Upstairs, Downstairs on PBS

The second season of the reboot of Upstairs, Downstairs aired this fall. We taped them all, time is short when school is in session and there certainly is a great deal of television to watch, so we could watch them at our leisure.

My wife's Mom had missed the return and not taped them so we need to watch when she is visiting so playback has been delayed. Last weekend however we were able to watch the first two episodes and I must say that this might be better even than Downton Abbey. As this season takes off we are in the run-up to World War II. The patriarch of the new family is working for the Chamberlain government and is against the policy of appeasement that Chamberlain is pursuing. He, in fact, that by signing this pact, he has put Britain on a course for war sooner rather than later.

Amidst all this the daily lives of the staff downstairs take place. We have cooks in revolt, a head butler trying to run the show but with such a parsimonious demeanor he is not sewing any seeds outside of discontent. The show features a special sensitivity to the Jewish question. A young Jewish girl has come under the guardianship of the family, her Mother having been a member of the staff before she died and with the knowledge of her refugee status a good deal of time is spent examining the plight of the refugees in waiting.

From a historical perspective one can feel nothing but shame at how prejudice and failure to act did more to create the death camps than anything the feigned ignorance of the German populace did. We should never look away from the fact that it was not until Hitler knew that other countries would not take his Jews that he came to his final solution, believing in his warped way that he was only taking the step that those countries which would not allow Jewish refugees were not daring enough to take.

For me the historical angle of this series played out with deep and meaningful characters makes it an incredibly winning combination. As much as I look forward to Downtun Abbey next month the historical angle of World War I was given much shorter shrift than what is being done in Upstairs, Downstairs. For me as strange as it is to say I believe this series sitting on my TIVO may be the superior of the two.

Of course one problem is the similarities, watching I have to refresh my memory to make sure that I am mot intertwining the characters. AFter all just how many serving maids can one keep track of.

A wonderful series, both of these English dramas provide ample reason beyond Big Bird why PBS is a gift all year round.

Upstairs, Downstairs 2011 Version

I never saw the original Upstairs productions in the seventies. I am sure I was too busy watching Happy Days and MASH. However when word came that PBS was going to be broadcasting a continuation of the series I looked forward to seeing it.

Set in 1936 , six years after the original ended in 1930, the shows are joined together by the character of Rose Buck played by Jean Marsh in both series. In this most recent version Rose now runs a domestic servicing agency and in being asked to provide staff for the new owners of the home she eventually becomes the head housekeeper.

I am not sure why this show attracts me so, no more than I am why I thought Downtun Abbey was so good. Perhaps it is that the characters are so well formed, but even more that they are honorable and good, for the most part that is.

In this new series the house has been purchased by the diplomat Sir Hallam Holland and his wife the Lady Agnes. They employ Rose Buck to staff the house and we meet and come to know the new staff. Rose herself becomes the head housekeeper. A Jewish refugee joins the staff and her daughter becomes part of the plot. The Fascists are in London and the King is abdicating. All of this is a backdrop for a wonderful series.

One note for me was that Lady Agnes is not that likable a character. We come to realize that she is not so much unlikable as a product of her times and so consumed with her own life and later pregnancy that she fails to appreciate all that is going on around her. One can suppose we all make that mistake at times.

I have read that there will be more of both Upstairs, Downstairs and Downtun Abbey and I for one, cannot wait.