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)





[07/02/25 - 03:04 PM]
ABC News Announces "Verdict: The Diddy Trial," Airing Wednesday, July 2, at 10 P.M. on ABC, Streaming Next Day on Hulu
A verdict has been reached in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, who has been found guilty on two of five counts.

[07/02/25 - 02:38 PM]
Hallmark Channel Earns #1 Most-Watched Network on Weekends Throughout June with "Passport to Love" Programming Event
"Passport to Love" helped elevate Hallmark Channel to be the #1 most-watched network on weekends throughout the month of June.

[07/02/25 - 11:52 AM]
ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One" Schedule Update: American League Leading Detroit Tigers to Visit Texas Rangers on July 20
Through 14 games, "Sunday Night Baseball" is averaging 1,750,000 million viewers, up 11 percent from last year.

[07/02/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Trainwreck: Storm Area 51" - Official Teaser - Netflix
The stranger-than-fiction story of the greatest meme ever made.

[07/02/25 - 10:00 AM]
First Look - "Big Brother: A Summer of Mystery" Unlocks a Season of Secrets When Houseguests Enter "The Hotel Mystere"
In a season full of surprises, the premiere will be filled with unexpected twists and turns including a masked visitor, a secret accomplice and the shocking arrival of a "Mystery Houseguest" whose identity will remain under wraps... at least for now.

[07/02/25 - 09:00 AM]
"The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" Season Three Drops August 6 on Disney+
Ahead of the summer debut, the series has also been renewed for a fourth season, coming to Disney+ in 2026.

[07/02/25 - 08:12 AM]
ESPN Original Series "The Fight Life" Returns for Season Two on July 7
After each episode's debut, "The Fight Life" will also air across ESPN's linear platforms.

[07/02/25 - 07:09 AM]
Apple's Sci-Fi Drama "Invasion" to Return for Season Three on August 22
The 10-episode third season will make its global return on Friday, August 22 on Apple TV+ with one episode, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through October 24.

[07/02/25 - 06:12 AM]
"South Park's" 27th Season Premiere Moves to Wednesday, July 23rd at 10:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central
The show's social media accounts confirmed the news this morning.

[07/02/25 - 05:06 AM]
Video: Trailer Released for ESPN's "Fanatics Fest: All Access" Special
From June 20-22, Fanatics Fest drove more than 125,000 fans to the Javits Center in New York City, captivating all in attendance and taking over social feeds throughout the three-day event.

[07/02/25 - 04:00 AM]
Roku Will Live-Stream Viral Sensation Savannah Bananas' Banana Ball World Tour Game from Fenway Park
Roku viewers will see the Savannah Bananas take on the Firefighters at historic Fenway Park on Sunday, July 6, at 3:30 PM ET, exclusively streaming on The Roku Channel's Roku Sports Channel in the U.S.

[07/01/25 - 07:01 PM]
Video: "Low Life" - Official Trailer - Disney+
Outlaws. Opportunists. One deadly chase. Who will sink, and who will score?

[07/01/25 - 04:01 PM]
Video: "Glass Heart" Main Trailer and Title Song Revealed
This summer, Netflix presents a harmonious blend of emotion and music.

[07/01/25 - 02:48 PM]
FX's "The Bear" Renewed for Season Five
Christopher Storer's Emmy-award winning hit will return in 2026.

[07/01/25 - 02:25 PM]
Emmy Winner Michael Imperioli Set to Star Opposite Patrick Dempsey in New FOX Drama Series "Memory of a Killer," from Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment
The new drama series is scheduled to premiere midseason on FOX.