Downton Abbey Review: Upstairs, Downstairs in Yorkshire

Harper Cole
TV ShowsDramaRomance
Downton Abbey (2010)

8/10 — Downton Abbey (2010)

Pros

  • Maggie Smith's wit
  • Lush production
  • Comfortable, absorbing

Cons

  • Melodramatic
  • Tidy resolutions

Set in an Edwardian Yorkshire country house, Downton Abbey follows the Crawley family and their staff through the First World War and the 1920s. It ran for six series on ITV.

What works

The production values are lush, and Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess steals every scene with her wit. The mix of upstairs and downstairs plots is comforting and well-acted.

Where it falters

It’s frequently melodramatic and sentimental, and storylines are often resolved too neatly.

Verdict

A cosy, handsome costume drama.

Harper ColeBy Harper Cole