The Hardacres

As my heading says best show on tv for a long time, I absolutely loved it, the actors were all amazing and did the show proud there had better be a season 2. I really want to see how The Hardacres continue in the upper classes and feel this show has so much more to offer. A true crowd pleaser with everything you need in a good drama. Highs, lows, laughter and tears truly fantastic acting from all the cast. I want more of this with the same cast and more great storylines from the Hardacre family. Let's make it happen channel 5 I couldn't get enough of this truly heartwarming series and want to see more!

Its a rags to riches Downton Abbey.

The new money story was indeed a widespread process resulting from the industrial revolution, the birth of capitalism and fast stock market winners.

Although lower working class elevations to such dizzying heights was rare indeed because they lacked initial capital to seed such fortune.

Nevertheless good acting, good comedic moments and plenty of upstairs downstairs skulduggery to satisfy anyone who likes English period drama.

There's a lot of silliness and behaviour that would never occur and sometimes the father's refusal to move up from his humble background starts to grate a bit as do the daughters persistent petulance with everything.

Then there's the housekeeper who seems to believe she's invincible.

The varied accents are inconsistent for such a tight nit family but lead to some great quotes such as

Her Ladyship: "What accent is that, I can't quite place it?" The mother-in-law "Its Yorkshire ma'am, it's where you're bloody living"

A super nice rags-to-riches period drama which has a high 'feel good' factor. The characters were quite well developed, well cast, and the acting was good. I would like to have seen a slower pace and a 'grittier feel' to give it some sense of reality and to get to know the characters on a deeper level. The perfect complexions and white pearly teeth did make it look a bit fake but the costumes were really good and the set was wonderful. Great entertainment which, with a bit of attention to some of the detail, could be a really great period drama. There's so many aspects of the story to be developed and expanded on. I'll certainly be watching for series 2.

So many attempts at humorous disparaging comments, make you wonder why they bother watching then reviewing.

The thing is, its entertainment. Not a documentary not a bio. It may be clichéd and clearly not reality but it's also engaging and entertaining.

The overall package keeps you watching as the characters develop nicely and you can see the problems and diversions for the main characters slowly but surely developing.

Ma makes me laugh. Keeping all feet firmly on the ground whilst others are desperate to elevate their social standing, to start with at least.

View with an open mind and you'll enjoy the humour as well as the emotional ups and downs.

The Hardacres isn't going to win any awards but it isn't half bad as an easy Autumn watch with its lovely Yorkshire backdrops. With an obviously limited budget the period setting is pretty much defined by a country house and the clothes of the time, which is a shame.

Overall its much closer to those old Catherine Cookson TV movies than higher budget efforts like Poldark. Production wise I felt it was a bit far-fetched story wise with lots of predictable pay-offs and the pilot episode was definitely too rushed. The soundtrack was very busy, honestly less is more.

Made by the same outfit as 'All Creatures Great & Small' I wanted something a bit more sophisticated, but hopefully it will find an audience and find its feet properly in series two.

Worth a look if you're a fan of period drama/family sagas.