I’ve had quite the journey with Downton Abbey. I watched the original series with my mom when it was airing, and eagerly caught each movie in theaters, including 2022’s A New Era. So writing about Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is bittersweet, a culmination of this wonderful franchise.

Directed by Simon Curtis, The Grand Finale is exclusively for fans of the series. As a sendoff for viewers, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale accomplishes exactly what it needs to.

With the saga coming to a close, it enters a brand-new era. The movie is set in 1930 and finds Downton on the precipice of major change. A new butler is set to take over, as Andy (Michael Fox) finally prepares to replace Mr. Carson (Jim Carter); another longtime staff member’s retirement is on the horizon; and, most pressingly, Robert (Hugh Bonneville) is debating whether to officially relinquish control to Mary (Michelle Dockery).

The last point is complicated by the fact that Mary, once the most haughty member of the Crawley family, is embroiled in scandal. She’s separating from her husband (Matthew Goode, who was last seen in the 2019 movie), and society doesn’t take kindly to divorced women. This only makes Robert more reluctant for change, and it puts Mary off-kilter from everything she’s ever known.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Goes All-In On The Characters We Love

In classic Downton Abbey fashion, practically every member of the sprawling ensemble has something going on. Cora’s (Elizabeth McGovern) brother Harold (Paul Giamatti) returns after his single-episode show appearance to handle some financial problems, and Isobel (Penelope Wilton) oversees the local county fair with some surprising allies. With so much going on, it feels very much like an extended episode of the original series.

Of course, there’s one key element missing. Even before the pᴀssing of Dame Maggie Smith late last year, her iconic character Violet died at the end of A New Era, and her presence is still felt in The Grand Finale. Violet is often referenced as characters debate what to do, and her portrait hangs prominently in the house.

There’s even a subtle connection to Smith herself, through the inclusion of real-life playwright Noël Coward (Arty Froushan). Coward comes to play a major role in the film, and his storyline with Thomas (Robert James-Collier) and his returning paramour Guy Dexter (Dominic West) gives Downton some queer positivity, something the franchise often lacked.

Not every new character fits in as well. Alessandro Nivola plays Gus Sambrook, an ᴀssociate of Harold’s who arrives at Downton with some questionable motives. He and Mary first cross paths right in the aftermath of her divorce making the news, and their initial interactions threaten to disrupt her arc of reinvention and self-discovery.

There’s no need for concern though; Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which was penned by creator Julian Fellowes, is largely constructed as a love letter to the fans and honors the characters they all love. There are several references to the original series, and several key relationships – Robert and Bates (Brendan Coyle), Mary and Anna (Joanne Froggatt), Mrs. Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera), to name a few – get satisfying, heartfelt moments to close out their stories.

The Grand Finale Is The Sendoff Downton Abbey Fans Deserve

If I had to single out any MVPs, it’s an absolute delight to see how far Laura Carmichael’s Edith has come over the years, and Thomas goes to some rather unexpected places.

Visually, the world of Downton is as beautifully rendered as ever. Anna Robbins’ costume design really flourishes with the onset of a new decade – Mary’s red dress at an early ball is particularly stunning — and production designer Donal Woods’ work is top-notch. The Grand Finale features fresh London locations, an extravagant horse race, and the county fair, providing plenty of opportunities for celebration and beautiful historical detail.

In some ways, few fans will actually be surprised by how The Grand Finale closes out the franchise. The past two movies all nudged the series in this direction, and the newest installment only seeks to put a finer point on it. And yet, I dare viewers not to cry during the last sequence, a gorgeously edited moment that serves as the strongest tie to the original show.

Though Fellowes has indicated Downton Abbey could live on in the future through new characters, this movie is as close to a perfect ending as the franchise could get. The extended sendoff with three different movies is unnecessary, but anyone who has loved these characters will enjoy getting closure. As Mary says at the end, “Long live Downton Abbey.” It’s fair to say it will.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale releases in theaters on Friday, September 12.