The Durrells (OV)

Louisa Durrell's life is in meltdown with her four unruly children going completely off the rails. It is 1935 and a woman's options are limited; so Louisa decides to make a radical change by whisking her family away to Corfu. This sun-drenched island is a cheap and untamed paradise, that also happens to have no electricity. They are helped out to settle by charismatic local Spiro Hakaiopulos, though soon the children fall back into familiar ways despite their unfamiliar surroundings.

The family are settling into island life but money problems remain a worry. Spiro, however, delivers some good news from a surprising source. A deliriously happy Leslie finds it hard to show sympathy for an emotionally wounded Margo and Gerry adds to his growing animal collection. When Larry falls dangerously ill, the responsibility to save him falls on Theo and handsome neighbour, Sven. Will their rudimentary medical skills be enough to save him?

Margo takes great pride in her new position at the surgery, however, a chance encounter with an exotic recluse highlights where her real talent lies. Despite a much wanted thawing to her relationship with Sven, Louisa has her doubts about Corfu especially when Gerry befriends mysterious convict, Kosti and Leslie discovers that alcohol and Corfiot bars can end in trouble.

When Gerry turns his bedroom into a Centre for Scientific Learning, the family realise how passionate he is about animals. Leslie falls in with a bad crowd and when he is accused of armed robbery Louisa resorts to desperate measures to help her son. Margo’s head is turned by an attractive gardener at the Villa Mavrodaki and Captain Creech, the foul-mouthed seadog, returns. Has he really turned over a new leaf?

Love is in the air but is that enough to distract the Durrells from the fear of the imminent arrival of domineering Aunt Hermione, her niece and nephew? Larry’s girlfriend, Nancy, is another surprise guest. Larry’s subsequent ‘debauched’ behaviour does nothing to quell Aunt Hermione’s very vocal criticism of the entire family. Will Louisa crumble in the face of such an attack or will a surprise offer from Sven embolden her? Meanwhile Margo is besotted with Angel and Gerry with his newly acquired owlets.

Everything is looking particularly beautiful in Corfu as the family prepare for celebrations. Sven survives a grilling by his potential new family and passes with flying colours but is everything all that it seems? Gerry’s little zoo is growing but he starts to question the ethics behind keeping his animals in captivity. In the meantime will Margo manage to entice the reclusive Countess to the island’s event of the year?