Where to Watch Upstairs, Downstairs in Australia

British television has a knack for doing more with less, and Upstairs, Downstairs is a prime example. It's currently available in the US on Britbox Apple TV Channel and BritBox, and in the UK on ITVX Premium, so there's no reason to keep putting it off. An 8/10 rating means the audience agrees.

Character-driven storytelling at its most effective — Upstairs, Downstairs earns every emotional beat it goes for. Upstairs: the wealthy, aristocratic Bellamys. Downstairs: their loyal and lively servants. For nearly 30 years, they share a fashionable townhouse at 165 Eaton Place in London’s posh Belgravia neighborhood, surviving social change, political upheaval, scandals, and the horrors of the First World War. Gordon Jackson and Angela Baddeley lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. The series ran for 5 seasons (1971–1975), building a story that gave its audience time to invest properly.

If you're looking for television that takes its characters seriously and rewards patient viewing, Upstairs, Downstairs is exactly that. One of the more rewarding dramas of its era.