Second part was just as good as the first episode. I love how Liz Whites character isn't a typical housewife, shes definitely the brains behind the venture, while George is the heart.

Really enjoying this.

The only weak link for me is Ralf Little, i don't see much point to his character

I assume the vicar's hatred is a mixture of that first meeting - he sees George as a non-believer who made him look stupid - but mainly about the house. Presumably he wanted the house himself and is jealous. I didn't believe him when he said it didn't matter that he hadn't been able to buy it. Presumably he's hoping if he ruins things for them, he can get it cheaply, or it has some huge family meaning to him.

Another lovely episode. I feel like I've known all the characters for years (in a good way).

Could the vicar possibly fancy George's wife too?

I think he does. its a combo of that and him wanting the big house.

Nice to see Hugh Skinner as the doctor after making me howl with laughter in W1A!

I would think they would avoid storylines like that because they are dealing with real people.

Do any of you viewers have any idea why this is not really working in the ratings?

It started with 5.1 million but barely added any viewers on time shift. This week it fell by over 700,000 to about 4.4 million.

These are not a disaster but not the figures of a hit and there is still doubt it will get a second series if it carries on dropping.

I love the show and think it is perfect family viewing but on at the wrong time (9 pm midweek is not great for the family to sit together and watch this show). It has Sunday early evening all over it.

Those who are watching seem to enjoy it. But why is it not attracting the audience that I would have imagined that it would and I think the BBC expected - which I think they might have thought would be 6 million plus.

Any thoughts?

Thank you! I couldn't think where I'd seen him before.

That's what he was in. I knew I knew him from somewhere. Thank you


I love this drama to bit's but I love true stories.

I was a bit when they were trapping the bears and thought June was told not to tell and she is a little cutiepie.

Loving Ralph Little's character

And Karl Collins ( DC Glaze from The Bill) as the Guy from Liverpool Docks, apart from The Bill I think The Zoo is the only thing I've seen him in!

Just got round to watching both episode this week.

Feel good TV, at it's best - predictable yes, but done in a way, you don't really care.



But 9pm, is a stupid time to put it on.

me too, thanks for that!

Well, first I don't think ratings are a measure of how good a programme is. I know that's not what you're saying, but I still wanted to say that.

It isn't a crime drama and it isn't a costume drama where it's mostly about glamourous rich people in lovely clothes. So personally I didn't understand why big ratings were expected. Are the ratings that bad for a Wednesday night 9.00 drama with no big stars compared to other dramas on now? All the cast are fantastic, but they aren't big names, and that does make a difference in whether people try something in the first place. I hate to say it, but I think it's really hard for dramas that are not crime dramas at the moment, and I think in that context the figure are OK.

Having said all that, it does feel like a Sunday night show to me.

My Grandparents lived down the road from the zoo when I was a kid, sometimes in the evenings, if you listened hard enough, you could hear the lions' lazy roars. Pretty cool

I take it it's not actually filmed in Chester?

Didn't go to Upton High did you?

I only caught this show from the second episode 10 minutes in. Was left on that channel when it caught my attention whilst doing other things. I need to watch the first episode now.

I agree with you. It's near enough the perfect type of series for Sunday evening family viewing. Why 9pm on a Wednesday ?
I've enjoyed it so far, and done my best to spread the word around about the programme. But not many people I know had watched the first episode, I think the title put them off for some reason.
I really thought the second episode would gather more viewers after positive reviews in the media. Really disappointed to hear that viewing figures have actually gone down.

People can record it then watch it on Sunday if they want. Just as I record all the drama and other programmes at the weekend to watch mid-week as I am busy watching sport on Saturday and Sunday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjTC_fbLbII

(about 2 minutes in)

They could, but we know that most people just won't bother. So far, it's been very child-friendly, just the sort of cosy thing people would like to watch with the kids before bedtime. Seems like an opportunity missed to me, but I suppose they must know their scheduling better than I do.

Actually, in the last few weeks I and my OH have watched only 2 shows "live", and they are New Tricks, and now Our Zoo. Everything else goes on the PVR or Sky +.

Do have to agree this show lacks a Sunday slot....

Really enjoying it, it's a great story well acted. Bad news about the drop in viewers. Hopefully it picks up.

I cant believe how casually they treat dangerous bears, (yes I know they are using stand ins),
But did they really just put them in a cave & leave them?

I recorded first 2 episodes and watched them this afternoon. Really enjoyed them actually and I agree they would be perfect for Sunday evening viewing.

It's gentle, funny, engaging and based on a true story so ticks most boxes for me. Also enjoying the scenery and the clothes.

Thanks for the replies.

To put the ratings in context, Doctor Who last night got 4.8 million viewers - less than ep 1 of Our Zoo but more than ep 2. That, however, gets around 2 million viewers who watch on catch up. Our Zoo had only around a tenth of that I believe.

4.5 - 5 million is not a bad rating for mid week drama (in fact the current series of New Tricks is at a similar level). But it does not compare with the ratings that shows like Call The Midwife are getting - and I would have expected Our Zoo to reach a similar kind of audience.

Call the Midwife is shown on Sunday - though - as Our Zoo should have been.

It seems the BBC hoped that the huge audiences for Bake Off before it (around double what Our Zoo gets) would give it a big audience also from viewers just staying on the channel. Not sure that there is such a crossover audience here and it has meant Our Zoo is now in direct competition with Scott and Bailey's return on ITV. A very different show but a hard one to be up against (iit was getting 6 million).

The good news is that Our Zoo beat Scott and Bailey head to head - just. But that is likely why it lost a few hundreds thousand viewers. I doubt many who saw episode one of Our Zoo would have not wanted to keep watching.

The title Our Zoo might, in retrospect, have had an effect as someone suggested above. It is actually the title of the autobiograhy by the little girl in the series telling the real story. So I guess that is why it was not changed.

Fingers crossed that episode three holds up in the ratings as if it does I think the BBC will have enough faith in it to commission a further series. I assume they have left room in the story for that to happen.