This article contains spoilers for “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.”
If it feels like we’ve been saying goodbye to “Downton Abbey” for a long time now, that’s because we have. The ITV period melodrama initially ended in 2015 with the sixth series’ Christmas special. Just about every character received as best of a send off as they could possibly get. But with the show exploding into a global phenomenon, it was inevitable that it would return in some form or another. The result of this was a trilogy of theatrically-released feature films that teased the incoming train of progress, while not straying too far from the status quo. With the Crawley family still living in their early 20th century luxury, there was plenty of room for more stories to be told. “Downton Abbey” may have been a heavily romanticized depiction of an aristocratic family and their downstairs staff, but audiences overlooked its fantastical class dynamics because they really came to like spending time with this ensemble.
In my review for “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” I praised the film as a vibrant and emotional sequel that brought about the best of its charming characters. Most of the Crawley clan got to go on vacation to the south of France, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) stayed behind to help transform a silent picture into a talkie. It was like a big hangout movie that’s simultaneously hit with a wave of melancholy and optimism for the future. Fan favorite characters like Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) even ended up finding his niche in writing screenplays. There’s also the matter of Robert James-Collier’s Thomas Barrow, who ends up with a happy ending that allows him to embrace his queer identity with suave movie star Guy Dexter (Dominic West). Getting to talk with stars like Jim Carter and Raquel Cassidy for that film’s press tour a few years back highlighted how much these actors have comfortably settled into their roles over the past decade or so.
Arguably the greatest strength of “Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” lies in seeing these beloved characters brace themselves for a brave new future, even if the film is incredibly lackluster in building upon that sentiment. But there’s a noticeable absence among the ensemble in Dame Maggie Smith’s Violet Crawley, otherwise referred to as the Dowager Countess. Where her fictional counterpart died a peaceful death in the ending of “A New Era,” Smith sadly passed away a few months after the film’s release. The third film, which is memorialized in her honor, puts the Crawleys in a position where they don’t have their beloved matriarch there to offer her input. Sadly, “The Grand Finale” feels empty without Smith’s presence.
Downton Abbey isn’t the same without Dame Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess
Smith may not have considered her tenure with “Downton Abbey” as one of the pinnacles of her long and illustrious career, but she was undoubtedly one of the franchise’s best characters. Violet, by all counts, doesn’t carry the cynical and pricklier edge of her counterpart in “Gosford Park,” otherwise known as the stepping stone for “Downton Abbey.” With creator Julian Fellowes opting to abandon the meaner streak of his Academy Award-winning screenplay and lean into what would become this series’ nostalgic hue, this character was deprived of her unpleasant nature. Instead, the Dowager became the Crawley family matriarch, whose effortless dry wit led to some of the best insults on television.
In “Downton Abbey,” Violet’s resistance to change was often presented as endearing. She could oftentimes be seen as the most level-headed person in the room, having lived through so much history. Through her friendship with Cousin Isobel (Penelope Wilton), Violet would show signs of growth in her attitude toward progress. No one is more surprised by her change in spirits and opinions than her. Violet will often have a smile on her face about it too because she loves her family way too much to let her stubbornness of traditions get in the way. Having Violet absent in “The Grand Finale” leaves Lady Mary in a position to run things on her own, but the film unfortunately suffers as a result.
I feel I should make a note that it’s not the fault of “Downton Abbey” that Smith’s real-life passing prevents her from making an appearance here. In fact, when the final scene started showing memories of the past, I was deeply concerned they were going to pull a “Cobra Kai” and use an AI deepfake to bring her back to life for one last tearjerker with Lady Mary. Thankfully, this doesn’t happen; her inclusion is made up of repurposed footage from earlier seasons of the show.
The problem lies in how the ensemble feels like it’s dramatically drifting in the wind without her character. The Crawleys being forced to reckon with their stature in the world without her is a great concept that could have led to emotional revelations and hard truths about the dwindling tolerance for the aristocratic lifestyle, but “The Grand Finale” is allergic to any meaningful change. “A New Era” probably should have been the end of it in hindsight, given how this new film doesn’t offer any more of a radical conclusion without her. Still, even though “The Grand Finale” comes across as an undercooked curtain call, it ensures Smith’s legacy will no doubt live on.
“Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale” is now playing in theaters nationwide.
