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I'm Jace Lay Cobb, and you're listening to Masterpiece Studio.

Ten years ago, I received a text message from a friend and colleague at Masterpiece,

asking me if I was free to discuss a mysterious masterpiece gig in which I might be interested.

At that point, I had left behind a career as a television critic, editor, and reporter that spanned more than a decade,

writing for such outlets as The Daily Beast and Newsweek, BBC, the Los Angeles Times, and others.

I'd covered masterpiece programming a lot over the years, interviewed many of the stars and writers of their shows,

and moderated a Downton Abbey panel in Los Angeles, where I met future

masterpiece executive producer Suzanne Simpson. At the time, however, I was working as a

creative consultant for a premium cable network, and I was intrigued by what this mysterious

masterpiece opportunity might be. It turns out that masterpiece, the venerable drama

anthology that imports the best

of British programming, was looking to launch a companion podcast, time to the final season of

Downton Abbey. Would I be interested in hosting a pilot? Listener, I didn't hesitate.

Preparations were made, flights and hotel rooms booked,

and within a few days or so, I was in New York to record a pilot episode,

featuring an interview with Downton Abbey Star Alan Leach.

...