Recently started Downton Abbey

Best: Violet's quips were always the best ("No no...I'm a good sailor!" LMAO). Young Thomas was hot, along with the string of second-ish footmen, particularly Andy. And one of the hall boys who becomes a footman at the end is gay IRL, which is cool. I loved Mathew's chubby, alabaster face back in his days and all the jokes about Lady Mary's Death Pussy on DL. I also loved the general pace, with most scenes being really quick and keeping up the pace of things. The houses were of course glorious, as was the soundtrack and the different variations of the main theme for locations, e.g. Scotland. I loved how Julian integrated WWI into the house. Sybil's demise was a genuine surprise to me and I though was done very well. I also generally loved that it was a show where people struggle over literally being a good people, telling the truth, maintain their honor, simple things that are easy to understand. It's just an easy show to watch, MUCH easier than Gilded Age IMO.

Least: I think the show was a bit too secular. People back then were much more religious I think. The vocal performances (except for Dame Kiri's whenever she showed up) were all pretty shabby. The fake Patrick episode during WW1 was super boring and made me hate Edith temporarily. I also wanted more gay sex or at least kissing. I think there was a PERFECT narrative opportunity for one of the later footmen (I won't spoil because I don't know if it happens in S5) to explore that, but Julian chickened out.

I wasn't happy with Lady Mary's love life. Just when I got settled on one guy something happens. Then there is another, I choose someone for her, she changes her mind, and another, and another etc. But that was my over all reaction not specific to one season. My favorite thing was the evolving relationship between the Dowager Countess, and Matthew's mother. Maggie Smith and Penelope Wilton are my favorites. And I loved both Edith and Barrow's story arc. I could have done without Anna and Bate's drama.

R1 - you're absolutely right. People and society were MUCH more religious back then. Good take.

R2, definitely agreed on Anna and Bates. It just became silly after the first crisis.

Liked: the low stakes and general breeziness of the show. Episodes revolved around having a fancy dinner.

Hated: the rape plot. It was ugly piece of realism that had absolutely no place in the fantasy world of the show. I don't know if they were trying to be "relevant" or if they had just run out of things to do. Either way it was a terrible idea. It was like putting a violent rape in a Parks&Rec episode.

I enjoyed the earlier seasons a lot but, as with most shows, later on the storylines started to get a bit too far-fetched. The Anna and Bates plots really wore on me. I still haven't seen the movies. I plan to rewatch the series soon before I see those.

I watched the entire Upstairs Downstairs original series about a year ago and really enjoyed it. It also has plenty of far-fetched moments but it's quite good, and I was surprised to see a few plots that Downton seemed to lift directly from it.

I also found the Anna and Bates storylines rather tiresome, but was revived when they visited Scotland. And I liked the vigor than Tom Branson brought into the family after Lady Sybil's death.

I liked the early seasons best, before Matthew died.

I liked the O'Brien character a lot and she disappeared early.

Agree that the Anna and Bates sagas were endless. Especially when Anna ended up in jail.

I couldn't stand Cora, at first. Simpering and tiring. Edith was also irritating, constantly whining.

[quote] The fake Patrick episode during WW1 was super boring and made me hate Edith temporarily.

IMO, that was the best plot line involving Edith. It made sense that he chose her as a mark and that she'd be sympathetic.

When the butler and the head housekeeper got married, ugh. That was awful.

Mary, the character and the actress, I did like. However, the endless string of suitors. Come on. That was boring.

Very nice production values. I only remember one scene that was obviously green screen.

Violet, of course, was a great character.

I even liked Matthew's mother.

People didn't like Daisy, but I liked her, except at the end when the writing got wonky and she mouthed off at an auction and didn't get fired.

O Brien was the most interesting downstairs character. She bitched a lot and plotted with Thomas (the soap thing was stupid though) but there was some crisis, the butler was ill? and she pitched in without hesitation so the family wouldn’t be shamed socially (< not the right term, but if the dinner had been a failure, there would’ve been a lot of gossip).

Mary’s parade of suitors after Matthew’s death. The one they seemed to be going with, Julien Overdon—she thought he was a lowly government farm agent but he turned out to be a lord—but poof, he vanished. Got a better acting gig I expect.

Fellowes was a terrible writer once he ran out of Upstairs Downstairs storylines to repeat. Daisy, a scullery maid for ten years despite becoming an excellent cook and inheriting a farm tenancy? Ruby was more realistic in that role.