Based on The Corfu Trilogy memoirs (1956-1978) by respected naturalist, conservationist, and author Gerald Durrell, this British series follows the adventures of Louisa Durrell (Keeley Hawes), a newly-widowed mother of four children who moves her impoverished family from England to the sunny Greek island of Corfu in 1935. Her eldest son, Lawrence (Josh O'Connor), is an aspiring writer with an arrogant attitude, daughter Margo (Daisy Waterstone) is a young woman just getting interested in boys, middle son Leslie (Callum Woodhouse) focuses on hunting in the local hills with his rifle, and youngest child Gerald (Milo Parker) is a burgeoning zoologist who collects enough animals to start his own zoo. The older kids are initially self-absorbed and lazy, unable or unwilling to help Louisa as she slips behind in the rent and winds up foraging for food, but they grow up over the course of the season, with Margo landing a job as a companion to a reclusive countess (Leslie Caron) and Lawrence selling his first story. Louisa, however, remains the show's center as she struggles to make a life for the family. It's a light drama with entertaining characters, shot on location in Greece where the gorgeous hills, sun-dappled beaches, and cultural color of island life are as interesting as the human story. When Louisa's demanding, blithely racist aunt arrives with the intention of whisking them all back to England, viewers will understand exactly why Louisa wants to stay. Despite or perhaps because of the struggles, Louisa has found a home in Corfu. Compiling all six episodes from the 2016 debut season, extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
The Durrells in Corfu: The Complete First Season
PBS, 2 discs, 292 min., not rated, DVD: $39.99, Blu-ray: $49.99 Volume 32, Issue 2
The Durrells in Corfu: The Complete First Season
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