Downton Abbey clone?

The original UD was before DA. People say DA is a rip-off of the original UD but I don't think that's true as I hated the original UD but loved DA which I saw after.

Downton Abbey TOTALLY ripped off the original Upstairs Downstairs! Even the trouble-making gay footman was stolen from UpDown!

Downton Abbey is basically a do-over of the original Upstairs Downstairs. There is even some suggestion that ITV were, shall we say, "inspired" to commission Downton Abbey while Upstairs Downstairs 2010 was in copyright negotiation. It's an interesting situation, because the original Upstairs Downstairs aired on ITV, and if I understand things correctly Jean Marsh wanted to do the new Upstairs Downstairs with ITV too. Then during the complex 3 year process to get the show happening, ITV suddenly whipped out Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs had to go begging to the BBC. If one of the shows got ripped off, it's certainly not Downton Abbey.

I feel you should watch a little more of Upstairs Downstairs 2010 before you judge the shows to be clones. There are some plot points that match up in places, but overall the tone of UD 2010 is very different from the tone of DA.

Sybil/Branson and Persie/Spargo may both be lady/chauffeur relationships, but they are chalk and cheese. Rachel's relationship with Mr Amanjit is also wildly different from Lord Grantham's affair with the maid in S2 of Downton Abbey. The interfering mother in law, hardly an original concept, is probably the least interesting thing about Upstairs Downstairs 2010 - and let's just say she's not a major feature of S2.

I have the sense that the first Upstairs, Downstairs wasn't made for purposes of fairy-tale notions, such as I do with Downton Abbey. Both, of course, share tales of trials and tribulations during uncertain, troubling times, though the latter seems to dote more on an ultimate, desired unity amongst staff and family of that House, at least more so than the emotionally separated/detached staff and family of Eaton Place, one in which I believe was more stoic and even dour, almost emulating that line in Pink Floyd's song "Time", "Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way." The Upstairs, Downstairs of 2010 seemed more of nostalgia of eras long gone mixed with an optimistic, sometimes oddly comedic take of the early-1930's, almost the same sentiment and outlook portrayed by Downton Abbey of the Edwardian Era, though the former on a smaller scale. Both seemed determined to possess a taste of the grandeur of the wealthy class, though the times were different; something which the first Upstairs, Downstairs did less of, quite possibly for reasons of budget and sets, but which allowed for a greater use of smartly written, even quite abrasive dialogue - these scenes filmed in the 1970's seemed sometimes cold and cramped, yet brought forth the very sense of that era in Britain, even serving as a possible essay and analogy for the 1970's, whereas Downton Abbey and updated Upstairs, Downstairs propagated longings for something else.

It's definitely the same kind of dramatic formula, playing off the class interactions of staff and family.

I don't know that I'd go so far as to say "clone" because of the meaningful differences in era and location. The more modern period and urban setting give UD a bit more contemporary feel and I think UD tackles (perhaps too closely) more historical issues. DA had its WW I and Spanish Flu episodes, but UD puts itself in the middle of major events. The family has had the Kennedys, Ribbentrop and the Duke of Kent in their home for dinner. I'm kind of surprised this isn't a family which has social exposure to the immediate Royal Family and a young Elizabeth turning up as a character.