Downton Abbey Episode 1 Recap: If You Read This Whole Post, I'll Give You A Fancy British Lady Hat

Like Lea said, we at the blog have promised to post more for 2011, so...

...hold on to your hats, because this post is a small Russian novel. The upcoming ones will be shorter, I promise! 

Let's get to it, shall we?

Seeing as I’d only watched PBS’ Emma and Sherlock Holmes last year, I’m kind of a novice when it comes the Masterpiece Series. Both shows were well-cast, had great performances, and were overall extremely enjoyable. When I saw a new series, Downton Abbey, was premiering last Sunday, I decided to DVR it just to try it out. The components—another glimpse of British society, an interesting and expansive cast with some heavy hitters (hello, Dame Maggie Smith!)—looked promising. My verdict so far after episode 1? Downton Abbey delivers in many ways.

The Rundown: Since this show has a fleet of a cast, I'm going to play the lazy card and direct you to the PBS Masterpiece site, which gives a much more thorough and clear synopsis and character rundown than I ever could. 

BUT! Here are the basics if YOU want to play the lazy card and not click on the link: Basically, the story begins in 1912, right when news breaks about the Titanic sinking. The Crawleys find out that 2 of their male relatives, one of whom was supposed to take over their countryside estate, Downton Abbey, were passengers on the liner and did not make it. Mary, the Crawleys' eldest daughter was to marry Patrick, her father's nephew, and produce an heir to the family fortune. Since Patrick died, Mary either has to find another suitor or lose the family fortune to the only eligible male relative left, Lord Grantham's 3rd cousin once removed, Matthew Crawley. There are also servants. Also, Maggie Smith plays the HBIC, the Dowager Countess, Violet Crawley. *Gasp* There. That was a mouthful. 

On to the commentary!!!! One aspect I find interesting about this show so far is that it looks at both the lives of the Crawley family as well as the servants. It gives us a glimpse of life both upstairs and downstairs. In true Masterpiece fashion, both glimpses are nuanced in their own right. Like the Crawleys, the servants' stories so far are given real character depth; within their group, they have their own inner hierarchy, their own hidden or not so hidden ambitions, regrets, desires, etc. No one in this show is easy to characterize, which I love. 

With any good show, it only takes one episode to find a few great characters that are stellar at chewing up scenery, and DA does not disappoint. I give you...

My Favorite Characters So Far,  In No Particular Order:   

HBIC. Scene stealer.

1) The Dowager Countess herself, Violet Crawley

Maggie Smith, correction Dame Maggie Smith, is brilliantly cast as the matriarch bent on saving the Crawley estate; she manages to steal every scene she's in, naturally. That usually happens when you've been a national treasure on stage and screen for multiple decades. Violet Crawley loves her family, but she's not your typical warm and fuzzy grandmother. Smith plays her as a woman who knows she's pulling the strings but with good intentions. 

I also can't help but think of McGonagall when she comes on screen, but that's not a detriment in any way, shape or form. 

2) Mr. Bates, Lord Grantham's Dignified Beyond Belief Valet

Perhaps the most sympathetic character in the show. And it's not just because he's a valet with a limp. Every expression that comes across John Coyle's face is tinged with just a hint of sadness, but not so much that it's overdone. He's stoic enough that he conveys this quietly wounded quality that makes me root for his life to get better. His interactions with possible love interest, Anna, were very sweet and a bit heartbreaking. I wonder why he didn't say anything to stop her from leaving his doorstep? It could've been he was just acting like the gentleman he is, but is there something else? This is Masterpiece Classic, after all. Secrets and secret lives are the lifeblood to a show like this. 

Speaking of....can we talk. 

Other Characters I Don't Necessarily Like, but Like to Watch:

Not your typical footman.

1) Thomas

Though he may not warm the cockles of my heart, Thomas, one of the footmen, is certainly a character to watch. He exudes arrogance and an ambition that seems ruthless and mean at times. However, we also get a glimpse of his vulnerability when he shows his affection for the Duke of Crowborough. He briefly lets down his guard for his secret love interest, only to be rejected and dismissed as a summer dalliance. To add insult to injury, the Duke throws all traces of their relationship (a stack of letters) into the fireplace, and their history literally goes up in smoke. It's interesting to see that even Thomas can get hurt; that scene made me sympathetic towards him, despite his usual abrasive qualities. 

Matthew; Lady Mary Crawley, trying to keep a tightfisted hold of her fortune since 1912.

2) Lady Mary Crawley

There's no mistaking she's a bit of an ice queen, but she has shades of gray as well. Like Thomas, Mary's definitely got a secret or two underneath her cool exterior. What I want to know is what is her relationship to the author of the letter she keeps tucked in her book? It was signed 'Sincerely, Evelyn'. Who could that be??? 

Other thoughts: She and cousin Matthew didn't exactly have the friendliest of introductions, but I have a feeling they're supposed to end up married to each other. They seem to be thrown together as part of your typical adversarial relationship turned romantic, or rather, 'girl-thinks-guy-can-barely-hold-a-knife-like-a gentleman, guy-refuses-to-become-haughty-aristocrat-like-girl, they meet in the middle somehow, hate turns to love sort of deal'. (Unless, the 'Evelyn' in that mysterious letter makes an appearance (which could throw an interesting wrench in the plot)). From the previews for ep. 2, it looks like Mary's going to have a dalliance or two of her own. We'll have to wait and see.

Other Stuff I Just Thought Was Cool:

Bells. Shiny. Oh, hey, Mr. Carson!

1) The bell system the servants answer to. 

It is wayyy more awesome-looking than a boring modern day intercom. DO WANT.

2) The Pre-WWI Bromance between Lord Grantham and Mr. Bates. 

When LG ran after the carriage to stop his old war buddy from leaving, thus giving him a second chance at keeping his job, my heart melted a little. 

3) The Dowager Countess' hats. 

In addition to making good period dramas, the British really know how to make and wear hats. I almost want one for myself, but I'm pretty sure I could only pull it off if I had a matching country side estate complete with a fleet of servants, both of which would be riddled with intrigue. Oh, well. A girl can dream. 

Every matriarch worth her salt needs a good hat that says, 'I run this bizzle.'

Episode 2 airs tomorrow night on PBS at 9 p.m.! 

[Image credits: fanpop.com, pbs.org]