PBS Clues in the Lineup for MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! in 2014

(L to R) David Tennant, Matthew Rhys, Anna Maxwell Martin & Shaun Evans

There's more than just Downton Abbey and Sherlock on PBS. And, yes, Downton will be back with season 5 in the United States in 2015 and Sherlock will be back with season 4 in 2016.

But first... PBS has announced the full schedule for "MASTERPIECE Mystery!" for 2014. It's a swoon-worthy schedule, what with David Tennant, Jack Davenport, Matthew Rhys and Matthew Goode in the midst of it. Although David Suchet may be hiding behind a rather eccentric mustache, he, too, qualifies as swoon-worthy for his intelligence alone.

David Tennant is probably best known for his tenure as Doctor Who, but he was also a memorable Barty Crouch Jr. in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, a fine Richard II with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and a really terrific tortured detective in Broadchurch. He'll be playing that same role (with a new name) in the American remake of Broadchurch called Gracepoint, which will premiere on FOX in the fall. But first...

The Escape Artist, in which Tennant will play a "brilliant defense lawyer with a storybook family and a potent nickname," comes to PBS in June. The nickname is, of course, the Escape Artist, as this barrister specializes in getting his clients (guilty or not) out of tight legal corners. But then he comes up against a tough case -- and a really creepy client -- that changes everything. Sophie Okonedo also stars as a rival defense attorney. Although The Escape Artist ran in three one-hour episodes in England, it is set for two 90-minute episodes on June 15 and 22 on PBS. You can see a preview of the first show on the PBS page for Episode 1.

Next up is Shaun Evans as the rookie Constable Morse before he became Inspector Morse in the second season of Endeavor, which runs from June 29 to July 20 in the Sunday night Mystery! slot. The four episodes are titled "Trove," "Nocturne," "Sway" and "Neverland," if that offers any hints as to what young Endeavor Morse is up to this time out.

David Suchet and his version of Hercule Poirot return for two mysteries, "The Big Four" and "Dead Man's Folly," on July 27 and August 3. Suchet is absolutely my favorite Poirot, better than Peter Ustinov, Albert Finney or even Hugh Laurie (in Spice World.)  He and his little grey cells will take on cases set up for him by Agatha Christie in 1927 and 1956, respectively.

And then it's Breathless, "a stylish and compelling new medical drama set in London in 1961," with the handsome and talented Jack Davenport, who you may remember from Smash or The Talented Mr. Ripley (he was much better in the latter than the former) or even from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. There he is at right, looking all debonair and slick, sort of like the gynecological version of Don Draper, surrounded by one redhead, one blonde and one brunette. As the press release tells the story, "Breathless opens in 1961, a time when Britain was on the brink of the '60s revolution – abortion is illegal and the contraceptive pill is only just available to married women. Set in and around a busy gynecology unit, medicine becomes the perfect stage to play out the shifting and complex moral codes of early 1960s society." You can see for yourself August 24 to September 7. This sounds more soapy than mystery, but Jack Davenport is always worth a look.

For more classic mystery stylings, there's more of Miss Marple with Julia McKenzie in September and more of Inspector Lewis with Kevin Whately in October. And then it's P.D. James' version of Jane Austen, with Death Comes to Pemberley, a sequel of sorts to Pride and Prejudice, casting Elizabeth (played by Anna Maxwell Martin) and Darcy (Matthew Rhys) as a married couple some six years after the events of the book. They are hosting a weekend at their country estate, Pemberley, including a ball, but, of course, things go terribly wrong and one of their guests ends up quite dead. Jenna Coleman plays Elizabeth's sister Lydia, while the dishy Matthew Goode, currently appearing on The Good Wife, appears as her feckless husband, George Wickham, who is involved up to his epaulets in the murder plot. Look also for Penelope Keith as Lady Catherine de Bourgh and James Fleet and Rebecca Front as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lizzy and Lydia's parents. Death Comes to Pemberley comes to PBS on October 26 and November 2.

And that's what will be filling your Sunday nights with plenty of MASTERPIECE Mystery! from June to November. Time to stock up on tea and cakes so you'll be ready when the time comes. You can see all the info here if you're aiming to fill out your datebook.

Spoilers Aplenty -- DOWNTON ABBEY in 2014

The Season 4 Cast Photo

The delicious Downton Abbey, the confection that showcases the privileged classes in England enjoying their privileges (and occasionally enjoying their servants) in the first part of the 20th century, will begin airing its fourth season on PBS stations next Sunday, January 5. If you didn't know that, you haven't been paying attention, what with previews, sneak peeks, and behind the scenes video on new characters, current characters and how they get the history right.

There's even a spoofy musical version of a Downton Season 4 episode, performed at New York's 54 Below with glimpses of Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan -- she's the ghost of Lady Sybil and he's one of the new characters -- with Colin Mochrie playing creator Julian Fellowes, the narrator of this funny piece. Spoilers are sort of imbedded in that, although you pretty much have to have a scorecard to figure them out.

Still, with all the previews and casting news floating around, plus, of course, the fact that the episodes have already aired in England, there are lots and lots of spoilers out there if you want to find them. And I did. That means you will learn a whole bunch of things about who's doing what to whom in Season 4 if you keep reading past this point.

DANGER DANGER -- SPOILERS AHEAD!!! 

INCLUDING THE PICTURES!!!

Are you ready? Okay then. Let's go.

Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Tom Branson (Allen Leech) are still mourning the loss of their spouses, but also exploring the possibility of new love. No, not with each other. Mary is faced with a series of unsuitable suitors, from an engaged man, Anthony, Lord Gillingham (Tom Cullen), who also comes with an odious valet (Nigel Harman) who creates great difficulty for Anna and Bates; the return of the Honorable Evelyn Napier (Brendan Patricks), someone Mary once found too boring to consider; and Napier's boss, Charles Blake (Julian Ovenden), a dishy if somewhat abrasive type who arrives as part of a new economic plan for Downton. That plan involves pigs, of all things, which does not gladden the heart of Mary's father, Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville).

Lady Mary and Branson juggle their responsibilities

Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) may be overdue for a few moments of serenity, but she's not going to get it. In fact, Edith's affairs of the heart get even stormier when her married boss, Michael Gregson (Charles Edwards) larks off after the elusive prospect of a divorce. When trouble looms and Gregson is out of sight, Edith finds herself sharing secrets with her aunt, Lady Rosamund (Samantha Bond) and (reluctantly), her grandmother, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith), to chart her course.

Violet, the Dowager Countess, is also engaged in the usual battle of witticisms and insults with Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton), but Isobel may attract an admirer of her own when all is said and done. (Tally ho, Isobel!)

Jack Ross the jazz singer

At the other end of the family tree, young and impressionable Rose (Lily James), the wild child in the family, is entranced by all the wrong sorts of men, including Jack Ross, a handsome African-American jazz singer (Gary Carr).

We also get to see more of Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern) and her free-spirited American mum (Shirley MacLaine), with another member of the family – Cora's reckless brother Harold, played by Paul Giamatti – added to the mix.

The formidable Harriet Walter pops up as Lady Shackleton, a  pal of the Dowager Countess, and opera singer Kiri te Kanawa appears as -- you guessed it -- an opera singer!

Lady Rose and the Prince of Wales

Plus we'll get a peek at the Prince of Wales. This is Edward, the eldest son of George V and Queen Mary, the one who will eventually abdicate the throne so he can marry Wallis Simpson. That's years in the future, of course, but still fun to get to see him here, portrayed by actor Oliver Dimsdale as a bit of a lothario who needs help from a coterie of Crawleys.

Below stairs, there is no lack of love, but also no lack of heartache for Anna (Joanne Frogatt) and Bates (Brendan Coyle) -- see note above about Gillingham's evil valet -- plus the usual maneuvering and manipulation from Thomas (Rob James-Collier) and the return of Branson's stalker, that saucy minx Edna (MyAnna Buring) now playing at being a lady's maid.

Alfred (Matt Milne), the "hobbledy-hoy" footman, dreams of a life higher up the food chain, Molesley (Kevin Doyle) continues to try to find a spot (any spot!) for himself, and Jimmy (Ed Speelers), Ivy (Cara Theobald) and Daisy (Sophie McShera) hanker after each other (and Alfred) in a love quadrangle of sorts set around the kitchen, to the consternation of Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol).

All that leaves is Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) and Carson (Jim Carter), who are in serious need of a day at the seashore.

Well, it also leaves death, disappearance, cheating, assault, illicit love, a baby, blackmail, a train ticket, a stolen letter opener, stolen letters, and a few stolen kisses. It wouldn't be Downton Abbey without a tempest over the teacups, would it?

Downton Abbey Tidbits (and a Gingerbread Abbey!)

Are you ready for the return of Downton Abbey on January 6th? Lots of good stuff afoot in Season 3, with Bates in jail, convicted of murdering his horrible first wife; Anna hanging tough, determined to get him out; Lady Mary and Matthew making it official; Edith still looking for love; the Earl in financial trouble; and Cora's American mother landing on their doorstep to further complicate matters (and clash with the formidable Dowager Countess).

Shirley MacLaine will be on hand to play Martha, Cora's mum, going up against Dame Maggie Smith as Violet, the Dowager Countess who is at the ready with a withering glance or a cutting remark.

You can see a video preview of Season 3 from Masterpiece here or watch a scene (showing the clash referred to above) from the first episode here. Or, if you're more in the mood to relive the past, you can watch Season 2 episodes online.

The Colbert Report offered a really unusual way to ramp up to Season 3 with a mashup between Downton (and its cast) and Breaking Bad. "Breaking Abbey" is definitely worth your time. Soon Downton will be kicking it with mad bitches and benjamins... (That last should be a hint that there are bad words in the video. Forewarned and all that.)

Also in preparation for the new season (and for the special Christmas episode in Britain, the one we won't see till May) a baker has made a gingerbread version of the Abbey itself. It's pretty odd. And cool. But also odd. Watch Downtown Abbey, the Gingerbread Version, here. You can compare the gingerbread one to the real one pictured in "Breaking Abbey."

"Downton" Withdrawal? Try "Titanic" and "Sixbey."

Yearning for "Downton Abbey"? Season 3 won't be here till September 2012 in the UK and January 2013 in the US, but you can still get a little bit of a "Downton" fix.

The PBS "Downton" site has videos, interviews, photos and merchandise, including DVDs for Seasons 1 and 2, a lovely book, and an "official soundtrack" cd. They're offering 15% off plus free shipping through Monday (if you buy at least $90 worth of "Downton" or other PBS merch.)

In other news,"Downton" creator Julian Fellowes has written a four-part miniseries simply called "Titanic," with parts 1-3 airing tonight on ABC to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in the north Atlantic. Part 4 is scheduled for tomorrow at 8 central. The miniseries features some 89 major characters, with Linus Roache as Hugh, Earl of Manton, Geraldine Somerville as his wife, James Wilby as J. Bruce Ismay, and Linda Kash as the "unsinkable" Molly Brown. ABC's main page for this "Titanic" effort is here, including behind-the-scenes videos and trailers and whatnot. This 2012 "Titanic" mini aired in Canada and in the United Kingdom last month, where reviewers noted that Fellowes' script once again focused on the haves and the have-nots, the upstairs and the downstairs, as he did in "Gosford Park" and, of course, "Downton Abbey."

Over on NBC, Jimmy Fallon has begun his own "Downton" tribute called "Downton Sixbey." (His studio is 6B. Sixbey, get it?) The first episode is embedded below for your viewing entertainment.