British Dramas with an American Twist to Stream Now
MASTERPIECE delivers the very best in British drama, but we want to celebrate America’s 250th, too! After all, America is far more than a place where characters go when they leave a show (we see you, [name redacted to prevent spoilers]). In that spirit, here are some unforgettable America-adjacent MASTERPIECE shows to binge right now with PBS Passport, an added member benefit.
Downton Abbey | Six Seasons
Downton Abbey’s Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) once famously quipped, “Why does every day involve a fight with an American?” But every day actually seems to include love, scandals, loyalty, heart, and above all, drama, among the Crawley family and their staff, all set against the opulent and changing world of the family estate, Downton Abbey.
American Themes:
American Pie: The dough in question is the massive capital infusion that Cora Crawley provided to save the estate when she married Robert.
America’s Got Talent: Series star Elizabeth McGovern and guest stars Shirley MacLaine and Paul Giamatti all hail from the U.S.A.
Atlantic Crossing | Eight Episodes
A European princess steals the heart of the U.S. president in Atlantic Crossing, an epic drama inspired by the real World War II relationship between Franklin Roosevelt and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha. Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex and the City) stars as Roosevelt, opposite Swedish actor Sofia Helin (The Bridge) as the beautiful Martha, who flees the Nazis with her three young children and lives under Roosevelt’s protection in America.
American Themes:
We Can Do It! It takes a woman of strength and courage, Norway’s Crown Princess Martha, to convince US president Franklin Delano Roosevelt to help her country fight the Nazis.
Fireside Chat: As with FDR’s famous radio addresses, Atlantic Crossing too combines domestic intimacy with soothing messaging during wartime uncertainty.
The Chaperone
A few years before the 1920s silver screen sensation, Louise Brooks, came to epitomize the restless, reckless spirit of the Jazz Age, she was a rebellious 15 year-old student in Wichita, Kansas for whom fame and fortune were only dreams. When the opportunity arises for her to go to New York to study with a leading dance troupe, she’s required to have a chaperone, and local society matron Norma Carlisle (Elizabeth McGovern), who never broke a rule in her life, impulsively volunteers to accompany Louise (Haley Lu Richardson) to New York for the summer. What long-held secrets are driving Norma’s decision, and what happens when she lands in Manhattan with a rebellious teenager as her ward? Both women are on surprising and ultimately moving journeys of their own, together, in The Chaperone.
American Themes:
New York, New York: Where generations have gone to make dreams come true, including not just Louise Brooks, but her chaperone as well.
Dancing with the Stars: Stars Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey), Haley Lu Richardson (The White Lotus) are joined by Blythe Danner and Campbell Scott and directed by Michael Engler (Downton Abbey, Sex and the City).
Little Women | Three Episodes
At once uniquely American and truly universal, this intimate, poignant, and beautiful star-studded three-part adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women follows iconic sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March on their journey from childhood to adulthood. It’s rich with stars including Maya Hawke as Jo, Jonah Hauer-King as Laurie, Emily Watson as Marmie, Angela Lansbury as Aunt March, and Michael Gambon as Mr. Laurence.
American Themes:
American Girl: Jo March is iconic as a sister, writer, daughter, and woman-in-the-making.
True Grit: Resilience, self-reliance, and courage—all traits of the American spirit—run through the March family.
Mr Selfridge | Four Seasons
In 1909 London, an American retail tycoon arrives at the unfashionable end of Oxford Street to jettison fusty British tradition and open one of the finest department stores the world had ever seen. Jeremy Piven stars in Mr Selfridge as Harry Gordon Selfridge, the real-life entrepreneur and P.T. Barnum-like showman seeking to provide London’s shoppers with the ultimate merchandise and the ultimate thrill. With Samuel West (All Creatures Great and Small) and Amanda Abbington (Sherlock), among others.
American Themes:
Shop Till You Drop: Selfridge imported from the States the concept of shopping for fun, and—in true American fashion—made the experience open to every social class.
The Greatest Showman: Selfridge brought American razzle-dazzle to the floors and window displays of his namesake store with newsworthy stunts and spectacles.
