TV PREVIEW
“Downton Abbey,” 9 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 4-March 1, on GPB (repeats at 9 p.m. Thursdays)
“Manor of Speaking,” 10:15 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 4-March 1, on GPB (repeats at 10:15 p.m. Thursdays)
“The Manners of Downton Abbey: A Masterpiece Special,” 10:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 (repeats at 10:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8)
Live chat
To chat with other "Downton Abbey" fans during this Sunday's episode, go to gpb.org/downton.
The Dowager Cake-ess was not amused.
“An Evening at Downton Abbey” had already offered up many insider info-style treats when the lights came up inside the ornate Egyptian Ballroom at the Fox Theatre last month. As some of the crowd moved toward the exits, they were still chattering about their sneak peek at the first episode of the new season of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning series, which returns Sunday on GPB:
Poor Lady Edith. Oh, that goofy Molesley! Meanwhile, based on what “Downton” historical adviser Alastair Bruce told us before the screening, doesn’t what goes on behind the scenes sound nearly as interesting as the on-air plots?
Back inside, though, all anyone could talk about at the VIP after-party was the cake. Crafted by Atlanta “cake and chocolate artist” Karen Portaleo, it was a spot-on likeness of the Dowager Countess — “Downton’s” cuttingly witty and cleverly manipulative grande dame, played by Maggie Smith. (She has won two Emmys for the role.)
“She does not approve,” Portaleo confirmed with a chuckle about her tasty creation, who almost seemed to be looking down her fondant-and-molded-chocolate nose at everyone. “I binge-watched (previous seasons) to get it right.”
The “Cake-ess” might be the only slightly somber face associated with “Downton Abbey” these days. As season five kicks off in the U.S. (it aired this fall in the U.K.), the soapy series about the veddy upper-class Crawley family and their downstairs staff in a post-World War I manor house shows no sign of losing its “Is this really public television?” buzz.
Just the opposite. Nominated for best drama series at the Jan. 11 Golden Globes Awards, “Downton” is one of only two traditional broadcast series (the other is CBS’ “The Good Wife”) going up against the anything-goes-on-cable likes of “Game of Thrones” and “The Affair.”
Indeed, at a time when commercial television is hemorrhaging viewers at an alarming rate, PBS is headed in the other direction: It finished the 2013-14 season ranked No. 5 in prime-time viewership among all broadcast and cable networks, up from No. 8 a year earlier. Sundays, when “Downton Abbey” aired in January and February, saw viewership go up a whopping 7 percent. The nine episodes of “Downton” averaged 13.2 million viewers — good enough to finish at No. 11 among all prime-time network series, were it included in the full season rankings.
And now here come the spinoffs: After “Downton Abbey” concludes each Sunday, GPB will air “Manor of Speaking,” Houston Public Media’s live and lively “talkback” show about the newest episode. This Sunday, “Manor” will be followed by the premiere of “The Manners of Downton Abbey,” a one-off special in which Bruce takes American viewers through the painstakingly precise and sometimes funny process of ensuring that the series gets its Edwardian England etiquette and historical touches just right.
A few seasons ago, that meant a costly reshoot because one character had failed to stand up when the Dowager Countess entered a room. This season, Bruce had to explain to actress Elizabeth McGovern that her character, Cora, the Countess of Grantham, most definitely would not step out of a car and sweep her adorable toddler grandchildren into her arms.
"I said, 'Absolutely not, don't get anywhere near them, they're children,'" Bruce recalled during an interview a few hours before "An Evening at Downton Abbey" at the Fox. "They'll be brought to see you after tea.' That's how it was done then."
In previous years, such “sneak peek” events took place at GPB’s headquarters on 14th Street. This year, it moved to the Egyptian Ballroom, which was bigger and had an undeniable big event feel. About 400 fans snagged coveted free passes to the episode one screening, which also featured a talk by Bruce. Another 320 people paid $100 and up to attend the VIP party afterward, where they sampled “Downton”-esque fare (mini-beef Wellingtons), bid on silent auction items, and, of course, tucked into a delicious piece of the Dowager Cake-ess.
If you weren't there, fear not. Here are three intriguing tidbits from episode one. But no spoilers. You-know-who would not be amused:
- Upstairs, downstairs, in-between stairs: This season could feature some serious cases of role reversal, with servants occasionally rising above their humbler status and certain aristocrats being put in their place at times. While Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) won't suddenly turn up eating bonbons in the library and demanding Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) bring her tea, look for Carson the butler (Jim Carter) to get a plum assignment that once would have automatically gone to the increasingly bewildered looking and anachronistic Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville).
- Speaking of "Lady" Mary: She may not turn out to be much of a lady after all. The now-rather-merry-widow (well, a lot merrier than she was after season one's "poor Mr. Pamuk" bedroom disaster) receives a somewhat startling proposition from one of her many suitors. What's more, she seems to be considering it. It is 1924, after all, and as the mother of Downton's heir muses, it's rather obsolete to consider marrying someone for life when you haven't even … well, you know.
- Best new season five character so far: Molesley's hair. The humorously hapless onetime valet to deceased Matthew Crawley appears to be getting more screen time. So of course, he's decided to join some circa-1924 version of the Hair Club for Men. It becomes a running joke for viewers. But not for starchy Mr. Carson, who decides Molesley (Kevin Doyle) should stay below stairs, apparently, until Vidal Sassoon's hairdresser grandpa stops by Downton Abbey.
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