Entitlements

Mix modulated voices, awesome vistas, vintage clothing and a bit of venal behavior with unerring words delivered by accomplished actors and the result is singular bliss. Beginning with the Titanic tragedy that still resonates a century later, the story's characters become familiar almost instantly. Significant disparities never strip away the household's collective humanity and though some may long for a different life, not even the quasi-evil individuals fail to comprehend their current station.



It is impossible to compare this BBC boon with other current television fare without realizing how much richer is the story of the first decades of the last century as witnessed through the lens of an agreeable collection of British subjects. Though intellectual in approach and delivery, the masterful tale is filled with human folly, intrigue, encroaching change, and substantial sorrow. No reality show or situation comedy, no crime drama or doctor-driven saga can compete with this Masterpiece.

I'm enmeshed in Downton Abbey's web, absorbed by each episode. I've been transported to Edwardian England with its rigid social standards, vast estates, and legions of overworked servants. I fondly remember the early 1980's when the BBC's Brideshead Revisited captivated me as Charles Ryder began a fateful friendship with Sebastian Flyte. The castle was just as grand, the clothing totally sublime, the cars elegant and the time period nearly identical. I adored Sebastian's bear, Aloysius, and considered him simply a non-speaking member of the group.



With two seasons completed and a third being filmed, Downton Abbey has garnered an audience to be envied. Though predominately female, there are also many men who applaud its significance and never miss an episode. The class lines are drawn, then partially erased when the country is at war. Politics cannot be halted at the property boundaries, resulting in animated conversations centering on individual opinions, gender specific disagreements and economically based attitudes toward land based issues. Nearly cataclysmic change awaits everyone. Some will adapt, others will retreat.

Beauty befalls the production as the faces of young adults materialize, revealing comeliness in each countenance. Who can gaze upon Matthew Crawley and not be mesmerized by his charming smile and unforgettable eyes? Even with her quixotic behavior, Lady Mary Crawley's poise and perfect features urge one toward repeated forgiveness. Although she may appear rather plain, Daisy exudes embryonic pluck which indicates her ability to conquer her circumstances.

These charming cast members are occasionally overshadowed by the inimitable Maggie Smith in the role of the Dowager Duchess. She is given the very best lines and utters them with alacrity. I look into her graciously lined face and I see not an elderly actress of extraordinary talent but her younger self. For a fleeting moment, Maggie's a middle-aged red haired teacher in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, an incomparable role from the 1960's. She remains an arresting figure and much credit must be accorded to Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, that she plays a pivotal part in his drama.



As Lady Cora Crawley, Elizabeth McGovern balances her quest for three daughters' marriages with household responsibilities and never quite loses her uniquely American approach to life's challenges. There's something so charming about her almost English accent and the way she gently cajoles her family into proper behavior.



Carson, the butler, commands his vast space with just the right amount of self-confidence, deference, and dignity. Miss O'Brien, the Lady's maid, wavers between devotion and deviltry. Bates, a man of mystery, manifests strength as he copes with what seem like endless reversals, anchored by his love for sweet Anna. Mrs. Patmore governs the kitchen with tactics that might make a general wince but also evidences a soft side on occasion.

As I watched week after week, I understood that even the exceedingly rich appear trapped, though luxuriously so. Tradition triumphs until it becomes tarnished or morphs into new habits. Change is fearful for all strata of society. War is a leveler with unimaginable waste of human lives, not respecting the ancestry of any caught in the carnage. Victory on the battlefield in no way assured that what was known before would still exist when the fighting finally ceased.

On Sunday evenings, I can surround myself with the elegance of a country castle inhabited by exquisitely dressed residents. I'm able to admire the incorporation of historical events into the script and watch with interest as relationships develop and sometimes dwindle. With courage and a bit of apprehension, these people of nearly a century past allow me to be enfolded into their story. I feel delightfully entitled by the opportunity.