Upstairs Downstairs has been axed by the BBC after two badly received series.
Despite positive beginnings, which saw over seven million viewers tuning in to watch Keeley Hawes and Ed Stoppard swanning about in an Edwardian mansion, it failed to keep hold of its fanbase.
Only five million viewers tuned in to the series two denouement in March, after a series which had made brave efforts to spice itself up with illicit homosexual affairs and some weird monkey story.
In a characteristically euphemistic statement, the BBC said: âFrom Call the Midwife to Birdsong and The Syndicate, 2012 has been a great year for original British drama on BBC1 but at this stage there are no plans for Upstairs Downstairs to return.â?
Among critic complaints were the lack a âconvincing scriptâ? and the sense that the show had âturned dumbing down into an art formâ?. And OTB’s very own Sean Marland found the show marred by its “emotional clunkiness“.
Understandably the stars of the show are devastated, Neil Jackson, who played Harry Spargo, tweeted: âSuch a shame. I have just heard that the BBC will not be making any more Upstairs Downstairs. âI loved the show and will miss it greatly. Not good enough viewing figures I guess…â?
And despite some less-than-impressive drama viewing figures, apparently there are people who want to see the show return for a third series. A new Twitition (a petition on Twitter, duh) has been set up to save the programme (only 118 people have signed so far).
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