This article was originally submitted by Abigail Clark.
The graceful, polite speech, the conservative yet elegant clothing, the shocking social scandals over things we’d scoff at today…how would Downton Abbey be different if it were set in our modern times? Script writers would have to get pretty creative.
Who Would the Characters be Like?
First, script writers would need to find modern-day models who have some of the same traits as Downton Abbey characters, without the fictional Crawleys, and King George V’s rule. Lady Crawley might most resemble the always elegant, spotless Kate Middleton in public, even though some of her less public moments aren’t quite as pure as Kate’s.
Lady Edith Crawley, always portrayed as the less attractive one, might relate well to how the media treats poor Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Though always trying to put on a brave, happy face, the two obviously can’t enjoy what some of the media have to say.
Lady Sybil’s relationship with a man completely out of her own class, Tom Branson, sounds much like Millie Mackintosh and her rapper lover Professor Green. Or, maybe she is more like Peaches Geldof, and just trying to get out from under the identity her parents impose upon her.
Cora Crawley, the fictional Countess of Grantham, might borrow from Billie Piper, the teenie bopper pop star who became an actress and married Laurence Fox. Where Cora needed the social status to go along with her money and popularity, Billie needed the wealth and status Laurence could afford her.
These characters would be a lot like the Crawleys, only with modern phone plans and Internet access.
What Events Would Shape the Plot Lines?
Without the Titanic to sink or World War I to frighten and thrill, what would script writers employ as dramatic backdrops for the plot lines? While few modern events in England had quite the shock value of the sinking of the Titanic, terrorist attacks might substitute for the loss and the shock value. The ongoing troubles caused by World War I might also be recreated using terrorist events, especially involving characters who leave British soil to travel abroad.
Dramatic problems caused by the ladies’ inability to own property or lead the family would need an entirely different setting. For example, today’s version might involve a gay or lesbian couple who aren’t afforded the same rights by the government or society as straight couples are. Perhaps one of the ladies would be forced to marry a man for the social status, when she really preferred the company of another of the ladies?
The events of the Marconi scandal would be easy to recreate using some of the cash controversies surrounding the current British Conservative Party, or even the sexual affairs that occur from time to time and often sour the reputations of Labor Party members. Honestly, it isn’t difficult to find political scandals for drama fodder. The Teapot Dome scandal in Downton Abbey would also be easy to recreate today.
What Modern Show Would It Most Resemble?
Modern Family and The Good Wife both portray what families and relationships look like when there is lots of money and lots of secrets involved. These shows also portray the fashionable side of living super rich and powerful, without necessarily all of the personal and moral fiber that others think you’ve got.
Wives and Daughters also shares qualities with Downton Abbey, as the sisters struggle to find love in a world that doesn’t always make sense, but always is supposed to have good manners. The Forsyte Saga is a modern show that takes a close look at how changing morals within a society can affect the inner workings of a family.
North and South is a show that, like Downton Abbey, takes a long hard look at labor laws and the separation of the classes. Though lovers from different classes and social backgrounds are as old as literature itself, North and South, like Downton Abbey, look at realistic ways in which it affects people and makes people think about how things ought to change for the better.
Would Viewers Still Watch?
What viewers love most about Downton Abbey is the world the writers have created and the characters they’ve made to play within it. Though other shows use the dramas of different time periods to make points about government regulations and social pressures, this one has undoubtably made a real connection with audiences. It’s unlikely a modern-day recreation would resound as well.
Author Bio:
Abigail Clark is an up-and-coming freelance writer. She graduated from The University of South Florida with a bachelors in marketing, minoring in journalism. When she isn’t up to her neck in coupons she is enjoying the outdoors fishing. She loves doing reviews for technology, home products and beauty products. If you would like her to do a review for you look her up on twitter @downtownabby17.
You Might Also Like:
Upcoming The Mindy Project Guest Stars
The Originals 1×16 Review: Farewell to Rebekah
Pretty Little Liars 4×23 Recap: Here Come the Brides
Glee 5.11 Recap – Game Over
Pemberley Digital Releases Lizzie Bennet Diaries Book Cover
© Brad for LeakyNews, 2014. |
Permalink |
No comment |
Add to
del.icio.us
Post tags: Downton Abbey, User Submitted
The post Time Warp: What if Downton Abbey Was Set in Modern Time? appeared first on LeakyNews.