Upstairs, Downstairs - DVD

Upstairs, Downstairs - Collector's Edition Megaset (The Complete Series plus Thomas and Sarah)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Clear picture and sound - wonderful series 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is for those who remember this great, great series and wish to own it, and also for those who have heard about it and want to add it to their collections, but are fearful that the quality of this set may be poor.

I recently purchased this set and found the picture and sound quality of these DVDs to be perfectly fine. If there is anything that may take some getting used to it's the variety of London accents of the characters, just as was the case in 1971.

This is a series shot in a studio for television in the early '70s, not some "blockbuster" film shot a year ago with 21st century technology. But this set looks and sounds the same as it would if Masterpiece Theater reran it on television today. It's perfectly clear all around. If you're inclined to buy this set don't let anything stop you. You will love every minute of it as much as I have.

Editorial Review:

No Description Available.
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: NR
Release Date: 25-OCT-2005
Media Type: DVD

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete First Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

top drama series 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Savour the wonderful premiere series of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS in this great DVD box set.

The saga of the Bellamy family and their lively, loyal servants at 165 Eaton Place went on to span 5 series and countless awards. In the legendary first series we are introduced to politician Richard Bellamy (David Langton), his beautiful wife Lady Marjorie (Rachel Gurney) and their children James (Simon Williams) and Elizabeth (Nicola Pagett). Downstairs, their staff, Hudson the butler (Gordon Jackson), Mrs Bridges the cook (Angela Baddeley), Rose the maid (Jean Marsh) and Emily the scullery maid (Evin Crowley) attempt to uphold their own values whilst coming to grips with an ever-changing world.

Originally-devised by actresses Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, the series explored the day-to-day life of servant and master in the Edwardian period, a time of great political and social upheaval. The series later took the Bellamy family into the First World War (Series 4, regarded by most as the greatest), the 1920s flapper period and the impending Stock Market crash (Series 5).

As the series opens, it is the year 1903, and great changes are afoot for the Bellamy family.

"On Trial" - Into the structured Bellamy household whirls the unconventional free-spirit Clemence Delise (Pauline Collins) who is applying for the new position of parlourmaid. After Lady Marjorie re-names the girl Sarah, she is quickly inducted into the residence, but it soon becomes clear that Sarah's true calling isn't in domestic service.

"The Mistress and the Maids" - Lady Marjorie sits for an important society painter, but it's Sarah who enflames his creative talents.

"Board Wages" - When the Bellamy's leave London for the weekend, Sarah and the servants are left to their own devices. But when James unexpectedly returns home early, Sarah is thrown into a dilemma which could see her walk away from Eaton Place.

"The Path of Duty" - Elizabeth returns home from a German finishing school, but her stubborn, willful streak is still very much intact. When she must make her formal society debut, Elizabeth exposes her parents to a huge scandal by running away.

"A Suitable Marriage" - The visiting Baron von Rimmer seems the perfect prospective husband for Elizabeth...or is he?

"A Cry for Help" - Richard becomes entangled in scandal when the new maid appeals for his assistance in a delicate private matter.

"Magic Casements" - Lady Marjorie enjoys a tender but brief affair with one of James' military friends.

"I Dies from Love" - Emily becomes infatuated with a footman, leading to dire consequences when her affections are not returned.

"Why Was Her Door Locked?" - An emotionally-distraught Mrs Bridges plunges the Bellamy family into disgrace when she kidnaps a baby.

"A Voice from the Past" - Whilst helping in a soup kitchen, James and Elizabeth stumble onto a homeless Sarah, and decide to take her back to Eaton Place. The situation becomes complicated when Elizabeth learns of James' affair with Sarah during her previous employment at the house.

"The Swedish Tiger" - Sarah becomes a pawn in a plan to rob the Bellamy's of priceless antiques.

"The Key of the Door" - Elizabeth comes of age, but her headstrong attitude once again causes friction with her parents, when she befriends Evelin Larkin and her group of socialists.

"For Love of Love" - Elizabeth finally marries poet Lawrence Kirbridge at the request of her parents, and James rekindles his affair with Sarah, who is now a music-hall singer.

Due to a technician's strike in 1971, the first six episodes were taped in black-and-white, and an alternate colour version of the first episode was filmed later on, for broadcasters who didn't wish to screen the black and white episodes. In the colour broadcasts, Sarah leaves at the end of the first episode "On Trial", but the complete B&W/colour inclusive series has her leave at the end of "Board Wages". UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS is still often aired without the crucial black and white episodes, but the DVD edition includes the complete story arc with no omissions and both versions of the "On Trial" episode.

Editorial Review:

Anglophiles rejoice: the Bellamys are back in their upscale London home, and the servants are again ensconced below stairs. The characters are endearing and the writing bittersweet as the story follows the lives of this aristocratic family and its helpers from 1904 into the 1930s. Nine new-to-video episodes of this seminal British series have been included in a seven-video boxed set. (It aired in the States under the auspices of Masterpiece Theatre.) Of the 13 episodes, 5 are rare black-and-white shows never broadcast in the U.S. All are clean and clear and as enjoyable as when they first aired in the early 1970s. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete Series Megaset

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This seminal British television series is just as enjoyable now as when it first aired in the early 1970s. Richard (David Langton), Lady Marjorie (Rachel Gurney), and their son James (Simon Williams) comprise the aristocratic Bellamy family that reside upstairs while their loyal servants--including butler Hudson (Gordon Jackson), cook Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddeley), and housemaid Rose (Jean Marsh)--maintain the household from downstairs. The series follows the upper-class family's troubles as times change and the ongoing lives of their resilient staff. Upstairs Downstairs: The Complete Series contains 68 episodes on 20 DVDs, as well as the series retrospective Upstairs Downstairs Remembered: the 25th Anniversary Special. Initially set in 1904, the first season comprises 13 episodes, 5 of which are 5 black-and-white episodes not aired during the first season of the original U.S. broadcast. The second season's 13 episodes cover various relationship problems and an appearance of King Edward VII. The third season's 13 episodes follow the London household through the prewar years (1912-1914). Outstanding cast performances and the dramatic backdrop of the Great War give the fourth season, set in 1914 to 1918, its reputation as the best of the five. Due to limited filming budgets, the war is largely seen through home-front activities. The 16 episodes of the fifth and final season cover the swinging '20s to the stock market crash (1919-30). The episodes of the fifth season are more self-contained than other seasons' and every bit as entertaining. The series ends with Rose locking up the empty house, closing the door on one of TV's most popular and acclaimed shows. Whether you first met the Bellamys and their delightfully enjoyable downstairs entourage in the 1970s or are just getting to know them now, the superb acting and compelling character development will always be the real reason to watch Upstairs Downstairs. The megaset was rereleased in 2005 along with the spinoff series, Thomas and Sarah. --Tara Chace

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete Fifth Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Beloved by audiences in more than 70 countries, this seminal British television series is just as enjoyable now as when it first aired in the mid-1970s. Richard, his new wife Virginia, and recently widowed son James comprise the aristocratic Bellamy family who resides upstairs while their loyal servants maintain the London household from downstairs. These final 16 episodes cover the swinging '20s to the stock market crash (1919-30). The episodes of the fifth season are more self-contained than other seasons' and every bit as entertaining.

The household mood reflects the events of the day--jubilation at the armistice, a fancy-dress party amidst the gaiety of the early '20s, divided allegiances during the general strike of 1926, the fever of stock market wealth, and overnight ruin in October 1929. James, with too much time and money on his hands, is single again and up to his usual antics. Nor is life dull for the other members of the household--Hudson almost resigns his position after he's caught holding hands with Lily, the housemaid, and Georgina winds up in court after she hits and kills a man while taking a group of irresponsible socialites to Sussex in the Bellamys' Rolls. While James and Richard focus their political activities outside the home, Edward and Frederick vie to see who will fill in for Hudson while he recuperates from his heart attack. Finally, after the market crash and James's subsequent death, the family is forced to sell 165 Eaton Place to pay off his creditors. The series ends with Rose locking up the empty house, closing the door on one of TV's most popular and acclaimed shows. Whether you first met the Bellamys and their delightfully enjoyable downstairs entourage in the 1970s or are just getting to know them now, the superb acting and compelling character development will always be the real reason to watch Upstairs Downstairs. --Tara Chace

Thomas and Sarah

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Not even highbrow TV can resist spinning off a successful series! When the enormously popular Upstairs, Downstairs came to a close, two of its most colorful characters were given a series of their own: Thomas the chauffer (John Alderton, Calendar Girls) and Sarah the parlor maid (Pauline Collins, Shirley Valentine). Thomas & Sarah charted the social and financial escapades of this dubious pair, who lived together without getting married and were as comfortable with con artistry as lawful employment. The tone and quality of these 13 episodes varies from social commentary to light adventure, but at its best Thomas & Sarah could match its illustrious forebear.

The first episode starts things off on a smart, satirical note: Thomas disturbs Sarah's carefully fabricated new identity when, to woo her back into his arms, he concocts a new persona of his own. But it's a handful of later episodes that are truly remarkable. In one, Sarah tells Thomas that she's pregnant to forestall his dream of emigrating to America. When he learns that she's lied to him, he enacts a vicious revenge; Alderton's performance is both convincing and frightening. In another, success in the stock market leads Thomas and Sarah to hire servants of their own--with decidedly uncomfortable results (Nigel Hawthorne, The Madness of King George, appears as a stern and rigid butler). The exploration of class is clever, subtle, and insightful. A second season was never produced due to a strike, but this single season remains a fascinating portrait of the Edwardian era, sparkling with superb acting and writing. Collins and Alderton create two engaging, contradictory, and utterly vivid characters, worthy of your time. --Bret Fetzer

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete Third Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This seminal British television series is just as enjoyable now as when it first aired in the early 1970s. Richard, Lady Marjorie, and their son James comprise the aristocratic Bellamy family that reside upstairs while their loyal servants maintain the household from downstairs. The series follows the upper-class family's troubles as times change and the ongoing lives of their resilient staff. Clean, clear, and presented in order, the third season's 13 episodes follow the London household through the prewar years (1912-1914).

In these episodes, Hudson (Gordon Jackson) gives notice over James's (Simon Williams) luncheon with his father's typist, Miss Forrest (Meg Wynn Owen), who helps run the household after Lady Marjorie dies aboard the R.M.S. Titanic. Tensions again erupt when another family strives to hire Hudson away and Miss Forrest refuses James's marriage proposal, afraid of a past secret. Former servant Alfred reappears, taking a hostage when Hudson discovers he is wanted for murder, and a French countess is romantically interested in Richard's money until James exposes the truth. James's new wife, Hazel Forrest, resolves a stock-trading scandal, but remains uneasy with her new society position, particularly while fox hunting at Lord and Lady Newbury's country estate. A disregard for class differences nearly ends in disaster during Georgina Worsley's (Lesley-Anne Down) holiday visit, and a casual remark by the Bellamys' footman Edward erupts into a scandal that threatens Parliament's Tory constituency. Rose (Jean Marsh) almost marries an Australian sheep farmer, and James's rocky marriage must survive Hazel's miscarriage. In July 1914, when war looms, James looks to rejoin his regiment to escape his troubled marriage; Mrs. Bridges (Angela Baddeley) has a suitor and two servants, Edward and Daisy, defy the downstairs' rules by falling in love. --Tara Chace

Upstairs Downstairs - The Complete Fourth Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Beloved by audiences in more than 70 countries, this seminal British television series is just as enjoyable now as when it first aired in the 1970s. Richard, his son James, and James's wife, Hazel, comprise the aristocratic Bellamy family that resides upstairs while their loyal servants maintain the London household from downstairs. These episodes, set in 1914 to 1918, during the Great War, follow the upper class family's troubles in changing times and the ongoing lives of their resilient staff. The fourth season is more soapy than the previous ones and is best viewed in order. Outstanding cast performances and the dramatic backdrop of the war give this season its reputation as the best of the five.

Due to limited filming budgets, the war is largely seen through home-front activities. While James and Edward serve on the frontlines, the rest of the family participates in the war effort as best they can, busy with tea parties for wounded officers, charity shows, and attempts to shelter refugees. Surprising everyone, Ruby even leaves to build munitions, only to return after an explosion at the factory. Marriages and tragedies ensue, affecting both upstairs and downstairs at 165 Eaton Place. As the Great War concludes, and things begin to settle down, England celebrates the Armistice and the Bellamy family contemplates the end of an era and the changes to come. --Tara Chace

Upstairs, Downstairs - The Complete Second Season

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

the saga continues 5 out of 5 stars.
19 of 20 people found this review helpful.

The second season of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS continues the saga of the Bellamy family of Eaton Place; their loves, losses and everyday life.

At the end of the first season, young Elizabeth Bellamy (played by Nicola Pagett) was publicly humiliated at the hands of political activist Evelin Larkin (Georgia Brown), before marrying the handsome Lawrence Kirbridge (Ian Ogilvy) in a lavish ceremony...

Season 2 includes the following episodes -

"The New Man" - Elizabeth and Lawrence return from their honeymoon in Europe, and set up housekeeping in Greenwich. Rose (Jean Marsh) is on hand to make sure Elizabeth is well looked-after, but all is not well in their marriage.

"A Pair of Exiles" - The erstwhile Sarah (Pauline Collins) confesses to her lover James Bellamy (Simon Williams) that she is carrying his baby. Sarah is then shipped off to Lady Marjorie's estate at Southwold for her confinement...

"Married Love" - Elizabeth is angry and hurt that her marriage to Lawrence is still unconsummated, so Lawrence orgainises a discreet tryst between her and his publisher, Sir Edwin Patridge (Charles Gray).

"Whom God Hath Joined.." - Elizabeth demands a divorce from Lawrence, but discovers that she is pregnant with Edwin's child.

"Guest of Honour" - King Edward VII (played by Lockwood West) dines with the Bellamy family in this special episode, and Sarah makes a dramatic return to Eaton Place.

"The Property of a Lady" - Thomas (John Alderton) and Sarah resort to drastic measures in order to help Lady Marjorie (Rachel Gurney) and the explosion of a secret from the past. This episode refers to events that took place in the season 1 episode "Magic Casements".

"Your Obedient Servant" - Hudson (Gordon Jackson) has to think quickly when his brother and sister-in-law come to visit from India. Richard Bellamy (David Langton) endures a visit from his pompous elder brother (John Nettleton).

"Out of the Everywhere" - Elizabeth gives birth to Edwin's child, and Nanny Webster (Daphne Heard) is sent up from Southwold to look after it.

"An Object of Value" - When Lady Southwold (played by Cathleen Nesbitt) comes to visit, the servants get into an uproar when her antique brooch goes missing.

"A Special Mischief" - Rose suffers a horrifying ordeal when she is mistakenly arrested as a suffragette. Elizabeth meets Julius Karekin (Donald Burton).

"The Fruits of Love" - A sudden financial crisis threatens the Bellamy's gilded world, and Julius Karekin offers a solution for the future of Elizabeth.

"The Wages of Sin" - Sarah is pregnant again, and this time Thomas is the father, though he cleverly avoids the blame and exploits the situation to his own advantage.

"A Family Gathering" - Elizabeth breaks off her relationship, James returns from India with a new fiancee, Phyllis Kingman (played by Delia Lindsay), and Lady Marjorie's birthday celebration is interrupted by Thomas and Sarah. King Edward dies and the Bellamys all join together to mourn his passing. (This is the final episode for Elizabeth, Thomas and Sarah).

Also starring Angela Baddeley, Patsy Smart, Christopher Beeny, Jenny Tomasin, Joan Benham and Dorothy Frere.

Editorial Review:

Return to 165 Eaton Place and be enchanted with the saga that captures the essence of life and love in Edwardian England. This collector's set includes the entire second season.

Upstairs Downstairs - Seasons 2, 3, 4, & 5 [DVD]

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Features:

• Winner of 9 Emmys®, a Golden Globe® and a Peabody® award; And been seen by over a billion people in 70 countries worldwide.
• Contains 16 DVDs featuring 55 episodes from the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth seasons.
• 16 DVD / 46 Hours 45 Min.
• Closed Captioning: No
• DVD Features: Interactive Menus, Scene Selection

Editorial Review:

It has been praised by critics and fans alike. It has won 9 Emmys®, a Golden Globe® and a Peabody® award, and been seen by more than one billion people worldwide. UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS is one of television's true masterpieces. A&E Home Video is proud to make this enduring classic available on DVD, allowing fans to enjoy the exquisite drama of the Edwardian family and their servants with unmatched clarity and fidelity. Contains 16 DVDs featuring 55 episodes from the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs. Follow the Bellamys and their servants through some of the most memorable moments in TV history. From the narrowly-averted scandal of Elizabeth's pregnancy to a visit from the King, the enchanting saga of life and love in Edwardian England shines like never before. Journey back once more to 165 Eaton place, and own a piece of television history.