My Uncle Silas 2 (2001)

The second British TV miniseries based on the semi-autobiographical stories of H.E. Bates, My Uncle Silas 2 was, like its predecessor, built around the exploits of a cantankerous, imbibing, and slightly libidinous farm laborer of the early 1900s. The series was told from the viewpoint of young Edward (Joe Prospero), who had recently come to live with his roguish Uncle Silas (Albert Finney) in England's North Country. In the tradition of the original Uncle Silas, this series was inspired by five separate Bates short stories. In "Shandy Lil," Silas tried to pair off the titular Lil (Sandy McDade) with the shy Pikey (Tony Maudsley); in "The Race," Silas challenged archrival Goffy Windsor (Tim Preece) to a five-mile foot race; in "A Funny Thing," Silas' efforts to match wits with his worldly cousin Cosmo (Oliver Ford Davies) found him posing for an exceedingly amorous female sculptor; in "Finger Wet, Finger Dry," our hero was enmeshed in a compromising situation with the wife (Lesley Dunlop) of the local police constable (Gary Wheelan); and in "A Happy Man," it's Silas vs. old campaigner Walter (Bryan Pringle) at the annual flower show. Originally telecast by Yorkshire Television in 2001, My Uncle Silas 2 premiered as a component of the American PBS anthology Masterpiece Theatre on January 12, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi