DOWNTON ABBEY Getting Over Grief

Article first published as DOWNTON ABBEY Review at Seat42F.

The British series DOWNTON ABBEY returns to PBS this week with the first two hours of its fourth season. It’s been six months since the events of last year’s finale, and while life has gone on for much of the household, there are a couple of individuals finding it hard to get past their sorrow. This is the focus of much of the first couple of installments, though likely won’t dominate the year.

DOWNTON ABBEY is the kind of series that takes a long time to make changes. Characters and plots do grow, but the development is slow, over the course of many episodes or even seasons, rather than immediate. That means that the latest episodes feel more like a continuation of the same familiar tale than the start of anything new.

Many fans have been waiting most anxiously to find out how Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) is doing. Having lost her husband, Matthew, in the season three finale, as one might expect, Mary is anything but adjusted in season four. She is numb with grief, not having dealt with her feelings yet, even though a good amount of time has passed. This leaves her unable to function much at all.

Those who surround Mary are divided over how to treat her. Her father, Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), thinks she should be protected from the world, shut away until she is ready to come out. Brother-in-law Tom (Allen Leech) and grandmother Violet (Maggie Smith) think quite the opposite, believing that putting Mary to work will draw her out of her cocoon. A few others get the chance to put in their opinions before this is resolved.

The question raised here is not necessarily the best way to move on from sadness, but what is right for the individual in question. While Isobel Crawley (Penelope Wilton), the departed’s mother, is also lost at first, the way Mary and Isobel come out of it, similar as it may be, definitely relates to their personalities. Grief is a deep emotion, tricky to navigate, and DOWNTON ABBEY does a fair job working through these situations, keeping them interesting and authentic to the characters.

Although Matthew is dead, he still instigates one more development, which makes quite a bit of impact late in the two hours. It’s not something hokey or contrived, really, but rather a natural story point for the established characters. Without spoiling anything, I will say the person most affected is Mary, and fans of the couple should be quite pleased. It also moves the story along in a direction that should be seen coming, but feels a bit surprising, in a good way. I look forward to see where it goes from there.

Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), Mary’s sister, also faces some change in her life. Hers is a bit more predictable, but still, it’s nice to see plot for an interesting character.

The servants’ side of things is no less served. Mr. Molesley (Kevin Doyle) finds himself out of work now that Matthew is deceased, cards from secret admirers shake up the house (which leads to an incredibly sweet scene that I didn’t see coming), someone who rejected a potential romantic partner may be changing their mind, a new appliance is added to the kitchen, and a figure from Mr. Carson’s (Jim Carter) past reaches out. All of these are fun and compelling stories that keep the same spirit fans of the show love. It also helps balance out the more depressing stuff, making for a nice flow and tone.

Of course, not everyone sticks around forever. As had been widely reported last summer, Mrs. O’Brien (Siobhan Finneran) is out, a fact dealt with very early on. But, in keeping with DOWNTON ABBEY’s propensity to bring back familiar faces, even those who seemed to be brief stories that already ran their course, O’Brien’s replacement is someone we’ve seen before. And she’s not the only one from earlier seasons whose name pops up again.

I don’t completely like the method of O’Brien’s departure as I’m not completely sure it’s in keeping with who she is. O’Brien is known to be extremely loyal to Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), ever since that incident a few years back. Yes, O’Brien doesn’t always feel appreciated (because she isn’t), and her leaving is telegraphed last season, but it still seems just a little off. Hopefully this will be resolved with a future appearance, as the story leaves the door open for a return, at least in a guest starring capacity.

Besides O’Brien’s successor, another new staff member is present at the start of the season. Nanny West (Di Botcher, Stella) is charged with taking care of Mary’s son and Tom’s daughter. I won’t say you’ll like Nanny West, but I definitely found her subplot entertaining.

And Cousin Rose (Lily James) is now part of the central cast. She gets into trouble, of course, and as the young rebel in the house, will probably be a driving force behind story this season.

DOWNTON ABBEY is a memorable drama series that I look forward to. Judging by these first two hours, that won’t be changing anytime soon.

MR. STINK A Bit Too Stinky

Article first published as MR. STINK A Bit Too Stinky on TheTVKing.

PBS aired the British holiday special Mr. Stink this week, based on a children's book. Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey) plays Mr. Stink, a smelly homeless tramp who is ignored or scorned by the neighborhood, other than his adorable dog, Duchess. Then, one day, a young girl named Chloe (Nell Tiger Free), who feels neglected by her busy family and is bullied at school so she has not friends, takes an interest in him, and soon everyone in England knows Mr. Stink's name.

First, let me say that Bonneville is a terrific actor. I've seen him in a few roles, and he never fails to impress. Mr. Stink is quite a bit different that other recent parts, and he definitely shows some range in the almost unrecognizable costume. He is easily the best part of the production, even if the character is not written in a way to make him particularly memorable.

Part of my problem with the titular Stink is that it's hard to tell exactly what he is. For awhile, one suspects he might be Santa in disguise, looking for kind-hearted children. This is supported by the fact that he has magical powers, albeit the kind a boy would make up, as he can waft stench into a physical punch.

But then, late in Mr. Stink, the plot actually explains away his background. We learn that Mr. Stink is a wealthy duke who lost his wife and home in a fire. Unable to cope, he begins wandering from place to place, no longer caring enough to keep himself clean. I guess his dog's name is supposed to be the clue about this. This doesn't really add up, though, even though we see that Chloe can freshen his appearance by showing him love again, and doesn't gel with the magic stuff at all.

Chloe is a well-past-realistic level of kind. She doesn't shy away in the slightest from Mr. Stink, although we know from everyone else's reactions that his odor is extremely powerful. She even hugs him at one point, burying her face in his coat. There is no way that any kid could stand to be that close and really ignore the foulness so easily unless she has no sense of smell, which is not a mentioned characteristic in the movie.

Mr. Stink is a heartwarming tale, but of a predictable, mediocre variety. The story of a girl who shows compassion to someone everyone else ignores, and in the process, finds the love of her family is a nice one, but it's one we've heard many times before.

What doesn't quite fit is the popularity Mr. Stink gains on television, even meeting the Prime Minister. It seems like a completely different message than Chloe's bits are working towards, combining two separate threads that do not satisfactorily weave together.

Not to mention, most of the characters in Mr. Stink are flat and cartoonish, and not in a clever or authentic manner. Chloe's mum (Sheridan Smith, Mrs Biggs) is an ultra-conservative politician who will make as many empty promises as she must to win an election. Chloe's dad (Johnny Vegas, Ideal) is a whipped, washed-up musician who hides his lack of job and handles the cooking and cleaning for the household. Then, they both easily change in the end, somehow finding their former, decent personalities again that they'd moved far away from. I wonder how much of this comes from the simple source material, and is just not well-executed for an hour-long program.

I want to like Mr. Stink, I really do, because I feel like a grinch to tear down a family-friendly holiday special. But its wholly forgettable and isn't likely to get much replay in future Christmas seasons. Oh, well.

Plagued By Da Vinci's Demons

Article first published as DA VINCI'S DEMONS Review at Seat42F.

Grade: 84%

Starz is launching a new series this week called DA VINCI’S DEMONS. Yes, that title refers to the famous artist and dreamer Leonardo Da Vinci. But rather than seeing an old, brilliant man, as most screen portrayals of the character have been, DA VINCI’S DEMONS picks up early in the figure’s life, when he is in his mid-twenties.

It makes sense that Starz would want this show to be young and sexy, just like its lead. While some networks might try for historical accuracy at least a little, DA VINCI’S DEMONS fits perfectly into the mold of a network that knows that skin and violence sell. What we get here is no boring retelling of events, but a larger than life, adrenaline-racing mix of mystery, magic, politics, and outsize personalities.

Da Vinci (Tom Riley, Monroe) himself is tortured by his incredible mind, and knows he is every bit as smart as he think he is. He does what he wants, when he wants, and has little regard for rules or societal norms, which offends many. He looks down on everyone, and is plenty willing to use and manipulate people to meet his goals, hoping his charm will save him from the consequences.

This doesn’t always work, of course. His chief detractor in the pilot, called “The Hanged Man,” is Da Vinci’s own father. Da Vinci is a bastard, and his dad resents what Leonardo is doing to his family’s reputation. Having recently fathered a legitimate heir, Da Vinci’s maker is not at all above chaining and beating his own son. Obviously, this takes daddy issues to a whole new level, and I don’t see any resolution between the pair ever happening.

But Da Vinci’s dad is small potatoes, when there is so much more at stake. “The Hanged Man” begins with the Duke of Milan (Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey) being assassinated, which throws the delicate balance between the lands, including Florence, where Da Vinci lives, into disarray. Da Vinci is determined to take advantage of the situation, tricking his way into an audience with Florence’s leader, Lorenzo Medici (Elliot Cowan, Alexander), and getting himself hired as a military engineer.

One might think that Da Vinci would be satisfied with having such a position, but of course he’s not, tempting fate by taking up with Medici’s mistress, Lucrezia Donati (Laura Haddock, The Inbetweeners Movie). This is the obligatory sex piece of the episode, as, because this is pay cable, there must be nudity.

Honestly, I feel like all of this is enough for a show. We’ve got the battles and the betrayals, a promise of action and war surrounding our protagonist, and plenty of plot. Yet, DA VINCI’S DEMONS doesn’t stop there, also bringing the Vatican and Pope Sixtus IV (James Faulkner, Bridget Jones’s Diary) into the mix, who has secret files. And there is a mystical group, represented by the mysterious Al-Rahim (Alexander Siddig, Star Trek: Deep Space 9) searching for the so-called Book of Leaves, which supposedly contains lost knowledge of humanity.

On top of that, I’ve only gotten around to mentioning less than half of the main cast so far in my outlining of the story, so there are many minor things going on, too, that flesh out this world into a very complete, very busy place.

Yes, all of this makes for a very full, very exciting story. But it also presents a tad bit of a problem. If all of the things portrayed in DA VINCI’S DEMONS really happened, surely Leonard Da Vinci not only was a genius in his own right, but also contributed to a huge global power struggle, and likely helped save the world. This is not something that could possibly be covered up over the centuries, and so these additional plots basically toss any sense of historical fact right out of the window.

That being said, it is doubtful that the target viewer of this series is looking to learn about the past. This is going to appeal to the lovers of other Starz shows, like Spartacus, and it’s also kind of a more adult version of the British series Merlin. As such, most people who would watch will be satisfied with the impressive special effects, bare breasts, and scenes of posturing between powerful men.

Speaking of the effects, Starz has spared no expense. There are several visual treats in “The Hanged Man” alone, and none are flawed. The computer-generated magic is as good as the real magic within the story, and there’s little chance that viewers will be taken out of the experience because of them. Rather, they enhance the show.

Overall, while a little disappointed that the portrait of Leonardo Da Vinci isn’t more accurate, I did find DA VINCI’S DEMONS to be highly entertaining and worth watching. I don’t know if it will be any luckier than Starz’s short-live Camelot, but it seems to have taken that concept and kicked it up a notch, so it certainly has a chance. The acting isn’t going to win any awards, but it’s serviceable for the purpose. And the total package satisfies.

DA VINCI’S DEMONS premieres Friday, April 12th at 10 p.m. ET.

Twenty Twelve lives on

Article first published as Twenty Twelve lives on at TheTVKing.

In the lead up to London's hosting of the 2012 Olympics, there was a British-made sitcom entitled Twenty Twelve. The two series filmed take us behind the scenes of the fictional committee tasked with planning and implementing the event, and the foibles and pitfalls they encounter in their less-than-competent work. It's a goofy, but not too slapstick, comedy that just happens to tie in to a real event. It's now available as a two disc DVD set.

My first impression of Twenty Twelve is that it's a lot like The Office. It's made in the mockumentary style, and features a number of employees who keep screwing up their jobs. A lot of what they do is have endless meetings, and the tasks are mundane, like programming traffic lights. Even the exciting stuff, like figuring out what to do with the buildings after the Olympics are over, are trivialized and made to seem unimportant based on the level of care taken to implement them.

The big difference between Twenty Twelve and The Office is that the latter featured a couple of decent workers putting up with an inane boss and some zany peers, while this series has a relatively well-put-together leader dealing with employees who don't measure up. It's a small reversal, but an important one, meaning that the issues are coming from all directions, and are plentiful. Also, the humor here is often at the expense of outsiders, the tone is a little more serious, and the scale is larger.

The cast is lead by Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey), who plays Ian Fletcher. Ian is in charge, but while he is good at his job, and at putting out the various fires started, he does have a messy personal life, and that is what draws him into the muck. Luckily, he has a very good personal assistant, Sally (Olivia Colman, Peep Show). Unluckily, she's in love with him.

Bonneville plays the part with such sympathy, viewers will find themselves rooting for him to succeed, and will grow as frustrated as he does with the others who work in his department. This role really gives him a chance to stretch away from the drama, and while he is the "straight" man for many of the jokes, he definitely is the main pulse of the show, too, and the reason it works.

The rest of the ensemble is talented enough to make their characters seem completely real, and audiences should have little trouble relating these dolts to people that they have encountered in the world.  There's the insecure Kay Hope (Amelia Bullmore, Scott & Bailey), who tries to keep drawing attention to her goal of sustainability; ditzy Siobhan Sharpe (Jessica Hynes, Spaced) is the stereotype of a PR rep, pretty and clueless, thinking she can ride on her looks and personality alone; Graham Hitchens (Karl Theobald, Green Wing) has the job, but not the skills, of a tech and stats nerd; there's also Nick Jellet (Vincent Franklin, The Thick Of It).

In the thirteen episodes, problems that are faced include a lost bus, a shooting, how to design a religious center that will make everyone happy, a bizarre art installation, Roman remains found in the construction zone, and a sexual health campaign. It's bureaucracy taken to the extreme, and with satisfyingly humorous results. With the witty narration provided by David Tennant (Doctor Who),  most should find these episodes at least somewhat amusing, even if it fails to break new comedy ground.

My only real complaint is that the ending doesn't tie things up. No third series has been ordered, but the lack of resolution leaves me wanting a bit more, especially in regards to Ian's romantic choices. Should future episodes be added, it would resolve this.

The only extra is cast and crew interviews. These are interesting, but a little disappointing as the sole bonus.

Twenty Twelve is available now.

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