Episode Title: "Part 1"

Synopsis: A three-part adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's "Cranford," about life in an 1840s Cheshire village. Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins star as sisters Matty and Deborah Jenkyns who, in the opener, welcome an old friend (Lisa Dillon) to live with them. Also, the town's new doctor (Simon Woods) introduces new medical procedures and causes hearts to swoon; and a railroad headed Cranford's way causes some concern.

Airs: Sunday, May 4, 2008; PBS; 9-11 PM EST

Part 2 on Sunday, May 11, 2008

Part 3 on Sunday, May 18, 2008

Discuss.

Dame Judi's proper greeting: A good laugh
by William Keck, USA TODAY

BEVERLY HILLS — Good thing Judi Dench has a healthy sense of humor.

The Oscar winner, 73, stars in PBS' "Cranford", a miniseries set in an 1840s English village. She's one of a gaggle of busybodies, and as the saga unfolds, villagers drop dead left and right.

When a question arises about surviving for the sequel — 2009's "Christmas in Cranford" — Dench assumes her own longevity is being called into question.

"Well, I certainly hope I'm alive," she says with a slightly uncomfortable laugh.

Once she realizes it's her character who's in question, her little laugh becomes an outright guffaw. "Oh, that is funny," she says, assuring that she will take part in the follow-up.

In a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dench is finishing the last of some hot chocolate with a side of miniature marshmallows. She has flown to L.A. for just a few days from her English country home on the border of Surrey and Sussex.

She tells how, in the VIP lounge at Heathrow before her flight, a man tapped her on the shoulder and told her he was going to inspect the plane for safety. It was Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 to her M in four James Bond films. "Please do," Dench told Brosnan, playing along. "Let me know if it's safe."

In November, she'll be seen for the second time with the latest Bond, Daniel Craig, in "Quantum of Solace", her sixth Bond adventure. She spent four weeks shooting in London plus a week in Panama. This time, M will be giving Bond "a much harder time," she says. "It's gloves off!"

Things are far more restrained in the sleepy village of Cranford. Dench remembers reading the Cranford series of books by Elizabeth Gaskell when she was a schoolgirl.

"It's wonderfully intimate and the antithesis of parts I've been playing," Dench says. She's one of two spinster sisters who sacrifice joy for the sake of appearances. Michael Gambon co-stars as a lover with whom she reunites decades after she turned down his marriage proposal.

It is a bittersweet love story that mirrors the real-life loss in 2001 of Dench's husband of 30 years, actor Michael Williams. Dench believes Williams' spirit still visits from time to time. "Funny enough, quite often," she says. "In my house."

Five months after his death, a mole in her garden crossed her path. She believes it may have been Williams, who played a mole opposite her ferret in a 1972 Stratford production of "The Wind in the Willows". "I'd never seen a mole anywhere," she says. "We lifted it away, and then it came back again."

Since then, Dench has not entertained the thought of dating, though that hasn't stopped the British tabloids from speculating. Not long ago she was photographed with her Iris and "Notes on a Scandal" director, Richard Eyre — the husband of Cranford writer/producer Sue Birtwistle. "And by God — wasn't it in the paper, asking, 'Is this my new man?' " Dench says with a chuckle.

"Poor Sue. But I thought it was very, very funny."

A colorful dame in more ways than one, Dench was dubbed "Dame Judi" by Queen Elizabeth in 1988. Though people routinely make the mistake of calling her "Dame Dench" instead of the proper form, she says with a shrug, "I don't care what I'm called."

She was also the recipient of an Oscar for 1998's "Shakespeare in Love" and has been nominated for five other roles, including "Mrs. Brown" (1997) and "Notes on a Scandal" (2006). She is now in line to take on the designer role in "Nine", the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical to be directed by Rob Marshall ("Chicago"). "I sing exactly like I speak," says Dench, who received high marks for her role as Sally Bowles in the 1968 London premiere run of "Cabaret".

Though she appreciates her Oscar and her many other awards, she is not defined by them. In fact, she is not above spoofing her little gold man's significance.

"We have a crossing near where I live that is very, very difficult to get across, so we call it 'Oscar Crossing,' " she says. "I had a replica made of my driver's car with a little Oscar in it."

But to her great disappointment, her driver, she says with a frown, "made no acceptance speech at all."

USA Today's review:
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"Cranford" captivates, and makes you think
by Robert Bianco, USA TODAY

Where Judi Dench goes, it's always wise to follow.

Granted, if you're already a fan of Elizabeth Gaskell, the Victorian author whose "Wives and Daughters" made for an earlier Masterpiece, then you're probably primed for "Cranford" — and Dench's star turn is just a bonus. But if the author and the book are new to you, allow the reliably wonderful Dench to be the draw.

Then prepare yourself to be captivated by everything and everyone around her, from the lively comedy of the incident-rich plot to the fabulous ensemble led by Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis and perhaps most impressively, Eileen Atkins. There isn't a role that isn't ideally filled, or a character who couldn't fill more hours than "Cranford"'s five.

Yes, it's another PBS journey to a long-gone British world of lace, petticoats, and hand-written garden party invitations, but it would be wrong to dismiss this beautifully filmed miniseries as a period piece. Social attitudes and behavior have changed, but what has stayed constant is our fear of change itself — represented in "Cranford" by the coming of the railroad to this 19th-century rural community.

In some ways, "Cranford" combines the social criticism of Charles Dickens with the comedy of excess manners of Jane Austen, but there are no complete cads or villains in Gaskell's village. People can be selfish and mistaken, but they mostly try to do what's best, and even the worst of them are capable of moments of kindness.

In a town run by women, no two better represent the constancy of Cranford life than sisters Matty and Deborah Jenkyns. Deborah (Atkins) is bossy and flinty, with strong opinions on everything from the proper length of a social call (15 minutes) to the most decorous way to consume an orange. The more easily lovable Matty is sweet, generous and a little dithery — which makes her a nice change for Dench after so many imperious roles.

The village's problems may at first seem silly: a cat who eats lace, a gossip (Staunton, a constant and surprisingly touching joy) who thinks she's being robbed. But they become more weighty as the story progresses, and they touch on issues that haunt us still, from the value of education to the cost of progress. You do not have to share the villagers' way of life to understand their horror at losing it.

Ultimately, "Cranford" is the type of movie TV does best — one driven by the careful, sympathetic observation of human behavior. Big changes are afoot in Cranford, but the film's depth comes from its recognition of the import of small moments, of the tragedy and comedy in everyday life. Put that story in the hands of actors like Dench, Atkins, and Staunton — along with Annis as the epitome of fading aristocratic glamour — and you have five hours to treasure.

Don't let them pass by without you.

Variety's review:
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Cranford
(Miniseries -- PBS, Sun. May. 4-18, 9 p.m.)
by BRIAN LOWRY

Filmed in the U.K. by BBC and WGBH Boston in association with Chestermead. Executive producers, Rebecca Eaton, Kate Harwood; producers, Sue Birtwistle, Susie Conklin; directors, Simon Curtis, Steve Hudson; writer, Heidi Thomas; based on the novels by Elizabeth Gaskell;

Miss Matty Jenkins - Judi Dench
Miss Deborah Jenkins - Eileen Atkins
Miss Pole - Imelda Staunton
Mr. Holbrook - Michael Gambon
Lady Ludlow - Francesca Annis
Mrs. Forrester - Julia McKenzie
Mr. Carter - Philip Glenister
Lord Charles Maulver - Greg Wise
Dr. Frank Harrison - Simon Woods
Jessie Brown - Julia Sawalha
Mrs. Rose - Lesley Manville
Job Gregson - Dean Lennox Kelly
Rev. Hutton - Alex Jennings
The Hon. Mrs. Jamieson - Barbara Flynn
Sophy Hutton - Kimberley Nixon

For us pedestrian types who skipped Elizabeth Gaskell's 19th century novels -- a cross between the romantic whimsy of Jane Austen and brooding Victorian class-consciousness of Charles Dickens -- "Cranford" takes a little getting used to. After a rocky opening installment, though, the remainder of this five-hour miniseries -- which PBS will spread over three weeks -- settles into something moving and wonderful, showcasing a veritable who's who of British acting talent resembling the staff at Hogwarts and anchored by the splendid Judi Dench. When "Cranford" reaches its zenith, British costume dramas don't come much better.

For these purposes, there really is nothing like a dame, and "Cranford" boasts two knighted ladies: Dench and Eileen Atkins. They play spinster sisters circa 1842 in the quiet but frightfully gossipy little hamlet of Cranford, where the arrival of a handsome young doctor ("Rome's" Simon Woods) and an approaching railway each provide a bracing threat to the local, female-dominated township.

"Cranford has been disturbed by you," Woods' Dr. Harrison is told, which, given the web of misunderstandings and crossed signals that follows, qualifies as a decided understatement.

So much is going on at first that sorting out the sprawling cast of characters proves initially baffling. Suffice it to say that Dr. Harrison immediately sets his sights on the beautiful but poor Sophy (Kimberley Nixon), while all the local busybodies speculate about potential objects of his affection. Indeed, one single woman experiences convenient fainting spells whenever the good doctor happens to be near.

On a more sober note, there is death, loss and fear of change, as well as considerable pining for loves lost (or never found) and opportunities squandered. What makes "Cranford" richer than the recent Austen adaptations that "Masterpiece" has delivered is the multigenerational aspect of this longing, such as in the case of Dench's Miss Matty. Courted as a lass by Mr. Holbrook (Michael Gambon), of whom her family disapproved, she recounts the painful history -- and why she never married -- in a firelight soliloquy that's only one of her several lovely moments.

The plot and tone, admittedly, bounce around quite a lot -- from romance to drama, tragedy to near-farce. Yet the performances are so consistently first-rate (among them Imelda Staunton as the status-obsessed Miss Pole and Francesca Annis as the imperious Lady Ludlow) and the payoff so sweetly worthwhile, it's easy to forgive whatever shortcomings that preceded it.

Written by Heidi Thomas and directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson, "Cranford" proceeds at a leisurely pace meant to evoke the era and bucolic setting, which Gaskell modeled on a rural town where she spent her childhood near Manchester. All of those trappings are simply impeccable, from the costumes and lush countryside to Carl Davis' score.

"Haste has never been our hallmark, Miss Matilda," Holbrook says ruefully at one point.

There's nothing hasty about "Cranford," either, but it's equally true that very little of the time spent there will feel wasted.

Hollywood Reporter's review:
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CRANFORD
by Ray Bennett
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Bottom Line: This is British period comedy drama at its finest.

As pretty as an English village green in summer and as bracing as a winter's meadow brook, the BBC's new five-part period drama "Cranford" is an instant classic.

Starring some of the cream of British acting talent -- Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Imelda Staunton, and Michael Gambon -- the show is adapted from three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell. Her tales of the village of Cranford, not far from Manchester, in the mid-1800s have been rendered with loving precision by a cast and crew in top form.

Produced by the BBC and WGBH Boston in association with Chestermead, the series has been given a magical touch by creators Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin. Plaudits and thanks to everyone involved. Heidi Thomas' dialogue is a constant delight, and director Simon Curtis draws performances from his cast to match the best they have ever done.

Dench and Atkins set the tone immediately as two proper spinster sisters, Matty and Deborah Jenkyns, respectively, who welcome into their village home young Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon), whose family in Manchester is having a crisis.
The actresses are like jewelers finding the most brilliant lights in the gems handed to them in lines like when Miss Deborah cautions Mary: "No woman is equal to a man. She is his superior in every single case."

The village has newcomers in the form of Capt. Brown (Jim Carter) and his two daughters, Jessie (Julia Sawalha) and her unseen older sister who is seriously ill. Her fate will involve the Jenkins sisters more than they would prefer, but that duty obliges.

Young Dr. Harrison (Simon Woods) also is a fresh face in the village, bringing with him some new medical procedures that will help shake up old habits when carpenter Jem Hearne (Andrew Buchan) fractures his arm badly and faces amputation.

Meanwhile at the big house, Lady Ludlow (Francesca Annis) is planning her annual garden party with the help of estate manager Mr. Carter (Philip Glenister) and being very selective about the girls she hires to help. Staggered to discover that one applicant can read and write, Lady Ludlow declares: "She is equipped beyond her station; the proper order of the world will be undone."

Hovering everywhere is the village gossip, Miss Pole (Staunton), who keeps all informed in timely fashion. In the second episode, Gambon's Mr. Holbrook will arrive to upset Miss Matty's world, and there is the threat of a new railway line coming to change the village. Viewers will hardly be able to wait.

CRANFORD
BBC1
A BBC and WGBH Boston co-production
Credits:
Creators: Sue Birtwistle, Susie Conklin
Based on three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell
Executive producers: Kate Harwood, Rebecca Eaton
Teleplay: Heidi Thomas
Director: Simon Curtis
Director of photography: Ben Smithard
Production designer: Donal Woods
Music: Carl Davis
Co-producer: Rupert Ryle-Hodges
Costume designer: Jenny Beavan
Editor: Frances Parker
Cast:
Miss Matty Jenkyns: Judi Dench
Miss Deborah Jenkins: Eileen Atkins
Miss Pole: Imelda Staunton
Mr. Holbrook: Michael Gambon
Lady Ludlow: Francesca Annis
Frank Harrison: Simon Woods
Martha: Claudie Blakley
Dr. Morgan: John Bowe
Jem Hearne: Andrew Buchan
Capt. Brown: Jim Carter
Mary Smith: Lisa Dillon
Miss Galindo: Emma Fielding
Miss Tomkinson: Deborah Findley
Mrs. Jamieson: Barbara Flynn
Mr. Carter: Philip Glenister
Carole Tomkinson: Selina Griffiths
Rev. Hutton: Alex Jennings
Job Gregson: Dean Lennox Kelly
Mrs. Rose: Lesley Manville
Dr. Jack Mashland: Joe McFadden
Mrs. Forrester: Julie McKenzie
Maj. Gordon: Alistair Petrie
Jessie Brown: Julia Sawalha
Clara Smith: Finty Williams
Lord Charles Maulver: Greg Wise
Sophy Hutton: Kimberley Nixon
Harry Gregson: Alex Etel

NY Times review:
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Spinsterhood Is Powerful (Until a Catch Shows Up)
by GINIA BELLAFANTE
Published: May 2, 2008

This year, in an effort to forge an image that seemed a little more with it, the producers of “Masterpiece Theater” installed the actress Gillian Anderson as host and shed the stodgiest half of the title, making it simply “Masterpiece.” There is certainly a hint of sexiness in this linguistic divorce. The word masterpiece on its own sounds racier. It connotes something bought rather than merely endured, and it shares the same syllabic beat as MasterCard, with all the potential to capitalize subliminally on its advertising. One month of Showtime: $16. Nine hundred and six hours of “Bleak House”: Priceless.

Given PBS’s public relations effort on behalf of the series, it is curious that the three-part “Cranford” would be offered as part of the current turnaround season. Although it falls under the rubric of “Masterpiece Classic” (as opposed to the Contemporary or Mystery divisions), it holds no interest in shifting any impressions of benightedness.

“Cranford,” which begins on Sunday, is based on the Elizabeth Gaskell novel of the same name, one of the least plotted and most meandering in Victorian literature. An anthropologically observed examination of life in mid-19th-century rural England as the Industrial Revolution encroached on the peaceful folkways of Cranford village, the book is a kind of dissertation on the size of butter lumps, the look of brooches, the economizing ways of a group of townswomen.

Here is a brief excerpt from a description, nearly a page long, of a drawing room belonging to one of the village’s better-off residents: “The furniture was white and gold; not the later style, Louis Quatorze, I think they call it, all shells and twirls; no, Mrs. Jamieson’s chairs and tables had not a curve or bend about them. The chair and table legs diminished as they neared the ground, and were straight and square in all their corners. The chairs were all a-row against the walls, with the exception of four or five which stood in a circle round the fire. They were railed with white bars across the back and knobbed with gold; neither the railings nor the knobs invited to ease.”

That kind of specificity makes pointed sense in a Trollope tome; “Cranford” is 187 pages long. Gaskell presaged the particular sociological style of 20th-century writers like John O’Hara, but skipped all the narrative-energizing booze and self-annihilation.

Next to nothing happens in the book, and so the producers of the PBS venture have incorporated characters from two Gaskell novellas, “My Lady Ludlow” and “Mr. Harrison’s Confessions,” to move things along and offer some semblance of a story. As wise an idea as that was, there is still not enough to sustain the five hours PBS has devoted to Gaskell’s labors.

The mini-series loosely revolves, as the novel does, around the domestic circumstance of two unmarried sisters, Matty and Deborah Jenkyns (Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins), living meagerly as if in a discarded, sad-sack ending to a Jane Austen novel. Cranford is full of women living on their own — the “Amazons” of a book that stands among the early considerations of spinsterhood and might have just as easily been titled “Celibacy and the Pastures.” (Surely there have been legions of middling academic papers written on the story’s crypto-lesbianism.)

The simplicity of the series makes it hard not to feel as though you are watching children play with their Fisher-Price farm set. At its best, though, “Cranford” veers toward the spirit of “Desperate Housewives” — there would have been little point in adapting the novel if it didn’t — and it occasionally finds comedy where the book turns up little. (Gaskell was a friend of Dickens, but her writing style was too plodding to accommodate his best lessons in satire.)

The addition of Dr. Harrison (the handsome young Simon Woods) as a newly arrived physician creates a stir that farcically results in a belief among three women that each one is engaged to him. One of them, Caroline Tomkinson (played by Selina Griffiths), looks like a duck.

There are enough references to the women’s repressed sexuality to make “Cranford” seem, during a few select moments, inspired by “The Benny Hill Show.” Ms. Dench, who proved in the film “Notes on a Scandal” that she gets more wonderfully mischievous as she grows older, here takes great pleasure in scandalously sucking on the flesh of an orange.

The impulse to produce “Cranford” stemmed, I would guess, from an understanding of it as a treatise of feminism little known beyond the world of women’s studies. But adapting “Cranford” only highlights how tenuous its feminist message really is. What single life does to women, apparently, is turn them into dithering twits. And the series only reminds us that what constitutes a happy ending is the attention of a good-looking and prosperous man.

"Cranford" brings memories for Judi Dench

The PBS miniseries travels back to life in a small Victorian-era English village.

by Susan King, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 2, 2008

In making the Victorian-era miniseries "Cranford," actress Judi Dench was reminded of her youth in wartime England. Though separated by nearly a century, the two time periods shared a common spirit.

"You did look after your neighbors," said the Oscar-winning Dench, who plays Miss Matty on the PBS program that premieres Sunday. "They certainly looked after their neighbors in 'Cranford' . . . there is something touching about knowing what people are like and knowing the situation that's going on."

Based on the acclaimed novel and two short stories by Elizabeth Gaskell, "Cranford" is set in a small village in the English countryside, circa 1842. The impending arrival of the railroad is threatening to radically alter the town.

Dench's Matty is a kind-hearted spinster who lives with her stern sister Miss Deborah (Eileen Atkins) and is a strong supporter of the town's traditional rules and customs.

The all-star cast also includes Michael Gambon as Mr. Holbrook, a country squire who had been forbidden by Miss Matty's minister father and Miss Deborah from marrying her years before; Francesca Annis as Lady Ludlow, the town's cash-poor aristocrat who believes the lower classes should never be educated; and Oscar nominee Imelda Staunton as Miss Pole, the town's gossip.

"Cranford," which continues Sundays through May 18, brings down the curtain on the first season of the newly revamped "Masterpiece Theatre."

After 36 years, one of America's longest running weekly prime-time dramatic series was reimagined and divided into three distinct parts -- "Masterpiece Classic," "Masterpiece Mystery" and "Masterpiece Contemporary."

"Masterpiece Classic" began the year with dramatizations of the Jane Austen canon. And, according to "Masterpiece" executive producer Rebecca Eaton, the rebranding has been a huge success. With the Austen dramas, "Masterpiece" saw an audience increase of 125% among women ages 18 to 49 and an 85% increase in women 50 and older.

"Cranford," also part of "Masterpiece Classic," began its latest journey to television about five years ago.

"I read an early draft of the script, and I just loved it," said Eaton, who previously teamed with the BBC on an adaptation of "Wives and Mothers." "I thought it was one of the most heartwarming and touching [stories]."

"Cranford" was a major hit when it aired last fall on BBC, attracting 29% of the TV audience.

"Perhaps why so many people in the U.K. responded to it is that it's about something that I think people fear is lost," Eaton said. "That is the community. People don't stay in the same place, and people are much more insular. I think we yearn for that. Plus just watching these ladies and gentlemen act their socks off. . . ."

Dench recalled reading "Cranford" in school.

"When I read the script, I thought it was adapted really well," said the 73-year-old, who won an Oscar for her turn as Queen Elizabeth in 1998's "Shakespeare in Love." "I think it's very nice to have a series like this. It's not 'Pride and Prejudice,' and it's not 'Sense and Sensibility.' It's a story you don't know."

She also loved that Miss Matty grows from being dominated by her sister to becoming an independent shopkeeper. "She's lived life according to her father and subsequently her sister," Dench said. "She's rather repressed, but she finds the spirit in her eventually."

Though the series is set in the Victorian era, Dench believes people today share the same fears of change as the residents of Cranford.

"They want to build an eco town just outside Stratford-upon-Avon," said Dench, who used to live just outside Stratford with her late husband, Michael Williams. "I put my name [on a petition] against it. Of course [the eco towns] must be built, but there is nothing to support it there. You already have unbelievable traffic jams in Stratford. It's very much like Cranford."

LA Times review:
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Cranford on PBS

Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton and Eileen Atkins may be the draw, but charming as it is, this adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell novels also has plenty to say.

by Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 2, 2008

It's been a good run on "Masterpiece Classic," which began in January with the start of a complete Jane Austen and ends this month with the three-part "Cranford," so it's only fitting for the series to go out with a bang. Or if not a bang, than a suitably stoic and subtle celebration of the tensions between passions and propriety, tradition and ambition that make 19th century Britain so fascinating to all us modern folk.

Adapted from the works of Elizabeth Gaskell, "Cranford" is the tale of a village so pastoral it fairly shimmers with verdant hills and bee-loud glades, peopled by doyennes so full of life and character they are played by the likes of Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, and Eileen Atkins. Who are just as marvelous as you would expect them to be, which is pretty darn marvelous.

In other words, "Cranford" is an Anglophile's dream date, with hollyhocks and tea sets to spare, the bonus of Julia Sawalha from "Absolutely Fabulous" playing an almost-spinster, and all the romance, betrayal and tragic misunderstanding village life can muster.

But it's also something deeper, and perhaps darker: a paean to a way of life that, for better and worse, is gone. Gaskell was a contemporary of Charles Dickens, and we see in her work some of the same themes Dickens explored -- the blind tyranny of the aristocracy, the importance of universal education, a call to recognize the humanity of the poor, and the need for society to serve its individuals rather than the other way around. None of which is close to being out of date.

We meet our cast of characters in 1842 and find them living in "elegant economy," desperately clinging to the old ways even as the modern age, most noticeably in the shape of the railroad, stands banging at the gates.

Miss Deborah Jenkyns is the local arbiter of propriety, and Atkins imbues her with a flinty compassion that will be immediately recognizable to anyone fortunate enough to have a Yankee grandmother. Her sister Matty (Dench) is the softer, more fluttery heart of the group that surrounds Miss Deborah, which includes the gossipy and hilarious Miss Pole (Staunton); the bovine-loving widow, Mrs. Forester (Julia McKenzie); and Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon), a young cousin Matty and Miss Deborah have recently taken in.

Also newly arrived in Cranford is young Dr. Harrison (Simon Woods), whose new ideas of medicine -- badly broken arms can be set and not necessarily amputated -- are as unsettling as his boyish good looks, as well as Capt. Brown (Jim Carter) and his daughters. The captain immediately sets himself up as Miss Deborah's bête noire by publicly and unapologetically admitting his poverty and declaring that he enjoys "The Pickwick Papers" far more than her beloved Dr. Johnson.

Many of the events and issues facing the denizens of Cranford would not be out of place in Austen -- Mary chafes under her stepmother's insistence that she marry, soon and whomever; Dr. Harrison sets his cap for the vicar's pretty daughter, and Papa is not well pleased; one of Capt. Brown's daughters is terminally ill, and the other, Jessie (Sawalha), has sacrificed a suitor to care for her.

But "Cranford" also moves beyond the domestic sphere. Through the petty, and necessary, thieving of young Harry Gregson (Alex Etel) we see the inhumanity of Miss Deborah's faith in the class system. When Harry comes to the indignant attention of Mr. Carter (Philip Glenister), who works for the local aristocracy, Lady Ludlow, we find that not everyone in Cranford believes that the poor should be kept ignorant and therefore poor.

And for all its frills and teacups "Cranford" does not shy from the grim realities of life in Victorian England -- a man's life is threatened because the doctor does not have enough candles by which to operate; little coughs give way to fatal fevers; and women, of course, are at the financial mercy of their inheritance or marriage.

Though beautifully adapted as by Sue Birtwistle and Susie Conklin and gorgeously shot by Ben Smithard, "Cranford" is, in the end, a showcase for some of the Britain's best actors.

Atkins and Dench are the very definition of elegant economy, creating breathtakingly full-blown characters in a matter of moments -- watching the two sisters contemplate and then commit the act of eating an orange, this viewer had to wonder what wonderful act of charity she had inadvertently performed to deserve such a thing. Staunton too is always a treasure, and here she provides pointed, and occasionally soulful, comic relief. Michael Gambon makes an appearance, as does Greg Wise; in fact, so much talent fills the screen that the only real problem with "Cranford" is that, after three episodes, it ends.

Part 1 was stunning to watch, and I loved seeing this class of actors with the kind of material that I'd never normally associate them with. Judi Dench was as great as you'd imagine her to be, but it's really Eileen Atkins that made the greatest impression here. I'm surprised that they resolved her character the way that they did, but even in this first installment, she was great and memorable throughout. The supporting cast all had their moments to steal scenes (Imelda Staunton was wonderful comic relief as Miss Pole, as well as Barbara Flynn, who should have been Emmy-nominated for "Elizabeth I", and Simon Woods, who's recognizable from "Pride & Prejudice" and "Rome"), and even the smallest details of these ladies' lives was played to strong dramatic effect -- gossip over the new doctor coming into town, the role that propriety and tradition played in their day-to-day interactions, the uproar caused over a beloved cow going missing or a cat eating an expensive piece of lace, spinsters losing their one chance at happiness, and death and isolation plaguing them at the worst possible occasions. If PBS campaigns well for "Cranford", it could manage double-digit nominations, particularly for its techs and possible acting nods. It's a lot to take in, but I was absorbed with entire installment, and I'm looking forward to seeing how things turn out for them once modernization hits.

Grade for "Cranford: Part 1": A

Eileen Atkins should have been campaigned in leading category. She' co-lead, not supporting character.

If Eileen Atkins doesn't appear in parts 2 and 3, then I can see why they opted for her in supporting actress instead of lead actress, like Jeremy Irons being placed in supporting actor for "Elizabeth I" when some thought that he could have competed in lead actor.

Sorry, I was wrong. She's more supporting than leading. If I'm correct she doesn't appear in parts 3, 4 and 5. She has such a presence on screen that I thought she can be considered as a co-lead.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Scout,

Loved this Movie....As someone who was disappointed with all the movies nominated this year for Best Picture, I found this movie delightful....Emmy Nominations so far will go to Judi, Eileen and Imelda...looking forward to next week...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kristie-K,

Absolutely gorgeous so far...but with people of the caliber of Dench, Atkins, and Staunton involved, one can hope for no less, and luckily, I have not been disappointed.

I LOVED IT! It was incredible. This is going to get SO many emmy nominations! Part one went by WAY to fast. It was a joy from start to finish. I found myself laughing out loud and then crying the next second. I'll admit, I like to cry and I'm emotional but some moments were just heartbreaking. It was wonderful. I've always thought Atkins deserves more award recognition that she gets, and this should get her the Emmy. She was just amazing in this role.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Francisco,

Episode Title: "Part 2"

Synopsis: A vagrant (Dean Lennox Kelly) is blamed for a crime wave that sweeps through Cranford, including a missing leg of mutton and a mugging; Matty (Judi Dench) reunites with her long-ago suitor, Mr. Holbrook (Michael Gambon).

Discuss.