Upstairs Downstairs, it's back, Sunday, BBC1

Return to 165 Eaton Place

It is now September 1938. Sir Hallam is anxious about affairs in Germany and determines to persuade those in power that Hitler can’t be contained. But when he sees his wife Lady Agnes’s concern over what the possibility of another war might mean for their young family, Hallam is forced to consider whether his approach is the right one... Will he change his political beliefs?

Downstairs, with Rose taken ill with TB, the staff welcome spirited new maid Beryl, who catches Harry’s eye. But Beryl struggles to adjust to life in service and has greater ambitions ...

Full piece here, What's on TV.



Looking forward to this.

Looking forward to it, Eddy!

Not sure if I will watch this - the original will always be in my mind and if the new show is not up to scratch will tarnis my memory ..

A great start. I love the attention to period detail and the story lines involving us in the controversies of the day. A great cast.

Rose, it draws inspiration from the original series but it really manages to stand on it's own. So, whether or not you end up enjoying it, it will take nothing away from the original.

my Sky+ box threw a hissy fit and went on the blink, so I missed all but the last 14 minutes. However I see it is repeated later his week, and I have already programmed it in, and also being Human, which I missed completely.
I think my Sky+ box is starting to rebel against me fastforwarding through all the adverts

Oh no.

Do your best to watch the repreat. It's worth it.

Also, I guess it will be on the BBC Player so you watch it on your computer.

I must say, I did enjoy the last 14 minutes of it that I was able to salvage.

Well, I saw the first episode of this, recorded in the early hours, with a signer on hand to help those hard of hearing who couldn't read the subtitles also available.

I came to the conclusion that the last 14 minutes must have been the best part.
I was seriously disappointed. The BBC had obviously gone to great equal opportunities and politically correct lengths to introduce as many representatives of minority groups as possible, to the great detriment of the storyline, and then they also got ridof the monkey, who I think added much more to the programme than all the minority groups representatives put together

I shall keep watching, though, and wait for the Afro Caribbean Person to arrive, and possibly the Older Woman, because Alex Kingston is only 49, and also doubles up as the Intellectual Woman.
ll those people puffing away on cigarettes, just to show how common this was in the Bad Old Days was just RIDICULOUS!!!

Sorry Eddy.......

Mootle, I understand what you are saying. I quite like all the detail. I do miss the monkey.

The BBC have assembled a first rate cast for the series. I really do hope they can turn things for you.

On a much sadder note, Jenny Tomasin, who played Ruby in the original series died recently. For me, Ruby remains one of the best TV character creations that we have ever had.

RIP Jenny and thankyou.

Oh no Eddy, I was so sorry to hear that She can't have been all that old

73 years old apparently. She died from heart disease.

Nooooooooo I'm amazed!

An excellent episode tonight I thought

apart from the Duke of Kent sounding inexplicably like Noel Coward all the time. I know they were friends, but....

Mootle, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed it.

Tonight's episode has already led to controversy. People have been complaining about the lesbian story which is developed tonight.

Probably a lot of fuss about nothing. We shall see.

This is all part and parcel of the BBC's determination to squeeze as many minority groups into the series s possible
I have a feeling that they are intending to turn that fat Irish girl in White Heat ino a lesbian as well...
I THOUGHT Persie was what she turned out to be at the end of the last episode!

The first series succeeded because it told good stories. It often featured 'minorities' where appropriate. But, unlike the new series, it did not deliberately seek them out and fit them into every story no matter what. That is boring and very unrealistic,

I wonder if it is all going to end in tears...

I really enjoyed last night's episode.
I hope there is another series pending!

It was a lovely ending with no fluff. Just what was required for the story to finish.

The quality of the acting was first class. I hope a new series is ordered.

'Upstairs Downstairs' dropped by BBC

Upstairs Downstairs has been axed by the BBC.

Neil Jackson, who plays Harry Spargo in the series, confirmed the news on his Twitter page ...

[B]Full article, Digital Spy, 21/04/12



I'm sorry as I basically enjoyed the 2 series. However I am not surprised. The problem was that people just did not live like that in the era that the new series was set in.

It's a shame. Instead of reviving Upstairs Downstairs, the BBC should have just made a new period drama set in an era when people still lived like that.

PS - Great to see Jean Marsh, 'Rose', back on the telly. Shame it was not for longer.

Oh noooooooo

I thought it got a lot better as time went by.