Upstairs, Downstairs : "Home Fires" (Series 4): Should Hudson have been disciplined?

In this episode, Lady Prudence asks Hazel if she can use the drawing room at 165 for a wounded officer's tea party; Hazel refused. Lady Prudence went "under" Hazel's head and asked Hudson, who, not wishing to upset his better, of course agreed, even after Hazel gave him one last "opportunity" to refuse.

For all his talk about knowing one's place, I think he blew this one. He doesn't work for Lady Prudence, which means he should have changed his mind and bowed out when Hazel, the Mistress of the house, prompted him. And when he didn't "obey" Hazel, she should have disciplined him for putting Lady Prudence's wishes above her own.

Hudson makes a similar faux pas later in the same series during "A Hero's Farewell" when he lets Lady Prudence bring her own visitor to the drawing room before consulting with Richard (Hazel was away). Surely he could have asked them to wait in the hall while he went to fetch Richard, but alas, no; he forgot who pays his wages yet again.

Hudson didn't deliberately disobey Hazel. He was responding to whether the staff could handle it.

There was nothing wrong with Hudson showing Pru and the theater guy to the drawing room. Richard wasn't at home (he comes in a little after they arrive there)!

Methinks you are too tough!

Thanks for correcting me about Richard's not being homeI had forgotten that.

I still think he should have put off Lady Pru165 isn't her house.

You want to know an error? Edward should NEVER have let Georgina have Lord Bellamy's car! Not only was Richard out of town, she and her friends were drunk!

Edward tried his best to stop them from taking the car. Georgina ordered him to let them take it, adding that she would drive (some reassurance!). To refuse would have meant to raise his voice, turn nasty, etc. which wasn't in Edward's character.

I realize that drunk driving back then (and you don't have to go that far back) didn't have the stigma that it has today, but Edward should never have released the car under the circumstances.

Could Edward have insisted on driving it himself?

I think that might have been his only option. He couldn't very well refuse a direct order from a member of the household.

He tried his best.

There wasn't enough room for all the passengers if Edward drove.

I agree with you, dathaler Prudence was very shrewd and knew that she could undermine Hazel's authority by circumventing her and going through Hudson. Richard, as he says, has other more important things to consider and doesn't care one way or another. I've always thought that Hazel was avenged, though, when that ridiculous woman got the date wrong and the officers opted to attend the matinee.

Mrs. Bridges was furious at the waste of food in the middle of a war and Hazel found fleeting happiness with Lt. Dyson as a result. The way I view it, Hazel comes up trumps, as she invariably does. Don't underestimate Hudson's role in this either - he's very shrewd and knew Lady Prudence years before Hazel. He knew precisely what he was doing. Of all the staff, Hudson never accepted Hazel as the legitimate mistress of the house, Richard was still 'the Master,' and Hazel knew all about it. She really exerts her authority as mistress in The Beastly Hun, calling Hudson on the carpet for riling the female servants. Unfortunately, Hudson is temporarily full of cream in the aftermath of the sinking of the Lusitania, but, in the long run, Hazel's point is proven and that final scene in that episode, the servants quietly tidying up after the Schoenfelds depart so bitterly is superb. The servants are better than their behavior and what Mrs. Schoenfeld says about what the Lusitania carrying arms and munitions was the truth.

As Hazel says, the English were just as capable as the Germans of savage behavior. Great episode, one of my personal favorites, but a very sad, if all too true, denouement.

I agree also, if my memory serves me correctly Hudson barely acknowledges Hazels presence in that scene. I too think that Prudence is held in higher esteam by Hudson than Hazel, despite Hazel being the mistress of the house and Prudence being merely a visitor-Hudson afterall makes no secret of his disaproval of Hazels humble origins, whilst Prudence is an aristocrat like Lady Marjorie.

"that final scene in that episode, the servants quietly tidying up after the Schoenfelds depart so bitterly is superb."

Agreed.ESPECIALLY with Rose's "ooooI'll bet you're glad to see the back o' them, eh Mr. Hudson?" That was BRILLIANT!!!!!!

Who would dare to discipline Hudson?

I dont think Hudson gave that answer because he didnt want to upset Lady Prudence. He takes great pride in running the house to what he believes to be the proper standards. For him to say his staff cant handle a tea-party would be incredibly humiliating for him, regardless of the war. Also, my impression is that he really does believe they can rise the occasion and IMO it would be wrong to discipline him for telling the truth. Richard never should have suggested Hudson be asked in the first place, his answer was a foregone conclusion.

In "A Hero's Farewell" Lady Prudence bullies her way past Hudson. Given that shes such a close friend of the family, unless hes been given specific order not to let anyone into the drawing room, theres not really much he can do to stop her.

True. I guess there are multiple ways you can view it, although I've always felt that Hudson was less respectfull of Hazel than he could have been. You make a good point, business as usual at Eaton Place, war or no war, is very Hudson like too.

Regardless, Hazel does put her foot down in the end and holds the tea party in the morning room afterall.

I agree that Hudson was less respectful of Hazel than he could have been. If the same situation had come up with Lady Marjorie I think he would have found a way of making it clear he felt the staff could do it but also shown his deference for her. (But of course Prudence couldn't have pulled that on Lady Marjorie.)

I was glad when Hazel insisted on the morning room. Especially when hardly anyone showed up. Imagine if the staff had gone to the additional work of opening the drawing room!