Last year, I read a short blurb in Entertainment Weekly about a show on PBS called Downton Abbey(NOT downTOWN) that starred Maggie Smith from Harry Potter and Sister Act. I am a fan of hers, so I checked out the first episode and became hooked on it. Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t really like continuing TV shows, especially drama-ridden shows, but the sets, the costumes, the castle, all made this such a visual feast that I had to continue watching.
I took 2 days to sit through the first 2 seasons and was hungry for more.
If you haven’t heard about this, it’s set in the early 1900’s in the U.K., focusing on the servants of a wealthy family. There’s the backstabbing gay guy, the vicious and bitter maid, the nice manservant, the crazy cook and a large staff of extras. Then, when the focus goes “upstairs”, you have the wealthy family who have good intentions and the mother of the husband, who is played by Dame Maggie Smith. She is biting and sarcastic, but underneath, she shows she does have a heart.
Watch episodes on HULU.com here.
Here are a couple of parodies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdA3EZ9sdXE&feature=player_embedded