Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

Arts & Culture

THE DURRELLS IN CORFU Season 2 On MASTERPIECE

Signature photo of the cast of THE DURRELLS IN CORFU Season 2 On MASTERPIECE. Louisa Durrell and her four willful children return in the acclaimed series called “irresistible” (The Wall Street Journal) and “gorgeous” (USA Today). The second season continues to chronicle the family’s adventures with the island’s townspeople, customs and wildlife.
Courtesy of Sid Gentle Films & MASTERPIECE
Signature photo of the cast of THE DURRELLS IN CORFU Season 2 On MASTERPIECE. Louisa Durrell and her four willful children return in the acclaimed series called “irresistible” (The Wall Street Journal) and “gorgeous” (USA Today). The second season continues to chronicle the family’s adventures with the island’s townspeople, customs and wildlife.

Airs Sundays, Oct. 15 - Nov. 19, 2017 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

The Durrells found bliss. So will you.

It was a dark and stormy night—in Corfu, of all places! A spooky séance in wild weather is just one of the many adventures, along with otter breeding, a cricket showdown, and the multi-generational search for romance, on THE DURRELLS IN CORFU, Season 2, airing on MASTERPIECE in six endearing new episodes starring Keeley Hawes (WIVES AND DAUGHTERS, THE HOLLOW CROWN), Sundays Oct. 15 – Nov. 19, 2017 on PBS at 8 p.m.

Inspired by the beloved memoirs of Gerald Durrell, THE DURRELLS IN CORFU features Hawes as Louisa Durrell, the harried widowed mother of a brood of recalcitrant children (this season ages 12 to 22).

Advertisement

Louisa moves the floundering family from England to Corfu in the mid 1930s to recharge their lives — hers included.

Milo Parker plays Gerry, the wildlife-obsessed youngest, who later penned his reminiscences of the family’s unusual exploits.

Daisy Waterstone is the man-mad teen, Margo, this season trying to kindle romance with a monk.

Callum Woodhouse is the hunter-turned-distiller-turned-fashion-photographer, Leslie.

And Josh O'Connor is literary Larry, who in real life went on to make a name for himself as the bohemian novelist Lawrence Durrell.

Advertisement

Also back this season is the family’s guardian angel on the island, the ever- resourceful Spiro, played by Alexis Georgoulis.

Yorgos Karamihos returns as Gerry’s fellow fauna fanatic, Dr. Theo Stephanides.

And screen legend Leslie Caron ("An American in Paris," "Gigi") reprises her cameo role as the island’s redoubtable Countess Mavrodaki.

THE DURRELLS IN CORFU, Season 2 finds the family in dire financial straits, as usual. They have a new landlady, Vasilia, an island beauty who holds a mysterious grudge against Louisa and insists on prompt payment of the rent.

Desperate to come up with the cash, Louisa embarks on a bold strategy: sell homemade British delicacies at the village market.

The locals are just beginning to develop a taste for scotch eggs and spotted dick, when Vasilia engineers a public health crisis.

Meanwhile, Louisa is being courted by handsome British ex-pat Hugh (Daniel Lapaine, "Zero Dark Thirty"), who has an olive press, drives a red MG, and wants to sweep her back to England.

Margo and Larry also get romantic partners, as do Gerry’s otters. The plot thickens when Louisa’s dead husband gets back in touch, and an international incident threatens when the expats and Greeks organize a “friendly” cricket match.

And then there’s Leslie, who makes a very special delivery.

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1 airs Sunday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. - After Louisa meets a handsome fellow Brit named Hugh, her landlady suddenly turns hostile. Louisa’s effort to get Greeks to pay for English cooking falls flat. Gerry and Theo trap an otter.

Shown from left to right: Keeley Hawes as Louisa Durrell and Ulric von der Esch as Sven.
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Shown from left to right: Keeley Hawes as Louisa Durrell and Ulric von der Esch as Sven.

Episode 2 airs Sunday, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m. - Louisa has an idea to boost Larry’s writing career. It doesn’t go well. Leslie starts a distillery. Pavlos tries to inspire Margo’s spiritual side. Gerry tries out tutors.

Shown from left to right: Keeley Hawes as Louisa Durrell and Josh O’Connor as Larry.
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Shown from left to right: Keeley Hawes as Louisa Durrell and Josh O’Connor as Larry.

Episode 3 airs Sunday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. - A birthday party for Louisa leaves her brooding about her age. Leslie takes up fashion photography. Gerry wears out another tutor. Vasilia offers Louisa a diabolical deal.

Vasilia (Errika Bigio).
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Vasilia (Errika Bigio).

Episode 4 airs Sunday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. - Larry is back home recovering from the mumps. Aunt Hermione arrives with a spiritualist friend who promises to get in touch with Louisa’s dead husband.

Shown from left to right: Gerry (Milo Parker) and Margo (Daisy Waterstone).
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Shown from left to right: Gerry (Milo Parker) and Margo (Daisy Waterstone).

Episode 5 airs Sunday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. - Vasilia makes the least-romantic proposal in history. Spiro and Hugh organize a “friendly” cricket match between Greeks and English. Gerry tames a hawk.

Larry (Josh O'Connor), Spiros (Alexis Georgoulis), Hugh (Daniel Lapaine) and Leslie (Callum Woodhouse).
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Larry (Josh O'Connor), Spiros (Alexis Georgoulis), Hugh (Daniel Lapaine) and Leslie (Callum Woodhouse).

Episode 6 airs Sunday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. - With two women in labor plus a stabbing victim, Dr. Petrides has his hands full. Louisa, Leslie, and Spiro come to the rescue. Gerry’s otter is also giving birth.

Shown from left to right: Spiros (Alexis Georgoulis) and Louisa (Keeley Hawes).
Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films for ITV and MASTERPIECE
Shown from left to right: Spiros (Alexis Georgoulis) and Louisa (Keeley Hawes).

WATCH ON YOUR SCHEDULE:

Full episodes from this series will be available to view on demand for a limited time after broadcast. Extend your viewing window with KPBS Passport, video streaming for members ($60 yearly) using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn more and activate your benefit now.

Catch up! Watch Season 1 on KPBS Passport now.

SERIES REVIEWS:

Season 1 enchanted critics, with USA Today discovering “wit and charm in abundance,” The LA Daily News marveling at “an unpredictable, amusing family dynamic most shows would kill for,” and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette calling the series “as warm and pleasant as its picturesque setting.”

The new season has already garnered lavish praise. During the recent UK broadcast, The Telegraph (London) was delighted to find that “Corfu was still sun-drenched, the titular family of lovable eccentrics remained in perpetual chaos and ... the tone was, as before, one of warm nostalgia and deep, abiding silliness.” And The Guardian (London) hailed Season 2 as “sweet, and charming, and pretty, and funny.... [It’s] that rather nice thing: Sunday night family drama entertainment.”

THE DURRELLS IN CORFU: Animals on Set

CONNECT:

MASTERPIECE is on Facebook, Pinterest, and you can follow @masterpiecepbs on Twitter. #MasterpiecePBS #DurrellsPBS

CREDITS:

A Sid Gentle Films Ltd/MASTERPIECE co-production, based on the Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durrell. It is written by Simon Nye, directed by Steve Barron and Edward Hall and produced by Christopher Hall. The executive producers are Sally Woodward Gentle, Lee Morris, and Simon Nye for Sid Gentle Films Ltd and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE on PBS.