Downton Abbey Episodes By PBS

There are times in one’s life where the quality of TV serials are so monotonous and boring, it leads one to wonder the exact purpose of the TV. This is not the case with the Downton Abbey Episodes. Was TV not created to bring entertainment into our lives? This seems a fools hope when one turns on the TV and see the utter nonsense being shown. PBS has changed all of that with the production of the television drama Downton Abbey Episodes staged in 1912 in England right after the sinking of the Titanic.

And then there are times, the TV actually becomes the instrument it was intended to be and shows wonderful dramas like the newly created period show – Downtown Abbey. Set at the turn of the twentieth century, the Masterpiece Classic Downton Abbey Episodes showcase the effect major world events have on the on members of one particular family, the aristocratic Crawley family of Grantham.

The family is led by the 6th Earl of Grantham, Robert Crawley who is kind, compassionate and has a strong sense of self. It seems the character is struggling with the intersection between the old way of life and the new impending changes that are being forced upon the family. The Downton Abbey Episodes begin as the kind, trusting heart of the Earl  hires his old batman John Bates to be his personal valet. Even though he faces opposition at this decision he still pursues it because he thinks it is for the best. The Downton Abbey Episodes also highlight the affect, the sinking of the Titanic, has on the Crawley family particularly their class consciousness and the struggle to hang onto the old way of life.

Since the Earl has not been blessed with a son, his nearest male relative will stand to inherit the estate as well as the fortune he obtained in the dowry of his wealthy American wife Cora. However, disaster strikes in the Downton Abbey Episodes when Robert’s nearest male relative, his cousin James, dies in the sinking of the Titanic. His son, Patrick, too dies with him. This leaves no aristocratic heir to the estate and this turn of events causes a great deal of consternation in the family. Additionally, Robert and Cora’s eldest daughter was engaged to Patrick and now he is no more. How the family deals and copes with this bit of news is what the entire Downton Abbey Episodes are about.

The death of James and Patrick causes the estate and its fortune to pass on to the next male relative of Robert’s, a commoner, a solicitor in London and Robert’s third cousin, a Mr. Matthew Crawley. Because he is not an aristocrat, the Crawley family of Grantham initially refuses to accept him and treat him fairly. As the drma begins in the Downton Abbey Episodes the Earl is the only one to welcome him with open arms. How Matthew goes from being an outcast to finally being welcomed into the family is one of the story arcs present in the Downton Abbey Episodes.

Downton Abbey Episodes Plots

A side story in the first of the Downton Abbey Episodes has the some of the servants plotting to destroy the newly appointed valet’s credibility and honor in the eyes of the Earl. How that pans out is also interesting to watch. It is interesting to watch the series as the lives of the family and their servants sometimes intertwine and sometimes go off on their own. The servants have their own story lines and intrigues and it is a delight to watch the intermingling of the various story lines of the upstairs, downstairs style drama.

Another interesting character in the Downton Abbey Episodes is that of the Countess of Grantham, Cora Crawley. Just like her husband Robert, she too was forced into this marriage by her parents who wanted her to marry into English aristocracy. American by birth, she learns to hold herself in a typically British way. However this does nothing to ease tensions between Cora and her mother in law Violet Crawley who comes to resent the open minded, forward thinking American girl. As the Downton Abbey Episodes progress, these two are shown to come to an understanding and to also join hands in some endeavors. She is also one of the few members of the family who supports Matthew’s decision to continue working after inheriting the estate and comes into conflict with the other members of the family because of this.

Violet, the mother to Robert, is also the Dowager Countess of Grantham and is an old fashioned women. Holding tightly to the old ways of life, she often times comes into direct conflict with her more modern daughter in law. She also abhors the change being brought about by her son, Robert and often complains to him how these actions of his are not right. She stands opposed to him when he decides to install electricity and the telephone. In the first of the Season 1  episodes of the Downton Abbey Episodes, Violet is the first one to propose breaking the entail that has Matthew stand to be heir of the estate. As she loves her granddaughters very much, she hates the idea that they won’t stand to get anything from the estate or from their mother’s fortune. Violet has an interesting personality and though she often times comes across as bitter and very much class conscious, there are streaks of kindness and compassion in her, that allows her to cross the class divide when occasion demands in the Downton Abbey Episodes.

Lady Mary Crawley is the eldest daughter of Robert and Cora and was also engaged to Patrick. Since she was forced into the marriage, she questions her parents on why she should wear mourning clothes after hearing of Patrick’s death. Initially cold and reserved with the new heir, Matthew, they develop feelings for each other later and start a tentative romance. Listening to advice by her aunt, she turns down Matthew’s proposal and leads him to heartbreak. Earlier in the Downton Abbey Episodes, Mary also has an indiscrete affair with another man and he ends up dying in her bed. This comes to the knowledge of her mother who is furious with her, but helps her carry the body back to the man’s own bed. They go to great lengths to hide any signs of the affair and this has a lasting impact on Mary. One of the reasons she turns down Matthew’s proposal is because she is afraid to tell him of her earlier indiscretion. This issue crops up again when she is betrothed to the rich and aristocratic Sir Richard Carlisle later one of the Downton Abbey Episodes.

Downton Abbey Episodes Downstairs Life

Downstairs, there is alot going on as well as the Downton Abbey Episodes begin. Thomas, the footman in the Grantham estate is furious to learn that he has been passed over for the promotion as Robert’s valet. Instead, the cripple John Bates have been given this role. Determined to get even or better, he hatched a plan with the vindictive Miss O’Brien to remove Bates from the Earl’s service. Thomas is not above using his homosexuality to blackmail an old lover of his, the Duke of Crowborough.

The new valet, Mr Bates was the Earl’s batman during the Boer war and is ecstatic to join his services again, especially since he has a war wound that does not allow him proper movement. He is quite okay with his deformity but once in a while goes through time periods of wishing it would change because of the challenges he faces in the future Downton Abbey Episodes.

Miss O’Brien is the vindictive Lady in waiting to Countess Crawley and is often the one who joins in with Thomas to create mischief in the house and disrupt its smooth workings. These are only a few of the many colorful characters who play major roles in the Downton Abbey Episodes and the other are described in the Downton Abbey Episodes cast book.

The Downton Abbey Episodes are not only taking England by storm as the latest rage, but the in the United States as well as internationally the same response has been received by this latest PBS drama for television..

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