Downton Abbey continued for six seasons, and two feature films. There are also further plans for future series as they adapt to ever changing times.

Julian Fellowes created and co-wrote the British historical drama TV juggernaut that is Downton Abbey. The series is set on the fictional Yorkshire country estate of the titular Downton Abbey between 1912 and 1926 and chronicles the life of the wealthy Crawley family and their domestic employees during the First World War and then in Interwar Britain. 

The series first aired on ITV in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2010, and on PBS in the United States on January 9, 2011, as part of its Masterpiece Classic anthology.

Who are the main characters in Downton Abbey? 

Let's start by breaking down the main characters in Downton Abbey.

Robert Crawley, 7th Earl of Grantham 

The head of the family, having inherited the family title and estate. He is played by Hugh Bonneville 

Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham 

Robert’s wife, she supports him in his duties as head of the family and estate. She is played by Elizabeth McGovern.

Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham 

Played by Maggie Smith, the astute and respectable Dowager Countess was the wife of the now deceased 6th Earl who was the father of Robert and his sister Lady Rosamund. 

Lady Mary Crawley

Played by Michelle Dockery, she is one of the young daughters of the 7th Earl. Her marriage is a major plot point in the series.

Lady Edith Crawley

Another daughter, who is played by Laura Carmichael.

Lady Sybil Crawley

Jessica Brown Findlay plays the Earl’s youngest daughter.

Now we’ve had a brief intro to the characters, let’s break down the plot of the pilot using the classic 5 act structure.

Matthew Crawley

The new heir to the Grantham estate following the tragedy on the Titanic. He is a distant cousin to the Grantham family and is played by Dan Stevens.

What is the classic 5 act TV structure?

The five-act format was first suggested by Gustav Freytag and has roots in literary theory. His dramatic pyramid makes it easier for us to understand the highs and lows of a story as well as how we construct one.

You can read more about the five act structure and how it compares to three acts here.

We must remember that in this TV Pilot, there is a structure for the episode itself as well as the wider series.

The classic 5 act breakdown of Downton Abbey pilot

Let's breakdown the pilot episode using the classic 5 act TV structure.

Teaser

A hook, to draw the viewer in

A telegram is decoded at the telegram office, one that makes the decoder remark. Something important has clearly happened.

Act 1

Introduce the main characters and the world

We’re introduced to the world of Downton through the downstairs servant staff. We meet a scullery maid, housemaids, footmen, the cook, the head housekeeper and the head butler. We get to know them, and through them we learn of the family they serve, the Crawleys.

Act 2

Introduce central storyline and conflict of the episode

Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, is the head of the estate of Downton Abbey and we learn that his heir, Patrick, was aboard the Titanic, and is presumed dead. 

This throws the entire furture of the estate into question, as Patrick was to be engaged to Robert’s first daughter Mary in order to keep the estate within the family. The estate, Robert’s fortune, and Lady Mary’s future are now all in question.

Act 3

Low point when it seems conflict cannot be resolved

After reviewing all legal courses of action, the family understands that there is no getting around it: the estate will go to the next heir, a doctor’s son living in Manchester.

Act 4

Characters take action in the face of conflict

The family invites the Duke of Crawborough to dine with them, with the intent of seeking a betrothal to Lady Mary. When the Duke understands that he will not receive Downton upon the marriage, he “withdraws” his offer, though he never formally made one.

Act 5

Resolution of episode’s conflict, and for a pilot, establishes the long-term storyline.

As the Duke leaves, the family is surprised to hear that Robert will not challenge the entail. That is he will not fight against the law to have the estate and fortune pass directly to Mary. He informs them that he has invited Matthew and his mother to Downton, so that the new heir may better understand the responsibility he will inherit.

Tag

A hint of conflict in next episode, or laying something for later in the season

In Manchester, over dinner, Matthew receives a telegram, presumably from Robert, that describes the situation. When his mother asks what Lord Grantham wants, Matthew simply responds astonishedly, “To change our lives.”

What can we learn from the Downton Abbey pilot? 

While Dan Stevens’ character Matthew is a huge part of the show, he’s in barely more than a minute of the pilot because the audience needs to fully understand the stakes for the entire Crawley family at Downton before his character arrives.

 He’s discussed throughout the show, and so although he’s only in the tag at the end, it’s an incredibly effective introduction, even while the first episode is closing out.

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There’s a very clever move. The information about the tragedy on the titanic and what it means is cleverly split up.

Foreshadowing

Robert seems to hear of the news of the Titanic even before breakfast, as he discusses it briefly with Carson. He recognizes it as a tragedy, but it seems distant and is more remarking on it as newsworthy rather than something that’s actually affecting him. This is foreshadowing as we know the news will later play a much larger part in the narrative.

But through this, the audience learns that Robert knows that the Titanic sank, and knows that there was a great loss of life. So he (and the audience) have the information necessary before the personal drama hits. 

That way, when Sybill delivers the telegram and he reads it, as his face falls and he rushes to his wife, we don’t know the contents of the telegram but we know that it’s more than the information about the famed ship, and it’s personal. His heir was on the Titanic, and has not been counted among the few survivors.

The plot with Charlie Cox’s character of the Duke is a great example of an episodic storyline that’s separate from, but springboards into, the main storyline. The family is looking for a way to take care of Lady Mary, the eldest daughter, before engaging with the idea that they’ll have to attempt an alliance with the heir of Downton to ensure her standing.

It might seem a bit convoluted, but the pilot does a great job of establishing that because the Earl of Grantham has no sons his daughters cannot inherit his estate. And so if they can marry her off to this Duke, all will be well. 

Of course, in the pilot, it does not work out, and so this last effort to avoid conflating Mary’s standing with Matthew’s inheritance has failed and this will become the central conflict of the first two seasons.

Starting “Small”

When one looks at how sprawling the narratives of Downton Abbey eventually become, this pilot seems compact in comparison, even while introducing about three times as many characters as most pilots. 

The family is made up of six central figures, and there are at least seven servants that are important in the pilot.

How does Julian Fellowes introduce so many characters effectively?

Firstly, it’s helpful that most of them are hierarchically arranged. We can connect characters in relation to one another, particularly the downstairs servants.

Secondly, he gives them clearly defined opinions. While the characters will become more complex throughout the season, initially many of them are roughly sketched out (though they are not flat.) O’Brien and Thomas show little beyond having it out for Bates. Carson runs a tight ship. 

Daisy’s a bit scattered. These opinions, and stating them so openly, help tremendously in quickly establishing these characters for the audience.

The lines may seem broad, but in the hands of capable actors, they work wonderfully, and even from the pilot one can see that Downton Abbey was dialed in and poised to be great.

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Thanks for reading!