Robin Ellis returns as Ross Poldark in this miniseries, inspired by Winston Graham's novels, which picks up where the popular Poldark series left off. Set in Cornwall in the 18th century, Poldark 2 finds Poldark and Demelza (Angharad Rees) married and expecting a child, while his sister, Elizabeth (Jill Townsend), is unhappily married to George (Ralph Bates). The Poldarks' family business, a copper mine, is starting to go bust, and Ross must find a way to turn the business around before it's too late. Poldark 2 was originally produced for British television, where it first aired in 1977.
Based upon the 1933 autobiography of Vera Brittain, the five-part British miniseries Testament of Youth starred Cheryl Campbell in the central role. A single-purposed idealist who intended to "make a difference" at a time when proper British women were expected to keep their opinions and ambitions to themselves, young Vera (Campbell) had her preconceptions and illusions shattered by the devastation of WWI. The series detailed her experiences as a nurse in London, France, and Malta, the loss of those whom she held most dear, and her efforts to pick up the pieces in the years following the war. The five 50-minute episodes of Testament of Youth were originally broadcast by the BBC in 1979, then were shown on the American public-TV anthology Masterpiece Theatre beginning November 11, 1980.
Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy was a 6-part British miniseries, first telecast in the US on PBS' Masterpiece Theatre. The series covers the years 1946 through 1947, during which time the British government granted independence to India. War hero Lord Mountbatten (Nicol Williamson), although considered a political lightweight, is appointed the task of overseeing the transition of power. It is the sort of test that separates the Lords from the boys: Mountbatten must not only unite the squabbling factions within India, but also counteract the rhetoric of Winston Churchill (Malcolm Terris), who is dead set against losing the Empire's "jewel of the crown." Once independence is officially granted, Mountbatten is challenged with open combat between the Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, as well as territorial demands from Pakistan and the Kashmir. Also appearing in this epic production is Sam Dastor as Gandhi, Ian Richardson as Nehru, and Vladek Sheybal as Jinnah. Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy was first seen on Masterpiece Theatre from January 26 through March 2, 1986.
A hit with the critics when it first premiered on PBS back in the late 1970s, Frederic Raphael's six-part miniseries details the hopes and fears of an entire generation by following a group of friends who first meet while studying at the esteemed Cambridge University in the 1950s. Later, as the 1950s give way to the turbulent 1960s and the hedonistic 1970s, the once idealistic students find themselves struggling with emotional disillusionment as they attempt to find success on their own terms. Tom Conti and Barbara Kellerman star.