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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British TV News: Unforgotten, Marlow Murders, Thomas Crown Affair
Published about 2 months ago • 3 min read
Today marks 15 years since the premiere of Luther, the now-classic British crime drama starring Idris Elba as a morally complex detective who struggles with the darkness of the world and its people. Ruth Wilson plays Alice Morgan, a brilliant but evil woman who enjoys making his life complicated.
To celebrate the anniversary, we put together a fun minstrel-style song about Luther, which you can check out HERE.
In the US, you can watch Luther on Acorn TV, AMC+, BritBox, Hulu, and Pluto TV (free with ads, but only 3 seasons). You can check out the newer Netflix production Luther: The Fallen Son on Netflix.
What we're...
Watching: Miss Austen - Ok, so we're not technically watching this one yet - but it premieres tonight over on PBS/PBS Masterpiece and we'll definitely be tuning in. Based on Gill Hornby's bestselling novel, is follows Cassandra Austen as she hunts for a stash of letters that could destroy her sister's reputation.
Reading: The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen - This one's not British, but it's a must-read for anyone who enjoyed Thursday Murder Club or Killers of a Certain Age. I picked it up ahead of seeing Gerritsen talk here in Maine last night, and it follows a group of CIA agents who've retired to Maine (and of course, they manage to find their way into all sorts of trouble). It's a fun story with great representation of older adults.
PBS has announced premiere dates for season 2 of Marlow Murder Cluband season 6 of Unforgotten. Both shows will premiere the evening of August 24th. For those watching on old-fashioned TV, Marlow Murder Club will be on at 9/8 Central, with Unforgotten following at 10/9 Central. They usually show up around the same time on the PBS Masterpiece Amazon channel, but of course you can watch those at any point after they arrive on the service.
Bergerac Renewed
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
It's been 26 years since the 1999 adaptation of The Thomas Crown Affair, and Amazon/MGM Studios has decided it's time for a new one. It's expected to be released on March 5th, 2027, but for now, cast and plot details have not been provided.
In the 99/Pierce Brosnan version, he was up against a detective played by Rene Russo - but in the original, it was the playboy (Steve McQueen) against Faye Dunaway as an insurance investigator.
Amazon has released a trailer for their upcoming crime comedy Deep Cover, which will premiere on June 12th on Amazon. You can view it HERE.
Bryce Dallas Howard stars as Kat, an improv teacher who’s lost faith in her big break—until a cop (Sean Bean) recruits her to help take down a London crime ring. She ropes in two students (Orlando Bloom and Nick Mohammed) to pose as gangsters, and things spiral from there.
The cast is stacked with talent from both sides of the Atlantic, including Paddy Considine, Sonoya Mizuno, and Ian McShane.
PBS Under Threat
In case you didn't get (or see) their email, Susanne Simpson, Head of Scripted Content & Executive Producer of MASTERPIECE, recently sent out a message regarding ongoing attempts to cut federal funding to PBS.
If PBS loses funding (funding that amounts to ~$1.60 per year, per American), the American British TV landscape will certainly be worse off. So how can you help?
Contact your congressperson. This isn't about right or left, it's about great educational TV for kids and high-quality programming for those of us who love British TV. This is the website PBS has recommended for help with sending/formatting your message.
Sign up for PBS Masterpiece on Amazon. Given that Amazon is presumably taking their cut, this is not as useful as a direct donation - but if you know how to use the Amazon ecosystem and you find PBS Passport intimidating, it's still a good option. While PBS Passport has slightly different offerings when you choose different local stations to sponsor, the Amazon channel has consistent offerings for all American viewers (along with a nice back catalogue of British and European shows).
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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