Downton Abbey has proved a huge success, with ratings of around 10 million viewers, meaning that ITV has finally proven itself capable of producing good quality television, and not just stuff with Ant & Dec on. Although cynics claim that the reason for its success is because lazy people can't be bothered to change the channel after The X Factor finishes; it would not have been sustained had the programme not been good. And it was good. I'm not sure what I'm doing with my Sunday evenings now.
Since the first episode the characters have all developed hugely, namely with the introduction of some rather important people. Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) arrived at Downton with his mother (Penelope Wilton) in the second episode, and they herald change coming to the area. Matthew, despite being the heir to the estate, is middle-class and works as a solicitor. His apparent inferior social background is not helped by his mother's emphasis on change, which needless to say, doesn't go down well with the Countess (Maggie Smith).
Matthew's arrival signals one of the key plot points in the series, whether he and Mary (Michelle Dockery) will marry and secure the Grantham estate. At first Mary seems very reticent, she dislikes Matthew seemingly for the reason that she feels she is being forced to marry him; this is exacerbated by the arrival of Kemal Pamuk (Theo James), a Turkish envoy, who immediatly captures the heart of Mary. However, his visit to Downton ends in scandal, he dies in the act with Mary, leaving her with the dangerous predicament of lacking the virtue apparently required for marriage.
Another plotline emerges surronding Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay), who is dedicated to the cause of women's rights and the betterment of those in less fortunate situations. She makes Gwen (Rose Leslie), a parlourmaid, her project when she discovers that Gwen wishes to become a secretary; and also has an instant friendship with Branson (Allen Leech), an Irish socialist chauffer.
Downstairs, Mrs O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) and Thomas (Rob James-Collier) continue to try and sabotage Mr Bates' prospects at Downton, whilst Anna and Bates seem to come close to beginning a romantic relationship.
Whilst Downton Abbey's main plotline remains with the upstairs cast, every character is wonderfully well-drawn. From the lovely, kind footman William (Thomas Howes) to the stiff-upper lip Anthony Strallen (Robert Bathurst) to the man who comes to fit the telephones!
Performance-wise its difficult to pick-out specific people I enjoyed the most. Maggie Smith is, of course, wonderful as the true matriach of the family. Hugh Bonneville brings a wonderful empathy to the role of the Earl. Brendan Coyle injects Bates with a quiet dignity, and he works wonderfully with Joanne Froggatt as Anna. Dan Stevens is also good as Matthew Crawley, who comes to love Downton despite his frosty welcome. My favourite character and performance comes from Jessica Brown-Findlay as Sybil, she's spunky, modern and fun and I'm rooting for her when the show starts again in March. I would not say that anyone in the cast is bad; I think Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael are saddled with sort-of stereotypes, Dockery has to convince as Mary moving from ice-queen to wronged woman, whilst Carmichael has to deal with being a generally horrible person, and neither really quite pulls it off. I loved the brief apppearance from Samantha Bond as the Earl's sister as well, hopefully she'll make a return as well.
All in all, Downton is good Sunday night entertainment. With it ending on the outbreak of World War One, change is no doubt going to sweep through the hall, altering the lives of the Earl, Cora, Mary, Edith, Sybil, Matthew and the staff beyond any of their imagintions.
Since the first episode the characters have all developed hugely, namely with the introduction of some rather important people. Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) arrived at Downton with his mother (Penelope Wilton) in the second episode, and they herald change coming to the area. Matthew, despite being the heir to the estate, is middle-class and works as a solicitor. His apparent inferior social background is not helped by his mother's emphasis on change, which needless to say, doesn't go down well with the Countess (Maggie Smith).
Matthew's arrival signals one of the key plot points in the series, whether he and Mary (Michelle Dockery) will marry and secure the Grantham estate. At first Mary seems very reticent, she dislikes Matthew seemingly for the reason that she feels she is being forced to marry him; this is exacerbated by the arrival of Kemal Pamuk (Theo James), a Turkish envoy, who immediatly captures the heart of Mary. However, his visit to Downton ends in scandal, he dies in the act with Mary, leaving her with the dangerous predicament of lacking the virtue apparently required for marriage.
Another plotline emerges surronding Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay), who is dedicated to the cause of women's rights and the betterment of those in less fortunate situations. She makes Gwen (Rose Leslie), a parlourmaid, her project when she discovers that Gwen wishes to become a secretary; and also has an instant friendship with Branson (Allen Leech), an Irish socialist chauffer.
Downstairs, Mrs O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) and Thomas (Rob James-Collier) continue to try and sabotage Mr Bates' prospects at Downton, whilst Anna and Bates seem to come close to beginning a romantic relationship.
Whilst Downton Abbey's main plotline remains with the upstairs cast, every character is wonderfully well-drawn. From the lovely, kind footman William (Thomas Howes) to the stiff-upper lip Anthony Strallen (Robert Bathurst) to the man who comes to fit the telephones!
Performance-wise its difficult to pick-out specific people I enjoyed the most. Maggie Smith is, of course, wonderful as the true matriach of the family. Hugh Bonneville brings a wonderful empathy to the role of the Earl. Brendan Coyle injects Bates with a quiet dignity, and he works wonderfully with Joanne Froggatt as Anna. Dan Stevens is also good as Matthew Crawley, who comes to love Downton despite his frosty welcome. My favourite character and performance comes from Jessica Brown-Findlay as Sybil, she's spunky, modern and fun and I'm rooting for her when the show starts again in March. I would not say that anyone in the cast is bad; I think Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael are saddled with sort-of stereotypes, Dockery has to convince as Mary moving from ice-queen to wronged woman, whilst Carmichael has to deal with being a generally horrible person, and neither really quite pulls it off. I loved the brief apppearance from Samantha Bond as the Earl's sister as well, hopefully she'll make a return as well.
All in all, Downton is good Sunday night entertainment. With it ending on the outbreak of World War One, change is no doubt going to sweep through the hall, altering the lives of the Earl, Cora, Mary, Edith, Sybil, Matthew and the staff beyond any of their imagintions.
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