Wed
Oct 12 2011 3:11pm

Will Downton Abbey Last Only Three Years?

Matthew and Mary from Downton Abbey

Will all the drama and love angst be resolved at Downton Abbey in just a scant three years?

It will if show creator Julian Fellowes sticks to his original plan. In an interview, Fellowes says:

“The original concept in my optimistic head was for the first series to start towards the end of the Edwardian era, the second to be set during World War I and the third in the 1920s.

”In the ’20s there are big changes, new inventions, different expectations I can’t wait to explore."

Fellowes’s comments beg the question: What about other period dramas? How will Mad Men’s Don Draper deal with heading towards the late ’60s? What happens to the world of Boardwalk Empire once Prohibition is repealed? And is Fellowes right in his wish to cut and run rather than sticking it out as long as he could? What shows should’ve ended a lot earlier than they did?

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1. reginathorn

view all by reginathorn | Wednesday October 12, 2011 02:47pm EDT

I am hugely in favor of tv shows having a finite time limit that allows the creators to actually craft a story. Some of my favorite tv shows ended up petering out or taking weird detours that ultimately were detrimental to the show.

But I though "Mad Men" was definitely only going on for one more season (season 5?) If nothing else, I shudder at the thought of Don Draper in bellbottoms!

2. redline_

view all by redline_ | Thursday October 13, 2011 04:45pm EDT

@reginathorn -- Agreed about it being a good thing for shows to have a finite time limit. That would've saved us a lot of BSG heartache, methinks.

3. CindyS

Friday October 14, 2011 05:41am EDT

redline - I thought it was made public very early (just after season 1) that there was a 5 year story arc for BSG. I knew for years there was a plan - hell, that's how I got through some of the weird stuff - because I knew the writers had only a certain amount of time to tell their story.

I do know that LOST was also a show that was only going to 5 seasons long - I'm sure ABC would still love for the show to be on but the writers/creators knew their story line and how it would end.

I have personally appreciated this approach especially in the 2 shows above. LOST for me ended so well I don't even feel the need to re-watch the series again because I 'got it' (lots of people 'think' they got it but, uh, they sooo didn't). In the end, I was happy enough with the outcome that I could put the characters away and not obsess over them anymore. BSG ended wrong for me - I will re-watch the entire series because of the awesome of it but *I* wasn't happy - but I don't obsess over it because it's done. The writers aren't going to write a better ending for me, so it's good.

I would rather have a complete story than one that either petered out and died or even worse - the network cancels because of ratings.

I can't wait till Downtown Abbey shows up here!

CindyS

4. Hannah B.P.

Saturday October 15, 2011 03:29am EDT

In another interview Fellowes said it could continue into the 1930's. I think that might be an odd place to end it but it would be interesting to see the impact of the Great Depression on DA. Since they've done 2 series in the teens, they could do 2 in the 1920's. The early 20's and the late 20's were quite different, not least of which in terms of clothing. In any case, I look forward to DA in the 20's!