On Sunday evenings while most of the country is watching football or the latest reality mega hit, I quietly prepare dinner and anticipate the 8 o’clock hour. While others are concerned with touchdowns and faux-drama I curl up on the couch and sink into some of Britain ‘s best television thanks to Masterpiece Theater and my local PBS station. I. A.M. IN. LOVE.
- The latest craze to sweep PBS – Call the Midwife (http://www.pbs.org/programs/call-the-midwife/) a period drama set in London ‘s East End. Babies. Love stories. Nuns. Crazy happenings at Nonnatus House. If you even remotely enjoy Downton Abbey, then you’ll love this show.
- Public television means that you don’t have to pay for cable to get all these great shows – all you need is some rabbit ears and a HD converter box (http://www.fcc.gov/guides/antennas-and-digital-television).
- The randy (and particularly yummy) chauffeurs: Branson on Downton Abbey and Spargo on Upstairs, Downstairs. Seriously, either one of them could drive me around anytime.
- Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman (whole sentence link:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/index.html) . ‘Nuff said.
- Downton Abbey (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/index.html): Lady Mary and Matthew – will they or won’t they? And lest we forget – Free Bates!
- Upstairs, Downstairs (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/programs/upstairs-downstairs/) is an update of a show by the same name. I wasn’t alive the first time around, but this, along with Call the Midwife, has me glued to my television every Sunday night. All I can say is: Lady Persie and Sir Hallam Holland – what is up with that kiss? (tsk, tsk)
- Downton Abbey: Maggie Smith as Dowager Countess Grantham (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/season2_characters_violet.html) vs Shirley MacLaine as Martha Levinson, widowed American heiress and mother of Lady Cora (aka Lady Grantham). Season three = epic awesomeness.
- Inspector Lewis. (http://www.thummprints.net/2012/09/a-list-of-ten-inspector-lewis.html)
- The mini series (Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham in Great Expectations) – holla!
- The accents. Who out there doesn’t like listening to a British accent?
All in all, PBS is putting out some great television for all of us Anglophiles – and I couldn’t be happier about it. If you want to start watching Masterpiece Theater, but want to catch up on back episodes I urge you to check out: your local library, Netflix, iTunes and / or PBS.org’s Masterpiece Theater page to watch back episodes online.
Trust me, if you jump on the PBS bandwagon, you won’t be disappointed.
