Comment from Princess Peach
Time July 3, 2009 at 3:50 pm

Ooooh how exciting. A tree! Wonder what it means… Hope no-one is underneath….. Nooooo not JD!

Comment from MiaLove
Time August 16, 2009 at 12:41 am

Hello fellow fan’s , realise I’m a little late in this discussion , but I really hope JD comes back . Forget Sir.Tim and the school teacher . Dorcas sparkles with James they have a magnetic chemistry together. JD ‘s departure sucked. I really want Dorcas & James to be a happy married couple. And I’m not the only one there is a Twitter fan page devoted to them called DorcasAndJames so check it out . Is there some kind of a way we the Fan’s can let the writer’s know that we love Dorcas and James and want them to get together. What was in the letter James wrote to Dorcas? Any info fan’s on latest news? XOXO .

Comment from Daes265
Time August 29, 2009 at 3:03 pm

WHAT IS AMAZING ME IS THAT THE BEEB HASNT REPEATED SERIES 2 ON ANY OF ITS CHANNELS, UNLESS IVE MISSED IT. COME ON BEEB GIVE THE FANS WHAT THEY WANT, UNTIL THEN IM ENJOYONG FINISHING OFF THE BOOKS {=0}.

Comment from Mia
Time September 11, 2009 at 3:04 am

I must be the only one hoping Laura does NOT end up with Alf. Laura is an intelligent young lady going places in life so I think she ought to have a new love interest in series 3. Alf, as endearing as he is, will only ever be a farmer who can barely read and write – he has found his level in the milkmaid, Nan.
Lord Timothy and Lady Adelaide ought to come back in series 3 – there could be wonderful interplay between the upper and lower classes which was part of the frisson of series 1. I loved Lady Adelaide and wish she could have a bigger part next time. But Timothy is not right for Dorcas as a partner nor is James Dowland. Dorcas’ character values honesty and integrity and Dowland has proved to be anything but – he is a womaniser, fathered a child out of wedlock, lied to Dorcas etc. I would hate for Dorcas to land up with Dowland unless he comes back having gone through a life altering change of character.

The episode where Dowland languishes around like a spoilt child after Dorcas rejected him proved he is weak and not worthy of Dorcas. Instead of showing Dorcas his strength and trying to court her in a manly way, he chose instead to send one pathetic bunch of flowers and a note and hiding in his hotel waiting for the woman to come to him. What a wimp – good riddance Mr Dowland.

Dorcas came to this realisation which is why she told him a second time “friends and nothing more”. Personally I think Dorcas is the sort of woman who would in reality not have married at all.

Comment from Sherry
Time September 12, 2009 at 4:34 pm

Excellent post, Mia! I totally agree with you on all points (except I loved the chemistry between Sir Timothy and Dorcas and wish he’d come back. Guilty pleasure, I know, as Dorcas would never carry on with a married man). I never thought Alf was right for Laura either, but I do enjoy their friendship. I never warmed to James at all and definitely don’t think he’s right for Dorcas. He’s got way too much baggage.

Comment from MiaLove
Time September 16, 2009 at 12:43 am

I love James Dowland . I love that he is so proud of his Lark rise hertiage . Yes he’s been bad more naughty bad than truly horrible bad . It’s worth bearing in mind with-out this slight edge there would have been no sydney and James loves & is so proud of Sydney .
JD had it tough as a kid . His father deserted him and his very sick Mother , they were both very poor . After James Mother passed the lovely Queenie looked after him . This harsh childhood explains his drive to make it in life .
I thought it really sweet that James alway’s noticed Dorcas as a young boy . When Dorcas was ill It became very clear to the viewer that JD could not bear to lose her and was very much deeply in love with Dorcas .
I think that James Dowland deserves a second chance his character has come a long way from lonely poor child to rebel teenager to modern self-made man . Despite all his triumph’s he returned to his root’s seeking to secure a loving family and home . Falling deeply and passionately in love with the very fine Miss.Lane .
Dorcas may have felt she was being made a fool off . But I could’nt disagree more . Yes James Dowland may have had a past but it was past…Her reaction was based on his past rather than seeing the man standing in front of her who was clearly , truly and deeply in love with her . He was willing to give up every-thing that he had for her love .
All that love and passion that’s honset that’s worth a second chance . xoxo .
P.S I still want to know what was in that letter and love the DorcasAndJames page on twitter .

Comment from Mia
Time September 16, 2009 at 3:32 am

Thanks Sherry, glad to know there is another person who shares my views of the characters. Yes, I agree the friendship between Laura and Alf is lovely and something to be admired. But as you say it ought to stay at that.

I did enjoy the relationship between Dorcas and Timothy but I really liked Adelaide too much to stomach a full blown affair between her husband and Dorcas.

MiaLove I understand where you are coming from on this and agree that James Dowland has much to commend him. But if he was so passionately in love with Dorcas then his one pathetic attempt to win her after he had caused her humiliation is not indicative of a consuming passion. One little letter and bunch of flowers, not even delivered in person, is rather childlike and wimpish. My own real life husband courted me for a year from another country across the globe and battled great odds to get us together. So I do feel entitled to view James’ love and his expression of it a poor show.
And any man who argues and insults the lady of his choice they way James does in the last few episodes is not a man I would spend the rest of my life with – Dorcas seemed to feel the same way !

Comment from MiaLove
Time September 16, 2009 at 6:32 pm

So cool that I get to chat with such lovely Lark rise to candelford fan’s .
Mia , I see where your coming form . I was a little upset about how the writer’s of the show portrayed JD toward’s the end , because I feel it did’nt ring true to how his character was written previously . However I like to think that James Dowland is not a lost cause . I think there was alot of hurt pride on both Dorcas and James side .
Despite all of James fault’s I really do believe that James Love for Dorcas was true .
I have to agree with you that the character could have fought for Dorcas’s love alot harder . I would love to have seen that and am hoping for that in season 3 . I really did’nt agree with how the writer’s kind of gave up on him as a character . I hope he get’s a second chance in the show because I really loved Dorcas and James together .
May I also say how lovely that your husband fought for your love , that’s so romantic , that’s the kind of style we need to see from JD xoxo .

Comment from Mia
Time September 20, 2009 at 5:50 am

Thanks MiaLove for the compliment about my husband. I still have all the letters he wrote me for the year of our long distance courtship. So I was wondering during Larkrise series whether Dorcas kept James’ letter (attached to the flowers)? I agree with you, the character of James did seem to fizzle out halfway through the second series. I rather fell for him myself at first ! Perhaps it is my personal likes and dislikes in men coming to the fore but I cannot forgive James for his boorish and rude behaviour to Dorcas. We can only wait and see whether he comes back in series three without the bad attitude and a new spark to win over Dorcas.
However I do feel a man (husband or otherwise) should not be ungallant enough to call up a woman’s shortcomings the way James Dowland does regularly. It will not make for a happy marriage. Perhaps the writers can get James back to how he was originally through some life changing experience.
What do you think of the relationship between Dorcas and Thomas the postman? I like the reciprocal acceptance and respect these two have for each other.
Oh and sorry if my choice of username is similar to yours, but I use it on several other forums and don’t want to change now.

Comment from MiaLove
Time September 21, 2009 at 12:32 am

Hi Mia ‘
Good to hear from you , hope your well . No worries on the username it was given to me as a nick name .
I really hope James is back in season 3 , don’t think I could bare a reunion with Sir.Tim or the school teacher or yet another love intrest , that would drive me mad .
Glad to know I’m not the only one who noticed that the writing of James character was abit all over the place , as to lead the audience to be confused at times .
I really hope the purpose of James character was’nt just to deliver a child to Dorcas . It’s unfair to the audience to build up our hopes then mislead us .
I hated the final episode “life worth living”end , JD riding off in to the sunset , none of it made sense . I felt cheated at the writing .
I can only hope that James is back in season 3 and completely agree with you that his character is back to how it was orginally written . I would love to see him win Dorcas’s love with charm and spark . About the letter James wrote to Dorcas , now I could be wrong on this , I’m not to sure , but I don’t think she ever opened it , I’m sure their was a cilp where she put it in a drawer unopened . I like to think in that letter James poured his heart out to her .
As James said to Dorcas “you torture me with possibility” and when it came to the writing I feel they tortured us – the audience with the possibility of these two getting together .
I really think that the writer’s of show’s ought to be careful when it comes to cliff hanger’s because even though Lark rise is a gem , the beeb don’t alway’s renew show’s , can you imagine if that had been the last ever episode of our lovely Lark rise , I would not have been happy and I think many other fan’s would have felt the same way . What do you think ?
I love the relationship between Dorcas and Thomas their like family . Their is such sweetness and gentleness between all the post office staff, infact between most of the character’s of the show , which is why I love it so much . That sense of community , true kindness , and genuine friendship .
Been surfing the net to see if I can find any info on JD coming back , but have’nt found any-thing conclusive, so if you hear any-thing please post . If you have time you should check out the DorcasAndJames page on twitter because there is a lovely music video posted for Dorcas and JD , so you should check it out . If your on twitter you can tweet me , my user name is TabbyQueen . That goes out to all fellow fan’s of Lark rise if your on twitter I’d love to hear from you .
Nice to chat to you Mia . Best wishes . xoxo .

Comment from Tessa
Time September 23, 2009 at 8:46 pm

Great post MiaLove . I’m new to this Fan site . Big fan of Larkrise .
Just checked out their Twitter page (DorcasAndJames ) , LOVED the cilp’s and Music Video .
I am also a mavssive Dorcas and JD fan . I also hope JD is back in series 3 . I would be quite disappointed if he was’nt .
Take care and tweet soon .
Lol to all u Lark rise fan’s out-there xoxo .

Comment from MiaLove
Time October 3, 2009 at 10:53 pm

Thank’s Tessa . I could’nt agree with you more . I’m also looking forword to series 3 of Lark rise . I also would be very disappointed if JD was’nt in it , finger’s crossed . Please post if you hear any news or tweet . Chat to you soon. xo .

Comment from emily good
Time November 16, 2009 at 8:58 pm

yea! i thought that season two was the last season guess not my fav charcter is miss. ellison

Comment from emily good
Time November 16, 2009 at 9:06 pm

AWSOME ‘does happy dance’ CANT WAIT to see how thomas and margrets marragie is doing they r my top two fav charcter i luv episode five one of my fav’s besides ep 4 of seson two my fav part about 2.5 is when baby annie says thomas’s name 2.5 cracks me up

Comment from Hyder Ali Pirwany
Time December 14, 2009 at 5:32 pm

Can’t wait to see the third series and more I pray. I love the girls and their costumes. Maybe I lived there in my past life.
Love, Hyder from Okehampton, Devon

Comment from guanchaoming
Time January 2, 2010 at 1:40 pm

我非常喜欢这部影片，好期待第三季，不过中国大陆第二季就找不到中
文字幕，有点烦恼。i like it very much, and look forward to the 3rd.but in the china continent,there is no chinese subtitles of the 2rd .what a shame.

Comment from B Scott
Time January 18, 2010 at 6:19 pm

Has anybody bothered to read the books? It might be worth your time. Although the teevee adaptation is fine entertainment, it has very little in common with Flora Thompson’s actual written account. I’m afraid the BBC have ‘sexed it up’ to appeal to a populist and virtually illiterate masses. Sad, but true.

Comment from B Scott
Time January 18, 2010 at 6:34 pm

oops, SORRY!!! That should have read ‘ to appeal to a populist and virtually illiterate mass’!!!!!

Alf isn’t even IN the original book, Dorcas Lane is a portly middle aged lady with NO romantic attachments whatsoever, and Twister dies early on…in a single sentence.

It would never have made it to teevee, alas, had it been replicated rather than bastardised.

Read it, do yourselves a favour, you might actually learn something valuable.

Comment from Paul Johnson
Time February 5, 2010 at 2:59 pm

The ‘Lark Rise’ series is a classic, well up to the standard of the adaptations of Trollope’s Barchester Chronicles and, way back, Robert Graves’ Claudius novels. Same reason – fine scripts, expert direction and well-cast actors (with for me one possible exception, though it’s hardly her fault!).

I’m wondering if Brendan Doyle and Claudie Blakley would be at all interested in devising a show along the lines of the old Apollo Society evenings. I remember seeing Dorothy Tutin, Richard Johnson and Max Adrian, wirth Ossian Ellios (harp) giving an evening of varied readings interspersed with music here in King’s Lynn – very popular.

In Norwich I know of a Country Music band which could provide that element, and the readings could range from excerpts from Francis Kilvert’s Diary. Thomas Hardy’s satires, John Clare, Rudyard Kipling. Claudie could revel in the social faux pas in a rural skating scene from Kilvert, and Brendan could give an audience the creeps with Hardy’s ghost poem, The Choirmaster’s Burial. These are just two off the top of my head.

Maybe they wouldn’t be interested, but I think that especially among the greyhaired theatre and concert going public such a show would give a lot of pleasure and pay its way.

Comment from Mike Willcox
Time February 7, 2010 at 8:58 pm

I know it’s nothing like the books but the acting’s brilliant and I love it!

Comment from C
Time February 14, 2010 at 10:18 pm

My fav are the Pratt sisters. They are so funny- they could have own show. Pearl is interesting coz she is not as heartless as she makes out.

I agree Dorcas and Sir Tim had better chemistry than that with JD. If JD came back I would like to see him up to his womanizing ways wiv a few other ladies. He’s better that way.

D was right to give him up but good to remain his friend as she sees that there is some good in him.

I have read the original books and agree that the as the series has developed the TV show has markedly diverged from the books,. But I am happy wiv that (even tho’ loved books too) and see them as separate entities. In this way the series can continue in new ways after the ‘story’ of the book has finished .

Comment from agneskenya
Time February 15, 2010 at 6:23 am

I liked Sir Tim, I did, but this relationship was doomed.
Then, the teacher came along, and I thought he was GREAT. I really, really liked him, and I was disappointed to see him leave. I found him and Dorcas had a great chemistry. But as someone said, it was more something that burns and fades quickly, they might not have been a good match.

After that JD arrived, and he really didn’t do it for me at first, but he grew out on me, and especially in the ep where his business partner comes along. I thought it showed a more human part of him, a fuller personality.
And he’s leaving TOO. Ah! I can’t stand it. I want him back at least by the end of S3. Enough with Dorcas love interests, please, have her find hapiness at once!
In fact she didn’t even try to give him a second chance, they barely talked after the failed proposal. I think she should have at least tried to keep a little of the relationship going, and he definitely should have tried to go see her and not only send flowers.
But, if there really are only 3 seasons, I certainly hope he’ll be back by the end of it unless he really turns bad in the next 3 eps.

As for the rest, I LOVE Emma/Robert. Best married couple on TV ever. Twister and Queenie…they make my day, so funny. and Thomas! I shouldn’t be able to stand him, but I actually find him quite amusing.

Comment from Sherry
Time February 19, 2010 at 4:06 am

Just found these about episodes 8 and 9 from this website:
http://tvrage.com/shows/id-17974/episode_guide/3
Episode 8:
After receiving a dressmaking commission from Lady Whiteleaf which could save her ailing business, Pearl finds herself panicking. When Enid shows up looking for work it seems Pearl has the answer to her problems. Pearl and Enid soon become close friends. Dorcas is worried though that Pearl is too trusting of Enid. Enid’s antics at a dinner party end up shocking Pearl and she throws her out. When Pearl discovers that Enid has left her husband she decides to tell him where she is but soon starts to have second thoughts.

Episode 9:
Emma steps in when the local school loses it’s teacher. Margaret wants the position as well and there is soon a rivalry between the two. Dorcas and Thomas find themselves at odds. Minnie is determined to make Alf notice her.

Comment from Sherry
Time February 19, 2010 at 4:12 am

More detailed descriptions of episodes 8 & 9!
Episode 8
Sunday 28th February 2010

Pearl is in a state of panic. She’s received a dressmaking commission from Lady Whiteleaf which could save her ailing business, but without Ruby there is no way she can do the work in time. That is, until Enid, a seamstress looking for a position, arrives in Candleford. Her needlework is exquisite and Pearl’s prayers seem to have been answered.

In the post office, Dorcas is excitedly showing off her brand-new, state-of-the-art kitchen range, with which she plans to cook a sumptuous Michaelmas feast. But when the range keeps mysteriously breaking down, Dorcas loses her customary cool. She becomes determined to master its secrets if it’s the last thing she does.

As Pearl and Enid work, the two women forge a touching friendship. Pearl feels free to be herself with Enid and share confidences about her life, while Enid is in awe of Pearl’s independence and strength of character. Enid seems completely at home in Candleford, a place where she feels women can be their own masters. But Dorcas is troubled by the speed of Pearl’s attachment to her new friend, and worries that all is not what it seems with Enid.

When the first part of Enid and Pearl’s dressmaking commission meets with the approval of Lady Whiteleaf and they are invited for dinner, Pearl is euphoric. They excitedly plan their outfits, but Pearl’s joy turns to shock and outrage when Enid turns up wearing trousers! Enid tries to recruit Pearl to her cause – to free women from the confines of their restrictive clothing – but a mortified Pearl throws her out of the shop.

When Pearl discovers that Enid is, in fact, a runaway wife and that her husband is offering a reward for her return, her sense of betrayal and humiliation is complete. Enid tells the women of Candleford the story of her stifling marriage and thwarted ambitions, while Pearl storms off to Inglestone to inform Enid’s husband of her whereabouts. But when Pearl encounters Thomas, Daniel and Sydney on the road, she pauses to reflect on her actions, and begins to regret her rejection of Enid. Just then, the seamstress herself turns up and tells Pearl a few home truths about her behaviour, and how it isolates her from her neighbours. But will Pearl be able to forgive Enid, and learn how to be a true friend?

Episode 9
Sunday 7th March 2010

When the Lark Rise school loses its teacher, Emma steps in and discovers a talent she never knew she had. But Margaret, too, feels she is perfectly suited to the role, and an unexpected rivalry springs up. For Margaret, teaching offers a much-needed distraction from the heartbreak of remaining childless; while for Emma it is the chance to feel valued for something other than being a wife and mother.

Over in Candleford, Dorcas and Thomas are also at odds. Thomas is agitating about his working conditions but, when Dorcas won’t take his grievances seriously, he decides to start a union: The Candleford Post Office Letter Carriers Association, or CaPOLCA. Laura and Minnie are reluctant to join, but Thomas becomes increasingly militant, and relations between him and Dorcas go rapidly downhill.

Meanwhile, Minnie is on a mission to make herself beautiful so that Alf will notice her, and enlists the help of Laura and Dorcas to transform her. But Minnie’s new-found femininity suffers a blow when she falls over and gets a black eye. How can she face Alf now?

Despite the misgivings of their husbands, neither Margaret nor Emma will back down, so they are forced to share the role of schoolteacher. But, before long, they have set themselves up in competition with each other in their preparations for the school bazaar, with Emma heading up the boys’ team, and Margaret the girls’. Secretly, they both hope that if they perform their tasks well, it will be an opportunity to impress the school governors and further their teaching ambitions.

When Dorcas’s dispute with Thomas reaches childish proportions, she turns to Robert to arbitrate a solution. Robert’s intervention builds a bridge between them, and Thomas reveals the underlying reason for his dissatisfaction at work: his struggle to come to terms with Margaret’s apparent willingness to accept their childlessness and embrace a life dominated by work. The day of the school bazaar arrives, but which team will win the school prize and what will it mean for Margaret and Emma’s future plans?

Comment from Cyndy
Time March 13, 2010 at 5:31 pm

I absolutely LOVE this show!!! I am so happy that it will stay with us. It is such a wonderful escape from all the mess that is currently on TV.

Comment from marsha
Time September 2, 2010 at 11:51 am

Thus is such a wonderful show, I just LOVE<LOVE it!!!! look forward to Monday nites almost want to buy season1,wonder if they have it at Blockbuster??