PBS Western Reserve is home to countless documentaries and specials that contextualize history, take us to fascinating destinations and explore the unseen lives of the people who’ve shaped our culture through thought-provoking biographies.
With DOWNTON ABBEY making its return home to PBS after the success of three feature-length films, here are five documentaries with DOWNTON connections you can watch now on the PBS App and PBS Western Reserve Passport, the member upgrade of the free PBS App.
Watch on PBS Western Reserve Passport
Explore the remarkable on-screen career of the dowager herself — Dame Maggie Smith, one of Britain’s most prolific actresses. Smith was a prominent figure in British culture for six decades. Her extraordinary film career took off with her role in “Nowhere to Go.” Two Academy Awards later, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, Smith had reached the pinnacle of success.
Watch on the free PBS App
See Downton like never before with a visit to the real estate where the series was filmed, Highclere Castle. Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the 8th Countess of Highclere Castle, leads the tour. Riding together on horseback over the 2000-acre parkland, sipping afternoon tea and viewing the art in several rooms is truly a memorable experience. Classic interior designer Holly Holden discusses the design nuances, history and architectural details which contribute to these inviting, timeless interiors with Lady Carnarvon.
Watch on PBS Western Reserve Passport
This episode of SECRETS OF THE DEAD prompts questions about what could have been for the Crawley family if the events of 1912 unfolded differently. Join a team of investigators as they search for the identity of the captain of a “mystery ship” that turned away from the “unsinkable” Titanic in its darkest hour, abandoning thousands of lives to the icy waters and their deaths.
Watch on the free PBS App and PBSWesternReserve.org
While Downton transformed into a convalescent home during the war, this local documentary reveals how the war affected Northeast Ohio on the home front. Through first-person accounts, expert interviews and historic reenactments, the story of WWI is told through Summit County, Ohio, residents’ experiences at home and overseas.
Watch on PBS Western Reserve Passport
Jazz has been called the purest expression of American democracy; a music built on individualism and compromise, independence and cooperation. In this docuseries from Ken Burns, explore how jazz made it from the streets of New Orleans to a global audience, captivating Lady Rose on a visit to the Lotus Club in season 4.
