The House of Eliott

I know people don't like negative reviews, but I bought the full series at quite a price and I am becoming sorry I did so.

This show has many attractive elements. I thoroughly enjoyed watching season 1.

The writing in Season 2 is dreadful. It is as if the original idea proposed by Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins was all used up by the end of season 1. Every plot point is telegraphed; there are no surprises. The melodrama is cheesy without being delightfully so - the music is godawful. Many of the stories are disconnected from each other. One feels that the writers slammed their ideas together at high speed without reference to how real people would react were they part of these stories. Such a waste of such fine actors, such beautiful design and such a lovely concept. It is almost as though the writers don't believe in the characters and don't like them. I'm not sure I'm going to make it through to the end.

The House Of Eliott, set in Britian in the 1920s, follows the drama of the two Eliott sisters in their journey from being poor relations with no position or future in society to being amongst the most celebrated fashion designers in London.

There is much motivating drama as the sisters are held back by the cruel legacy of their father and their condescending relatives. Through their determination and by meeting creative and Bohemian members of society they begin to express their creative talents and break free of the constrictive life they were intended to live.

The 1920s period setting is dressed up well and is played out as a time of change in attitude to clothing and the way women could express themselves. Of course the cruel English class system, as always, provides a good background to the drama, where the aristocracy are still ruling and putting others in their place. But the signs of the change in society, post World War I, are evident. The characters are bound by their reputation and many reputations are all ready established, newly made and destroyed during the series.

Stella Gonet plays Beatrice, the elder Eliott sister who suffered greatly under her fathers stern hand and who determinedly finds her lost freedom. Louise Lombard, plays Evagaline, younger by twelve years to Beatrice, who begins naively venturing into the world after her sheltered childhood and blossoms into a sophisticated, individual and unconventional women in society. Both actresses are well cast and develop their characters well as the series progresses.

Aden Gillet as Jack Maddox, the society photographer and eventual love interest in the show is another regular character. Barbara Jefford is a favourite as their snobby, stern but somehow sympathetic character of Aunt Lydia - constantly reminding the "girls" that reputation is everything. The sub-plots(particularly in series 1) are also very well developed. As well as Aunt Lydia, their is the charity worker Penelope Maddox and her attempts help the poor and bring justice and the some of the stories of the employees in the fashion house.Other characters develop as the series progresses and some are more effective than others.

Developed by the creators of Upstairs Downstairs(well known actresses Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins) The House Of Elliot has good writing mostly good direction and acting and the journey of the Eliott sisters is a rewarding one to watch and re-watch.

I remember when A&E aired this series on Sunday evenings. Oh how I envied being in London, anyway Stella Gonet and Louise Lombard are both stars of this series as two sisters who operate a fashion business in London, England. A terrific supporting cast like Victoria Alcock, Cathy Murphy, and others help support the leading actresses. Of course, the creators of the show was Dame Eileen Atkins and Jean Marsh better known for Upstairs, Downstairs. Anyway, the story is quite soap opera at times but it is irresistible too. They are true to the time period as possible they can. They opened the doors much like other British series. Sadly, the show only lasted three seasons which is not that unusual in British programming. Unfortunately, a series season ranges from 6-10 episodes a season. Oh my, the British soaps air about four or five times a week.

I absolutely loved this series, which was on too briefly on A&E in the '90s and ended with kind of a cliffhanger. However, there is a book available that actually goes forward from the series.

One of the posters commented on the French & Saunders skit which was hilarious, and yes, once you've seen them, it's hard to look at the actual characters in the show without giggling. Louise Lombard was so gorgeous, she reminded me of Louise Brooks and I was wishing a film about Brooks would happen so Lombard could play her. She and Stella Gonet were excellent in their roles, as were the handsome Aden Gillet as Jack and Cathy Murphy, who played Tilly.

This has been criticized for being a soap opera - I happen to love soap operas.

Completely addictive story of two sisters who start their own fashion house in London in the 1920's. I rented the series because, like so many girls, dreamed of being a fashion designer (along with ballerina, president and actress). What I found however, was a solid story of entrepreneurship that would be inspiring to any woman in business.

I love that the Eliot sisters are strong no nonsense business women, without falling into the stereotypes of women in power being unhappy man-eaters that we see in Hollywood portrayals. I love the mixing in of social issues, news events and subplots from all different bits of society. The side characters are developed well enough that you care about them as much as the main characters. I also appreciate the portrayal of the two sisters as loving and supporting each other instead of the trite sibling rivalry that is so often overdone.

The fashion is delightful, but Jack Maddox's career progression in photography and film is just as interesting.

The trip back in time to the 1920's is very well done. That aspect alone managed to hold the attention of my 11 year old son for the good part of an episode. (though I would not say this is a family show as the themes are of more interest to adults)

Rent or buy the complete set- you won't want to wait for the next disc!