To the Manor Born (TV Series) Grantleigh (1979) User Reviews

A classic comedy series is born.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 27 October 2022]

Upper class widow Audrey fforbes-Hamilton loses her country estate soon after her husband is laid to rest, her house is bought by wealthy businessman Richard DeVere.

Such a good start to a much loved comedy series, many people look back at this show with a lot of love, a lot of warmth, and for good reason.

It starts off with a very strong episode, it introduces the characters, the scenario, and we get a glint of what Audrey has planned.

What's funny is seeing blue blooded Audrey deposed by a greengrocer, a filthy rich greengrocer at that. A total snob, Audrey's character is focused on more so here, we'll learn more about DeVere and Marjorie soon.

The auction scene was perhaps the best moment, I loved that scene where Audrey and DeVere first met.

A classic, 8/10.

Grantleigh

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 26 July 2023]

To The Manor Born came on to the screen just a few months after Mrs Thatcher was elected as Tory Prime Minister.

In a way this was ahead of its time and not in a good way. Upper class Audrey fforbes-Hamilton (Penelope Keith) was basically a Ukipper. Her snobbishness and chauvinism moves in polite circles.

Richard DeVere (Peter Bowles) is the nouveau riche supermarket owner. A self made man with Czech roots. He was the proto Thatcherite.

The first episode has the newly widowed Audrey fforbes-Hamilton hoping to live a life free of her husband. Only to find that she has to sell her beloved Grantleigh Manor as the estate is mortgaged to the hilt.

At the auction she is outbid by Richard DeVere and Audrey is forced to move to the modest lodge on the estate.

Made as a vehicle for Penelope Keith after The Good Life. This was an essentially a love hate relationship between the two main characters that would later transform to a will they/won't they.

In the first episode Audrey's best friend Marjory Frobisher (Angela Thorne) finds Richard rather dishy.

Looking back, it is inexplicable how popular this sitcom was at the time. Especially as there was a recession and unemployment was going through the roof.

Yet it somehow works, I reckon it was more down to the skills of the actors who managed to add charm to basically some horrid characters.