PBS has enriched my whole life — from childhood in rural Owen County, to adolescence in the bowels of Florida, and then back to the WTIU mothership as an adult in Bloomington, Indiana. Children’s programming, how-tos, Nature, NOVA, and those amazing documentaries bring vivid joy to my face just thinking about my experiences with these “old friends.” But no other program gets my complete attention like MASTERPIECE.
When I was young, staying up on a Sunday night immersed in another place, another time, another socioeconomic class was a welcome distraction from the giant pile of laundry I needed to fold. Thus, the habit was established. I fell in love with Poldark — who didn’t? — and devoured Endeavour. MASTERPIECE Mystery!’s Zen took me on a darker adventure, where Rufus Sewell remains a legitimate crush to this day. As the series evolved and remade past programs, I appreciated the updates with a nod to the past. Upstairs, Downstairs certainly brought glamour and strife in both versions!
I remember staying awake all night watching every single episode of Downton Abbey Season 3. Tears poured down my face in the middle of the night ... more tears were to come.
Downton Abbey was the great equalizer, uniting youngsters and the now middle-aged me in jaunty conversation about the latest episode. Oh, that Lady Mary could really get under my skin!
Later in life, Sunday night became home date night with my Bob — sipping martinis and munching popcorn in comfort, expressing joy and outrage with the characters. By then, I made sure the laundry was folded and even put away to allow my full attention to the drama before me. Yes, I was appointment viewing back in those days — one episode at a time.
Working at WTIU had its advantages. Eva Zogorski, now retired Membership Director, received full-series DVDs from MASTERPIECE and shared them with me. Lucky! I remember staying awake all night watching every single episode of Downton Abbey Season 3. Tears poured down my face in the middle of the night as I texted Eva, only to be informed that more tears were to come. I showed up to the station looking rough the next morning and had only Eva to comfort me.
Advanced series DVDs may be a thing of the past, but now I can binge-watch almost everything with my PBS Passport member benefit.
These days, my MASTERPIECE passions are All Creatures Great & Small, Bookish, and the upcoming third version of The Forsyte Saga, which premieres on WTIU in mid-March. The second version of The Forsyte Saga had me by the throat within the first 12 minutes of Episode 1. I watched it in the olden days of this new century by appointment. I couldn’t get enough of it one episode at a time, so I ravenously read the novels on which the story is based.
Waiting for this third version of Soames Forsyte’s misbehavior is excruciating! I’m baking shortbread and scones like a madwoman. I’m dusting off my best tea set and sourcing a glamorous feathered hat to match my favorite pajamas. I know I should pace myself, but I have no self-control when it comes to excellent British drama.
And trust me on this — as one who is a seasoned British drama junkie — The Forsyte Saga is your MASTERPIECE destiny.
Join me for a sneak peek of The Forsyte Saga’s first episode three whole Sundays in advance of its release. WTIU is hosting a free screening of Episode 1 on Sunday, March 1, at 7 p.m. in the very posh IU Cinema on Bloomington’s campus. I’ll be the giddy one in the back — maybe in a feathered hat. Come say hello.
