Sitting on the lounge with my trusty laptop about a month ago I was staring blankly at the television processing my thoughts before writing when I was struck with excitement at a promo on Seven Mate.
Forty seconds of ladies and gentlemen in period costumes striding around an extraordinary manor set in gorgeous British countryside. Scenes of foxhunts, servants and high drama quickly flash by, all set to fast paced moody music. It ends with a slow pan across the monolith titled Downton Abbey while the music fades down and the channel logo is displayed. This is quickly followed by a return to current programming, almost leaving me to wonder if what I had viewed really happened. (Click above image to see promo.)
Of course I was straight onto the internet to find out more. A simple Google search uncovered a hugely popular show into its second season in Britain.
The series is set in the fictional Downton Abbey, stately home of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of King George V. The series spans the two years prior to the Great War, commencing with news of the sinking of the Titanic, an event that triggers much of the plot.
Highclere Castle in Hampshire was used as Downton Abbey, with the servants' living areas constructed and filmed at Ealing Studios.
The village of Bampton in Oxfordshire was used for filming the outdoor scenes, most notably St Mary's Church and the village library, which became the entrance to the cottage hospital. Series characters often refer to the North Yorkshire towns of Malton, Easingwold, and Kirby; Ripon and Thirsk have also been mentioned. However, the Downton estate is centred on the fictional village of Downton, a place name in several English counties but not in Yorkshire.
The first series cost an estimated £1 million an episode. It is also the most successful British period drama since Brideshead Revisited, with British ratings exceeding 10 million viewers. Similarly, the series enjoyed successful ratings in the United States, averaging over 6 million viewers per episode.
It’s written by Oscar winner, Julian Fellowes and stars Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. I can’t wait for it to start and have been constantly checking the Seven guide for the Australian premiere. If you’re a lover of history this will be a must see!
Forty seconds of ladies and gentlemen in period costumes striding around an extraordinary manor set in gorgeous British countryside. Scenes of foxhunts, servants and high drama quickly flash by, all set to fast paced moody music. It ends with a slow pan across the monolith titled Downton Abbey while the music fades down and the channel logo is displayed. This is quickly followed by a return to current programming, almost leaving me to wonder if what I had viewed really happened. (Click above image to see promo.)
Of course I was straight onto the internet to find out more. A simple Google search uncovered a hugely popular show into its second season in Britain.
The series is set in the fictional Downton Abbey, stately home of the Earl and Countess of Grantham, and follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of King George V. The series spans the two years prior to the Great War, commencing with news of the sinking of the Titanic, an event that triggers much of the plot.
Highclere Castle in Hampshire was used as Downton Abbey, with the servants' living areas constructed and filmed at Ealing Studios.
The village of Bampton in Oxfordshire was used for filming the outdoor scenes, most notably St Mary's Church and the village library, which became the entrance to the cottage hospital. Series characters often refer to the North Yorkshire towns of Malton, Easingwold, and Kirby; Ripon and Thirsk have also been mentioned. However, the Downton estate is centred on the fictional village of Downton, a place name in several English counties but not in Yorkshire.
The first series cost an estimated £1 million an episode. It is also the most successful British period drama since Brideshead Revisited, with British ratings exceeding 10 million viewers. Similarly, the series enjoyed successful ratings in the United States, averaging over 6 million viewers per episode.
It’s written by Oscar winner, Julian Fellowes and stars Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern. I can’t wait for it to start and have been constantly checking the Seven guide for the Australian premiere. If you’re a lover of history this will be a must see!
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