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Monday 11 January 2021 people & Arts
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PBS’ ‘Masterpiece’ marks 50th year with challenges ahead

By LYNN ELBER felt comfortable taking the
AP Television Writer role after he looked into
LOS ANGELES (AP) — As 19th-century French history
PBS’ “Masterpiece” marks and found that there were
its 50th anniversary Sunday, Black police officers, Simp-
the drama and mystery son recounted.
showcase could rest on its “What I learned from him
reputation built with ac- is that it’s really our obliga-
claimed programs includ- tion as the writers and the
ing “I, Claudius” and “Eliza- producers to look more
beth R” and polished anew deeply at history in terms of
by surprising pop-culture what people of color were
hits “Sherlock” and “Down- authentically, and to take
ton Abbey.” more effort to find those
But “Masterpiece” execu- stories,” she said.
tive producer Susanne “The Long Song,” a three-
Simpson says it’s positioned part drama debuting Jan.
to thrive as it addresses 31 on “Masterpiece,” ex-
the challenges posed by emplifies what is hiding in
a changing media industry plain sight. Based on An-
and increased calls for di- drea Levy’s historical novel
versity. of the same name, a final-
“’Masterpiece’ is important ist for the prestigious Book-
to the PBS system. Our view- er literary prize, it tells of a
ers expect us to keep find- young Black woman’s life
ing the best” in TV, Simpson in the final years of slavery
said, even as competition in Jamaica and its after-
from commercial platforms This image released by PBS shows Tamara Lawrance, left, and Hayley Atwell in a scene from the math.
increases. miniseries "The Long Song" debuting Jan. 31 on “Masterpiece.” Pandemic uncertainty
With more streaming ser- Associated Press brought it to “Master-
vices and other outlets piece,” when taping on
gobbling up programs, in- feeling was nobody could The Public Broadcasting producers are as commit- some of its U.K. shows
cluding the British-made understand the accent,” Service also ensures that its ted as we are” to adding paused last March and
dramas that are a “Master- Eaton recalled. Worse yet, programming is reaching diversity across the board, Simpson sought available
piece” staple, the public TV they thought it sounded viewers, especially younger including in writing, direct- programs as a safeguard.
program is becoming more too high-brow for Ameri- ones, where and how they ing and acting, Simpson Already familiar with the
aggressive in the market- cans. watch TV, which increas- said. late Levy’s work because
place, Simpson said. But in 1985, there was sud- ingly is anywhere but on a Callender said the call for “Masterpiece” had aired
She joined the series nearly denly “somebody else in stuck-to-the-wall screen. change is being heeded, an adaptation of her “Small
14 years ago and became the game” besides PBS While PBS may be viewed even with “All Creatures Island” novel in 2010, Simp-
its executive producer in and the A&E channel, said primarily as a traditional Great and Small,” which son said she found “The
2019, only the fourth since Eaton, now executive pro- broadcaster, its programs is based on semiautobio- Long Song” to be “power-
“Masterpiece” debuted ducer at large for “Master- (and educational initia- graphical books by a vet- ful and moving.”
Jan. 10, 1971, with the mini- piece.” tives) are available online. erinarian practicing in a ru- Tamara Lawrance, who
series “The First Churchills.” “HBO pounced on doing “Masterpiece” streams on ral English community in the stars as the main charac-
“We are investing earlier ‘Elizabeth I’ with Helen Mir- PBS.org and the PBS Video late 1930s. ter, said every generation
and we’re co-producing ren, which was a very rude app to an audience that “The thrust of diversity believes “things are chang-
earlier on projects, so we’re shock because we consid- skews younger than its meant several things,” Cal- ing, things are different,”
in a position to be able to ered rather comfortably broadcast viewership, with lender said, including mak- but sees a welcome en-
put development money that we owned Elizabeth nearly 40 percent under ing the female characters ergy in the British creative
into scripts,” Simpson said. I,” she said. “Masterpiece” the age of 55, according fully dimensional, casting community that is building
“I have probably 15 proj- had aired “Elizabeth R,” the to PBS. actors with physical chal- on the past.
ects sitting in my inbox, and 1972 miniseries with Glenda The showcase also is re- lenges and creating a “I’m so proud of ‘The Long
I’m going to have to make Jackson as the monarch, a sponding to the growing character inspired by the Song’ and being in a cast
a decision quickly on one perceived stake that HBO call for inclusivity in Hol- family history of Black actor of people like that, of
of those because there is blithely ignored. lywood screen projects, Clea Sylvestre, who plays amazing older Black actors
so much competition for “Masterpiece” can’t com- Simpson said. That would the role. that I grew up watching,”
those projects.” pete with Netflix- or HBO- seem daunting when it “Masterpiece” is doing its Lawrance said.q
When “Masterpiece” was sized budgets, Simpson comes to ethnic diversity, own work, Simpson said.
under executive producer said, relying on corporate given that the series’ pe- That includes taking an ac- Solution Sudoku
Rebecca Eaton in the mid- sponsors Viking and Ray- riod dramas traditionally tive role in fostering diversity 1/11 Difficulty Level
1980s, she “used to be able mond James and big and skew white, but she said it in projects as they’re being 8 4 7 3 5 2 6 9 1
to sit back” and mull her small viewer donations can and is being done. developed, she said, and 2 6 9 8 4 1 5 7 3
choice of U.K.-produced (specific figures were not That requires the coopera- discovering authentic ways 5 3 1 9 7 6 4 2 8
shows, Simpson said. provided). But she said it tion of British TV producers, to reflect inclusivity in pe-
As unlikely as it seems in makes the most of its re- whose industry has faced its riod dramas, among them 2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc. 3 7 8 6 1 9 2 4 5
the age of Netflix’s cele- lationships with producers own sharp criticism for long 2019’s “Les Miserables” 1 9 4 5 2 8 7 3 6
brated “The Crown” and its such as Colin Callender, minimizing people of color miniseries. 6 5 2 7 3 4 1 8 9
new multiethnic sensation whose “All Creatures Great as actors and creators. David Oyelowo, the Eng- 4 1 5 2 9 3 8 6 7
“Bridgerton,” U.S. networks and Small” reboot kicks off “I’ve had some terrific, seri- lish-born Black actor who 9 2 6 1 8 7 3 5 4
used to avoid British dra- the new “Masterpiece” ous conversations in which starred as the obsessed 7 8 3 4 6 5 9 1 2
ma “because the general season Sunday. it’s clear to me that our U.K. police inspector Javert, Puzzle on Page 13