Filming is Already Under Way on 'The Durrells in Corfu' Season 2

The cast of "The Durrells in Corfu" (Photo: Courtesy of John Rogers/Sid Gentle Films & MASTERPIECE)
Good news for those who love heartwarming family drama The Durrells in Corfu: The series has been renewed for a second season and filming on the new episodes has already begun!  The Durrells, based on Gerald Durrell’s trilogy of memoirs, tells the story of Louisa Durrell who makes a radical change and uproots her four unruly ‘children’ Larry, Leslie, Margo and Gerry, from Bournemouth to start a new life in Corfu in the 1930s. Keeley Hawes will return as matriarch Louisa alongside her fictional brood played by Josh O’Connor (Larry), Callum Woodhouse (Leslie), Daisy Waterstone (Margo) and Milo Parker (Gerry). The family drama was renewed for Season 2 during its first season run in the UK this past April. The show is one of ITV's most successful new dramas of the year, and was its highest ranted new series until costume drama hit Victoria premiered in this past Fall. The Durrells will wrap up its Season 1 broadcast in the United States on Sunday, November 20. (If the reactions of our viewers are anything to go by, US fans seem to really like this heartwarming drama. I'm apparently going to have to give this show a try?) “We loved The Durrells from the moment the idea was pitched to us and it become even more magical when it was brought to screen,” said Victoria Fea, ITV's Director of Drama. “It was a very easy decision to commission a second series of this warm and enchanting drama.”

Filming on the show's second season officially kicked off at the end of August.  In Season 2, Larry continues to pursue his passion for writing despite a new romance getting in the way; Leslie decides to explore his entrepreneurial spirit; Margo remains boy crazy and makes a play for someone thoroughly unsuitable; and Gerry, who prefers animals to people, is delighted when he discovers an otter is living close to home.

Meanwhile, money is still tight for the Durrells and Louisa finds herself on the wrong side of their new landlady Vasilia (Errika Bigio) when she gets behind on paying the rent – it almost feels like Vasilia, who is complexly inflexible, has a personal grudge towards Louisa, but why would that be?  Louisa urges the family to brainstorm ideas to make some extra cash. They decide to grow food at home to sell at market.  Theo (Yorgos Karamihos) tries to teach Leslie bee-keeping so he can make honey, Margo plants seeds and Gerry milks goats.  Spiros (Alexis Georgoulis) is also on hand to offer support, but can they make a success of their new business venture? There's no information as yet on when we can expect to see Season 2 of The Durrells in Corfu on either side of the pond. The show's filming schedule makes any kind of airing before Spring 2017 seem quite unlikely,and of course we don't know what kind of time gap we'll see between UK and US broadcasts. But I would expect the broadcast schedule for Season 2 to look something like Season 1 - with an outside chance of a US broadcast moving up in the year, depending on what the overall Masterpiece 2017 slate looks like. But we'll have to wait and see. Have you been watching The Durrells? Are you looking forward to seeing a second season? (Should I be watching this?) Do tell, in the comments! 

 


Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

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