On the verge of World War II, a group of cousins gather at their uncle’s estate in Cornwall, on England’s southwestern coast, for what they think will be their last family holiday. The story unfolds during the years of World War II and focuses on this family and how they try and forget there’s a war going on. (Many of them do it by sleeping around.) The World War II storyline is intercut with scenes from 40 years later 
when the main characters gather for the funeral of one of their own. The title refers to the fragrant lawn that stretches down the cliff in front of the uncle’s estate.
I have not read the book by Mary Wesley on which this program was based, but more often than not, screen adaptations pale in comparison to the original book. I’ve seen reviews, however, that say this version was faithful to the book.
I had a hard time trying to decide if I wanted to post about this show. I didn’t particularly care for it. The 
only reason I was drawn to this series was because it stars Felicity Kendal (The Good Life, Rosemary & Thyme) and Paul Eddington (The Good Life, Yes, Minister) It was fun to see two stars of The Good Life reunited. But as for the other characters, they weren’t very likable I’m not sure if that was the actors’ portrayals or just how the characters were in the original book version.
In my opinion, The Camomile Lawn is not really on par with some of the other great television I’ve written about. I felt like I was forcing myself to watch it, hoping that the next episode would be more entertaining. But if you are a fan of the book, you might be interested in checking this out. If nothing else, to see Felicity Kendal and Paul Eddington.
MAIN CAST:
Felicity Kendal – Helena Cuthbertson
Paul Eddington – Richard Cuthbertson
Jennifer Ehle – Calypso
Tara Fitzgerald – Polly
Rebecca Hall – Sophy
Toby Stephens – Oliver
Ben Walden – Walter
Total Seasons: 1 (5 episodes)
Seasons Available on US Formatted DVD: 1
In Production: 1992
Viewer Discretion: Adult situations, language, nudity
The Hour has been compared to Mad Men, but only because it’s a period drama – The Hour takes place in 1956, Mad Men in the mid-1960s. And they do a lot of smoking and drinking on both shows. But The Hour is not about advertising, it’s a behind-the-scenes look at the BBC’s new investigative TV news programme called, naturally, The Hour.
the brink of World War III. But in addition to portraying the delicate political environment of the time, you’ve also got conspiracies, romance and a murder mystery all rolled into one.
I hadn’t seen the original 1970s version of the show, but since this new version was on PBS, I thought I’d give it a look. After watching Series 1 of the 2010 version, I needed to take a look at the 1971 version just to see what was the same and different. Though I haven’t watched all 5 seasons, 68 episodes, of the original, this new one really has only three things in common with the old one – the title of the show, the house itself, and the character of Rose Buck. (Jean Marsh reprises her role as Rose.)
most colorful characters, a la Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey.) Lady Agnes is pretty much just a mother and socialite. She seems a rather shallow character to me. Her sister, Lady Persephone, Persie, is a much more lively character, the black sheep of the family who likes to stir things up.
It’s been 40 years since the original first aired. Times have changed, but that’s a good thing. Upstairs Downstairs now addresses topics like fascism, infidelity, homosexuality and abortion, not issues that were intensely discussed or portrayed on 1970s television.
As I’ve said in previous posts, if I like an actor in a particular series, I tend to seek out other work they’ve done. That’s the case here. I loved Trevor Eve in 
dismissed from Scotland Yard and dispatched to head the new criminal investigation unit in Nairobi, on the edges of the British Empire.
Tyburn cares about enforcing the law and about the natives in Nairobi, even though his superiors would rather the native police take care of their own issues. Albert Tyburn is not dissimilar to Trevor Eve’s character, Peter Boyd, in 
Enter the world of lords and ladies, butlers, personal valets, chambermaids and chauffeurs, the upstairs and the downstairs at Downton Abbey.
Grantham Estate. The title to the estate is currently held by Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, played wonderfully by Hugh Bonneville.
The Earl has three daughters, but daughters are not allowed to inherit. Their lot in life is to find a suitable husband who can provide them a name and status. So, the search is on for The Earl of Grantham to marry off his three girls.
Thomas, the footman, try to back-stab their way up the food chain. Maid Anna and valet Bates fall in love. And butler Mr. Carson and housekeeper Mrs. Hughes try to keep the household running smoothly.
The ensemble cast is brilliant, acting very natural and believable. You wonder if they’re really reciting from a script or just ad-libbing the whole thing. Though all the acting in the show is stellar, Maggie Smith stands out as one of the best characters. She plays the Dowager Countess, mother of Lord Grantham, who always has her snooty two-cents to add to every conversation.
Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England. It’s a perfect, authentic setting for this series. And I absolutely love the hauntingly beautiful theme music.
I had Lark Rise to Candleford on my list of shows to see for quite a while and never got around to watching it. But once I did, I couldn’t stop. I was totally addicted.
Some have called it a British version of Little House on the Prairie and I guess there are some overall similarities — a daughter named Laura from a large family learning all about life and love. But as far as I’m concerned, the similarities end there. I find Lark Rise to Candleford to be much more entertaining and elegantly produced.
The incredible ensemble cast is made up of characters you grow to know and love as the series unfolds. My favorite character is Thomas Brown, played by Mark Heap. But only because I’ve seen other characters that Mark Heap has played and they are so totally different than Thomas Brown. A lot of the shows Mark is in are comedies, so to see him play a more dramatic role is very impressive. I love actors who have range and can successfully play all different types of roles. And when it comes to range, compare Julia Sawalha as Dorcas Lane in this series to her role as Saffron Monsoon from Absolutely Fabulous. Totally different.
