The Full Trailer for 'Alice & Jack' is a Study In the Relentless Gravity of Love

At first glance, Alice & Jack doesn't seem like a typical PBS Masterpiece series. A contemporary romance about a pair of messy, imperfect people, the six-part drama follows the story of an undeniable connection that spans fifteen years, other people, their own mistakes, and more. A love story that often feels like destiny, but which a happy ending seems far from guaranteed, it's a very different vibe from the sort of shows that made the PBS franchise famous. 

"When I watched Alice & Jack, I have to tell you, I just fell in love with the show, just fell in love with it," Masterpiece Executive Producer Susanne Simpson told the assembled journalists at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour this past January when asked about the decision to present the series. "It's beautifully made, the writing is just exquisite, and so are the performances. And so, I'm showing it because first and foremost, I loved it. And our team loved it. I think what we try to do at Masterpiece is we try to find these very special programs, so that the American audience has a chance to experience what other people have in the U.K. We're very lucky to get something with such amazing talent. So, I would say it's really among my favorite shows that we'll ever have on Masterpiece. Yes, a little different. It's a contemporary love story. We're known maybe more for our period dramas. But we've also -- our history shows that we've done a lot of shows like this, as well." 

Masterpiece released a two-minute trailer promoting the series' March premiere, and if the footage is anything to go by, it's easy to see why Simpson was so captivated by the story's raw emotion and prestige feel. 

Here's the series' synopsis.

Alice & Jack is a love story for the ages. When Alice and Jack first meet they’re bound by a connection so powerful it seems nothing can break it, but will their path lead them to a place of happiness and togetherness? Or will life and their own emotional complexities get in the way? Honest, intimate, and surprisingly funny, the series shows love in all its unexpected, technicolor, kaleidoscopic beauty.

Alice & Jack stars Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie) and Domhnall Gleeson (About Time) as the titular couple at the center of this star-crossed love story. Other notable cast members include Aisling Bea (Doctor Who), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), and Sunil Patel (Stath Lets Flats).

The series is created and written by Victor Levin (Mad Men), with Juho Kuosmanen (Compartment 6) and Hong Khaou (Lilting) directing. Executive producers on the project include Levin, Risborough, Gleeson, and Kuosmanen, with Richard Yee and Krishnendu Majumdar for Me + You Productions, Michael London and Shannon Gaulding for Groundswell, Lorenzo De Maio for De Maio Entertainment, Rebecca Dundon and Hilary Martin for Fremantle, plus Simpson for Masterpiece. 

Alice & Jack premieres Sunday, March 17 at 10pm ET on most PBS stations, following the debuts of Call the Midwife Season 13 and the new Helena Bonham Carter drama Nolly. All six episodes will arrive on PBS Passport the same day for members. As always, check your local listings.