Mapp & Lucia

I never read these books, but I caught the broadcast on PBS here in the States, with my mother.

My mother fostered in me, a love of the dry British wit. Mapp and Lucia was required viewing, as far as she was concerned, and I must admit, that the beauty (and ugliness) of this series has long since stuck with me.

I found the characters to be endearing, well developed, and hysterically funny. We laughed until there were tears literally streaming down our faces. This was an excellent BBS series which is wholly enjoyable by all with an open mind.

If you have any appreciation of dry and/or dark humor, this series definitely rates a good watching.

This delightful series rates a 7.8/10 on the "TV" scale, from...

the Fiend :.

People seem to be trying to analyse this series to death, at the end of the day it is simply a wonderful comedy of manners, wonderfully acted and beautifully presented. The principles are all actors of great experience and charisma, working with almost infallible material. If you want slapstick or alternative humour, this is not the place for you! If you love watching a comedy where it is the actors who make the script brilliantly funny, rather than simply being given punchlines to deliver, then you should be in seventh heaven. Watch, relax, enjoy.

The Best Thing Ever.

This is really a wonderful series about the battles and escapades of the 1930s British upper middle class. Follow the humorous escapades of Miss Elizabeth Mapp and Mrs. Emmeline ("Lucia") Lucas as they strive to become the social queen of Tilling's society. Based on the original stories by E.F. Benson, Mapp & Lucia will not leave you disappointed. If you haven't seen Mapp & Lucia yet, you will never know what you are missing.

A wonderful show for anybody wanting a good laugh, required viewing for any British drama fan.

10 stars.

This is the video set I'd want if stranded on a desert island. Along with the books, of course!

Every few years I treat myself to Mapp and Lucia I and II, and each time I find it riveting. I'm having a go at it again now upon the 20th anniversary of its making. Dame Geraldine was born to play Lucia! She is so affected, so sly--but so admirable! Clearly in charge, her war with Mapp has us wondering who will win the current battle but we are never in doubt about who has the upper hand in the war.

I could watch it for the costumes and settings alone. Dame Geraldine has that beautiful model thin figure that shows off the fabulous ensembles so well. I can't imagine what the costume budget was for this series but she changes clothes in each scene so it must have been generous. Even Reg Cartright's wonderful illustration that is shown at the credits is bright and visually interesting. Truly, the art direciton of this production is superb!

But visuals aside, this comedy of manners is hysterically funny. I am glued to the tube each time I watch it.

I was a card carrying member of the Tilling Society for a while, an association that actively worships "Fred" (E.F. Benson, author of the Lucia novels) and that has a large annual gathering in Rye, England which is the real life setting of the fictional Tilling.

Lucia and her small society engenders this kind of cult following. Watch the series, read the books. If you like wry English humor and "village genre" literature, you'll love this set!

This was first shown on Channel 4 here in the UK in about 1985, I don't know if it was ever repeated. I missed it then and it wasn't until I read the books several years later that I started to look out for it. I recently got the entire series on video (would have been better on DVD) and it is a hoot.

The main characters were just as I pictured then and the casting was spot on. Geraldine McEwen (not yet a Dame alas, apropos a previous comment) and Nigel Hawthorne (who is indeed Sir Nigel) shine as Lucia and Georgie but perhaps they had easier characters to portray and it is Prunella Scales as Mapp who give the best and most difficult characterisation, though all the parts are really caricatures. Everyone must have had such fun making this and Lucia's costumes are something to behold.

The exteriors are mostly Rye in Sussex, where the author E.F. Benson lived (and was the Mayor). Lucia he probably based on himself, which begs the question who was Georgie in real life?!. You can go to the house he lived in which was clearly Mallards in the books and is now National Trust property. Henry James lived there before him. However, it wasn't used as the exterior here.

Some characters from the books are dropped in the series, the Padre's wife and the Wyses's daughter, but you don't miss them. Traces of McEewen's power mad and devious Lucia can be seen in her portrayal of the mad religous mother in 'Oranges are not the Only Fruit' (1990).

Sip tea and cakes with friends on a wet Sunday afternoon as you watch this - it'll cheer you up no end.