The show starts in April 1912 with the news of the sinking of the Titanic. Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) has no son and the heir is on board. The new heir is distant cousin Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) who is a small Manchester lawyer. The easiest solution is to push oldest daughter Mary (Michelle Dockery) onto the new heir. Sibling rivalry can be cruel on plain middle daughter Edith (Laura Carmichael). The youngest Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) is sweet and independent. The staff working downstairs is led by Mr. Carson (Jim Carter). Mr. Bates (Brendan Coyle) suffers a leg injury from the Second Boer War and is hired by Robert Crawley. Thomas (Rob James-Collier) and Miss O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) the villains of the downstairs world. The upstairs and downstairs worlds of Downton Abbey is changed over the years.
This is an addictive soap opera wrapped in a costume drama. That's the genius of this show. The episodes move along quickly in intervals of months. It's about big dramas and delicious personalities. All of it anchored by great relationships whether it's Mary and Matthew or Bates and Anna. At this point, I hope the show ends properly and doesn't lose its way. It does tend to hit on the big historical points a lot. The big loss at the end of season 3 does concern me a little but that's the way of modern TV.
This is an addictive soap opera wrapped in a costume drama. That's the genius of this show. The episodes move along quickly in intervals of months. It's about big dramas and delicious personalities. All of it anchored by great relationships whether it's Mary and Matthew or Bates and Anna. At this point, I hope the show ends properly and doesn't lose its way. It does tend to hit on the big historical points a lot. The big loss at the end of season 3 does concern me a little but that's the way of modern TV.