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"DOWNTON ABBEY"
 (2019) (Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith) (PG)

At-A-Glace Content Summary

Alcohol/Drugs Moderate
Blood/Gross Stuff None
Disrespectful/Bad Attitude Extreme
Frightening/Tense Scenes Moderate
Gun/Weapons Mild
Imitative Behavior Moderate
Jump Scenes None
Music (Scary/Tense) Mild
Music (Inappropriate) None
Profanity Minor
Sex/Nudity Mild
Smoking None
Tense Family Scenes Moderate
Topics to Talk About Moderate
Violence Mild

QUICK TAKE:
Drama: Members of an aristocratic family of 1920s England and the staff that serves them must prepare for a visit by the King and Queen and their entourage.
PLOT:
It's 1927 and Downton Abbey, a rural estate in Yorkshire owned by Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham (HUGH BONNEVILLE) and Cora Crawley, Countess of Grantham (ELIZABETH McGOVERN), has seen better days, at least financially. Day to day operations have been handed over to their daughter, Lady Mary Crawley (MICHELLE DOCKERY), and when they all receive news that none other than King George V (SIMON JONES), Queen Mary (GERALDINE JAMES), Princess Mary (KATE PHILLIPS), and her husband, Lord Lascelles (ANDREW HAVILL), will be paying the estate a visit, Mary immediately has retired butler Charles Carson (JIM CARTER) return to handle preparations, much to the disdain of Thomas Barrow (ROBERT JAMES-COLLIER), the current head butler. Also returning is former staffer turned teacher Joseph Molesley (KEVIN DOYLE) who's given permission to temporarily resume duties so that he may serve the king and queen.

But not everyone is pleased about the upcoming royal visit. Robert's widowed son-in-law, Irishman Tom Branson (ALLEN LEECH), obviously isn't impressed by the King and Queen, and his status within the estate has drawn the interest of outsider Major Chetwode (STEPHEN CAMPBELL MOORE) who's just recently arrived in town. Kitchen staffer Daisy Mason (SOPHIE McSHERA) -- who works for head cook Beryl Patmore (LESLEY NICOL) and is engaged to footman Andy Parker (MICHAEL FOX) -- likewise isn't impressed and it's not long before she and the rest of the staff learn their services won't be needed, what with the royal entourage having its own crew.

And then there's Robert's mother, Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (MAGGIE SMITH), who isn't pleased that Robert's cousin, Lady Maud Bagshaw (IMELDA STAUNTON), the Queen's lady in waiting, will also be showing up with her maid, Lucy (TUPPENCE MIDDLETON). That stems from word that Maud won't be leaving her estate to Robert or anyone else on that side of the family. When the royals arrive, the aristocratic family does their best to shine in the limelight, all while the domestic staff does their best to undermine their royal counterparts and thus have a chance to serve the King and Queen.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
They will if they're fans of the TV show and maybe if they're otherwise fans of period costume dramas.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language.

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