4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
ITV period drama 'like spoonful after spoonful of splendid jam' streaming for free now
Home Fires, which is currently available to stream for free on UKTV, is set in a fictional rural Cheshire community and follows the lives of members of the Great Paxford Women's Institute
Crafted by ITV, Home Fires stands as a British period drama that unfolded across two series. Conceived by Simon Block and jointly helmed by Robert Quinn and Bruce Goodinson, this 2015 historical television programme chronicles the experiences of Great Paxford Women's Institute members on the Home Front throughout World War II.
Drawing inspiration from Julie Summers' novel Jambusters, Home Fires unfolds in Great Paxford, a fictitious rural Cheshire village, and centres on the women's experiences as they face wartime adversity, limited supplies, and personal challenges during the conflict whilst discovering innovative methods to discover resilience and meaning through collective endeavours.
The programme's inaugural series spans from September 1939 through to early 1940, whilst its second series commences during the summer of 1940. Featuring an outstanding ensemble cast predominantly comprising women such as Francesca Annis, Samantha Bond, Leanne Best, Fenella Woolgar, and Claire Rushbrook, Home Fires attracted an average audience of 6.2 million throughout its debut series. The programme's second run achieved comparable triumph.
Presently accessible to watch without charge on UKTV, the period drama maintains a flawless 100 per cent critics approval score on review aggregation platform Rotten Tomatoes, where it garnered glowing reviews, with one reviewer noting: "Home Fires offers British drama that's as satisfying as a warm cup of tea."
As per the Express, another critic praised the series, saying: "It's more uplifting and affirming than challenging or surprising, and it is handsomely made with convincing period detail and a fine cast delivering top notch performances." Meanwhile, a third reviewer kept it simple, declaring: "This series is spoonful after spoonful of splendid jam."
Viewers were equally smitten with the wartime drama, with one devotee gushing: "The name being Home Fires on Masterpiece, it doesn't lie about the Masterpiece part." Another fan raved: "Loved, loved, loved this series! ! Just heard they are doing a second season, hurray! Just good, clean TV about regular people dealing with irregular circumstances. Please continue the series."
A third enthusiast observed: "The show follows several women and the challenges they face in supporting the war effort. Some of the story lines are more soap opera than others, but I am enjoying every minute." One admirer penned: "One of the many really good shows from England, Australia and New Zealand. Honest look at how life was during the Second World War. Shows the effect on the families and those left behind when the 'boys' go off to war."
Just days following the airing of series two's final episode, ITV delivered crushing news that the programme wouldn't be returning for a third run - despite its triumph and leaving devoted fans absolutely gutted, who flocked to launching a campaign to resurrect the series, which gathered over 50,000 signatures.
An ITV spokesperson announced: "The ITV commissioning team continues to refresh the channel's drama portfolio, hence the decision not to commission a further new series."
Despite a spirited campaign, efforts to save the show fell flat, leading to its official axing in 2016.
