Jamestown > Downton Abbey (Television Show Opinion)

There's no cable connected to our upstairs television, so I rent DVDs to play before bed every evening. We have three libraries nearby that I alternate between for DVDs and children's books. I had never paid much attention to the British DVD section until a couple weeks ago when I was searching for the last season of Downton Abbey. At the time, I was under the impression there was a seventh season. So, when I didn't see it on the shelf, my eyes continued to browse among the outward facing DVD spines in the British section. One name that caught my eye was Jamestown, probably because I used to go to Williamsburg, Virginia as a kid. I pulled out the DVD and saw From the Makers of Downton Abbey across the top. Then I looked back at the shelf to see only three Jamestown seasons. The fact it was canceled after only three seasons and that I've never heard of this show told me that Jamestown probably wasn't quite as good as Downton Abbey. But, checking out DVDs at the library is free, so I had nothing to lose.

I watched the first episode of Jamestown in place of our usual bedtime Downton Abbey episode. I turned it off, unimpressed, and figured I'd switch to the Sherlock DVD the following night. While I liked the setting of this tv show, I felt the plot was lacking something. The pacing was strange and it seemed like a lot of climactic scenes with no build-up of tension and anticipation. The characters talked as though they had a back story, but since I didn't know what that was, I couldn't become immersed in these intense things that were happening to them.

The next evening, I decided to give this show a second chance. I watched the second episode, and liked the show a little more. As I kept watching, I realized the all the intense activity of the first episode was setting the foundation and creating back story for the future shows. As the plot thickened and the characters became more intertwined, this show has become addicting.

Lately I've been thinking Do I like this show more than Downton Abbey? For the last couple weeks, I've answered no to that question, until yesterday when I realized something. After an appointment yesterday, I swung by the closest library to look for season three (a different one than where I originally found Jamestown) thinking they had a British section, too. They didn't have one, but they did have the Downton Abbey season I wanted in the TV show section. So, I checked out that and The Gilded Age. Later in the day, I realized I wasn't satisfied. I wasn't looking forward to watching either of them. I needed Season Three of Jamestown. I left early to pick my daughter up from school so that I could go to the specific library in the opposite direction to find Jamestown. It was then on the drive up that I realized I do like Jamestown more than Downton Abbey. I hadn't made a special trip to a library for Downton Abbey.

While this show can sometimes appear unrealistic and flat at first, the plot does expand and weaves together well. There is something immersive about the secrets, tension, and character vices among the numerous characters in the colonial settlement. I also think they chose a unique time era for this show, and the colors among the scenery and costumes is well done. The quaint colonial village along with the barbaric judicial system creates an interesting contrast that keeps you on your toes. So far, there's been some great character arcs, too. As I'm on the third and final season of Jamestown, I'm disappointed that I won't be able to watch more once I'm finished. I think this show is underrated and recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good time era escape.