**Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Part 1/2)**
*Starring:* Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Lesley Nicol, Joanne Froggatt, and Brendan Coyle
*Directed by:* Simon Curtis
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*Downton Abbey* has been saying goodbye for almost a decade now. Premiering in 2010, the critically acclaimed show ended in 2015 after six seasons. But in 2019, the series returned with its first film, *Downton Abbey*, then again in 2022 with *A New Era* — both of which ended on notes that could easily have been final.
Now, 15 years after the original show premiered, Julian Fellowes’ world is finally saying goodbye, and it seems for real this time, with *Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale*. It’s in the name, so it has to be, right?
For fans of *Downton Abbey* who just want another taste of the Crawley family in whatever form they can get it, *The Grand Finale* is another satisfying hit. But with so many endings to choose from at this point, it’s natural to wonder if this is the best ending for the series—or if one of the prior finales would have offered a more fulfilling conclusion.
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### Setting the Scene
*Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale* takes place two years after the events of *A New Era* and the passing of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith). In those two years, Cora Crawley’s (Elizabeth McGovern) mother has also passed, leaving her brother, Harold Levinson (Paul Giamatti), to handle their mother’s affairs — and in the difficult wake of the stock market crash, no less.
Harold arrives at Downton with bad news about the financial situation Cora entrusted him with, bringing along his financial advisor, Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola), to explain the fallout. After a series of poor investments, it seems like it could be the end of Downton.
Meanwhile, Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) has recently divorced in secret, and it doesn’t take long before the whole town knows. With Mary’s private news out in the world, the upper-class society members who usually invite the Crawley family have turned their backs on her, making Mary a social pariah.
Amidst these upheavals, Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) and Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) are both preparing to retire, Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and John Bates (Brendan Coyle) are expecting a child, and almost every character gets a final moment to shine before the book on *Downton Abbey* is closed for good.
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### A Return to Melancholy
In its last few seasons and two films, the *Downton Abbey* franchise has leaned on light, breezy, and simple drama — such as royal visits from the King and Queen or a movie being filmed at the Crawley estate.
Yet, this is a show that began with moments of deep melancholy and calamity, starting right after the Titanic tragedy, where the Crawleys lost family members. The early seasons were filled with longing and loss that gave the series a weightiness that would give way to the lighter stories in later years.
*The Grand Finale* attempts to recapture some of that uncertainty by confronting the one thing *Downton* never wanted: change.
Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), for instance, has always feared that things wouldn’t stay the same forever, and here he’s forced to reckon with the fact that times — indeed — are a-changing.
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### Embracing Change
*The Grand Finale* shows that Robert has come a long way from where we first met him, particularly in how he trusts the next generation to take over once he is no longer the head of the estate.
But it’s also a significant note of change for all the characters, many of whom once worried about a telephone being introduced into the house or jazz music playing in Downton.
As one character remarks, “Our lives are lived in chapters, and there’s nothing sad about one closing.”
As this story concludes, the Crawley family is forced to deal with change, whether they like it or not. Amidst these shifts, immense growth over 15 years is evident, alongside the love and admiration that now exists amongst these characters.
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### Direction and Storytelling
Directed by Simon Curtis, who also helmed *A New Era*, and written by Julian Fellowes, *The Grand Finale* knows exactly what its audience wants.
Each character receives a respectful nod, with plenty of references to early seasons and well-placed humor. The drama remains fairly light, with primary tensions revolving around whether Robert and Cora might move into a flat after leaving Downton, whether a local party will proceed smoothly, and if Mary will regain acceptance in the community.
Unlike previous installments, *The Grand Finale* relies less on new characters to drive the story. Alessandro Nivola’s Gus plays a fun role, shaking up the family dynamic, while the introduction of Noel Coward (Arty Froushan) brings a wild real-life figure into the Crawleys’ orbit.
Simon Russell Beale also delivers a humorous performance as he clashes with Isobel Grey (Penelope Wilton). But for the most part, the film stays true to the key cast. At this point, it’s a wise choice not to bring in too many new characters, preserving the story’s focus as it wraps up.
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### Is This the Best Goodbye?
And yet, is *The Grand Finale* the best way to say goodbye to this beloved series?
*A New Era* provided a fitting conclusion by placing these characters exactly where they belonged, and crafted a beautiful farewell for Maggie Smith’s character two years before the actress’ passing.
This isn’t to say *The Grand Finale* isn’t also a wonderful sendoff — especially its last scene, which in some ways mirrors the ending of *A New Era* — but it does feel somewhat repetitive, as if the series is simply gilding the lily.
Yes, this is probably the final chapter for *Downton Abbey*, but *A New Era* delivered a tighter, more focused conclusion than *The Grand Finale*.
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### Final Thoughts
There is absolutely no doubt that if you’ve followed this series for 15 years, *The Grand Finale* will give you what you want: more Downton.
It tries to restore some weightiness to this world, and for the most part, it succeeds with a fitting conclusion to this iconic universe.
Now, let’s hope Julian Fellowes decides to close this chapter fully and move forward to new stories.
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*Courtesy: Collider.com*
https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/1344864-in-the-picture
