It's been a long time since I've thoroughly enjoyed anything this good. I'm an extremely discerning viewer and I'm at a complete lost re what some reviewers were watching. Queenie, Miranda Richardson, was simply brilliant and so too was the scrumptious Anna Chancellor. Every character was brilliantly cast. I would certainly like previous reviewers to state other shows that could possibly match this level of viewing. I would so be eternally grateful. It's faultless television and probably better than Jeeves and Wooster. How has the acting world bypass Miranda Richardson whose talents are simply stupendous. Her facial expressions were magnificent and too funny. The wittisms, OMG!! Absolutely brilliant. Au Reservoir!

I think I know my "Benson(and Holt etc)".I watched this entertaining contemporary take on Lucia's progress with great interest.Longitudinally,Mapp is Lucia's nemesis.What ever is going on in Lucia's busy social life there is always an awful possibility Mapp will pop up.She,well,is not a nice person.One thing I'd like to suggest to the makers of this current series,your production is absolutely sumptuous with fine views of Rye and environs,please don't truncate stories to fit time slots.Two tales ought never be abridged,"War and Peace" and "Mapp & Lucia". That said,there is now surely enough written material to make a longer series than "Downton Abbey"!

Set in the chocolate-box town of Rye in Sussex, this English comedy of manners was easily the best thing on British television this Christmas, as far as I am concerned. I just wish the BBC had produced more than three episodes of "Mapp and Lucia", although I have a sneaky suspicion there will be more in the pipeline.Based on a series of humorous novels written by EF Benson in the 1920s and 1930s, series one begins with the pretentious Lucia arriving to spend the summer in Tilling (Rye) with her effeminate male friend Georgie in tow. Lucia renews her acquaintance with bumptious Miss Mapp, the queen bee of Tilling (in her estimation anyway), and from there on in, the two ladies lock horns. "Mapp and Lucia" has a cast of the most eccentric characters, who create the most absurd situations. This could be dismissed as pure froth in pretty scenery, except the author has created (for me anyway), instantly recognisable people and written the most wonderful lines for them. English middle-class aspirations and affectations are ridiculed, as the protagonists compete socially, involving the hapless inhabitants of Tilling in their increasingly frenetic plots. The critics have compared this TV series unfavourably with an earlier one starring Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwan. Having neither read the books or seen the 1980s version, I am not in the position to comment. However, I shall immediately be watching all three episodes again on BBC iPlayer, and ordering the DVD when they are out."Au Reservoir"Cheeseandchocolatemonster

I love the works of E F Benson - he wrote beautifully with razor sharp and believable characters. No one involved with this production has a clue or the ability to translate this with subtlety or elegance. One question - will Miranda Richardson with her new teeth be able to do public appearances for Ken Dodd? Just look how Prunella scales achieved a more dramatic effect with her own!! There is nothing like the performances of the 1985 version - at least Major Benjy was bumbling and likable - not creepy!!! The 2014 version would make a great pantomime. Shows how times have changed - dumbed down to the lowest level. What a shame.