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SPOILER ALERT (if you have yet to watch Sunday’s Downton Abbey finale)…
Sunday’s conclusion of the third season of Downton Abbey capped off what’s been a tough year for the Crawley family. Story-wise, that is. The hit period drama killed off some key characters this season — one midway through and one in the last seconds of the last episode — and kept the audience hooked for record ratings. But what if co-creator Julian Fellowes, the man who writes every episode, were to leave? The idea was floated by Fellowes himself in an interview with The New York Times this week.
Fellowes recently signed on to write and produce NBC period drama The Gilded Age. The project, which has a script commitment with significant penalty attached, is a sweeping epic set in 1880s New York. Fellowes told the paper that if NBC picks up the show, he’ll be writing it when Downton “finishes.” He noted, “There are many hurdles that have to be cleared… But if (Gilded Age) goes, and if I’m doing a series at NBC, I would not be able to write all of Downton and all of that series at the same time.” Should Downton carry on, he said, “it would be with other writers. Perhaps with me supervising, but with other writers.” When I asked Gareth Neame about Fellowes’ comments, the exec producer and head of Carnival Films, which makes Downton, said, “We are currently filming Season 4 of Downton Abbey which is written entirely by Julian Fellowes. The show is in rude health and neither Julian nor I have plans to end it anytime soon.” (Neame is also exec producing the upcoming NBC/Sky Living drama series Dracula.)
It’s true that Downton was hotter than ever this year with the premiere episode on PBS in January almost doubling the series’ second-season premiere and the finale up 50% compared to last year’s season-ender — and that’s despite nearly unavoidable spoilers parading around the Internet since Christmas. In the UK, where the show airs first, Season 3 was the highest-rated yet for network ITV. Season 4 is expected to pick up six months after the dramatic end to Sunday night’s finale and focus on Lady Mary Crawley’s next steps in life. It starts airing in the UK in the fall.
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Wasn’t Julian Fellows hired to work on the “Gypsy” project with Barbra Streisand? Are they making that film or not, this production is really taking its time…. The biological clock is ticking….
It has been interesting to see the differences in American and British television, and how the actors aren’t expected to stick with a show as they would be in America. Even if it’s a success, they still want to leave. It just seems kind of whacky.
That’s because British actors are all so desperate to make it in Hollywood whereas US TV actors already are working in Hollywood. For most of them US TV is as good as it gets whereas Brits are always looking for something bigger and better.
Plenty of US actors want to leave a hit show if they can get a movie career instead…
Not necessarily true. Some British actors do want to come to Hollywood while others are just interested in finding good acting roles wherever they might be. You seem to overlook the fact in general, British TV shows have much shorter seasons and do not last as long as US TV shows. Some British actors enjoys this freedom because it allows for them to do multiple projects and prefer not to be tied down to the same show doing the same role year after the year. Downtown Abbey is somewhat different from other British shows because the international success of the show is causing to producers to extend the life of the show and some of the original actors involved have and/or had no intention of doing the same role year after year. Same decision was made by the actor Ben Daniels on Law and Order: UK. He left the successful show after two years not to come to Hollywood but to do theater and other acting projects. He was not interested in playing the same role over and over.
I need a translation from British –
“…the show is in rude health…” That mean “bad,” right?
“Rude” in English vernacular means “very good” or “robust”
S3 should have been the series finale. Mary had a son who will inherit the estate, and Matthew’s dumbass had a City of Angels moment and crashed his car. Problem solved to the shows original theme – the heir of Downton.
Heavens above, how shall the show survive without Fellowes’ sly use of anachronistic dialogue as foreshadowing, e.g. Matthew’s “I’m on a steep learning curve”? Watch out for lorries on your learning curve, Matt! And Cora talking about “parenting,” definitely a hazardous activity for Downtonians!
Come to think of it, I’m just there for the hats. I think Fellowes’ witticisms are pallid, saved only by the heroic efforts of a superlative cast, and he manipulates the characters in a manner that’s both heavy-handed and repetitious. Surprise inheritance! No, my scruples dictate that I not use it for its obvious intended purpose for half an episode at least!
As long as they keep Dame Maggie and the set decorator, I’ll be happy. If only Julian Fellowes worked half as hard as they.
AMEN!!!! The plotting is a joke and the quick scene cutting is very annoying. Sometimes a character gets out one sentence and whoosh…you’re gone to someone else. I would love an insight as to whether Fellowes had plotted out where he wanted the story to go and how characters were to develop…and if Matthew was central why the H!X!X! didn’t they get the actor to sign a contract for the time it would take to tell the story!?!?! How about recasting? the heavy handed last scenes of the finale were absurd. this show may have great sets and Maggie Smith, but it pales in comparison to Reilly: Ace of Spies, Jewel in the Crown, As Time Goes By, Duchess of Duke Street, and the Pallisers.
Regarding The Gilded Age. Don’t people in Hollywood remember their past mistakes? When Upstairs Downstairs was such a hit in the 70′s, CBS decided to do an American version called BEACON HILL. Didn’t last a season. The British simply do this better than we ever could and Hollywood needs to stop trying.
boardwalk empire, mad men, hell on wheels, and lots of co-productions with british studios like downton abbey are all proof america can do period shows just as good if not better then the brits. with the creator of downton abbey writing this show and the money from an american studio this could be another hit show.
I was SO VERY SAD AND DISAPPOINTED !!!!! to see the ending of Season Three. PLEASE don’t let Matthew Crowley’s characher be dead. He is the glue that holds this grand family together !
Mary needs this man to give her balance. Please try to get him to stay. Everyone I have talked with is very sad and frustrated IF you get rid of him.
I totally agree!
Our lives, well most of us, have enough crap and sorrow in our lives- it is relaxing to see a show, and get involved even with story book TV lives. Really, was it necessary to have Matthew die off. Can’t someones’ lives work out. Even just on TV. I really do not think I will need to watch this anymore- it’s just the same ole same ole to get a rise? as all the other shows- why does everything have to end sad. Is it necessary. We all suffer. TV too?.
“Matthew” opted out at the start of season 3. Apparently Dan Stevens (such a non-memorable name) has other fish to fry. It was his choice not to come back.
Perhaps it’s time for Mr. Fellowes to give up some of the writing duties to others. His stories are getting tired and a bit tedious. Maybe another writer or two would bring some fresh ideas to Downton. Just an idea.
Fantastic writing by Julian Fellowes. I would hate to see him leave this series in other hands. But maybe it is time to move on? I also enjoyed him as an actor in Monarch of the Glen. Did he enjoy playing beside Richard Briers I wonder?
Julian Fellowes does so well with Downton because he has lived all his life among people who are really like the Downton characters. I am afraid that it will not be the same with the robber barons and other NY high society. I doubt that he has the innate feeling for them that he has for British ariustocrats.
My hopes for season four:
Maggie Smith gets her own plot line instead of just throwing off insults and other one liners.
Thomas finds true love.
Anna and or Bates are given more to do than paint the walls and learn to dance the reel.
Edith’s love life stops being the show’s biggest redundancy.
We find out why O’Brien is so bitter by exploring her past a little.
Branson and Rose?
I could not agree with you more. Why is O’Brien bitter? What is the deal with Her Ladyship’s soap? I think she and Thomas used to be an item before Thomas began exploring men. I think she bathes with the used soaps to feel close to Lady Grantham.. lol
O’Brien put the soap on the floor that caused Cora to slip and have a miscarriage.
After the death of Mathew, and Mr fellowes says he can’t write happiness , it’s time for him to leave the show. The family and the viewing family can only take so much heartache. Mathew was the glue !
When Matthew first walked on, I found him to be the right fit for Edith. Come on! I say let Matthew live, he should be in shock and yes bleeding but not dead. Ok .. maybe he is paralyzed again and edith marries him. ( now she would take care of someone her own age) and they have him as the baby daddy as Mary rejects him now that he is not mobile. I really don’t care how they plan it, I do need for him to return. Also, I need to see Edith with less of a Jane Eyre plot. I mean for goodness sakes did we not see this coming.
Dan Stevens wanted to leave the show. Julian Fellowes was forced to bring Matthew’s story line to a certain if rather abrupt ending. What else could he do without the cooperation of the actor? He couldn’t suddenly have Matthew disappear at the beginning of Season 4 with an explanation by another character, could he? Remember how fans howled when Tony Soprano’s story ended with a black out. Sometimes these challenges open the door to even more satisfying resolutions. Mary Crawley will have a new love interest in Season 4.
My hopes
Mary finds a man that is dominant. An A-rod that’s in shape type
Edith marries a Tennant Dr. Who type and brings all sorts of crazy to the show.
Mr. Bates gets physical therapy and his wife longs for something other than him.
Violet’s house is shown with her servants. She is secretly dating someone from the village.
Dan Stevens was offered the opportunity to come back for possible flasback scenes but he opted out of that also.
My mom and I were talking about the issue of Matthew’s untimely demise, and we both think it would have been so much better if they left Matthew in a coma, which would leave Dan the option to come back to the show at a later date. I do really dislike it when actors decide to leave when things are finally good for their character. I felt the same way when they had to kill off Lucy Griffiths “Lady Marian” in BBC’s Robin Hood only one series before the show officially ended. Anyway, I can only hope that killing off Matthew’s character will leave room for an even more endearing character to take his place.
The only alternative to killing Dan Stevens character off was to use another actor for the Matthew rôle in the next series. It is perfectly legitimate in every way, in a theatre production there would be no hesitation. The problem is that millions of viewers are out of touch with the reality of it being just a TV show, done by actors.
It’s a no-brainer. Lady Mary will marry Tom Branson (Sybil’s surviving husband). The two children from each of their former spouses will now each have a stepmother and a stepfather. Branson’s and Mary’s sadnesses ares requited, and Lady Mary’s child remains heir. What I cannot foresee in many years is Lady Mary as a new Dowager Countess. She is too nice to compete with Maggis Smith’s barbs!!! Oh, I love Maggie – she is so like my old Aunt Lillian!
Lady Grantham’s soap is referring to season 2 I believe, where O’Brien left it under the tub on purpose for Lady Grantham to slip on when she thought she was being replaced. This in turn caused Lady Grantham to lose her baby.
LOL! Fan or not Julian Fellows has gotten everyone talking about this show!!!!!!!!!
Usually new writers/directors ruin things, I hope it all stays intact. Although, I admit it’ll be interesting to see what happens. Matthew and Sybil were the glue of the family, it’s not easy to replace them with new “glue”. Dynamics have certainly changed.
Other than killing him off in such a way that has been done too many times before, Matthew could have been kidnaped by a bitter Carlyle, because Mary broke off their marriage plans. The newspaper man deals with the underworld, and would have no problem setting this up and keeping his distance so he didn’t look involved. Mary and the family could think matthew dissapeared and was perhaps dead but the viewers could know he was taken.
The people who are the ‘suits’ for Downton Abby must be real a$$holes, if Julian Fellowes is leaving, too. They either don’t pay enough, or they drove the writer and actors involved crazy.
Please,Mr. Fellowes,bring Mattew character back,even in another actor! I hope you will.