But though Mary's romantic dreams are dashed, Anna's are poised to come true, after Bates proposes to her. Matthew returns to Downton on leave to visit everyone - and to introduce them to his new fiancee, Lavinia Swire. Matthew's mother, Isobel, who has training as a nurse, clashes with Lady Grantham over how Downton's hospital should be run. Matthew, as well as house staffers Thomas and William, are enlisted to fight, and the Granthams agree to turn Downton into a convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers. The backdrop for season two is WWI, which has affected Downton substantially.After Mary admits to herself that she's in love with Matthew, the season ends with Lord Grantham announcing that England is at war with Germany. Several servants pursue love, too, the most notable being housemaid Anna and valet Mr. Mary's two sisters, Sybil and Edith, look for love of their own, with the former beginning to warm up to Tom Branson, the family's chauffer. The male relative's name is Matthew, and his working-class tendencies - he's a lawyer - at first rub the Granthams the wrong way. Robert has three daughters, and the law of the land dictates Robert pass Downton to a male relative - which means he can either pass off his wealth to a male he barely knows, or have his eldest daughter, Mary, wed a distant male relative, ensuring his fortune stays in his immediate family. When the first season opens, Lord Robert Grantham learns that the heir of his estate has died aboard the Titanic.With that said, here are the basic narrative shapes of the first four seasons. Therefore, summarizing each season in a few short sentences is difficult.
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In essence, the series is a soap opera - though a big-budget, beautifully-acted one. As opposed to having a cast of two leads and several supporting characters on the periphery, almost every character is given an interesting, complicated story. 4) Can you give me a general overview of the four seasons that have already aired?ĭownton Abbey is an ensemble show. To name two, Hugh Bonneville (Lord Grantham) has appeared in The Monuments Men and Muppets Most Wanted, while Michelle Dockery (Grantham's daughter Mary) appeared in the recent Anna Karenina. Many of the series' actors have played roles in notable films. Smith is 80 years old and just as versatile as ever, with a keen ability to portray everyone from Downton's snarky Dowager Countess to Harry Potter's Professor McGonagall.
The show's big name has always been Dame Maggie Smith, whose 60-plus-year career has included work on Broadway, the West End, film, and television. This show pretty much stars dozens of familiar actors. (Carnival Films) 3) What famous actors are in the series? Though much filming takes place at Highclere, some scenes - specifically, those taking place in the kitchen and the servants' quarters - are shot at Ealing Studios. The castle has served as a filming location for several other series and films and is open to the public for tours. The Victorian home, set on 5,000 acres of land, is the country seat of the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, whose family has lived in Highclere since 1679. It's called Highclere Castle, and it's located in Hampshire, England. Though Downton is fictitious, the estate at which it is set and filmed is real. The drama comes from the characters trying to navigate their rapidly changing, post-Edwardian world. The series takes as its starting point actual historical events, including the sinking of the Titanic, and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, then filters them through the characters' reactions. The show is inspired by the 1970s BBC series Upstairs, Downstairs, which told the story of how upstairs nobles interacted with downstairs servants. The Crawleys are waited on by Downton's servants, most of whom care greatly for the nobility they serve. Their story began in 1912 and has continued to the '20s. The series follows the lives of the Crawleys, the aristocratic family who lives in Downton Abbey. It can be viewed in the US on PBS, as part of its Masterpiece series. 1) What is Downton Abbey?ĭownton Abbey is a period drama produced by Carnival Films.
If you're not up on your Downton knowledge, here's a brief guide to help you enjoy the premiere of season five. It's a cultural touchstone - a gif-able, meme-able, hate-watch-able series with all the trappings of BBC royalty. This season promises more of the old drama, along with some new.īut Downton Abbey is much more than a television show. When we last left Downton, our favorite aristocrats had just learned about jazz music, interracial dating, and businesswomen. After almost an entire year without the Dowager Countess (that's Maggie Smith to you uninitiated) throwing shade, Downton Abbey returns tonight on PBS.
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