The British Are Staying

For lovers of British period costume drama the news couldn't be better. There will be a prequel to 'Downton Abbey', starring younger versions of Lord and Lady Granthan. This will account for the time before they became the keepers of the monor and will supposedly include some American backdrop. Lady Granthan, as any true follower of 'Downton' knows, is American born, and Shirley MacLaine is her mother.

Of course we Yanks haven't seen Ol' Shirl as the mother yet, but it's in the can.

The creator of  'Downtown Abbey', Julian Fellowes, has announced he is doing a prequel story in book form, that will be adapted to TV.  The show is extremely popular in Britain and here. Nothing works better than success.

And the introduction of Ol' Shirl into the current story line of course augers well for Ol' Shirl to entertain us in the prequel. Lord Granthan will be younger, therefore he will fit better into his Boer War uniform with six-pint abs and be what what all British officers are in uniform--dashing.

Historical content will be well served. We'll have the crest of British imperialism prior to WWI on display, along with an earlier, American Lady Granthan who is involved in Prohibition amendments and of course the Suffragist movement. Being whose daughter she is, it's not possible that the apple will fall far from the tree.

And Ol' Shirl? The possibilities are unlimited. Aside from being in the series current timeline, Ol' Shirl can be transported back to an earlier time in America when she smoked cigars and perhaps hung out with Bolsheviks. Her New Age spirituality and belief in reincarnation are perfect for the time machine.

The setting is there. Marlon Brando is the more grown up Don Corleon, and Robert DeNiro is the younger, prequel version. With the wave of her hand Ol' Shirl can be Coquette Shirl.

And if she keeps waving her hand she'll become Vivian Leigh and convince us she's Scarlett O'Hara.

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