DVDs in the Works

Photo Credit: Laurence Cendrowicz © BBC 2012

Masterpiece’s Charles Dickens bicentennial season begins this Sunday, April 1^st, with the BBC’s latest version of Great Expectations (starring Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham). Following on April 15^th is an adaptation of Dicken’s last (and unfinished) novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It stars Matthew Rhys (The Lost World – 2001) as John Jasper, who to the world appears to be the respectable choir master of Rochester Cathedral in Kent, England.  But Jasper has two dark secrets that are becoming less and less manageable: an obsessive desire for his nephew’s fiancée, Rosa Bud (Tamzin Merchant – The Tudors), and an addiction to laudanum.

In the title role of John’s nephew Edwin Drood is Freddie Fox (Any Human Heart), who hails from the Fox acting dynasty: son of Edward Fox and Joanna David, brother of Emilia Fox and cousin of Laurence Fox (Inspector Lewis). Also appearing are Rory Kinnear (Cranford), Julia McKenzie (Cranford, Miss Marple) and Alun Armstrong (New Tricks).

Watch the stars come out for Sport Relief: Earlier this Sunday, BBC America is giving us a window into the phenomenon that is Sport Relief, beginning at 7am ET with This is Sport Relief, hosted by Stephen Fry. A full program of Sport Relief specials will lead up to Sport Relief Goes Global from 12:30 – 5 PM ET. We’re especially looking forward to the two Sport Relief Spoofs (10am ET), in which the cream of British talent will send up Mamma Mia, Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs.

Frozen Planet continues on Discovery Sundays at 8pm ET: This week’s episode is the most frozen of all: Winter. One of the many high points is the glimpse of tiny newborn polar bear cubs.

Tags: BBC America, Cranford, Dickens, Downton Abbey, Gillian Anderson, Great Expectations, Masterpiece, Miss Marple, The tudors, Upstairs Downstairs