PBS Masterpiece Classic 2011-2012

[Frybabe]

 

Masterpiece Classic 2012 brings back favorite authors and introduces new authors and programs. See the complete 2012 MASTERPIECE CLASSIC schedule.

NOW DISCUSSING

      April 15, 2012
      The Mystery of Edwin Drood
      An adaptation and completion of Charles Dickens' last novel left unfinished at the halfway mark at his death, The Mystery Of Edwin Drood is a psychological thriller about a provincial choirmaster's obsession with 17-year-old Rosa Bud and the lengths he will go to to attain her. Cast includes Matthew Rhys (Brothers & Sisters) and Julia MacKenzie (Miss Marple).

COMING

      April 22 & 29, 2012 at 9pm
      Birdsong
      An adaptation of Sebastian Faulk's novel about lovers torn apart by World War I. Eddie Redmayne (The Pillars of the Earth) plays Stephen Wrayford, whose pre-war affair with Isabelle Azaire (Clemence Poesy, Harry Potter films) has an enduring effect on him as he fights in the trenches.

ALREADY DISCUSSED


      April 1 & 8, 2012
      Great Expectations
      Widely considered one of the greatest novels by Charles Dickens, Great Expectations tells the story of Pip the battered orphan boy, who rises from blacksmith's apprentice to gentleman under the patronage of a mysterious benefactor, who assures him of "great expectations." Starring Gillian Anderson, David Suchet and Ray Winstone.



February 26, 2012
One 90-minute episode
     The Old Curiosity Shop
     A teenage girl and her grandfather lose everything to a maniacal moneylender and flee his relentless pursuit. Derek Jacobi (I, Claudius) stars as Grandfather, with Sophie Vavasseur (Northanger Abbey) as Nell and Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Quilp.


January 8 to February 19, 2012
      Downton Abbey Season 2
      Downton Abbey season 2 resumes the story of aristocrats and servants in the tumultuous World War I era. The international hit is written by Julian Fellowes and stars Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, and Hugh Bonneville, plus a drawing room full of new actors, portraying the loves, feuds, and sacrifices of a glittering culture thrown into crisis. Watch all episodes online through March 6 at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/index.html


The Primetime Emmy Award® winning Downton Abbey season one returns December 18 & 25, 2011 and January 1, 2012. (Check local listings.)

Well, what an interesting episode. The Lord being something of a hypocrite. Fortunately, his little fling is over. It seems so uncharacteristic of him. Did you catch his remark to Cora not "to go American" on him. Who will get Bate's spot as valet?

[MaryPage]

Now that I have seen it all, including next week's Christmas at Downton episode closing out this season, I am afraid to comment in here for fear I will give something away.

But am eager to hear what each of you is thinking.

[jeriron]

Did you catch his remark to Cora not "to go American" on him.

I sure did!

If you buy the DVD UK version you will find that the episode numbers are different then they are ob PBS. I didn't realize that half of last nights episode is on one disc and the other half is on another and the numbers are different as well. Watched the Christmas episode which I enjoyed a lot. Lots of things change getting ready for next season.

[mabel1015j]

They're putting more humor in the show - or maybe i'm just "getting it" now. i laughed out loud sev'l times last night. Maggie Smith had more scenes, maybe that's why it was so enjoyable. I think she and Shirley Maclaine will be a hoot.

But it did get more melodramtic. Guilt! Guilt! Guilt feelings everywhere. Always an easy story mover.

Why do we like this "soap opera" so, when we probably don't watch true soaps, or read many romance novels, etc.? Is it the sets, the clothes, the wanting to peer into that life which none of us live? I remember the series on the present monarchy a few years ago. I don't remember what it was titled, but i think Prince Andrew was the producer. I watched to see the "houses" and the "rules" and the protocol. It both fascinated me and repelled me, thinking of the pain of ordinary people for millenia who have paid for the luxury in coin and in abuse, and the stupidity of the arrogance, and the inequality and the lack of mobility.

Is there an ego boast of our being able to laugh at what we consider absurdity, and "knowing" that we are wiser, much more rational than those folks?

In any case, whatever the reason, i'm going to keep watching!

[BarbStAubrey]

I loved the actor that plays Bates in Lark Rise to Candleford but in this - he is so gloomy even in the wedding or wedding bed scene. He had a winning smile and twinkle about him in Lark Rise and I know this is a different time but my word

Do you think Thomas had his comeuppance with his foray into entrepreneurship and now sees the safe way for his future and rather than personal glory he will be satisfied to climb the ladder downstairs or is this yet, one more attempt to play for time so that he can try another gambit pushing the limits of respectability.

Mary is back to acting unfeeling again - seems everytime she sees her life as if a paper doll carrying out duty she shuts down with irony and sarcasm her contribution to the world.

Isobel was made for the clothes of the nineteen twenties wasn't she - the dress she had on when she leaves the room as Matthew arrived to sit with Lavinia looked marvelous on her as if designed for her - where as Cora looks wonderful in everything Victorian.

A couple of artist compositions weren't there - the one of Edith by the columns with Downton Abby framed was another classic look.

Not in the way I imagined but the shot you mentioned Frybabe of Ethel holding her baby with the window above I think ended up being prophetic - she has narrowed his future to the small window of opportunity within the walls of her love - where as with a large open door he would have had the 'things' and prestige of the world but may have had a hole inside that is often the outcome of a grown child without childhood parents. I can not imagine him having the warmth of the tactical attention from Ethel in an upstairs nursary with the best childcare and that draconian grandfather - oh my.

[rosemarykaye]

Did I post these Red Nose Day spoofs of Downton before?  We loved them:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dMlXentLw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YYo_5rxFE&feature=relmfu

I hope they work.

I really went off Bates in the second series, and my daughters thought the bed scene with Anna was absolutely revolting!  You do wonder what she sees in him.

IMO Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton are the enduring stars of the show - which just shows that older women are really the Backbone of England (or something like that....!)

Rosemary

[ginny]

Oh my word, that is absolutely priceless, thank you so much fror putting that here.

TELL me that's not Joanna Lumley, it IS!  I believe it is?

Oh no and is that Jennifer Saunders as Maggie Smith's character? That lip?

Who is the actor who plays Julian Fellowes? He was in Amadeus and he's so good.

What an absolute hoot, I could get addicted to this, thank you so much for putting it here, Rosemary.

Still have not watched all of  Sunday's last two hours was it? Bates in bed? I may have to fast forward on that one, I keep looking at him and having to remind self he's become a sex symbol.  I'm wondering about the "little fling" of Lord Grantham and if it may have a little consequence, that would make an interesting plot for year III.

A little too pat on the death of the fiancee, perhaps?

VERY pleased to see Thomas dealt with by somebody of his own kind and the...was it plaster?

I'm going to watch the spoof again. hahahaa

[Babi]

 I think 'Bates' still has a winning smile, when he uses it. He is somewhat older
and heavier now, which was bound to make him somewhat less romantic in the wedding
bed scene.
 Thomas definitely had his comeuppance, and is now less sure of how clever he is.
I can't quite decide if his current behavior is a ploy, or a decision to put himself
in place to take Carson's job. Carson is old enough to reasonably expect he cannot
continue carrying this load much longer.

 Mary is very proud, much like her father.  Any hint of rejection, or 'second place',
and she immediately reverts to arrogant dismissal. Alas, poor Lavinia would doubtless
have made Matthew a better, or at least a sweeter, wife.  And I agree, GINNY, a little
too pat.

[jeriron]

Pat or not I hate to see it end and will be waiting for next season.  It is still 100% better then just about anything we in American put on TV. Many times we have copied British shows and they have failed here. I wonder if we had not named Prime Suspect after the English show it may have worked because there would have been no comparisons   made. I think it was good and I enjoyed it for what it was,much different from the English version. But it is very difficult to compete with Helen Mirran. of course this is only my opinion.

Oh as for Bates in the bedroom scene I think Lord Grantham (sp) would have looked much the same.

[Frybabe]

I don't see very much emotion/passion in the scenes with intimate scenes with Bates or Lord Grantham. At least not from them, the women did a little better.

[pedln]

I have loved watching every minute of Downton Abbey except for this past Sunday night's two-hour performance.  Too too much.  Too soapy, too many things happening.  It's like the producers had to fit an overabundance of evemts into a tight time frame.  Ginny mentioned Lavinia's death as "pat."  Convenient, certainly.  Did she die of the flu or did she commit suicide?  Bates' arrest -- predictable,  Mr. Bryant's offer to Ethel -- predictable, the Jane/LordG incidents could have been left out.

I love it that Daisy is excited about making the wedding cake, that she came down in the middle of the night to look at it.  Of course, what followed was not good, but realistic and unpredictable. Everyone cheered when Thomas met his come-uppence.  And cheered again when Carson told him he always counted the silver.

The recording of this segment is still available.  After reading all your comments I may have to watch it again.  And of course, I'm looking forward to watching next week's season final.

[CubFan]

I find it interesting -

The lord of manor can be involved with a maid - but can't handle his daughter being in love with a chauffeur.

Cora is still pushing to have Bates fired (who has protected her family from scandal) and yet she cannot see through O'Brien (who has hurt her & the family).

Nice touch - the growing maturity of Daisy & her relationship with the cook.

Mary

[Dana]

I can't help comparing it to Upstairs Downstairs, so I was a bit shocked when Lord G. kissed the chambermaid--can you imagine Lord Bellamy kissing a chambermaid? The mind boggles.  Then of-course the Spanish flu, whenever the butler started to feel poorly it all fell into place for me and I yelled at Geoff....Spanish flu....that's how they'll get rid of her....I remembered that's how Hazel was got rid of, but I can't think why.....I loved the last episode which kept me awake and riveted......That's Entertainment !!

[JeanneP]

Loved watching the "Spoofs"  Our 'Saturday night life" does good on taking off so US shows but nothing as good as these.
Now the lady wanting to be higher up than Housekeeper.  Just can't remember what all I have seen her in.  Always seems to have the Posh parts.

[ginny]

Now the lady wanting to be higher up than Housekeeper.

Ab Fab: Patsy: Joanna Lumley.

Isn't that a hoot? I've watched them several times, what a hoot.

[marcie]

Thanks very much, Rosemary. I love the Red Nose Day spoofs of Downton! They are hilarious. The facial expressions are priceless. What a cast! What a production! That definitely wasn't just slapped together.

I'll post the urls again in case anyone hasn't seen them yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5dMlXentLw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3YYo_5rxFE&feature=relmfu

[marcie]

I'm glad that Lord Grantham didn't actually go to bed with the maid. It seems that his marriage might have been in some sense an "arranged" marriage.... for Cora's wealth, to keep up the estate.

But it did seem that the writer did a "soap opera" morphing of characters. In the beginning of the series, the Lord and Cora seemed very much in love. There wasn't a lot of motivation for either he or the maid to suddenly fall in love. Of course, that isn't stopping me from watching the series!

[BarbStAubrey]

Sounds like Grandmother has it all figured out so that Branson becomes a copy of Yeats with the connection she has found to British royalty in Ireland and his being a writer - only difference Yeats never married his Lady Gregory.

[rosemarykaye]

Marcie - I think in one of the first episodes Lord Grantham does admit that he married Cora for her money but then fell in love with her soon afterwards.  I thought the whole 'fling with the maid' thing was a bit silly, but I suppose it was meant to show that he was let down after not being allowed to take an active part in the war, at the same time as Cora was finding something to do other than dinner parties and daughter-minding.

Rosemary

[jeriron]

Rosemary

I think that about the incident with the maid as well. I do think Lord G and Cora love each other in their own way. It MAY not be a passionate  love but it's love never the less. I think the maid thing had a lot to do with the war and his ego was hurt because he saw what was going on around him yet he had very little to do with it. Everyone was being useful and he felt he wasn't.  Hopefully that part of the story line is over.

[Babi]

 Oh, but MARY, there was no question of marrying the maid!  Actually, in the end,
I was glad that milord thought better of it.
  Cora obviously hasn't a clue about O'Brien. But all her actions are cued entirely
to the protection of her children. She would chop anybody who represented the
slightest danger to Mary, at least in her eyes.
  I agree about the relationship between Daisy and the cook. Those small side issues
add so much to the story.
  I'd love to see that spoof. Was closed captioning by any chance included? It's
not on the videos, of course.  It seems BBC has only recently started using CC to
some extent.
  Granny, the Duchess, is a living example of the power of the old aristocracy!  Never underestimate her.  She deceives herself, tho', if she thinks things can go back to what
they once were.

[pedln]

I wonder if the LordG and maid episodes were put in more for general background of manor life. That "this playing around" was something the did occur, but never amounted to anything good for the maid.

Dana, I thought the same thing during the flu epidemic -- that Cora was going to be the one to die.

[BarbStAubrey]

I thought it was to show that not every lord of the manor is a cad to highlight further Ethel's predicament.

I still do not like Bates in this production - if I had not seen him so successful in Lark Rise to Candleford I wouldn't expect more - it is not that he is older and physically heavier - it is as if he is heavy of spirit - he acts like he is in constant pain and maybe he is with his leg - There is just no spark - almost as if he and the director do not get along and he is like a petulant school boy giving a depressing performance that is over the top. I am loosing patients with him and his trails and tribulations and loosing respect for Anna who I thought saw more for them and herself than simply taking care of him.

Looks like from the previews he lands in jail showing his wife had him even from the grave. What was all that about - we never learn why she is so hateful and we get a glimpse that he is noble but life is never so black and white - who knows maybe he did blow and killed her - supposedly we learn this week he has a temper - so that is new information - he is just annoying me and I have lost interest in him and also lost interest in the drinking butler - again, these characters are not flushed out.

In fact what was all that with Bates taking the shoe horn that out of pocket Molesley purchased as a gift for Earl Grantham  - we never saw anymore of how that affected the relationship between the two men or how the gift was presented if Bates took credit - it all disappeared.

[JeanneP]

No, they couldn't have Cora dying.  She is in for the run of the series.  Don't think we will see much more of the Maid.  Already she had left the house.  Had she not done that then I believe they would have had it go a little further.
That thing was sort of normal back among the Aristocrats  back then.  Why even Queen Victoria's husband, where that was suppose to be a great love marriage. He is known to have had many mistresses up to him passing.  Men will be Men.  Many children were born out of wedlock by many Aristocrats and managed to be spirited away. 
Now which King Charles was it that had about 17 of these children.? Some of the males he acknowledged  and gave titles and land to later .  Some of the families still holding on to them today. I have  Forgotten lot of my history.  So much of it has come out now because of the Internet than we read about years ago.

D and A could sure show up in quite a few people.

[MaryPage]

Joanna Lumley was one half of ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

Oh, how I loved that series!

She was also beyond wonderful in Nancherrow and Coming Home.

[ginny]

Did you see her other half in the spoof?

Also did you catch Kim Cattrell?

[Frybabe]

Barb, since you brought it up, I was wondering about Molesly and the drinking. The inference in the episode was that he was a drunk, not that he managed to get himself drunk on that one occasion (out of nervousness to get it right?). No where else in the program was there any hint the Molesly might be an alcoholic.

[JeanneP]

Mary Page.
I checked the library and they have 5 seasons of Absolutely Fabulous with Joanne Lumley. Ordered them.  They also had Coming home.

[marcie]

I didn't see any previous hint of Molesly being an alcoholic either and am not sure whether they meant to say he was or he just was "tasting" too much that night.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ahaa - I wonder - I bet - since all of twentieth century British history seems to be on display I wonder if we are being set up with Molesly, the "drunk" as they described him in this last episode, for his joining the First Century Christian Fellowship organized in 1921 that later became the Oxford Group that was the forerunner of AA.

Buchman, the Lutheran minister of the First Century Christian Fellowship was supposed to have seen the light that led him to originating some of the slogans and 12 step program still used today when he attended a service in some small town in England that starts with a K. The program was picked up by a Bill [forgot his sur name] in the mid 1930s who developed AA but it came from the Oxford Group.

[rosemarykaye]

Barb - out of curiosity I looked this up and the town was Keswick in the Lake District.

Rosemary

[ginny]

I finally got to see the whole episode last night, and I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Bates is perhaps a tad too chubby to be a sex symbol but you never know. I mean, what could they DO? They could hardly have covered him up like a Bedouin from top to toe  with all the bed covers. I am relieved that there won't be any little surprises from Lord Grantham either, as his fling kept getting interrupted, funny.

I really liked it, tho I have to say that after watching the spoof about 100 times I don't look at it quite the same. I think I like it better than I did. hahaha. Every time they go up and down those stairs I see them in the spoof. hahaha Ealing. I have been through Ealing, I must look it up and see what's there. I'll never look at the show the same way again.

For instance, last night when they did their "looks" in the real thing I just burst out loud laughing, thinking of their "looks" in the spoof.  They really got it right.

If you like Ab  Fab, Jeanne,  (which is pretty strong and outrageous) I think one of their best ones was the 20th Anniversary one which just played here on the BBC America channel. The girl who plays the bureaucrat in that  was absolutely priceless, and I THINK she may have been (was she?) in this spoof as the youngest daughter. I don't know where Jennifer Saunders finds these people but that 20th Anniversary thing was beyond price.  

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - I'm so glad you got so much out of those spoofs - I watched them again after I'd posted them and they really are hilarious.  Didn't you think Simon Callow was a brilliant Fellows?  And I honestly thought Kim Cattrell was a better Cora than the actress who really plays her - her 'looks' were spot on.  Jennifer Saunders is a genius.  My daughters and I love Ab Fab as well - I'm afraid daughters have been watching those DVDs from what was probably far too young an age, but it doesn't seem to have harmed them any.   Just the other day Madeleine and I were discussing that designer that Eddi is always wearing - La Croix - as M had found a library book about designing costumes for opera, and apparently he's really good at that, - I suppose all those over-the-top designs would be just right.

Rosemary

[marcie]

Ginny and Rosemary, I too loved the LOOKS in those spoofs. The guy that spoofed Matthew had that hang-dog expression and the woman who was Mary was priceless with all of the grimacing and brief half-smiles. It's amazing how much they captured in a few minutes.

[ginny]

They really did!  I have a feeling that must have all come from Jennifer Saunders, (I agree, Rosemary, she's  a genius),  playing in the spoof Dame Maggie Smith,  because it has her stamp on it. I wish she'd do a series of it, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Rosemary: Simon Cowell!!! YES!! I know the name of course, you hear it everywhere,  but I could not put the FACE with that name oh of course. Yes he was perfect, that scene alone with Joanna Lumley, (I hope I'm spelling that correctly),  his timing is unbelievable.  It's not my biscuit, Darling. hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

 I looked him up on IMdB and man is he busy as an actor, his 2011 credits alone take almost a whole page. He doesn't look much different than he did in Amadeus, and that was a long time ago.

And I agree I like Kim Cattrell better as Cora. Is Jennifer Saunders calling her "Tim?"

I didn't actually get the doll reference? For some reason it reminds me of Bubble in Ab Fab but I am not sure what it's referencing? I finally managed to hear Matthew's Mother in the spoof asking the Bates actor if he wasn't in Lark Rise to Candleford, or a corruption of same.  haahhaa

Did you absolutely love Joanna Lumley's reference to the Carnarvons?

hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Who own Highclere where they film the upstairs?

Oh anyway, so sorry, to digress from the actual production but the spoof nailed them, it really did.

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - it's Simon Callow, not Cowell - Cowell is that obnoxious man who judges the X Factor or some other 'talent' show!

Highclere belongs to the Earl & Countess of Carnarvon.  I bet their visitor numbers have gone up a bit.

I wasn't sure about the doll reference either.  

Matthew's mother was played by Victoria Wood in the spoof - she's an extremely funny and well-loved comedienne/actress over here but I don't know if she's ever appeared in the US.  She's done some serious stuff as well.  She's done a lot of work with Julie Walters and Celia Imrie.  She is brilliant at nailing aspects of women's lives - as she's now in her 50s she's very good on the menopause and mid-life crises.  She's also written series like "Dinner Ladies", and played the cook in the TV production of Ballet Shoes.

Rosemary

[ginny]

hahaa well no wonder I can't remember his name: it's Simon Callow, not Cowell - Cowell is that obnoxious man who judges the X Factor or some other 'talent' show!    hhahaa, but Callow (would you believe I just wrote Cowell again?) is the one with the busy acting credits in 2011, so that much was right.


Highclere belongs to the Earl & Countess of Carnarvon.  Yes, I know. When I was there in 2010 the talk was of Andrew Lloyd Webber's buying the place, I guess that's over, too, what with the series being shot there, and hopefully the money that engenders.  The guide vehemently said they would never sell.  Most of those touring were British so I really had no idea what they were talking about, apparently Lloyd Webber lives nearby and had made an offer on Highclere? Or wanted to buy it.

I do know the wife of the gatekeeper/ ticket taker was incredibly friendly and invited me in to their...er...little gate house? whatever... while waiting for the taxi. ...It was cold and  pouring rain and we discussed dogs, hers lying there on the carpet.   I have a very nice memory of Highclere but they had nothing at all about Downton in 2010 displaying.

I wondered who the actress was playing Matthew's Mother!  Thank you1 I've actually never heard of her, I'll look up some things she's been in and see if I can watch some of them, Netflix is a veritable boon for a lot of old British programming.

[rosemarykaye]

Ginny - this is she:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/46235951.png&imgrefurl=http://www.last.fm/music/Victoria%2BWood&h=269&w=252&sz=109&tbnid=ncs0vjO2nqUFZM:&tbnh=97&tbnw=91&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dvictoria%2Bwood%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=victoria+wood&docid=AjEEuG2nT-ElzM&sa=X&ei=NOk_T9eIIc2n8QO-ubmfCA&ved=0CFQQ9QEwBw&dur=4587

That link looks so weird that I bet it won't work, so here is one to a wikepedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Wood

Rosemary

[JeanneP]

 Victoria Wood.  Just read her Bio.
As we Lancashire People still say.  "Nice to see one of our Lancashire Lasses doing good."

[Babi]

Wow! Comedienne, actress, author and songwriter, director. Quite versatile lady, I
would say.  'Looking good', indeed.

  Final episode tonight!  It's a good thing PBS has some more great shows lined up right away,
as I am going to hate ending this one.