Rev. Arts HN: “Downton Abbey” (Season 1, Episode 1: “Chapter One”) Review

Death, drama, romance, relatable characters, beautiful score, spectacular cinematography… and the year is 1912. Created and written by Julian Fellowes (“The Tourist”), “Downton Abbey” has been running on PBS’s Masterpiece Classics anthology since 2010 in the United Kingdom, and 2011 in the United States. The series has recently been booked for their sixth and final season, which is set begin airing in the US in 2016. “Downton Abbey” is a smashing classic, continually watched and re-watched by fans around the world. The series’ popularity can be attributed to a handful of factors that have been present in each episode since season one, scene one; including the 20th century characters Fellowes has made that can relate to his 21st century audience, a score that tugs at fan’s heartstrings, and stunning cinematography. “Downton Abbey” is a series that takes all of the facts, issues, and some of the major historical moments of the 20th century, and relates them all to what it might have been like for the Crawley family and their staff.