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Dowton Abbey is such a treat for Sunday evenings, even with the annoying ad break. Julian Fellowes has created a fascinating spectrum of characters and it’s a pleasure to spend an hour with them every week. But it’s not without its problems. The stuff in the great family is in danger of getting a bit stagnant: the breaking of the entail might be of great importance to them, but long discussions about the intricacies of inheritance law don’t make for riveting television, although the death of Mr Pamuk did create some great scenes. I just wish they’d properly develop the younger sisters, particularly socialist Sybil and her fabulous trousers.
To be honest, the real problem with the scenes among the scenes of the aristocrats is that Maggie Smith isn’t in all of them. Sure, the rest of the cast is marvellous (especially Hugh Bonneville, who is utterly divine as the man torn between his home and his family), but Smith makes the most of her brilliantly combative matriarch. Her scenes with Penelope Wilton as the mother of the new heir positively sing, as the power balance continually shifts, and when she’s not at the big house, you’re waiting for her to arrive.
One thing is working consistently well in Downton Abbey, and that’s the scenes amongst the servants. There are just as many subtle power plays among them, and they’re fascinating to watch, from Thomas wooing Daisy just to spite William and his continued resentment of Bates’s role as valet. If anything, Thomas and O’Brien sometimes feel like underwritten villains, but their machinations make for some tense TV, and they still have the chance to redeem themselves. The quiet respect between Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes as they keep it all running smoothly is deftly played by Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan.
But the best thing in the whole programme for me is the burgeoning relationship between valet Bates and head housemaid Anna. The shy, sweet interactions between Brendan Coyle and Joanne Froggatt are a joy to watch, and I nearly melted when he brought the tray to her room when she was sick.
Ultimately, what works best about Downton Abbey is the interactions between great characters who have won our hearts, no matter whether they’re wearing the latest (gorgeous) Edwardian fashions or a maid’s outfit.
Downton Abbey continues on Sundays at 9pm on ITV.
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