Feature Post - Downton Abbey

I didn't watch Downton Abbey when it first came out in 2010, although I did want to, because it was on at an awkward time and there were lots of other shows/books/films/comics I wanted to get through. Eventually, a week before series two came out earlier this year, I finally watched the first series and was very impressed. I've never been very fond of fairly recent period dramas like this one, set in the early 20th century, preferring much older ones, generally Tudor period or older, but I've quite warmed to this show. From the first episode I was fascinated with observing the dynamics between the family and staff in the house, the diverse and interesting characters and the scandals that are scarily both familiar and foreign to a modern audience. Given it had such a positive start and has been so critically acclaimed, I've watched Downton Abbey through two series and most recently the Christmas Special that aired Christmas Day this year but to be honest I may as well have been watching the first episode over and over again due to the ridiculous little amount of development the plot and characters have undergone. Some characters and plots on the show have been developed brilliantly, Sybil and her marriage to Branson specifically stands out as great development with excellent twists, but the rest are still relatively the same as when the show started. I'm going to carry on watching this show to see how it goes as thankfully there was a hope for moving forward at the end of the Christmas Special so lets hope it gets better.