TV Tuesday: Upstairs Downstairs - Season 1; Episode 1 (2010)

 

Upstairs Downstairs - 2010

Coming up next on this edition of TV Tuesday is the first episode of 2010's BBC reboot of a classic television series "Upstairs Downstairs".  Here we find Sir Hallam Holland and his wife Lady Agnes as they and their staff navigate the tumultuous period before the Second World War.

The episode's cast includes Ed Stoppard, Keeley Hawes, Eileen Atkins, Jean Marsh, Claire Foy, Anne Reid, Adrian Scarborough, Art Malik, Neil Jackson, Nico Mirallegro, Ellie Kendrick, Blake Ritson, Anthony Calf, Emma Clifford, and Edward Baker-Duly.

Veteran housekeeper Miss Rose Buck has been approached by Lady Agnes Holland to get No. 165 Eaton Place in London into some sort of shape before she and her husband move in.  Miss Buck is tasked with finding a proper staff and getting things rolling with regards to renovations.

Lady Agnes is definitely unprepared when her mother-in-law Maud arrives and basically takes over the household, making all of the decisions.  She comes with her own secretary and a monkey named Solomon.  "Every morning, as soon as he sees me open my eyes, he applauds me.  I can't tell you how that boosts one's confidence," Maud says of the monkey.

Sir Hallam and Lady Agnes are definitely caught by surprise by old Lady Holland's arrival.  Though, they decide to keep the peace and give her a home with them.

And it won't be all bad.  Maud comes with a gift, a tiara belonging to the Holland family.  Lady Agnes has always aspired to one and proudly tries it on for size.

In quick order, Miss Buck secures a staff and gets the house in order.  There is a footman, a maid, and a cook.  There's also a chauffeur named Spargo.

Downstairs an egg has been discovered.  It is put into a warm, dry place in order to see if it will hatch.

The upstairs and downstairs worlds occasionally collide.  Those upstairs must venture downstairs in order to listen to the king's address on the radio.

The arrival of Agnes's sister, Lady Persie, throws the whole house into chaos.  This spoiled young lady is a bit pretentious, demanding, and prickly.

But for the sake of the household, everyone has to learn to get along together, including Solomon, who sits at the table as a member of the family.

Miss Buck is able to engage the services of a butler, Mr. Pritchard.  He's put to the test when he's got to organize the staff for a cocktail party for the Duke and Duchess of Kent, and, hopefully, King Edward VIII.

The party was organized by Maud.  It was she who invited the King's companion, Mrs. Wallis Simpson, in the hopes that the lady would bring the King to the party.

No one is more surprised than Maud when Mrs. Simpson's companion walks through the door.  It isn't the King.  It's Joachim von Ribbentrop, a key figure in Nazi Germany.  Everyone is shocked and scandalized.

Everyone, that is, except Lady Persie.  She takes to Ribbentrop very quickly.  They spend most of the party together enjoying one another's company.  Eyebrows are raised everywhere.

Lady Agnes is furious with Maud for putting her in the position of having to receive Mrs. Simpson and Ribbentrop.

Later, Maud confides to Miss Buck.  "We have experience, you and I.  We are what that house requires," she tells the housekeeper.

Elsewhere, the egg has hatched downstairs, and the fledgling is ready to leave the nest.

Cast rundown:

   Ed Stoppard................................Sir Hallam Holland

   Keeley Hawes..............................Lady Agnes Holland

   Eileen Atkins...............................Maud, Lady Holland

   Jean Marsh.................................Miss Rose Buck

   Claire Foy....................................Lady Persephone Towyn

   Anne Reid...................................Mrs. Clarice Thackeray

   Adrian Scarborough......................Mr. Warwick Pritchard

   Art Malik.....................................Mr. Amanjit Singh

   Nico Mirallegro.............................Johnny Proude

   Ellie Kendrick...............................Ivy Morris

   Blake Ritson.................................The Duke of Kent

   Anthony Calf................................Anthony Eden

   Emma Clifford..............................Wallis Simpson

   Edward Baker-Duly......................Joachim von Ribbentrop

And that's it for Upstairs Downstairs.  Eileen Atkins, one of the creators of the original show and one of this series' stars, appeared in only the first season.  She disliked the direction the scripts were taking and so decided not to participate in season two.  Her character was killed off.

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Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

 

Elizabeth: The Golden Age - 2007

Our next Royal Week post features 2007's "Elizabeth: The Golden Age", the sequel to 1998's "Elizabeth".  In this story, we find Queen Elizabeth I of England as she faces the invasion of the Spanish Armada, the attempts on her life, the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the romance between Walter Raleigh and her ward, Bess Throckmorton.

The film's cast includes Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Abbie Cornish, Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans, Tom Hollander, Eddie Redmayne, Jordi Molla, Christian Brassington, and Adrian Scarborough.

It's the year 1585, and King Philip of Spain and Queen Elizabeth of England are bitter enemies.

King Philip wants to bring England to its knees, and he decides that it's time to start preparing his armada for war.

Queen Elizabeth of England is facing problems at home, most notably from the Catholic population of her subjects.  Her ministers want them punished.  Elizabeth says that she will only punish her subjects for their deeds and not their beliefs.

Elizabeth's hold on the throne of England is far from safe.  Imprisoned elsewhere, Mary, Queen of Scots, is busily plotting the downfall of her cousin so that she can ascend the throne herself.

Elizabeth's chief minister, Walsingham, wants her to get married, so that there can be some more support for England.  Elizabeth is content to dangle suitors by a thread, never committing herself.  She prefers to spend time arranging matches for her ladies-in-waiting.

Whilst on her way to prayers one day, Elizabeth is met by Walter Raleigh, who throws his cloak over a puddle so she can walk without getting wet.  She is very intrigued by the handsome stranger.

And she's highly amused by the incident.  She laughs about it as she makes her way inside the chapel.

During audiences one day, Elizabeth is brought portraits of several suitors, and she glances at them with a wary eye.  She is intrigued by one portrait and asks for its sitter to be brought, Archduke Charles of Austria.

Walter Raleigh makes an appearance at court, hoping for ships and a warrant to found a colony in the New World.  He's already found land there and named it Virginia in her honor.  Once again, Elizabeth is intrigued by him.

Archduke Charles arrives at court and goes through the motions of courtship with Elizabeth.  She stops him and sends him home in friendship.

The longer he is at court, the more Elizabeth finds herself falling in love with Walter Raleigh.

He, however, only has eyes for Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting, Bess Throckmorton.  The romance must be conducted in secret, for only Elizabeth can say when and whom Bess can marry.

Matters with the Spanish come to a head when the ambassador confronts Elizabeth.  "You see a leaf fall, and you think you know which way the wind blows.  Well, there is a wind coming, Madame, that will sweep away your pride," says the ambassador with confidence.

With equal confidence, Elizabeth calls out in a mighty voice, "I, too, can command the wind, sir!  I have a hurricane in me that will sweep Spain bare when you dare to try me!"  She leaves in an agitated state of mind.

Shortly after her altercation with the Spanish ambassador, Elizabeth's life is threatened by an assassin.  She is unharmed, but it's learned that Mary, Queen of Scots was responsible for the attempt on Elizabeth's life.

Mary's involvement in the plot is enough to send her to the executioner's block.  Elizabeth reluctantly signs the death warrant.

In a bad mood after having "killed God's anointed queen", Elizabeth learns some other unwelcome information.

The Spanish Armada is speeding hastily towards the English coast.  Elizabeth and her ministers must plan the best they can for the massive fleet of ships that is set to invade.

They are right to be nervous.  The armada is more powerful than the English armies, and certain doom is imminent.

While all this is going on, Elizabeth learns of Raleigh and Bess's relationship.  She orders Raleigh arrested and has Bess banished from court.  On the eve of battle, Elizabeth has a change of heart and releases them.  Raleigh hurries to join the fighting.

Knowing the might of the Spanish troops, Elizabeth leads her own army into battle, giving them a rousing speech before the fighting begins.

Miraculously, a wind pushes the armada towards the beaches.  At the same time, Raleigh commands a counterattack which utterly destroys the Spanish galleons.  Elizabeth watches the victory from a cliff.

With the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the threat to her throne neutralized, Elizabeth rules England unchallenged, and the nation enters a time of peace and prosperity.

Cast rundown:

   Cate Blanchett.......................................Queen Elizabeth I

   Geoffrey Rush........................................Sir Francis Walsingham

   Clive Owen............................................Sir Walter Raleigh

   Abbie Cornish........................................Bess Throckmorton

   Samantha Morton...................................Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots

   Rhys Ifans.............................................Robert Reston

   Tom Hollander........................................Sir Amyas Paulet

   Eddie Redmayne....................................Thomas Babbington

   Jordi Molla.............................................King Philip II

   Christian Brassington..............................Archduke Charles

   Adrian Scarborough................................Calley

And that's it for Elizabeth: The Golden Age.  The historical accuracy of the film is way out of scope here.  Timelines are skewed, and events are jumbled about for the sake of the story.  But what a story!  The scenes for the El Escorial palace of Philip II were actually filmed at Westminster Cathedral in London.  The film crew had to wait until after the last evening confession before they could begin their filming each day.  Everything recognizably modern was stripped from the church for the scenes, which had to be filmed during the night.  Everything was put back in its proper place in time for morning mass.

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