Monarch of the Glen Series 5 BBC Scottish Drama
The MacDonald Clan of Glenbogle Experiences Significant Changes
May 13, 2009
After returning from their honeymoon (Series 4), Archie and Lexie MacDonald (Alistair Mackenzie and Dawn Steele) should be ready to settle into daily life at Glenbogle. But Archie feels restless and is looking for new adventures whether it is opening a Scottish restaurant with Lord Kilwillie in New York or parasailing.
Archie’s restlessness comes to a head when his sister, Lizzie, visits unexpectedly. She shows Archie a letter written by their father, Hector, a few days before he died. He spoke in the letter of climbing a particular mountain in Asia with them someday. Lizzie is obsessed with climbing that mountain in honor of her father and convinces Archie to go with her.
As Archie discusses this with Lexie, it also comes out that he no longer wishes to be laird. Instead, he desires to give that title to his half-brother, Paul, believing it would please his father and relieve him of many obligations he has felt toward various family members. Lexie reluctantly agrees to let Archie go on his quest with Lizzie but refuses to go with him. She is also visibly disappointed that Archie desires to leave Glenbogle when he returns and must keep his secret while he is gone.
Lexie MacDonald, Laird
With Archie gone, Lexie is the acting Laird of Glenbogle. Lexie and Paul engage in an ongoing power struggle as Lexie attempts to run things as Archie would see fit and Paul tries to become a more integral part of the estate life.
Lady Dorothy and Hermione Trumpington-Bonnet
With the departure of Lord Kilwillie, his sister and niece move into Kilwillie Castle and soon wreak havoc in the lives of the MacDonalds and their friends. Lady Dorothy’s EcoDome project causes problems for Archie, and Dorothy and Lexie come to near blows over several other local issues. Hermione decides Duncan should be hers and she soon takes over his life in a semi-stalkerish manner. The mother and daughter pair (played by Richenda Carey and Hermione Gulliford) make a delightfully annoying duo that one can’t help but enjoy and dislike at the same time.
Hogmanay Special
Series 5 includes a Hogmanay special that is critical in the development of the storyline, but for some reason was included as a bonus feature in the DVD set and not in the main episodes. The Hogmanay storyline brings together the details of Archie and Lexie leaving Glenbogle and Paul assuming leadership of the MacDonald clan.
A Different Kind of Monarch
Although Monarch of the Glen evolved each of the first four series, Series 5 marked a significant change in the show that continued into Series 6. Several characters left Glenbogle over the course of Series5 and the show definitely did not feel the same from that point on. Perhaps most telling is the change from being a quirky drama/comedy to simply being a drama tracing the stories of those connected to Glenbogle. While still enjoyable and well worth viewing, the series definitely lost the charm that permeated the first few seasons. Monarch of the Glen Series 5 originally aired on BBC One and is available on DVD.
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