Downton Abbey: Season 2 Blu-ray Review

After scoring as an international sensation and winning six 2011 Emmy Awards, Downton Abbey became last season’s most buzzed about new show (curiously, the first season won no major prizes in its native England). So, it comes as no surprise that the second season of the series was highly anticipated, and the results, while possibly lacking a bit of freshness and invention of the original season, continue to mine rich and rewarding comedy and drama in this saga of the inhabitants of one of England’s most respected manor houses.

Downton Abbey: Season 2 (Blu-ray)
Directed by Ashley Pearce et al

Studio: PBS
Year: 2011
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1   1080i   AVC codec
Running Time: 540 minutes
Rating: NR
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo English
Subtitles: SDH

Region: A
MSRP: $ 49.99

Release Date: February 7, 2012

Review Date: February 12, 2012

The Season

4.5/5

A kind of Upstairs/Downstairs for a new generation of viewers, the inhabitants of Downton Abbey, both aristocrats and servants, engage in a season of ruptured romances, thwarted love, forbidden entanglements between different classes, and hushed-up scandals, and all of this set against the backdrop of World War I and its effects on the very tenets of the society of the pre- and postwar period. Basically covering the years of 1916 to 1920, quite a bit of personal and professional changes are afoot both above and below the stairs during season two.

Primary among the core relationships of the season is the continuously thwarted relationship of the dashing heir to Downton Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) and his cousin Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery). The repressed passion that passes between these two characters over these years while Matthew goes off to fight in France and Mary waits at home frantic at every call or telegram that arrives or with every twist and turn of their romantic entanglements enlivens every one of the eight episodes (plus the ninety-two minute Christmas special) included in the second season set. Clouding their chances at potential happiness are Lavinia Swire (Zoe Boyle), a socialite whom Matthew meets and becomes engaged to and newspaper baron Sir Richard Carlisle (Iain Glen) who finds Lady Mary to his liking. Oscar and Emmy-winning writer Julian Fellowes rushes some of the happenstances of these triangle couples during some of the season’s later episodes (as well as some other storylines which could have used more development and should possibly have been carried over into season three), but fans of the show will likely be satisfied with their eventual developments.

Below stairs, the primary relationship for the season involves maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt) and valet John Bates (Brendan Coyle) who run into meddlesome trouble from Bates’ shrewishly bitter wife (Maria Doyle Kennedy). This triangle, which reaches dangerously melodramatic heights during the course of all of the season’s episodes, is rivaled in importance by the story of another maid Ethel (Amy Nuttall) who finds herself pregnant by one of the wounded officers residing at Downton, for two-thirds of the season’s episodes turned into a convalescent hospital with Matthew’s mother Isobel (Penelope Wilton) and Cora, Countess of Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) squabbling on the best way for the house to run efficiently as a place of rest for the injured men.

But the season involves so much more from startling reversals on their societal positions by both Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown-Findlay) and Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) to the softening of the steely O’Brien (Siobhan Finneran), the further machinations of the wily ex-footman Thomas (Rob James-Collier), a wartime relationship for Daisy (Sophie McShera) and William (Thomas Howes), and the always wise and witty words of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham (Maggie Smith). The celebrated actress, the only one of the principal cast to be awarded an acting Emmy this past season, manages to walk away with every episode in her beautifully tailored and exquisitely designed back pocket. Richly produced and impeccably directed, the second season of Downton Abbey will likely be just as popular and appreciated as its first was and will definitely leave fans waiting for more in its soon-to-be-produced third season.

Video Quality

4.5/5

The series is presented in its widescreen television aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is offered in 1080i using the AVC codec. Despite an interlaced rather than a progressive transfer, the episodes look marvelous with rich color, excellent sharpness, and wonderfully detailed period clothes and furnishings. Flesh tones are always natural and appealing though black levels don’t always reach the ultimate depths that are possible. Each episode has been divided into 5 chapters.

Audio Quality

4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo sound mix offers beautifully recorded dialogue which is always easily discernible and a nicely resonant music score composed by John Lunn that never overpowers the dialogue scenes. Sound effects might not quite have the reverberation that a true surround mix would have offered, but few will likely mind.

Special Features

3/5

All of the bonus featurettes are presented in 480i.

“Fashions & Uniforms” is a 10 ¾-minute look at the changing styles in the women’s clothes over the period covered in season two as well as the quest for real authenticity for the military uniforms of World War I. Besides various cast members who speak about these matters, the show’s costume designer and wardrobe mistress as well as the show’s historical advisor talk about the stringent efforts made to keep things authentic.

“Romance in a Time of War” features writer Julian Fellowes discussing the many romantic relationships which develop seriously during season two. Many of the actors involved in these couplings are also around to offer their own opinions on their characters. This runs 13 ¼ minutes.

“House to Hospital” features writer Julian Fellows and the show’s historical advisor discussing how many manor homes during the period were converted for use by the military during the war. The show’s production designer Donal Woods and producers Liz Trubridge and Gareth Neame also comment on this storyline for the season. It runs 8 minutes.

In Conclusion

4.5/5 (not an average)

The most compulsively addictive dramatic miniseries that television has seen in decades, Downton Abbey features an impressive cast and an almost endless series of characters and stories to keep one habitually and breathlessly watching from one episode to the next. The season two set boasts beautiful visuals and more than adequate sound with some delightful bonus features to give the package added value. Highly recommended!

Matt Hough

Charlotte, NC

I didn't notice anything longer on season two's episodes from what we saw on PBS. I do believe there had been cuts to the episodes shown during season one from what we eventually got in disc.

As I mentioned in the review, the Christmas special is included in the set. It's on disc three after episode 8.

Absolutely, season one on DVD and Blu-ray is uncut. They were cut for American broadcast (and drew many complaints from those in the know), but have never been cut on disc.

And they're worth every cent.

I played the first disc on a Panasonic BD-301 and the others on the PS3 for the purposes of the review, and I had no problems at all with stuttering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nealg 

Did you mean BD-310? I searched the model to see how old your player is (mine are 3 years old) and got no hits.

Yes, I did mean the 310. Sorry for the typo. It was one of last year's Panasonic 3D models.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Collins 

I bought the bluray UK version of both season and no problems. Can you return the item? I find Amazon is very good about taking things back free of shipping charges etc. I also heard season 3 has started to air or will air. I wondered if anyone else heard this?

No, they have only started shooting season three in the past two weeks. I suspect it will air in Britain in the fall and here in early 2013.