Returning for a Fifth Season

Masterpiece Theater has confirmed that they will be airing a fifth season of Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey in America.  It will begin filming in 2014.  I am so excited I must make myself a cup of tea.

For full details, check out Masterpiece Theater.

Downton verses the Super Bowl

          Last year's Super Bowl was watched by an estimated 111 million people in America.  I will admit, I stuck around for the ads and watched through the half-time show.  This year, there is a choice to be made- watch the Super Bowl or watch Downton Abbey.  Episode five of season two will be aired on PBS' Masterpiece hour this week despite the draw that the sports channels will have.  And to be honest, with the plot lines of this season brewing like a tempest in a tea pot, I am hoping that Madonna will finish her half-time show before the show starts or I shall have to watch it on YouTube.  I highly doubt anyone will notice if one less person watches football on Sunday night.

Links to the episode previews on Masterpiece Online to aid you in your decision:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/downtonabbey2_ep5_scene.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/downtonabbey2_ep5_preview.html

Note: Do not let this decision lead to a rift in any of the relationships in your life.  There are plenty of televisions in America. Just find the ones that are nearby the tea and not the football goodies.

The Scoop on Downton Abbey

Most of the cast of ITV's Downton Abbey

How does one describe Downton Abbey?  Usually referred to as an Upstairs/Downstairs drama, it revolves around one household comprised of some of the richest and most affluent people in England pre-WWI and the servants who, behind the scenes, are entirely responsible for helping the employers “keep up appearances”.   The upper class stories are like fairy tales, everyone knows them.  What Downton Abbey shows us is more than the fairy tale; it reveals the hidden mechanics behind an English Estate.

Julian Fellowes, the writer of the series, artfully juggles many story lines in the air at one time.  Therefore, I would advise anyone new to the world of Downton Abbey to start with series one before jumping into the second series.  I predict you will be simply agog at how fast you finish a season when you get swept up into the plot.  Series two has finally been released in America (all who were devotees-watching since the series premier in America, have been patiently waiting for it to be released over here and trying not to read spoilers since it was premiered in the UK many months before), you can catch it on Sunday nights during your PBS’ Masterpiece hour.  Or, if you actually have something to do on Sunday nights other than avoid the inevitable homework or next day’s work load, they are all released for a short time on the PBS Masterpiece website to watch.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/index.html