Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey, Season 1 - DVD

Downton Abbey - Series 1

Downton Abbey is the latest tale from the pen of award-winning writer Julian Fellowes who was responsible for writing the well-received Robert Altman movie Gosford Park .

The drama set in 1912 begins just as the Titanic is sinking and the world is heading toward WW I.   Downton Abbey is more than a beautifully situated Edwardian stately home-it is a way of life, a life that is under threat from encroaching modernism (i.e., electricity) and the possible loss of the family wealth and property. However pivotal outside world events may be what passes for epic change in the world of Downton Abbey is letting a maid serve a Duke, an act that foreshadows the immanent decline of the aging British class system.

Hugh Bonneville stars as the Earl of Grantham, an honourable man dedicated to his duty to preserve the estate for which he has made many sacrifices including his marriage to a rich American heiress, Cora played by the always excellent Elizabeth McGovern. Though initially a union of convenience it is now a loving and caring marriage of mutual respect that resulted in three daughters but no male heir to inherit Downton Abbey and its accompanying fortune.

Because of the vagaries of succession a second cousin is due to inherit the estate (along with Cora's money) and so another arranged match has been made between the Earl's eldest daughter, Lady Mary Crawly (Michelle Dockery) and his cousin's son. This plan is dashed by the sinking of the Titanic and the loss of both cousins who were aboard. This unforeseen event introduces a third cousin and now new heir, Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens). Not only are the heir apparent and his mother disdainfully described as being from 'Manchester', Mr. Crawley is a lawyer and son of a doctor, both professions not highly regarded in the heady circles of Downton Abbey. As the main plot unfolds subplots involving intrigue, messy love affairs, and a variety of character make Downton Abbey as addictive as any recent television event.

The veteran actress Maggie Smith plays the wise and quick-tongued Dowager Countess of Grantham and as one might guess she steals every scene she is in. She is as traditional and as formidable as the house she is protecting.  With an assortment of withering lines and tactfully delivered put downs she commands respect while drawing a few sly smiles from onlookers. At one stage she quips, "A weekend? What precisely is a weekend?"

As befits a series reminiscent of the wonderful Upstairs, Downstairs the real stars are those occupying the lower half of the estate, the servants. Their lives are as governed by tradition and formality as those they serve and as such they are as much (if not more) under threat from the changing lifestyle.  As the Head Butler states this is his 'only family'. The hierarchy and machinations of this servile life are brilliantly established in the opening scene of the first episode when the downstairs working day gets started well in advance of the upstairs occupants' morning. Because of the more forthright and honest interactions among themselves, the domestics' characters are well-defined and lend themselves to easy characterisation by the actors.

With all of the household gossip the staff are more in tune with what is going on both upstairs and downstairs than their well-to-do counterparts. This is best represented by the high and mighty but not imperfect head butler, Carson (played by Jim Carter) who is not averse at getting his point across while still respecting the boundaries before to him.

Precisely because it is a TV series it is possible to take time to develop the various characters and their subtleties thereby avoiding the need for quick black and white portrayals. The Earl himself is a case in point being that his portrayal is a lot more nuanced than the usual stereotypical toff-his dedication to duty is never at the cost of his family and his interactions with his staff is never inhumane.

In the grand tradition of British costume drama (think Brideshead Revisited ), the settings in Downton Abbey look spectacular and the tracking shots-both interior and exterior-give an idea of the vastness of the grand estate. Though it seems eternally and uncharacteristically sunny all the time it was filmed on location in England.

The series has a high standard of production.  Apart from the writing, which is a constant delight, the actual house itself seems to be fully furnished and utilised as the constantly roaming cameras manage to fully exploit the location.

In the age of cheap-to-produce 'reality' TV hits it was thought that modern audiences were beyond these sophisticated dramas but Downton Abbey proved to be a massive hit in Britain in 2010.  A second series is currently in production.