By Brian Brown, Ed Eaves, Andrew Hongo, and Jacob Pearson
Rock Center
No one is more surprised at the success of the sweeping television drama Downton Abbey than its own creator and writer, Julian Fellowes.
“You really seem to kind of ring the bell once or twice in a career if you’re lucky, and it was extraordinary,” said Fellowes of the hit, which just received three nominations for the 2013 Golden Globe awards and was nominated 16 times for the latest Emmy Awards. Produced by Carnival, a British unit of NBCUniversal, the lavish series depicts the loves, tragedies, and schemes of early 20th century British aristocracy—both above stairs and below.
Fellowes sat down with NBC’s Mary Carillo to talk about the inspiration for the series (which, believe it or not, came from an American protagonist); Fellowes’ own ascent to British nobility—through marriage—and the attendant privileges and responsibilities; and what he sees as the great equalizer in even the most hierarchical societies: love.
“[What] I like about love in the story is, love is an aspiration that is open to anyone,” said Fellowes. He later continued, “It doesn’t matter who you are, if you fall in love with someone then you’re sort of entitled.”
Fellowes recently signed on with NBC and Universal Television for his next major project—which again centers on the lives of the uber-wealthy, though this time on this side of the pond. He’s set to write and produce The Gilded Age, which takes audiences into the lives of the millionaire tycoons of late 19th century New York.
“This was a vivid time,” said Fellowes in a press release from NBCUniversal, “with dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls, of record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry; a time when money was king.”
The third season of Fellowes’ Downton Abbey premieres in the U.S. on January 6th on Masterpiece Classic on PBS.
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Already a die hard fan of the show! Can't wait for the Season 3 show on the 6th of Jan. There are many more fans in Jacksonville.!!!!
Yeah! A little bit of Britain in our American living rooms. Love it.
i cannot wait for the show a perfect show for everyone historical settings i love it
Love is what makes it magic. Add to that the beauty of the sets, the great actors and good old drama with happy endings. Most of this is missing from American television these days. We have mostly raw unadulterated sex and violence, sitcoms, or reality shows.
I watched season 1 and ran out and purchased season 2! I can't get enough of it. I have already pre-ordered season 3 and I can't wait to get it. Love Love Love it!!!!!!!!
I think the incredible impact and unexpected popularity of Downton Abbey speaks volumes to the fact that there will always be room for a high-quality, wonderfully researched, reality-based, well-written, superbly acted, outstandingly filmed show on television.
This is especially true in a time when popular TV (at least in America) has been literally taken over by superficial trash like idiotic game-shows, poorly-conceived dramas, mindless sitcoms and completely unrealistic "reality" shows that pretty much dominate prime-time viewing.
My hats off to Julian Fellowes and the entire crew that are responsible for Downton Abbey, for they demonstrate that meaningful programs that touch and inspire the human spirit are indeed possible in the 21st century - that there is an occasional oasis in the midst of an otherwise dull, dry wasteland that present-day television has become.
My feeling, exactly! Wish we had more TV worth turning the set on for. This is one series my sister introduced me to and I am so ever thankful to her for doing so. I watched the first season on Netflix "instant view" and am now progressing through the Netflix mailings of the second season. Hopefully I will be caught up by the time season 3 airs. Now I can hardly wiat for the American series he is in progress producing.
Seriously, I love Downton Abbey but since it's a clever WWI version of the WW2 Era "Upstairs, Downstairs," there shouldn't be much surprise it took off. The article implies it's a revolutionary idea rather than a copy-cat show. That takes away from the fact that the writing is phenomenal. The development of the Matthew-Mary romance was so well thought out, as was the John Bates-Anna Smith coupling downstairs, just to mention two of the several themes running through the show.
Tastefully done with superb acting. My thoughts are that English, Irish, Scottish and Aussie actors and actresses are far better than American actors and actresses with a few exceptions.
Shame on Julian Fellowes for resorting to yet another death to write out an actor. And in the CHRISTMAS special, no less. Shoddy, lazy and hugely disappointing writing. What was a lovely happy ending to a great special was completely ruined. And ruined enough that I, who have never missed an episode and can't wait for the next, probably won't bother with season 4. I mean, who is next to go and how will THEY die? Because die they will as Mr. Fellows seems devoid of an imagination vivid enough to conjure up another form of writing out a character. I work in the film industry; I understand the need for shock, surprise and drama but the Christmas special? Really? I am completely disgusted.
I was actually relieved he went out that way.. and Fellows did not break them up.. that would of been worse. The constant, "will they get back together" nonsense would of hounded the sub plots.. this way, she mourns, we mourn and we continue on with modernizing Downton.. but I am in mourning. And to pick it up a FULL year later..new baby and bam?eek
ScriptySandy - you work in the industry??? Then YOU should know better. I work in entertainment as well. You're either a selfish, completely self-absorbed moron for posting PLOT POINTS on an AMERICAN website (Season 3 hasn't even aired in the US!), or you're simply a complete raving idiot. I'm an American who works in NYC, LA and London, so I've seen the season, plus yesterday's Christmas Special, but not one of my American friends or family have seen it yet. And if "Scripty" denotes that you're a writer, than I've instantly figured out why you seem to have all of this time to sit here and post a comment that is so completely moronic. Find another profession sweetie, because Julian Fellowes is brilliant. Period. It's why he has more awards than you have brain cells.
Moderators...here's another stupid post for you, ruining a wonderful show. Please delete. Sandy...THINK before you post.
I have already streamed it live out of the UK.. all I can say, combined with the Christmas special is , hankies at the ready. .. was not a big fan of Shirley McL..(relax not everyone has to applaud every cast choice) but the ending of the series I thought was on an up note, until that special last night which takes place a year later.. I am again in mourning.. first with Sybil then............. oh no.......... wearing black all day.
Looks like Mary must produce a male heir or Edith must wed, unless the entail can be changed. Or they hunt an even more distant male heir for Season 4.
The show Rock Center was a bunch of crap!!!!! Tell Brian Williams to go get the truth from
Obama and the Benghazi attack. Obama
stated he wanted to go to the small conf room to get all the “real time”
information. To bad Obama does not give
us the truth about the “real time” tape of Benghazi. Hilary stated they could see the helicopters
and the navy seals leaving the copter and heading to the compound. I wonder what the drone shows about Benghazi. Brian stated that if the Ben Laden killing
had not worked it would have been Obama’s Watergate. Well Benghazi was Obama’s Watergate but the
wonderful media protected him. If Bush
had been President when Benghazi had occurred the press would have never
stopped until they had him impeached but the beloved Obama can do no wrong in
the eyes of the press. SHAME ON YOU
MEDIA for your lack of reporting the facts not to mention the truth. The media does not report the truth anymore they
report what they want to report and then put a spin on what they do
report.
Oops, did you get lost on the internet again?
I can't look at Julian Fellowes without feeling nostalgic for Kilwillie!! We love him.
I'm starting to believe that Shondra Rimes (Grey's Anatomy & Private Practice, to name a few) has come on board to co-write with Mr Fellowes. It would appear that all the most beloved are subject to violent/tragic endings. William, Lavinia, Matthew, Sybil... no one's making it out alive.
I love the Downton Abbey show...have watched every bit of it, have bought season 3, but will not watch it until after it has aired...I think medically in that era, it was not as easy to cure things that today we find disappear with proper medication. ALSO...if you have watched season 3 in its entirety, PLEASE don't give away plot to those of us who have not seen all of season 3. THIS IS A WONDERFUL SERIES...and hopefully there will be a season 4 and maybe more after that..Julian Fellows has done a spetacular writing and creating the era that this show is in...It is so refreshing from the blah t.v. that some of the american channels are showing...wish we could have MORE,MUCH MORE shows that hold people's interest like this one is and has...