Julian Fellows is a man of many talents. Not only is he The Lord Fellowes of West Stafford after being granted a peerage in 2011, but he is also an accomplished novelist, film director, and screenwriter. And right now, one of his shows is dominating Netflix’s worldwide top TV shows list.
According to FlixPatrol’s global charts, Downton Abbey is currently the 8th most popular TV show on Netflix. Downton Abbey first aired in 2010 on the UK network ITV and quickly became a smash hit. Set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey, the show tells the story of the aristocratic Crawley family and their many house servants. The show follows the lives of the family and servants from 1912 to 1926, showing how both their lives and the country around them changes during this intense period of British history with a focus on how the country’s class system, and people’s attitudes to it, slowly change during this time.
The show had an all-star cast that included veteran actors Hugh Bonneville, Penelope Wilton, and Dame Maggie Smith. The latter plays the memorable, scene-stealing, and highly memetic Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham. The series also included a large supporting cast of characters who would come and go as the show progressed, and different events affected both the family and the house.
Downton Abbey ran from 2010 to 2015, having six seasons in total. The series has also spawned a spin-off movie, and a second film is planned for release next year. It was nominated for many awards over its run, including getting 16 PrimeTime Emmy nominations, several Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, including one for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble In a Drama Series, and three Golden Globe nominations.
Downtown Abbey is an excellent period drama, packed full of interesting and nuanced characters and exciting storylines. It also features some utterly sumptuous visuals and excellent direction, making it a fantastic binge watch for people who want to leave the modern world for a few hours.
