'Downton Abbey' successfully develops characters against historical backdrop

PBS Masterpiece’s British hit "Downton Abbey" (2010-present) has returned to American televisions for its highly-anticipated fifth season. The show, written and created by Julian Fellowes, follows the lives of the wealthy, aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th century.

Season five continues the unfinished storyline from season four. The beautiful, wealthy Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery) struggles to find a husband who can be both a respectable partner and her new love. John Bates (Brendan Coyle) is under continued suspicion from the police about his involvement in the death of Mr. Green, the valet. Daisy (Sophie McShera), the assistant cook, strives to better her opportunities for career advancement by taking math lessons from a friendly teacher, who is in turn interested in Tom Branson (Allen Leech).

Despite the complexity of its plots, the success of Downton Abbey relies on the interconnectedness of characters to strengthen the unity of the narrative; "Downton Abbey" is critically-acclaimed for its ability to weave characters together while presenting important social issues against the backdrop of 1920's England.

One of the most tragic storylines from the previous season involves Anna Bates, played by the talented Joanne Froggatt. In season four, Anna Bates is sexually assaulted by the valet, Mr. Green (Nigel Harman). In a time when the blame of sexual assault is misplaced particularly unrelentingly on the survivor instead of the assailant, Anna struggles with both the physical and psychological dimensions of her recovery. In season five, her concern rests with the fact that her husband, John, is under intense police scrutiny for the death of her attacker. The show artfully depicts Anna's struggle with the aftermath of her trauma while living in a society that hinders her physical and emotional healing.

Another plot point follows the plight of Edith Crawley (Laura Carmichael), whose secret illegitimate child is both her greatest joy and worry. After her soon-to-be husband mysteriously disappears, she gives birth to their daughter, Marigold, who she gives away to a family that is close to the Abbey so she can visit her daughter often. Over the years, Edith’s storyline has frequently put her in unfortunate situations, and the new season has more of the same. While the stories surrounding Edith are often entertaining, they can at times overshadow her development as a character. Her characterization was at its best when she was not just passively reacting, but actively achieving.

The show's most famous character is arguably Mary Crawley, who in season five decides to marry Anthony Foyle (Tom Cullen). However, since she has been married once before, she wants to ensure that Anthony is the right choice for a partner and deliberates including him in her life. Meanwhile, she takes an active interest in running the Downton estate with Branson and her father as she continues to expand her horizons and take on responsibility.

"Downton Abbey" does an excellent job of portraying the progression of time and technology, as well as the impact of the first World War on people from a variety of social classes in 1920's England. The show's greatest flaw is that, like most British television shows, its seasons are very short compared to the season lengths of American programs. This hinders the show's ability to properly develop an arc.

In addition, the show sometimes creates plots that are wildly outlandish or completely trivial in order to generate excitement. But despite its lengthy run and occasional reliance on cheap thrills, "Downton Abbey" still manages to capture England's decadent wealth and luxury, downtrodden poverty, tumultuous politics and clashing social and classist issues, while maintaining viewers' attention. In doing so, Julian Fellowes has created a sprawling and magnificent show that is more or less historically accurate -- with the beautiful clothes and traditions of the 1920's to match.