Berkeley Square

One of the best series from the great BBC. The characters, costumes and settings were all perfect. Now, if only they would make a follow up to it as there were many plot lines that could have continued.

I happened across this show at the library and thought it looked interesting. It was wonderful. Love and laughter. Tears and heartbreak. Intrigue and deception. Life and death.

When I finished that last episode...I was dumbfounded. Is that it? The BBC is just going to leave me hanging like that? It didn't end. Does Ned make it home? How is Tom fairing in school? Will he ever forgive Mattie? Will Cpt. Mason figure out Mrs. St. John is carrying his child? Will he care? Will Isabel figure out what a scoundrel he is before she marries him? What about Lydia and Mr. Fowler; Hannah and Jack? Will Hugh get back in the good graces of his father? Will Mrs. Simmons come forward and cause more problems?

When I finished episode 10, I immediately jumped on the net to see if there was more. Nope. That's it....SIGH!!!!

I still highly recommend watching it. Once I started watching it, I couldn't stop. Maybe I'll send some emails to the BBC and ask them if they plan to do another mini-series:-)

I am a great fan of period piece mini series in general and especially ones produced by the BBC. Since purchasing this mini series I've watched it numerous times and highly recommend it. The storyline pulls you in and keeps you there. My only objection to this production is that it seems to end too abruptly and leaves you feeling like there should be more, more, more. I hope they continue the story someday soon.

The British series crossed the line in one of the later episodes into soap opera plot lines. The three nannies are well-played and are unique and different. Mattie is the solid, moral nanny. She must deal with the manipulative Mrs. McCluskey (played excellently by Kate Williams in this role). It's interesting to see how the households in upscale Berkeley Square run quite differently. The townhouses are really organized by the staff. Relationships between staff and employer is pretty well looked down upon by the upscale upper classes. The families are uniquely different. Hannah has a history and baggage. She is far more complicated and intriguing than the other two nannies. She must deal with Nanny Simmons (well played b Ruth Sheen). Then there is Lydia who comes from a small farming village and must work beside Nanny Collins (played wonderfully by Rosemary Leach). The cast is first rate but the writing is very melodramatic. The art direction and costumes are first rate.

As the co-creator of Berkeley Square, it's very exciting to see all the great reviews. Thank you for all your kind words. I loved coming up with the idea and we had a great time making the series.

I do want to set the record straight on two points: Lyndahayes-1 commented that the broadcast dates were chopped and changed at the Controller's whim. That's certainly true and it drove us absolutely insane.Yet amazingly, in spite of this vicious rescheduling, the ratings were excellent, I believe they were consistently above a 30% market share, which is pretty bloody amazing. (Thank you, Lyndahayes-1 and everyone else, for sticking with us as best you couid!)

So why wasn't the series picked up for another season? Debbie Cook and I had some great stories in the works and Victoria Smurfit and the other leads did a remarkable job. However, the BBC is a beast unto itself and often casts aside common sense. A show that got terrific reviews across the board and which despite all the odds, was a great success? Shall we commission a second season? Hmmm...

Perhaps it's somewhat different now, but at the time it was possible for a head of department to more or less independently make such a decision, without little regard to the show's quality or ratings. There were a lot of voices calling for a second season as well. Thank God the BBC isn't an American network and doesn't have to be so entirely ratings-driven, but still...

As I recall, we got a new head of series around this time. Being inherited (for show and staff) is always tricky, new people want to put their own stamp on things. Perhaps it didn't feel masculine enough for him...who knows?

But it makes me very happy that people are still enjoying the show. Thank you!