The final episode of ‘Downton Abbey‘ this season ended with a call to prayer and unity. One has to wonder at the success of this quintessentially English film. It seems almost impossible to fathom how the Americans have taken it in good stride. Nevertheless we are broadly appreciative of all the efforts that have been put into making it. Julian Fellowes has been sharply criticized in some quarters for concentrating on pastiche instead of true art. Nevertheless we have to remember that the entire premise of this program is rooted in nostalgia and a world where rich people did not work for their money.
Storylines, accents and plots
One of the criticisms that were laid at the door of ‘Downton Abbey‘ was the fact that the acting was rather wooden. You never got any sense of drama. Most of the fun was in the putdowns by Dame Maggie Smith who players the formidable Dowager Countess to perfection. The literary format might appear to be outdated but it has been considerably freshened up using some clever characterization. The dialogue is surprisingly crisp and precise despite the wooden delivery that is associated with many of the stars. The master and servant relationships are complex and even symbiotic. An ambitious manservant acts as the reincarnation of evil and challenges the saccharine qualities of this idealized piece.
On this day it was the Christmas Celebration of 1919. As usual there were guests (3 of them on this occasion). Mr. Bates was facing trial for murder and the complex relationship that marred their marriage was hinted at through third parties. Quite surprisingly the upper classes were genuinely affected by the tragedy of this servant but they never forgot that invisible barrier that marked the class distinctions of the time. We had the lecherous cad coming to court for money. In other words they tried to summarize all the elements of ‘Downton Abbey’ in one episode. For that we offer 4 stars out of 5 in this review.
