★★★★★ 0/5

Downton Abbey

This UK drama may have the outward appearance of another Cranford or Pride and Prejudice but its twists and turns are closer to Dynasty.

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How the Poms love their tales about class. The ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’, the keeping up of said-appearances, and speaking only when one is spoken to.

Lucky for us they do, so that we too can be amused at arms-length distance at the fussing inside the walls of English estates.

Downton Abbey follows a rich tradition of English period dramas (and for that matter, Merchant Ivory films). Set in 1912 in a fictional estate, it has a lavish backdrop with manicured lawns, an historic mansion, sprawling interiors, antique furnishings. And oh the costumes. Money on the screen? It’s positively brimming in the stuff.

At the heart of the 7-episode story is the aristocratic Crawley family, headed by Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), his American wife Cora, Countess of Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern), their daughters Mary (Michelle Dockery), Edith (Laura Carmichael) and Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay). The esteemed Maggie Smith plays Robert’s mother, Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham.

Working deep in the bowels of the Abbey are the numerous staff, headed up by butler Charles Carson (Jim Carter). They oversee the kitchen, serving, laundry, cleaning, motor cars and associated trappings.

Having the two classes under the one roof gives draws similarities to Upstairs Downstairs, but central to the style of this piece is an ability to add melodramatic plot points that are often absent from the genre.

The series begins with the news of the sinking of the Titanic, and the arrival of a new valet, John Bates (Brendan Cowle). Bates is aided by a walking stick, which immediately sees him frowned upon by his peers who want him ousted.

Lord Grantham’s first cousin, the sole (male) heir to the estate, perished on the Titanic. It means a third cousin must be groomed to become an aristocrat, but the cantankerous Dowager Countess will do her level best to undermine plans for a lesser member of the family to usurp the name and fortune.

And thus we have an array of chess pieces all wonderfully loaded to twist and turn under the penmanship of actor and writer Julian Fellowes.

Fellowes may have acted in Monarch of the Glen and The Scarlet Pimpernel, but it is his screenplay for Gosford Park that is more relevant here. He displays an understanding of British society, manners and graces and has drawn refined characters who are expert at attempting to keep their emotions in check.

So while the series may have the outward appearance of another Cranford or Pride and Prejudice its twists and turns are closer to Dynasty. There is deception, passion, manipulation, threats, power, backstabbing, and mystery -and that’s just in the first episode. This is one to watch closely, there are clues everywhere….

Maggie Smith is a sheer delight as the Dowager Countess, incensed at the possibility of Downton to be inherited by an ‘outsider.’ Brendan Cowle brings a quiet respectability to his role as the imperfect valet Bates. Elizabeth McGovern adds emotion to her role as Cora contrasting the more restrained British roles. The ensemble cast, regardless of their class of character, are all splendid.

It’s hard not to ignore that this ITV production really belongs on the ABC or Pay Television. Seven’s promos with pop music (and even some with AFL players endorsing it) belie the quality of the piece. Scheduled after Dancing with the Stars it will doubtless be subject to shifting start-times, commercials and no sign of high-definition. Don’t let that put you off.

Downton Abbey looks set to get better and better.

It’s sheer class.

Downton Abbey airs 8:30pm Sunday on Seven.

43 Responses

  1. All this talk of Ads spoiling it, lets not forget it’s an ITV show, ITV is a commercial network, despite the ads the Brits still lapped it up in huge numbers!

  2. Yes it’s a brilliant show, I’ve seen it too.

    But why does it take so damned long before great programs like this are shown in Australia, it’s pathetic!

    Also it should be on the ABC, damned if I’d watch it riddled with ads!

  5. @ Veronica….you are quite right, but ITV in the UK have their ad breaks around every 15 mins….max about 3 or 4 per hour. Ch7 don’t do their ad breaks like that and are way to dumb to relise when they should be….

  8. This show was amazing, I cannot wait for the second series in September, I will have to plan another trip to the UK to coincide haha! Just so amazing mainly because it’s really refreshing to see something like this that is original (not based on a book) and incredible quality at every point. Upstairs, Downstairs was good, but this is great.

  9. As i have stated already yesterday infact this show looks andsounds good and it think it will be a hit even with the ackward scheduling. Will definelty watch it. If i end up liking it i might by the dvd.

  10. Really enjoyed this series. Agree with Pietro about Maggie Smith. She is brilliant! First episode was somewhat slow but it got so much better!

  11. The 7 ads had no appeal for me, largely because of the music. Surprising from 7 who are usually great at hooking me in with ads and usually pick songs that really work. But the praise from everyone on this site is making me reconsider.

  12. In the UK, they stick to a definite start time, no taking the viewers for mugs over there. ITV are only allowed 3-4 ad breaks every hour, again no messing the vierwers around with 3mins of the show,5 mins of ads etc..etc..Somehow I can’t see ch7 looking after this show…why change a habit of a lifetime eh?

  13. This show was made with ads in mins- it was made for ITV. So it climaxes at just the right moments and has all those small cliffhangers that commercial TV does well. It wont be like a BBC show that has been chopped up and destroyed because of ads falling at the wrong moments.

  14. One of the ads I saw was an AFL player saying that something like it was new and different and all I could think was he didn’t watch ABC or SBS that often.

    I do think it will be ruined by the ads, especially when they have 5 minutes of the show followed before and after with about 3-4 minutes of ads.

  17. Can’t wait!!
    Anyone who wants a laugh should got to You Tube & look up ” Upstairs Downstairs Abbey ” made this year for Comic Relief it stars Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Harry Enfield & Kim Cattrall. Very funny.

  18. Happily I have seen this on DVD without the delayed start times, ad breaks, station logos, annoying banners and all the other annoyances that 7 will bring to it. Agree with your assessment though – a surprisingly entertaining show with great acting, writing and locations.

  20. i personally can’t wait for this show- i think 7 have done a fantastic job advertising it because i normally wouldn’t want to watch a British period piece but their ads have me hooked (and many others i know).
    Well I was impressed with their ads- until i saw Daniela and Stefania, from MKR, talking about it. Don’t get me wrong i liked them on MKR but what the hell do they have to do with this show? why in anyway would their opinion influence me? surely by now it is widely known that vox pops are used when a decent review can’t be found but i havent heard a bad thing about DA.
    Just as bad a Richard Wilkins giving movie reviews…

  24. Downton Abbey is absolutely Brilliant, I highly recommend it. It wasn’t originally aired to the Scottish, but England obtained a steady audience each week of 11 million.

    Not to be missed

  25. Those Ch 7 ads featuring the footballers and reality TV stars are Very off-putting. I agree this show should be on the ABC. I’ll wait for the DVD and watch it then. Ch 7 will cut it to bits and if the first episode doesn’t rate they will get rid of it pronto.

    Looks great though, a mix of The Forsythe Saga and Upstairs Downstairs, can’t go wrong with that.

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