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**If you haven't seen season 3, you should stop reading now**
What the hell happened? Seasons one and two were basically good. At its core the series was another Upstairs, Downstairs and while it lacked the strengths of that series, it was an enjoyable way to pass an hour. But season 3 is another matter.
Too many of the characters have become mere caricatures - Robert, Earl of Grantham, the dolt, Lady Mary the bitch, Tom Branson the emasculated revolutionary, Matthew Crawley the henpecked husband, Cora, Countess of Grantham, - well, she was always two dimensional. Even Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, only shines on occasion before settling back into one-line witticisms. There are exceptions of course, but, for instance, the decision to develop Thomas Barrow's1 character beyond a mean, conniving, thieving, unpleasant man and to show a softer, more emotional side (hints of which were in earlier episodes but soon ignored) isn't enough. On the whole, belowstairs comes off a little better, but they are treading water. The introduction of Alfred Nugent and Jimmy Kent as the new footmen seemed promising, but they have become like two little boys set loose among the china.
Julian Fellowes seems to have lost his way. Perhaps all the characters have become too much for him because they seem to have stretched his creativity beyond his ability. Fellowes is promising new characters for season 4, I assume in hopes of invigorating the story lines and filling the gaps left by deaths this season, but he would be better to spend more time invigorating the existing characters and developing their interactions. He has actors who are more than capable if given the right material. In a story that is character driven, if the characters don't grow the story withers. It may seem I'm being harsh, but it will be interesting to see if season 4 can redeem its quality or send it, like the Titanic of its first episode, to the bottom.
What the hell happened? Seasons one and two were basically good. At its core the series was another Upstairs, Downstairs and while it lacked the strengths of that series, it was an enjoyable way to pass an hour. But season 3 is another matter.
Too many of the characters have become mere caricatures - Robert, Earl of Grantham, the dolt, Lady Mary the bitch, Tom Branson the emasculated revolutionary, Matthew Crawley the henpecked husband, Cora, Countess of Grantham, - well, she was always two dimensional. Even Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, only shines on occasion before settling back into one-line witticisms. There are exceptions of course, but, for instance, the decision to develop Thomas Barrow's1 character beyond a mean, conniving, thieving, unpleasant man and to show a softer, more emotional side (hints of which were in earlier episodes but soon ignored) isn't enough. On the whole, belowstairs comes off a little better, but they are treading water. The introduction of Alfred Nugent and Jimmy Kent as the new footmen seemed promising, but they have become like two little boys set loose among the china.
Julian Fellowes seems to have lost his way. Perhaps all the characters have become too much for him because they seem to have stretched his creativity beyond his ability. Fellowes is promising new characters for season 4, I assume in hopes of invigorating the story lines and filling the gaps left by deaths this season, but he would be better to spend more time invigorating the existing characters and developing their interactions. He has actors who are more than capable if given the right material. In a story that is character driven, if the characters don't grow the story withers. It may seem I'm being harsh, but it will be interesting to see if season 4 can redeem its quality or send it, like the Titanic of its first episode, to the bottom.
1 More on Thomas Barrow in a future post
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