Saturday, January 7, 2012

Downton Abbey



After reading about the finale of Season Two, on a blog I simply cannot find to give credit, I started watching Season One of Downtown Abbey. It is a Masterpiece Classic series on PBS. I found the first season on Netflix and needless to say - I'm bewitched!

Set in the early part of the century it is about an aristocratic family and the castle-full of servants that keep everything running. The set is stunning and the characters are both endearing and loathsome - the prime ingredients to keep you up late watching reruns.

I have felt for many years an "affinity" for England - particularly the Tudor period. I know I must have had at least one lifetime, if not many, living and dying on the English island. I do know that my family originated in England, with my great-great Grandfather leaving his children in a poorhouse after his wife died in order to come to America. After arriving and making enough money he went back to England to collect his children, marrying again,  only to die shortly thereafter. His children were dispersed to other families to be raised. A sad story, I thought. All that effort to keep them together, only to have them raised by strangers.

Anyway, you must do yourself a favor and catch up on this series, if not already a fan.

And a great big thank you to the blogger who posted on Season Two. 

26 comments:

Cloudia said...

cool, will check it out



Aloha from Waikiki
Comfort Spiral

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CrazyCris said...

As I'm on the other side of the Atlantic I've already been lucky enough to see both seasons (+the Christmas special) and I can definitely say: WONDERFUL!!!

Everyone does a fabulous job in recreating this time period, the story is enthralling, the Crowders mesmerising. Fabulous!

My favourite quote comes from the very first episode, with a great delivery by Dame Maggie Smith (as the wonderful grandmother): "What is a week end?" ;o)

Brian Miller said...

huh...never heard of it...will def check it out...

DJan said...

I saw it on a blog, too, and now this makes two times I've been curious about it. I'll have to check it out, it sounds right up my alley. Just the thing to get hooked on.

Nancy said...

Cloudia - You won't be sorry - it is excellent television.

Cris - I loved that line! She is spectacular in her role.

Brian - Great acting - interesting plots.

DJan - We must of read it on the same blog. Do you remember which one? I think this is right up your alley, no pun intended. :-)

kate i said...

I've just finished season one and will be watching season two on PBS. I love Downton Abbey! My husband is from the UK, so we watch a lot of the BBC productions...such great television! (In Canada we can't connect to the websites that offer many of the TV series online...my guess is it's about copyright issues and borders)

Deborah said...

I had the good luck to be given a DVD of 3 seasons of this series by an English friend here in France, and MFB and I are hooked on it. Do you remember 'Upstairs, Downstairs' on PBS from years ago? I loved that too. Such fun to have a glimpse of lives led in such circumstances so far removed from one's own.

Jayne Martin said...

I've heard other good comments about this show. I'll have to get the prior seasons, but I'll look for it here on my cable. Thanks. It's so hard to find something of quality to watch -- even on 200 stations!

Trish and Rob MacGregor said...

I heard about this show somewhere. Now I'll check it out.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Will add it to my Netflix. I find I enjoy the series TV I order much better than movies out there. Currently watching Hung. Yep, just what it sounds like.

Nancy said...

Kate - BBC productions are better than most of ours, that's for sure.

Deborah - it is fun. I had this feeling, during one scene of the help lining up outside to greet a guest and the camera just panned the shoes, of actually being one of those people at some point in time. Just a feeling, but a strong one. Why couldn't I have been the Lord or Lady, lol?

Jayne - Very hard, unfortunately! We have to go to the BBC.

T & R - Wonderful escapism.

Midlife - I do too, lol! A true GUILTY pleasure.

Reya Mellicker said...

I love it, too. Tonight I'll get to watch the first episode of season 2 on the PBS app. So looking forward to it!

Nicole said...

Very strange, I just got a text from my neighbor this morning telling me about this show and how I must watch it. Now I see your post 5 minutes later. So I guess I should!

Bruce Coltin said...

I just don't know about Mary. I want to like her, but she really did blow the big test. Will she redeem herself? I hope so.

California Girl said...

I read about it in Entertainment Magazine while getting my hair cut last wknd. They said Season I is up for six Emmys. I mentioned it to my husband and we started watching it Saturday (just past) night on our big screen using his computer & Netflix. We watched 4 in a row and finished the other 2 last night & taped the first show of Season II.

I guess we're hooked.

California Girl said...

I read about it in Entertainment Magazine while getting my hair cut last wknd. They said Season I is up for six Emmys. I mentioned it to my husband and we started watching it Saturday (just past) night on our big screen using his computer & Netflix. We watched 4 in a row and finished the other 2 last night & taped the first show of Season II.

I guess we're hooked.

Stella Jones said...

Watched it in England and am now watching it again on PBS, thanks to you post. I hope you enjoyed it last night as much as I did.
There was a bit of criticism in England that the first episode moved too fast. What did you think?

Nancy said...

Reya - I'm going to watch the first episode of Season Two on the computer tonight. (PBS.org)

Cole - It is a great way to lose yourself for a few hours, beleive me. :-)

Bruce - I know! But she just couldn't find a way to tell him about that little Turkish episode. Hopefully she will find a way to live with it. (I say anything that happens without a wedding ring is private business, and what he doesn't know can't hurt him.)

California - You're hooked, lol! I'm going to get my husband hooked when we get home.

Star - I'm a bit behind. I just finished Season One on Netflix last night. I can catch up on the first episode of Season Two through PBS.org - so it is on tonight's menu. War, ugh. Does this mean all those pretty dresses go by the wayside??

GORDMAN said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
GORDMAN said...

Can someone please tell me who help Lady Mary & Lady Grantham move Mr. Pamuk's body?

I really need to know this answer.

Thank you all

G-MAN

Nancy said...

G-Man - Anna - the head housemaid - helped them move the body (Mr. Bates' wife). :-)

GORDMAN said...

Hello Nancy,

Thank you very much for the answer to my question.

I might need your help again next week for another question if your around.

Once again thank you, I really do appreciate your help.

Take Care and God Bless you and your family.

G-MAN

GORDMAN said...

Hello Nancy and everyone else,

I have another question on Downtown Abbey.

Who shocks the family with what she wears down for dinner?

Thank You Kindly

G-MAN

Nancy said...

G-Man - That would be Lady Sybil.

GORDMAN said...

Once again Nancy thank you very much for the answer to my question.

Take Care & God Bless.

G-MAN

GORDMAN said...

Hello Nancy,

I have another question for you, what goes missing from Lord Grantham's display case?

Thanks very much,

G-MAN