Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece 2015 ~ Downton Abbey and Other PBS Programs (Read 111297 times)

FlaJean · « **Reply #80 on:** January 28, 2015, 03:25:34 PM »

See the 2015 MASTERPIECE schedule.

NOW DISCUSSING

Let's talk about PBS programs that we enjoy.

Downton Abbey, Season V

Watch the current season January 4 - February 22, 2015.

Grantchester, Season 1

Set in the English countryside’s most idyllic village, Grantchester follows two unlikely allies as they solve a series of cases that reveal the dark side of early 1950s England. Grantchester is based on the acclaimed novel Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death by James Runcie, which was called “the coziest of cozy murder mysteries” by the New York Times Book Review.
Watch the new series (showing right after Downton Abbey in many areas) through February.

Discussion Leaders: JoanP and marcie

I think Barb is on to something about Barrow. I hadn't thought of that.

nlhome · « **Reply #81 on:** January 28, 2015, 06:46:13 PM »

Has anyone read the book that "Grantchester" is based on? Our library system does not have any of the books, and Amazon has the first one on back order. I was just wondering if the book was good. I am enjoying the TV program.

MaryPage · « **Reply #82 on:** January 29, 2015, 06:32:41 AM »

http://www.grantchestermysteries.com/background.aspx

Have not read any of the Grantchester series by James Runcie, but intend to when I get the chance. Grantchester is a real place and Runcie is well placed to write of the life of a clergyman, as he is the son of an Archbishop of Canterbury. Love the PBS series!

Thriftbooks is all out of the series at this time, but they have some of his other books. Amazon.co.uk has them, and so does Barnes & Noble.

Stayed up late last night and binged on Downton Abbey. Do not know how Julian Fellowes does it, but this series remains top notch and am now dying to see Season Six!

Steph · « **Reply #83 on:** January 29, 2015, 08:57:59 AM »

Net flix came through with Call the Midwife, first season.. So I saw the very first episode.. They all look different, so much younger and I note that Chummy has not arrived yet , the doctors wife is a nun just now and the strange nun is still very very strange. I loved it..

MaryPage · « **Reply #84 on:** January 29, 2015, 10:36:19 AM »

I loved every single season. And Chummy is still my favorite.

Steph · « **Reply #85 on:** January 30, 2015, 08:24:23 AM »

Now for the time to see some more. But I have company coming today for the weekend..

serenesheila · « **Reply #86 on:** January 30, 2015, 01:51:13 PM »

I another Chummy fan. I love the Brits for portraying people of all shapes, and sizes! Not everyone is a size 2.

Sheila

MaryPage · « **Reply #87 on:** January 30, 2015, 01:59:14 PM »

I get the biggest kick out of the way she talks to her baby. "Small Sir!"

And I laugh and laugh and laugh when she is leading her Boy Scouts troop. Chummy is often startled by events, but never unable to rise to the occasion. She is like a large sized Spirit of England! She will carry on and put forth her very best effort NO MATTER WHAT!

Steph · « **Reply #88 on:** January 31, 2015, 08:57:57 AM »

I like her, but find her somewhat overwhelming.. A bit too much cheer for me.

MaryPage · « **Reply #89 on:** January 31, 2015, 09:12:38 AM »

When her life story is dribbled out, you will discover it is all that stiff upper lip self disciplined cheer, and you will admire her immensely.

Steph · « **Reply #90 on:** February 01, 2015, 11:54:35 AM »

Yes, this last year in Call the Midwife, her Mother became ill and died and it was enlightening.

MaryPage · « **Reply #91 on:** February 01, 2015, 12:43:59 PM »

She was never loved. Grew up upper class with all the privileges, but was never loved. Never given any approval, either. Heart breaking. You will get the full story in earlier episodes.

Steph · « **Reply #92 on:** February 02, 2015, 08:37:18 AM »

Last night was a missed episode. Started sneezing and whooping, went to bed early, still do not feel that great. Don't need this stuff.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #93 on:** February 02, 2015, 10:51:22 AM »

Oh Steph Hope you can nip this before you are really ill.

marcie · « **Reply #94 on:** February 02, 2015, 11:11:51 AM »

Steph, I hope you feel better soon. Last night's episode of Downton progressed a little slower than some others. They only put in a couple of big events.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #95 on:** February 02, 2015, 12:35:27 PM »

Last nights Downton was strange - it was as if they wanted to extend the program - everything was a set up with nothing concluded except Mrs. Patmore's decision to buy a small cottage with her money.

Edith with the missing Michael, who is still missing and now the threat of the loss of her daughter and her grandmother and aunt wanting to take over and get the daughter even further away while Edith appears to be taking matters in her own hand with a phone call that we are up in the air not knowing to whom or what is the plan.

Then Robert angry and not believing his wife is innocent or something - but definitely noted by his mother.

Rose possibly embarking on a relationship that may have the family disapproving

Mary still caught not wanting to marry Gillingham and I bet the ex fiancée gets back to Lord Gillingham and lets him know that Mary was out to dinner and was openly saying she did not want to marry him - I still have a suspicion the man who Green was saying 'What are you doing here" was to Lord Gillingham and now Mary is caught up in the investigation to the death of Green having to make Bates believe she knows nothing about his being a suspect.

Anna is beside herself with the questions from the authorities and slights from Thomas while she is still not sure if her husband had anything to do with the death of Green.

Thomas looking like the wrath of God but being as pissy as ever and under it all, his hatred for Bates

I do not think Tom will go after Miss Bunting but it tickles our fancy as to what he will do caught in the middle as he is between two worlds.

Than what will Isobel do - the lord seems more likeable everytime we see him.

Will Moseley wear down Baxter

Baxter has a kind heart and yet, what does she know about Bates and how far will she go to help Thomas.

Will Daisy's loyalty and admiration for Miss Bunting make her less loyal to her job in the kitchen.

He seems to be setting up the downstairs folks for even a further reduction in staff that we know has to be coming.

While upstairs we have a slow building roar for everyone in the family - is this symbolic of the '29 crash that is to come

JoanK · « **Reply #96 on:** February 02, 2015, 04:36:36 PM »

Oh, I forgot about the 29 crash. What year are we in, now?

Thomas is treating himself with some crackpot "cure" (did I hear electric shocks?) that is supposed to make him stop being homosexual, and like woman. I'll bet this is based on real "medical" practice. How awful!

MaryPage · « **Reply #97 on:** February 02, 2015, 07:24:05 PM »

We are celebrating Christmas 1924 in the last episode of Season Five. I have watched it all now on my DVDs, and I LOVED it! I honest and truly believe it to be the BEST SEASON YET, and I simply do not know how Julian Fellowes continues to do it. I will say no more, but urge you not to miss a bit of it!

Steph · « **Reply #98 on:** February 03, 2015, 09:04:28 AM »

Seems to be my sinus again, and not a cold.. But still not fun.. But I did watch the second Call the Midwife.. Chummy tries so hard to fit in and the other nurses work hard to help her. Loved seeing that and the breach birth was amazing. You truly felt you were there and holding your breath for her. Loved it..

marcie · « **Reply #99 on:** February 03, 2015, 10:25:49 PM »

I hope you can get some relief, Steph. I enjoyed Midwife too.

I'm really liking Grantchester. The actors are really good. You can learn more at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/series/grantchester-s1/

Steph · « **Reply #100 on:** February 04, 2015, 08:47:10 AM »

Watched the third show last night. Amazing.. that was the darkest black for the baby, I have ever seen.. Good show, but sad..

ALF43 · « **Reply #101 on:** February 06, 2015, 04:30:23 PM »

Joan K- Yes that was a radical treatment for "homosexuality" in the early years. I witnessed ECT (electro convulsive therapy) back in 1961 as a student nurse training in Psych in Rochester state hospital.
It is by far the most barbaric treatment I have ever witnessed. The profound confusion of the mind is supposed to erase the unwanted and unwarranted "memories and urges."
I hated that part of psych nursing.
It was the treatment of choice in the earlier years for women who were suffering from menopause and depression. Frankly, I would have fought like a tiger and much preferred the other RX- Laudlam.

Steph · « **Reply #102 on:** February 07, 2015, 03:37:25 PM »

Andrea.. have not see a post from you in a long long time. Glad to know you are still around.. My mother was a nurse and she felt like you did. The treatment was barbaric, but common. The Kennedys tried with their daughter and suffered the consequences of having to hospitalize her the rest of her life.

Poppaea · « **Reply #103 on:** February 10, 2015, 05:43:18 PM »

I am worried about Isis in this most recent episode. Poor darling doggie seems to be sick. I think Edith has made a huge mistake in claiming the child, although legally she is within her rights. The child looked quite miserable when Edith took her to the hotel room.

ALF43 · « **Reply #104 on:** February 10, 2015, 07:38:55 PM »

During pre season they mentioned new romances abound and the dog will ail.

MaryPage · « **Reply #105 on:** February 11, 2015, 08:55:23 AM »

Two of the stars of Downton Abbey are to delight us in a new film next month.

Such GREAT fun we have in store! And so lovely to look forward to something delicious!

Disney has made a new Cinderella. This one is not an animated cartoon (which we all loved), but filmed in costume of, it looks to me like, pre World War One 20th century. Or maybe it's just pure Disney imagination. Anyway, we have from Downton Abbey, Ta Da: the Lady Rose (Lily James) as Cinderella and Daisy in the kitchen (Sophie McShera) as one of the two wicked stepsisters! We have Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother and Helena Bonham Carter as the fairy godmother and Derek Jacobi (recently of The Last Tango in Halifax) as the King. I am agog with excitement!

We have a whole month of anticipation. The movie will be released March 13th.

ginny · « **Reply #106 on:** February 11, 2015, 08:30:42 PM »

And Best Exotic Marigold Hotel II on March 6.

I really enjoyed Dan Stevens (formerly Matthew on Downton) in the new Night at the Museum.

Steph · « **Reply #107 on:** February 12, 2015, 08:50:54 AM »

I loved the new Night at the Museum and enjoyed.. Matthew very much. With all of the company., I have not seen two weeks of Downton and at my wits end on this.. This keeps up, I will get a small tv for my bedroom..

MaryPage · « **Reply #108 on:** February 15, 2015, 10:40:35 PM »

I simply cannot BELIEVE tonight's Grantchester! It has been so sweet and bucolic, and all of a sudden it is very dark. And full of great and famous actors. I can only wonder what it is all meant to be about. What are we meant to think? To feel? Any ideas?

pedln · « **Reply #109 on:** February 15, 2015, 10:58:03 PM »

I cannot believe we're going to have Downton Abbey and Academy Awards on the same night. There aren't that many more episodes of this season's Downton. You'd think the AA's could have waited. They're earlier than usual anyway.

Looking forward to the upcoming Cinderella. It wil be fun to see how different or similar Daisy will be.

Steph · « **Reply #110 on:** February 16, 2015, 08:40:48 AM »

Last night was wonderful in so many ways.. Edith finally realized that possibly she can have more than she thought. her sister Mary is possibly the coldest human on earth.. She simply does not care about anyone in the world except herself. How sad.. But Ediths Momma cares as does her Grandmother and her Aunt.. and
Tom, I think suspects and tries to be comforting.. Isis.. I do wonder why they are doing this. I assume it will advance the plot one way or another.. But he does adore the dog and it seems hard. Plus of course I lost two dogs last summer and still hurt at the memory.

jeriron · « **Reply #111 on:** February 16, 2015, 10:45:10 AM »

I posted awhile back that they've had that dog a long time. How old can it be?? Guess the writers realized this and had to do something about it. Sad but so true with the animals you love.

MaryPage · « **Reply #112 on:** February 16, 2015, 11:27:53 AM »

Well, we began Downton Abbey with the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, remember? And the Earl already had Isis, who appears to be a purebred yellow Labrador Retriever. We are now at 1924, so Isis is at least 13 or 14 years old; old for a lab. Yes, I think that dog has to die.

But, having seen the whole series on my DVDs, I will say again that I think this was the very best season EVER!

Steph · « **Reply #113 on:** February 17, 2015, 09:26:28 AM »

I agree that Isis had to be old, but as I said,, not in the mood for another dog to die.. I love the show, but Mary sometimes baffles me. Does she care about anything except herself...How sad..

ANNIE · « **Reply #114 on:** February 17, 2015, 09:38:15 AM »

I found this last show of DA a bit too pat. Edith didn't seem to have any problem introducing Marigold as a child she has chosen to care for since the pigman and his wife were going to give her up anyway. Didn't seem to bother Robert too much. He was more concerned about Isis's impending death. Wonder what he will say later about this arrangement? Will Edith have to adopt her own daughter for him to be more comfortable with the little girl's living in his home?

About Barrows, there is another way of looking at him. In today's world, he would be called a transgendered person. He must feel that he is supposed to be a girl. They now treat these poor souls with hormones for growing breasts? Bizarre! And as Andrea says, it was even more bizarre back in earlier times. There are now Transgender groups that meet in many of our high schools.

And, Obama referred to the transgenders in his state of the union speech. I read that the soldier who gave all those US secrets to Wikileaks last year and who is serving a 35 year sentence as a traitor, is now asking for the hormone treatment that he/she needs for her physical and mental health. He/she now has a feminine name and the US government is paying for his/her treatment. Sex change is the next thing she might ask for. This was a court case. They won't let her grow her hair long though. Like that's going to change anything. What I wondered? Will they put her in the women's prison? This is bizarre!

Steph · « **Reply #115 on:** February 19, 2015, 07:58:12 AM »

I must confess that I am bewildered by the soldier and the sex change. Don't really understand why the government would cover it..But then I feel since he is in prison, he should be treated as a prisoner, not a soldier.

ANNIE · « **Reply #116 on:** February 19, 2015, 12:25:05 PM »

From what I read, I guess prisoners have constitutional rights just like we do? Bizarre!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #117 on:** February 19, 2015, 12:26:40 PM »

Our local PBS station is experiencing some sort of failure - for two days we had no programs except they could get the cooking shows etc. and they ran them all day and night - then they were able to get programs directly from something or other that is the source and so we had lots of programs but on eastern standard time and no Newshour - at least at 10: last night not the usual 11: we had Charlie Rose - almost missed it but thinking they had nothing yet I turned on the local news at 10: that is over at 10:30 and by chance flipped channels and lo and behold there was the Charlie Rose show - I sure hope they are able to fix all this by the weekend so we can see at our usual times Masterpiece Theater. However if it is an hour earlier that will work at least now I feel certain it will be on the air.

I wonder where they are going with Barrows - everytime in the past when he was nice it was to gain support when he really messed up. Do you think he feels that guilty having implicated Baxter so that she had to feel threats from the police that he has to be nice to her - now I worry and wonder about what he told the police although her record probably is why they pushed on her.

I found this last week's episode a lot more satisfying having wrapped up a couple of loose ends where as the week before left me so unsettled with one crisis after the other and no conclusion to any of them. I realize like life there are times when everything appears black or at least grey however, I need hope to live, to see the good things around me and when a show I watch that brings another layer into my life as most of the Masterpiece Theater shows and it is all dark I am not only disappointed but annoyed because it makes it so much harder, with me doing all the work, for me to create joyous hopeful days in my life till the next episode.

I realize that is why I am no longer faithfully watching the news like I once did - there is one catastrophe after the other and really horrendous happenings that is beyond even my capacity to wrap my head around the personal implications families must be feeling - I know I came here to Senior Learn to feel that folks are able to pull out of books and TV shows and movies what is good and hopeful about life and the stories do show us how things do work out and how in our posts we share our reasonable concern for characters experiencing pain and struggle - with our positive views on life and what we see and read that alone makes this a place to feel safe from the pain that is all around and even within - I am so grateful - thanks everyone.

Steph · « **Reply #118 on:** February 20, 2015, 09:40:01 AM »

Oh Barb, I feel so much like you do. Our nearest city ( Orlando) has become a city of shootings, drive bys, road rage,,etc. On and on and On. We raised our two sons here much of their younger lives and it was a quiet sort of gentle place.. no more. I live in a small town about half an hour away and it is calmer here.. I would not be a good person if I mentioned what a lot of the problems are, but if I use the words ethnic gangs, possibly you will see the problem. Makes me ambivalent about immigration.

ANNIE · « **Reply #119 on:** February 20, 2015, 11:55:40 AM »

I do see what you two are saying about the news. We just watch the weather and switch to a channel that shows nothing but old sit-coms so we go to bed with good laughs in our minds.

Back to Barrows, I do feel that he is showing a softer side of himself; apologizing for tell the police about

(lady who helped him get to a doctor). Maybe her acceptance of his problem caused him to act more like a human being.

News:

Author Topic: PBS Masterpiece 2015 ~ Downton Abbey and Other PBS Programs (Read 111297 times)