"International Herald Tribune" reporter Li Rui from London

It is known as "the best TV series in the world" and was selected into the Guinness World Records. It won the title in the United States Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards, it has turned British princes and princesses into millions of die-hard movie fans. "Downton Abbey", a story about the life of a British aristocratic family at the beginning of the last century, has once again pushed the popular British drama to a new peak.

A little longer than a movie, a little shorter than a soap opera

The British film industry's all-rounder and Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes personally directed Harry Potter School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Starring "Professor McGonagall", the British independent television station ITV's Sunday prime time launch of "Downton Abbey" has all the elements to be a hit.

How popular is it? Take a look at the data. The first season attracted 10 million viewers in the island country of England and more than 4 million viewers in the United States. It topped the ratings list of Spanish TV series and ranked second in Australian TV series.

The American "Wall Street Journal" said that this is a historical drama with secrets, blackmail, gossip, sex scandals, and battles throughout. Of course, the marriage, property and class of British aristocrats are also indispensable.

The entire film is set against the backdrop of World War I and revolves around the inheritance of Downton Abbey. The owner of the manor, Earl Robert Grantham, has no children, and his three daughters have very different personalities. The distant relative Matthew and his mother who have the right to inherit are from the middle class of Manchester. They are incompatible with the Earl's family because they advocate self-reliance and pioneering spirit. In addition to the nobles upstairs, the servants downstairs also had their own little plans. Until the sudden advent of war changed everyone's fate.

The script played a crucial role in the success of the entire play. Screenwriter Julian has been an actor, made movies, and acted in plays. He also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Gosford Park." In this "Downton Abbey", he uses both nobles and servants as the two main lines of the story. The intricate character relationships, drastic changes in the historical background, intense dramatic conflicts and ups and downs of the plot make the audience often complain that they missed several moments. Within minutes you will be "losing your way".

Julian said: "I hate the kind of TV series where you go to the kitchen, eat a sandwich and come back to find that you haven't missed anything."

However, "Downton Abbey" is the most popular. The success lies in its portrayal of human nature. There is no absolute "villain" in the play, each character has his own personality, and the cuteness and hatefulness of the characters are just right.

Actress Joanna, who plays the maid Anna in the play, said that Julian created a world that is both distant and familiar, and each character will encounter various moral dilemmas. There are highlights and flaws, and the people you know in real-life communities can always find a similarity in the characters of "Downton Abbey."

A historical drama without "time travel"

A magnificent historical drama is always inseparable from luxurious and exquisite costumes, especially "Downton Abbey" with its beauties. The ladies in the manor have to change their outfits several times a day, dressing up differently when eating, dancing, hunting, and traveling. The costumes, styling and props reflect the sophistication and meticulousness of "Downton Abbey" as a historical drama from another aspect.

From the first season to the second season, as time goes by, the skirts of the ladies in the play gradually become higher, and the overall clothing lines become looser and softer. In the first season, from ladies to maids , all female characters wear bras that create an "S" line, and bras are used less in the second season. "Downton Abbey" costume designer Suzanne Buxton said: "Because of the First World War, the costumes in the second season are less colorful than the first season, the tailoring is simpler, and there are fewer hats because there is less glamor during wartime. There are even elements of military uniforms.

On the one hand, these historical details have become the biggest highlight of "Downton Abbey", and on the other hand, they have become the show's most vulnerable weakness.

Some people tried to find fault with the plot, such as whether it was too modern for the characters to use the word "boyfriend" in conversation. As a result, screenwriter Julian, considered "an encyclopedia and living chronicle of British high society", immediately pointed out that in 1889 The word "boyfriend" has appeared in English newspapers since 2000, so its oral use should be earlier.

Background Analysis of the Work

While Hollywood blockbusters are sweeping the world with many American dramas, low-key British dramas are gradually taking over. Whether it is a historical drama, a political satire, a detective drama or a modern drama, when people are chewing the lightness and joy of American fast food, they will raise their eyebrows at the taste of British dinner that they inadvertently taste.

Historical dramas represented by "Downton Abbey" are quite mainstream among British dramas. King Arthur, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, etc. are all the British people who are eager to adapt them, so there are a large number of TV works such as "Pride and Prejudice" and "Merlin".

British columnist M. Gowlett said that there is always a kind of historical drama called "Your Cup of Tea". "They take us back to a certain era in the past and let us experience the past immersively." The life I experienced, those scenes, and that era will always make people feel amazing involuntarily."

On Baker Street in central London, there is always a crowd of people in front of an inconspicuous little door. The house number engraved with 221B is the home of Detective Sherlock Holmes. BBC's latest masterpiece "Sherlock" has once again set off the popularity of British detective dramas.

This is a modern drama adapted from Conan Doyle's classic detective collection "Sherlock Holmes". The great detective "travels" from the 19th century to the current 21st century, with the help of modern technologies such as smartphones and laptops. The method is "reasoning" to solve the case. Although the original story prototype of "Sherlock Holmes" can be smelled in 6 episodes, "Sherlock" has easily captured the hearts of the younger generation through this more modern and fashionable adaptation and interpretation.

The British call their British dramas "television mini-series". Compared with American dramas, British dramas are indeed shorter and more sophisticated. American dramas have about 20 episodes per season, while British dramas have about 10 episodes per season. "Sherlock" only has only 3 episodes per season, which makes people say it is "not satisfying".

The "abrupt end" is precisely another charm of British dramas. The arrogance of the British is once again shown here. Regardless of the ratings, the TV series will end when the script is completed. They will not write additional scripts to continue the plot in order to please the audience, thus avoiding the possibility of ending in an anticlimax.

The ride on "Downton Abbey"

The seemingly inadvertent rise of British dramas is actually quite reasonable. As the first country to propose and develop cultural and creative industries, the UK, with its rich history, has no shortage of outstanding playwrights, actors and producers. Nowadays, coupled with the promotion and operation of foreign companies such as the United States and France, the popularity of British dramas has expanded from the British Isles to the world, and tourism and other industries have also taken a share of the pie.

Dr. David Wright, who studies popular culture at the University of Warwick, said that the success of "Downton Abbey" is a milestone for the producer, the British independent television station ITV. In the past few decades, people often thought that only the British broadcaster BBC could film perfect historical dramas, because large-scale historical dramas cost millions of pounds per episode.

ITV took a risk when filming "Downton Abbey". After all, they did not have many advertisers and sponsors. However, the success of the film immediately led to the sale of overseas broadcast rights and DVD sales, and also attracted the attention of advertisers. "Downton Abbey" is located in Highclere Castle, a filming location in Berkshire, England. It has also risen from obscurity to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK.

Screenwriter Julian's niece Jessica also got on the "Downton Abbey" train. The novel "Downton's World" which describes the behind-the-scenes story firmly dominated the bestseller list when it was released in 2011. Top of the book list. Jessica said the show's success lies in breaking the "generation gap" and "moms say they can sit down and watch the same show with their daughters for the first time in so many years."

David Murray, a professor at Goldsmiths College, University of London, believes that the British love for "Downton Abbey" may be more due to the pursuit of historical memory, while the Chinese people's love for "Downton Abbey" 》The pursuit may be based on an imagination of aristocratic life and the pursuit of upper-class life.

Professor Morrie said that China is the main market for the British top luxury car Rolls-Royce. China, which is undergoing rapid development and transformation, has also produced a large number of elites. They may hope to achieve a high-quality life, and "Downton Abbey" provides a blueprint for the life of a British aristocrat that is both luxurious and noble.

Despite the applause, the famous British historian Lord Simon Schama still criticized it mercilessly. He said that "Downton Abbey" is "cultural necrophilia" and "serves the audience a hot soup of snobbery". The ascetic old butler Carlson and the old earl's widow show an "arrogant and tyrannical style". The first season of "Downton Abbey" premiered on ITV1 on September 26, 2010. As the most expensive drama series in the history of British television, the show had strong first-run ratings, attracting 1,180 viewers. After that, the strong ratings continued to the end. The first season finale on December 7 attracted 12.8 million viewers (ITV1 HD Repeat ITV Player), making this episode the most popular among all British TV stations since 2003. Most watched single episode. The average ratings of the first season of the show also ranked second in the top 10 British TV ratings, second only to the long-lived British "national treasure" series "Doctor Who". In addition, "Downton Abbey" is also very popular in the United States. On January 9, 2011, American Masterpiece (PBS) began to broadcast the first season of the show. It not only received unanimous praise from industry insiders, but also doubled in popularity. The average ratings of Masterpiecein (also the highest-rated drama in the network's broadcast history) were the first in the United States!

This TV series was included in the Guinness World Records as "the most popular TV series in the world in 2010". Even the British princess is watching this TV series. This TV series produced in the UK is in Won many awards at the Emmy Awards Ceremony in the United States. There are down-and-out nobles who 'marry' the daughters of rich men, there are elegant British housekeepers, and there are also poor servants who desperately want to climb into the upper class. There are wars, fornications, and homosexuality. "This TV series is "Downton Abbey".

British Romance

It is difficult to imagine a British period drama that does not involve a love story at all. In the magnificent picture of the times, The romantic and reserved love between a gentleman and a lady will always make people feel happy. "Downton Abbey" inherits this glorious tradition. Unlike some previous dramas that only show love, the screenwriters of "Downton Abbey" have been clever from the beginning. It closely links the protagonist's love story with the fate of Downton Abbey, making their romance a main line.

Everything comes down to the issue of the inheritance of Downton Abbey. - Robert Earl Grantham had no children and only had three daughters. According to British law at the time, after a hundred years, his title and estate would not be owned by his daughters, but could only fall to distant relatives who were beyond his reach. The Granthams did not want to let their property go to waste, so they had to hope that their eldest daughter, Miss Mary, would marry into a good family and planned to give her a generous dowry when she got married. Miss Mary is a master who refuses to accept her fate. She is seen circling among many handsome men, and even the audience is dazzled. However, the dark horse finally appears - the legal heir, the young lawyer Matthew. Mary goes from despising him to loving him. The process of falling in love with him is like watching a wonderful battle in which the enemy retreats and we advance.

Do you think the scene between the arrogant young lady and the poor nobleman is too sweet? It doesn't matter, this is a British drama. There are plenty of handsome uncles! Although Grantham's valet and veteran Bates has a slight limp on his feet and is a bit fat, he is definitely a handsome guy who looks more and more attractive the more he looks at him.

His relationship with Anna, the head maid, is calm on the outside but fiery on the inside, like a glass of fine wine that gets better and better with each taste, even a little sadistic. The head of the family, Mr. and Mrs. Grantham, also have a legendary past - Earl Grantham married this American lady for money. Unexpectedly, he actually fell in love with her a year after their marriage. We advance and retreat together and respect each other as guests. Although there is not much ink, it is enough to make people think about it.

Masters and Servants

Like the movie "Gosford Park" and the British drama "Upstairs Downstairs", "Downton Abbey" is also indispensable for the divisions and opposition between various classes. . For Chinese viewers who are not familiar with the old-fashioned British master-servant relationship, you can learn a lot of interesting bits and pieces by watching this drama.

Although it is a master-servant relationship, as a gentleman and aristocrat, the master will not shout around at the servant. On the contrary, when the servant does even a small thing for the master, the master will politely express his gratitude. In the huge house of the manor, the servants have their own place to live, and the master cannot step beyond the boundaries. Miss Mary once broke into the servant's room with a guest and was broken into by Bates, and she apologized to him very nervously. Servants also have their own tea time, and their chats at the table are free speech and protected by Parliamentary law. For servants, it is their bounden duty to perform their duties for their masters, and they will feel uncomfortable if they are deprived of the right to work. These are all very fresh highlights for Chinese audiences.

"Downton Abbey" is also quite successful in portraying all walks of life. Matthew, the heir to the title, and his mother Isobel are middle-class people from Manchester. They advocate self-reliance and have a pioneering and reforming spirit. Therefore, this kind of character setting runs throughout - even if he becomes an heir and can use it to join the upper class society, Matthew, who comes to live in the town where Downton Abbey is located, still applies for the position of a lawyer as soon as he gets off the bus, while Izawa Bell insists on getting involved in the affairs of the hospital invested by the Grantham family, because their values ????are that without labor, personal value cannot be reflected.

The background of the first season is set on the eve of World War I. "Downton Abbey" also captured many precursors of social changes and foreshadowing of changes. Downton Abbey began to use electric lights, which made the Earl of Grantham's mother, Mrs. Wright, feel dizzy; the number of cars on the road began to increase; the maid Gwen began to be unwilling to accept her fate and secretly passed through She learned typing through correspondence courses and dreamed of becoming a secretary; the third daughter of the Grantham family advocates the feminist movement and wears trendy pants to dine with her family... These small details all add color to "Downton Abbey".

The second season of "Downton Abbey" is plunged into the gloom of war. Men are joining the war one after another, and Downton Abbey will also be turned into a hospital dedicated to treating the wounded. The historical details allow "Downton Abbey" to grip the audience tightly.

There is no "bathroom time"

What really makes "Downton Abbey" good to watch is the intense dramatic conflicts in it, so much so that British audiences complained that if they missed a few minutes of the plot, they might find it. Not to the north. Screenwriter Julian Ferrers said: "If this show is moving at a glacial pace, then the audience will not like it so much. I hate it when you go to the kitchen, eat a sandwich, and then come back There is a conflict within the aristocratic class in "Downton Abbey" - Miss Mary, who is loved by thousands of people, has an ordinary-looking second daughter who always wants to compete with her. sister, and later became jealous of her and hated her. There are also conflicts within the servant class - although they are collectively called servants, in fact, there is a strict hierarchy among the various positions, from housekeeper, housekeeper, valet, head maid, cook, and ordinary maids and maids. The maid covets the position of housekeeper, while the male servant is jealous of the valet, so he stirs up trouble in a modern office politics. The dramatic conflict between classes is more interesting--Ms. Isobel, who comes from the middle class, and the conservative old lady Violet always have frictions everywhere, and they will always fight when they meet on the same road, but they The battle is the icing on the cake, not sadistic, just the icing on the cake as a spice, and paired with a touch of British humor.