Julian Fellowes’ choices for his favorite moments from Downton Abbey affirm that Season 3 stands out as the pinnacle of his acclaimed series, which has won both Golden Globe and Emmy Awards. As Fellowes bids farewell to his beloved creation, he presents Downton Abbey – The Grand Finale, the third and final film in this remarkable saga.
Broadcasting on iTV in the UK and Masterpiece PBS in the United States, Downton Abbey emerged as a worldwide sensation during it’s airing from 2010 to 2015. The series spanned six seasons and was succeeded by three feature films – Downton Abbey (2019), Downton Abbey – A New Era, and Downton Abbey – The Grand Finale.
Set between 1912 and 1930, Downton Abbey showcased a vast array of cherished characters, including the Crawley family, their devoted staff, and a host of guest stars who graced the Granthams’ magnificent estate in Yorkshire, England.
Among the many unforgettable moments that Downton Abbey has delivered, Academy Award-winning writer Julian Fellowes shared with The Hollywood Reporter his top three favorite scenes. It’s noteworthy that these highlights are drawn from Season 3 of Downton Abbey, a season that significantly altered the course of the show.
The Passing of Lady Sybil In Season 3 of Downton Abbey
Julian Fellowes’ top moment from Downton Abbey is undoubtedly the heartbreaking death of Lady Sybil Branson, portrayed by Jessica Brown Findlay, in Season 3.
According to Julian Fellowes, “Jessica [Brown Findlay] had consistently stated from the start, ‘I’m doing three years then I’m leaving,’” which is why Sybil’s untimely demise was written in to accommodate the young actress’s departure.
Lady Sybil, the youngest and most cherished of the three Crawley sisters, was known for her kindness. With a progressive mindset, she found herself in love with Tom Branson (Allen Leech), the chauffeur who held Irish Republican views. Ultimately, Sybil secured her parents’ hesitant approval to wed Tom and relocate to Ireland.
In Season 3, a pregnant Sybil and Tom made their way back to Downton, where Sybil welcomed her daughter, Sybbie. Unfortunately, despite Dr. Clarkson’s (David Robb) urgent warnings about Edith’s eclampsia, they were ignored, leading to Sybil’s tragic death from her condition before she could be taken to a hospital.
Julian Fellowes has a special fondness for the scene where Allen Leech, portraying Tom Branson, spontaneously delivered a line similar to “stay with me” to his wife as she lay dying. Fellowes admitted that it moved him to tears upon viewing it, even though his wife teased him, claiming he was the one who penned it.
Undoubtedly, Lady Sybil’s abrupt passing in Season 3 of Downton Abbey leaves a lasting impression, particularly because viewers were not informed that Jessica Brown-Findlay would be leaving the show after fulfilling her three-season contract.
Lady Edith Was Left At The Altar In Downton Abbey Season 3
Julian Fellowes’ second most cherished moment from Downton Abbey was when Lady Edith Crawley (Laura Carmichael) was left at the altar by Sir Anthony Strallan (portrayed by Robert Bathurst).
Sir Anthony Strallan was significantly older than Lady Edith. Although he had feelings for the middle Crawley daughter, he recognized that marrying Edith would be inappropriate. This sentiment was also held by Edith’s father, Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), and her grandmother, Lady Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith).
Despite Edith’s insistence, Sir Anthony eventually acquiesced, leading to the arrangement of a wedding. However, just before the ceremony was set to commence, Strallan turned down Edith and escaped. Lady Edith returned home in a state of humiliation.
Although this marked one of the most challenging moments in Lady Edith’s life, it served as the turning point for her transformation, initially as a writer and subsequently as a mother. By the conclusion of Downton Abbey, Edith had discovered a loving partner in Bertie Pelham (Harry Hadden-Paton), and together they ascended to the titles of Marquess and Marchioness of Hexam.
Lady Edith was first depicted as the ‘unattractive middle sister’ who harbored jealousy towards her more favored older sister, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery). However, after being left at the altar, Edith transformed into a more relatable character, ultimately becoming one of the most compelling redemption arcs in Downton Abbey.
Lady Mary Is Grieving For Matthew Crawley In Season 4 of Downton Abbey
Julian Fellowes identified his third favorite moment from Downton Abbey in Season 4, a moment that emerged from the unexpected death of Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) at the conclusion of Season 3. Tragically, Matthew lost his life in a car accident just after welcoming his son George with Lady Mary.
Lady Mary was understandably heartbroken and mourned Matthew during Season 4 of Downton Abbey. Fellowes cherishes a scene between Mary and Lady Violet, which Julian mentions mirrors how his father coped with the loss of his mother.
Fellowes brought his father to Florida and asked him, ‘You need to decide, do you wish to live or do you wish to die?’ Julian later incorporated that line into Downton Abbey for Mary’s grandmother to deliver to her.
Lady Mary slowly came to terms with Matthew’s passing and started to reconstruct her life, which involved meeting new suitors before eventually marrying Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) in Season 6 of Downton Abbey. Now, in Downton Abbey – The Grand Finale, Mary and Henry are divorced as she embraces her fate as the new mistress of her childhood residence.
Downton Abbey Underwent Significant Changes Following Season 3
Downton Abbey’s third season represented the pinnacle of the show as it was originally envisioned. The simultaneous departures of Jessica Brown-Findlay and Dan Stevens, resulting in the deaths of Lady Sybil and Matthew Crawley, profoundly altered the course of Downton Abbey.
Although Downton’s engaging, character-focused formula remained strong and persisted, several new characters were brought in during the following three seasons. Notably, Lily James portrayed the vibrant Lady Rose MacClare, who infused a fresh sense of youth and defiance to take the place of Lady Sybil.
Lady Mary evaluated a procession of potential suitors, such as Tony Gillingham (Tom Cullen) and Charles Blake (Julian Ovenden), before ultimately finding love with Henry Talbot. However, no one ever genuinely took Matthew’s place as Mary’s perfect match.
The initial three seasons of Downton Abbey were truly remarkable, capturing the hearts of viewers worldwide and drawing them into the lives of the Crawley family. Julian Fellowes highlights his favorite moments, suggesting that Season 3 of Downton Abbey may have been the pinnacle of the Crawley family saga.