Mixed reaction to new Upstairs Downstairs

There’s been a mixed reaction amongst television viewers to the BBC’s revival of Upstairs Downstairs.

 

While the critics have mostly been warm to the revived Upstairs Downstairs there has been more of a mixed reaction from viewers. The revival of the LWT series launched on Boxing Day on BBC One with over 7 million viewers and continued last night; concluding tonight on BBC One. The series is set in 1936, several years after the conclusion of the original series, with only Jean Marsh returning from the original series.

 

There has been much anticipating surrounding the revival especially given the recent success of fellow period drama Downton Abbey on ITV. Comparisons between the two dramas are inevitable especially as the press closely watch ratings for Upstairs to see if they can match the highs of Downton or drop off.

 

Viewer reaction so far to the revival has been very mixed indeed with our selection of comments below just a small indication of the difference in opinion between fans. 

 

I liked it especially Eileen Atkins but I felt it could have been more “Upstairs, Downstairs” rather than trading on the name. The theme, an original character and a few nods to the past but not much to connect it to the past. I felt the original title sequence, updated and modernised, could easily have been used and the original layout of the house – again just updated – could have been used. The servant downstairs part looked nothing like the original one.

 

I think the second episode is much better. The characters are now established better and the whole over-hanging rise of Fascism is obviously a good under-pinning for the episode.

 

I enjoyed it and it was nice to hear the original music at the beginning, however since Rose is only returning after six years you would have thought it was more like thirty six years. The set resembles the original and that’s about all. However forgetting the old series it looks like this could be good in its own right Dame Eileen Atkins was superb and so was the monkey and the Footman very cute!

  

I liked tonights episode. I was looking forward to Dame Eileen Atkin’s performance and she didn’t disappoint.

For me it had a more modern feel to it because it was filmed as a `film’ rather than the original. But all these years later realistically it would be very hard to re-create the Original series because of only one original actress starring. But good acting performances all round.

 

I’ve never seen the orginal, but the one last night was pretty good. Enjoyed that even though it’s not something i’d normally see.

 

Why do they keep bringing in characters then getting rid of them within the same week? It all seems a bit like it’s a big story shoehorned into 3 hours..

 

Why have they revived it? Why couldn’t they leave well alone?

 

Didn’t like it at all – far too modern. None of the feel of the original series, that human feel it had.

 

You can post your own comments on Upstairs Downstairs below. Don’t forget the drama concludes tonight on BBC One at 9pm.