'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' Brings The Show's Legacy To An Emotional End

Welcome to the New Age.

In this final installment, Lady Mary and Lord Talbot have divorced, bringing (another) scandal to Downton. High society refuses to be in the same room as a divorced woman, which means she's kicked out of parties and stood up for dinner. Cora's brother Harold returns to England with some bad news: their family fortune is almost all gone and his financial advisor Gus Sambrook is hoping to get some more from Cora to win back the rest.

Of course, not all is at it seems. Through the course of the film secrets are uncovered and family relationships are threatened and then strengthened, all while England moves into the 1930s. The old ways we knew before World War I are, well, old, which means Robert is left with a new reality: it's time to step down and let Lady Mary take over.

'Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale' is all about family.

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is the perfect way to wrap up the legacy of the beloved show. In addition to the fact every production detail is gorgeous, its strengths lie in its emotional moments. Plus, despite the fact I've heard the theme song hundreds of times, the drive up to Downton while the song plays in the background gave me chills all over again!

It might be my late-20s talking, but the movie's themes of change couldn't have come at a more poignant time. Seeing characters like Carson and Miss Patmore pass on their beloved lifestyles to Andy and Daisy, who we've all watched for years, felt like I was seeing my own family members grow and evolve. Watching the once-timid Edith go toe-to-toe with others on Mary's behalf (after years of comparison and fighting) brought her arc full circle and solidified her as a strong and capable woman. And all the tributes to characters who have passed away just re-emphasize the fact that at its heart, this show is all about family.

And I don't want to spoil too much, but rest assured the final scene left me crying so hard, I had to take off my glasses and wipe my eyes. You better bring tissues!

Long live Downton Abbey!

Overall, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is a wonderful way to end a story we've all fallen in love with over the last decade, and serves as the perfect tribute to both the the series' legacy and the late Maggie Smith. Although I was left with a few questions (like the fact Robert and multiple staff members are all retiring in the same few days?!), I give Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale a 5-star rating because it knew exactly what it needed to do to satisfy audiences, and it completed its mission beautifully. And as Mary and Edith put it: Long live Downton Abbey. Amen to that!