Masterpiece on PBS

[1971, TV Show]

Masterpiece

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Alan Cumming Helps Solve the Mystery!

Episode Recap by TV Guide News

As versatile as he is charming, Alan Cumming has not only acted on stage (Cabaret) and screen (X2, The Anniversary Party), he's penned a novel (Tommy's Tale) and even created a fragrance (Cumming). Tonight, he takes over as the host of PBS' anthology of British whodunits Masterpiece Mystery! (Sundays at 9 pm/ET). — G.J. DonnellyTV Guide: Dude, what can't you... read full recap

Recent Comments

PBS or BBC should do a new Sherlock Holmes with Mr. Cumming as the great detective. But Watson has to be someone good, not a bumbler. read more
Posted by ranchobobtv Jun 28, 2008 2:02 AM
Just as long as they keep Masterpiece shows coming...(the more the better)...I will be one happy woman! I love it all! I like the changes they are making now...wasn't sure when they... read more
Posted by Sueso Jun 21, 2008 8:22 AM
What happened to Gillian Anderson? She was only the host for the classic part. Alan Cumming does the Masterpiece Mystery, and the Masterpiece contemporary one has a different host. I... read more
Posted by snoopy_buddy Jun 21, 2008 12:43 AM

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Masterpiece: Photos

Masterpiece, Julia Sawalha, Jennifer Ehle, Susannah Harker, Lucy Briers, Polly Maberly, Alison Steadman, Benjamin Whitrow courtesy BBC/PBS

Masterpiece, Jennifer Ehle courtesy BBC/PBS

Masterpiece, Jennifer Ehle, Emilia Fox courtesy BBC/PBS

Masterpiece, Colin Firth, Crispin Bonham-Carter courtesy BBC/PBS

Masterpiece, Colin Firth, Emilia Fox courtesy BBC/PBS

Masterpiece, Olivia Williams courtesy Otto Stenov/BBC/PBS

more Masterpiece photos (48 total photos)

Masterpiece: TV Listings

Masterpiece: TV Guide News

New (and Some Old) Faces on Mystery! | Roush Dispatch | 7/13/2008
This summer, PBS’s rechristened Masterpiece Mystery! series is saying farewell to some favorite franchises, with the final installments of Foyle’s War (starting tonight), which I recently reviewed, and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. To fill the gap, Mystery! is turning to some old friends for next summer’s line-up, specifically Agatha Christie’s renowned sleuths Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and introducing a new crime-solver. Kenneth Branagh will star and co-produce a series based on Swedish novelist Henning Mankell’s Inspector Kurt Wallander books, which Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton describes as being in the Inspector Morse tradition.On the Christie front, there will be four episodes each of the Poirot and Marple series. David Suchet will reprise his role as the Belgian Sherlock, and Eaton says Suchet has expressed interest in filming every single Poirot story before he’s finished. And they’ve found yet another new Miss Marple... read more
New (and Some Old) Faces on Mystery! | Roush Dispatch | 7/13/2008
This summer, PBS’s rechristened Masterpiece Mystery! series is saying farewell to some favorite franchises, with the final installments of Foyle’s War (starting tonight), which I recently reviewed, and The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. To fill the gap, Mystery! is turning to some old friends for next summer’s line-up, specifically Agatha Christie’s renowned sleuths Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, and introducing a new crime-solver. Kenneth Branagh will star and co-produce a series based on Swedish novelist Henning Mankell’s Inspector Kurt Wallander books, which Masterpiece executive producer Rebecca Eaton describes as being in the Inspector Morse tradition.On the Christie front, there will be four episodes each of the Poirot and Marple series. David Suchet will reprise his role as the Belgian Sherlock, and Eaton says Suchet has expressed interest in filming every single Poirot story before he’s finished. And they’ve found yet another new Miss Marple... read more
Ask Matt | 6/27/2008
Q: I watched Masterpiece Mystery! last night and it is no longer Inspector Morse, but Robbie and his new sidekick. What is the sidekick's name, the one who was a theology student at Cambridge? I have seen him in other British shows and he is very compelling. A: That would be Laurence Fox co-starring as Hathaway with Inspector Lewis star Kevin Whateley in this follow-up series to the late Inspector Morse. Fox, the son of actor James Fox, was seen earlier this season on Masterpiece Classic as ... read more
Alan Cumming Helps Solve the Mystery! | TV Show Previews | 6/19/2008
As versatile as he is charming, Alan Cumming has not only acted on stage (Cabaret) and screen (X2, The Anniversary Party), he's penned a novel (Tommy's Tale) and even created a fragrance (Cumming). Tonight, he takes over as the host of PBS' anthology of British whodunits Masterpiece Mystery! (Sundays at 9 pm/ET). — G.J. DonnellyTV Guide: Dude, what can't you do?Alan Cumming: I can't pronounce "library" properly! [Laughs]TV Guide: What attracted you to the show?Cumming: I love PBS and I loved how campy it was with [1989–2003 host] Diana Rigg introducing the stories out of the shadows.TV Guide: Recently, you played the Scarecrow in Sci Fi's The Wizard of Oz reimagining. That zipper in your head had to hurt.Cumming: There’s this crazy thing we have called prosthetic makeup! [Laughs] The worst thing was getting my hair flattened enough so they could get the thing on. read more
Ask Matt | 5/5/2008
Q: It looks like Season 6 of Foyle's War just aired in the U.K. When should I set my TiVo? A: Look for it on Masterpiece Mystery! (the new umbrella title) for three weekends in July, from July 13-27. This season (which PBS is calling "Series V," having apparently combined two British seasons in a past year) is billed as the last for the WWII whodunit series. The other summer Mystery franchises include the Inspector Morse spin-off Inspector Lewis starting June 22 and two installments of The ... read more

more Masterpiece spoilers, news and recaps (21 total news articles)

Masterpiece: Message Board

can i catch re-runs or not?
i just found out about the jane austin collection on Masterpiece theatre and i loved it! problem is i want to watch the other ones. i want to know if i could perhaps catch re-runs? or if... read more
Posted by RaNdOm951 Jan 31, 2008 8:54 PM

Northanger Abbey
I loved this film! I've never read this Jane Austen work, but now I'm going to.Catherine Morland is a teenage girl who loves reading gothic romance stories. She has a vivid imagination,... read more
Posted by kryptogal Jan 27, 2008 4:33 PM

Jane Austen series
Masterpiece is showing the works of Jane Austen. They started with Persuasion. I thought it was good, but was very short and rushed. I loved the performers playing Ann and the Captain. ... read more
Posted by kryptogal Jan 17, 2008 2:49 PM

Do you like the new "Masterpiece" opening?
I miss the old Masterpiece Theatre opening credits. I also don't understand why they removed "Theatre" from the title. But I do like Gillian Anderson as the new host. read more
Posted by kryptogal Jan 15, 2008 4:26 PM

Visit the Masterpiece message board.

Cast & Details

Premiered: January 10, 1971, on PBS

Rating: None

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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.'

Masterpiece Cast

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