Based on the novel of the same name by creator and writer Julian Fellowes, ITV's Downton Abbey is a popular British TV series based on the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their estate Downton Abbey which is under threat. The series begins when the Titanic sinks in 1912 and runs through the years until 1926. Downton Abbey shows both the lives of the Crawleys and the great number of staff that runs Downton. The show received a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Television Film and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries. Due to the show's popularity, a Downton Abbey film was released in 2019 and a follow-up film is soon to be released called Downton Abbey: A New Era.
With six seasons and a cast of aristocrats and staff at the Abbey, there are plenty of characters to love and hate. While some come and go rather swiftly, there are quite a few staple characters that remain on-screen throughout the entirety of the series. One of these characters is The Dowager Countess Lady Violet Grantham, Lord Grantham’s widowed mother, played by Dame Maggie Smith. Probably one of the most popular characters for her snarky comments and her no-nonsense attitude, the Dowager has plenty of moments on the show that make her even more lovable. These are Maggie Smith’s best moments in Downton Abbey.
Keeping Molesely and William Off the Battlefield
While the Dowager Countess is in a position of power, some might say that this power goes to waste in her hands, but she proves the opposite to be true. When The Great War comes around and all the men are running to enlist, the Dowager pulls some strings and gets Molsely, Isobel’s butler, medically exempted from enlistment along with William, a footman at Downton and the only son of a poor farmer. While this seems ill-intended, considering William is eager to join the war effort, the Dowager’s intentions were to keep families whole as Molesley is in his middle-age and would most likely not survive, while William’s father only has William left. While William’s status is changed, she manages to keep Molesely off the battlefield, keeping him alive and safe.
“What is a Weekend?”
Probably one of Violet’s most iconic moments on the show as a whole is the conversation between Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens) and Lord Grantham at the dinner table. When referring to the running of the estate, Lord Grantham argues that Matthew’s law practice will interfere, but he says “There’s always the weekend.” This is when the Dowager chimes in with the ever-memorable “What is a weekend?” What makes this most laughable is the fact that someone of her status at that time in history would have not known what a weekend was as the term was used popularly by the working class.
Telling Off Sir Richard
When Sir Richard and Mary call off their engagement, the Dowager famously tells him off in the most polite way possible. After he says “I’m leaving in the morning. I doubt we’ll meet again,” she glibly asks him, “Do you promise?” Part of what makes this moment so amazing is that Sir Richard was a despicable character, one of the most hated characters to ever appear on the show. The Dowager telling him off is iconic and makes the audience very happy as she gives him what he deserves in her very polite roundabout zinger, wanting him to promise that they will never see him again.
“The Moral High Ground”
While Dowager Violet and Isobel Crawley’s relationship begins rather rocky, it eventually blossoms into a close friendship. That said, Isobel is one of the Dowager’s main targets for her famous zingers. When discussing the restructuring of the local hospital, Isobel focuses on the good that the hospital could do if it was done her way. The Dowager looks at her and asks the rhetorical question: “Does it ever get cold on the moral high ground?” This remark was not only a clever way to point out Isobel’s constant state of martyrdom, but it satisfied the audience's need to take Isobel down a few notches, knocking her from her high horse.
Helping Edith with Her Pregnancy
In season 4, Edith becomes pregnant with her lover Michael Gregson’s child, who wound up being killed by Nazi supporters. After an attempt to see a doctor about having an abortion in London showed the dark nature of the procedure, Edith makes the decision to keep the child. Her Aunt Rosamund suggests that Edith leave the country to have the child in secret. The Dowager discovers Edith’s secret and agrees with Rosamund as Edith’s reputation would never recover if she were to have the child at home. The Dowager promises to pay for Edith’s expenses abroad and would support her if she were to go looking for Michael. As much as the Dowager throws around her witty remarks like shurikens, that does not detract from her large heart.
Using the Telephone
The first time we see the Dowager use a telephone is at Downton when she is trying to call her nephew Shrimpy for a favor. As she shouts into the telephone, she looks back at Edith and asks, “Is this a device of communication or an instrument of torture?” Not only does this remark make one laugh, but it reminds the audience that Violet is of an older generation. Some might say that her remark is reminiscent of how our grandparents feel when learning how to use a smartphone or a computer. While this scene was set a century ago, Violet’s sentiments about the annoyances of using a telephone are relatable today.
“Put That in Your Pipe”
When Cora becomes pregnant and Matthew’s right as the heir of Downton comes into question, Mary struggles with whether she should marry him as he may not be the heir. The Dowager pushes Mary to still marry Matthew regardless, but Mary’s meddling Aunt Rosamund suggests that Mary put off her decision until they know for sure whether he is the heir. Infuriated, Matthew’s mother Isobel confronts Violet, assuming that she is responsible for Mary’s delay. The Dowager tells her that she did not convince Mary to delay the engagement, but that her daughter Rosamund was responsible. To put an end to the quarrel, she ends the argument with “so put that in your pipe and smoke it.”