Synopsis: Louisa Durrell raises her four children single-handedly after her husband’s death. Following a financial crisis, the family moves to the Greek island of Corfu and tries to adapt to life there.

 Episode Highlights

Episode 1 – Monday, 27 April 2026

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. Louisa realizes she can either carry on struggling and drinking gin, marry someone comfortably off but oppressive or make a radical change.

Episode 2 – Tuesday, 28 April 2026

A totally disinterested Gerry sits in the kitchen underneath an umbrella being taught history by Louisa as the dilapidated house falls down around them. Unable to pay the landlord as their money is yet to arrive, Louisa proudly refuses Spiro’s offer of a loan. As a result, the family are living on kumquats, weed soup and what little wildlife Leslie is able to shoot. Desperate to help the family, Spiro spends his time haranguing the local bank for the family’s money, but to no avail. Feeling the loss of her husband and worrying if she can really do this, Louisa demands the children forage for anything they can sell – something they do with little success.

Episode 3 – Wednesday, 29 April 2026

With Theo away, Larry busy finishing his first novel and Leslie preoccupied with Alexia, Gerry seeks out a father figure in an unlikely form.  Mysterious Kosti Panapoulos is a convict 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. Together they catch ‘Old Plop’ a large terrapin, and Kosti helps Gerry build a pool for him. Louisa is naturally worried about what Kosti’s agenda is, especially when Spiro informs her that Kosti murdered his wife and has lost access to his son. Louisa’s fears are further compounded when Margo stumbles across a police file that she believes belongs to Kosti’s former wife, informing them of the exact nature of her injuries. Gerry refuses to stop seeing his friend so Louisa insists his siblings take turns in chaperoning the visits – much to their annoyance.

Episode 4 – Monday, 4 May 2026

Emotionally wounded from his split with Alexia, a sullen Leslie annoys everyone around the house to the extent where Louisa throws him out. Refusing the tent, Leslie takes to his newfound freedom surprisingly well and quickly moves in with thugs, Sotos and Fotis. Despite being the brunt of their jokes, he quickly falls into their bad ways and is embroiled in a burglary where he uses his gun to shoot off a lock.  When devious farmer, Crippenopoulos accuses Leslie of shooting his turkeys, he finds himself in front of the local judge.  Things look to be going in Leslie’s way until it is revealed to the judge that it would appear he is implicated in a much greater charge of armed robbery alongside his ‘friends’.

Episode 5 – Tuesday, 5 May 2026

Louisa’s good mood baffles her children, especially when she remains optimistic about the impending arrival of domineering Aunt Hermione, neurotic Cousin Prue and Prue’s lumpen husband, Geoffrey. The Anglophiles soon wear the family down, complaining about the primitive nature of the island and viewing what the family are achieving with distaste.  In order to appease her visitors Louisa asks Spiro to find a cheap generator but despite his best efforts he fails to get one working. The reason for Louisa’s happiness lies with Sven and she is desperate to discuss the situation with Florence who has received bad news. She thought she was pregnant – they have been trying for eleven years with little success.

Episode 6 – Wednesday, 6 May 2026

Leslie is unhappy when Louisa informs her children she is engaged to Sven. They immediately want to vet him, and Louisa is concerned with the consensus that he is shifty. Spiro too has his doubts, asking why Louisa cannot marry a Greek. As Louisa and Sven discuss the date for their impending nuptials, Sven’s reticence towards having sex before marriage motivates them to move the date forward. The wedding will now take place in two weeks and Louisa tasks a reluctant Leslie into organising the event.

Don’t miss The Durrels S1 on Mondays – Wednesdays at 20:30 on S3 and SABC Plus.

For media enquiries

Caroline Phalakatshela

Publicity Specialist – Video Entertainment

072 382 2032/ phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za