Why the end of Downton Abbey is good news

The Dowager Countess must be murmuring under her breath that it’s the end of civilisation. Downton Abbey, Britain’s most successful television drama of the 21st century, is to end after five years and six seasons. Around the world, millions of fans have been reacting to the news that this latest sixth season, which will premiere later this year, will be the last. But could Downton’s departure from our screens be a good thing?

Certainly the recent series have been showing signs of fatigue. Lady Mary’s seemingly endless carousel of suitors, Lady Edith’s consistent lucklessness in the pursuit of love and the botched Remains Of The Day romance between Carson and Mrs Hughes (which could have made far more of the terrific Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan) have proven that series creator Julian Fellowes is not a master of the taut storyline. Plots have drifted without a satisfying resolution — which is odd for a series which was once so adept at cliff-hangers.

Fellowes’ triumph was in creating an enviably large ensemble cast of characters and weaving them into a plot where everyone had their place. You could read a script, hide the character names and know exactly who was speaking — the booming Carson, the straight-talking Mrs Patmore or the idealistic Lady Sybil. The more recently introduced characters have failed to create much of an impression. Take the vapid Lady Rose. She is a character who seems to exist to fulfil certain plot functions (mostly of a romantic nature) — although of course she does look very fetching in a cloche hat.

Devotees of Downton Abbey may be disappointed that we will go no further than 1925. They are wrong. Nice as it is to imagine Lady Mary or Lady Edith living through World War II and their great grandchildren having a taste of the Permissive Society, it would mean that the show would lose its crucial focus of the great house and the relationship between master and servant — which it does brilliantly. It would be hard to conceive of a series of Downton Abbey set in 1950, as stately homes went into terminal decline and their owners were forced into humouring coach-loads of daytrippers.

In fact, the timeline of Downton has been a major problem for the show as it has progressed. It was as if Fellowes was in such a hurry to get to the dramatic storylines of World War I that he rushed through the years leading up to it — a challenging, enigmatic time for England and not necessarily the eternal Edwardian summer which we learnt of at school.

The first two series were set between 1912 and 1920, the last four between 1920 and 1925. You could argue that this ought to have sharpened the focus. Instead, it has meant that, at times, more recent episodes have lacked dramatic pace. Many critics have been dismissive of Downton from the outset, turning their nose up at what they see as badly scripted soap opera. But that is to misunderstand what has been a terrific series which has been capable of holding great emotional power over its audience. The horrific rape of Anna and the aftermath was beautifully handled and Joanne Froggatt won a Golden Globe for her performance. The quieter storylines such as the volatile-but-affectionate relationship of cook Mrs Patmore and kitchen maid Daisy have worked, too.

No series can last forever and it’s best to bow out while ratings are still high. Fans should refuse to mourn Downton’s passing. As the Dowager Countess once said: “Don’t be defeatist. It’s terribly middle class.” THE DAILY TELEGRAPH