Should I Try It: Belgravia: The Next Chapter

We live in a big era for content. We have networks, streaming services, movies and more. It seems the only thing that hasn’t gotten bigger is our available time for viewing. That can leave you wondering whether a new show or mini-series is worth your time. That’s what this series is here to help you solve! In these pieces I’ll look at a new show, where to find it, what it’s about and some comparable options to help you decide whether to dive in or move on!

Series: Belgravia: The Next Chapter

Where to Find It: The series is available on MGM+. The Pilot aired Sunday, with episodes airing weekly.

What It’s About: Back in 2020 on Epix, Jullian Fellowes adapted his own novel, Belgravia, into a series. It offered one season, set in the early 19th Century, the six-episode season followed the Trenchard family and its staff. It had plenty of drama, similar to other series Fellowes has created.

Years later, and on a new site, we get a continuation of the world. This time from writer Helen Edmundson we get an eight-episode season set in 1871, following the children of Susan Trenchard (Alice Eve), who appears in flashbacks. Frederick Trenchard (Benjamin Wainwright) is the eldest and heir, just into a new marriage with Clara Dunn (Harriet Slater).

James Trenchard (Toby Regbo) is now a Reverend. The brothers are estranged though living nearby. The series also follows the lives of the servants working in the house and other family members. Likely it will touch on some of the secrets from the original series as well.

You Should Try It If: You like Fellowes historical fiction series like Downton Abbey, The Gilded Age or Gosford Park, or if you were a fan of the original series.

One Man’s Opinion of Belgravia: The Next Chapter

I remember when Belgravia debuted. As a fan of Downton Abbey, I was excited to see Fellowes tackle another series. But it didn’t quite hit for me. Seemingly Fellowes moved on, teaming with HBO for The Gilded Age. But people wanted more from the world and now it’s back, albeit from a new writer and with a largely new cast and setting.

I wondered if this would be more engaging, but I still felt a bit of a disconnect between the story and my interest here. I’ve enjoyed past series like this, and I’ve enjoyed series from Fellowes in the past. But this just didn’t connect, at least in hour one. I wasn’t drawn to the characters and the world. It was drier as a production than I expected. This is something I’ve experienced in the past with original series on MGM+. Die-hard fans of the original and the novel will want to see where the story goes, but this series doesn’t have as much mass appeal as I’d hoped.