High comedy at Blandings Castle where the deranged antics of troublesome relatives, friends and enemies cause disarray in the life of Lord Clarence Emsworth, in a comic masterpiece from the pen of PG Wodehouse.

Who would be master of Blandings Castle?

 
NOTE: The final episode of Blandings Season 2 will air on FRIDAY, Sept. 5, 2014 at 8:30pm ET rather than Thursday, Sept. 4.

All Lord Emsworth wants is peace and quiet so he can focus on the wellbeing of his prize pig. Unfortunately his family have other ideas. From saving his hapless son Freddie from his latest scrape to outwitting his overbearing sister Connie, Clarence finds himself embroiled in scams, schemes and hilarious misunderstandings. Exquisite costumes, period locations and an impeccable cast of comic actors bring the characters to life with deliciously witty dialogue, slapstick comedy and ingenious plot twists from the writer of Jeeves and Wooster. From page to screen, welcome to the charming and hilariously insane world of Wodehouse.

MAIN CHARACTERS
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LORD CLARENCE EMSWORTH: (Timothy Spall) Clarence yearns with all his soul to be left in peace. And yet he never can be. If he manages to settle for a moment, his tranquillity is snatched from him immediately by an onslaught of other characters: lovestruck nephews; domineering secretaries; miscreant children; grasping villagers; people who require him to go to London; people who insist that he must wear a tie and a hat; cheats, cads, crashers, intellectuals and downright bad eggs. Worst of all is his sister, Connie, of whom he lives in mortal fear.

LADY CONSTANCE KEEBLE: (Jennifer Saunders) Connie is Clarence’s widowed younger sister. It is her edicts, her strictures, her laying down the law about what may or may not happen in the family that does most to bring disorder and misery to Clarence’s life, as she is always on the premises.

FREDDIE THREEPWOOD: (Jack Farthing) Freddie is Clarence’s second son, and is generally considered Impossible. He’s in his twenties, sublimely elegant, incorrigibly charming, and pretty unfurnished with brain. The wheel spins, but the hamster has passed out with a dry martini in its wilting paw. If he’s incarcerated at Blandings he causes trouble; if he’s dismissed to London he helps himself to a large night at the Pink Pussy, gets arrested, has to be extricated and hauled back to Blandings, where the trouble starts all over again.

SEBASTIAN BEACH: (Tim Vine) Beach the butler is magnificent in physical and moral stature. He never allows his prodigious appetites for cake, wine, betting on horses or his fascination for the professional careers of showgirls to compromise his supreme, butlerly bearing. Even when required to perform outrageous acts of sabotage, skulduggery and theft he acquits himself with dignity and – generally speaking – an admirable propensity not to get caught.

PHOTO GALLERY
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EPISODES/SCHEDULE
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EPISODE #1-1: PIG HOO-O-O-O-EY!

When Cyril the pigman is jailed by Clarence’s conniving rival Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe, Lord Emsworth’s beloved prize-winning pig the ‘Empress of Blandings’ starts refusing her food. With the weigh-in only two-weeks away, Clarence and his gambling, spendthrift son Freddie are desperate to get the Empress back to the trough. Meanwhile, Clarence’s sister Connie sets about ruining their niece Angela’s love affair with ex-cowboy Jimmy, and to propel her towards a more appropriate match with the noxious Lord Heacham- Sir Gregory’s nephew!

EPISODE #1-2: THE GO-GETTER

Connie is anxious to make a good impression on her visiting childhood ‘friend’ Veronica, and her rich American husband, Jimmy Schoonmaker. She enlists the services of the pathologically fastidious secretary Rupert Baxter to purge Blandings – and in particular Clarence – who is liberally anointing his roses with stinking manure. Meanwhile, Freddie has fallen madly in love with dog-lover Pandora and attempts to impress her by becoming a dog food salesman, much to his Aunt Connie’s exasperation.

EPISODE #1-3: COMPANY FOR GERTRUDE

Clarence’s lugubrious niece Gertrude has been imprisoned at Blandings by Connie and forced to overhaul Clarence’s library. Her ministrations are driving him crazy. Gertrude’s forbidden love, the outstandingly clumsy Revd. Beefy Bingham, infiltrates Blandings using a false identity. He is determined to win Clarence’s approval for the match. Meanwhile, Freddie has inadvertently married a Portuguese exotic dancer and must do his upmost to keep that a secret from Connie.

EPISODE #1-4: THE CRIME WAVE AT BLANDINGS

Blandings is threatened by the return of dictatorial secretary Baxter, hired by Connie to put an end to all tomfoolery. This is a tragedy for Clarence; but he finds an unusual ally in his grandson George, who has been happily rampaging through the grounds with an air rifle. It is not long before there is an outbreak of clandestine shooting and smarting buttocks. Meanwhile, Freddie returns to coax Clarence into to clearing his debts. This time he is pursued by East End gangsters and brings with him a beguiling dancer who takes a fancy to Beach.

EPISODE #1-5: LORD EMSWORTH AND THE GIRL FRIEND

It is the annual fete at Blandings Castle, and Connie will again force Clarence to wear a revolting top hat and stumble his way humiliatingly through a speech. Worst of all, he is banned from picking his beloved flowers by the tyrannical head gardener Angus McAllister. However, Clarence befriends Gladys and Ern, two cheeky schoolchildren who encourage him to assert himself. Connie is naturally scandalized, and brings her howitzers to bear on the ghastly intruders. Freddie- needing to touch his old man for some cash – struggles to help Clarence and the children; inevitably he makes everything worse.

EPISODE #1-6: PROBLEMS WITH DRINK

With the arrival of sophisticated widow Daphne and her spoiled brat Huxley, Connie once again forces Clarence to look presentable. However, when Daphne flirts with Clarence and takes an interest in his pig, Beach and Connie become suspicious of Daphne’s motives. Freddie announces that he has forsworn women of every description– only to find a glorious and titanic beauty, Monica Simmons, working in the pigsty.

SEASON TWO
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EPISODE #2-1: THROWING EGGS

The poker-wielding Duke of Dunstable, the rudest man in Shropshire, has brought his niece Linda to Blandings in order to keep her away from the financially embarrassed Pongo Twistleton. Believing that Clarence wants his beloved pig to run in the Derby, the Duke plots to have Clarence committed; but Freddie has Pongo pose as London’s top psychiatrist in a precarious plan to unite the star-crossed lovers and save Clarence.

EPISODE #2-2: DIRTY WORK AT THE CROSSROADS

Clarence must prevent his niece Millicent from marrying the penniless Hugo Carmody. If he fails, his terrifying sister Charlotte will move into Blandings permanently. Despite Connie’s best efforts to marshal him, Clarence is more concerned with victory over Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe in the fat pig competition. Freddie comes to the rescue of Hugo and Millicent by stealing the Empress!

EPISODE #2-3: HALLO TO ALL THIS

Galahad is at Blandings writing a fantastically indiscreet memoir, but Connie must stop it being published or the family name will be ruined. Clarence is predictably useless, so Connie offers to settle Freddie’s debts if he steals the manuscript and prevents the publisher’s courier from collecting it. Unwittingly, Freddie falls head over heels for the courier, the ravishing Lesley Drabble.

EPISODE #2-4: LORD EMSWORTH ACTS FOR THE BEST

Clarence’s new beard is causing much embarrassment to Connie, who decides to keep him hidden from her excessively religious guest Drusilla Cloughley. Meanwhile, the heating is on the blink and Freddie has brought a Hollywood film crew to Blandings. He falls for the star Pauline Petite, who must be persuaded of his honourable intentions. Only the Earl of Emsworth himself could possibly convince her.

EPISODE #2-5: STICKY WICKET AT BLANDINGS

Colonel Fanshawe is visiting Blandings to sound out Clarence as his successor as Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. Connie hopes to make a great impression, but Beach is conspicuously out of sorts, falling asleep on the job. Meanwhile, Freddie is looking after his Aunt Julia’s dog and when Fanshawe’s daughter Valerie steals the animal, Julia’s imminent arrival spells torment for everyone.

EPISODE #2-6: NECESSARY RHINO

Hannibal Didcot (The Duke of Dunstable’s brother) claims Clarence sold him a fake painting and is demanding repayment. Connie tries to distract Hannibal by setting him up with Vanessa Polk- the heiress of a wealthy American furnishings company- who is at Blandings painting the Empress’s portrait. However, Freddie is rather taken with Vanessa himself, and- with the help of his incorrigible uncle Galahad- plans to teach the hectoring bully Hannibal a lesson.

EPISODE #2-7: THE CUSTODY OF THE PUMPKIN
Available to stream below until Sept. 19, 2014

Connie is fed up with Freddie’s irresponsible behaviour and resolves to get him married off to Sir Gregory Parsloe-Parsloe’s peculiar niece, Felicity. This simple plan is somewhat complicated by Clarence refusing to give up his prize-worthy pumpkin as part of the bargain. To top it all, Freddie falls head over heels in love with Aggie Donaldson, the gardener’s niece!