Help me ID this British historical drama

Cafe Society
1

It was a miniseries, I think, and aired on PBS in the 1990s or early 2000s. The protagonist was a short-ish and thin-faced man, with dark, thinning hair (I think I’ve seen the actor in at least one British police procedural since). He is in college in early episodes, which I think were set just before WWII. He is introduced by his best friend to the best friend’s girlfriend, a beautiful local girl who serves them tea in her family home, apparently oblivious to just how gaga the best friend is for her. Later, the protagonist himself secretly has an affair with her. Can’t remember if the best friend ever finds out.

The protagonist eventually goes overseas and has another affair with a woman he meets in (IIRC) an embassy or government office’s waiting room. He eventually returns to the UK, marries another woman but is unhappy in his marriage, and feels disconnected from British society.

That’s about all I remember. Ring a bell for anyone?

2

Any of these titles look familiar?

3

Judging by the second paragraph of the Wiki intro, it would be a miniseries and not on that list.

4

Your description reads in some way like Brideshead Revisited. But not all the details match.

5

I thought perhaps Brideshead Revisited, but like Askance said, not quite.

A Dance to the Music of Time is another possibility.

6

I’ve now read descriptions of both, and don’t think it’s either.

7

I recall what you describe as being the substance of the previews of this show … unfortunately, I didn’t watch it at the time so it’s out of reach for me.

8

Did it involve time travel, at all?

Again, some details match but not all.

9

Don’t know the answer to the OP’s question, but I can say without a doubt that it is not Goodnight Sweetheart, which was a morally dubious sitcom about a time travelling adulterer.

OB

10

Could it be the 2002 remake of The Forsyte Saga (although PBS also broadcast the original black and white version from 1967) based on the books of the same name?

The remake starred Damian Lewis who went on to star in US drama Homeland.

TCMF-2L

11

Condensation?

12

Definitely no time travel involved. Having read the description, it’s not The Forsyte Saga, and funny as that was, no, it’s not the multi-Emmy-winning PBS masterpiece Condensation.

13

I browsed the list of BBC shows on PBS Masterpiece, and this one looks promising

The main problem is it’s contemporary 1990s, not pre-WWII.

14

Thanks, but it’s not Reckless.

15

It sorta sounds like something Catherine Cooksonmight have written, a lot of her books were adapted as miniseries.

16

Much obliged, my Irish friend, but none of those titles ring a bell.

17

How about Strangers and Brothers, based on the novel by C. P. Snow? Sounds a bit like one of his plots, although it’s years since I read his books.

18

That’s from 1984, and it wasn’t that old. Doesn’t look like any of the characters I (vaguely) remember, either.

I thought the star might have been Robson Green, Robson Green - IMDb, but none of his credits match up.