Aaron Staton, Hattie Morahan, and Owen McDonnell in the BBC homefront drama

‘My Mother & Other Strangers’ – Growing up in wartime on Amazon Prime

Set in a rural Irish town during World War II, My Mother & Other Strangers (2017) is another British TV homefront drama, this one viewed through the memories of an adolescent boy. Francis Coyne (Michael Nevin) is the son of Rose (Hattie Morahan), who is London born and bred and treated like an outsider by […]

Jenna Coleman is Queen Victoria in the British historical drama

‘Victoria: Season 1’ on Amazon Prime

One-time Doctor Who companion Jenna Coleman ascends the throne in Victoria: Season 1, the British TV drama that chronicles the life and reign of young Victoria as she crowned Queen of England in 1837 at the age of 18. Created by veteran BBC producer and novelist Daisy Goodwin, the first season covers the first few […]

Keeley Hawes stars in the British TV series based on the books by Gerald Durrell

‘The Durrells in Corfu: Season 1’ on Amazon Prime

The Durrells in Corfu: Season 1 (2016) – Based on “The Corfu Trilogy,” a series of memoirs by respected naturalist, conservationist, and author Gerald Durrell, this British series follows the adventures of Louisa Durrell (Keeley Hawes), a newly-widowed mother of four children who moves her impoverished family from England to the sunny Greek island of […]

Jeremy Piven is Mr Selfridge in the BBC series that shows on the PBS showcase Masterpiece in the U.S.

‘Mr Selfridge: The Fourth and Final Season’ on Amazon Prime

Mr Selfridge: The Fourth and Final Season of the PBS drama of an American department store magnate in London, jumps ahead eight years. Harry Selfridge (Jeremy Piven), dubbed “The Earl of Oxford Street” by the press, is living the high life, spending lavishly on the American showgirls The Dolly Sisters (whose flamboyant escapades invariably end […]

Ken Burns' documentary 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'

Happy Anniversary: ‘The National Parks: America’s Best Idea’ on Amazon Prime

On August 25, 2016, the National Parks Service turns 100. To celebrate the centenary of this great and necessary institution, I suggest checking out The National Parks: America’s Best Idea (2009) from America’s chronicler Ken Burns. This six-part, twelve-hour plus series explores not just the beauty and legacy of America’s National Parks, but the history […]