You'd have to be beating up the surface of Mars with the Curiosity Rover not to know what the current big event is. Yes, Downton Abbey is back with us! How time flies in the magical world of Downton, it seems like only two years ago that we were hearing about the sinking of the Titanic, and now here we are, crash, bang, wallop, the new series is starting in the Roaring Twenties. No wonder that the Earl of Grantham (played by Hugh Bonneville) has a permanently confused look on his face.
But oh, how we love the the to-ings and fro-ings of upstairs and downstairs life in the mythical world of Downton. Who cares about the minute mistakes that are picked up by so called experts. People wearing white ties who shouldn't be wearing white ties, street signs intruding, songs being played that hadn't even been written. Tish and tosh! The majority of the viewers can't remember the minutiae of the fifties and sixties, leave alone the twenties.
And whose idea was it to cast Shirley Maclaine alongside Dame Maggie Smith! Brilliant. It sums up part of the success of Downton, and that is the strength of the cast, and how beautifully they play off against each other. Does it matter that it becomes more like Dallas every time a new series starts? Not a bit.
For me there are two other unsung stars. Firstly beautiful Highclere Castle in Hampshire stands in as Downton Abbey, supposedly set in Yorkshire – what's a couple of hundred miles between friends.
Secondly, and this is where I put my girlie hat on, what about those costumes? Nothing Primark or Peacocks about that lot! There have already been displays of these wonderful clothes, and copies of them have appeared in places such as – wait for it – ebay! (Look out, the Earl of Grantham has just had a touch of the vapours).
So sit back, prepare for the ride, Downton is setting sail again, and the chances are that the trip could get a little choppy!
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