Indian Summers
| Indian Summers | |
|---|---|
 Series title card | |
| Genre | Period drama |
| Created by | Paul Rutman |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
Charles Pattinson Elaine Pyke Paul Rutman Simon Curtis Rebecca Eaton |
| Location(s) | Penang, Malaysia |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
New Pictures PBS Biscuit Films |
| Distributor |
Channel 4 PBS |
| Release | |
| Original network | Channel 4 |
| Original release | 15 February 2015 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Indian Summers is a British drama series that began airing on Channel 4 on 15 February 2015.[1] The show details the events of summers spent at Simla, in the foothills of the Himalayas, by a group of British socialites at the time of the British Raj. The first series is set in 1932. It was broadcast in several countries subsequently. It is filmed in Penang, Malaysia, rather than in India.
The show was renewed for a second series on 1 March 2015.[2] The second series is set in 1935 and began airing on 13 March 2016. Although initially planned by producers for five series, on 25 April 2016 it was announced that the show would not be renewed for a third series due to poor ratings and strong competition in its timeslot.[3][4]
Cast
- Henry Lloyd-Hughes as Ralph Whelan (series 1-2)
- Nikesh Patel as Aafrin Dalal (series 1-2)
- Julie Walters as Cynthia Coffin (series 1-2)
- Patrick Malahide as Lord Willingdon (series 1-2)
- Art Malik as The Maharajah of Amritpur (series 2)
- Rachel Griffiths as Sirene (series 2)
- Jemima West as Alice Whelan (series 1-2)
- Roshan Seth as Darius Dalal (series 1-2)
- Lillete Dubey as Roshana Dalal (series 1-2)
- Aysha Kala as Sooni Dalal (series 1-2)
- Blake Ritson as Charlie Havistock (series 2)
- Alexander Cobb as Ian McLeod (series 1-2)
- Fiona Glascott as Sarah Raworth (series 1-2)
- Craig Parkinson as Dougie Raworth (series 1-2)
- Olivia Grant as Madeleine Mathers (series 1-2)
- Arjun Mathur as Naresh Banerjee (series 2)
- Sugandha Garg as Kaira Das (series 2)
- Amber Rose Revah as Leena Prasad (series 1-2)
- Rick Warden as Ronnie Keane (series 1-2)
- Ashna Rabheru as Shamshad Dalal (series 1-2)
- Indi Nadarajah as Kaiser (series 1-2)
- Ash Nair as Bhupinder (series 1-2)
- Ellora Torchia as Sita (series 1)
- Edward Hogg as Eugene Mathers (series 1)
- Alyy Khan as Ramu Sood (series 1)
- Blake Ritson as Charlie Havistock (series 2)
Production
The series is filmed in Penang, Malaysia.[5] Simla was not chosen due to the large number of modern buildings and a monsoon season that would have interfered with filming.[5] The locations include Penang Hill and historic buildings in George Town.
Overview
Series 1 (2015)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Anand Tucker | Paul Rutman | February 15, 2015 | 4.82 | |
| Ralph Whelan and the rest of the Indian Civil Service begin the annual move to Simla, while doyenne of the social scene Cynthia Coffin prepares the exclusively white Royal Simla Club for the start of the summer season. The train to Simla is delayed, however, when a boy is found collapsed on the railway tracks, while a mysterious assassin makes his way to the city. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | Anand Tucker | Paul Rutman | February 22, 2015 | 3.40 | |
| The fallout from the shooting reverberates around Simla and a curfew is imposed to deal with the supposed terrorist threat, and the arrival of a journalist causes trouble for Ralph when he tries to uncover the truth behind the assassination attempt. Ian is shocked to learn of his uncle's financial difficulties, while Eugene and Cynthia conspire to push Madeleine and Ralph closer together. Sarah becomes suspicious of Alice's past and turns detective to find out why she really moved to India. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | Anand Tucker | Nicole Taylor | March 1, 2015 | 2.72 | |
| It's the Sipi Fair in Simla, the only time of the year the Indian community is allowed onto the grounds of the British Club. With the inquest looming, Ralph conspires to get Aafrin onside by granting him a highly sought-after promotion, while Cynthia's attempts to coerce Alice lead to further tension. Sooni finds herself in serious trouble when she's arrested at a pro-independence rally. Sarah decides to take control of her marriage by confronting Leena, while Armitage's attempts to ignore his growing debt crisis finally come to a head. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | Anand Tucker | Paul Rutman | March 8, 2015 | 2.23 | |
| There's much excitement in Simla as the Viceroy arrives for the first of his summer visits. Ralph is troubled when he discovers the only piece of evidence that linked Chandru Mohan to the Congress Party has gone missing. Aafrin finds himself in danger when he learns there will be a search of the properties of all those who had access to the stolen item. Ian is forced to grow up quickly when he receives sad news about his uncle, while Eugene threatens to return to Chicago with Madeleine. Sarah receives information from England that sheds light on Alice's mysterious past. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | Jamie Payne | Paul Rutman | March 15, 2015 | 2.11 | |
| Ralph tries to take advantage of divisions among the Indian communities. Cynthia is shocked by Eugene’s revelation about his finances. Sarah places Alice in a very difficult position. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | Jamie Payne | Paul Rutman | March 22, 2015 | 1.96 | |
| The pressure continues to mount on Ralph as Jaya reveals the real reason for her visit to Simla. A mountaineer saves Alice, Madeleine and Ronnie from a perilous situation. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | Jamie Payne | Lisa McGee | March 29, 2015 | 1.98 | |
| Simla is buzzing as it prepares for the annual amateur dramatic production, but the play is overshadowed by the news that a murder victim has been found in the river. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | David Moore | Anna Symon | April 5, 2015 | 1.84 | |
| The British community turn out in force for the murder trial. Ian is wracked with guilt about his part in Ramu's arrest and Leena is torn apart in the witness box. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | David Moore | Paul Rutman | April 12, 2015 | 1.59 | |
| Madeleine is dealt some devastating news, and Alice is terrified when Sarah threatens to tell everyone that Alice's husband is alive. Tensions between Ralph and Cynthia escalate. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | David Moore | Paul Rutman | April 12, 2015 | 1.83 | |
| Ramu Sood's fate is left in Ralph's hands, a vote takes place at the club to lift the colour bar, and Alice and Aafrin prepare to go public with their relationship. | ||||||
Series 2 (2016)
On 1 March 2015, Channel 4 confirmed that Indian Summers would return for a second series in 2016, starring new cast members including Art Malik and Academy Award nominated Rachel Griffiths.[6] The first episode aired on Sunday 13 March 2016. The 10-part series returns to Simla in the summer of 1935, three years after the events of the first series. Paul Rutman, creator and writer of the series, said: "Our story moves forward three years, to a Viceroy’s last summer, a political gamble to stifle Independence and a great reckoning for Ralph, Alice and Aafrin."[7]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.K. viewers (millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Indian Man, British Suit" | John Alexander | Paul Rutman | March 13, 2016 | 1.987 |
| The epic drama picks up in 1935. A terrorist attack against the British Viceroy of India puts Aafrin in the frame, while Cynthia urges Ralph to make a play for the top job. | ||||||
| 12 | 2 | "Black Kite" | John Alexander | Lisa McGee, Paul Rutman | March 20, 2016 | 1.48 |
| Aafrin's wounded comrade Naresh is convinced someone has betrayed him. As Aafrin struggles to contain him, he discovers the truth is darker and more dangerous than he knew. | ||||||
| 13 | 3 | "White Gods" | John Alexander | Paul Rutman | March 26, 2016 | 1.31 |
| Aafrin's troubles deepen as his personal and political worlds collide, while Ralph needs to befriend the slippery but powerful Mahrajah of Patiala and his mistress Sirene. | ||||||
| 14 | 4 | "The Empty Chair" | Jonathan Teplitzky | Lisa McGee | April 3, 2016 | 1.29 |
| A fashion show at the club ends with a horrifying attack on one of the guests. Ralph plays detective to find the culprit, but the truth is worse than he could have imagined. | ||||||
| 15 | 5 | "Hide and Seek" | Jonathan Teplitzky | Paul Rutman | April 10, 2016 | 1.47 |
| Lord Hawthorne orders the police to arrest Adam and Ralph uncovers a shocking family secret. Alice decides to take a stand against her husband, and an earthquake hits Simla. | ||||||
| 16 | 6 | "A Gift for the King" | Jonathan Teplitzky | Paul Rutman | April 17, 2016 | 1.38 |
| As Simla gathers to celebrate King George's Silver Jubilee, Aafrin is trapped in a nightmare - the terrorist Naresh Banerjee is plotting a bomb strike at the picnic | ||||||
| 17 | 7 | "The Proposal" | Paul Wilmshurst | Paul Rutman | April 24, 2016 | 1.526 |
| The Whelans' marriage faces its darkest hour as the Maharajah and Sirene return to Simla. Knowing Ralph needs his support, the Maharajah makes him an indecent proposal. | ||||||
| 18 | 8 | "The Birthday Party" | Paul Wilmshurst | Anna Symon | May 1, 2016 | TBD |
| Alice and Aafrin decide to flee Simla with Cynthia's help, but Charlie comes close to unveiling the truth, while Ian discovers some devastating information about Ramu Sood. | ||||||
| 19 | 9 | TBA | TBA | TBA | May 8, 2016 | TBD |
| 20 | 10 | TBA | TBA | TBA | May 15, 2016 | TBD |
Reception
The first series of Indian Summers received largely positive reviews, gaining a score of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.[8] At the time, the first episode was Channel 4's highest rating original UK drama in over 20 years.[9] After the first episode aired, The Times described the series as “A work of subtlety, intelligence and some beauty.”[10][11] The Independent wrote “Indian Summers is a fully immersive experience that plunges its audience headlong into 1930s Simla in British-ruled India.”[12] The Daily Express said “The opening did not disappoint.”[13] In the US, the San Francisco Chronicle called the series "exemplary" and stated that Rutman had an "exquisite sense of character".[14]
International broadcast
Indian Summers premiered in the United States on PBS on September 27, 2015.[15] It premiered in Australia on BBC First on May 16, 2015[16] while in New Zealand, it premiered on TVNZ TV One on June 7, 2015.[17] In Estonia, the show premiered on Kanal 2 on July 12, 2015 and on SVT1 in Sweden on June 20, 2015.
References
- ↑ Daisy Wyatt (15 February 2015). "Indian Summers: Why Channel 4's Sunday night drama is better than Downton Abbey". The Independent.
- ↑ Nianias, Helen. "Indian Summers recommissioned: Channel 4 confirm a second series of British Empire drama". The Independent.
- ↑ Plunkett, John. "Channel 4’s Indian Summers axed after falling ratings". The Guardian.
- ↑ "Indian Summers: Why the sun is setting on the period drama". The Week.
- 1 2 "Bringing the world of Indian Summers alive". Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ↑ Tucker, Anand (1999-02-05), Hilary and Jackie, retrieved 2016-03-11
- ↑ "Channel 4 announces the return of Indian Summers - Channel 4 - Info - Press". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "Indian Summers". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "Indian Summers becomes C4's biggest drama in 20 years". www.broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "TV Critics: Indian Summers; The Casual Vacancy; Welcome to Mayfair". m.broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "Weekly top 10 programmes | BARB". www.barb.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "Move over Downton, Indian Summers is in a different class". The Independent. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "PressReader.com - Connecting People Through News". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ↑ "PBS’ ‘Indian Summers’ a provocative winner". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2016-03-11.
- ↑ "Watch Full Episodes Online of Masterpiece on PBS - Indian Summers: Episode 1". PBS.
- ↑ "Foxtel in May: 200+ new shows including Wayward Pines, Open Slather, Nashville and River Cottage Australia". The Green Room. Foxtel. April 29, 2015. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
- ↑ "Indian Summers". TVNZ Ondemand.