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BritBox (US) Announces May 2025 Premieres + A Tribute to Jean Marsh
Published 2 months ago • 3 min read
Before we dive into this week’s British TV news, we want to take a moment to remember actress and screenwriter Jean Marsh, who died on April 13th.
In 1971, Marsh co-created Upstairs, Downstairs—a groundbreaking drama that would go on to become one of the most beloved and influential series in British TV history. At a time when women in the UK still couldn’t apply for a mortgage without a male guarantor, Marsh’s achievement (alongside Dame Eileen Atkins) was nothing short of remarkable.
She not only helped shape the series behind the scenes, but also starred in it as Rose Buck, the competent upper house parlourmaid who served Eaton Place for decades.
If you’d like to revisit Jean Marsh’s work—or discover it for the first time—we’ve included a list of some of her best and most interesting performances currently available to stream in the US at the end of this email.
What we're...
Watching: The Stolen Girl - This is one of those thrillers that's enjoyable to watch, but ultimately forgettable. It follows a woman whose daughter has been kidnapped from a play date, sending her on a Europe-wide hunt to get her back. You can use the link to find it on Amazon, or check it out over on Hulu.
Reading: The War Pianist by Mandy Robotham - I picked this one up on sale (still at $.99 at time of writing), and it's better than I expected. In 1940, two women—one in Blitz-era London, the other in occupied Amsterdam—risk everything as covert radio operatives.
On BritBox, all episodes of the David Mitchell-led mystery Ludwig are now available for streaming. The 21st brought season 7 of This Farming Life, and on the 23rd we can look forward to season 3 of The Cleaner. On the 24th, they'll add I, Jack Wright. We've received a lot of recent questions about Silent Witness and Beyond Paradise - but for now, we haven't received any information from BritBox about official dates.
On Acorn TV, new episodes of Murdoch Mysteries continue weekly on Mondays. The final episode for this season of The Chelsea Detective aired yesterday on the 21st - the same day they added the first episode of the new season of Brokenwood Mysteries. On the 28th, they'll be adding the new Welsh crime drama The One That Got Away.
With more than 100 screen credits to her name (many of them smaller roles or shows that aren't available to stream), this list is by no means comprehensive - but it's a great place to begin exploring Marsh's extensive body of work.
Classic Doctor Who - Marsh appeared in three separate roles: Morgaine (season 26), Sara Kingdom (season 3), and Joanna (season 2)
Murder, She Wrote - In season 10, episode 10, Marsh plays an actress friend of Jessica Fletcher's - and wouldn't you know it, she's been accused of murder and only Jessica can prove her innocence!
Willow - Marsh played Queen Bavmorda in this 1980s fantasy classic (and it also includes Val Kilmer, who died earlier this month).
Return to Oz - This darker follow-up to the classic children's tale saw Marsh in the role of Nurse Wilson.
Twilight Zone - In one of the earliest of her roles which are still available to stream, you can watch Marsh playing Alicia, a humanoid robot delivered to keep a prisoner's spirits up, in season 1, episode 7: "The Lonely". Though the episode is more than 60 years old now, it remains just as relevant as ever (especially as more and more people are developing relationships with AI).
Monarch - Marsh delivers a commanding performance as the housekeeper turned reluctant accomplice to a mysterious, wounded man claiming to be King Henry VIII.
Crooked House - Marsh appears as Lady Constance de Momery in this ghost story about a cursed house, set across three time periods.
"We'd been watching something full of rich people, rich food, beautiful clothes and we had chips on our shoulders, I suppose. And we thought, who did all this work? Who cooked? Who washed up? All those things we put together and thought, 'Let's write something about the downstairs people, the servants, the people who serve.'"
British TV news for American audiences. Enjoy British TV shows like Sherlock, Bridgerton, Downton Abbey, or Midsomer Murders? Wish it was easier to know when new shows are out on each of the different streaming services? Want a way to discover older British shows you might like? Sign up and we'll keep you updated.
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