Keeley Hawes is back as Louisa Durrell for a second season of ITV’s The Durrells.
In the second season of the hit drama series, Larry (Josh O’Connor) continues to pursue his passion for writing despite a new romance getting in the way; Leslie (Callum Woodhouse) decides to explore his entrepreneurial spirit; Margo (Daisy Waterstone) remains boy crazy and makes a play for someone thoroughly unsuitable; and Gerry (Milo Parker), who prefers animals to people, is delighted when he discovers an otter is living close to home.
Daniel Lapaine joins the cast as Hugh Jarvis – an English gentleman who sets his sight on Louisa. But after her failed attempt at marrying Sven, will Louisa be ready for a new man in her life?
Buy Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
Episode 1
Sunday 23 April 2017, 8pm
We return to Durrell family life in sun drenched Corfu.
A feral Gerry [Milo Parker] is sleeping outside, blissfully happy with his many animals that are also invading the house – Louisa [Keeley Hawes] wakes up next to a sheep! Perennially poor they forgo mosquito nets resulting in Margo [Daisy Waterstone] being bitten terribly and to everyone’s horror Larry [Josh O’Connor] and Leslie [Callum Woodhouse] are growing moustaches. Louisa declares that things have to change and decides to sell what meagre produce they can raise from their land at the local market. Being British they are given the worst pitch and must endure the baking sun whilst being shunned by the locals.
A charming Englishman, Hugh Jarvis [Daniel Lapaine], invites Louisa to press her olives at his olive farm. It’s clear he’s trying to charm her. Louisa refuses to be seduced but is unaware of the beautiful yet incredibly jealous Vasilia [Errika Bigiou] watching them.
Whilst Leslie helps at the market, Gerry finds otter tracks and Larry, suffering from writer’s block, seeks inspiration for his novel by writing on the beach. Margo pays a visit to Pavlos [Nikos Orestis Chaniotakis], the monk from series one, and clearly develops romantic feelings for him.
Exhausted, Louisa returns home to discover that Vasilia is their new landlady and that rent is overdue. Intent on making life difficult for Louisa, Vasilia takes their furniture and suggests that the Durrells leave Corfu.
As a delighted Gerry returns with elusive otter excreta, Louisa informs her children that they need money, urgently. They are to expand their fledgling cottage industry and sell traditional English food. Spiro’s [Alexis Georgoulis] arrival is a welcome ray of sunshine, although how will Larry and Leslie respond when he suggests they shave off their moustaches?
Work starts in earnest. Margo sows seeds, Gerry milks goats, courtesy of Sven [Ulric Von Der Esch], and Leslie embarks on bee keeping, resulting in him getting horrifically stung. Louisa believes her scotch eggs will be their secret weapon and an awkward exchange with Sven results in the bemused Swede sampling her Spotted Dick and Toad in the Hole. This venture must work as Louisa has invested their emergency funds into it.
Louisa struggles to sell her produce at the market until Spiro gives her some tips on how to talk to the customers. Business starts to pick up, but can Louisa make a success of her new venture?
At the house, gun fanatic Leslie accidentally shoots Roger the dog. He quickly takes the poor animal to the Petrides’ surgery. Florence [Lucy Black] stresses that her husband is a doctor, not a vet, but Leslie is adamant that Roger stays with the Petrides’ until he is better – Gerry must not find out.
Could romance be on the cards for Louisa who warily accepts Hugh’s invite to his home? Meanwhile Margo informs Lugaretzia [Anna Savva] that she is going to become a nun!
Episode 2
Sunday 30 April 2017, 8pm
Larry [Josh O’Connor] is excited, his latest novel is being published in England today, however, everyone seems far too busy to notice. Even Louisa [Keeley Hawes] is more concerned with baking for the market. Gutted that the family haven’t even read his novel, Larry is further disappointed when his attempts to show it off at a local bar go unnoticed.
Leslie’s [Callum Woodhouse] interest is piqued when he overhears Margo [Daisy Waterstone] and Pavlos [Nikos Orestis Chaniotakis] discussing how kumquat liquor is made. Seeing this as a potential business venture, he ropes Larry into his scheme who becomes more attentive when he learns how quickly it can be made. Margo, however, is unhappy that they are stealing the monk’s recipe.
Hugh [Daniel Lapaine] informs Louisa that he has told Vasilia [Errika Bigiou] it is over between them and begs Louisa to come to supper. Will Louisa agree?
Theo [Yorgos Karamihos] is the only person to have read and loved Larry’s novel but Louisa cuts Larry to the quick by suggesting he could make more money writing greeting card sentiments. If he fails as a writer maybe Hugh could give him a job at his olive press. Feeling unusually sorry for Larry, Leslie urges Louisa to be kinder to his brother and tells her how her disinterest in his novel is upsetting him.
When Louisa discovers that Gerry [Milo Parker] spent the night with Roger searching for a female otter she realises she has got the balance wrong between allowing her children freedom and supervising them. Her first apology is to Larry, claiming she will help with his writing career and demands everyone read his novel – except Gerry as it’s too rude.
Following Gerry’s recent antics and feral look Louisa insists he needs teaching. Banning him from leaving the garden she makes Lugaretzia [Anna Savva] his keeper. In an attempt to get his otters to mate, Gerry plays them the guitar, but it seems doubtful this will prove successful.
In order to make things up to Larry, Louisa decides to arrange a reading evening. But will the event be all she and Larry hope for?
Episode 3
Sunday 7 May 2017, 8pm
No one, not even Louisa (Keeley Hawes) knows the exact date of her birthday, but upon seeing how much she is missing Larry (Josh O’Connor), the family decide to throw her a party to cheer her up.
Larry’s bachelor life is interrupted by the arrival of Louisa with a food parcel. Louisa admits that she misses his intellectual conversations but Larry replies with a cutting remark about her age. With Louisa unwilling to rush into things with Hugh, Larry informs her that soon all her children will be leaving home so what is she waiting for?
Reluctantly, Louisa takes Hugh (Daniel Lapaine) up on his date where she learns some shocking truths about Vasilia (Errika Bigiou). Hugh is irked when his car breaks down and Spiro (Alexis Georgoulis) comes to the rescue.
Meanwhile, Margo (Daisy Waterstone) spots a handsome boy at the market and informs Gerry (Milo Parker) that she has given up being a nun. Gerry pays little attention, too distracted and unhappy about his impending tutorial.
Theo (Yorgos Karamihos) arrives from a photography day out and Leslie (Callum Woodhouse) decides he’s going to become a portrait artist as he believes this new venture could solve the family’s money worries.
In the meantime, as Louisa seems to show no signs of giving up Hugh, Vasilia continues on her mission to run Louisa’s life. Will she succeed?
Here’s a promo clip…
Episode 4
Sunday 14 May 2017, 8pm
Larry (Josh O’Connor) is back at home. He’s got the mumps and believes Vasilia (Errika Bigiou) is to blame. Louisa announces that it’s a good excuse to keep Aunt Hermione (Barbara Flynn) away from the house as she’s coming to visit from England. Meanwhile, Louisa still has doubts about her relationship with Hugh (Daniel Lapaine).
At the market, Gerry (Milo Parker) and Margo (Daisy Waterstone) lazily man their stall as they discuss why it’s necessary for Gerry to be educated by Donald (Ben Hall) before it starts to pour with rain.
They arrive home to Theo (Yorgos Karamihos), trapped by the storm and unable to get away. Spiro (Alexis Georgoulis) arrives bringing Aunt Hermione to the house a day early along with her medium friend, Mrs Haddock (Una Stubbs).
Mrs Haddock tells Louisa that she can sense her late husband and that he is suffering terribly now Louisa has so many male admirers. Mrs Haddock announces that she’ll hold a séance so Louisa can speak to her husband one last time.
Larry confronts Louisa about her wanting to do the séance and says it will only open old wounds but Louisa wants to go ahead.
Everyone is gathered as the séance begins. The storm rages outside as Mrs Haddock asks the group to join hands and shut their eyes. Will Louisa communicate with her late husband and be able to move forward with Hugh?
Episode 5
Sunday 21 May 2017, 8pm
Louisa (Keeley Hawes) and Spiro (Alexis Georgoulis) tend to her market stall. He thinks she has bad taste in men, but she tells him he’s just being over protective.
Meanwhile, Vasilia (Errika Bigiou) demands that her relationship with Larry proceeds quicker than Larry wants it to.
Back at the house, Donald (Ben Hall) is tutoring Gerry (Milo Parker) on the terrace but having little luck as Gerry is distracted by a falcon trying to attack his beloved otters.
Hugh (Daniel Lapaine) tells Louisa about his ambitions with olive oil as he drives them both for a jaunt by the sea. The family are all there and Hugh and the children jump in while Louisa stays on the pier. Larry joins her, glum over Vasilia. Gerry joins in and says Donald is ruining his life because of his unrequited love for Margo (Daisy Waterhouse).
Later at the house, Spiro chats about the similarities and differences between the Greeks and the English as Hugh and Spiro fight for the attention of Louisa. Hugh comes up with the idea of a cricket match to bring everyone together- Greeks v English.
Hugh and Leslie (Callum Woodhouse) begin to plan the cricket match as they both decide that it would be humiliating to lose to a bunch of Greeks and Hugh lets slip that he is looking forward to winning Louisa.
Margo visits Countess Mavrodaki (Leslie Caron) and asks if she can provide a suitable trophy for the winning side. The Countess gladly accepts declaring she will umpire too but she warns Margo that the match will not be a friendly game – nothing between the British and the Greeks ever is…
Who will win the cricket match? And will Anglo-Greek relations be the same afterwards?
Here’s ITV’s promo clip
Episode 6
Sunday 28 May 2017, 8pm
Louisa (Keeley Hawes) comes downstairs to find a very pregnant girl cleaning the kitchen. She reveals that she is Lugaretzia’s (Anna Savva) daughter, Leonora (Anna Antoniades), and she’ll be taking Luga’s place as her back is sore.
While Leslie (Callum Woodhouse) is tending to the animals he hears screams as Leonora’s water has broken. Lugaretzia tells him that the baby is coming and he needs to deliver it. Larry (Josh O’Connor) arrives and Leslie immediately sends him back out to get Dr Petridis.
A flustered Dr Petridis (Alexis Conran) opens the door to Larry. He rushes back inside to Florence (Lucy Black), who is also in labour and says he can’t leave Florence.
Meanwhile, Louisa is with Hugh (Daniel Lapaine) at his house. He has a proposition for a startled Louisa which she promises to think about it.
In the meantime, Donald (Ben Hall) attacks his love rival Zoltan (Merch Husey), which pleases Margo (Daisy Waterhouse) greatly as she says that she’s never had men fight over her before.
And, at the otters den, Theo (Yorgos Karamihos) and Gerry (Milo Parker) also make a pleasing discovery.
In the orchard, an altercation with Vasilia (Errika Bigiou) ends in near tragedy for Louisa and Hugh, who seek help from Spiro (Alexis Georgoulis).
Buy Season 1 on DVD on Amazon.
Watch the Season 2 trailer…
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