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Masterpiece Theatre -- renamed to simply Masterpiece in 2008 -- is a Long-Running primetime series on PBS that usually showcases BBC productions (Channel 4 and ITV material are occasionally featured). The series premiered in 1971 and was originally hosted by Alistair Cooke, but has had a number of presenters since his retirement in 1992. Its well-known classical title theme is Jean-Joseph Mouret's Rondeau.

The series features dramatic adaptations of notable, usually British, literary works—for instance, its Austen adaptations—which are currently hosted by Laura Linney (Masterpiece Classic) and David Tennant (Masterpiece Contemporary).

Adaptations for TV by the BBC of Shakespeare and other classic works are very often syndicated to appear on Masterpiece in the US, usually through WGBH-Television in Boston, often in multiple parts.

In 2008, the word "Theatre" was dropped from the title, and the show, now officially known as Masterpiece, was split into three different sections. Masterpiece Classic was initially hosted by Gillian Anderson; the following year, Laura Linney took her place. Masterpiece Mystery! is hosted by Alan Cumming. Masterpiece Contemporary was hosted initially by Matthew Goode, who was replaced by David Tennant in 2009.

Not to be confused with World Masterpiece Theater, another long runner anime children's classics series in Japan.

See also Merchant-Ivory Productions, Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Notable entries in the series include

A Town Like Alice
Bertie and Elizabeth
I, Claudius
Downton Abbey
Elizabeth R
The First Churchills—The first series aired
House of Cards (British series)
Jeeves and Wooster
Sherlock
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
The Choir
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Upstairs, Downstairs

Tropes used in Masterpiece Theatre include:

As an Anthology series Masterpiece Theater/Master has few tropes of its own, since it is little more than an envelope for presenting other works. Put tropes for individual works in their pages, not here.

Presenters: Alistaire Cooke is of course the one everyone remembers from the early years of the show, but other famous faces have sat in that leather chair and introduced the week's episode, including Gillian Anderson and David Tennant.

Standard Snippet: The 30 seconds or so of Jean-Joseph Mouret's Rondeau heard at the beginning of every episode firmly anchored that piece of music to the concepts of dignified elegance and erudition.

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 {{work|wppage=Masterpiece (TV series)}}
-''[[Masterpiece Theatre]]'' is a [[Long Runner|Long-Running]] primetime series on [[PBS]] that usually showcases [[BBC]] productions ([[Channel 4]] and [[ITV]] material are occasionally featured). The series premiered in 1971 and was originally hosted by Alistair Cooke, but has had a number of presenters since his retirement in 1992. Its well-known [[Public Domain Soundtrack|classical]] [[Theme Song|title theme]] is Jean-Joseph Mouret's ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSAUy09emrU Rondeau]''.
+''[[Masterpiece Theatre]]'' -- renamed to simply ''Masterpiece'' in 2008 -- is a [[Long Runner|Long-Running]] primetime series on [[PBS]] that usually showcases [[BBC]] productions ([[Channel 4]] and [[ITV]] material are occasionally featured). The series premiered in 1971 and was originally hosted by Alistair Cooke, but has had a number of presenters since his retirement in 1992. Its well-known [[Public Domain Soundtrack|classical]] [[Theme Song|title theme]] is Jean-Joseph Mouret's ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSAUy09emrU Rondeau]''.
 The series features dramatic adaptations of notable, usually British, literary works—for instance, its Austen adaptations—which are currently hosted by Laura Linney (''Masterpiece Classic'') and [[David Tennant]] (''Masterpiece Contemporary'').
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 Adaptations for TV by the BBC of Shakespeare and other classic works are very often syndicated to appear on ''Masterpiece'' in the US, usually through WGBH-Television in Boston, often in multiple parts.
+In 2008, the word "Theatre" was dropped from the title, and the show, now officially known as ''Masterpiece'', was split into three different sections. ''Masterpiece Classic'' was initially hosted by [[Gillian Anderson]]; the following year, [[Laura Linney]] took her place. ''[[Masterpiece Mystery]]!'' is hosted by [[Alan Cumming]].  ''Masterpiece Contemporary'' was hosted initially by Matthew Goode, who was replaced by [[David Tennant]] in 2009.
-It has been shortened to ''[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/ Masterpiece]'' of late, presumably to go along with ''Mystery!''... now known confusingly as ''[[Masterpiece Mystery]]'', another [[Long Runner]] (currently hosted by Alan Cumming) brought to you by the BBC (and originally created as a kind of [[Spin-Off|spinoff]] to ''Masterpiece Theatre'' itself).
+Not to be confused with ''[[World Masterpiece Theater]]'', ''another'' long runner ''anime'' children's classics series in Japan.
-It seems like as of late, both shows have been folded back into each other, and now all three shows now operate under the ''Masterpiece'' label and cycle through four month blocks (give or take). ''Classic'' runs from January to April, ''Mystery!'' runs from May to August, and ''Contemporary'' finishes out September through December.
-Also not to be confused with ''[[World Masterpiece Theater]]'', ''another'' long runner ''anime'' children's classics series in Japan.
 See also Merchant-Ivory Productions, ''[[Hallmark Hall of Fame]]''.
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 * ''[[Tom Brown's Schooldays]]''
 * ''[[Upstairs, Downstairs]]''
+{{tropelist}}
+As an [[Anthology]] series ''Masterpiece Theater''/''Master'' has few tropes of its own, since it is little more than an envelope for presenting other works.  Put tropes for individual works in their pages, not here.
+* [[Presenters]]:  Alistaire Cooke is of course the one everyone remembers from the early years of the show, but other famous faces have sat in that leather chair and introduced the week's episode, including Gillian Anderson and David Tennant.
+* [[Standard Snippet]]:  The 30 seconds or so of Jean-Joseph Mouret's ''Rondeau'' heard at the beginning of every episode firmly anchored that piece of music to the concepts of dignified elegance and erudition.
 {{reflist}}