Downton Abbey: Series 3 - Episode 1

The third series opened with a great first episode, centring around the wedding of Matthew and Mary Crawley.

As with the usual format of the series, we join the members of Downton in 1920, two years after the end of the 2011 Christmas Special. This episode really works in introducing new characters, establishing new storylines for current characters and creating hints at the series overall story arc. I think the fact that I as an audience member join the characters, not just this episode but since its first episode, at times of climax in there characters' development and making me feel that the time jumps make the character's development seem more organic.

With starting this episode set in Spring 1920 and Lord Grantham facing financial ruin makes me think that the series is either leading to the Wall Street Crash or an event in the mid-1920s as the series usually climaxes at an historical event. What is also interesting is how this episode shows the conflict between tradition and change, which is very much symbolised by the characters of Tom Branson and Lord Grantham.

I thought all the cast give good performance and I really liked the duo of Dame Maggie Smith's character Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham and new character Martha Levinson, played by Shirley MacLaine, and thought that their performances bounced off each really well. I also think that having the episodes running at 90 minutes makes it feel like a short film and it kept my attention throughout.

Really looking forward to the rest of the series.