Downton Abbey: Season Two (2012)

Creator: Julian Fellowes

 The first season of Downton Abbey was filled with strong characters and a pretty compelling narrative for almost each of them. While the second season features many of the same strong characters, the narratives were not as compelling and much more silly. The believability of the plot decreased heavily as Julian Fellowes seems to dig deeper and deeper into the box of generic soap opera stories. Many of the plots were just contrived drama that weren't all that compelling, though at the same time the characters to make them watchable.

One of the more contrived and silly stories was the deformed Titanic survivor whose storyline was so unbelievable and out-of-place I wondered why in the world Fellowes chose to include it. On the other end, the romance between Lady Sybil and Branson was of similar quality to the character arcs in the first season, much more compelling and emotional while also shining a light on the changing times of the setting. Then there's one of the best parts of the show, which is just watching all the characters work together and interact. The overall tapestry of the house and the town they live in expanded during this second season and it helped in making the world of Downton Abbey a place you want to be a part of, even despite the sometimes unbelievable story-lines.

Grade: B-