Berkeley Square: The Complete Series

A classy BBC period piece in the mold of Upstairs, Downstairs, this 1998 series failed to catch on and was cancelled after a single season, leaving many plot threads unresolved. Even so, Berkeley Square is a satisfying historical soap opera. Set at the beginning of the Edwardian era with the king's coronation in 1902, the story focuses on three new nannies working in plush homes on the titular London cul-de-sac, along with their fellow servants and employers. Hannah (Victoria Smurfit) must leave her illegitimate child—the offspring of a young aristocrat—with a caregiver in order to secure a position. Lydia (Tabitha Wady), a naïve farm girl bewildered by urban life, will be accosted by a nobleman—leading an admirer to spring to her defense. And Matty (Clare Wilkie), a strong-willed city girl, falls for a footman (Jason O'Mara) on the lam from the police—an accused killer, no less. Domestic difficulties among the couples they serve, as well as animosities within household staff, add to the drama. Although the cast includes no major stars, they are an accomplished ensemble, with charming child actors stealing many scenes. Recommended. (F. Swietek)