Anyone going to try The Durrells (aka My Family and Other Animals)?

[YesThisIsMe]

These books were a huge part of my childhood, but a lot of people look blank when I mention them.

We saw a preview yesterday and we enjoyed it but felt that the people who'd brought 6 year olds might have been cringing a bit at the sex references, and Mother's gin-fuelled existential crisis.

[AugustaFinkNottle]

Sven.

I so would.

[gingerboy1912]

I'm loving the scenery but the kids are getting on my nerves. They are just coming across as bratty and useless at the moment.

[RiverTam]

So why, when Mrs D was visiting the snidey doctor's wife, did she not mention that though she and her children are British they lived the majority of their lives in India? Are they really downplaying the India side of things for some reason? All a bit too unsympathetically colonial? Because in the books he mentions that Mother considered India to be her homeland. And all the children were born there, weren't they?

I'm quite enjoying it, for all that it bears not much relation to the books. Larry v annoying but I dare say he was. Gerry lovely. Sven, phwoar.

[Davros]

I've never read the books but we are really enjoying this series. I also like that the younger actors are not familiar, you do see the same kids and young adults over and over. I like Keeley Hawes so that probably helps. What about those gorgeous puppies? And that is not something rude about KH!

[AugustaFinkNottle]

ginger, I think that's the point, they just were a bit bratty and useless. There's a relevant quote (which I've just checked by googling):

“It's all your fault, Mother,' said Larry austerely; 'you shouldn't have brought us up to be so selfish.' 'I like that!' exclaimed Mother. 'I never did anything of the sort!' 'Well, we didn't get as selfish as this without some guidance,' said Larry.”

[gingerboy1912]

Augusta that's a good quote

[Davros]

This week anyone? I don't like seeing the pelican in the cage but I suppose that's what happened. KH said there's going to be a second series

[ChessieFL]

Agree re pelican but attitudes to animals have changed a lot since the 1930s!

[gingerboy1912]

Yeah I wasn't keen to see the Pelican stuck in a cage but trying to bear in mind that this was set in a different time

[CeciliaMiddleton]

AAah - I'm absolutely OBSESSED by the Durrells! This is quite a good think piece - www.culturewhisper.com/r/article/the_durrells_itv_review/6907

[gleegeek]

Dd (12) was quite enjoying this although squirmed a bit at the fairly constant references to sex - embarrassing in front of the parents - but when they showed the vomiting so graphically she took herself off to bed and refused to watch bit again! We're enjoying the filming but not the acting. Agree KH is too young and modern. Sad as was looking forward to it

[Sweetpea021]

The Hannah Gordon/Brian Blessed version has been removed from YouTube. I'd watched the first two episodes and it's not even showing in my viewing history.

[ChessieFL]

It's available on DVD sweetpea

[BlueChampagne]

Why hasn't Louisa got any grey hairs is what I want to know!

Also Corfu in the '30s seems surprisingly untraditional for Greece.

Much more a study of the family dynamic than a dramatisation of My Family & other Animals (plus the other 2? Corfu books).

[Inkanta]

Yes nice filming and scenery but the constant bickering gives me a headache. Not very relaxing and I had to switch over on Sunday night.

[SirChenjin]

Love love love this series. The constant bickering is par for the course when you have multiple teens in the house, multiple animals running around the place and no money, surely?

Sven is hitting the spot perfectly in the post Poldark period.

[Davros]

Did the Sven situation exist in RL?

[SirChenjin]

No - according to what I could find on google, Sven was actually gay in RL and the series makers have come under fire for making him straight. I suspect that they decided to give us something nice to look at on a Sunday evening until Captain Poldark and his scythe returned to our screens.

Excitingly, Sven is actually Swedish in RL. He's from Stockholm! I know!!

[NadiaWadia]

Talking of Poldark (sorry to hijack thread) does anyone know when it is returning? I'm sure it must be over a year since the last series ended.

[diddl]

Just watched ep4.

God, Leslie is such an obnoxious twat I hoped that he was going to get some punishment!

[Beeziekn33ze]

Margo was wonderfully inane when she did her day's work experience at the doctor's. Hilarious!

[Groovee]

I'm only just watching on catch up. I love it x

[Clawdy]

Margo and Leslie are great, but the mother's romance is not ringing true for me. I really like Keele H, but the character she plays is getting a bit irritating.

[Clawdy]

Keeley, not Keele!

[gingerboy1912]

Really enjoyed this weeks episode