The WORST episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs
Every episode of Upstairs, Downstairs ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs!
Covering a span of 27 years (1903-1930), Upstairs, Downstairs follows the lives of the wealthy Bellamy family residing upstairs at 165 Eaton Place, London, as well as the lives of those employed in their service living downstairs. Richard Bellamy, the son of a poor parson, is married to Lady Marjorie, the daughter of the wealthy Earl and Countess of Southwold, whose family money provides for the Bellamy's lavish lifestyle. As an influential member of the Conservative party, the Earl secures a seat in Parliament for Richard, with the expectation that he will support conservative policies. He tries his best to please his wife's family but, being a Liberal at heart, Richard finds it's not always that easy. These political and financial differences are a reoccurring source of contention for the Bellamys. On the surface, the lives of the family living upstairs couldn't seem more different than those of the servants living below but, strangely enough, through the years their lives often intersect, becoming increasingly entwined as time goes by. The addition of real-life events, like the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic and the horrors of World War I, incorporated into the storylines add a touch of authenticity and realism to the show.
#1 - The Swedish Tiger
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 2/20/1972
October 1908: Almost like a bad whodunit, this is an odd, very disjointed story involving a series of thefts, miscommunications, mistaken identities, set-ups, betrayals, and cheating at cards. Everything seems to revolve around Captain Axel Ryttsen of the Swedish Army, who's come to visit James. He's brought his valet with him, a handsome and charismatic man named Torkel Kraft, who uses his charms to deceive Sarah into helping him with a theft he's planning. Captain Ryttsen, oblivious to Kraft's scheme, is only interested in one thing... the card game James has arranged for him. A turn of events during the last few disappointing minutes brings the show to a dissatisfying and abrupt end.
#2 - Magic Casements
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 1/23/1972
Summer 1906: Captain Hammond, a handsome young friend of James', graciously agrees to escort Lady Marjorie to the opera. Feeling a strong mutual attraction, they quickly realize how compatible they are, despite the age difference, Abuzz with gossip, the servants seem to be the only ones aware of what's going on.
#3 - A Cry for Help
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/14/1971
October 1906: Mary, the new housemaid confides in Richard that she's pregnant, the result of an assault by a man who drunkenly forced himself on her. Insisting he must bear responsibility, she reveals the man is Myles Radford, the son of Richard's friend (and her previous employer), General Radford. Myles, outraged that Richard has the gall to question his integrity, gets even with a classless move that could have enormous legal, financial, and moral ramifications.
#4 - An Old Flame
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/12/1975
James and Lady Diana Newbury behave foolishly, with little regard of how it impacts others. Edward is in trouble with Daisy when he's caught in a lie.
#5 - Tug of War
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/12/1974
James is home on leave and finds the rest of the family busy with war work. He's so unhappy with his current position on staff, so Hazel makes a sacrifice on his behalf. Georgina finds that nursing is more demanding and less glamorous than she imagined. Most of the housework at Eaton Place now falls on Daisy after Rose obtains a part-time job.
#6 - The Mistress and the Maids
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/17/1971
June 1904: An artist, commissioned to paint Lady Marjorie's portrait, takes a shine to Sarah and convinces her to pose for him. The painting, depicting Sarah and her roommate, is a bit racy, and when the Bellamy's see it in a public exhibit, they fire both girls for what they wrongly conclude is "questionable behaviour."
#7 - A Change of Scene
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/10/1973
James attends a weekend hunting party where some guests attempt to set him up with his childhood chum, Lady Diana Russell, even though his best friend, Bunny, wants to marry her. Hudson accompanies James and steps up to lend a helping hand when the head butler, who appears to be suffering from Alzheimer's, falls short in his duties. He's later offered a job when the mistress of the house takes note of his capabilities.
#8 - On Trial
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/10/1971
November 1903: Clemence, young and inexperienced, is hired on a trial basis by Lady Marjorie, who decides Clemence is not an appropriate name for someone in service and changes it to Sarah. Being far too outspoken and having a tendency towards over exaggeration and drama, Sarah struggles to fit in and become accepted by the other servants.
#9 - The Path of Duty
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/31/1971
May 1905: When Elizabeth returns home from abroad, her parents plan her debut into society, but the spirited young girl has little interest. She reluctantly agrees, but at the last moment, has a change of heart and flees. Rose, more like a sister than a servant, steps up and makes the girl see the situation in another light.
#10 - Why is Her Door Locked?
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/6/1972
November 1907: Everyone's been concerned about Mrs. Bridges, who's been despondent ever since Emily's suicide, but when they discover she took a baby from his pram when his mother wasn't looking, and brought him home with her, they realize she's suffering from a mental breakdown. Hoping to keep the incident quiet and protect everyone's reputations, the Bellamys return the baby to his parents and offer compensation, but refuse to divulge Mrs. Bridges' identity. The father, furious that they consider themselves above the law, has Mrs. Bridges arrested and during her hearing, Hudson makes an extraordinary gesture he hopes will keep her out of prison.
#11 - I Dies from Love
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 1/30/1972
April 1907: Believing destiny brought them together, Emily, the scruffy kitchen maid, falls deeply and hopelessly in love with a footman named William. When his mistress, Mrs. Van Groeben, learns about his relationship with Emily, she angrily orders William to stop seeing her, leaving Emily heartbroken and driven to an act of desperation.
#12 - Rose's Pigeon
Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/24/1973
Alfred, the Bellamy's former footman from a few years ago, shows up on the doorstep, cold, wet, and hungry, with no where else to go. Although his behavior is erratic, Rose lets him in to eat and stay the night in a storage room. When he's discovered the next morning, Alfred panics and the situation quickly falls apart.
#13 - Miss Forrest
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/27/1973
It's two years later and Eaton Place has seen many changes. Richard is writing his late father-in-law's biography, assisted by Miss Hazel Forrest, his typist. James has been working in London ever since Phyllis broke off their engagement, and Miss Forrest has caught his eye. Daring to venture across the class boundaries once again, James invites her to dine with him, much to the chagrin of Hudson who finds this impropriety upsetting and when he's unable to hide his feelings, it provokes a confrontation with James. Lady Marjorie is looking forward to visiting Elizabeth who now lives in America. Her brother, Lord Hugo Southwold, and his new wife, Marion, are also going, as well as her maid, Roberts, who is giddy with excitement that she gets to sail on the maiden voyage of that magnificent new ship, the Titanic!
#14 - The Beastly Hun
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1974
The bitter anti-German sentiment generated by the sinking of the Lusitania causes the Bellamy servants to consider their own attitudes when a local tradesman of German descent is attacked, along with his family. Hazel discovers that Hudson has been spreading scare stories around the servants' hall and displaying an exaggerated hatred of Germans.
#15 - The Bolter
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/15/1973
Hazel feels out of her element when she accompanies James on a hunting weekend and spends the evening watching Diana throw herself at him. When James refuses to allow her to participate in the hunt, Hazel defies him with the urging of Diana, who then proceeds to play a cruel stunt by putting Hazel on an untamed horse she's unable to handle. James is embarrassed and angry over Hazel's defiance and lack of horsemanship, causing an argument. Later, when Cochy implies James is sleeping with Diana, Hazel, who's already nursing a wounded ego, packs it in and heads back to London. Meanwhile, a flirtatious maid asks Edward to come to her room later that night, and on his way there, Edward is shocked to see one of the gentlemen entering the room of one of the married ladies.
#16 - A Voice from the Past
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/13/1972
Autumn 1908: While providing food for the homeless, James and Elizabeth are surprised to run into Sara whose been living on the street. Elizabeth insists on taking her back to Eaton Place where she's given a job as a scullery maid. Sarah immediately reverts back to her old tricks and, claiming to be a medium, causes an uproar when she tries to conjure up the spirit of Emily during a seance.
#17 - Distant Thunder
Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/12/1974
The summer brings a stifling heatwave, causing passions, emotions, and tempers to run hot. Georgina is staying at Eaton Place for the summer and has "come out" in society as a young debutante, Rose is regretting her decision regarding Gregory Wilmot, Hazel is recovering from her miscarriage, and James is letting his eye wander in an inappropriate and very dangerous direction.
#18 - For Love of Love
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/5/1972
June 1909: Elizabeth and Lawrence Kirbridge have fallen in love and, refusing to conform to society's rules, announce their plan to live together without marriage, resulting in pressure from all sides. After Lawrence gives in and starts pressuring her too, Lizzie finally succumbs. Meanwhile, Sarah fulfills her dream to perform on the stage when she takes a job in a burlesque show. James shows up and, now that she no longer works for his family, wants to pursue the relationship they've both wanted for nearly six years.
#19 - A Perfect Stranger
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/5/1974
A chance meeting on a bus leads to a proposal of marriage for Rose and a chance to make a new life in Australia.
#20 - Your Obedient Servant
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/1/1972
The brothers of both Richard and Hudson are visiting, causing both men to do things they otherwise would not. For Hudson, it means putting on airs, and for Richard, the visit causes him to snoop, an action he considers beneath him.
#21 - Guest of Honour
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/17/1972
There is great excitement among the servants when King Edward VII attends a supper party at Eaton Place. During the evening the arrival of an unexpected visitor creates an emergency below stairs.
#22 - Joke Over
Season 5 - Episode 13 - Aired 11/30/1975
After an evening of dissipated behavior and a reckless drive into the countryside, Georgina must appear at a coroner's inquest, when one of the locals is killed.
#23 - Desirous of Change
Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/1/1973
Richard and a lovely widowed countess greatly enjoy each others company, but when they discover neither of them has financial stability, they enjoy one last lovely day before parting. The new maid, Gwyneth, an odd but very capable girl, becomes obsessed with Richard.
#24 - Board Wages
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/24/1971
August 1904: Finding themselves alone and having the run of the house, the junior servants indulge in a night of wild partying. When James, the Bellamy's son, show up unexpectedly, the party takes an unusual turn, causing Sarah to reevaluate her life. Unhappy with what she sees, she makes a monumental decision that will alter her course forever.
#25 - Whom God hath Joined...
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/10/1972
Elizabeth comes home for Christmas without Lawrence. The Bellamys face another family crisis when it is discovered that Elizabeth is expecting a baby.