This review is from: Downton Abbey – Series 1 & 2 Box Set [DVD] (DVD)
Downton Abbey is already close to an institution as the most popular costume drama for about 30 years, and produced by ITV as well despite this being very much on the BBC’s home turf. So far we have two series, with a third promised which will take us up to the 1920s with doubtless more to come. This DVD set covers the first two series, with 15 episodes, 7 from the first series and 8 from the second.
The first series covered the period from 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic, up to the start of the first world war in 1914 and much of the story line is about the matchmaking within the Crawley family where financial and social influences have a major bearing. Of course the interaction between the family and those who serve them `below stairs’ is a continual contributor to the excellent story lines. The second series picks up two years on from the first series in 1916, in the middle of World War 1. Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent home for injured servicemen and the action covers the period from the Battle of the Somme up to the end of the war. In both series topical events of the period, political, economic and military are covered.
There are many superb individual performances but mention must be made of Maggie Smith. What a stroke of genius to cast her as Violet. She dominates every scene she appears in and often has some very funny lines.
This box set will appeal to, what the TV viewing figures suggest, will be the few viewers who may have missed out first time round and also to the many who enjoyed this superb production and will want to revisit it.
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DVD series one and two very good veiwing. Holds your interest all the way through Very disappointed that final episode not included. Leaves you up in the air as to the conclusion. No indication when purchased that you are not buying the WHOLE story.
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This review is from: Downton Abbey – Series 1 & 2 Box Set [DVD] (DVD)
I was a bit late getting into ‘Downton Abbey’ but once I started to watch it I was pretty much hooked. Personally, I thought series one was better than the second series but that is not to say that number two wasn’t compulsive viewing because it certainly was in our household.
In all honesty there were quite a few far fetched moments in the second series but so what? Julian Fellowes does a great job at merging the many different goings on and by and large the acting is solid throughout. It goes without saying that Dame Maggie Smith steals every single scene that she is in but there are other fine performances from the likes of Joanne Froggatt, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan. The sets are great and the stories are compelling.
Series one won many awards and rightly so and it introduces the characters superbly well and has some very good storylines. Series two takes place during the first world war and it can be unintentionally funny in places with some scenes dying to be parodied and some odd dialogue but it is still top rate television. Many people have slated the later series which was predictable really and yes, Downton is going to get the mickey taken out of it in many a comedy sketch series. In fact, it is almost beyond parody anyway, much the same as ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ was in it’s day. For all of the reviewers that are giving this one or two stars I would simply say to them that this really isn’t as bad as they think when compared to reality tripe like ‘Big Brother’, it’s just a fine drama where quite a lot happens. To get both series in this box set is a treat and if you are new to the weird and wonderful world of ‘Downton Abbey’ then you could do a lot worse than purchase this.
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First Two Series of a Superb Period Drama,
Downton Abbey is already close to an institution as the most popular costume drama for about 30 years, and produced by ITV as well despite this being very much on the BBC’s home turf. So far we have two series, with a third promised which will take us up to the 1920s with doubtless more to come. This DVD set covers the first two series, with 15 episodes, 7 from the first series and 8 from the second.
The first series covered the period from 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic, up to the start of the first world war in 1914 and much of the story line is about the matchmaking within the Crawley family where financial and social influences have a major bearing. Of course the interaction between the family and those who serve them `below stairs’ is a continual contributor to the excellent story lines. The second series picks up two years on from the first series in 1916, in the middle of World War 1. Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent home for injured servicemen and the action covers the period from the Battle of the Somme up to the end of the war. In both series topical events of the period, political, economic and military are covered.
There are many superb individual performances but mention must be made of Maggie Smith. What a stroke of genius to cast her as Violet. She dominates every scene she appears in and often has some very funny lines.
This box set will appeal to, what the TV viewing figures suggest, will be the few viewers who may have missed out first time round and also to the many who enjoyed this superb production and will want to revisit it.
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|downton abbey,
DVD series one and two very good veiwing. Holds your interest all the way through Very disappointed that final episode not included. Leaves you up in the air as to the conclusion. No indication when purchased that you are not buying the WHOLE story.
Was this review helpful to you?
|A quality series,
I was a bit late getting into ‘Downton Abbey’ but once I started to watch it I was pretty much hooked. Personally, I thought series one was better than the second series but that is not to say that number two wasn’t compulsive viewing because it certainly was in our household.
In all honesty there were quite a few far fetched moments in the second series but so what? Julian Fellowes does a great job at merging the many different goings on and by and large the acting is solid throughout. It goes without saying that Dame Maggie Smith steals every single scene that she is in but there are other fine performances from the likes of Joanne Froggatt, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan. The sets are great and the stories are compelling.
Series one won many awards and rightly so and it introduces the characters superbly well and has some very good storylines. Series two takes place during the first world war and it can be unintentionally funny in places with some scenes dying to be parodied and some odd dialogue but it is still top rate television. Many people have slated the later series which was predictable really and yes, Downton is going to get the mickey taken out of it in many a comedy sketch series. In fact, it is almost beyond parody anyway, much the same as ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ was in it’s day. For all of the reviewers that are giving this one or two stars I would simply say to them that this really isn’t as bad as they think when compared to reality tripe like ‘Big Brother’, it’s just a fine drama where quite a lot happens. To get both series in this box set is a treat and if you are new to the weird and wonderful world of ‘Downton Abbey’ then you could do a lot worse than purchase this.
Was this review helpful to you?
|