Masterpiece Episode: "The Way We Live Now"

Season 31, Episode 14
Episode Synopsis: David Suchet plays a shady financier who buys his way into Victorian society in a four-part adaptation of “The Way We Live Now,” Anthony Trollope's 1875 treatise on greed. Victorian society is only too willing to sell itself to Augustus Melmotte (Suchet) because he has what the land-rich, cash-poor aristocrats want: money. In Part 1, for instance, Sir Felix Carbury (Matthew Macfayden), a cad who has squandered his inheritance, sets out to win the very willing heart of Melmotte's daughter (Shirley Henderson). Sir Felix's mother (Cheryl Campbell) thinks it's a wonderful idea. Hetta: Paloma Baeza. Original Air Date: Apr 1, 2002
Guest Cast Douglas Hodge: Roger Carbury Derek Peacock: Mr. Ruggles Shirley Henderson: Marie Melmotte Paloma Baeza: Hetta Carbury Allan Corduner: Croll Nicholas McGaughey: John Crumb Rob Brydon: Mr. Alf Cillian Murphy: Paul Montague Helen Schlesinger: Madame Melmotte Angus Wright: Miles Grendall Graham Crowden: Marquis of Auld Reekie Michele Dotrice: Mrs. Pipkin Anne-Marie Duff: Georgina Longestaffe Sarah Niven: Simpson Derek Smee: Butler (Caversham Hall) Matthew Macfadyen: Sir Felix Carbury Tony Britton: Lord Alfred Grendall Stuart McQuarrie: Lord Nidderdale Robert Sterne: Portrait Painter Richard Cant: Dolly Longestaffe Maxine Peake: Ruby Ruggles David Suchet: Augustus Melmotte Jon Rumney: Vosner Lilo Baur: Didon Miranda Otto: Mrs. Hurtle Michael Riley: Hamilton K. Fisker Cheryl Campbell: Lady Carbury Tony Pritchard: Mr. Wakeham David Bradley: Mr. Broune Tom Fahy: Butler (Grosvenor Square) Oliver Ford Davies: Mr. Longestaffe Joanna David: Lady Pomona Longestaffe
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Premiered: January 10, 1971, on PBS
Rating: TV-PG
User Rating: (625 ratings)
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Premise: PBS's longest running (and most honored) dramatic series is an Anglophile's delight, featuring British adaptations of literary classics and original works. The first `Masterpiece' was `The First Churchills,' and since then it has won nine Peabodys and 29 Emmys (beginning with Susan Hampshire's Best Actress award for `Churchills'). Its many memorable productions include `Upstairs, Downstairs,' `I, Claudius,' 'The Jewel in the Crown,' `House of Cards,' `Poldark' and `Prime Suspect.'

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