Everything seems so golden one minute and then it turns to ashes the next
[I actually wrote this slowly back in February and it was a bit behind the times, then. But my opinion on this brilliant new show has not changed as yet. Yes, it's another of the invisible posts...]
I've been meaning to do a sort of love/pimping post for Downton Abbey, my latest TV love since, oh, about the first five minutes it was on ITV. And here we finally are... I shall endeavour to avoid spoilers.
Reasons to love Downton Abbey - aside from generally that it's very pretty, and beautifully shot, and an ensemble storytelling piece, and original period drama and is created by Julian Fellowes... Wait. Isn't that reason enough?
S1 is set 1912-1914 and despite there being quite a bit of sadness, generally captures that feeling of 'last Edwardian summer' throughout the whole so perfectly, I don't want WWI to arrive here. I want to protect Downton and bottle it somewhere. It's just so great as it is... but the quality of storytelling and characterisation is such that I'm willing to trust that I'm going to like whatever they do next.
1. The beautiful theme (and incidental) music
2. I did mention the whole 'ensemble cast' thing, so the even way the story of each character is told is a joy: we're given just enough to get to understand each of them - and my favourite thing is the way the viewer is constantly surprised into having moments of sympathy even for the most unlikeable characters.
Fanvid/Teaser/Tribute for the whole of S1
Technically, could be spoilery, but brilliantly done, and a great teaser for the series.
If you want to be safe re spoilers, ITV's own promo for Downton is here (also excellent):
And in particular: 3. Maggie Smith as Violet, Lady Grantham, the Dowager Countess.
(This probably goes without saying, but, yes, indeed. It would be worth watching for her even if the rest of the cast weren't also busy being marvellous.)
4. Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham, possibly the nicest man in the universe.
5. Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones to DW fans) being very awesome as Isobel Crawley. The bits where she and Violet compete with each other are wonderful. Sometimes Isobel wins, sometimes Violet. It is a battle not over yet (or at least - I very much hope not!).
6. And a brief hurrah for the splendidly evil Thomas and O'Brien who have not caught the spirit of sunshine and niceness from everyone else, and skulk about in back corridors plotting in whispers. But they have their own stories, too...
7. And everyone, and the 'ships: (Mainly Matthew/Mary, Sybil/Branson, and Anna/Bates. This lovely fanvid You Wait For Rain has three of them, and isn't too spoilerish.)
8. I did mention the whole 'created and (co)written by Julian Fellowes bit, didn't I? (He wrote Gosford Park, one of my favourite films, hence part of my excitement here.) Have some quotes!
***
Violet: [on encountering a swivel chair for the first time] Why does every day involve a battle with an American?
Robert: (complaining about the traffic): Last time there were five cars parked in the market place, and another three drove past while I was there.
Violet: Why do you always have to pretend to be nicer than the rest of us?
Robert: Perhaps I am.
Robert (to the butler): Really, Carson, there's no need to be so melodramatic. You're not playing Sydney Carton.
Violet: No Englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house, especially someone he didn't even know.
Sybil: Oh, Granny, even the English aren't in control of everything.
Carson: He was a handsome stranger from foreign parts one minute and the next he was as dead as a door nail... It's particularly hard on the younger maids.
Mary: Life can be so unfair. Everything seems so golden one minute and then it turns to ashes the next.
Violet (to Isobel): You are quite wonderful, the way you see room for improvement wherever you go.
Isobel: I take that as a compliment.
Violet: Oh. I must have said it wrong.
Mary: Forty years of boredom and duty isn't enough for me... I'm a lost cause, Mama.
Violet: I doubt I'd expect to curtsey to the Queen in June when I'd been arrested for a riot in May, but then I'm old. Things may be different now.
Mary: Haven't you heard? I don't have a heart. I thought everyone knew that.
Matthew (to Mary): If you really like an argument, we should see more of each other.
Cora (on Mary): I might send her to visit my aunt. She could get to know New York.
Violet: Oh, I don't think things are that desperate.
Violet: One can't go to pieces at the death of every foreigner. We'd all be in a state of collapse whenever we opened a newspaper.
Branson: I may be a Socialist, but I'm not a lunatic.
Sybil: I'm not sure Father knows the difference.
Violet: (on the Turkish ambassador) We can't have him assassinated... I suppose.
Cora: (on women's education) Things are different in America.
Violet: I know. They live in wigwams.
Cora: And when they come out of them, they go to school.
***
8. Everyone is complex. You don't need to be evil, tortured or angsty (although you can be on occasions); everyone has layers anyway. In particular, I'm all admiration for the way the viewer is led to change their opinion of Lady Mary (most people start by hating her and wind up routing for her).
9. The different, delicate tangle of relationships you get in an ensemble piece, with nearly everyone relating to everyone else in interesting ways.
10. Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) and Mr Carson (Jim Carter), the housekeeper and butler who are such lovely characters, and who have been running the household for so long together, but still step so cautiously and shyly around each other. (It's possible Mrs Hughes/Carson is another underlying 'ship', but it doesn't have to be.)
It's to be found sometimes on ITV4; and it's made its way onto various channels in America and elsewhere, the first series came out on DVD before Christmas, and a clever person can find episodes on YouTube.
Tribute to S1 - this is gorgeous and uses the clips to create a dance-like effect. It does have some clips that would count as spoilers, though - but no words:
And I'm at the end and I haven't even really touched on Anna, Mr Bates, Lady Sybil & Branson, or William and Daisy... Or Sybil and Gwen, or... When is it autumn so I can watch some more?
I've been meaning to do a sort of love/pimping post for Downton Abbey, my latest TV love since, oh, about the first five minutes it was on ITV. And here we finally are... I shall endeavour to avoid spoilers.
Reasons to love Downton Abbey - aside from generally that it's very pretty, and beautifully shot, and an ensemble storytelling piece, and original period drama and is created by Julian Fellowes... Wait. Isn't that reason enough?
S1 is set 1912-1914 and despite there being quite a bit of sadness, generally captures that feeling of 'last Edwardian summer' throughout the whole so perfectly, I don't want WWI to arrive here. I want to protect Downton and bottle it somewhere. It's just so great as it is... but the quality of storytelling and characterisation is such that I'm willing to trust that I'm going to like whatever they do next.
1. The beautiful theme (and incidental) music
2. I did mention the whole 'ensemble cast' thing, so the even way the story of each character is told is a joy: we're given just enough to get to understand each of them - and my favourite thing is the way the viewer is constantly surprised into having moments of sympathy even for the most unlikeable characters.
Fanvid/Teaser/Tribute for the whole of S1
Technically, could be spoilery, but brilliantly done, and a great teaser for the series.
If you want to be safe re spoilers, ITV's own promo for Downton is here (also excellent):
Click to viewAnd in particular: 3. Maggie Smith as Violet, Lady Grantham, the Dowager Countess.
(This probably goes without saying, but, yes, indeed. It would be worth watching for her even if the rest of the cast weren't also busy being marvellous.)
4. Hugh Bonneville as Robert, Earl of Grantham, possibly the nicest man in the universe.
5. Penelope Wilton (Harriet Jones to DW fans) being very awesome as Isobel Crawley. The bits where she and Violet compete with each other are wonderful. Sometimes Isobel wins, sometimes Violet. It is a battle not over yet (or at least - I very much hope not!).
6. And a brief hurrah for the splendidly evil Thomas and O'Brien who have not caught the spirit of sunshine and niceness from everyone else, and skulk about in back corridors plotting in whispers. But they have their own stories, too...
7. And everyone, and the 'ships: (Mainly Matthew/Mary, Sybil/Branson, and Anna/Bates. This lovely fanvid You Wait For Rain has three of them, and isn't too spoilerish.)
8. I did mention the whole 'created and (co)written by Julian Fellowes bit, didn't I? (He wrote Gosford Park, one of my favourite films, hence part of my excitement here.) Have some quotes!
***
Violet: [on encountering a swivel chair for the first time] Why does every day involve a battle with an American?
Robert: (complaining about the traffic): Last time there were five cars parked in the market place, and another three drove past while I was there.
Violet: Why do you always have to pretend to be nicer than the rest of us?
Robert: Perhaps I am.
Robert (to the butler): Really, Carson, there's no need to be so melodramatic. You're not playing Sydney Carton.
Violet: No Englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house, especially someone he didn't even know.
Sybil: Oh, Granny, even the English aren't in control of everything.
Carson: He was a handsome stranger from foreign parts one minute and the next he was as dead as a door nail... It's particularly hard on the younger maids.
Mary: Life can be so unfair. Everything seems so golden one minute and then it turns to ashes the next.
Violet (to Isobel): You are quite wonderful, the way you see room for improvement wherever you go.
Isobel: I take that as a compliment.
Violet: Oh. I must have said it wrong.
Mary: Forty years of boredom and duty isn't enough for me... I'm a lost cause, Mama.
Violet: I doubt I'd expect to curtsey to the Queen in June when I'd been arrested for a riot in May, but then I'm old. Things may be different now.
Mary: Haven't you heard? I don't have a heart. I thought everyone knew that.
Matthew (to Mary): If you really like an argument, we should see more of each other.
Cora (on Mary): I might send her to visit my aunt. She could get to know New York.
Violet: Oh, I don't think things are that desperate.
Violet: One can't go to pieces at the death of every foreigner. We'd all be in a state of collapse whenever we opened a newspaper.
Branson: I may be a Socialist, but I'm not a lunatic.
Sybil: I'm not sure Father knows the difference.
Violet: (on the Turkish ambassador) We can't have him assassinated... I suppose.
Cora: (on women's education) Things are different in America.
Violet: I know. They live in wigwams.
Cora: And when they come out of them, they go to school.
***
8. Everyone is complex. You don't need to be evil, tortured or angsty (although you can be on occasions); everyone has layers anyway. In particular, I'm all admiration for the way the viewer is led to change their opinion of Lady Mary (most people start by hating her and wind up routing for her).
9. The different, delicate tangle of relationships you get in an ensemble piece, with nearly everyone relating to everyone else in interesting ways.
10. Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan) and Mr Carson (Jim Carter), the housekeeper and butler who are such lovely characters, and who have been running the household for so long together, but still step so cautiously and shyly around each other. (It's possible Mrs Hughes/Carson is another underlying 'ship', but it doesn't have to be.)
It's to be found sometimes on ITV4; and it's made its way onto various channels in America and elsewhere, the first series came out on DVD before Christmas, and a clever person can find episodes on YouTube.
Tribute to S1 - this is gorgeous and uses the clips to create a dance-like effect. It does have some clips that would count as spoilers, though - but no words:
And I'm at the end and I haven't even really touched on Anna, Mr Bates, Lady Sybil & Branson, or William and Daisy... Or Sybil and Gwen, or... When is it autumn so I can watch some more?