In the past, I have been a Downton Abbey enthusiast. I have marveled at the wit, historical setting, costuming, plotting, and overall charm of the British masterpiece.
But this season the series has taken a serious downturn. I now feel like I'm watching a daytime soap opera, with gut-wrenching scenes meant to pull at the viewers' heartstrings.
Just as too much soap can spoil a load of laundry, too much soap can decimate an otherwise great drama.
Points in fact: Dying spouses, pregnant daughters, and deathly-ill granny. Yeah, even Maggie Smith, pictured above, is not above getting overly dour in the now-maudlin, unctuous, often annoying show.
Doesn't Maggie look unhappy? Well, you should see me! Haha! What happened to her clever witticisms that made me admire the British aristocracy with shameless abandon?
Let's hope the series gets back on track, lest it go the way of so many wonderful dramas that begin on the high road and end up mired in the mud.
Well, I have to counter-point on this one, D.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I have always seen this as soap, but a highly well-done one that transcends the formula with its intellect, detail, and dialogue. Face it, don't we want to see a lot happen?
And before this season, we saw the tragedy of Titanic (opening scene!), war, illicit sex and death in bed, death in childbirth, death in car accident, possible murder, mishandling of family fortune, homosexual dynamics, in-house espionage...I'll stop there.
Re the dowager, Violet, I see no lessening of her wit, but I do see them adding layers to her, showing signs of (perhaps a younger) her in the ability to be tender to others. She still has fabulous zingers, particularly shot toward Isobel. I
I am enjoying watching Lady Mary morph into the future dowager with her own snaps (as in, "I have no problem lying." haha)
The issue of Anna's rape moved me to tears with her performance, and made me think deeper about the effect on one's spouse and especially during that era.
There were a couple of episodes that frankly bored me (I'm so sick of the Mr. Mosely plot line).
I continue to enjoy the "upstairs vs. downstairs" contrasts.
Lastly, I am fascinated by the show's refusal to stagnate, historically. We watch inevitable social change and who adapts easily (Mary, Edith) and who struggles with it (Carson, Lord Grantham). The pain of modernization and transference of power from the old world - Robert - to the new - Mary and Tom - presents issues that do not limit themselves to "soap."
The one thing that annoys me is the trend now to take a highly successful show (Mad Men included) and dangle a mere 6+weeks of shows then we are left to wait another 13 months or so. Nonsense.
~ Over and out.
Points well taken, Valerie. Yes, the show has always been a soap, full of wit and charm. Maybe I just got tired of the recent episodes. You are so right that the characters do morph and we see history in the making. The upstairs/downstairs issues are awesome. I might complain on occasion, but I'll never miss a single episode of this daunting and original series.
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