Making Masterpiece: 25 Years Behind the Scenes at Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! on PBS
In this thoroughly engaging memoir, Eaton recounts her 25 years as an executive producer of PBS’s oft-lauded Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! series beloved for bringing British classics and popular detective series, respectively, to the small screen. After a year in England working for the BBC, ­American-born Eaton spent more than a decade working for public television in Boston before being tapped to executive-produce PBS’s Masterpiece Theatre. From its inception in 1970, Masterpiece appeared on PBS with Mobil as a sponsor. Eaton stepped into her role in 1985, and she shares her successes here, from bringing Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson to Fortunes of War and getting Helen Mirren to sign on to Prime Suspect. She is equally candid about her missteps, from losing the 1995 Pride & Prejudice series starring Colin Firth to A&E to initially passing on Downton Abbey because of its similarity to the reboot of Upstairs Downstairs. Eaton is a warm and witty guide to Masterpiece Theatre’s storied history, and this lively memoir will appeal equally to Downton diehards and longtime Masterpiece loyalists. --Kristine Huntley