Upstairs Downstairs

I tread lightly when I anticipated this new series of Upstairs Downstairs. I was delighted that it was a continuation and not a remake. When I saw Rose walking down Belgrave Square towards Eaton Place I didn't tear up like I thought I would, but instead I was swept over by a warm tenderness. The great Jean Marsh (co-creator and whom played Rose in the original) was indeed perfect casting. All in all, it was a warm-hearted quality production. I just thought it could and should have been longer. It was like a cherry on top to the original. It completes a set, so to speak. The whole time I was expecting to hear ghostly voices from the past, but maybe that's just me.

Just finished watching the Upstairs Downstairs reboot from 2010-12, which got mostly admiring reviews when it came out, some even comparing it favorably to the original series. I'd forgotten how weird and randomly plotted the second season is--the household at 165 Eaton Place gradually comes to include Sir Hallam Holland's mother's Sikh manservant (played by a heavily bearded Art Malik, so no problem there); the little daughter of a German Jewish refugee who collapses and dies shortly after getting triggered by the chauffeur's Union of British Fascists blackshirt getup (the daughter suffers from traumatic mutism for a couple of eps as well); Sir Hallam's long-lost sister, who has Down syndrome and has been tucked away in an asylum for most of her life; his mother's much younger half-sister (who was her father again?), a lesbian archeologist whose ex-lover writes a sexy novel that causes a terrible scandal; and Lady Holland sr's monkey, Solomon (looks to be a rhesus macaque), who outlives his mistress by a couple of episodes, for reasons that have nothing to do with the story as such (see below).

The Duke of Kent, a bisexual aesthete who really did exist, keeps us updated on the gathering storm in Europe, so no complaints there either. A Jewish-American millionaire (who made his fortune selling a product that sounds like Alka-Seltzer just in time for the repeal of Prohibition) conveniently opens a garment business in the East End so Lady Agnes (Keeley Hawes, always fabulous) can embarrass her husband, yet again, by posing for a sexy ad for nylons. Claire Foy, future ER II in The Crown, draws the short straw as Lady Persephone, Lady Agnes's younger sister, a Nazi sympathizer who prefers to live in Germany, like the RL Unity Mitford, and gets into all kinds of scrapes when she returns.

No surprise then that Dame Eileen Atkins, co-creator of the original series who played Lady Holland sr in S1 of the reboot, refused to have any part of S2. The cast is uniformly excellent, except possibly for Sir Hallam himself (Ed Stoppard, son of Tom), who's meant to be what the English call a bit of a stick and doesn't get much of a chance to stretch. (He spends most of the series fretting about Why England Slept and being mortified by the outré antics of his household.)

I'm not saying the show's not entertaining, just that the storyline's really herky-jerky and OTT. The writers seem to be straining to pander to current notions of diversity and inclusiveness, which, I'm guessing, may be the reason that Dame Eileen just wasn't into it. IIRC the show got clobbered in the ratings by a soapy competitor, Downton Abbey, and was canceled after the second season.

The next generation of Upstairs Downstairs is excellent. The acting is superb. The scripts are superb. The Costumes are beautiful. Anyone finds fault is malcontent. Claire Foy is a great actress. Everything she does is perfect. Everyone in this series is very good. I wished this series went past two seasons. From what I read Downton Abbey was the hot thing during this time. There are few period pieces from the 1930s-1040s available. World War II dramas of the civilian life isn't out there. This was an excellent depiction of the time in England. I will research the actors and try to find their work.

If you enjoy Belgravia& Downton Abbey then you will enjoy Upstairs Downstairs.

The 2010-2012 version of "Upstairs, Downstairs" is a revival of the beloved British drama, set in the same iconic house at 165 Eaton Place, but this time during the tumultuous years between the two World Wars. While attempting to capture the charm and essence of the original series, this adaptation introduces new characters and storylines, providing a fresh perspective on the interwoven lives of the upper-class Bellamy family and their dedicated servants. Despite its attempt to recreate the magic of the original, some viewers found the revival lacking the same depth and authenticity. However, the series still manages to offer an engaging portrayal of a bygone era, with its lavish costumes, elegant settings, and compelling performances from the cast. Ultimately, "Upstairs, Downstairs" (2010-2012) serves as a respectable homage to its predecessor, though it may not fully recapture its timeless appeal.

I was hesitant at first to watch the new Upstairs Downstairs, knowing that it would be impossible to equal the quality production that was the original series. However, with the paucity of decent shows at present (and the fact that Downton Abbey had finished for the time being) I decided to give it a try with as little prejudice as possible, determined not to make comparisons.

Impossible of course. Although this new series is entertaining TV, pretty on the eye, fast moving (not something all that necessary in a show such as this) and relatively well cast, it just is not in the league of its predecessor, or its current "competition" Downton Abbey.

I found it hard to relate to most of the characters, of which there are way too many for comfort. Although the production falls short of using modern language, it certainly has an unsuitable modern way of depicting an era where royalty was revered, where shortcomings were either hidden or not mentioned. Instead we get a "boots and all" depiction of a class of people who would have never related to their servants the way they are shown to do and of servants who would never have behaved the way we are led to believe they might have done. Maybe if all the drama had been stretched out over a long series it would have been believable, instead of being thrown at us will nilly, one thing after the other in each and every episode.

Taken only for entertainment value, this is a watchable soap opera set a century ago - but, as the quality production it is presented as, it falls down on the job.

Oh for Mr Hudson!