Downton Abbey, any fans?

[horseless carriage]

Wife and I have watched entire series 3 times. None of the follow-up series were good, IMHO. But, 3/4's of our TV watching are Brit series --- costumers, police procedurals, Masterpiece Theatre through PBS, every detective series available and going back to the 60's with Rumpole of the Bailey and Are You Being Served. Brits know how to write, act, develop characters and plots. Americans, not really IMHO).

The last time my wife and I visited friends in the USA they took us out for a meal with a group of their friends. Listening to the general conversation, some of which was about the quality of British television, I was quite surprised by the popularity of Foyle's War.

 

[January]

Foyles War is another great show.

 

[chic]

I enjoyed it very much. I watched it less after they killed off Lady Sybil and Matthew Crawley. The times were interesting to learn about. Well acted.

 

[JustDave]

I enjoyed it very much. I watched it less after they killed off Lady Sybil and Matthew Crawley. The times were interesting to learn about. Well acted.

I think that's one of Julian Fellows skills. He's good at creating characters we hate, and characters we love, and situations that bring grief, sadness, or joy. And like you I was disappointed by the deaths of characters that were so important to the story. I was left with a feeling of, "How can we continue without them?" But continue we do, as we overcome these setbacks.

 

[Tom52]

Dear wife and I have watched the entire series and two movies several times. We love the series. I particularly liked that Edith seemed to be the way overshadowed by Mary, but in the end came out on top. I didn't particularly like the guy that Mary married near the end of the series and he seemed to play practically no part in the two movies. I didn't particularly care for the plot of the two movies but we will for sure watch the third when available.

 

[JustDave]

Mary does fade toward the end, even if she still gets loads of screen time, but it's really satisfying to watch Edith blossom.

 

[ChiroDoc]

Wife and I have watched entire series 3 times. None of the follow-up series were good, IMHO. But, 3/4's of our TV watching are Brit series --- costumers, police procedurals, Masterpiece Theatre through PBS, every detective series available and going back to the 60's with Rumpole of the Bailey and Are You Being Served. Brits know how to write, act, develop characters and plots. Americans, not really IMHO).

Yeah, I think the Brits are masters at mystery writing. Maybe it's something in their blood, starting with Arthur Conan Doyle... And, ala Agatha Christie, they were experts at what I call drawing room mysteries. No real action, no violence, just good stories.

 

[MaidMarian]

I love Downton Abbey!!! My daughter and I watched the whole series and went to the movie theater to see both movies.
As a matter of fact, we have just begun watching the series again!
We also watch The Guided Age but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as good as Downton.

 

[jujube]

While I never watched the series, I did go see the movie a few years ago with my sister, who was a big fan. Although I didn't know what was going on or exactly who the characters were, I did enjoy the costumes and the scenery.

We went to "tea" first at a tearoom and then to the movie, where we wore tiaras and white gloves. Yes, everybody looked at us like we had escaped from the zoo, but we liked getting in the mood.

 

[LoveTulips]

I quite liked it but am more of a fan of British murder mystery series.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

I agree with your points, and I felt the same way about Lady Edith. Carmichael was perfect in the part. M. Dockery was good too as Lady Mary Crawley, although her character was a bit of a bee-itch...

I did not like Lady Mary. I guess that actress played her part too well.

 

[JustDave]

We also watch The Guided Age but I don’t think it’s anywhere near as good as Downton.

I comes close for me, but there is more conflict, and less uplifting parts to achieve the balance that Downton has.

 

[Sunny]

I loved Downton Abbey, especially the Maggie Smith character.

 

[jujube]

I loved Downton Abbey, especially the Maggie Smith character.

All you have to do is say "Maggie Smith" and I'm in love. What a loss of a great actress.

 

[Elsie]

You mean Down Town Abby? lol It took hearing someone give the proper pronunciation to let me know its correct title. I watched and enjoyed quite a few episodes.

 

[JustDave]

You mean Down Town Abby? lol It took hearing someone give the proper pronunciation to let me know its correct title. I watched and enjoyed quite a few episodes.

The Abby is a carriage ride or bicycle ride from Down Town. I can't remember the name of the town that is near the Abby. I'm not sure it was ever mentioned.

 

[Lilac]

I believe the village in the show was named Downton.

 

[Elsie]

I believe the village in the show was named Downton.

And the Abby stands for???????

 

[Lilac]

Abbey - the fictional house main hall that you enter into was the original portion of monastery. I remember them talking about it in one of the episodes.

 

[Jace]

Of all the English/Britiish series, which I like most...almost all..
but DA is not one...couldn't get into it.

 

[JustDave]

I believe the village in the show was named Downton.

Now that I'm thinking about it, the first 3 minutes of the series is of a passenger train pulling into the station, and I vaguely recall a sign with the station name. I can't remember the name, but it might be "Downton."

 

[horseless carriage]

Nicolaus Mills is professor of American studies at Sarah Lawrence College and author of “Winning the Peace: The Marshall Plan and America’s Coming of Age as a Superpower.” Of Downton Abbey, he writes: "Why Downton Abbey is a Hit In America." The eloquence of Mills' prose is succinct and so well observed.

 

[JustDave]

Nicolaus Mills is professor of American studies at Sarah Lawrence College and author of “Winning the Peace: The Marshall Plan and America’s Coming of Age as a Superpower.” Of Downton Abbey, he writes: "Why Downton Abbey is a Hit In America." The eloquence of Mills' prose is succinct and so well observed.

I agree with Mills on why Downton is so popular with Americans, but he focuses mostly on one thing, the politics of working together to improve everyone's lot in times of change, which doesn't seem so popular today in America, or anywhere else it seems.

Now I could have written a story using the same premise about human spirit, but it would have been unpublishable. The thing that Mills doesn't discuss is the script's almost flawless execution of the premise. There are also excellent production values and a rainbow emotions that can easily be felt by an audience. There are turns of events, surprise, and identification with both the rich and the lower middle class of the time. And the story mines all of those to perfection as we become immersed in the situation. There is seldom a film these days that does all of that so well.

To say that it touches on part of America's political hopes, which it does for at least some of us, makes it sound like it was a success because of just one thing. Mills does say there's more, but doesn't explore the more. What he discusses is just touching the surface, or maybe even something just under the surface. Downton Abby was a well done piece of cinema, possibly one writer/director's once in a life time inspiration.

 

[JustDave]

I believe the village in the show was named Downton.

I just started a rewatch. There are signs on the station, but none that name the station, but what I think I remember may be in a different episode.