The Top 25 Shows of 2015, No. 12: "Downton Abbey” (Plus, "Poldark")

Much like HGTVamp8217s amp8220House Huntersamp8221 amp8220Downton Abbeyamp8221 is one of those shows that everyone watches whether the media is talking about it or not Itamp8217s not hard to understand why its audience has grown through each of its previous seasons bringing millions of new viewers to PBS or bringing lapsed viewers back to the home of amp8220Masterpieceamp8221 This may be the Second Golden Age of Television or the Platinum Age or the era of Peak TV or whatever you care to call it with over 400 scripted series maneuvering for everyoneamp8217s attention but amp8220Downtonamp8221 from the beginning has done something that virtually no other prestige drama of the moment does and continues to do it remarkably well It creates a welcoming environment even when things go wrong for its characters as things often do into which viewers want to immerse themselves and itamp8217s a place they arenamp8217t anxious to leave Imagine how much advertisers would benefit if amp8220Downtonamp8221 were on adsupported television If that were the case I donamp8217t think its audience would look away even during commercialsThe show appears on this list because its fifth season way back in January and February was so enjoyable especially the sweet tentative love story of Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes both longtime and loyal servants to the Crawley family I havenamp8217t watched the sixth and final season but Iamp8217ve talked with several people who have and they all describe it as richly satisfying and a lot of fun two qualities that have characterized amp8220Downtonamp8221 since its debut I do need to watch it before I give it an unqualified rave but I donamp8217t need to see it to assert that its millions of fans are going to be crestfallen when it ends in early 2016 Iamp8217m certain PBS wonamp8217t be particularly pleased either amp8220Downtonamp8221 has provided extraordinary postholiday entertainment since 2011 the winter of 2017 is going to feel very long and cold without itThe loss alone of Maggie Smithamp8217s withering dowager countess will leave a void that is impossible to fill Smith has won multiple awards for the role one of the best written in television this decade To relive some of her best moments start with the video below the first in a seriesamp160amp160amp160Anticipating the giant hole in its schedule and the loss of much of its buzz PBS has been busily looking for a fresh hit that might soften the blow of amp8220Downtonamp8217samp8221 passing Three notable attempts amp8220Mr Selfridgeamp8221 amp8220Call the Midwifeamp8221 and amp8220Indian Summersamp8221 amp8211 just havenamp8217t cut it Audience and media magnet amp8220Sherlockamp8221 is still around of course but its scheduling is erraticThe big surprise on PBS this year and one that might help ease the pain when the Crawleys bid a final farewell was the debut of amp8220Poldarkamp8221 I think its outsize success which I discussed in my column amp8220The Polbuzz is Buildingamp8221 back in June took PBS by surprise when it debuted here It was no surprise to me though I was in London in March when amp8220Poldarkamp8221 premiered there and the show and its dashing leading man Aidan Turner touched off the kind of media frenzy we saw in the US last winter with Foxamp8217s amp8220Empireamp8221I think amp8220Poldarkamp8221 is a keeper but I hope PBS moves it to winter Watching people wearing heavy wool outfits as its characters often do while Iamp8217m enduring the blazing heat of summer is not my idea of a good timeThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageMyersBizNet management or associated bloggersamp160

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The Top 25 Shows of 2015, No. 12: "Downton Abbey” (Plus, "Poldark")

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Ed Martin

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The Top 25 Shows of 2015, No. 12: "Downton Abbey” (Plus, "Poldark")

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