Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece Classic 2011 (Read 96669 times)

salan · « **Reply #40 on:** January 14, 2011, 06:59:29 PM »

Masterpiece Classic 2011 brings back favorite authors and introduces new authors and programs. See the complete 2011 MASTERPIECE CLASSIC schedule.

CONTEST NEWS!
MASTERPIECE sweepstakes gives fans a chance to go on location
.....................................................................................
What better way to celebrate the 40th anniversary of MASTERPIECE on PBS than by touring some of the stunning locations from the series? The MASTERPIECE 40th Anniversary Sweepstakes runs until Tuesday, April 26 and will send the grand prize winner and a guest on a four-day, three-night trip to the United Kingdom. The trip includes VIP tours of Highclere Castle (DOWNTON ABBEY), Greenway (home of Agatha Christie) and Blenheim Palace (THE LOST PRINCE), while enjoying accommodations with MacDonald Hotels & Resorts in the historic cities of Bath (PERSUASION) and Oxford (INSPECTOR LEWIS). Learn more at http://www.pbs.org/masterpiecesweepstakes

NOW DISCUSSING

Upstairs Downstairs
April 10, 17 & 24, 2011 at 9pm
Three 60-minute episodes
Upstairs Downstairs is an updated version of one of the most-loved television series. Jean Marsh reprises her Emmy-winning role as Rose along with series co-creator Eileen Atkins (Cranford). Keeley Hawes, Ed Stoppard and Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown) also star.

COMING

South Riding
May 1, 8 & 15, 2011 at 9pm
Three 60-minute episodes
Anna Maxwell Martin (Bleak House) and David Morrissey (Sense & Sensibility) lead the cast in Andrew Davies's (Bleak House, Little Dorrit) three-part adaptation of Winifred Holtby's moving love story.

ALREADY DISCUSSED

The 39 Steps
March 27, 2011 at 9pm
One 90-minute episode
Secret agent Richard Hannay battles German spies on the eve of World War I in a riveting and romantic new version of the thriller by John Buchan. Rupert-Penry Jones (Persuasion) stars as Hannay. Learn more about this series at http://www.seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/masterpiece/39steps/39steps.html. Read some of Buchan's works online at http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/b#a285

Any Human Heart
February 13, 20 & 27, 9pm
Three 90-minute episodes)
William Boyd adapts his acclaimed 2002 novel about a man making his often precarious way through the 20th century. Matthew Macfadyen, Gillian Anderson, Hayley Atwell, Kim Cattrall and Jim Broadbent star. Watch online through March 22 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/index.html.

The Unseen Alistair Cooke
February 6, 9pm
One 60-minute episode
Told in his own voice and home movies, The Unseen Alistair Cooke shows America as the beloved Masterpiece Theatre host Alistair Cooke saw it — the raw material for a lifetime of journalism. (Repeat) Watch online through 2/13 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/cooke.html

Downton Abbey
January 9, 16, 23 & 30, 9pm
(Four 90-minute episodes)
A stately country house, a noble family and a succession crisis are the backdrop for this epic drama by Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) starring Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern and others. Watch full episodes online through 2/22/11 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/index.html

My Boy Jack
January 2, 9pm
One 120-minute episode)
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) stars in a World War I drama about beloved storyteller Rudyard Kipling's only son, missing on the Western front in 1915. David Haig and Kim Cattrall co-star as the famous author and his American wife, Carrie. My Boy Jack offers an intimate portrait of a nation at war and one divided family. (Repeat)

Discussion Leaders: JoanP and marcie

marcie · « **Reply #41 on:** January 14, 2011, 09:09:49 PM »

Ginny, that is amazing that you visited the site of Downton Abbey!

FlaJean and Evelyn, I'm glad that you're both watching the series and will look forward to your thoughts about future episodes.

kidsal · « **Reply #42 on:** January 15, 2011, 03:24:42 AM »

Downton Abbey will be available on Netflix on 25 January.

ginny · « **Reply #43 on:** January 15, 2011, 09:11:22 AM »

I was just thinking I can't wait till tomorrow night!

Evelyn so good to see you here!

Oh wow, Sally, (Kidsal), I'll put it on my queue wait list, thank you!

Sally, (Salan), I must get one of those recorders, I miss so much now that we switched TV types. Tell us something you noticed the second time you viewed it? I feel as if I got carried away by the costumes and scenery and missed a lot of things, I do tend to focus on costume for some reason.

Oh and look at this, even in Major Pettigrew's Last Stand (read it, it's new and fabulous), there's this:

"Estates like mine are in crisis all over the country," said [Lord] Dagenham...."Can't keep up the places on the agricultural subsidies, can't even cut down one's own timber without permission,. hunting is banned and shooting is under attack from all sides as you just saw. We're forced to open tea shops or theme parks, to offer weekend tours to day-trippers or host rock festivals on the lawn. It's all sticky ice cream wrappers and car parking in the lower fields."

"What about the National Trust?" asked the Major.

"Oh yes, they used to be there, didn't they? Always hovering, waiting to take one's house away and leave one's heirs with a staff flat in the attic," said Dagenham, with malice in his voice. "Only now they want a cash endowment."

Just like Rosemary said! And this is almost, next year, 100 years after the Titanic. It would seem a lot has been lost in the last 100 years.

Our class at Oxford once took a day trip to

Knebworth, the home of the Bulwer-Lyttons (he of the Last Days of Pompeii and the contest for the worst first line) named after him. But one of the Bulwer-Lyttons had been viceroy of India and that's what we went to see: his Indian artifacts, of which there were many.

They were preparing for a Robbie Williams concert, I had no earthly idea who he was but apparently he was something to see, they were laying down metalled roads and things over the drives and grass areas. (In looking up the concerts at Knebworth I am stunned to see attendance for the Robbie Williams concert at 375,000 over 3 nights)!!! I'm afraid to ask who he is. hahahah

As impressive as Highclere is, Knebworth outdazzles it, but note the lengths they've had to go to to keep revenues, it's practically a show in itself: http://www.knebworthhouse.com/.

Highclere on the other hand, is only open a couple of days a week and then only by guided tour thru a couple of rooms as they still live there.

You'd have to ask yourself how YOU would like to find people in your living room three days a week (it may be 4)...

This is such a fun subject, I'm so glad it's on and we have this place to talk about it.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #44 on:** January 15, 2011, 02:25:46 PM »

Well Ginny, I know what you mean about people traipsing through your living room - BUT not many of us live in mansions! They could move!

R

PS - Robbie Williams is the most famous former member of the boy band Take That. he left the band, was expected to be a total loser, descended into drink and drugs - then pulled himself out of it, became a mega solo star, far more succesful than any of his former band-mates. They have recently re-formed the band, and even the new concerts - at least 10 years after the original ones - have been total sell-outs. He is a pretty good singer!

Aberlaine · « **Reply #45 on:** January 16, 2011, 03:35:18 PM »

My partner and I just watched the first episode of Downton Abbey. We found it difficult to understand at first, but we paused the show and explained the plot to one another when necessary. We're taping (DVRing?) so we can watch them again. I always find that I pick up more information the second time around.

I love the characters. Maggie Smith is just great as the dowager countess. And I really like the Earl of Grantham and his American wife. The Duke was pure greed and played well. And I love the new valet, John Bates. I hope he exposes the nastiness he's been receiving.

I'm beginning to see the suggestions of relationships "downstairs". As for the daughters, Mary is selfish and full of herself. The middle sister is an angel and we know nothing of the youngest daughter yet.

When the third cousin and heir, Matthew Crawley, arrives, we actually can see the class system in all its glory. The "upstairs" rich (What's a weekend?); the "downstairs" poor and destitute and the middle class working people - doctors, lawyers and such.

marcie · « **Reply #46 on:** January 16, 2011, 08:30:19 PM »

Aberlaine, I'm very glad you're joining us. What a great idea for you to pause the episode and figure out the plot points with your partner. This discussion will be good place to check with others about what we think is happening too.

Frybabe · « **Reply #47 on:** January 17, 2011, 12:23:17 AM »

Episode 2 was over way to soon. I wanted to go on to Episode 3 right away. Sigh!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #48 on:** January 17, 2011, 03:28:52 AM »

I came in here hoping someone posted after this second episode - I was very confused - did they or didn't they in the bedroom - and then was his death natural?

I thought one thing after he said she would be fine and nothing would happen that would affect a future marriage - but then it looked to me like she gave in to her feelings - Is she blaming herself because she thinks she caused his death - did he not keep his word even if she was succumbing thinking she was safe therefore she killed him - no marks though - did Thomas, acting as his personal valet give him a potion after he was rebuffed to assure he was not outed -

I did not think this series was a mystery but tonight left me feeling like Poirot would walk in the front door any minute or at least Miss Marple would be called. - I also got the impression this was no Turkish anything but rather a cat burgler.

kidsal · « **Reply #49 on:** January 17, 2011, 04:46:53 AM »

Love the line "they checked the stud book" for a partner for Mary!

Babi · « **Reply #50 on:** January 17, 2011, 09:09:54 AM »

Bates is great, isn't he? This is Brendan Coyle, who also played a
major role in the series "Lark Rising to Candleford". You can always
count on a find performance from him.
The death of the Turkish cad, Pamuk, was surprising. He was very
young and apparently in thriving health, but there is nothing to
suggest his death was anything but a heart attack. Except, of course,
that we know the character of Thomas. If it was not a natural death,
it's not likely to ever come out now. I think the events in the
bedroom are purposely left obscure.

Me, too, Kidsal. His Lordship is refreshingly outspoken abut that.

Dana · « **Reply #51 on:** January 17, 2011, 10:40:28 AM »

I think the second episode was fun to watch but the plot was totally unrealistic. The likelihood that in 1913 an upper class foreign ambassador would burst into the bedroom of the unwed daughter of an aristocrat in whose house he was a guest, after one day's acquaintance no less, is just too much to swallow. He'll have to turn out to be a secret serial rapist for me to believe it!

EvelynMC · « **Reply #52 on:** January 17, 2011, 02:17:21 PM »

I enjoyed Episode 2. When Pamuk died of a heart attack, I was amused at the plot turn and thought it was unbelievable. The idea of him being in Mary's bedroom at all was unbelievable. ---- I think her mother will from now on view her far differently, and I don't think will want to make her the beneficiary of all her money, that is if she can get the entail set aside.

Maggie Smith is deliciously snobby, don't you think --- she is just so haughty.

Can't wait for Episode 3 to see where this story is going.

Evelyn

FlaJean · « **Reply #53 on:** January 17, 2011, 02:35:19 PM »

I don't think Episode 2 was believable, but it sure was entertaining. The Turkish guest was certainly a surprise!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #54 on:** January 17, 2011, 02:57:06 PM »

But why - first to be high born and Turkish would be enough but to make him a diplomat - Why? And OK I can see getting him out of Mary's room on the QT but the story has the kitchen maid having seen them so what is that all about - This is a strange period story - it is taking on the persona of a mystery - of course you can see it already Mary will be asked to marry the distant cousin who is to inherit the estate - who is being groomed for the position by her father - who is already smitten with her and it will be a marriage as her mother and father's - an unplanned love affair - maybe it was too pat and this Turkish diplomat's death in her room puts a kink into the neat story.

Frybabe · « **Reply #55 on:** January 17, 2011, 03:00:58 PM »

I agree that the Turkish guest and his actions (including his death) were rather unbelievable. Perhaps a future episode will shed more light on him and his supposed heart attack.

I hope Thomas and O'Brien get their due at some point. Vicious minds, aren't they?

Why on earth would Matthew Crawley be interested in Mary? Edith seems a little too eager, and may have put Matthew off. I like Sybil. She seems more suited to a lawyer type.

Jonathan · « **Reply #56 on:** January 17, 2011, 03:29:30 PM »

Have you ever seen anything with such a murky plot? Even the butler has been thrown into confusion. Dana suggests it's 'just too much to swallow', and Evelyn says it's just 'too unbelievable'. But Pamuk's bursting into Mary's bedroom shouldn't have surprised us. It was hot and heavy between these two all day. A hunt and a chase. They were on a bedroom assignation course the minute they set eyes on each other. Now he's dead, and she's damaged goods. It's not too much to swallow. It's too good to swallow. For the ardent lover - what a way to go. For those left behind there's much more drama to come. Everybody leaves a trail of spite and jealousy behind them. I see no happy ending to all this.

ginny · « **Reply #57 on:** January 17, 2011, 03:37:26 PM »

And to me it's obvious, let's predict. I foresee a souvenir complication of yesterday's plot, I could be wrong.

Guy was pretty young to be dying of a heart attack, wasn't he? To me, and I'm sure only to me, the eldest daughter is unattractive, is she attractive to you all?

Cheerful Charlies? I'm not seeing that guy, at the period it's set in, sitting in the living room like he did, thing certainly took an interesting set of turns, didn't it?

Was it a war wound that has caused Bates's limp?

This one somehow caused a loss to me of...what do they call it? Willing suspension of disbelief? I lost some of that with this one. But I am interested to see how it ends, and after all, it's not intended as a long thing like Upstairs Downstairs. Which they are also remaking for the spring I think.

Love all the comments here.

Frybabe · « **Reply #58 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:36:37 PM »

Ginny, I think he said Africa, so that would probably be the Boer War of 1899-1902.

nlhome · « **Reply #59 on:** January 17, 2011, 07:45:31 PM »

I enjoyed the episode - a lot packed into 90 minutes. It's like some of those regency romances - a little unbelievable, maybe, but then, those aristocrats must have had a lot of time on their hands, so maybe they did have all these intrigues going on.

I think some of this is a suggestion of the times and how they were changing. The dowager doesn't want change; but the maid wants to become a secretary, the typewriter was a oddity, the horrid "limp" reducer or whatever it was called a forerunner of some of the prosthetics we see now yet, the attorney who had to be trained to see how the valet needed to be employed because he thought there was no need to have a valet, the attorney's mother who wanted to be involved in helping improve life in the community - it's 1913 and the war is coming and things will change for English society even more. But were some of those changes coming even then and were only accelerated by the war?

Babi · « **Reply #60 on:** January 18, 2011, 09:07:25 AM »

I'm with you, FRYBABE. Sybil appears to be the nicest,..and to me
most attractive, of the sisters. I do hope Crawley isn't falling in
love with Mary. She is her grandmother all over again..haughty,
arrogant and willful.
Mrs. Crawley is already a favorite of mine. She is more of a 'lady', IMO, than the so superior countess. Her desire to be involved in the
community and her concern for the people there tells me she will make
an excellent mistress of Downton Abbey. Or rather, dowager, since
obviously her son is going to find a wife before this is over.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #61 on:** January 18, 2011, 02:38:10 PM »

We like something different - I like Mary - she has spunk and where she will play the game as a dutiful daughter without the spite of her younger sister she is boxed in so that her life is not her own - she was taught that certain behavior was part of the box she has been caste in and so she looks for at least a man to have those behavioral manners - the fact that she is supposed only show interest if the man has money is part of the game she must play -

As to her looks - I think she is striking - not pretty but striking - she has a body that would wear fashion beautifully and she looks the picture on a horse wearing riding attire and she has the posture that suggests she was a dancer or took ballet when she was young. Where as the middle sister to me is not pretty either nor is she striking - the younger sister I see as charming - but all three are young woman that still have the magic about themselves of being young and full of life which makes them attractive.

I saw the tail end of this again last night on our alternate PBS channel - [our local KLRU the PBS channel has 3 stations - the main channel carries the usual advertised programing - the second, a stations devoted just to cooking, sewing, art, travel with some history and the third, with programing that does not fit on the main channel plus repeats of all the important offerings from the main channel shown mostly during daytime hours when the main channel is focused on children's shows -

Anyhow, I saw the ending again last night on the 3rd channel which included excerpts of next week's show that were not shown Sunday night - it appears there is a letter indicating Mary was sexually active in the bedroom scene and the death is questioned - could not tell, it may be a blackmail letter - but it is Maggie Smith's character as Matriarchy who receives the letter and is questioning Mary's mother to learn the truth. So the young man from Turkey in the second show of the series is pivotal to the story.

Aberlaine · « **Reply #62 on:** January 18, 2011, 08:25:49 PM »

The second episode was over before I knew it. It was very fast paced and we had to keep our attention focused on the TV screen at all times.

I wonder if Mary will ever find a suitable husband. She's just too flighty. I hope she doesn't marry Matthew Crawley. He's too good for her. Now, Lady Sybil would make a wonderful wife for him. Even if he doesn't inherit Downton Abbey.

I love the interaction between the Dowager Countess and Isobel Crawley. I think they're going to end up being good friends.

marcie · « **Reply #63 on:** January 19, 2011, 01:02:42 AM »

I too am interested in the interaction between the Dowager Countess and Isobel Crawley. They are both very strong.

Alot did happen during this episode. Do you think that Matthew is attracted to Mary?

Babi · « **Reply #64 on:** January 19, 2011, 08:43:27 AM »

I don't think Matthew Crawley is interested in Sybil, Aberlaine. She is definitely
interested in him, but I don't think they have all that much in common. Frankly, I'm
hoping the youngest daughter will gradually come to the forefront; she's the nicest of
the lot.
Matthew is showing some interest in Mary, but I don't think it would survive a closer
knowledge of her. She obviously considers him beneath her and he is not likely to tolerate
that.

marcie · « **Reply #65 on:** January 19, 2011, 10:43:34 AM »

Mary seems to have changed somewhat after the death of the Turkish fellow. She seems a bit more accepting of others. I thought her exchange with the butler in the room where the guy died showed that she could accept the butler as a fellow "person" with feelings; not just a servant. Maybe the change will continue; maybe not!

FlaJean · « **Reply #66 on:** January 19, 2011, 12:05:10 PM »

I think when Matthew told the middle daughter that their next visit to the churches would include his mother shows he is not interested in her. He does show an interest in Mary. I'm hoping the youngest daughter is brought more into the upcoming series. She seems most like her mother and very nice.

marcie · « **Reply #67 on:** January 19, 2011, 11:15:39 PM »

Jean, I agree that Matthew's indicating that his mother wants to come along put a damper on the middle daughter's pursual of him.

The youngest daughter is very thoughtful of others and beautiful too. I hope that she finds happiness.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #68 on:** January 20, 2011, 12:17:15 AM »

that middle daughter is rather sly and may cause trouble - looking in Mary's diary and lying about it as well as manipulating Matthew to accompany him on an outing - she is not very likeable

Babi · « **Reply #69 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:37:13 AM »

I had forgotten about Edith's looking into Mary's diary, BARB. I guess
I felt sorry for her, being second to her older sister in everything, not
nearly as attractive and with few prospects. But she does come across
as sneaky and manipulative.

marcie · « **Reply #70 on:** January 20, 2011, 08:16:31 PM »

Barbara and Babi, I agree that Edith is manipulative. She must feel it's her only option. Mary seems to attract people seemingly without effort and without having to openly resort to the kind of things that Edith is doing.

kidsal · « **Reply #71 on:** January 24, 2011, 04:40:12 AM »

My PBS station had a great deal of difficulty tonight -- the picture kept freezing. Hopefully the disc I receive from Netflix will be better.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #72 on:** January 24, 2011, 09:53:05 AM »

on this site you can view the entire episode of Downton Abbey

http://video.pbs.org/video/1754523170

Everyone seemed to have slipped deeper into their personality with the only new that I observed is that Bates has a secret and the new Irish coachmen may become a bigger character on the world stage.

kidsal · « **Reply #73 on:** January 24, 2011, 11:02:59 AM »

Thanks -=- will watch.

ginny · « **Reply #74 on:** January 24, 2011, 11:27:04 AM »

I didn't intend to watch it all and got caught up despite myself, those 10:30 pm going to bed things are killers when you get up at 5.

Interesting plot developments, is there anything underneath them or is it all on the surface?

What's going on with the cook? Is she really going blind or can she just not read? Was that why she refused to try the new dessert despite the scullery maid saying she'd read it to her?

I'm not sure about the new romance of the housekeeper, and she turned him down, that was a nice little bit. She has grown beyond the farm. And the typist keeps trying to grow beyond service. That was funny with the horse and the dog cart if that's what they call them. Those were the days. I'd love to have one of those.

Do you think that the butler and the housekeeper will end up together or the butler and the cook?

Why is the second daughter writing the Turkish ambassador? Stupid thing left it on the desk.

Why are all the men flocking around the eldest daughter who rarely cracks even a smile and ignoring the gorgeous youngest one?

The inheritance? Now her reputation is ruined apparently so she's no longer the cat's meow, and so NOW she's interested in the heir?

The chauffeur seems to me to be the most mysterious of the lot, is he a spy as they hinted earlier that they needed to be watching for?

Did I mishear the pretty maid tell Bates she loved him? And he got on a wagon and rode on? I loved the tray he brought (did you catch them being locked in?)

ginny · « **Reply #75 on:** January 24, 2011, 11:29:30 AM »

Three episodes of Downton Abbey are among the highest downloaded from the internet of any last week, including the new one last night.

Frybabe · « **Reply #76 on:** January 24, 2011, 01:12:54 PM »

I especially liked the bit when the Dowager Countess gave the prize to someone else. She and Mrs. Crawley are still butting heads. The interactions between those two are priceless.

It looks like Edith is being very jealous and vindictive. I am not entirely sure I don't blame at least some of her feelings (although not her actions) considering how Mary treats her.

FlaJean · « **Reply #77 on:** January 24, 2011, 01:22:50 PM »

I enjoyed last night's episode and wish we could see all the episodes at one time. It's sad that the two older daughters dislike each other so much. I'm curious about Bates. He seems such a decent and kind man.

pedln · « **Reply #78 on:** January 24, 2011, 01:39:23 PM »

Poor Edith -- not that I like her, mind you, but has she had Middle Child Syndrome all her life? Not the eldest, who was groomed to marry an heir (the late Patrick), thus saving the family home, and not the beautiful youngest who was probably allowed, as a child, to get away with more than her sister.

I think Bates and Anna will get together eventually. He has such a complex about his wound, doesn't think he's worth anything. And how about the lovely Sybil, whom we all like. She's trying to move Gwen up the career ladder, and I wouldn't be surprised if she did the same for the new chauffer, who isn't going to be a chauffer all his life.

Thomas and O'Brien? They're not mother and son are they? They just cling together because they're so nasty?

CallieOK · « **Reply #79 on:** January 24, 2011, 02:08:17 PM »

I agree about Edith's "middle child syndrome".

A slight thaw between Mary and Matthew? Interesting how his attitude toward the estate is changing.

I think the Irish chauffeur may do more for Sybil's independence than she will do for his.
Didn't you love the reactions to her harem pants at dinner!

Maggie Smith is priceless in her role - and she's learning some things about Women's Rights (and Abilities), too.

News:

Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece Classic 2011 (Read 96669 times)