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“Downton Abbey: Season 3” Available Now for Pre-Order! |
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Downton Abbey's first two seasons are packaged in a splendid boxed set that every fan of the series, and any historical drama, will love. Season one sets a lavish stage of beautiful scenery and architecture, and a class structure rigid yet just beginning to give way at the beginning of the 20th century, and of the Great War. Season two picks up two years later, in 1916, as the war rages on over Europe, and grand Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent hospital for wounded veterans of the brutal combat. Throughout both seasons, the storylines involving the wealthy Crawley family and their servants are captivating, richly developed, and all too human. Season one focuses, as it must, on quickly giving biographies of the main cast members and their roles in the stately home of Downton Abbey. Standouts include Hugh Bonneville as Lord Crawley, Earl of Grantham, and Elizabeth McGovern as his American wife, Lady Cora. The Crawleys' three daughters quickly show their distinct personalities and passions--and passion they are determined to have. Downstairs, the servants include Brendan Coyle as Mr. Bates and Rob James-Collier as Thomas Barrow the footman, whose rising position in the household is threatened by Bates's return; Thomas immediately begins schemes to undermine Bates. Maggie Smith steals every scene she's in as Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham. The bons mots fly out of the countess's mouth and she is wickedly funny as the elder stateswoman who has seen it all and is shocked by absolutely nothing. If Smith tends to chew the scenery, it doesn't really matter--since Downton Abbey has scenery to spare.
This boxed set is rich with extras. Fans will be captivated by the making-of featurette showing the details as originally envisioned by series creator Julian Fellowes (writer of Gosford Park and the TV series Titanic). Another feature examines the incredible attention to period authenticity paid to costumes, dialogue, and décor. Another short feature examines the many love stories unfolding--and given urgency--with World War I as the backdrop. And the transformation of the stately home into a humming wartime hospital is also fascinating. All in all, there are more than 15 hours of immersive entertainment in this five-disc set--best put on another pot of tea before you settle in. --A.T. Hurley
Product Description
The original and unedited UK version of both seasons of the hit show Downton Abbey.
Downton Abbey—a sprawling, lavish Edwardian mansion nestled in the Yorkshire landscape—needs an heir. Dame Maggie Smith stars as Violet, the stubborn Dowager Countess of Grantham, matriarch of Downton. Hugh Bonneville stars as her son, the stoic, unflappable Lord Crawley; Elizabeth McGovern is his far-sighted American wife, Cora. From Academy Award®-winner Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park).
Season 1 Bonus Features include “Making of Downton Abbey - A House in History” and “Great British Heritage Pass, a promotional spot for British tourism.”
Season 2 of the Emmy® Award-winning Downton Abbey returns as The Great War rages across Europe, and not even the serene Yorkshire countryside is free from its effects. The men and women of Downton are doing their part both on the front lines and the home front, but the intensity of war only serves to inflame the more familiar passions—love, loss, blackmail, and betrayal.
Includes the Downton Abbey Christmas Special .
Season 2 Bonus Features include “Fashion and Uniforms,” “Romance in a Time of War” and “House to Hospital.”
This DVD set features subtitles in English (SDH).
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
75 of 79 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This series is undoubtedly going to be as long-lived a hit as Upstairs, Downstairs. It ranks in the British perfection class with Foyle's War. It's a Period Costume Drama series with plenty of mega-stars. The magnificent performance of Maggie Smith in a less-than leading role shines through every time she's on the screen (very often), even when she has no lines. Her facial delivery is comic. A paragraph could be written for almost every cast member, each seem to feed off the other in making this a remarkable period drama that takes the viewer back to the era, like it is real.
Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is the man behind the estate, but it is Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), the butler, who keeps the house and social lives moving. There are 12 cast members that have a role in EVERY episode. Many more who miss just one or two. You fall in love with each in their own way, each a vital role in the make-up of this large family and servants. Not an issues is untouched, since every episode blends threads of intrigue, love, and history.
The home, the countryside scenes, even WWI segments, the costumes, the sets, the music, the props, the...well, it's easier to say there is nothing about this series my wife and I have been even remotely disappointed with. If you don't own the original released DVDs this is a must buy. And with the rest of the world, you will then be awaiting season three, knowing it will be SIX-star worthy as well. Created and written by Julian Fellowes who last acted in Monarch of the Glen (another keeper). He and his daughter combined in a book, also a must own for Downton Abbey fans.
I give this UK DVD series a 6-star super recommendation.
Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) is the man behind the estate, but it is Mr. Carson (Jim Carter), the butler, who keeps the house and social lives moving. There are 12 cast members that have a role in EVERY episode. Many more who miss just one or two. You fall in love with each in their own way, each a vital role in the make-up of this large family and servants. Not an issues is untouched, since every episode blends threads of intrigue, love, and history.
The home, the countryside scenes, even WWI segments, the costumes, the sets, the music, the props, the...well, it's easier to say there is nothing about this series my wife and I have been even remotely disappointed with. If you don't own the original released DVDs this is a must buy. And with the rest of the world, you will then be awaiting season three, knowing it will be SIX-star worthy as well. Created and written by Julian Fellowes who last acted in Monarch of the Glen (another keeper). He and his daughter combined in a book, also a must own for Downton Abbey fans.
I give this UK DVD series a 6-star super recommendation.
27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
Downton Abbey is already close to an institution as the most popular costume drama for about 30 years coming out of the UK which makes something of a speciality of this sort of thing. So far we have two series, with a third promised which will take us up to the 1920s with doubtless more to come. This DVD set covers the first two series, with 16 episodes, 7 from the first series and 8 from the second and the Christmas special.
The first series covered the period from 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic, up to the start of the first world war in 1914 and much of the story line is about the matchmaking within the Crawley family where financial and social influences have a major bearing. Of course the interaction between the family and those who serve them `below stairs' is a continual contributor to the excellent story lines. The second series picks up two years on from the first series in 1916, in the middle of World War 1. Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent home for injured servicemen and the action covers the period from the Battle of the Somme up to the end of the war. The Christmas Special is post the first world war and includes a dramatic trial. In both series topical events of the period, political, economic and military are covered.
There are many superb individual performances but mention must be made of Maggie Smith. What a stroke of genius to cast her as Violet. She dominates every scene she appears in and often has some very funny lines.
This box set will appeal to viewers who may have missed out first time round and also to the many who enjoyed this superb production and will want to revisit it. Roll on Series 3!
The first series covered the period from 1912, just after the sinking of the Titanic, up to the start of the first world war in 1914 and much of the story line is about the matchmaking within the Crawley family where financial and social influences have a major bearing. Of course the interaction between the family and those who serve them `below stairs' is a continual contributor to the excellent story lines. The second series picks up two years on from the first series in 1916, in the middle of World War 1. Downton Abbey has been converted into a convalescent home for injured servicemen and the action covers the period from the Battle of the Somme up to the end of the war. The Christmas Special is post the first world war and includes a dramatic trial. In both series topical events of the period, political, economic and military are covered.
There are many superb individual performances but mention must be made of Maggie Smith. What a stroke of genius to cast her as Violet. She dominates every scene she appears in and often has some very funny lines.
This box set will appeal to viewers who may have missed out first time round and also to the many who enjoyed this superb production and will want to revisit it. Roll on Series 3!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you like Downton Abbey, and you don't already have the first release seasons 1 & 2 DVD sets of the series, then you should have this. I waited for this set instead of getting the first releases, but really it's more of a repackaging of the original release with the Christmas episode here as well. So buy this if you love Downton and don't already own it...and hurry because the 3rd season comes out in January!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Modern Day Soap Opera set in 191x
2 stars for beautiful Highclere Castle and very good casting and acting; it would have been more except for the weak script and poor directing; this is no BBC Dickens series. Read more
Published 1 month ago by W. Dixon
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing.
After Mad Men "jumped the shark" in Season 5 this year (2012), I bought the DVDs since I missed the "chopped up, dumbed-down" American version on PBS. The series is incredible. Read more
Published 2 months ago by SanDiegoQT
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