. They have given us comedies such as The Inbetweeners , Mr. Bean and The Office , well-acclaimed across the globe. So it is strange to notice that comedies are missing from BBC First’s bouquet. “There simply weren’t enough comedies in the catalogue for us to pick from. The offering on the BBC band is largely dramas,” says Bhosle.

While women formed a majority of their earlier audience, they now have a ‘healthy mix’ of male viewers too (almost 48%). Has content streaming/OTT across several online platforms, and an online binge-watching younger generations eaten into the TV viewership? She explains that in a nation of over 220 million English speakers, those who opt for online content are metro-centric. “People don’t often know what they want and the art lies in giving them what they don’t know exists,” says Bhonsle. The Collection , for example, is a gripping eight-part family drama and entrepreneurial fable set in a post-war Paris fashion house, when Paris is trying to reclaim its position as the fashion capital of the world. It exposes the grit behind the glamour of a rising business, spearheaded by two clashing brothers. Created by Oliver Goldstick (of Ugly Betty fame) and directed by Dearbhla Walsh, the show stars Tom Riley, Mamie Gummer, Richard Coyle and Frances de la Tour in key roles.

Interceptor , on the other hand, is inspired by a book of the same name that details the career of former customs agent Cameron Addicott. This series on a new law enforcement team tasked with hunting down some of Britain’s most wanted criminals, stars OT Fagbenle, winner of the Olivier Award, the most prestigious award in British Theatre and honoured by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Bhonsle’s favourite is Paula , a fairly dark look at the life of schoolteacher Paula Denny (Denise Gough), who, after a chance encounter with handyman James Moorcroft (Tom Hughes), finds her life turned upside down and the safety of everyone she cares about in danger.

The season, which launched on July 16, features on weeknights at 10 pm on Zee Café