Upstairs, Downstairs (2010 Reboot)

[Erri]

I can only concur with the general feeling that this was a bloody letdown.

[TurnerPrize]

The BBC has reportedly recommissioned Upstairs Downstairs for an extended second series.

The period drama's revival, which starred Keeley Hawes, Anne Reid and original cast member Jean Marsh, averaged 7m viewers for its three episode run which began on Boxing Day last year.

Broadcast reports that BBC One controller Danny Cohen has ordered six hour-long episodes, which are likely to be aired next year.

While an announcement about the cast has still to be made, viewers have been teased that the new episodes will feature "a shocking twist that will turn the world of Upstairs Downstairs as we know it on its head".

Cohen added: "The return of Upstairs Downstairs was well received but what drove us to recommission were the imaginative and distinctive plans the team has to take the drama forward."

I hope the shock twist will be that it no longer sucks balls. I'm sort of pleased it's coming back though, it probably deserves a second chance..

[Jark]

I hope the shock twist will be that it no longer sucks balls.

oh this tickled me very much

[TurnerPrize]

Eileen Atkins ('s character) DEAD

Actress Dame Eileen Atkins has decided not to appear in the next series of Upstairs Downstairs, the TV period drama she helped to create.

Dame Eileen conceived the idea for the original series, which ran from 1971-75, with fellow actress Jean Marsh.

She did not appear in the original, but was in the cast when the BBC revived the show for a new version last year.

However Dame Eileen, who played Lady Holland, is reportedly unhappy with the direction the new scripts are taking.

A BBC statement said: "It's with much sadness that we say goodbye to her wonderful character, the straight speaking mother-in-law Lady Holland.

"However, we respect her decision and we will be announcing new star casting soon."

The show follows the intertwined fortunes of a diplomat's family and their servants in a grand London townhouse.

The next six episodes will start filming in October and are due to be broadcast next year.

Marsh is the only person who appeared in both the original and the revived versions. She was joined in last year's series by Keeley Hawes, Ed Stoppard and Claire Foy.

When the new series was announced, writer Heidi Thomas said: "The Holland family and their servants are set for an extraordinary year and I am thrilled to be their guardian."

The monkey was better anyway.

[FetchFugly]

I wonder what can be in the scripts that she has taken such umbridge to. The first lot of scripts certainly weren't all that.

[TurnerPrize]

Personally i suspect the script thing's a ruse, and after seeing this ad during corrie one night the thought of spending 5 months with Keeley Hawes became too much to bare.



Imagine having to listen to her bang on about her vintage pushbike over lunch. I'd be stabbing at my throat with the butter knife.

[Jark]

GOD BLESS KEELEY

I really do not think ANYBODY has EVER had less self awareness than that woman. And I absolutely love her for it.

[TurnerPrize]

I bet she'd been knitting a 'welcome back' present for Dame Eileen.

[TurnerPrize]

Fans of below-par costume drama REJOICE, for this is back tonight.

I don't know whether it's still shit, but from having a browse of the press pack thing it appears that they've got rid of that really awful maid what used to be Anne Frank, which is a very good sign i think because she was SO SO BAD. She's been replaced by the main girl from The Inbetweeners 'Movie', who i remember really liking.

[Johnkm]

It now features QoL ALEX KINGSTON (), so it should be worth another go. The advert on the beeb showing Keeley talking about war looks about 1/1000th as fabulous as the many renditions of 'THERE'S A WAR ON' on Downton though.

[Jark]

I just watched the clip on digital spy

Still looks utterly DRAB N' DREARY

[Johnkm]

So did anyone else watch it then? I thought it was alright to pass the time, but pretty hard to get excited by. The story with the monkey was just stupid and the whole thing with Mr. Pritchard being a coward was overplayed to the max. It was just sort of THERE, I'll stick with it though mainly because I have nothing better to do of a Sunday night.

[COB]

I didn't watch it, but is it true that Alex Kingston's character is a GUN-TOTING ARCHAEOLOGIST? How original

[Johnkm]

Well she is an Archaeologist and mentioned haveing to shoot a gun 'once or twice' in the past, so YES Sadly she didn't really have much to do aside from a joke about the British and TEA (originality obviously this series' strong point).

[TurnerPrize]

I've just caught up and thought it was really quite good. Omg!

Definitely much better than those three still births over christmas 2010. The writing was much stronger, ditto the acting/direction, and overall i thought it was really well made. Obviously not perfect, but it felt like a completely different beast to downton and i actually gave a shit about the characters and what was happening for the first time. AND there were some good lines. It's like they read my unhinged list of ways to make it better on the last page.

It was all about the Cook, the head butler and the new maid for me (SO much better than the useless girl she replaced), and i didn't think Alex Kingston was a dickhed either (i generally like her, but often this is despite finding her a MASSIVE DICKHEAD at the same time). Oh and i'm still loving the Queen's gay uncle, and dishy Sir Hal. Keeley Hawes WAS still crap mind, but in a comedy way that i can get behind. And i did feel sorry for her for having to deliver that dreadful line about kissing the children.

8/10. Quite looking forward to the rest of it now. ALTHOUGH i'd forgotten that Claire Foy was MAJORLY SHIT in this so her coming back makes me think it's not quite out of the woods yet.

[Emma]

I just cried watching the last episode. I've LOVED it - on par with Downton for me.

But the best thing about the entire series for me has been:

[FetchFugly]

Oh yes, I love him too. The second best thing about this series was Eunice. I definitely didn't enjoy it as much as Downton, but it was certainly much improved.

The last episode was really good. I was quite at Lady Persie but I suppose there really isn't anywhere to go when you are a dirty Nazi collaborator, have shagged your sister's husband and just shot the maid.

[Johnkm]

I actually grew to LOVE IT across the 6 episodes. The last 2/3 were all very good, I mean obviously it's no Downton, but it's a good stab all the same. I do hope the Beeb make another series, but the figures for this haven't been very good, episode 1 got just shy of 8 million, but the final got under 4.5 - almost 2 million less than Antiques Roadshow ()

[TurnerPrize]

Oh R.I.P. UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/...ed-by-bbc.html

I kinda think that's deserved to be honest. After my mini-rave about the first episode back i PROPER STRUGGLED with it the next week, and then part way through episode 3 i lost the will to live and switched right off forever. I couldn't warm to ANY of the characters and i found the writing pretty ropey too.

I did love the Queen's snivelly gay uncle though. He had way more chemistry with Hal than that big ol plank Keeley Hawes did.