Here's the biggest problem that the season suffered: they had basically one overarching story line for each character. They visited that story line every episode. If you did not like the story line or were annoyed by its repetitiveness, well it didn't matter. Because it happened EVERY episode. You see sometimes you're not supposed to like a character and that's why the story line annoys you, but other times the character behaves wildly out of character and that's why the story bothers you. Or the plot keeps throwing curveballs at an inevitability in ways that feel contrived.
Examples of a story line that bothered me because a character behaves unlike the character we've come to know: Sybil decides she loves Branson. I can buy that Sybil is the type of person who would run away from Downton Abbey because she wants her own life. We are given no indication of WHY she loves Branson though. Branson just kind of declares his love for her, offers her marriage, and then there's barely any time spent on explaining why exactly Sybil would want to be with Branson. Especially since Branson's scenes were spent badgering her about giving up her life and spouting his radical political ideas. Each successive Branson/Sybil scene infuriated me, because I did not buy this romance.
Another example of a story line that bothered me because of inconsistent characterization: Robert Crawley having a affair on his wife (though nothing actually happened). This just tells me the writers had nothing to do with this character so they invented a conflict that could not possibly occur with the season one Crawley. They gave him weak scenes were he fought with his wife, but nothing that drives a man to cheat on his wife. Also, this needed to happen so he could understand where Sybil was coming from - but that just kind of seems more like "How do we play out a scenario where he'd accept Branson?" more than anything organic.
Story lines that bothered me because they showed the same scene each episode with a different variation and no progress on it developed whatsoever until the end: Anna and Bates, perpetually destined to never be happy for some reason. Creating conflicts between two people that would be happy if they were together is just lazy because they are afraid they won't have anything to write if they are together. So you're telling me Bates' wife hates him SO MUCH that she would kill herself and frame Bates. Needless to say, it's hard to take this show too seriously when they have soap opera villains like that.
That's not to say they didn't at least nail some characters down. If only they had mastered every character as they do with Mr. Carson, then this would be an all-time classic of a show. And surprisingly, the Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary romance did NOT feel contrived. Up until Lavinia dies and Matthew annoyingly doesn't want to be happy for the rest of his life, everything felt like natural developments. It wasn't hard to buy why they weren't together even as we knew they would end up together. It helps that Sir Richard is an awesome character if somewhat one-note in being evil. (You could argue that Sir Richard being actually an appealing mate would have been better writing, but then again Lady Mary and Matthew never end up together if that is true.)
As for the rest of the cast? Well some of them annoyed me, but not to the point to where it's a weakness (Isobel's arc) and some of them I liked, but not enough to be impressed by (Mrs. Hughes). Besides, this cast is so enormously large, I can't really go through each character and say a particular strength or weakness without boring you. (Side note: I couldn't get through this entire review without mention Maggie Smith as Violet, who is still a highlight and almost worth watching the show by herself.)
The shame about the writing being the show's weakness is that it's pretty much the show's only weakness. Like I said above, the acting is top-notch across the board. The period drama aspect is... umm accurate I guess? I can only assume on that one. The direction usually has a few shots each episode that stand out to me. The lackluster and far-fetched at times plot is the show's downfall from being a legitimately good show (which I don't think it is at this point in their run).
Interested in Downton Abbey? Watch the first season, which I wholeheartedly recommend and then stop if you can. Unless the soapy aspects of this show is the type to draw you in - and it very well could be - I wouldn't watch past the first season.
A necessary disclaimer: I hate most romantic comedies (I refer to them as rom coms; if it's a good romantic comedy, I don't call it a rom com) so the romance in the show is not inherently appealing. If you like romance in your shows, definitely watch this show as its about the only story line for about 70% of the characters. I could forgive this if the writing made me invested in the romances, which for the most part it did not.
I can't recommend the second season and if you're the type of person to continue watching a show just because you started, don't start at all. (I kind of suffer this problem; I may or may not watch the third season, which I haven't exactly heard good things about either.)
(If you're interested, my Season 1 Review)
Playlist
1. "I've Got a Name" - Jim Groce
2. "Feel Tall" - Oncue
3. "Y Control" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. "Country Grammar" - Nelly
5. "Provider" - N.E.R.D.
Examples of a story line that bothered me because a character behaves unlike the character we've come to know: Sybil decides she loves Branson. I can buy that Sybil is the type of person who would run away from Downton Abbey because she wants her own life. We are given no indication of WHY she loves Branson though. Branson just kind of declares his love for her, offers her marriage, and then there's barely any time spent on explaining why exactly Sybil would want to be with Branson. Especially since Branson's scenes were spent badgering her about giving up her life and spouting his radical political ideas. Each successive Branson/Sybil scene infuriated me, because I did not buy this romance.
Another example of a story line that bothered me because of inconsistent characterization: Robert Crawley having a affair on his wife (though nothing actually happened). This just tells me the writers had nothing to do with this character so they invented a conflict that could not possibly occur with the season one Crawley. They gave him weak scenes were he fought with his wife, but nothing that drives a man to cheat on his wife. Also, this needed to happen so he could understand where Sybil was coming from - but that just kind of seems more like "How do we play out a scenario where he'd accept Branson?" more than anything organic.
Story lines that bothered me because they showed the same scene each episode with a different variation and no progress on it developed whatsoever until the end: Anna and Bates, perpetually destined to never be happy for some reason. Creating conflicts between two people that would be happy if they were together is just lazy because they are afraid they won't have anything to write if they are together. So you're telling me Bates' wife hates him SO MUCH that she would kill herself and frame Bates. Needless to say, it's hard to take this show too seriously when they have soap opera villains like that.
That's not to say they didn't at least nail some characters down. If only they had mastered every character as they do with Mr. Carson, then this would be an all-time classic of a show. And surprisingly, the Matthew Crawley and Lady Mary romance did NOT feel contrived. Up until Lavinia dies and Matthew annoyingly doesn't want to be happy for the rest of his life, everything felt like natural developments. It wasn't hard to buy why they weren't together even as we knew they would end up together. It helps that Sir Richard is an awesome character if somewhat one-note in being evil. (You could argue that Sir Richard being actually an appealing mate would have been better writing, but then again Lady Mary and Matthew never end up together if that is true.)
As for the rest of the cast? Well some of them annoyed me, but not to the point to where it's a weakness (Isobel's arc) and some of them I liked, but not enough to be impressed by (Mrs. Hughes). Besides, this cast is so enormously large, I can't really go through each character and say a particular strength or weakness without boring you. (Side note: I couldn't get through this entire review without mention Maggie Smith as Violet, who is still a highlight and almost worth watching the show by herself.)
The shame about the writing being the show's weakness is that it's pretty much the show's only weakness. Like I said above, the acting is top-notch across the board. The period drama aspect is... umm accurate I guess? I can only assume on that one. The direction usually has a few shots each episode that stand out to me. The lackluster and far-fetched at times plot is the show's downfall from being a legitimately good show (which I don't think it is at this point in their run).
Interested in Downton Abbey? Watch the first season, which I wholeheartedly recommend and then stop if you can. Unless the soapy aspects of this show is the type to draw you in - and it very well could be - I wouldn't watch past the first season.
A necessary disclaimer: I hate most romantic comedies (I refer to them as rom coms; if it's a good romantic comedy, I don't call it a rom com) so the romance in the show is not inherently appealing. If you like romance in your shows, definitely watch this show as its about the only story line for about 70% of the characters. I could forgive this if the writing made me invested in the romances, which for the most part it did not.
I can't recommend the second season and if you're the type of person to continue watching a show just because you started, don't start at all. (I kind of suffer this problem; I may or may not watch the third season, which I haven't exactly heard good things about either.)
(If you're interested, my Season 1 Review)
Playlist
1. "I've Got a Name" - Jim Groce
2. "Feel Tall" - Oncue
3. "Y Control" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4. "Country Grammar" - Nelly
5. "Provider" - N.E.R.D.
No comments:
Post a Comment