The Durrells - Episode Guide

Louisa Durrell's life is in meltdown. Her four unruly children are going off the rails. 11-year-old Gerald is about to be thrown out of school, Larry, the eldest is a would-be novelist but the worst estate agent in Bournemouth and the middle two, neurotic Margo and gun mad Leslie are hitting adulthood like a car crash. It is 1935 and a woman's options are limited. Much to Larry's bemusement she takes his flippant advice and makes a radical change by whisking her family away to the sun drenched island of Corfu. A cheap and untamed paradise - which also happens to have no electricity.

Having barely enough money to survive they find themselves relying on charismatic local, Spiro Hakaiopulos. Spiro not only finds them a ramshackle house to live in, he also installs Lugaretzia as their home-help who is very cheap but a complete hypochondriac.

Despite the beauty of the island, the children soon fall back into their old ways. Corfu provides the perfect inspiration for Larry's writing and he exacts his revenge on Leslie who insists upon shooting at anything and everything, driving the family mad. Margo takes advantage of the idyllic weather but soon runs into trouble with a local monk and has to use her feminine guile to win him round. Words fail Margo however, when Larry's wealthy, party loving friends Max and Donald arrive and she finds herself instantly besotted with Max.

For Gerry the island is his paradise. Rich in exciting species he happily spends his days exploring with Roger the dog and his new found friend and kindred spirit, Dr Theodore (Theo) Stephanides. Much to the family's bewilderment the terrace is soon filled with an eclectic menagerie of animals (pelican and tortoise) and insects (wolf spider), which Gerry eagerly brings home to study.

Believing their mother needs a love interest, Larry invites Captain Creech for dinner. However, his suitability for Louisa's affections quickly proves doubtful when it appears that Larry has brought an old sea dog to the table.

Unable to pay the landlord to fix their dilapidated house and fed up of existing on kumquats, Louisa demands the children forage for anything they can sell – something they do with little success.

With Theo away, Leslie in love and Larry finishing his first novel, Gerry seeks out a father figure in an unlikely form. Mysterious Kosti Panapoulos is a convict out on weekend release and the two bond over wildlife. Kosti takes a keen interest in Gerry and gives him his huge gull, ‘Alecko' to look after and together they catch, ‘Old Plop' a terrapin. When the family learn that Kosti allegedly murdered his wife and lost his son as a result Louisa wonders what his agenda is. When Gerry disappears Louisa fears the worst has happened to him.

Keen to distract her attention away from the opposite sex, Louisa finds Margo employment at the surgery but she proves to be hopelessly squeamish and terrible at filing. A chance encounter with the exotic recluse, Countess Mavrodaki and her dapper butler, Dennis, highlights where Margo's real talent lies.

Named the ‘best child' by Lugaretzia, Leslie delights in the food she makes especially for him – at the expense of his burgeoning waistline. Together with a lovingly prepared picnic and a newly acquired pink bike, Leslie heads to Alexia's to celebrate their two-month anniversary only to find her in the arms of her former boyfriend. Louisa suggestion that Larry take the distraught Leslie out backfires. Not only do the brothers have little in common, but Alexia and Stratos arrive which is a red rag to a bull for Leslie un-used to alcohol and Corfiot bars.

Desperate to harvest their olives, Louisa asks Sven for his advice but their fledgling relationship falters when they argue over his much loved accordion. Sven swallows his pride and apologises. Despite starting on shaky ground there is a much wanted thawing to their relationship.

Leslie falls in with a bad crowd and ends up being falsely accused of armed robbery, prompting Louisa to take desperate measures to save him. Margo takes a shine to a gardener at the Villa Mavrodaki, Captain Creech returns, and the family realises the extent of Gerry's passion for animals when he turns his bedroom into a centre for scientific learning.

Just when life is looking good for the Durrells, Louisa learns her domineering Aunt Hermione, Hermione's neurotic niece, Cousin Prue and Prue's lumpen husband, Geoffrey will be visiting. As true Anglophiles they complain about the primitive nature of the island and view what the family are achieving with distaste. Hermione is unimpressed that when Larry isn't furious about his latest book rejection, he spends his entire time in his bedroom with his newly arrived girlfriend, Nancy.

Sven survives a grilling by his potential new family and passes with flying colours.

A feral Gerry is sleeping outside, blissfully happy with his many animals that are also invading the house - Louisa wakes up next to a sheep! Perennially poor they forgo mosquito nets resulting in Margo being bitten terribly and to everyone's horror Larry and Leslie are growing moustaches. Louisa declares that things have to change and decides to sell what meagre produce they can raise from their land at the local market. Being British they are given the worst pitch and must endure the baking sun whilst being shunned by the locals.

Larry is excited, his latest novel is being published in England today, however, everyone seems far too busy to notice. Even Louisa is more concerned with baking for the market. Gutted that the family haven't even read his novel, Larry is further disappointed when his attempts to show it off at a local bar go unnoticed.

No one, not even Louisa knows the exact date of her birthday, but upon seeing how much she is missing Larry, the family decide to throw her a party to cheer her up.

Larry's bachelor life is interrupted by the arrival of Louisa with a food parcel. Louisa admits that she misses his intellectual conversations but Larry replies with a cutting remark about her age. With Louisa unwilling to rush into things with Hugh, Larry informs her that soon all her children will be leaving home so what is she waiting for? Reluctantly, Louisa takes Hugh up on his date where she learns some shocking truths about Vasilia. Hugh is irked when his car breaks down and Spiro comes to the rescue.

A storm rages outside, so the family are stuck indoors. Aunt Hermione arrives on a visit from England with her friend Mrs Haddock, who claims to be a medium. They all decide to hold a seance to see if Louisa can be reunited with her late husband.

Louisa and Spiro tend to her market stall. He thinks she has bad taste in men, but she tells him he's just being over protective. Meanwhile, Vasilia demands that her relationship with Larry proceeds quicker than Larry wants it to.

Back at the house, Donald is tutoring Gerry on the terrace but having little luck as Gerry is distracted by a falcon trying to attack his beloved otters.

When Louisa informs her children that she is to marry Sven they immediately want to vet him. Despite them all approving of the match, well all but Leslie, they feel that something is not quite right and Louisa can't help but agree. The speed in which Sven sets the date makes Louisa question the marriage further, but the family rally round and embark on the preparations – even Leslie who hides his severe looking scorpion sting. A shock discovery by Louisa leads to a dark night of the soul with Larry. Will the wedding still go ahead and will Margo manage to entice the highly reclusive Countess to the island's event of the year?

Eager to show off his growing menagerie, Gerry delights in setting up a zoo and is dismayed at the lack of visitors forcing Louisa to ask Spiro to drum up business. Leslie's scorpion sting makes Gerry question whether he should set his collection free but will he be able to give up his cherished collection?

Feeling overwhelmed by the Durrell's, Nancy suggests she and Larry get a place of their own. Larry is unsure, Louisa resorts to underhand tactics to discourage the move and surprisingly even Leslie makes a case for Larry to stay. When Nancy says she wants to return to the UK she gives Larry an ultimatum. Will he follow his love or stay with his beloved yet highly dysfunctional family in Corfu?

Larry is furious over the reception of his last novel and Margo is bored out of her mind so has taken up soap sculpting as a hobby, whilst Gerry is trying his best to keep his animal family growing despite his mother's best efforts. However, it's Leslie who Louisa is desperately worried about when she discovers that he is seeing three different girls… at the same time. Concerned that Leslie will get hurt, Louisa takes it upon herself to help him decide who he should pick by visiting each of the girls. However, will all of the family members having an opinion, Leslie is faced with an awkward dilemma.

Louisa and Larry are both devastated to find that Aunt Hermione has passed away in her sleep. Meanwhile, Leslie finds out that he has made Daphne pregnant and is pressured by her father to ask for her hand in marriage. As Gerry becomes fascinated with an insect-covered wall in the back garden, Margo gets busy with organising a memorial service for Aunt Hermione and Louisa and Larry prepare to take her body back to England.

After arriving in Bournemouth at Aunt Hermione's house, Larry quickly sets off to visit friends in London. Louisa is left with her cousins Prue, Geoffrey and Basil who arrive to settle details of Hermione's will and attend the funeral.In London, Larry is greeted at his friend Durant's house by a group of like-minded artists – Henry Miller, Jonquil and Ruby – and begins to embrace their modern, bohemian lifestyle. Back in Corfu, Leslie takes charge of the household and is offered a job as a local policeman, whilst Spiros forbids Margo from seeing Zoltan in Louisa's absence and Gerry saves a donkey from an abusive farmer.

The family receives a telegram from Larry, who is in Athens for a short trip, announcing that he has a friend coming to stay – Prince Jeejeebuoy. Louisa immediately begins to clean the house in preparation for his arrival, whilst Spiro offers to pick up champagne for the family's special guest.

However, Larry doesn't stop at inviting Prince Jeejeebuoy to the house, later also extending the invite to a drunken Captain Creech who is desperate and has no-where else to go. Louisa is furious but allows Creech to stay for a few days upon Jeejee's advice.

Concerned about Gerry's education, Louisa also seeks advice from Theo who arranges for him to have an interview at the local school. However, with two contrasting house guests giving her their opinions, the interview doesn't go as smoothly as planned.

Louisa becomes jealous of Spiros spending time with a new Italian family who have arrived on the island - the effortlessly beautiful and impossibly glamorous Ferraris. Determined to find out more about her competition, Louisa invites the seemingly perfect family to the house but soon starts to suspect that there is more to them than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Larry joins the fire service and Gerry falls for a local girl.

The family plan a party to celebrate Gerry's 13th birthday, but they are forced to hold it inside when a plague of mosquitoes descends. As the party planning progresses, Louisa finds it difficult to accept that her youngest is growing up. Gerry insists that he does not want a fuss, but he gets frustrated and upset when the party is clearly aimed at someone much younger. Meanwhile, Louisa is concerned by Spiros's behaviour.

Louisa finds it more than a little awkward when Larry invites Henry Miller to stay. Insisting on walking around naked, the liberal contents of Henry's novels raise heated discussions within the family.

Meanwhile, with the Greek government clamping down on ‘immoral behaviour', Sven is arrested due to his sexuality. Larry is incensed and demands Margo obtain books on miscarriages of justice and fighting fascism from the Countess. However, learning that she is not permitting anyone to enter her villa, Larry takes matters into his own hands.

Wanting to avoid his depressingly empty house, Spiros spends most of his time at the Durrells' home. Louisa is not complaining, she just wants him to be happy and the two become closer.

In the town, Larry meets Elena, a beautiful, exotic young woman who, along with her friend, the bearded woman, happen to be part of the travelling circus. Elena reveals she is a contortionist and after performing some of her moves, Larry falls quickly in love.

Keen to get involved, Louisa and Spiros help the circus drum up business whilst Margo starts to rehearse a very risky act and Gerry makes sure the animals are being treated well.

With the magic of the circus rubbing off on the whole family, will it work its charm on Louisa and Spiros?

As the new series begins, Louisa has opened the doors of the villa as a boarding house and Basil and two Australian dancers have become official guests. To save money, the girls instantly move into Larry's room - much to his delight - but it's soon clear that Basil has become the most pernickety guest ever.

Louisa finds herself fending off unexpected romantic advances. Leslie's arranged hunt for new guest, Colonel Ribbindane, doesn't quite go to plan when his past revisits him. Theo acquires a surprising housemate.

Louisa meets Spiros' wife for the first time, and invites her to join the family on a trip to visit Larry in Kalami. However, the journey ends badly when their picnic is eaten by hungry animals, and Larry turns out to have left the island for Paris. As tensions rise, they seek the help of a local bar owner, who has a special gift for Gerry. Meanwhile, Margo brings a touch of the continent to Prue and Geoffrey's Dorset home.

With his marriage deteriorating, Spiros finds himself spending more time at the ‘bawdy house' helping to build Gerry's zoo, whilst Leslie, having clocked the frisson between Basil and Dimitra sets about creating a honey trap with the intention of freeing up Spiros for Louisa. This seems to work when Basil keeps disappearing for mystery visits and finally admits to having a ‘lady friend' but won't say who it is.

Corfu is excited about the arrival of their beloved monarch and Theo has an unofficial role in the preparations. As the King's route takes him past the Durrell's villa, he suggests they ‘do their bit'. Gerry suggests his animals, whilst Leslie, in his new role as a Scout Leader, will put on a scout display and Louisa will bake some delicious food, with Spiros' help.

With storm clouds gathering, the islanders realise they can no longer ignore the rumblings of war, just as it looks as though the Durrells - particularly Louisa and Spiros - may have found their happy ending. Larry marks his return by throwing an audacious play for the locals, but there are surprises for every member of the family.

Keeley Hawes reveals the adventures of this eccentric family once they left Corfu.