I like to think that when BBC executives sat Julian Fellowes down and asked him why he created Downton Abbey, they said, “Julian, baby,”–because I’m sure all BBC execs talk like cliché Hollywood agents–“you wrote Gosford Park. Upstairs, Downstairs covered similar terrain. Why did you create another show about the world of British aristocrats and their staff?” In my mind, Julian probably slowly took off his Ray Bans, winked, and said, “Because Mandy will watch it.”
Watch I did. And I’ll continue to watch the shit out of it for the next three Sundays. Oh, Masterpiece Classic, you’ve been gone too long.
Where to begin with all the Downton Abbey goodness? Maggie Smith. Enough said. She, as the Dowager Countess, at one point asks the lawyer cousin with all sincerity, “What’s a weekend?” Home run: Maggie Smith. (I could go on and on with the Maggie love. I recently watched Murder By Death again. “Where’s my Dickie?” is one of my favorite movie lines ever. Considering getting a t-shirt made of it.)
The story of Downton Abbey begins on the day the Titanic sank. Two of the Earl of Grantham’s heirs were on the ship. Thus begins the “Who’s the new heir?” hubbub. See, the Earl only has daughters and they can’t inherit the title or the estate that goes with it. Whatever! (Sorry that was the contemporary part of my brain speaking.) The Earl of Grantham is played by Hugh Bonneville AKA Guy That I Always Referred To As Guy From Notting Hill Until About Six Months Ago. Now I call him Hugh Bonneville.
Elizabeth McGovern is in this as the Countess of Grantham. I’m always a wee bit jealous when I see an American on a BBC show. Because if I was still acting, that would be one of my goals: Broadway, BBC/Masterpiece Classic, and a horror film where I end up being the killer.
Now let’s not forget the the goings on of the staff. Evil Thomas who has it in for Bates the new valet. Bates has a limp from a war injury so Evil Thomas and Evil Miss O’Brien scheme to discredit him. Even tripping him in front of the Duke at one point! Yes, Bates made me sob. SOB! My soul picked out his character to identify with. In Gosford Park, my soul chose the guest that only had one fancy dress and the others made pointed remarks about it. In fact, I believe it was Maggie Smith making those remarks. She made me cry but I still love her all the same…
What did I learn from awesome Part One? Beware of evil footmen. Valet is not pronounced “val-lay” but rather, “val-it”. Who knew? And apparently, it was bad form to have a maid serving in the dining room. Whatever!
