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British television just doesn't do mini-series like that any longer, puts Downton Abbey in the shade.
Besides the all star cast, you had those wonderful on location shots from India. Today likely that whole thing would be CGI or something to save on costs.
If you've only known Judy Parfitt as that nurse/nun in "Call The Midwife" catch her earlier in her career as Mrs. Mildred Leyton; a high riding *B* even more than her later role in Dolores Claiborne.
That was a series that required concentration and a little knowledge of history. It was very thought-provoking.
Another poster mentioned that Masterpiece is going downhill. I agree with that. As it has gained more popularity in the US, it is becoming more Americanized and frankly, "dumbed down." They are casting more "pretty faces" like in American series. The original Upstairs Downstairs was very popular in the US, but like Monty Python, it had more of a cult-like following. It didn't spill over to the "masses" like Downton Abbey. Therefore, it retained its quality as did the subsequent Masterpiece Theatre series. Remember, when it was Masterpiece Theater, not just Masterpiece and the series that Rebecca Eaton selected truly were Masterpieces?
Yes, "Masterpiece" or whatever it's called these days seems all about milking productions for the American and or worldwide audience.
Years ago things were based on books and or otherwise had an ending; Jewel In The Crown, Brideshead Revisited, Inspector Morse, etc.... Now series are extended way beyond the book's ending if something is a hit. Downton Abbey, Call The Midwife, and others are examples.
This causes all sorts of problems including fact that British actors often have their fingers in multiple pies. Due to obligations elsewhere and or desire to move on they may not be available for an extension beyond original series. That is what happened with several characters in Downton Abbey. Grantchester has had changes as well with people moving on.
Other issue today is cost. Jewel In The Crown ran about 2 million back in the 1980's to produce, a number equal to six or more today. Neither BBC, Granada, ITV or anyone else besides day Netflix has or is willing to spend that kind of money on series today.
Yes, "Masterpiece" or whatever it's called these days seems all about milking productions for the American and or worldwide audience.
Years ago things were based on books and or otherwise had an ending; Jewel In The Crown, Brideshead Revisited, Inspector Morse, etc.... Now series are extended way beyond the book's ending if something is a hit. Downton Abbey, Call The Midwife, and others are examples.
Downton Abbey was not based on a book. It was conceived for television from the start.
A recent hit that was is Poldark, based on a series of books. I haven't read them, so I can't speak to how faithful of an adaptation the series is.
The biggest problem Masterpiece Theater faces is its own irrelevance. It began in order for British dramas to have a place to air in the United States. Today, with BritBox, Acorn, Netflix, Amazon Prime, DVD releases, etc., it is actually quite easy for American audiences to watch most British programming. They may have to wait a few months after it airs in the UK, but it is a rare show that you can't find these days.
So why should viewers tune in to the latest airing on Masterpiece Theater when there is a good chance they watched in DVD or Acorn Streaming five weeks ago?
Downton Abbey was not based on a book. It was conceived for television from the start.
A recent hit that was is Poldark, based on a series of books. I haven't read them, so I can't speak to how faithful of an adaptation the series is.
The biggest problem Masterpiece Theater faces is its own irrelevance. It began in order for British dramas to have a place to air in the United States. Today, with BritBox, Acorn, Netflix, Amazon Prime, DVD releases, etc., it is actually quite easy for American audiences to watch most British programming. They may have to wait a few months after it airs in the UK, but it is a rare show that you can't find these days.
So why should viewers tune in to the latest airing on Masterpiece Theater when there is a good chance they watched in DVD or Acorn Streaming five weeks ago?
By "book" also include original script or whatever, and yes on that score Downton Abbey was extended beyond its original run.
It was for that reason several actors including those playing Lady Mary's husband and her sister Lady Sybil, along with that evil lady's maid left the series. All stated they had signed on for "X" number (the original) and either professional commitments elsewhere, and or just simply wishing to move on meant were no longer available.
Much of this has to do with how British television series are done. In the USA usual way is for one or two early episodes to be done, and if the show takes off and or the suits think it has a chance everyone is called back to do more episodes.
In GB OTOH an entire season, book, or whatever of episodes is shot at once. Thus actors and everyone else involved are free to move on. If a show doesn't do well, then no further episodes are shot and the thing is effectively cancelled. OTOH if things do go well everyone is asked back to do another "season" or whatever.
British system causes problems because many actors in that country are classically trained, and or move between stage, screen (big) and television. So after a series is wrapped (finished shooting), actors can (and often are) booked elsewhere and may not be available.
Downton Abbey was not based on a book. It was conceived for television from the start.
A recent hit that was is Poldark, based on a series of books. I haven't read them, so I can't speak to how faithful of an adaptation the series is.
The biggest problem Masterpiece Theater faces is its own irrelevance. It began in order for British dramas to have a place to air in the United States. Today, with BritBox, Acorn, Netflix, Amazon Prime, DVD releases, etc., it is actually quite easy for American audiences to watch most British programming. They may have to wait a few months after it airs in the UK, but it is a rare show that you can't find these days.
So why should viewers tune in to the latest airing on Masterpiece Theater when there is a good chance they watched in DVD or Acorn Streaming five weeks ago?
Poldark actually aired first back in the 1970's, this is second time British television did the series.
As for balance of your post, it isn't the medium were programming is viewed, but more the content that is the problem.
Quality of "British television" both within GB and exported to USA and elsewhere began to drop off by the 1990's, predating arrival of streaming or whatever. With comedies there were some successes (Ab Fab, Couples, etc...), but dramas were another matter.
Part of this came from budget cuts; BBC, ITV, and the rest simply don't have the sort of funding they enjoyed in the 1970's and 1980's that allowed turning books like Brideshead Revisited or Jewel In the Crown into sweeping series that lasted several seasons.
Next there is matter of content; everything now is all PC and "inclusion" even if that goes against historical accuracy.
Yes, I know. And both series were based on the same series of books.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BugsyPal
As for balance of your post, it isn't the medium were programming is viewed, but more the content that is the problem. [/url]
Nah, I don't think so. British TV is a lot like American TV in that people's memories tend to be a lot more rose-tinted than reality warrants. Yes, there were some great British productions in the '70s and '80s. And there was a lot of dreck as well. And yes, British TV is still producing a lot of dreck today. But they're also producing stuff like DETECTORISTS, DOC MARTIN, DOWNTON ABBEY, SHETLAND, LUTHER, FLEABAG, PEAKY BLINDERS, etc.
We're living in a new Golden Age of television, not just in the US but in the UK, Canada, France, Israel, etc. I even saw a Russian TV series that was a lot of fun.
Television content is not just as good as it was in the '70s. It's better.
I don't think the British dramas that we saw in the US during the 1970s were particularly expensive. Production quality was rather limited. Most of the series were on sound stages with limited location filming. The older series were more like theatrical productions, for example I Claudius, The Pallisers, the Forsyte Saga, Lillie. American drama series were big on grand locales, special effects, car chases. Masterpiece Theater introduced American audiences to the creme de la creme of British drama. There was plenty of dreck over there as well, but in those days, we didn't get to see it. The Masterpiece dramas that have been imported recently to the US have declined in quality as they have become more "Americanized." An example would be Victoria. It's amusing. It's fun. I like to watch it. But it doesn't require the level of analysis that a piece like Brideshead Revisited or The Citadel did. I half expect "Prince Albert" to break out the guitar and yelp out "Purple Rain." They don't even try to make the actor look like Prince Albert.
Bugsy and I are fortunate that in the 1970s, we had access to British programs on our local commercial channel, WOR, channel 9, in addition to the stuff on PBS. That's where I fell in love with The Onedin Line. Today, that would be a very expensive show to film, requiring CGI and many replicas of 19th century ships. Back, then, the actors mostly "spoke" about the action, rather than showing it to the audience. I also used to watch British programs aired on small "PBS" stations on UHF, which were not available on the area's main PBS station, WNET in the 1970s. This was decades before Acorn, cable, and Britbox.
I don't think the British dramas that we saw in the US during the 1970s were particularly expensive. Production quality was rather limited. Most of the series were on sound stages with limited location filming. The older series were more like theatrical productions, for example I Claudius, The Pallisers, the Forsyte Saga, Lillie. American drama series were big on grand locales, special effects, car chases. Masterpiece Theater introduced American audiences to the creme de la creme of British drama. There was plenty of dreck over there as well, but in those days, we didn't get to see it. The Masterpiece dramas that have been imported recently to the US have declined in quality as they have become more "Americanized." An example would be Victoria. It's amusing. It's fun. I like to watch it. But it doesn't require the level of analysis that a piece like Brideshead Revisited or The Citadel did. I half expect "Prince Albert" to break out the guitar and yelp out "Purple Rain." They don't even try to make the actor look like Prince Albert.
Bugsy and I are fortunate that in the 1970s, we had access to British programs on our local commercial channel, WOR, channel 9, in addition to the stuff on PBS. That's where I fell in love with The Onedin Line. Today, that would be a very expensive show to film, requiring CGI and many replicas of 19th century ships. Back, then, the actors mostly "spoke" about the action, rather than showing it to the audience. I also used to watch British programs aired on small "PBS" stations on UHF, which were not available on the area's main PBS station, WNET in the 1970s. This was decades before Acorn, cable, and Britbox.
My old man thought PBS was full of SMUT and degenerate programming other than the kiddie stuff like Sesame Street, Electric Company, etc....
One of the few programs we kids could watch at night on PBS with the parents around would be animal/nature programs, or some sort of concert; that was pretty much it.
Had to sneak my I Claudius and other watching either when they were out, or was alone down in the rumpus room.
Of course when everyone started getting cable, some of their programming made PBS seem tame in comparison. *LOL*
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