Although the events in Ferguson, Missouri have created a social media firestorm over the last week, much of the media cycle was dominated by the death of Robin Williams on Monday. Tributes have been pouring in, including this one and this one from Sound on Sight, and there has been some absolutely beautiful writing to …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 8 Directed by Jon East Written by Julian Fellowes Aired Sunday at 9 pm on PBS Downton Abbey concludes yet another season of ups and downs with a pretty even-keeled finale. Like the end of Season 3, the events of this special happen mostly away from the titular residence, but …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 7 Directed by Edward Hall Written by Julian Fellowes Airs Sundays at 9 PM on PBS Many resolutions came to fruition in last night’s episode of Downton Abbey, and on the whole, most of them are some of the most delightful of the season. There were homecomings, leave-takings, an offscreen …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 6 Directed by Edward Hall Written by Julian Fellowes Airs Sundays at 9 PM on PBS Just last week, Violet accused her adversary, and sometimes friend, Isobel of “running on indignation.” It’s not very often Isobel’s spiteful side overshadows her more pleasant qualities, but her mission to humble the Countess …
Downton Abbey, Season 4: Episode 5 Directed by Philip John Written by Julian Fellowes Airs Sunday nights at 9 PM EST on PBS The multitude of relationships, a rigid class system, and the period piece nature of Downton Abbey generate plenty of opportunities for the show to examine prejudice in its various manifestations. Mary’s storylines …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 4 Directed by Philip John Written by Julian Fellowes Airs Sundays on PBS There are many highs and lows to be counted in this week’s episode of Downton Abbey. While some characters win and others lose, it is a rewarding installment in most regards. It reminds us why we still …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 3 Directed by Catherine Morshead Written by Julian Fellowes Aired Sunday, 19th of January on PBS Once in awhile, every soap opera needs to take time to step back and take stock of the relationships that have formed, how they came to be, and where they might go from …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 2 Directed by Catherine Morshead Written by Julian Fellowes Aired Sunday, 12th of January on PBS Last night’s Downton Abbey observes the household trying to recapture some former glory with a house party, putting on show exactly the sort of pomp and decadence so many tune in for. But the …
Downton Abbey, Season 4, Episode 1 Directed by David Evans Written by Julian Fellowes Aired Sunday, 5th of January on PBS The surprise death of Matthew Crawley that closed the book on Downton Abbey’s third season not only left a gaping hole in the show’s role call, but it threw the door wide open for …
We have, by now, seen so many stories set during the Second World War that to attempt a new one means that a writer has to come up with a new angle, something so fresh that no one’s seen it before. Anyone can craft a tale of a young girl’s coming of age in Nazi Germany; even if the intent is to create and develop multi-faceted characters, not just howling, evil goose-steppers, there has to be a hook. For better or worse, The Book Thief, based on the popular young adult novel of the same name, does have a hook to set itself aside from every other World War II drama. The problem is, unfortunately, that the hook is massively misguided.
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.7 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by Andy Goddard This 2-hour special transports the Crawleys out of Downton Abbey and all the way to Scotland, where they dance, hunt, and escape their problems for a while. This episode doesn’t possess the charm or warm feelings of the previous season closer, but it …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.6 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by David Evans Many have lodged the complaint that Downton Abbey has established a trademark habit of introducing a problem one week only to resolve it by the following episode. The slow burn is not exactly a technique the show has mastered. Occasionally, the odd storyline …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.5 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by Jeremy Webb In classic British fashion, Downton Abbey generally utilizes wit and subtlety to get its point across, but in this episode, the gloves come off and no punches are pulled. And Robert takes most of the pummeling. After half a season of his resolute …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.4 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by Jeremy Webb All season long a dark clouds have hung threateningly over the Downton household, but thus far, our esteemed characters have managed to dodge disaster at every turn. So naturally something drastic had to take place to remind us viewers not to get …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.3 Directy by Andy Goddard Written by Julian Fellows This episode of Downton Abbey dealt with an onslaught of separations. The most obvious is the unfairly enforced, and getting tedious, divide between Anna and her imprisoned husband, Bates. Bates has made enemies in prison, and they have decided to withhold his mail, …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.2 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by Andy Goddard As Downton Abbey is prone to do, its latest installment gave with one hand, took with the other, and dragged its feet on other matters best resolved sooner rather than later. When Edith extols, “something happening in this house is actually about me,” …
Downton Abbey, Episode 3.1 Written by Julian Fellows Directed by Brian Percival Downton Abbey ended its ignominious second season with a Christmas special that seemed to redeem all the unnecessary melodrama of its sophomore year and revived a confidence in its faithful viewership that the show could move forward on surer footing. Last night, season …
**Spoilers ahead** While class separates the women upstairs from the women downstairs at Downton Abbey, and this class difference intersects with gender in various ways, they ultimately do share a common gender. Such is the uniting potential of shared social and political disadvantage that often it breaks through the other barriers between people. The first …
**Spoilers ahead** Set in the early 20th Century, Downton Abbey is well situated to tackle a variety of gender themes. It is early enough that women’s rights were largely absent, still a vigorous source for dramatic conflict, yet it is late enough that the debate is active and open. In this way it can make …