Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Wow this is how you end both a TV show and a movie franchise. It feels like 2 ending with the TV show and eventual movies that came out.

I don't really know what to say without spoiling. The characters are written off soo well, they do justice to the late Maggie Smith and her character in the show. Everything is tied soo well together. Kind of like a guard of honour.

This show means more to me than people would imagine. It started off as a joke to see the 2nd film when it came out in cinemas a few years ago. But it has evolved since then.

I would totally recommend anyone watch Downton Abbey and it's 3 films. It's a great and drama filled time. You won't regret it.

And to quickly end it. I'll miss the franchise.

10/10 I cried. A lot.

I'm glad I went to see it. Understandably, the film is constructed to please long time Downton fans. There is a rather self-conscious effort to give some characters enough screen time to bid us farewell, so that we see Anna and Mr Bates or Mrs Patmore and Daisy in brief scenes not at all relevant to the story at hand. That's fine, but I can almost imagine a producer standing behind the camera with a stopwatch to check off a box (okay Mrs Crawley, we've reached your quota).

Even the gone and departed appear briefly-Maggie Smith, Matthew, and one delicious shot of Sybil. Gee I wish she hadn't left the show. The storyline itself, emphasized in the trailer as a big scandal involving Mary, doesn't have a lot of punch to be honest, but I guess that's not why Downton fans are here anyway. For my money the worthwhile themes are a softening of class structure (Robert asking Carson for advice) and the virtual end of a centuries-long servant culture in Britain.

The finale touched me to the core. It tied up a great deal of stories while providing a fitting tribute to those who were so much a part of the entire run. And the dialogue is so "cheeky" meaning true Downton followers will appreciate the references. I loved every minute. Thank you Julian Fellowes. You have left us with a lasting legacy to be revisited again.

The final minute brought tears to my eyes. It perfectly captures everything that Downton Abbey has given us over the years - grace, warmth, love, and a sense of belonging.

It's a farewell filled with emotion and dignity.

Thank you for more than a decade of beauty.

Thank you, Downton Abbey, for everything.

I was prepared to be disappointed having lost Dame Maggie Smith. My to my surprise, the rest of the cast was able to carry off sound performances, ESPECIALLY Michelle Dockery who clearly was Grandmama's favorite, and mine! She has spent years developing and evolving the Charactor or Mary. Once again, she takes us along with her to the next evolution of Mary without disconnecting her past. This is the result of good writing, but more importantly, an exceptional performance. Writers cleverly shifted much of Lady Grantham's quips and persona to Mary, which follows the notion that Mary is becoming what Grandmama Grantham was, a pioneer in a new era while retaining the best of what was in the past. Home Run for Michelle Dockery. The screenplay was logical and flowed well. So happy to see another favorite, Thomas, back and giving us closure to another pivitol charactor. No spoilers here, but fans will be happy. I especially enjoyed the added attention the writers gave the Elizabeth McGovern's charactor, and she made the very best of that opportunity. Bring some tissues for the final scene. Downton Abby fans will not be disappointed and new fans will be compelled to step back in time to the beginning of the series and two previous movies. A BIG THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE CAST.