thu 28/03/2024

Lark Rise to Candleford, BBC One | reviews, news & interviews

Lark Rise to Candleford, BBC One

Lark Rise to Candleford, BBC One

A sober return for this most decorous of costume dramas

Victorian corsetry at its finest: Julia Sawalha and Olivia Hallinan at the hub of Candleford life

Few would dispute the supremacy of Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford among the BBC’s current fleet of costume dramas. Measured, domestic and infinitely gentle, there are no Machiavellian footmen or illicit trysts here, just wholesome country adventures championing those unfashionable values of honesty, neighbourliness and hard work. The lamentable histrionics of the recent Upstairs Downstairs could have done well to note these successes, adapting material free from obvious drama (and in the case of Flora Thompson’s autobiographical trilogy, almost entirely without plot) and fashioning from it something credible and engaging. Lark Rise has its saccharine-sincere faults, but there’s no denying that with its characters back in the Sunday-night television slot, all somehow feels right with the world again.

Few would dispute the supremacy of Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford among the BBC’s current fleet of costume dramas. Measured, domestic and infinitely gentle, there are no Machiavellian footmen or illicit trysts here, just wholesome country adventures championing those unfashionable values of honesty, neighbourliness and hard work. The lamentable histrionics of the recent Upstairs Downstairs could have done well to note these successes, adapting material free from obvious drama (and in the case of Flora Thompson’s autobiographical trilogy, almost entirely without plot) and fashioning from it something credible and engaging. Lark Rise has its saccharine-sincere faults, but there’s no denying that with its characters back in the Sunday-night television slot, all somehow feels right with the world again.

Bleaker than many, this series opener went some way to answering critics of the show's soft-focus, soft-edged portrayal of Victorian hardship

Share this article

Comments

From what I've heard, this is the last series of Lark Rise to Candleford. I understand Bill Gallagher (writer and executive producer) is leaving, and the rest of the cast is not interested in continuing on with the series without him. And, the fact that this series is only 6 episodes long speaks to it being the final one (plus Dorcas Lane's storyline will get resolved, I understand). A shame, really. One of the best things on tv.

Good sense and ratings havn't prevailed, it seems. Typical ofthe BBC they don't know a good thing when it slaps them in the face. And do we REALLY need another adaptation of Great Expectations? I must have seen it half a dozen at least over the years.

My husband & I have enjoyed the latest series of Lark Rise to Candleford so much & are really disappointed to hear that there will be no more episodes. The acting is superb, the content clean and wholesome with some deep insights into people's reactions in situations. WE WOULD LOVE MORE PROGRAMMES LIKE THIS.

Really gutted to hear that it has been cancelled, loved this show.......whole family were able to watch this together and it is typical of the flaming BBC to pull the plug on shows you love but leave rubbish!!!

Add comment

newsletter

Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday!

Simply enter your email address in the box below

View previous newsletters