The opening scene of Downton Abbey is a grand, sweeping crane shot of the castle-esque estate, with the same name, followed by an overwhelming frenzied montage of the house servants preparing the house for the very privileged inhabitants' breakfast. My first reactions were very much in the vein of the following statement: "What the fuck is this Masterpiece Theatre Bullshit?"
At first glance, the show looks like a stuffy, Victorian BBC period drama. Don't let the extravagant backdrops and elegant clothing fool you. This is more accurately a (very well written) soap opera circa 1914. The tension and relationships between the staff and the Abbey family, the family with each other and the staff with each other are compelling and rich. Staff, mysterious relatives, backstabbers, lovers, heirs and heiresses- we can't stop watching.
I've mentioned before the beauty of the British tv model of extremely short seasons, Downton Abbey is no exception- it ran only 7 episodes in Season One. It originally aired on BBC and then PBS here in the States. We can't wait for Season Two.
Torrent it: Downton Abbey on The Pirate Bay
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