America’s Test Kitchen meets Downton Abbey as Chris Kimball takes on Mrs. Patmore. Last year, Chris Kimball, host/founder/editor of public televisions signature culinary series, America’s Test Kitchen, and a card-carrying fan of Downton Abbey, created a menu inspired by the 1920s. He says the kitchen scenes in particular always catch his eye, as food was […]
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When Jean Marsh and Dame Eileen Atkins revived the classic 70’s series Upstairs, Downstairs for the BBC back in 2011, unfortunately, it failed to survive partly due to the inevitable comparisons that both viewers and critics made with their rival costume drama Downton Abbey. Sadly, and a bit unfairly, it was given the boot after […]
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“ With Downton Abbey, Upstairs Downstairs, Sherlock, Inspector Lewis, Call the Midwife, Endeavour, Great Expectations, Birdsong and Wallander, PBS is, without question, your home for the best drama on television. This coming Sunday night is certainly no exception. Having had the benefit of seeing both series in their entirety already, you do not want to […]
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On one hand, you’d think there would be the potential to view the recent announcement of the commissioning of series 4 of Downton Abbey and think, “…our work here is done“. Not so, however, if you are ITV and have your sights set on taking over for the BBC in the world of drama output. […]
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When Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine) first arrives in London’s East End, she knows nothing about hardship, poverty or indeed, life itself. Raised in the wealthy English countryside, she’s previously spent time in Paris and could have chosen any career. But she chose to become a nurse and now, as a newly qualified midwife, Jenny has […]
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Bound and determined that The Paradise will not become a carbon copy of last years, Upstairs Downstairs, the BBC has pulled forward the broadcast of its department store drama, The Paradise, to a 9pm, Tuesday 25th September broadcast on BBC One. As it was originally targeted for transmission in early 2013, the schedule change screams […]
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It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for behind-the-scenes video pieces. Yes, there have been times that I secretly enjoy the DVD extras far more than the feature presentation. The brilliance of television production is that, if done well, the end result is a vivid suspension of reality. The behind the camera craft of hundreds […]
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In what has all the makings of the ultimate UK version of the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s, the BBC has fast-tracked its answer to the upcoming ITV drama, Mr. Selfridge, with a department store drama of its own based on the classic French novel, The Ladies’ Paradise, by Emile Zola. Adapted by Bill Gallagher (Blackout), the […]
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This is getting to be like a generic blog post where you just ‘insert the next title here’ when it comes to reporting on PBS’ Masterpiece series. In just the last year, viewers in the States have been treated to the likes of Downton Abbey, Sherlock, Endeavour, Inspector Lewis, Case Histories, Upstairs Downstairs, Page Eight […]
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A little extra something must be in the water over at the PBS Masterpiece world control center. Consider for a minute that, just this past year, the series has showcased the likes of Downton Abbey, Great Expectations, Birdsong, Upstairs Downstairs, Case Histories, Page Eight, Endeavor and Inspector Lewis. It just keeps getting better and better […]
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