0

From The Guardian:

Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson play the Mountbattens in Gurinder Chadha cheekily Downtonised but watchable version of history

What does Downtonised mean? Google Web Search gives a few other contexts, such as this one, also from the Guardian:

While the US TV view of the UK is all Downtonised nostalgia, British telly is obsessed with documenting the extremities of America.

And from the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting:

It was almost as though the trial had never been won, and we’d been served a sanitised, Downtonised version instead.

I can't find a meaning in the usual sources. What does it mean?

| improve this question | |
  • The only thing I can tell is that it's capitalized so it must be a proper noun. – user178049 Mar 18 '17 at 13:57
  • It is probably meant to echo "bowdlerized". – Tᴚoɯɐuo Mar 18 '17 at 14:17
2

I believe it might be a reference to the British TV series 'Downton Abbey'. As such it would be referring to the style of the show and it's handling of the events it portrayed.

Sadly I only saw the first series so can't definitively say if its a good or bad thing to be, though your quote from icrl.co.uk implies it's not that great.

| improve this answer | |
  • I suppose that the followup question would be: what characterises Downton Abbey, but that question may be better asked on Movies & TV… – gerrit Mar 18 '17 at 18:50

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.