Upstairs, Downstairs backdrop
Drama

The Best Episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5

Every episode of Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5!

Binge this in 13h 20m•Peaking at 9.2/10

Upstairs: the wealthy, aristocratic Bellamys. Downstairs: their loyal and lively servants. For nearly 30 years, they share a fashionable townhouse at 165 Eaton Place in London’s posh Belgravia neighborhood, surviving social change, political upheaval, scandals,

Airs on
ITV1
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons5

All12345

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 1 - On with the Dance
    8.1/10(99 votes)

    #1 - On with the Dance

    S5:E1

    It's June 1919 and a jubilant Victory Parade passes 165 Eaton Place -- but with the new family dynamic, what's to become of the beloved Bellamy townhouse?

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:Alfred Shaughnessy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 2 - A Place in the World
    7.9/10(105 votes)

    #2 - A Place in the World

    S5:E2

    As Britain tries to rebound from the war, James Bellamy runs for political office. Edward and Daisy are struggling financially but realize they have friends who love them at Eaton Place.

    Director:Christopher Hodson
    Writer:Jeremy Paul

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 3 - Laugh a Little Louder Please
    7.7/10(99 votes)

    #3 - Laugh a Little Louder Please

    S5:E3

    Georgina and her cohort throw a bacchanal at Eaton Place, with tragic consequences. Miss Treadwell, a governess for the children, joins the household.

    Director:Derek Bennett
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 4 - The Joy Ride
    8.0/10(97 votes)

    #4 - The Joy Ride

    S5:E4

    When James buys a small airplane, Virginia defies Richard, putting the entire household through quite an ordeal.

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:Alfred Shaughnessy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 5 - Wanted: A Good Home
    8.0/10(96 votes)

    #5 - Wanted: A Good Home

    S5:E5

    Spring 1922: When William goes off to Prep School, Rose gets Alice a new puppy so she won't be lonely, but when Richard and Virginia go on holiday and leave Miss Treadwell in charge, the entire staff lines up against her when she tries to dispose of the "filthy creature".

    Director:Christopher Hodson
    Writer:John Hawkesworth

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 6 - An Old Flame
    7.4/10(94 votes)

    #6 - An Old Flame

    S5:E6

    James and Lady Diana Newbury behave foolishly, with little regard of how it impacts others. Edward is in trouble with Daisy when he's caught in a lie.

    Director:Derek Bennett
    Writer:John Hawkesworth

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs

    READ
  7. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 7 - Disillusion
    7.1/10(107 votes)

    #7 - Disillusion

    S5:E7

    Spring is in the air and Hudson has found love, but it comes at a price for the household. In the end, the object of his affection makes a sacrifice for him.

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:Alfred Shaughnessy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 8 - Such a Lovely Man
    8.1/10(103 votes)

    #8 - Such a Lovely Man

    S5:E8

    (Audio commentary available on some DVDs). An influential industrialist showers attention on Virginia, and there's another member of the household being courted—Ruby.

    Director:Christopher Hodson
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 9 - The Nine Days Wonder
    7.8/10(91 votes)

    #9 - The Nine Days Wonder

    S5:E9

    The entire household comes together when a General Strike is called throughout Britain in May 1926

    Director:Simon Langton
    Writer:Jeremy Paul

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 10 - The Understudy
    8.4/10(96 votes)

    #10 - The Understudy

    S5:E10

    On the eve of an important dinner party for a French diplomat, Hudson suffers a heart attack.

    Director:James Ormerod
    Writer:Jeremy Paul

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 11 - Alberto
    7.7/10(94 votes)

    #11 - Alberto

    S5:E11

    Frederick considers his future when he feels his talents are largely wasted in the Bellamy household.

    Director:Christopher Hodson
    Writer:Alfred Shaughnessy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 12 - Will Ye No Come Back Again?
    8.0/10(108 votes)

    #12 - Will Ye No Come Back Again?

    S5:E12

    Hudson is back in his element when the Bellamys travel to Scotland for their summer holiday.

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 13 - Joke Over
    8.4/10(101 votes)

    #13 - Joke Over

    S5:E13

    After an evening of dissipated behavior and a reckless drive into the countryside, Georgina must appear at a coroner's inquest, when one of the locals is killed.

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:Rosemary Anne Sisson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 14 - Noblesse Oblige
    8.4/10(97 votes)

    #14 - Noblesse Oblige

    S5:E14

    Better the devil you know than the one you don't is the lesson Mrs. Bridges and Ruby learn after a terrible row. Upstairs, Lord Stockbridge proposes to Georgina, but there's a catch.

    Director:Cyril Coke
    Writer:John Hawkesworth

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 15 - All the King's Horses
    9.2/10(121 votes)

    #15 - All the King's Horses

    S5:E15

    James returns to England, with new found vigor and untold wealth, on the eve of the October 1929 stock market crash.

    Director:Simon Langton
    Writer:Jeremy Paul

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Upstairs, Downstairs Season 5 Episode 16 - Whither Shall I Wander?
    9.2/10(121 votes)

    #16 - Whither Shall I Wander?

    S5:E16

    After nearly 30 years, the Bellamy saga ends with the sale of 165 Eaton Place and a fresh beginning for every member of the household.

    Director:Bill Bain
    Writer:John Hawkesworth

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Season 5 Ratings Summary

"On with the Dance" is the best rated episode of "Upstairs, Downstairs" season 5. It scored 8.1/10 based on 99 votes. Directed by Bill Bain and written by Alfred Shaughnessy, it aired on 9/7/1975. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "A Place in the World".