 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Downton Abbey
Common Sense Media says
Absorbing costume series is perfect watch-together fare.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there are plenty of adult themes in this BBC miniseries -- sex, scandal, and cover up; the loss of a pregnancy; thievery; sudden death -- but all are handled in very buttoned-up Edwardian English fashion. When an unmarried woman sleeps with a male visitor, both are still completely clothed when the camera cuts away. A male servant tries to blackmail a duke over a past affair and makes unsuccessful advances toward another man. There are a couple of tense moments when a corpse is dragged down a hallway and a medical procedure is shown in detail, but otherwise viewers should expect a typical costume drama experience complete with backstabbing sisters (they can be really cruel), out-of-touch but usually well-meaning upper-class characters, and a few scheming servants amidst an otherwise loyal and steadfast house staff.
What's the story?
Opening the day after the sinking of the Titanic and passing through the announcement that England is at war with Germany, this BBC miniseries encompasses the drama of one upper-class English family, the sprawling Downton Abbey where they live, and the servants who maintain it. Lord (Hugh Bonneville) and Lady (Elizabeth McGovern) Grantham have three daughters -- Mary (Michelle Dockery), Edith (Laura Carmichael), and Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) -- and a big problem when the cousin set to inherit Downton Abbey (and marry Mary) goes down with the Titanic. That leaves third cousin Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) -- a lawyer who's not accustomed to dressing in a tux for every dinner. When he arrives, he's sneered at by the Dowager Countess (the always-amazing Maggie Smith) but is eventually accepted as the estate's only hope. He may be Mary's as well, especially after London gets word of her scandalous affair with a Turkish diplomat. Most of the servants are rooting for her anyway, especially Carson the butler (Jim Carter) and Anna (Joanne Froggatt) the ladies' maid. But not all is sunny and loyal downstairs. Thomas (Rob James-Collier) the footman is always scheming. Plus Gwen the house maid (Rose Leslie) buys a typewriter in hopes of getting a job as a secretary, and the new socialist chauffeur is more than happy to drive Lady Sybil to all her forward-thinking political causes.
Is it any good?
For fans of costume dramas, this Masterpiece Classic series is a complete delight, even if it occasionally dabbles in melodrama. Attention to detail really draws viewers into the time period -- there's the sprawling estate, the classic cars, the first telephone, the newspapers ironed every morning, etc.. But of course it's the dresses and hats that really steal the show.
Interwoven stories are compelling both upstairs and down, and all the acting is good and occasionally superb -- Smith's sneering Dowager Countess takes relaying gossip to an art form. And sisters Mary and Edith really know how to torment each other. But for some viewers, the petty fighting and gossip might get a little tiresome, leaving characters like Mary harder to root for and the motivations of some, like the always-scheming Thomas the footman, a little hard to understand. But the lack of reflection and redemption doesn't make the series any less compelling.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the miniseries' time period. How were things changing for England and the world at that time? How did the typewriter give more options to women? How did the telephone change the world?
Whose side are you on -- Lady Mary's or Lady Edith's? Or neither? What other stories of backstabbing sisters can you think of?
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AGE
Could have used a heads up . . .
This really is a gorgeous period drama with all the twists and scheming you'd expect. The story is incredibly engaging and is beautifully cast.
However, after reading Common Sense Media's review on Netflix, I felt comfortable with my young teenage siblings watching it with me but was very startled when the duke and footman do more than just "talk about their affair" (all that was stated in the review). There is a lengthy kiss between them. I'm very surprised that this normally conservative review site, one that I often count on to help guide media choices in our family, left out that information since many parents would either like to avoid such a scene altogether or would like to discuss it with their teenagers beforehand. I truly feel like you've let me down.
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AGE
My family really enjoyed this series. Sexual situations are vague and handled tastefully. There is some kissing - and a bit of it is same-sex, which is not a problem for my kids. Beautiful, absorbing, funny, surprising, dramatic. Lots of fun and escapism. Looking forward to the next season!
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AGE
Yes - CommonSense has let us down here...
I agree with KKoff. Apparently two males passionately kissing is so normal as to not rate a mention on your site! Well not in my world, and not for young children or even teens.
This is a brilliant quality series, but there is certainly plently of overt and implied sexual behaviour that will need explaining to children - Including the main plot line of a lady of the house sleeping with a guest (series 1), an overt homosexual encounter (series 1) and the lord of the house having an affair (series 2).
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AGE
Be wary of unedited UK version online
I think what we need to realize about this TV show is the strong possibility that there are some scenes in it online that are not shown on American PBS stations, hence the same-sex kissing not mentioned by commonsensemedia.org and other reviewers. Amazon's streaming video page states that each episode is the original un-edited UK version of the program.
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AGE
Great show!
I LOVE this show! Every Sunday my mom and I watch this every week together.
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AGE
BEST. SHOW. EVER!!!!!
This is literally the best show I have ever watched on television. It is absorbing, suspensful, fascinating, and (heads up, parents!) quite educational as well. You can learn so much about aristocrasy in WWI-era (and afterwards) just by watching this show. It is quite entertaining, the acting and storylines are fantastic, and I love how each character, no matter how obscure they are, always get the spotlight at some point in time. I especially love Lady Grantham, who is always sweet to everybody, and the indispensable grandmother (played by Oscar-winning Maggie Smith, aka Proffessor McGonnagal for any Harry Potter fans out there). Oh, and there is also Mr. Bates, who in my opinion is an excellent role model, since he in the beginning refuses to marry or have overt relationships with Anna to protect her honor (a true gentleman). Note: the plots are very complex and the show can be quite lengthy at times, so that is why I recommended it for 15+, not 13+. Contentwise, it is appropriate for 13+, however. I just believe that it will catch more the interest of older teens than younger ones. Overall, great show, great plot, and very educational!
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | PBS |
| Cast: | Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith |
| Genre: | Drama |
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