Jane Austen's Emma airs on Masterpiece New Year's Day

Happy New Year! Rhode Island PBS proudly encores Jane Austen's beloved story, Emma on Masterpiece Classic on New Year's Day. The two-hour Part 1 starts at 1 p.m., with the hour-long Parts 2 and 3 starting at 3 and 4 p.m., respectively. From the Masterpiece Web site:

Emma Woodhouse (Romola Garai, Atonement) was born with the sun shining down on her. The radiant, privileged girl grows into a remarkable talent for matchmaking, as observed by her loving but disapproving father (Michael Gambon, Cranford) and childhood friend Mr. Knightley (Jonny Lee Miller, Endgame). 

When the decidedly less privileged Harriet Smith arrives, Emma meddles with fate to find her a match, until her flawless intuition is called into question.

Dissuaded from more matrimonial predictions, Emma nonetheless continues to cheerfully contemplate superior men — and meets one of her own in the handsome, gleaming Frank Churchill. But after being so busy managing everyone else's heart, does Emma know her own? 

A fiercely funny new version of the Jane Austen novel, Emma was adapted by Sandy Welch (Jane Eyre).
For a complete synopsis (including plot spoilers!) click here.