Wonderful character development!

Strictly average movie

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

We just watched the last episode and we were thoroughly charmed by the series. Each episode stands alone, but it's helpful to have watched Upstairs, Downstairs to have a bit of context. Settings, costumes, staging are all authentic and the scripts are witty and and plots are clever, if sometimes far-fetched. That said, each story is diverting and the relationships between Sarah and Thomas and their casts are well drawn and believable. You really care about the people and their predicaments.After leaving the Bellamy's, Sarah and Thomas have become equals, they push and pull and the plot lines seem to give each character equal worth. The idea that a woman could choose to simply travel and work and live with a man she's not married to is a surprise for that era. And the idea that a woman of that era not only challenges but succeeds in knocking back polite snobbish society is fun to watch.These period pieces are enjoyable and interesting, and Pauline and John are exceptional actors who've worked in theatre, TV, movies. They are attractive and adept in building their characters.If you're tired of screeching car chases, exploding body parts, pathologically abusive relationships that get more graphic with each episode... then you'll enjoy Thomas and Sarah.Give it a try!

Moments ago, I savored the final episode, after enjoying the entire series over the past couple of weeks. First I must confess, I was an immediate fan of both characters in Up/Down. For me, Pauline Collins as Sarah was my favorite, and certainly she was the most interesting and complex of the bunch. Then enters John Alderman (Sorry about that, chief. You know I meant Alderton!). From his very first lines, facial expression, voice tone and accent I was sold on this intriguing, semi-lovable rogue. You knew something was up, the plot had thickened, the game was afoot from his very first lines with "Miss Elizabeth" during the 'job interview.' From the first to the last, you were never quite sure if Thomas is being sincere, facetious or calculating! What a talent, and what a delightful viewing pleasure. Thank you, Pauline and John! (FYI - they are and have been married in 'real' life for many years - how cool is that! And, make sure to check out Pauline's rave success in 1989's, "Shirley Valentine".) In Thomas & Sarah, I love their ambiguous, dynamic relationship, and thought all the plots, situations and various characters were most entertaining. Entertainment, for me, on par with Up/Down -- again, possibly in large part due to my entrancement with the characters/actors (i.e., I have no interest in reading stories about T&S, as I need Pauline and John to be part of the equation). So much so that, I'm eagerly looking forward to watching them in "Wodehouse Playhouse," and hope that I can, someday,find "No, Honestly".Last comment: Most definitely, first get to know these two characters in Up/Down, before watching them in this classic, sadly-short TV series

Upstairs Downstairs is often cited as the pinnacle of British TV drama during the 1970's. Fine acting and writing overcame low budgets and the occasional contrived plot point, and the show never strayed too far from the orbit of the the Bellamy household and staff. The consistent quality kept viewers coming back for years.As a spin off of Upstairs Downstairs, Thomas and Sarah started with similar high hopes, but poor writing and a heavy reliance on the comparatively inexperienced lead actors of the title doomed the show to a single season before folding.There was little consistency between episodes, and halfway through the first season Thomas and Sarah end up wandering the British countryside, going from adventure to adventure in a style more suited to Dr Who or the Goodies than fine drama. Some of the episodes were pure farce played with a straight face and one can only guess what the writers were thinking. The character of Thomas veered between lukewarm "husband" to soulless raconteur and conman with alarming regularity. Sarah's character was similarly opaque and one dimensional, and the show lacked supporting cast capable of filling out the storyline. The final episodes are excruciatingly bad even by 1970's standards.Although the demise of Thomas and Sarah is blamed on a writers strike, it was destined for failure after the rapid decline in quality. The funeral attended by Sarah in the last episode is not that of Thomas or her recent beau, but almost certainly one or more of the writers responsible for running this show into the ground.

Although the time frame covered a number of years and started in 1910, World War I seems to have been skipped altogether and Thomas would have been prime cannon fodder. Although the stories seemed to cover the time during the money making on Wall Street, they skipped the war. The plots seemed to shift Thomas from being just a rogue looking for an opening to get ahead and to America to a man with a really ugly soul, at least as far as Sarah was concerned. Sarah's character seemed always to think things would sort themselves out for the better even on the gloomiest day. The title for the finale was very apt. After doing some research, I think I know whose funeral it was or at least whose funeral I hope it was.In some episodes Ms Collins seemed uncomfortable, as though she'd rather have been doing something else.Perhaps Thomas'attitude was wearing thin. I'm a fan of both Ms Collins and Mr. Alderton and saw them on the stage in London in 1980 when we lived in England.