For those who miss the upstairs-downstairs drama Downton Abbey, a new app by the creator of the show may quell these yearnings.
Julian Fellowes, who is responsible for the smash hit, has now created an app that features some of the same tensions that can be found on Downton Abbey. However, it centers on Belgravia instead of Lord Grantham's estate, a wealthy district west of London.
The app launched on April 14, and Fellowes calls it a "cross between a novel and a computer game." He went on to tell the Telegraph that it was quite a change from Downton Abbey.
Unfolding in 11 weekly episodes, Belgravia is based on Fellowes' latest book of the same name. Actress Juliet Stevenson narrates the stories, which follow the lives of two families after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
"Just a stone's throw from Buckingham Palace, behind the closed doors of London's grandest houses, scandal and intrigue reign," reads Fellowes' website for Belgravia.
Currently, the first episode is available for free after registering on the website. The app itself will be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for everyone who wants to follow through all 11 parts of the story.
Those who register now can take advantage of a 30 percent savings deal, which prices the entire series at $13.99 for the remaining 10 episodes. People who want to purchase individual episodes will need to pay $1.99 for each.
Many have drawn comparisons of Fellowes' latest work to podcasts, such as Serial, which notably ends on cliffhangers each week to keep listeners longing for more. These types of media have seen success in an era when channels such as Netflix encourage the public to binge endlessly on content.
However, one thing is for certain with Fellowes' latest endeavor — Belgravia listeners can potentially find Downton-like satisfaction in the characters featured in the novel. There is the social-climbing businessman (James Trenchard) who is married to the humble schoolteacher (Anne Trenchard). Then, there is the lovesick daughter (Sophia Trenchard) and the less-than-successful son, set to inherit the family fortune (Oliver Trenchard).
Those who can stand to wait will be able to purchase the hardcover novel version of Belgravia on Amazon beginning July 5. Depending on the success of the app, it may become difficult to hold off and avoid spoilers.
