I have to admit to having become a dyed-in-the-wool "Downton Abbey" addict. Not since PBS's other Edwardian series "Upstairs, Downstairs" back in the early 1970s has a show so captivated me, but this one is so much more complex than that series ever was. Each character has his or her own story and we get to know a very large cast of characters, from the upstairs residents in the household of the Earl of Grantham to his downstairs staff of maids, footmen, the butler, the valet and others. This series starts a bit later than "Upstairs" did, which, if memory serves, starts in around 1902 and goes through the 1920s. "Downton" starts with the sinking of the Titanic and the fact that the only heir to the Earldom of Grantham perished when that ship went down, forcing Lord Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, to seek an unlikely heir in a distant cousin, a middle class lawyer from Manchester named Matthew Crawley, who arrives at the estate with his mother to learn the ways of nobility, and the story takes off from there with love interests, scandals, deaths and other things. The first season ends with war being declared on Germany, the beginning of World War I. The second season takes the family and the household through that great war and the effect it has on everyone, as social classes begin to break down and the world is, as a result, forever changed. Nobody is left unscathed in the household, neither servant nor the upstairs residents. We say goodbye to some characters, meet other new ones and watch as Matthew, the presumptive heir to Downton, further has his life turned upside down as he goes off to fight the great war. There is an off again, on again romance with the Earl's eldest daughter, Mary that keeps things constantly interesting. It's a totally addictive series and seems to have developed an international following. It's become PBS's big hit of the year and has won numerous awards as well. Watching PBS has become cool again, especially if you're a huge fan of this period drama.
It owes a lot to its predecessor, "Upstairs, Downstairs", which was another series that took place around the same period and aired back in the early 1970s. I was a big fan of that show as well and followed it religiously. That show begins in 1902 and follows both sets of people through the 1920s, so it covers a lot of ground, including the sinking of the Titanic and World War I. "Downton Abbey" starts with the Titanic and so far, has taken us to the year 1920. Season 3 promises to take the household through at least the opening years of the 1920s and should have some interesting material to cover as well. There are several fascinating storylines that are still up in the air and we have yet to find out what happens to certain characters who have been left in suspense as Season 2 ended. Unfortunately, Season 3 won't air in the US until January of 2013, so we have a very long wait to find out what is going to happen next. I suppose a big part of what has endeared this show to so many viewers is the character of Violet, the Dowager Countess and mother to Lord Robert Crawley, Earl Grantham. She has a sharp tongue and responds to so many situations with absolutely hilarious lines. For example, in the first season, when she learns of a scandal involving her eldest granddaughter, she wonders if she shouldn't take her abroad to Rome or someplace to find her a potential husband, telling her daughter-in-law, the current Countess, Lady Cora Crawley, "In these moments, you can always find an Italian who isn't too picky!" Violet is played by the splendid actress Dame Maggie Smith, who plays it for all it's worth. I understand that Shirley MacLaine will be joining the Season 3 cast as Lady Cora's American mother, Martha Levinson, which promises to provide plenty of fireworks between her and the Dowager Countess! I wish the wait for the new season was not so long, but I suppose in the meantime I will have to buy the DVDs and watch the first two seasons again (I understand that it is best to buy the uncut British versions instead of the American ones, from what I hear from the fan base!). Well, Downton Abbey, it's been quite a ride, and I so look forward to a reunion with the amazing cast of this show next year.
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