Downton Abbey Review: A Five-Star Historical Drama

Updated October 2026.

Created by Julian Fellowes
Starring Hugh Bonneville · Elizabeth McGovern · Maggie Smith · Michelle Dockery · Laura Carmichael · Jessica Brown Findlay · Dan Stevens · Penelope Wilton · Jim Carter · Brendan Coyle · Joanne Froggatt · Siobhan Finneran

The aristocratic Crawley family and their servants navigate the tensions of a declining class system, while the modern world knocks louder and louder on the door of their Yorkshire estate. Downton Abbey is one of those rare series that is equally good as escapism and as a portrait of an era.

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Why We Love Looking Back

The desire to understand the past is universal. We want to know how we got here and why our lives are shaped the way they are. Historical films and series are one of the most effective ways to satisfy that curiosity, even when they don’t meet the strictest standards of historical accuracy.

Every now and then, a sprinkle of magic complements the facts. Period dramas usually portray real events and eras, blending in fictional characters to entertain, educate and offer new perspectives on a specific time. Downton Abbey does exactly that, and does it beautifully.

The Story: A Grand House on the Edge of Change

Downton Abbey was created and written by Julian Fellowes and produced by Carnival Films. It aired on ITV in the UK from 2010 to 2015, and in the US on PBS as part of Masterpiece.

The series follows the Crawley family, aristocrats living on the fictional Yorkshire estate of Downton Abbey, and the staff who keep the house running. The story begins in 1912 and ends in the mid 1920s, as the Edwardian world gives way to modern life: electricity, telephones, cars, votes for women and a fading belief that everyone should know their place.

At its core, the series is about people: the personal struggles, ambitions and relationships of the family and their servants, full of romance, tension, secrets and dreams. It offers a window into a period of huge social change and lets us live through it alongside the characters.

Real history in the background

One of the series’ strengths is how it weaves real events into the lives of its characters:

• 1912: the sinking of the Titanic sets the whole story in motion when the heirs to Downton are lost on board.
• 1914: the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the outbreak of the First World War.
• 1914 to 1918: the war reaches Downton, which even becomes a convalescent home for wounded officers.
• 1918 to 1919: the Spanish flu pandemic strikes the household.
• The 1920s: new freedoms for women, new money, new politics and the slow decline of the great estates.

Upstairs: The Crawley Family

The Crawleys represent the complexities of aristocratic life in early 20th century England: formalities, social duties and traditions. They manage the estate and try to keep it financially afloat while handling their own affairs and relationships, attending social events, hosting dinners and forming alliances with other aristocratic families.

• Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville): the Earl of Grantham, devoted to Downton and to tradition.
• Cora Crawley (Elizabeth McGovern): his American wife, whose fortune helped save the estate.
• Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery): the eldest daughter, confident and ambitious.
• Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael): the middle daughter, often overlooked and wonderfully resilient.
• Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay): the youngest, progressive and idealistic.
• Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith): the Dowager Countess, with direct, unapologetic manners and a famously sharp tongue. She guards the family’s legacy and honour with timeless wisdom.
• Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens): a distant cousin who unexpectedly becomes heir. His middle class sensibilities and modern ideals shake up the family’s plans.
• Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton): Matthew’s mother and a former nurse, whose progressive views on social justice and healthcare challenge aristocratic conventions.

Together they show the tension between traditional and modern ideas during a transformative era.

Downstairs: Life Below Stairs

Below stairs, a dedicated staff, from the butler and head cook to footmen and maids, follows strict rules and hierarchy while living through friendship, ambition and the occasional feud. Key characters include:

• Charles Carson (Jim Carter): the butler and a strong defender of tradition and protocol. Through deep relationships and quiet acts of kindness, he leaves a lasting legacy of loyalty and integrity.
• Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol): the head cook, balancing tradition with modern aspirations and offering guidance and wisdom to younger staff like Daisy.
• Anna Bates (Joanne Froggatt): Lady Mary’s loyal and compassionate lady’s maid, whose role goes far beyond duty.
• John Bates (Brendan Coyle): Lord Grantham’s valet, a man with a mysterious past.
• Tom Branson (Allen Leech): the chauffeur from a working class Irish background, whose strong political beliefs reflect the changing times.
• Daisy (Sophie McShera): starts as a kitchen maid and comes to symbolise the move towards education and independence for women.
• Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier): introduced as a manipulative footman who struggles with trust and connection, and becomes one of the most layered characters in the series.
• Sarah O’Brien (Siobhan Finneran): Lady Grantham’s lady’s maid, loyal but scheming, often plotting together with Thomas.

Highclere Castle: The Real Downton

Downton Abbey may be fictional, but the house is very real. The series was filmed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, the home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. The castle opens to visitors during the summer months, and fans travel from all over the world to walk through the rooms they know from the screen.

Highclere has a remarkable story of its own: the 5th Earl of Carnarvon financed the excavation that led to the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922. History, it turns out, runs through the real house as richly as through the fictional one.

What Makes Downton Abbey a Five Star Series?

A few months ago, I wrote a post called Frankly, my dear, I do give a damn, where I argued that series have more room than films for characters to grow, simply because of their longer runtime. That space creates multidimensional characters and complex stories that people truly enjoy binging, and it builds emotional connections between the characters and the audience.

Characters who change

In Downton Abbey, characters evolve significantly across the seasons. Older series often kept characters in static roles with little development over time. Here, people face challenges, grow, and react to love, loss and changing circumstances. They make tough decisions, and the series captures the complexity of human nature in a way modern audiences recognise.

The magic of this particular series lies in its ability to change our opinions of the characters. No one is ultimately good or bad.

Jackinna of All Trades

Drama, romance and humour

Downton Abbey is one of the most versatile series I know. It blends drama, romance and humour seamlessly, and its exploration of social class gives the entertainment real depth. That balance is what makes it a timeless classic.

A cast at its best

The depth and authenticity of the characters come from exceptional performances. From the Crawley family to the loyal servants, every cast member plays their role with skill and dedication, capturing the nuances of their characters’ emotions.

Critics agreed. The series won numerous awards, including Emmys and Golden Globes, and in 2011 Guinness World Records named it the most critically acclaimed TV show.

Then and Now: Honour, Duty and a Pandemic

As one of the most popular series in British television history, Downton Abbey gives us a glimpse of a time when honour and duty meant everything. That contrasts sharply with today’s world, where social media shapes opinions, trends and individualism across a diverse global landscape.

Watching it after COVID adds another layer. The Spanish flu storyline invites us to compare how societies faced pandemics then and now, and how far healthcare has come. The series quietly encourages reflection on how values and societies evolve in times of crisis.

From Series to the Big Screen

The story didn’t end with the final episode in 2015. The Crawleys returned in three films:

• Downton Abbey (2019): a royal visit turns the house upside down.
• Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022): a film crew arrives at Downton, and the family travels to the French Riviera.
• Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025): the farewell to the Crawleys and their household.

If you haven’t started yet, begin with the series. The films continue the story for those who already know the characters.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Downton Abbey
• Highclere Castle: official website
• Wikipedia: List of awards and nominations received by Downton Abbey
• Flavorwire: Downton Abbey wins a Guinness World Record
• Maclean’s: Downton Abbey by the numbers