Product Details

• Actors: Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville, Shirley Maclaine, Elizabeth McGovern
• Format: Box set, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Pbs (Direct)
• DVD Release Date: January 29, 2013
• Run Time: 525 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5,156 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0099Y2MYK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #38 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #3 in Movies & TV > DVD > Drama
• Learn more about "Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 3 DVD (Original U.K. Version)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The jewel in the Masterpiece Classic crown greets the 1920s with more history, romance--and dresses, gorgeous dresses. The old ways are changing, and the winds of social progress rustle through the well-appointed manor. Though war has ended, dark clouds gather as the Earl of Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) loses the family fortune to bad financial investments, the first of several shortsighted decisions on his part, making him the season's most unexpected villain--by contrast, even Mrs. O'Brien (Siobhan Finneran) doesn't seem so destructive. After his mother-in-law, Martha (Shirley MacLaine), arrives for the wedding of Mary (Michelle Dockery) and Matthew (Dan Stevens), Robert pins his hopes on the affluent American to bail them out. As expected, the tradition-minded Dowager Countess (Dame Maggie Smith) clashes with the thoroughly modern matron, who suggests they look elsewhere for a handout.

While visiting from Dublin, Sybil's husband, former chauffeur Tom Branson (Allen Leech, who really comes in to his own), clashes with most everyone until a tragedy helps to heal the political and religious divides, allowing him to more fully integrate into their world, a theme that runs throughout the year. Other conflicts revolve around Edith's fiancé, Sir Anthony (Robert Bathurst), and the new footman, Alfred (Matt Milne), who strikes Thomas (Rob James-Collier) as a threat to his hegemony. Though Daisy (Sophie McShera) finds him appealing, Alfred prefers her kitchen colleague, Ivy (Cara Theobold), but she only has eyes for Jimmy (Ed Speleers), whom Mrs. Hughes (Phyllis Logan) aptly describes as "vain and silly." In its third go-round, some storylines meander unnecessarily, like the saga of the fallen woman trying to reenter respectable society, but the multiple plotlines are always easy to follow, and Downton remains gloriously addictive. Abundant extra features examine every aspect of the production, including the tragic event that concludes the finale. Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

The Great War is over and a long-awaited engagement is on, but all is not tranquil at Downton Abbey as wrenching social changes, romantic intrigues, and personal crises grip the majestic English country estate for a third thrilling season. As other great houses are crippled psychologically and financially in the wake of World War I, Robert, Earl of Grantham, sticks to his duty to maintain Downton more firmly than ever. But in this changing landscape nothing is assured, and could it be that even the war-weary Crawleys must fight a new battle to safeguard their beloved Downton?

The returning cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Dame Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern, Dan Stevens, Michelle Dockery, Jim Carter, Penelope Wilton, Joanne Froggatt, Brendan Coyle and a host of others, joined by Shirley MacLaine, who plays Martha Levinson, the very American mother of Cora, Countess of Grantham. Written and created by Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey, Season 3 is a Carnival Films and Masterpiece co-production, in association with NBCUniversal.

Includes the Downton Abbey Season 3 Finale, "A Journey to the Highlands."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

567 of 614 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Downton Abbey Season 3 - Great Entertainment September 29, 2012

By Brett H TOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

The much anticipated Downton Abbey Series 3 starts in Spring 1920, carrying on from the superb Christmas Special which was set over the 1919/20 holiday period. The first episode picks up with Lady Mary and Matthew Crawley at last about to get hitched, but as usual there is quite a lot going on at Downton both above and below stairs and you just know that nothing is going to go smoothly.

Shirley Maclaine makes her appearance as Martha Levinson, Lady Grantham's American mother. As usual, Violet, played by Maggie Smith manages to set the scene with some rather pithy comments. Martha has no time for the stuffy English and their traditions and is not slow to voice her opinion. Clearly she was introduced as a foil to Maggie Smith and the interplay between the two does work very well as one suspected it would. Violet seems to manage to continue to dominate any scene she is in.

There are plenty of dramatic moments in the new series, as life on the Downton estate returns to more as it was shown in the first series, before the First World War when it served as a convalescent home for injured servicemen. However, there are new challenges for Downton in the post war period. The interaction between the family and those that serve them `below stairs' continues to be a rich source of story lines for the script writers and is a major contribution to the success of the show.

Downton Abbey is the most successful costume drama from British TV since Brideshead Revisited some thirty years ago - and this is quite an accolade as they produce a lot of this sort of drama in the UK. Regular viewers of Downton will have been holding their breath wondering whether Series 3 could possibly keep up the very high standards of the previous episodes. However, we need not have worried and few will be disappointed with the latest series. You really wonder how far Downton can go - personally I would not be surprised if it runs up to the 1930s in due course so hopefully plenty to look forward to! The really good news is that we know there will be a two hour Christmas Special in 2012 and although a fourth series has not yet been announced it will be very surprising if it does not follow.

Although the UK issue of this DVD does not include the Christmas 2012 Special, it is very likely that the US one will - certainly the North American Series 2 DVD did include the 2011 Christmas Special. US buyers would therefore be advised not to order the separate Christmas 2012 DVD until this point is clarified as they may well find it is included with Series 3. The UK DVD also includes 68 minutes of extra features which one would expect that the US DVD will also include. The special features are Downton Abbey in 1920, The Men of Downton Abbey, Two Weddings, an Interview with Shirley Maclaine and Behind the Scenes - The Cricket Match.

85 of 92 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Downton Abbey season 3 January 2, 2013

By Karen S. Simpson

Format:DVD

The US edition of DA Season 3 (original UK edition) is 3 disks, 526 minutes which includes in addition to the 9 episodes the 2012 Christmas in the Highlands as well as interview with Shirley MacLaine and some other behind the scenes specials. Amazon offers the best price (PBS offers $39.99), an even better deal if free shipping. I can't wait until this arrives the end of January! After football season this will keep us occupied for some time! Just thought I would share this info.

373 of 427 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll love it, you know you will! September 19, 2012

By lizzie

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I apologise that I am not reviewing the DVD itself; its quality, extras and price etc., but the content of the show. I am sure that the quality of production for the series 3 DVD will be just as good as the previous ones, just make sure you purchase the unedited version.
Downton series 3 kicks off in splendid style, though I am a bit confused about the time line. Sybil is expecting and barely "showing" and we are told this is almost 6 months on from the Christmas special, in which we were told she was expecting. The early storyline with Edith is also a major inconsistency for me, but I cannot say why without giving things away. Apart from these niggles, this series is going to be about change. The world from top to bottom changed after WW1 and this series is dealing with those issues. I will not tell what's going on, but there are many changes coming for both upstairs and downstairs at Downton. Shirley Maclaine is terrific with the whole cast, but provides a perfect foil for Maggie Smith and the whole show is worth watching just for those two, well they have the best lines anyway. I only wish she was in it for more than the first 2 episodes. The sets, the costumes, the cars, the house are all wonderful and show such attention to detail. If you're a fan of Downton you will love series 3. (and it has been announced there will be a series 4!)