or


[05/21/25 - 02:21 PM]
"Masterpiece" on PBS Acquires Two Star-Studded Shows - "The Great Escaper" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" Coming in 2025 and 2026
The former stars Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson in their final acting roles; and the latter stars Sam Claflin and Jeremy Irons.

[via press release from PBS]

MASTERPIECE on PBS Acquires Two Star-Studded Shows

The Great Escaper and The Count of Monte Cristo Coming in 2025 and 2026

(Atlanta, Georgia - May 21, 2025) MASTERPIECE Head of Scripted Content and Executive Producer Susanne Simpson announced at the PBS Annual Meeting that the long-running British drama series has acquired two stellar programs for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

The Great Escaper featuring Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson in their final acting roles will premiere this fall in its U.S. television debut and The Count of Monte Cristo starring Sam Claflin and Jeremy Irons will premiere in 2026.

Simpson notes, "I couldn't be happier to be bringing these special programs to our audience. British acting royalty and an adaptation of a classic piece of literature - The Great Escaper and The Count of Monte Cristo are both perfect MASTERPIECE fare." MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by GBH Boston.

The Great Escaper tells the true story of Bernard Jordan (Michael Caine) who made global headlines in the summer of 2014. He had staged a "great escape" from his care home to join fellow war veterans on a beach in Normandy, commemorating their fallen comrades at the D-Day Landings 70th anniversary.

It was a story that captured the imagination of the world as Bernie embodied the defiant, "can-do" spirit of a generation that was fast disappearing. But of course, it wasn't the whole story. It was an inspirational but sanitized retelling of one man's need to come to terms with the lasting trauma of war.

Bernie's adventure, spanning a mere 48 hours, also marked the culmination of his 60- year marriage to Rene (Glenda Jackson) - The Great Escaper celebrates their enduring love but always with an eye to the lessons we might learn from the Greatest Generation.

Pathé and BBC Films present "The Great Escaper", an Ecosse Film production made in co-production with Film I Väst and Filmgate Films.

The Count of Monte Cristo is a lushly lensed adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' iconic masterpiece. In the epic series directed by two-time Palme d'Or and Oscar(R)-winner Bille August, Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones and the Six) stars as Edmond Dantes, a nineteen-year-old sailor who was falsely accused of treason and is imprisoned without trial in the Château d'If, a grim island fortress off Marseille, France. After many years of captivity, Dantes finally escapes and discovers treasure, making him one of the richest men in the world. Under the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he plans to take revenge on those who wrongly accused him. Ana Girardot (The Returned) and Jeremy Irons (The Borgias) also star.

The Count of Monte Cristo is produced by Palomar and DEMD Productions, two Mediawan companies, and distributed worldwide by MediawanRights in cooperation with CAA (for North America) and with the participation of Entourage Ventures.

For the latest news on The Great Escaper, The Count of Monte Cristo and other great dramas and mysteries coming to MASTERPIECE on PBS, sign up for our free, weekly email newsletter. You'll get the latest schedule updates, airdate announcements, behind-the-scenes extras and more.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/masterpiece-on-pbs-acquires-two-star-studded-shows/





  [may 2025]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
    


· COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO, THE (PBS)
· GREAT ESCAPER, THE (PBS)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.