Upstairs Downstairs: S2 Ep6 - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

On TV: Sunday 25th March 2012

Channel: BBC One 9pm

Episode Type: 6/6

In 1 Sentence: Beloveds, betrayal and blood - it’s the finale of Upstairs Downstairs!

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

BBC Summary: On the eve of war, Beryl and Harry face a race against time to get married. Meanwhile, Mr Pritchard makes a decision which throws the running of the house into chaos, until an old face lends a helping hand. And as Lady Agnes returns to London, a dark discovery has explosive consequences for all inside Eaton Place and changes the landscape forever.

Upstairs Downstairs: S2 Ep5 - The Last Waltz

On TV: Sunday 18th March 2012

Channel: BBC One 9pm

Episode Type: 5/6

In 1 Sentence: Packed with action and romance this week - it looks set to be a dramatic finale...

Upstairs Downstairs Ep5

BBC Summary: As 165 Eaton Place prepares for the Annual Servants' Ball, Mr Pritchard enjoys a romance with fellow servant Miss Whisset, and starts to wonder if there is more to life than service. With war looming, Harry has a proposition for Beryl, however, a shock revelation threatens to thwart their plans. Meanwhile, as Lady Persie and Sir Hallam continue their dangerous affair, Sir Hallam is about to discover just how destructive his actions have been.

Upstairs Downstairs: S2 Ep3&4 - A Perfect Specimen of Womanhood & All the Things You Are

On TV: 4th & 11th March 2012

Channel: BBC One 9pm

Episode Type: 3-4/6

In 1 Sentence: Like an old pair of cozy slippers, Upstairs Downstairs is nice and snug on a Sunday night...

Episode 3  --  Episode 4 

BBC Summary: Ep3: Blanche comes face to face with her former lover when a scandalous novel is published and, when the passion between the pair reignites, begins to consider a life away from Eaton Place.

Ep4: Harry's desire to impress Beryl leads him and Johnny into the world of boxing and, as their big fight draws ever closer, the boys are determined to reign victorious. Upstairs, as she and Sir Hallam drift further apart, Lady Agnes is reacquainted with a familiar face who shows her an exciting world away from 165 Eaton Place; and Sir Hallam makes a dangerous decision which will change his life forever.

Upstairs Downstairs: S2 Ep2 - The Love That Pays The Price

On TV: Sunday 26th February 2012

Channel: BBC One 9pm

Episode Type: 2/6

In 1 Sentence: As war breaks out, 165 Eaton Place soon hots up...

Upstairs Downstairs

BBC Summary: Lady Agnes catches the eye of charismatic American millionaire Caspar Landry but, as she and Sir Hallam look to their future, a tragic turn of events leaves their promised dreams - and a close family member - in jeopardy.

Downstairs, Mrs Thackeray makes a momentous decision, which throws the running of the house into chaos. Blanche and Mr Amanjit continue to clash, until a heart-breaking cause compels them to reconsider their differences.

Upstairs Downstairs: S2 Ep1 - A Faraway Country About Which We Know Nothing

On TV: Sunday 19th February 2012

Channel: BBC One 9pm

Episode Type: 1/6

In 1 Sentence: The glamourous drama is back but is it as gripping as before?

Upstairs Downstairs

BBC Summary: As 165 Eaton Place reopens its doors, two new arrivals make their mark. But whilst Sir Hallam's forthright Aunt Blanche disrupts life upstairs, feisty new maid Beryl struggles to adjust to life in service. Meanwhile, Lady Agnes' concern for her children reveals a dark secret about Mr Pritchard. Sir Hallam's preoccupation with burgeoning Nazi Germany leads him into dangerous waters, and a chance meeting with an unexpected face unlocks a hidden desire within.

Upstairs Downstairs

On TV: Sunday 26th - Tuesday 28th December 2010

Channel: BBC1 9pm
Episode Type: Three part series

In 1 sentence: Warm glamour with a dark heart. 

Upstairs Downstairs

BBC Summary: Revival of the iconic '70s series. Portrayal of life in a London townhouse in 1936, where the fates of the servants "downstairs" and their masters "upstairs" are intimately linked.

Quote: 

"Every morning, as soon as he sees me opening my eyes, he applauds me. 

I can’t tell you how that boosts ones confidence."

- Lady Holland of her pet monkey. 

My review:

A drama must be good if it leaves me eager to see more. So what is great about broadcasting over consecutive nights like Upstairs Downstairs did, is that it heightens the experience of good drama - making it fantastic drama in my experience. The only bad thing is that it’s always over far too quickly. 


The last time a drama grabbed me like this was Occupation and Torchwood: Children of Earth - both excellent dramas that have stayed with me long after broadcast - which, I believe, is due to the immediacy of the story without the long breaks in between each episode. 


The ravishingly shot Upstairs Downstairs captured something for me which was greatly needed in the depressing lull between Christmas and New Year. It brought elegance, humour, sophistication, but also darkness - which costume-dramas like Downton Abbey (which UD has been compared to due to their close proximity and similarity in premise) have mostly failed to incorporate. It added an extra layer to what was a warm, comfy drama forming it into something with twists and flair. Thus making me - and I’m sure millions of others if the rating figures are anything to go by - desperate to see more from 165 Eaton Place. 

Score: 7.5/10