The Big Picture
- Masterpiece has acquired the Channel 4 miniseries Alice & Jack, a quirky romance starring Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson, which will premiere next year.
- The series explores the complexities of love and features moving performances from award-winning actors, making it a perfect fit for Masterpiece’s lineup, says executive Susanne Simpson.
- Masterpiece, known for presenting acclaimed British productions to American audiences, has a long history of bringing popular shows like Downton Abbey and Sherlock across the Atlantic.
Masterpiece, PBS’ showcase for UK programming, has acquired the Channel 4 miniseries Alice & Jack and will air it next year. The quirky romance stars Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson. Deadline reports that Alice & Jack, a reunion of two of the stars of Never Let Me Go, will premiere next year on the public broadcaster’s Sunday-night Masterpiece program after debuting at this month’s Toronto International Film Festival.
A story of love at first sight and its complications, with Riseborough and Gleeson as the titular lovers, it will also star Aisling Bea (Home Sweet Home Alone), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), and Sunil Patel (Documentary Now!) in supporting roles. Masterpiece executive Susanne Simpson calls the show an “exceptionally beautiful and profound series that we are proud to add to our lineup”, and Fremantle’s Lisa Honig calls Masterpiece “the perfect home for this high-quality drama that explores the complexities of love and features moving performances from award-winning actors Andrea Riseborough and Domhnall Gleeson.”
What is ‘Masterpiece’?
Originally titled Masterpiece Theater and hosted by British-American journalist Alistair Cooke, Masterpiece is PBS’ flagship Sunday-night series, known for presenting acclaimed British productions to American audiences. I, Claudius, Prime Suspect, Upstairs, Downstairs, and the original UK version of House of Cards are among the notable programs Masterpiece Theater brought over the Atlantic over the years. In 2008 it dropped the second word from its title, becoming Masterpiece, and merged with fellow PBS series Mystery!; it has since been hosted by various luminaries, including Laura Linney, Alan Cumming, and David Tennant. Since then, it has continued to broadcast a number of British TV favorites, including Downton Abbey, Victoria, and Sherlock. Among its upcoming programs is Nolly, which will star Helena Bonham Carter as British TV personality Nolly Gordon.
Alice & Jack was created and written by Victor Levin (Mad About You, Mad Men). Juho Kuosmanen (Compartment No. 6) and Hong Khaou (Monsoon) directed the series. Executive producers include Levin, Riseborough, Gleeson, Kuosmanen, Richard Yee and Krishnendu Majumdar for Me + You Productions, Michael London and Shannon Gaulding for Groundswell, Lorenzo De Maio for De Maio Entertainment, and Rebecca Dundon and Hilary Martin for Fremantle. Tracy O’Riordan produced for Me + You Productions.
Alice & Jack will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this fall, and will debut on PBS’ Masterpiece next year. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch Collider’s interview with Domhnall Gleeson below.
