Season Two of Downton Abbey

January is shaping up to be a very busy month and even more interesting than the start of the 2011 fall season (at least in my opinion).  This Sunday (Jan. 8) sees the return of Masterpiece's Downton Abbey.  I have been looking forward to season two of this rich story of the Earl of Grantham, his family, and the family's servants during a period of great world change.

The first season covered the period from the sinking of the Titanic to the start of World War I.  And just as the Titanic threatened the son-less Earl's future, I expect season two will continue to threaten the family's standing.  Prepare for battles, betrayals, boisterous politicking, and better angels appearing where you least expect them.

The acting and setting of this period piece is a work of art that shows the continuing strength of public television, even if this is a British-produced series that could have been shown on a variety of networks.  The cross-Atlantic sharing of our cultures - we give them CSI and they give us Downton Abbey - may not seem to be a fair exchange, but it works.  Of course, as I noted earlier, we are trying to share much more with the Brits as part of PBS UK, which appears to be going well enough to date.  To be fair, we are also sharing true American treasures, such as American Experience.

Anyway, back to the show.  Not everyone is a mesmerized by the show and it new season, as is made clear by NYT's TV critic Alessandra Stanley, who noted in a recent piece,  

A little like the movie “War Horse,” which is more about the horse than about the war, this series isn’t interested in using its main characters to explore the war’s devastation and tectonic social shifts; combat serves as a plot point and palate cleanser in between voyeuristic looks at high society. So battle scenes and hospital emergencies are clichéd or perfunctory, secondary to exquisite tableaus of swirling chiffon skirts, crystal decanters and lavish country landscapes. Even the most devastating wounds are bound up and set aside in time to dress for dinner. 

My suggestion is you see the show for yourself.  Plan to settle back for an evening of solid acting, occasional humor, educational clips about the period, and darn good storytelling. 

Update:  The January 16, 2012, edition of Time magazine had a good write-up on the program titled "Quiet on the Set!"  You can learn about the owners of the Highclere Castle, the setting of Downton Abbey, as well as what it cost to maintain this lavish home and 6,000 acres of grounds.