"Masterpiece Theater" and other hits

More often than not I try to convince myself that I'm really not that old. I still feel rather spry and yesterday in one major sweep I completed all my holiday gift shopping. OK, I was a little tired after this marathon, but I did it. Not only that, I did some major grocery shopping and then came home and fixed Sunday dinner for the family. Yes sirree bob, age is just a state of mind.

Then I get hit with the news that the PBS series "Masterpiece Theater" is 37 years old and the feelings of mortality came creeping. 37 years? It doesn't seem that long ago that I sat glued in front of the television set every Sunday night to watch the original "Desperate Housewives," Masterpiece Theater's "The Six Wives of Henry VIII." Masterpiece Theater was also responsible for the only soap opera that ever captivated me, the 26 episodes of "The Forsythe Saga." I know most people consider "Upstairs, Downstairs" an upgrade over "The Forsythe Saga," but I reveled in the tawdriness hiding behind the gentility of "Saga."

The new series of "Masterpiece Theater" begins next month and there will be some startling changes. I remember Alistair Cooke opening each program sitting in what looked like one of the world's great private libraries. He was succeeded by Russell Baker. "Masterpiece" is departing from both the stodgy old men and library motif. The new host is none other than Gillian Anderson (pictured here), better known to most of the civilized world as Dana Scully of "The X-Files." Plus the season is divided into three separate sections. Ms. Anderson will be the host of the first section. "Masterpiece Classic." The other two sections, for which hosts have yet to be chosen, will be "Masterpiece Mystery!" and "Masterpiece Contemporary." "Masterpiece Classic" will feature adaptations of six Jane Austen novels along with a three-part miniseries called "Cranford" starring Judi Dench. Another will feature Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe playing the son of Rudyard Kipling.

In other news involving Ms. Anderson's Dana Scully, she is reprising the role in a movie sequel that began shooting today in Vancouver with David Duchovny (of course) and Amanda Peet. The first five or six seasons of the television series were shot in Vancouver until shooting shifted to Los Angeles (many claim the move was dictated by Duchovny who wanted to spend more time with his then new bride Tea Leoni). The Los Angeles locales were decried by many of the show's faithful who said the Southern California locations were too bright and not spooky enough. I'd be willing to bet, however, that the decision to shoot the new film in Vancouver has more to do with economics than any spookability factor.