DOWNTON ABBEY – My rating: 9.5/10

Downton Abbey is one of my most favorite series.  I love period pieces.  This one is before World War I and is brilliantly told.  The series revolves around a British, aristocratic family and their servants.  The family presently includes Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham, Lady Mary, Lady Edith and  Robert’s mother, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham.  The major servants include Head of all servants, Mr. Carson, Mrs Hughes,  Head of kitchen staff, Mrs. Patmore,  John and Anna Bates, Valet to Lord Grantham and Lady Maid to Lady Mary, respectively.  The personal stories that take place between the staff and the Crawley family and friends makes for a fascinating series.  I’ve been mesmerized by Downton Abbey since it first started.  Just to see how the upper crust behaves in Britain — one wonders whose idea was it to have maids dress you every day.  The whole setup is rather complicated, so I’ve displayed a couple of charts that show the actors, characters they play and the positions they hold at Downton Abbey.  Just perusing the charts, gives you an idea of how the story flows.  Learning the positions and hierarchy of the staff will be challenge.  Overall, Downton Abbey takes you away to a world we don’t really know but can find entertainment and fun in watching.

Actor	Character	Position
Hugh Bonneville	Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham	Lord Grantham, head of the Crawley family
Elizabeth McGovern	Cora Crawley (née Levinson), Countess of Grantham	Lady Grantham, Lord Grantham’s American heiress wife
Michelle Dockery	Lady Mary Josephine Crawley	Eldest daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham; widow of Matthew Crawley
Laura Carmichael	Lady Edith Crawley	Middle daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham
Jessica Brown Findlay	Lady Sybil Branson (née Crawley)	Youngest daughter of Lord and Lady Grantham; late wife of Tom Branson
Maggie Smith	Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham	Lord Grantham’s mother
Allen Leech	Tom Branson	Chauffeur of the family (series 1–2), agent of the estate (series 3); widower of Sybil Branson
Dan Stevens	Matthew Reginald Crawley	Heir presumptive (third cousin once removed) of Lord Grantham; former lawyer, latterly co-owner of the estate; late husband of Mary Crawley
Penelope Wilton	Isobel Crawley	Matthew’s mother; widow and former nurse
Lily James	Lady Rose MacClare	Cousin and ward of the Granthams; daughter of The Marquess and Marchioness of Flintshire
Samantha Bond	Lady Rosamund Painswick (née Crawley)	Lord Grantham’s sister
Ava Mann (Series 4)	Sybil “Sybbie” Branson	Daughter of Lady Sybil and Tom Branson
Cole & Logan Weston (Series 4)	George Crawley	Son of Matthew and Lady Mary Crawley, heir to Downton and Earl of Grantham

Staff

Actor	Character	Position
Jim Carter	Charles Carson	Butler
Phyllis Logan	Elsie Hughes	Housekeeper
Brendan Coyle	John Bates	Lord Grantham’s valet; husband of Anna, widower of Vera
Siobhan Finneran	Sarah O’Brien	Lady Grantham’s lady’s maid
Rob James-Collier	Thomas Barrow	First Footman, later Lord Grantham’s valet, then underbutler
Joanne Froggatt	Anna May Bates (née Smith)	Head housemaid, later Lady Mary’s lady’s maid; wife to John Bates
Lesley Nicol	Beryl Patmore	Cook
Sophie McShera	Daisy Mason (née Robinson)	Kitchen maid, later assistant cook; widow of William Mason
Thomas Howes	William Mason	Second Footman; briefly married to Daisy
Rose Leslie	Gwen Dawson	Housemaid
Amy Nuttall	Ethel Parks	Housemaid, later Mrs Crawley’s Housekeeper and Cook
Kevin Doyle	Joseph Molesley	Matthew’s butler and valet, later a footman at Downton Abbey
Matt Milne	Alfred Nugent	Second Footman, O’Brien’s nephew
Ed Speleers	James “Jimmy” Kent	First Footman
Cara Theobold	Ivy Stuart	Kitchen maid
MyAnna Buring	Edna Braithwaite	Former maid, then briefly Lady Grantham’s lady’s maid
Raquel Cassidy	Phyllis Baxter	Lady Grantham’s lady’s maid
Jeremy Swift	Spratt	Violet’s butler