Masterpiece: Home Fires (U.K. Edition) [Blu-ray]

Captivating, spellbinding, and impossible to stop between episodes.The story of a small rural English village as WW2 unfolds. Foyle’s War set the bar with sets, story & costumes on WWII home front drama and the ladies of “HOME FIRES” HAVE MET THAT CHALLENGE. Well done again Masterpiece. From the Julie Summers book “Jambusters”, 2013, and Summers can be spotted as a cameo character in episode 2. Filmed in Cheshire England, the story setting as well, it is nostalgic perfection.Cast is overall great, allowing many memorable characters to unfold, too many to mention. Leaders of the Women’s Institute with their banter and one-upmanship are brilliant played by Francesca Annis (‘Restless’) as Cameron the outgoing head, and Samantha Bond (‘Downton Abbey’) as new President Barden. Dr Campbell (Ed Stoppard –‘Upstairs, Downstairs’) and wife Erica (Frances Grey –‘Vanity Fair’) portray an important couple with as much finesse as the Simms, a writer & wife battered couple (Mark Bazeley –‘The Queen’) (Claire Rushbrook –‘The Mill’ ‘Mutual Friends’).SDH SUBTITLES for all 6 hour episodes. NO bonus materials except ads.[1] AUG 1939 pre-war fears and friction causes the Women’s Institute (WI) to divide. Past President walks out, followed by many of the higher class members, expecting collapse, or a plea to return. Viewers are introduced to many of the town locals. Blackberry jam becomes a WI saving project.[2] SEP 1939 War has begun. Great Paxford WI new leadership proposes plowing the cricket pitch for food production. More characters unveiled.[3] NOV 1939 war continues and more sons and husbands opt to fight. The new Paxford WI pushes for everyone to do their part. Both love and anguish prevails in local marriages.[4] FEB 1940 The WI plans for a town air raid shelter. A conchie is exposed. A first fatality for the village of Great Paxford.[5] MAR 1940 Rationing, a blind evacuee from Liverpool, a mourning bride, and personal triumphs. Paxford citizens doing their bit for the boys, except for a white feather. Secrets exposed.[6] MAY 1940 France’s fall is anticipated. Ambulances are the new WI target. Some threads close, others left open for a 2nd season as the sky fills with planes depicting the front is ever closer.I must comment on the delightful, soulful, music of Indigo Girls for the theme song. It can be found as a download single “There’s still My Joy”; & on the album “Holly Happy Days”. Mine is in the mail to listen to until season two of “HOME FIRES” is available.

This was an amazing portrayal of several women whose lives were affected and changed by WWII in the small, rural town of Paxford in Great Britain at the beginning of the war. Each live very different lives, a farmer's wife, a housewife abused and severely controlled by her husband, a butcher's wife, a late teen to early twenties servant girl, a teacher struggling with her attraction to women, a doctor's wife and their two daughters, an accountant who somehow gets trapped into illegal dealings with thugs trying to control her, the nosey busy-body telephone operator, and the two strong leaders butting heads over who's the best leader in the "Women's Institute". They all change from struggles tearing them apart pre war, to working together for the betterment of all as the war threatens to end life as they know it. Their lives all intermingle as is so true in small towns but what comes out is the great love they have for one another as their men and sons leave one by one. True, it's more a "Chick Flick" as women play the starring rolls. Mainly the story revolves around their local "Women's Institute", a group similar to our Junior League whose purpose is to better the lives of those in their community. I loved it, and my greatest fear is that after Series II it possibly has been discontinued, with the second series ending with many tales left untold. I sincerely hope Masterpiece will continue this series as it grips you like Downton Abby and so far, you just must find out what happens next.

This is Season 1 of a 2 season series about a group of women in a small English town and how they live their lives pre-WW II and then during the war. It's kind of like the series "Cranford" only a century later. These women are strong and resilient. Their stories do not intertwine but they are all members of the Women's Institute and that is what forms their bond of friendship so while they each have their own story, the series also focuses on them (along with minor characters) as a group.This is beautifully done: the clothes, the hair, the set decoration, the town, everything....it feels like you're watching it in real time during WW II. Francesca Annis is SO fabulous in this and such a great actress; and Samantha Bond (Lady Rosamund Painswick from Downton Abbey) plays her part brilliantly. Claire Rushbrook (Mrs. Simms) is just incredible playing a woman who is both mentally and physically abused by her husband. All around, the acting is perfection. These actresses (and men actors) just absorb themselves into their characters.This series also confirms how all British people just came together during the War because they had one common goal. It was representative of how a small village all knew each other, helped each other, celebrated their joys, and cried for their sorrows.If you're a member of Amazon Prime, you can view this Season 1 in its entirety thru Prime Video. You won't be disappointed.

This is one of the good series from Masterpiece theater. I enjoy the story of WWII and the acting is wonderful. A good way to pass the time.

Typical of Masterpiece shows.....superb writing and acting. Good story and very believable characters. So very well done.

I thought this was both series one AND two. But I loved series one again. Strong characters, believable story lines, people to dislike and ones to feel for. And the growing concern for WW2 because hindsight is always better than foresight.

A warm and compassionate though harsh view of the British during the Second World War. As usual, as with most of the British series we have seen, we were riveted to our TV sets wondering what would happen next.

Very well done. As I lived through those years it brought back many good memories. Good acting and lovely scenery. Very enjoyable.

Wonderful story....enjoyed this immensely and my neighbour borrowed it and loved it too!Just way too short.