The third series of Staged finally arrives on the BBC this week!
Staged, the sitcom in which national treasures of Scotland and Wales, David Tennant and Michael Sheen, play heightened versions of themselves is back for for a third series. Originally created as a unique zoom comedy during lockdown, the first series featured the cast self-recording in their own houses and performing scenes together via zoom as they, like their characters, tried to stay working and sane. Another two series followed, each adding yet more metatextual twists to the Staged format, with the third moving to Britbox last year. But that third run of seven episodes is now ready to find a wider audience via its BBC debut.
The third series charts writer/director Simon Evans’ latest big idea. As always, it’s brilliant and terrible in equal measure. While the first series followed the fictional attempts to keep rehearsing a production of Six Characters in Search of an Author, Simon’s decided to get it on stage for real. All he has to do is convince the ‘real’ David and Michael to star in it…
Staged Series 3 begins with a double bill this Wednesday
Co-stars Georgia Tennant and Anna Lundberg are back too, also playing themselves as they try and fail to keep their husbands tethered to reality. Meanwhile, Ty Tennant also joins the fun, following his roles in House of the Dragon, Doom Patrol, and War of the Worlds. Series 3 also provides Staged as you’ve never seen it before. Post lockdown, the gang can now meet up face to face. But that just provides opportunities for more misunderstandings, more tantrums, and more rants.
The new series begins with a double bill on BBC One this Wednesday, the 14th, starting at 10.40pm. The two episodes will then be available on iPlayer here.
Tennant and Sheen will also be back on our screens next month, of course, when Good Omens Season 2 arrives on Amazon Prime on the 28th of July. While David Tennant’s once and future Doctor Who co-star Catherine Tate has a sitcom of her own this week, as Queen of Oz premieres on Thursday.
All in all, it’s going to be a busy summer for Doctor Who stars in other worlds!
