The truth is out there
Alert Janeite Lisa let us know that Gillian Anderson, best known as Agent Dana Scully in the X-Files and more recently as Lady Dedlock in Bleak House, will be hosting Masterpiece Classic, as the winter/spring programming will now be known on Masterpiece Theatre.
Ms. Anderson will introduce the January-to-May block of costume dramas that are to be known as “Masterpiece Classic.” They will begin this season with adaptations of six Jane Austen novels. Additional hosts will be chosen to introduce summer programming under the rubric “Masterpiece Mystery!” and the fall block of dramas, to be known as “Masterpiece Contemporary.”
Aww, does that mean the Edward Gorey animations will go away for Mystery? Poo.
The Times story contains information about the other “classic” programming coming up. (Pray note our careful use of quotation marks.)
In addition to the Austen films, which will begin with a new adaptation of “Persuasion,” starring the British actress Sally Hawkins, the season includes “Miss Austen Regrets,” a biography of the novelist. Other films include “Cranford,” a three-part mini-series starring Judi Dench; “My Boy Jack,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, of the Harry Potter movies, playing the son of the author Rudyard Kipling; and a new adaptation of E. M. Forster’s “Room With a View.”
Cranford? Is awesome. So far. 
We’ve heard rather the opposite about the new RWaV…
In other Complete Jane Austen news, Alert Janeite Marylou let us know that the January issue of O (Oprah’s magazine) has a positive review of the Complete Jane Austen in the Live Your Best Life section (but Marylou thinks they mixed up the photos for NA and Persuasion).
December 11th, 2007 at 5:49 am
Hey, how come they’re calling Cranford a THREE-part miniseries? On the BBC, it’s a five-parter! (And alas, the last episode will be broadcast this Sunday.
I’ll miss it!)
December 11th, 2007 at 7:57 am
They’re probably going to broadcast more than one episode at a time. Masterpiece Theater is usually 90 minutes to two hours.
December 11th, 2007 at 10:13 am
With all due respect to Gillian Anderson, she is definitely not worth swapping out the Edward Gorey pix for.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
How can they have Masterpiece Theatre without Jean-Joseph Mouret’s brass fanfare Rondeau? Even Sesame Street used the fanfare to introduce Monsterpiece Theater.
December 11th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Yeah RoomWaV isn’t great
December 11th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I get the impression they will have different hosts for the Mystery and Contemporary programs.
And yeah, they need Rondeau. These people have no respect for tradition!
December 11th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Room With A View was so terrible with silly and bizarre story changes and poor acting. Damn these rubbish new adaptations
December 11th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Me too Linda
December 12th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
That’s great news about Gillian Anderson.
If Oprah is going to review the series, the least she could do is add one of Jane Austen’s books to her book club.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
O magazine did mess up the Persuasion and NA photos. Too bad.
December 12th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Room With a View was not great, but enjoyable. Nothing compared to the 80s version though!
December 14th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Room With a View was poor, but Cranford and My Boy Jack are very good.