Masterpiece: The Durrells in Corfu Seasons 1-3

DVD Wholesale Quick Overview:

When we last saw The Durrells (ITV) we were in grave danger of witnessing some real drama. Hugh (Daniel Lapaine), romantic interest of Louisa Durrell (Keeley Hawes), had been stabbed in an olive grove by scorned lover Vasilia (Errika Bigiou), and for a minute things looked serious.

It was all OK in the end, of course, but the severity of the scene jarred. Was writer Simon Nye about to push this slice of sun-baked escapism, based on Gerald Durrell’s memoirs of his family’s life in Corfu in the Thirties, in a dark new direction? Because frankly, that wouldn’t do at all.

A couple of minutes into last night’s series three opener, we had our answer. Eldest son Larry (Josh O’Connor) stumbled out of the villa into the Corfu sunshine and promptly tripped over the dog. Yes, this was the sort of bumbling, essentially harmless, incident that suits this eccentric family and so endears them to us at home.

The Durrells is most compelling when nothing is happening. It doesn’t need to be precarious. At one point, Larry, sipping a cup of coffee in the morning sun, bickered affectionately with brother Leslie (Callum Woodhouse), who was propped up against a crumbling wall, chomping on a piece of toast. This felt very much like paradise regained.

If such a sedate pace is to succeed, however, the cast and the script needs to be exceptional. Both continue to deliver in spades. Everyone on screen has natural comic timing. When Louisa, for example, tried to explain to Margo (Daisy Waterstone) what a pseudonym was, her daughter interrupted with a barely discernible tut, before shooting back: “I know what a pseudonym is. Don’t confuse boredom with ignorance.”

Hawes remains the star, though. You simply cannot take your eyes off her – every smile, blink and sigh is layered with meaning. There is a sadness, a weariness, suppressed beneath that bright facade. Her performance, as widowed mother of four unruly children, is a wonderfully restrained counterpoint to the chaos and visceral silliness of The Durrells.

– Rupert Hawksley

DVD Wholesale Main Features :   

Actors: Keeley Hawes, Josh O’Connor, Callum Woodhouse, Daisy Waterstone, Milo Parker
Subtitles: Pidgin English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)
Number of discs: 6
Rated: NR-Not Rated
Studio: WCMG
Run Time: 956.00 minutes
ASIN: B079PBNSKZ