All six seasons of the romantic plot twists, upstairs-downstairs drama and Dowager Countess witticisms that made DOWNTON ABBEY a cultural phenomenon have returned to NHPBS Passport. Whether you’ve been a Downtonian for years or are sitting down to watch for the first time, DOWNTON ABBEY is a joy from start to finish. Watch here with NHPBS Passport.
But what about when you’re done and you need a new show to escape with? We have two suggestions to fill stately-manor-sized hole in your heart, both featuring DOWNTON ABBEY stars and both available on NHPBS Passport.
First up, a quick trip to 1920s New York with Elizabeth McGovern, best known as Downton’s glamourous Cora, Countess of Grantham. THE CHAPERONE imagines the summer that a teenage Louise Brooks—one of Hollywood’s first It Girls—spent studying dance in New York. There to keep the rebellious Louise on the straight and narrow is her conventional chaperone, Norma Carlisle, who has her own reasons for wanting to travel to the big city. Adapted by DOWNTON ABBEY writer Julian Fellowes from Laura Moriarty’s best-selling novel, this film has elegance and heart to spare. Click here to join the adventure.
We also recommend a trip even further back in time with a gorgeous adaptation of Jane Austen’s most dramatic novel, Sense and Sensibility. This miniseries features an early performance from Dan Stevens, who would shoot to stardom as Matthew Crawley on DOWNTON ABBEY.
After the death of their father, the Dashwood women must adjust to drastically reduced circumstances. Still, the passionate Marianne and responsible Elinor find time to fall in love and face all the joy and heartbreak that entails.
In true Jane Austen style, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY is full of characters that feel modern—apparently trying to set up your single friends has never been out of style—as well as wisdom about what makes for lasting love. Get caught up in the romance here.
If you don’t have NHPBS Passport, but you want to watch these and other amazing dramas from around the world, visit nhpbs.org/watchmore to get started.