The Oaks Trilogy

The Oaks Trilogy is a trilogy of British television series developed from the American television drama pilot The Oaks, written and created by David Schulner. Each of the three series; entitled Marchlands, Lightfields and Kingfields were created and broadcast on ITV1. Each series follows the same premise: across five episodes, the lives of three families, in different time periods, who all occupy the same house, which haunted by a restless spirit, are explored. The previous house owners also appear to their successors as ghosts.

Marchlands

Marchlands
Created by David Schulner
Developed by Gallowgate Productions & 20th Century Fox Television
Written by Stephen Greenhorn
Directed by James Kent
Starring Jodie Whittaker
Denis Lawson
Tessa Peake-Jones
Jamie Thomas King
Alex Kingston
Dean Andrews
Anne Reid
Shelley Conn
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 5 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Chrissy Skinns
Running time 60 minutes (w/advertisements)
Production company(s) ITV Studios
20th Century Fox Television
Release
Original network ITV, STV, UTV
Original release 3 February – 3 March 2011
Chronology
Followed by Lightfields (2013)
External links
Website

Marchlands was first shown on ITV on 3 February 2011. It is the first series in the trilogy, and follows a story of three different families living in the same house in Yorkshire in three different time periods - 1968, 1987 and 2010. The three families are linked by the spirit of a young girl who died in mysterious circumstances in 1967.

Plot

In 1968, Ruth and Paul Bowen live in Marchlands with Paul's parents Robert and Evelyn. Six months earlier, Ruth and Paul's daughter Alice died, apparently in an accidental drowning, and Ruth is determined to find out the truth about what happened to her, believing there is more to Alice's death than she is being led to believe.

In 1987, Helen and Eddie Maynard rent Marchlands and live with their two children. They discover their daughter Amy has what seems to be an imaginary friend called Alice, which they initially try to ignore. After a series of suspiciously paranormal activities, matters become more serious when Amy blames Alice for the death of a kitten, leading to her parents sending Amy for medical tests.

In 2010, Mark Ashburn and partner Nisha Parekh move into Marchlands and find a photo of a young girl, who the viewers now know to be Alice. Nisha becomes suspicious that Mark has not told her the whole truth about why they have moved there. An elderly Ruth, who never came to terms with the death of her child and remains determined to find out what happened, returns to Marchlands when Mark employs her as a housekeeper and childminder after Nisha breaks her ankle when falling from a step-ladder.

Production

The series was filmed on location in and around London, as well as on the Ashridge Estate, the village of Aldbury, and the surrounding village of Little Gaddesden.[1] The house in which the main part of the story was filmed is in Tadworth, Surrey. Marchlands marks the first commission to come from the creative collaboration between ITV & Twentieth Century Fox. The Oaks writer David Schulner was heavily involved in the series' commission.

Characters

1968

1987

2010

Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (in millions)
final ratings are sourced from BARB[2]
1"Episode 1"James KentStephen Greenhorn3 February 20117.36m
In 1968, Ruth and Paul Bowen mourn the death by drowning of their eight year old daughter Alice in the Marchlands area around their rural house. Ruth believes Paul blames her and is distant from her, but both of them ally against his mother Evelyn when she suggests that Alice's bedroom be turned into a sewing room. Nineteen years later, Helen and Eddie Maynard now live in the house and are troubled when their little girl Amy tells them that a ghost called Alice is her imaginary friend, more so when Amy's pet cat is killed, supposedly by Alice. In 2010, expectant Nisha and her partner, local boy Mark, have bought the house. Decorating the planned nursery, Nisha finds a photo of Alice and a strange mural. She meets the Maynards' son, Scott, now in his thirties, and the village shop keeper but finds Mark evasive after seeing him communicate with deaf villager Olive Runcie.
2"Episode 2"James KentStephen Greenhorn10 February 20116.75m
Evelyn persuades Paul and a reluctant Ruth to seek help from a priest, Father Boyle, but his main argument, that the couple should try for another child, does not comfort Ruth. Seeing Alice's crucifix on her headstone prompts Ruth to ask for a police investigation, but again she gets no satisfaction. Helen and Eddie take Amy to see a psychiatrist, on whose advice they read up on mental disorders, but to Amy, Alice is only too real, complete with hand prints, and Amy becomes annoyed with her 'friend' for getting her into trouble. Laid up with a broken leg, Nisha discovers physical evidence of Alice having lived in the house as well as hearing ghostly noises. Mark advertises for someone to come and help and the advert is answered by Ruth.
3"Episode 3"James KentStephen Greenhorn17 February 20116.93m
In 1968, Ruth and Paul are told that his low sperm count makes it unlikely they will have other children. Upset, Ruth leaves the village and meets some students, with whom she gets stoned at a party, though she turns down the offer of sex with a lad called Brian. Eddie becomes more and more convinced as he talks to Amy that Alice is indeed a ghost and not an imaginary friend, locating news of her death in the local library archive. In 2010, Nisha gives birth to a daughter, whom she names Alice. Ruth stays on to help and hears evidence of a poltergeist. Scott tells Nisha that, in his teens, Mark had a fling with Olive Runcie, who would seem to be an elective mute, speaking when it suits her.
4"Episode 4"James KentStephen Greenhorn24 February 20116.79m
In 1968 Paul and Ruth reconcile, though after Brian has boasted of sleeping with Ruth, Paul punches him. Robert tells his son he thinks he should take Ruth out of the area to make a fresh start, but she is still convinced that there was more to her daughter's drowning than the official verdict - that she wandered off whilst out walking with her grandfather. In 1987, as Scott begins to have epileptic fits, Eddie brings Father Boyle in to exorcise Amy's room, though this leads to a row between Helen and Eddie, causing Amy to run away into the woods, where she is saved from falling into the lake by Olive. In 2010, both Nisha and Ruth hear ghostly noises, though Ruth keeps from Nisha that she was Alice's mother. Intrigued by Mark's visits to Olive, Nisha goes to see her and learns that, as a teenager, he lost his virginity to Olive. However he left the area before Olive gave birth to a baby that died, a fact which Olive never told him. Nisha sends Mark to see her.
5"Episode 5"James KentStephen Greenhorn3 March 20117.08m
Paul and Ruth leave Marchlands, with Ruth vowing to return. After they have gone, Evelyn tells Robert she knows all about his affair with Liz Runcie, Olive's mother, and makes him reveal the true details of Alice's death, which they decide to keep secret so as not to destroy the family. In 1987, Helen sees Alice, who saves Scott after he has had a fit in his bath. She says nothing, but agrees the family should move out. Eddie takes Amy to see Alice's grave before they go, to prove that he believes her. She tells him that Alice writes ASKOR on surfaces, and in 2010 Ruth sees the same messages, realising it means ASK O.R. - or Olive Runcie. Olive then tells Ruth that Alice died after running away when she caught Robert and Liz having sex. Nisha and Mark arrive to console Ruth as she takes their baby into the woods.

Lightfields

Lightfields
Series title over a ghostly image
Created by David Schulner
Developed by Gallowgate Productions & 20th Century Fox Television
Written by Simon Tyrrell
Directed by Damon Thomas
Creative director(s) Jane Dauncey
Starring Kris Marshall
Danny Miller
Luke Newberry
Sophie Thompson
Danny Webb
Michael Byrne
Lucy Cohu
Dakota Blue Richards
Karla Crome
Jill Halfpenny
Sam Hazeldine
Peter de Jersey
Theme music composer Sam Johnson
Composer(s) Michael Price
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 5 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Kate Lewis
Producer(s) Cherry Gould
Location(s) London
Cinematography Tim Fleming
Camera setup 3SIXTYMEDIA
Running time 60 minutes (w/advertisements)
Production company(s) ITV Studios
20th Century Fox Television
Distributor ITV plc
21st Century Fox
Release
Original network ITV, STV, UTV
Picture format Widescreen
Original release 27 February – 27 March 2013
Chronology
Preceded by Marchlands (2011)
Followed by Kingfields (2016)

Lightfields was first shown on ITV on 27 February 2013. It is the second series in the trilogy, and follows a story of three different families living in the same house in Suffolk during three different time periods - 1944, 1975 and 2012. The three families are linked by the spirit of a young girl who died in mysterious circumstances in 1944.

Plot

In 1944, Eve (Dakota Blue Richards), an evacuee from London, arrives at Lightfields with her little sister Vivien (Leilah de Meza) and is sent to help out on the farm, owned by Albert (Sam Hazeldine) and Martha Felwood (Jill Halfpenny). She befriends Albert and Martha's daughter, Lucy (Antonia Clarke), who is later tragically killed in a fire at the barn after locking horns with Eve over the heart of dashing American Dwight (Neil Jackson). The rest of this time period shows Lucy's family grieving for their dead daughter and Eve's determination to find out what really happened to her.

In 1975, Vivien (Lucy Cohu) along with her daughter Clare (Karla Crome) arrive at Lightfields years later, in the summer of 1975 to stay at the house for six weeks, while Vivien is trying to take some time away to deal with her failing marriage. Shortly after they arrive, they notice some unusual activity happening on the property and Vivien, whose sister is Eve, starts to remember through flashbacks the time she spent there in 1944 as an evacuee (Leilah de Meza) as she had blocked that period of time from her mind.

In 2012, Lightfields, now an up and running bed & breakfast, run by Lucy's nephew, Barry (Danny Webb). When Lucy's brother, Pip (Michael Byrne), returns to Lightfields, and strange things start happening, he believes that they are being haunted by Lucy's restless spirit. As these hauntings continue, Barry's wayward son-in-law Paul (Kris Marshall) uses the situation to his advantage as he tries to gain custody of his son Luke (Alexander Aze), who is being looked after by Barry and his wife Lorna (Sophie Thompson).

Production

In August 2012, ITV ordered a five-part follow-up to Marchlands after promising ratings.[3] The cast for this series was announced to include Jill Halfpenny, Sam Hazeldine, Dakota Blue Richards, Lucy Cohu, Karla Crome, Danny Webb, Kris Marshall and Sophie Thompson. Simon Tyrell was later confirmed as the main scriptwriter for this series.[4]

Characters

1944

1975

2012

Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers (in millions)
final ratings are sourced from BARB[2]
1"Episode 1"Damon ThomasSimon Tyrrell27 February 2013 (2013-02-27)4.23
In 1944, teen-aged evacuee Eve befriends Lucy Felwood, who lives at Lightfields farm in Suffolk with her parents, Martha and Albert, and nine-year old brother Pip. At a dance, Eve meets American airman Dwight Lawson ,but declines to go home with him. Later he meets Lucy and arranges a date, whilst Eve's younger sister Vivien plays with Pip. When young farmhand Harry reveals that he saw Lucy with Dwight, Eve becomes jealous. Shortly afterwards Lucy and Dwight go into a barn for sex, and the distraught family rushes out to see the barn on fire. Thirty-one years later Vivien and her daughter Clare come to stay at the farm for the summer. Clare is unsettled by a particular bedroom and, one night, despite a power cut, Vivien sees lights and hears voices from the room, though it proves to be empty. In 2012, the elderly Pip visits his son Barry and his wife Lorna, who are running Lightfields as a guest house, and caring for their grandson Luke. After a visit from Luke's hopeless father Paul, the boy vanishes.
2"Episode 2"Damon ThomasSimon Tyrrell6 March 2013 (2013-03-06)3.95
After Lucy has perished in the fire, the village comes together for her funeral but Eve is not convinced the fire was an accident. She searches the wreckage and finds Dwight's lighter, though when she confronts him, he denies any foul play. In 1976, Clare is concerned that her mother may be having another nervous breakdown and is relieved when John, her father, comes to see them. He wants Vivien to return to London with him for treatment, but Vivien believes she can resolve matters by staying at Lightfields. However, as more uncanny things start to happen, Clare worries that they are linked to Vivien's previous stay at Lightfields, and that a ghost may be to get through to her. In 2012, Luke goes missing and is found by Lucy's grave in the churchyard. When he tells Pip that he has seen what he believed to have been the tooth fairy incarnate as a young girl, Pip understands that Lucy's ghost may well be trying to communicate with the child.
3"Episode 3"Damon ThomasSimon Tyrrell13 March 2013 (2013-03-13)3.83
Harry and Eve still believe Lucy's death was no accident, and Harry is upset to learn that she had willing sex with Dwight. Eve asks Tom, who once had a crush on Lucy, if she went with the American to defy her strict father, Albert, but Tom will not be drawn. Harry also discovers a 'hate' letter Eve intended to send Lucy, as she was jealous of the affair with Dwight about which both Tom and Vivien knew. However in 1975, Clare is surprised when Vivien apparently fails to recall Lucy after seeing her grave stone. Clare asks Tom for information, but he is also reluctant to say much. The women obtain the recently deceased Eve's letters, including one swearing her little sister to secrecy. Clare is disturbed to believe her mother is hiding something, as the ghostly presence continues. In 2012, Luke starts a fire after seeing the ghost - a fact which gives Paul ammunition for his custody claim, a claim Barry sets out to discredit.
4"Episode 4"Damon ThomasSimon Tyrrell20 March 2013 (2013-03-20)3.47
Harry accuses Eve of starting the fire out of jealous after finding the hate lette, but Albert and Martha believe in her innocence. She is shocked to find out that Dwight has a wife and children, but he denies killing Lucy to prevent her exposing him. Eve also prevents Albert from killing himself out of guilt, for disowning Lucy after he knew she had had sex. In 1975, Clare is perturbed by her mother's claims that Lucy is coming to get her after ghostly messages are found around the house. Vivien calls on Tom who tells her how Lucy died, a fact which Vivien seems to have completely erased from her memory. He assures her she was in no way to blame, but she is not convinced. In 2012, Luke tells Pip the ghost is his guardian angel, but the old man is nervous and begs to differ. That night, they both see Lucy's ghost with her dress on fire. Lorna, aware that Paul may use dirty tricks for his custody claim, demands to know what is happening so Pip tells her and Barry the whole story.
5"Episode 5"Damon ThomasSimon Tyrrell27 March 2013 (2013-03-27)3.77
In 1944, as Harry goes off to war, Albert tells Eve the family is moving to Lincolnshire. Dwight comes to apologize for leaving Lucy alone in the bar, before he has a fatal motor-cycle crash. In 1975, Vivien sees the ghost of Lucy, which leads her to the remains of the burnt out barn, where she remembers how she saw Lucy go up in flames - but did nothing to help. She attempts an over-dose, but is saved by Tom. In 2012, Pip tells Lorna and Barry he believes the ghost is exacting revenge as he was the fire-starter, though his memory is dim. Paul tries to snatch Luke, but the ghost prevents him and ultimately the family come to see that Lucy is a benign presence, as Vivien arrives to tell them who really started the blaze.

Kingfields

Kingfields is the upcoming final instalment of the trilogy, which has been in production since 2014. It is due to be broadcast on ITV1 in 2016. The cast for this series has yet to be announced.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/mgkt9/marchlands
  2. 1 2 Weekly Top 10 Programmes Broadcasters' Audience Research Board
  3. ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (9 August 2012). "'Marchlands' follow-up series 'Lightfields' ordered by ITV1". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Press Centre: Lightfields". ITV. 24 August 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.

External links

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