This paper discusses an episode (particularly episode 1 of season1) of the British TV series Downton Abbey. Downton Abbey is a period drama show which is set in the fictional Yorkshire country estate and follows the aristocratic lives of the residents living at Downton Abbey. Till date there are 5 seasons released in the UK each having 7 to 8 episodes. Each season can be viewed as a mini drama series.
Structurally the series is quite similar to that of a drama presented in the theatre. There is a script (referred to as a screenplay as it is viewed on a TV screen) which has elements such as, list of characters, stage directions including light and sound direction. Each episode is similar to an act of a play; the season being the entire play. Based in the 18th century the costumes and sets belong to that period as well, making it seem to be a bit larger than life (or similar to a spectacle) with respect to today’s setting. The locations chosen for shooting the series replicate the palatial estates of Victorian England and the residents bear resemblance to the British royalty. The dialogues too (written by screenwriters Julian Fellows, Shelagh Stephanson and Tina Pepler) are in sync with the 18th century which adds to the spectacle. For instance in the first episode there is a reference to electricity (as it was a new phenomenon in the 1920s) and the housemaids are having a discussion over it which makes the circumstance unbelievable to an audience watching it in the 21st century:
“ANNA: Why didn't you put the lights on?DAISY: I daren't.GWEN: Well, it's electricity, not the devil's handiwork. You'll have to get used to it sooner or later.” (Downton Abbey, 00:03:48. Screenplay)
While the setting may seem grand, the characters are portrayed as humane (having internal and external day to day conflicts), which makes the audience relate to them at an emotional level. As is seen in dramatic play, there is an initial incident that commences the drama. Episode one of the first season too kicks off with an initial incident with the sinking of the Titanic where the main characters’ brother and nephew (who were also the heirs of Downton Abbey). In the screenplay the viewers are introduced to this allusion not by dialogue but by action:
“Robert opens the newspaper to see a picture of the Titanic. Lady Mary and Lady Edith enter and read over his shoulder.” (Downton Abbey, 00:07:08. Screenplay)
This incident raises the question of the next heir and the entire series is based around resolving this issue. The first episode follows the format which begins with the initial incident (the heirs’ deaths), leading to preliminary action where the current landowner of Downton is in search of another heir and simultaneously trying to find a loophole to get his oldest daughter to become the heir. Through the episode there is a lot of conflict, exposition and revelation about each of the characters. For example, the fact that the estate belongs to the Lady of the estate, the oldest daughter (Mary) reveals that she was being forced to marry the nephew (said heir) in order to inherit the estate, the middle daughter expresses her love for the man whom Mary was to marry, and the youngest daughter is portrayed as a revolutionary socialist (which was a raging issue during this period). Apart from the aristocratic lives the audience is also shown the lives of the staff at Downton Abbey and each of their roles in the household is introduced in the first episode. The lives of the staff run parallel to that of the aristocrats of the estate; their conflicts, resolutions and tragedies are equally important to the plot of the show. There is also a climax in the first episode where the audience is introduced to Matthew Crawley and his mother (Isobel Crawley) as the presumptive heir of the estate. Since this is a television show it is very important to keep the suspense alive hence the climax acts as the conclusion of the first episode but not the series. In television terms this suspense is referred to as cliff hanger, so that the audience willingly comes back to watch the next episode. Thus, there is no falling action or defined conclusion at the end of the episode but there is a cliff hanger.
All the said elements mentioned above are present in all the episodes of the series. There are elements similar to tragedy, but here the difference is that there are multiple heroes at different points of times who are conflicted, due to which they choose a path that leads to their downfall but in the end are able to resolve the issue. Usually, all the issues get resolved at the end of the series but as mentioned earlier to hold the audience’s attention there is a plot introduced at the end of each series which acts a the cliff hanger, so that the audience is intrigued to continue watching the series. Another point that proves this show to be a drama is the subtle use of comedy. For instance in the beginning when one of the maids Daisy is starting the fire the head house keeper scolds using humour where she exclaims, “Oh, heavens, girl! You're building a fire, not inventing it.” (Downton Abbey, 00:04:18. Screenplay) Comedy is not the primary genre hence there are implications and nuances reflected in the characters, dialogues and situation which add some humour to the series. The issues raised in the series are serious in nature adding to the dramatic appeal of the show. Another aspect of drama, which is the music, too is important to the show. The music aids the audience to understand the situation so that the right emotion (as implied by the director and writers) is evoked. The music too is in accordance with the historic times where there is a lot of piano, violin, trumpets and bugle playing in the background. It is only towards the later seasons that music such as jazz and blues are introduced (as and when it was introduced in Britain).
List of sources
- “Downton Abbey”. Script Line. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
- “Elements of Drama”. www.eluprogram.com. PDF File. Web. 05 Dec. 2014
