Period Drama 'Beecham House' Will Air on Masterpiece This Summer
It's official: Period drama Beecham House is will officially air on Masterpiece this summer.
The series has been available to stream for PBS Passport members since March, but has yet to broadcast here in America. But that's about to change at last, and the series will officially premiere on Sunday, June 14. (Though as with every June premiere, make sure you double check your local listings, as this is often pledge time for local stations, and the date could shift a bit.)
Created by Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha, Beecham House follows the story of the wealthy and mysterious John Beecham, a former soldier who purchases an opulent house at the turn of the 18th century in Delhi, India to reunite his family and start a new life. During his time with the East India Company, John saw much explotiation and suffering and has now resolved to conduct his business in a more fair and equitable manner.
The ensemble cast includes a lot of British faces that will be familiar to Masterpiece and PBS fans. It stars Vanity Fair’s Tom Bateman, alongside Downton Abbey’s Lesley Nicol, Mr. Selfridge’s Gregory Fitoussi, Sanditon’s Leo Suter, Endeavour’s Dakota Blue Richards and more.
Watch the Masterpiece trailer for the series below.
Unfortunately, however, fans should probably not get too attached to the show and its characters. U.K. network ITV canceled the show following its first season there, and though the show is being shopped to other networks and broadcasters, there’s no word yet on whether one of them might sign on to a second season.
That said, it doesn't necessarily mean that things are over before they start for Beecham House.
“We have no plans for Beecham House to return, but the series is still to air in the US from March 2020 and creator Gurinder Chadha is actively having conversations with international broadcasters with a view to the drama returning beyond series one”, a representative of ITV said in a statement.
Now, that could just be a network flack trying to direct blame for the series' end away from her company, but it's also true that the series' performance in America could earn it a new lease on life. Given the fact that new content is in high demand for the many streaming outlets that have sprung up what feels like virtually overnight, canceled series can find new homes beyond their original outlets. It's not necessarily likely, of course, but not impossible.
Are you looking forward to giving Beecham House a try next month? Let’s discuss.
