NBC commissions 'Downton Abbey' creator to develop new series
Well, it looks like NBC wants to get into the Julian Fellowes business. The peacock network has commissioned the Golden Globe, Emmy, and Academy Award-winning writer/creator of Downton Abbey to bring that same wry, incisive flavor to US shores. The series, prospectively titled "The Gilded Age", is described as "an epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance, and the vast fortunes they made -- and spent -- in late nineteenth-century New York." If it all sounds rather derivative of Downton, that's likely the point. Downton returns to US airwaves on PBS this coming January, and it's expected that the series will garner record numbers for the network. Given the hard time NBC has had creating new hits in recent years, it's easy to see why they would glom onto Fellowes (although, to be fair to NBC, they've had a much better year than most, thanks to Revolution and, of course, The Voice).
"This was a vivid time," says Fellowes, "with dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls, of record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry; a time when money was king."
The series was jointly announced today by Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment, and Bela Bajaria, Executive Vice President of Universal Television. “We at the network are all so thrilled to be working with the immensely talented Julian Fellowes, who is universally admired for his critically and commercially appealing productions,” said Salke. “Having him on our team represents a major creative coup and everyone is looking forward to his first NBC project in ‘The Gilded Age.’”
Bajaria added, “Having been thoroughly impressed by Julian’s wit, eloquence, vast historical knowledge and collaborative nature in my past development experience with him, I’m thrilled to be continuing our relationship at Universal Television.” Bajaria continued, “The opportunity to work with him again was a goal of mine at Universal Television and I’m very excited about this potential new series.”
As a Downton fan, it's hard not to get excited about this. However, if Free Agents, Life On Mars, and Coupling has taught us anything, it's that importing a British hit is by no means a sure thing on American TV. While "The Gilded Age" doesn't purport to be a direct adaptation of Downton Abbey, it'll be hard for the show to avoid comparisons, given the very distinctive identity with which Julian Fellowes infuses his projects. Downton Abbey is a very different show from its forebears such as the original "Upstairs/Downstairs", or even that series' newer iteration in the UK, so it will be interesting to see how this show attempts to set itself apart - not only from Downton, but also from other shows of its ilk.
With the news that Dan Stevens might be leaving Downton Abbey next year, let me be the first to suggest him for a role here. Sure, it doesn't exactly help the inevitable Downton comparisons to have Matthew Crawley on your show, but hey, the man is already living in New York (where he's starring in the Broadway production of "The Heiress", ironically enough), and really, I have to try and make lemonade out of that lemon of a situation somehow. Now, to go about casting an elderly woman with a caustic, razor-sharp wit. (Yes, I intend to keep hoping this will be another Downton, because if I'm going to cling to foolish hopes, the holidays is the time for it)
Credit: NBCUniversal Media Village