Looks like another ‘Indian Summers’ in the forecast for 2016


Thankfully, this is getting to be commonplace with respect to hearing good news about quality British drama series before the previous or even the first series is aired in America. In what has seemed to become more the norm in recent years, series such as Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, Mr. Selfridge, Endeavour and even Sherlock have been commissioned for another series before the current series even begins as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series.

Long time viewers of a number of British dramas and comedies over the years will, no doubt, remember when the opposite was definitely the case when you were left hanging for months before knowing whether or not your favorite series would be either re-commissioned for another year or, worst case, cancelled. Loose ends in a series finale meant nothing. Bottom line, if the viewing figures weren’t there, there would not be another series (e.g. the new Upstairs, Downstairs).

With UK viewers currently in the middle of series one and while American audiences will have to wait until mid-September 2015 for the premiere of Indian Summers, Channel 4 has announced that they are commissioning a second series of Indian Summers, the lavishly brilliant series set during the British occupation of India in the 1930s and starring Julie Walters and Henry Lloyd-Hughes, and will continue the journey through the last years of the British Raj.

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With the opening episode of Indian Summers being the highest-rated drama launch for Channel 4 in 20 years and even though it is the most expensive commission ever at £14 million, it was pretty much a no-brainer that a second series was so quickly commissioned. Series creator Paul Rutman said, “Our story moves forward three years, to a Viceroy’s last summer, a political gamble to stifle Independence and a great reckoning for Ralph, Alice and Aafrin.”

Look for the premiere of Indian Summers this Fall as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series.

 

 

 


In: Drama