It's time to escape into the cozy mystery town of Grantchester one final time with Vicar Alphy Kottaram, Inspector Geordie Keating, and returning guest Drea Mayer!

So much happens in season 11 from an "American" drive-in movie, death on a train as well as an explosive ending with a hostage situation and a shooting that affects one of the main characters. Alphy's mom comes to Grantchester, Jennifer receives big news that will put her job on the line, promotions galore, changes with CeCe's, a crisis of faith, and adoption. All of this and more gets discussed in today's episode, so make sure you don't get spoiled by watching the show in advance with PBS Passport, a Masterpiece subscription or watching the early seasons on Netflix. You can also listen to past episodes of the podcast for a refresher.

References:

Grantchester (season 11)

Masterpiece Studio Podcast

All Creatures Great & Small

Call the Midwife

James Norton & The House of the Dragon

Enola Holmes 3

My Brilliant Career

Melissa Johns: Advocate for disabled rep on screen and stage

The Granchester Mysteries (book series) written by James Runcie

TV adaptation developed and written by Daisy Coulam

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Look out for Rishi Nair in "Monarch of the Glen"

Loved One (Netflix)

Bookish (PBS)

Shakespeare & Hathaway (Brtibox)

American Girl Dolls

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

The Other Bennet Sister

Pride & Prejudice

Thanks Drea for the closing questions!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and make sure you're subscribed!

One more Summer of Mystery episode left!

Next Time: Enola Holmes 3

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Stay well!

Escape into Oxford in the 1870s with Prime Video's YOUNG SHERLOCK that premiered earlier this year. Audiences are welcomed to a younger version of the great detective and a re-imagining of his early encounter with James Moriarty.

The show stars Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Donal Finn, Zine Tseng, Natascha McElhone, Max Irons, Holly Cattle, Colin Firth and Joseph Fiennes. All 10 episodes are available on Prime Video and a second season is now in production. As always beware of spoilers in this episode!

REFERENCES:

Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Sherlock Holmes

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Guy Ritchie

Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Donal Finn

The Young Sherlock Holmes film (1985)

Young Sherlock book series by Andrew Lane

The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg

Sherlock, Lupin & Me (series) by Irene Adler

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

Andrew Scott as James Moriarty (Sherlock BBC)

BBC Merlin (2008-2012)

Smallville (2001-2011)

Talkville (a rewatch podcast)

Psych (2006-2014)

The Count of Monte Cristo (2024)

The Other Bennet Sister (Britbox)

Hadestown

Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Regency Rumours YouTube Channel

^^Sherlock video: https://youtu.be/Zn6rPxaORGw?si=_4vzGZeqCFLouRjj

The Rumour Mill Podcast

A Lady of Substance is supposed to be A Woman of Substance (Britbox)

Sandokan

Netflix's Little House on the Prairie

BBC Sherlock

Atonement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and make sure you're subscribed!

More Summer of Mystery episodes to come!

Next Time: Farewell to Grantchester :(

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

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Happy August!

The Summer of Mystery continues in today's episode as Stephanie does a deep dive on the legendary detective SHERLOCK HOLMES.

Whether you've been a fan for years of have always heard of this iconic figure and don't know much, this episode is for you! Stephanie looks into Sherlock's origins as well as a look at the author who created him and the range of adaptations and retellings that have come out. Why does the love continue for this fictional detective and why does his world continue to endure on our screens and pages? Find out in today's episode!

References:

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sherlock Holmes

"A Study in Scarlet"

The Great Mouse Detective

Sherlock & Daughter (2025)

"A Study in Charlotte" by Brittany Cavallaro

Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Enola Holmes 3

Merlin (2008-2012)

The Other Bennet Sister

Harry Potter

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Shakespeare & Hathaway (Brtibox)

Psych (2006-2014)

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

Elementary (2012-2019)

Jeremy Brett

Benedict Cumberbatch

BBC Sherlock (2010-2017)

Lucy Worsley's Holmes vs. Doyle (PBS)

Doctor Who

The Unselected Journals Of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower

Holmes & Watson (2018)

C. Auguste Dupin in "The Purloined Letter" by Edgar Allan Poe

The Irregulars (Netflix)

Spider-Noir (Prime Video)

The Sherlock Holmes Museum

Adam Worth

Father Brown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and make sure you're subscribed!

The Summer of Mystery continues next episode with: Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

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See you next time!

What do Miss Scarlet, Miss Fisher, Frankie Drake and Lidia Poet have in common???

They're all in today's episode on THE LADY DETECTIVE TROPE!

What is a "lady detective?" A basic answer, a female 'amateur' sleuth, but that's not all... Listen to Stephanie and returning guest, Dahlia Hamza Constantine's, discussion on this concept and so many great examples of this character type. Be prepared for slight spoilers, but major spoilers for MISS SCARLET SEASON 6.

After you listen, be sure to check out Dahlia's latest release: A Good Morning for Giddo found wherever you purchase books!

REFERENCES:

Nancy Drew

Miss Marple

Agatha Christie

Miss Scarlet (season 6)-- PBS, Masterpiece subscription on Prime Video

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries--Acorn TV, Roku Channel and Hoopla

Frankie Drake Mysteries--PBS

The Law According to Lidia Poet--Netflix

Shakespeare & Hathaway

Grantchester

Cleopatra Fox series by CJ Archer

Edwina & Beryl

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Gran Hotel

Secret of the Nile (Egyptian Gran Hotel)

Myrtle Hardcastle series by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice For Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Lady Hardcastle Mysteries by T.E. Kinsey

Britbox Title referenced: The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries (1998-2000)

Miss Scarlet & the Duke: House of Mystery by Victoria Dowd

Fetching the Smelling Salts-Lidia Poet episode

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price

Miss S (HBO Max)

Ghosts

Masterpiece Studio Podcast

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for listening and make sure you're subscribed!

The Summer of Mystery continues next episode with: The Legacy of Sherlock Holmes!!

Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

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See you next time!

Escape into the pond on Landry farm in today's episode as Stephanie discusses the Hallmark tv series THE WAY HOME (2023-2026), which just concluded its final season last week.

THE WAY HOME follows three generations of women in the Landry family who are coming back together after Kat gets divorced and moves her daughter back to her childhood town and home. Her daughter, Alice discovers a magical time traveling pond on their land that takes her back to 1999 where she meets family members she's never seen before and starts to solve the mystery of what happened to them. That's just skimming the surface as this show dives into many different times and introduces lots of characters.

Watch the first three seasons now on Netflix and the fourth with Hallmark Plus or Hallmark Channel.

Spoiler section starts: 36:47

Closing: 1:05:51

References:

The Way Home (2023-2026)

The Other Bennet Sister (Britbox)

Young Sherlock (Prime Video)

Sense and Sensibility (Oct 2026)

Providence Falls (Hallmark)

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Reign (CW)

School Spirits

Doctor Who and River Song

Anne of Green Gables/Anne with an E

Best Medicine (it's actually Doc Martin not Doc Brown)

Nancy Drew (CW)

Charmed Season 6

The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young

Little House on the Prairie coming this July!

Atonement

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Till next time!

In today's episode, Stephanie and returning guest Emily Heyden discuss a nostalgic 1995 favorite, Mr. Holland's Opus (available on Disney Plus).

Listen to two teachers review the film and get critical over why they felt nostalgic about it and how those feelings have changed during this recent rewatch as well as reminisce about playing an instrument in school.

References:

Mr. Holland's Opus

The Holdovers

Pretty Woman

The Green Mile

That Thing You Do!

A League of Their Own

School of Rock

Miracle

Now & Then

John Adams (HBO series)

Hamilton

YesterYear

Yellowstone 1883

Philadelphia

Little House on the Prairie (Netflix 2026)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Till next time!

Season 1 of Debbie Horsfield's re-imagining of John Glasworthy's Forsyte Saga, The Forsytes, aired on PBS Masterpiece this Spring. Join Stephanie in today's episode as she breaks down her thoughts on this new show, discover the source material for the first time and recap some of the 2002 BBC series.

To avoid spoilers watch now on PBS Passport or with the Masterpiece subscription on Prime Video.

Episode Time Stamps:

18:27-21:47: Ada Galsworthy Parallels

24:27: (2025) Show Review

50:01: (2002) Series Thoughts

1:00:00: Closing

Enjoy the atmosphere of the ice-cream and lawn mowers, despite the A/C and closed windows....

REFERENCES:

The Forsytes

The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy

2002 and 1967 TV series

Poldark

Debbie Horsfield

Downton Abbey

Bridgerton

The Buccaneers

Doctor Who

Fate: The Winx Saga

Brandon Sanderson

"The Man of Property" (1906)

1985 Anne of Green Gables

Swoonworthy Podcast

The Masterpiece Studio Podcast

Hamlet

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

The Other Bennet Sister

Fackham Hall

Wuthering Heights

Next Time: Mr. Holland's Opus! Watch now on Disney Plus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

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Till next time!

Escape back to the Yorkshire Dales with Stephanie and returning guest Drea Mayer as they discuss SEASON 6 of All Creatures Great and Small (available on PBS Passport, Masterpiece on Prime Video and Blu-ray/DVD).

Hear them talk about their favorite moments from this past season, react to the time jump, as well as little Jimmy, Tristan, and the status of Siegfried and Mrs. Hall...

For their past reactions to earlier seasons, be sure to check out the episodes in Season 1 and 2 of the podcast!

References:

All Creatures Great and Small (season 6)

PBS/PBS Passport

Masterpiece Theatre

Downton Abbey

Call the Midwife

The Lost Baker of Vienna by Sharon Kurtzman

Bookish

Greg Wise

Emma Thompson

Bandstand: The Musical

CW's Nancy Drew

The New Force (2025)

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

A Night Divided by Jennifer A Neilsen

Flipped

The Way Home

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Instagram: @escape.into.period.pieces

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It's time for another Author Spotlight episode! This time on Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) best known for her children's novels: The Secret Garden, A Little Princess and Little Fauntleroy.

In today's episode dive into her life and see the legacy her work has left behind. Hopefully this will get you to pick up one of her novels or watch one of the films based on her work!

Stay tuned at the end of the episode for future episode plans and what Stephanie is currently watching and enjoying :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Come to Stephanie's Zoom Lecture this month! (May 13th @ 7PM)

Register now: https://sachem.librarycalendar.com/event/exploring-period-piece-genre-zoom-174927

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REFERENCES:

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Biography: Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond the Secret Garden by Angelica Shirley Carpenter and Jean Shirley (1992)

Louisa May Alcott

The Buccaneers Season 2

The Gilded Age (HBO Max)

Death by Lightning (Netflix)

Regency Rumors (Channel on YouTube)

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Fauntleroy (1921) film starring Mary Pickford

A Little Princess

1939 Little Princess film starring Shirley Temple

1995 A Little Princess film

A Secret Princess by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz

Jo & Laurie by Stohl and de la Cruz

Alyssa Colman's The Gilded Girl and The Tarnished Garden

The Secret Garden

1993 and 2020 films

1987 Secret Garden Hallmark Hall of Fame film

The Forsytes

The Other Bennet Sister (Britbox)

The Count of Monte Cristo

The Way Home (Hallmark Channel)

The Law According to Lidia Poet (Netflix)

Stay tuned next time for the episode on ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL SEASON 6!

Let Stephanie know which author you'd like her to discuss next?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Happy Spring!!

It's finally time... The podcast is discussing another 2026 release with the highly controversial "Wuthering Heights" directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Margot Robbie and Jacobi Elordi that came out on Valentine's Day.

Sound bite from the episode: "So that was a thing we watched..."

In this episode the podcast welcomes back returning guest, Dr. Brian Hicks who specializes in Bronte literature. Brian and Stephanie give their uncensored review of the film and discuss how much it differs from the book, the parts that were uncomfortable and made no sense, as well as what they would like to see in a Wuthering Heights film. Brian also pitches at least three different film concepts.

Beware of book and film spoilers and enjoy hearing two people rant after just watching the film a few hours before recording!

References:

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

"Wuthering Heights" (2026)

Zoolander (Will Ferrell)

Saltburn

Fellow Travelers (2023) mini-series

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Till next time!