I was pleasantly surprised by the first episode of the new series of Downton Abbey. I still think it is overrated and inclined to be wooden and formulaic but it managed to generate quite a bit of suspense and emotion. For the first time I was watching it with the added benefit of commercial breaks. I know that commercials are part of the landscape in the UK, as indeed they are over here, but it still came as quite a shock to remember how willingly we allow momentum to ground to a halt for the sake of advertising.
In terms of sheer quality, I have to say I would put Downton Abbey lower down the scale than Mad Men.
I'm a fan of Parade's End and think it is in many ways superior to Downton Abbey, although the main character is surely difficult to believe in. It has its full quota of situations teetering on the edge of farce, without going overboard: the Tom Stoppard trademark. Nice to be able to hear what people are saying as well.
Inaudibility had always been my grouse with Waterloo Road but things have got much better since the school moved to Scotland...
Britain is now unquestionably a multi-racial society on TV. Is it in reality?
In terms of sheer quality, I have to say I would put Downton Abbey lower down the scale than Mad Men.
I'm a fan of Parade's End and think it is in many ways superior to Downton Abbey, although the main character is surely difficult to believe in. It has its full quota of situations teetering on the edge of farce, without going overboard: the Tom Stoppard trademark. Nice to be able to hear what people are saying as well.
Inaudibility had always been my grouse with Waterloo Road but things have got much better since the school moved to Scotland...
Britain is now unquestionably a multi-racial society on TV. Is it in reality?
No comments:
Post a Comment