Fans of Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey may have just found their next period-drama obsession — a “superb” BBC series that was cancelled far too soon. Upstairs Downstairs brings viewers back to 1936 London, where life inside 165 Eaton Place unfolds through a new generation of characters, powerful family tensions and secrets hidden behind the elegance of the era. With Keeley Hawes, Jean Marsh, Dame Eileen Atkins and a standout ensemble, the drama earned praise for its acting, scripts and beautiful costumes. It lasted just two seasons before the BBC pulled the plug, but viewers still insist it deserves far more attention.

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Upstairs Downstairs: The Overlooked BBC Period Drama That Still Deserves a Second Look

Fans of Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey looking for another richly detailed period drama may want to revisit a BBC series that disappeared far too soon.

Upstairs Downstairs, created and written by Heidi Thomas, returned to BBC One in 2010 as a continuation of the classic 1970s drama of the same name. Set in London in 1936, the revival returned to 165 Eaton Place, following a new generation of residents and servants living beneath the same grand roof.

The series ran for only two seasons before the BBC decided not to commission a third. Yet more than a decade later, it remains a compelling choice for viewers drawn to character-driven British period drama.

A new chapter at 165 Eaton Place

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The original Upstairs Downstairs ran on ITV from 1971 to 1975, becoming one of Britain’s best-known television dramas.

The BBC revival picks up six years after the original story ended. Jean Marsh returned as Rose Buck, who is now the housekeeper at 165 Eaton Place, where a new family is preparing to establish itself.

Ed Stoppard plays Sir Hallam Holland, with Keeley Hawes as his wife, Lady Agnes. Dame Eileen Atkins also returned as Maud, Dowager Lady Holland.

Rather than simply recreating the original, the revival introduces a new household while keeping the familiar contrast between life upstairs and downstairs. The story unfolds against a rapidly changing Britain in the years leading up to the Second World War.

A cast packed with familiar faces

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One of the show’s biggest strengths is its ensemble cast.

Alongside Marsh, Atkins, Stoppard and Hawes, the series features Claire Foy, Alex Kingston, Anne Reid, Art Malik, Laura Haddock and Adrian Scarborough. The cast brings together actors who would go on to become familiar faces across some of Britain’s biggest television productions.

IMDb currently gives the series a 7.4/10 rating, based on more than 7,700 ratings.

The first season consisted of three episodes, originally broadcast over Christmas 2010. A second season followed in 2012 with six episodes, bringing the revival to nine episodes in total.

Why was Upstairs Downstairs cancelled?

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Despite a strong start, the revival ultimately failed to maintain its early audience.

The BBC confirmed in April 2012 that there would be no third series. The decision came after viewing figures declined during the second season, with the show’s performance increasingly overshadowed by the success of Downton Abbey.

That cancellation left the series with just two seasons, making it something of a forgotten entry in the modern British period-drama revival.

Its timing is particularly interesting. Upstairs Downstairs returned in 2010, while Downton Abbey had premiered on ITV that same year. Downton Abbey subsequently became a global phenomenon, spawning feature films and helping cement the popularity of lavish British period drama around the world.

Viewers still have plenty of praise for it

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The series may have been short-lived, but its reception among viewers has remained positive.

Fans have praised its ensemble performances, detailed costumes, humour and emotional storylines, while comparisons with Downton Abbey remain inevitable.

For viewers who enjoy the combination of upstairs glamour and downstairs drama, the appeal is clear. The series offers the same kind of detailed household dynamics, but places its characters in 1936, at a moment when British society is undergoing profound change.

That setting also gives the drama an added sense of tension as the characters’ private lives unfold against the wider political and social uncertainty of the period.

A period drama worth rediscovering

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For Call the Midwife viewers, the connection is particularly notable: Upstairs Downstairs was created and written by Heidi Thomas, who would go on to become the creator and writer behind the long-running BBC hit.

While Upstairs Downstairs never received the opportunity to develop beyond its second season, its combination of strong performances, elegant costumes, intricate relationships and historical setting makes it an appealing watch for fans of British period television.

The series currently holds a 7.4/10 rating on IMDb, and its limited run also makes it an easy binge for viewers who want a shorter period-drama commitment.

For anyone who has already worked their way through Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife, this overlooked BBC revival offers another chance to step inside 165 Eaton Place — and discover a series that perhaps deserved much longer than two seasons.