‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ Is A Satisfying Conclusion To An Epic Journey

“We’ve had this journey and people have appreciated what we’ve all done so much. It’s extraordinary really.”

This is Brendan Coyle talking about his take on the new feature film Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale.

Coyle has played valet Mr. Bates throughout the series, and the subsequent films.

This film brings to a close the story of the Crawley family, their relatives, their loves, both present and past, and their faithful servants, who keep the Abbey running.

The historical drama, which debuted in 2010 as a television series, began with the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, traversed through World War I, and is now concluding as the calendar rolls into the 1930s.

Thankfully, Downton returns with a huge cast of familiar characters, including Lord Grantham, his wife Cora, their daughters Mary and Edith, as well as the household staff comprised of Carson, Mrs. Hughes, Mr. Bates, Anna, Mrs. Patmore, and Daisy, as well as extended family and close friends.

In this installment, the Crawley family and their staff are at crossroads as Mary finds herself at the center of a public scandal and the family faces financial trouble. Now, the Crawleys must embrace change as the staff prepares for a new chapter with the next generation leading Downton Abbey into the future.

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After six seasons and two follow-up films, can this final segment of the story satisfactorily supply the closure that fans undoubtedly desire?

With a narrative crafted by writer Julian Fellowes, the man who has guided every move of the Downton story, the answer is a resounding, ‘yes.’

Fellowes makes sure that this portion of journey takes into account both the past and the present, showing just how each character has grown and changed over the years.

And while some of the changes are hard to absorb, every one feels authentic, and true to Downton form, never rushed, allowing for the appropriate amount of time for both the characters, and viewers, to contemplate just what is being left behind, and what the future seems to hold.

Also included in the film is a nice tribute to the characters who’ve been lost along the way, that manages not to evoke sadness, but rather feels more like receiving a warm hug from each of them.

While this film is dubbed The Grand Finale, is it really the end of the line for spending time with The Crawley family?

In its current iteration, Fellowes has given an emphatic answer. “I didn't really want to get into the Nazis and Germany and the lead up to the Second World War,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I wanted to leave at a time when that had not yet become apparent as a threat.”

However, there is another way to expand the Downton universe, by leaning into another portion of the Crawley family — the offspring.

A new narrative could feature Mary’s son and daughter, George and Caroline, Edith’s children, Marigold and James, and Sybil and Tom’s daughter, Sybbie. Even Mr. Bates and Anna’s offspring John Jr, and their as yet to be born child could feature into the storyline.

The good news is, that according the EW article, Fellowes has not ruled this out.

So, now as Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale takes center stage, hope runs deep that maybe in a few years, there will be a new film entitled Downton Abbey: The Next Generation.

‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ is in theaters now.