The Larkins (2021 TV series)
The Larkins is a British comedy drama television series, produced by Objective Fiction and Genial Productions. The series is the most recent adaptation of H. E. Bates novel The Darling Buds of May. Both the novel and the series are set in rural 1950s Kent. The series stars Bradley Walsh as "Pop" Larkin and Joanna Scanlan as "Ma" Larkin. They have six children. The eldest daughter, Mariette, is played by Sabrina Bartlett (series 1) and Joelle Rae (series 2), while Tok Stephen plays accountant Cedric "Charley" Charlton. In February 2023 the British tabloid press speculated that the series had been cancelled due to poor ratings, although there was no official statement from ITV. In a television interview however, Walsh suggested that although there might be no new series in 2023 due to his own unavailability, the possibility of a feature-length special was being explored. Characters Episodes Series overview Series 1 (2021) Christmas Special (2021) Series 2 (2022) Filming locations Various locations throughout the south east of England have been used during filming to stand in for the fictional setting of Littlechurch including the villages of West Peckham and Underriver in Kent. Romshed Farm near Sevenoaks served as the Larkins farm and home. According to the Kent Film office some of the other key locations for series 1 are: Viking Bay and Victoria Gardens in Broadstairs Faversham (and the Guildhall) Stonepitts Farm near Sevenoaks Long Barn in Sundridge Squerryes Court in Westerham The Walpole Bay Hotel & Museum in Margate Eynsford (The Village Hall, Castle Hotel, The Five Bells Pub and Eynsford riverside) New locations featured in the 2021 Christmas Special included Underriver Village Hall, a private residence in Underriver and a private cottage in Chiddingstone. Reception Reviews The first episode of The Larkins received generally positive reviews. James Jackson of The Times wrote that "The jollity of the voracious Larkin family is undeniable, bursting with enough warmth to power an entire country village", with the publication awarding it four stars out of five. The Radio Times also awarded the episode four stars out of five, particularly praising Bradley Walsh as Pop, and wrote that "The Larkins isn't necessarily anything revolutionary [...] But what it is is a joyous, comforting and homely show which feels like you're getting a big old hug." Benjie Goodhart, writing for Saga Magazine, wrote that despite his reservations, he "loved it" and praised the cast as "excellent". The Telegraphs Vicki Power remarked that "the dialogue fizzes with playful wit" and summarized their review by saying, "Shot in lush golden hues, this is an entertaining hour of warm-bath telly, the perfick autumn antidote". In contrast, The Telegraphs Anita Singh gave the episode two stars out of five, criticizing the acting and the racial diversity of the cast they felt was not representative of the time period and setting. However with some of these shortcomings removed she revised her opinion for episode 1 of series two, awarding it four stars and writing "the show is playing to its