Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

One of my favorite things is seeing a film in an actual movie theater. Ridley Scott said of movie theaters, "In my view, the only way to see a film remains the way the filmmaker intended: inside a large movie theater with great sound and pristine picture." There is just something about the shared experience you can't get sitting at home.

We have been fans of the Julian Fellowes television show, Downton Abbey, since it arrived in America in 2011. I'm quite the anglophile and this series just spoke to me. It seemed only fitting that we would say farewell to it in person. And what a farewell it was. I cried when it was over though the memories made regarding Downton Abbey will live on forever.

In 2015, our British friends, Ian and Eileen, sent us this delightful reminder of the cleverness of the series. "Here in The Wit and Wisdom of Downton Abbey, Jessica Fellowes has gathered together her favorite quotes from the complete Downton Abbey oeuvre to take each of us back to the most memorable moments from the show and ensure we are armed with the very best ripostes should we ever need to chastise an impertinent lady's maid."

In 2017, my SoCal visit was so perfectly timed that I was able to experience something incredibly unique, "For the only West Coast appearance, Muzeo Museum is proud to host Dressing Downton: Changing Fashion for Changing Times. Dressing Downton highlights fashion from one of the most widely watched television dramas in the world, Downton Abbey®. Follow your favorite characters, both upstairs and down; walk through a costume chronicle of the period that showcases costumes and jewelry from the hit series." The blog post of that day is worth a visit."

In 2019, our local movie theater offered a sneak peek at the first of three Downton Abbey films (complete with a several minute long recap). Serendipitously, the showing was on our 32th wedding anniversary. What a fun way to celebrate. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first Downton Abbey film sold more advanced tickets than any other drama that year. So it wasn't just highly anticipated by me!

One day, I plan to visit Highclere Castle, and see where all the cinematic magic, and amazing history, happened... one day! In the meantime, I think I'll revisit the entire six seasons of the television series and dream. As Carson so succinctly said, “We must always travel in hope."