FAN FAVORITES
PRIME SUSPECT ( 1991– 1996, 2003, 2006)
One of the most iconic Masterpiece characters of all time is modern- day detective Jane Tennison, the hard- nosed lead investigator on Prime Suspect played by Helen Mirren. The role earned her two Emmys, and her character helped forge a new, take- charge template for women in crime dramas.
ENDEAVOUR ( 2012– present)
Fan- favorite Shaun Evans, 40, charms audiences with his portrayal of the cerebral and solitary Detective Constable Endeavour Morse, written by Inspector Lewis creator and Inspector Morse writer Russell Lewis.
VICTORIA ( 2016– 19)
The 19th- century British queen and empire founder was brought to life by Jenna Coleman in Victoria. It resonated with younger audiences, helping ensure Masterpiece’s future with a newer generation of viewers. “There was a huge response from young girls,” says Coleman. “It had quite an appeal among girls all over the world.”
I, CLAUDIUS ( 1977– 78)
During its formative years, Masterpiece gambled on I, Claudius, a weighty classical drama with an unfamiliar actor playing a distant Roman ruler who spoke with a pronounced stutter. “They wanted Charlton Heston,” Derek Jacobi says with a laugh. “But they got me.” Yet, nearly 50 years on, I, Claudius remains one of Masterpiece’s best- loved shows.
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ( 1978– 80, 1983, 1985, 1988– 90; 2021)
One of the Masterpiece’s most anticipated shows for its 50th year is a new version of All Creatures Great and Small ( Jan. 10). This reimagined seven- part adaptation of James Herriot’s beloved books about a 1930s rural veterinarian in Yorkshire comes back to PBS ( the original series aired on BBC and BBC One) and features Diana Rigg, who died in September of 2020, in one of her final apperances.
DOWNTON ABBEY ( 2011– 15)
Set in Yorkshire from 1912 to 1926, this beloved historical drama featured more stars than you could shake a Yorkshire pudding at, including Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Lily James and many more. The cast was almost as bereft as viewers when the series about the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants ended after six seasons. "My last day filming was terribly emotional," says Michele Dockery, 39, who played Lady May Crawley. "I felt sick leafing up to that final take, anticipating those words, 'And that's a wrap,' after six years."
GRANTCHESTER ( 2014– present)
“Granchester is quintessentially English,” says Robson Green, 56, who plays Geordie Keating, the detective who hooks up with a local vicar on many cases ( James Norton from 2014 to 2019 and Tom Brittney, 30, beginning in 2019). He describes the show’s setting as “beautiful, idyllic, peaceful and tranquil; perfect for picnics . . . and murder!”
UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS ( 1974– 77)
Set in a large London townhouse, the series depicts the servants— ” downstairs”— and their masters, the family—” upstairs”— between the years 1903 and 1930. A lot happens in those 27 years, including World War I and women’s suffrage. The impact of Upstairs Downstairs, like most Masterpiece shows, comes not from violence but from emotion, Fellowes says. “The shows are dealing with the emotional response, not the brutal fact; all ages can watch them.”