All things considered, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale brought a satisfying ending to a beloved franchise when it premiered on the 2025 movie schedule. It had all the charm, sophistication and characters I have followed through six seasons and multiple movies, and left me dazzled through and through. However, there was one aspect of the film that kept pulling me out no matter how hard I tried to overlook it.
No, it’s not the way Robert Crawley was presented. Nor was it the so-called scandal surrounding Lady Mary. Instead, it was the fact that the passing of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham (played by the late Dame Maggie Smith), is mentioned far too many times. Though the movie is a fitting tribute to the screen legend and her famous character, it was a little too much at times, and it kept pulling me out…
The Movie Is A Fitting Tribute To Dame Maggie Smith
Continuing a couple of years after the events of Downton Abbey: A New Era, the third and final movie in the franchise is essentially a two-hour tribute to both Dame Maggie Smith and the Dowager Countess, the latter of whom died in the final moments of the 2022 film. Franchise creator Julian Fellowes finds several ways to honor both legacies, creating a poignant and gratifying tribute.
Though Violet Crawley no longer walks the halls of Downton Abbey, isn’t sharing words of wisdom or wisecracks with her family, or uncovering family secrets, her presence, or lack thereof, can be felt. With both the character and the actress who brought her to life being key to the series, it makes total sense.
It’s Just That The Characters Mentioned The Dowager Countess’ Death Pretty Much Every Scene
Though the tributes for Dame Maggie Smith and Violet Crawley were touching, it felt like the characters in Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale couldn’t go a scene or two without mentioning Violet and how she would have handled everything, from Lady Mary’s divorce to Cora Crawley dealing with her brother and his supposed business partner. Again, Smith was a legend, and her character was the foundation of Downton Abbey for years, but it was a little much.
The mentions of Violet and her absence early on were fitting, as was the touching moment at the end when Lady Mary remembers all the family members she’s lost over the years. This sequence just before the credits rolled was way more emotional than I expected, and I fought back tears more than once.
However, everything in the middle became a distraction that pulled me away from the story. It wasn’t enough to ruin the movie, as I rather enjoyed this final bit of drama with the Crawley family, but I found myself getting frustrated a handful of times. At times, it felt less like a tribute and more like a reminder, as if anyone could forget the presence of the Dowager Countess. I certainly won’t!
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Again, I don’t want this to come off as a dig at Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale or its tribute to Dame Maggie Smith and her lovely character. In fact, I’m considering going back one last time now that it’s streaming with a Peacock subscription. But still, this aspect of the movie could have been toned down.