‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ a fine farewell for estate’s denizens

All joking aside, “The Grand Finale” is a fine send-off for the beloved British costume drama, which follows the ups and downs of the aristocratic Crawley family — and their staff — while navigating the tumultuous beginnings of the 20th century.

While the previous “Downton” film, “A New Era,” saw the Crawleys venturing to France and hosting a movie crew at their Yorkshire estate, the key to “The Grand Finale” is that Fellowes doesn’t venture into unfamiliar territory. He keeps us grounded in the smaller social and familial dramas, with a few fun guest stars that nod to the year in which the story takes place, 1930.

What Fellowes has done so well with “Downton” is offer an escape to the past, while using the period setting to comment on issues of contemporary relevance. He produces an appealing tension in the simultaneous presentation of archaic cultural norms alongside issues that feel as urgent as ever. In “The Grand Finale,” that is the tabloid scandal that is Lady Mary’s (Michelle Dockery) divorce, and the ongoing struggle that is Lord Grantham’s unwillingness to pass on management of Downton Abbey to the next generation.

We can titter at the shock and horror that some of the characters display at even being in the same room as a divorced woman — Lady Mary is rudely escorted from a ball and asked to hide under a staircase lest she come into contact with a royal — and also empathize with the frustration of a new generation that desperately wants to take over from the old guard, and maybe even shake things up a bit. Fellowes isn’t exactly subtle with the messaging in his send-off. American uncle Harold (Paul Giamatti), even declares that it’s more comfortable to live in the past. Fellowes gets even more self-reflective with the character of Molesley (Kevin Doyle), who progressed from footman to screenwriter in the last film, and now demands the recognition that he believes he deserves. You have to laugh when Molesley declares into the camera that screenwriters are more important than even movie stars. Heard, Lord Fellowes.

“The Grand Finale” brings back old friends from “A New Era,” like film actor Guy Dexter (Dominic West), now in a quiet relationship with former Downton footman Barrow (Robert James-Collier), and their new pal, theater star and playwright Noel Coward (Arty Froushan), representing the new wave of media celebrities. In a truly delightful, star-making performance, Froushan delivers mischievous double entendre as Coward, practically licking his chops at all the juicy material he finds at Downton for his new plays, whether it’s Lady Mary’s love woes or the inner workings of the downstairs Downton staff.

With the late Dame Maggie Smith no longer delivering her usual barbs, Simon Russell Beale has stepped in to represent the traditionalist ways of thinking. Playing Sir Hector, who contends with Lady Isabelle (Penelope Wilton) over the planning of the county show, he mightily resists change and isn’t afraid to let her know about it. He also delivers one of the most spectacular line readings of the phrase “beekeepers and bottling fruit,” so don’t worry, the spirit of the Dowager Countess lives on.

With a mix of old characters and new, worldly upheaval and small-town dramas, Fellowes illustrates what “Downton” has always done best, which is a social examination of how much things have changed and how they haven’t changed at all. While some of the character work doesn’t quite develop or deepen our understanding of them, or even take them on new journeys, it’s simply a pleasure to visit with them one last time — or at least until the next time. World War II is only a few years away; wouldn’t you like to see how the Crawleys and company tackle that?