Downton Abbey new series
 

I forgot Series 3, episode 1 of Downton Abbey was on last night and missed the first 45 minutes of it. But just now i was able to watch it online at my PBS station. anyone else catch it?

What is it about this series that has us so hooked??? Even my DH (whose primary TV watching is sports or news) called up from the basement (where his huge-screen tv is located) to say, "Hey, don't you want to watch Downton Abbey with me down here????" well, of course!!! :-D

I'm watching it right this second at www.pbs.org

What exactly is this show?

i was nervous that the new season would be lacking... but i was not at all disappointed!!!!

We don't have a tv but when friends were talking about it this morning I looked it up on Amazon.
It sounds very much like Upstairs Downstairs which I saw years ago.

It's a series about an aristocratic English family and their servants set in a manor house starting in 1916 and going forward. The costumes are wonderful!

It's a great tv show. Masterpiece for sure. Maggie Smith is one of the best actresses of all time. She won't be in a lousy show or movie. If she is in it, I'll watch it.

I got hooked on it over winter break...or should I say me AND hubby got hooked on it! Love it!!!

Diannia

I've been a fan since the first season. The first episode last night of the new season was GREAT. I laughed a few times of some of the mumblings of the two Grandmothers, Maggie Smith and Shirley MacClaine. All of the actors do a wonderful job.

I also enjoy seeing the ladies fashions. I have to say I didn't care at all for the wedding dress. Just too plain for me. I look forward to watching the show every week!!

wow ! wonder if I too can watch online !! I fell asleep in parts ! thanks !!!

I watched it last night. FYI, they rerun it late at night also. It may be just me, but I was disappointed in the dialogue of Martha Levinson (Shirley MacLaine) at the beginning. I thought she came on too strong too early with the snarky comments. I don't remember her character being introduced/developed very much through conversation with the English family in the previous series.

I hadn't watched this show until this Xmas. Nothing but reruns on TV so watched DA out of curiosity. I am hooked! I really like it and it surprises me that I like it. I didn't think I would be interested in this type of show but the acting and writing are great.
Now I want to watch all the episodes and find out the background info.

New to this show as well----and I am not sure why this show grabs us so---maybe because it is a "breath of fresh air" compared to reality and cop shows?

I understand McLaine's character won't be on the show very long, so that's good. I love Maggie Smith. all the lives of everyone upstairs and those downstairs are what make the house run and are interesting. so much going on. and i happen to love British shows more than ours.

I happened to catch the hour before that explained the history of the castle where DA is filmed. Really interesting.
Here's the web site if you are interested: http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/

wasn't on our pbs channels, we were bummed

Don't forget, after Series 3, there is the Christmas special too :thumbup:

i'm a fan, too. :)

there are some historic inaccuracies but - hey! it's fiction and well done.

i'm curious to see how they are going to hold onto the Abby.
it would be more realistic if they have to move, but that would create a total disconnect with the series title.

P.S. if you already know the answer, please don't tell us. LOL

Think of Shirley MacLaine's character as a sort of Unsinkable Molly Brown/Ugly American (more Molly Brown). She is meant to be a stark contrast to Maggie Smith. So glad the show is back on! So glad there are so many fans here, but no surprise.

Downton Abbey
 

Thanks for the link. I'm crazy about anything that has to do with this show. I've been watching every episode since the first one.

I got to see this and the ending is a real cliff hanger!

I've been watching since the beginning. Love it. Good stories, great setting, fascinating clothes.

Oh, stink! I missed it...all caught up in the Seahawks football game!! Go, Hawks. I have no idea how to watch something online, but will see what I can figure out.

If you type pbs into google you can then click on the Masterpiece page and they have the full episode.

I too love Downton Abbey and the new season looks interesting..........sort of a Gatsby influence.......
that castle is amazing....cannot imagine actually "living" in such a breathtaking place.........
I loved the wedding dress...very appropriate for the age of this saga........better than some of ther "now" brides, with their "girls" jumping all over the place and body art being featured.....
Love the demure look of that bridal gown.......
Went to the actual site of the castle and looked at their gift shop offerings...yuck....tee shirts and baseball caps...how tacky...why not some lovely scarves or long necklaces or custom jewelry or something more feminine....who uses stationary nowadays.......

This was a great program. This castle belonged to the man who funded Howard Carter when he found King Tut's tomb. The show will be visiting other British homes and castles -- including the childhood home of Princess Di.

I really love this program but missed the episode, watched a murder mystery instead. But just sat here for 2 hrs watching it. I like it because of the way they all lived, such elegance! But, alas, it all came to pass, as all good things do. They learned to live like "common folk"? I'm sure it was such a change.... I watched the program about the real place, how they have to supplement to make it all still run....
It's kind of like these people that win a fancy house, they have the house alright, but they can't afford the upkeep, taxes, etc....

I recorded because it was going past my bedtime but I watched yesterday as soon as I got home from work. LOVE IT!
I can't wait until episode 2 and 3 and 4......

I watched and was so impressed with the actors and their costumes. Would liked to live back then.

Well, I missed the middle 45minutes, (fell asleep) but liked the beginning and end. I am going to check out www.pbs.org that Liae_wanna_b_quilter mentioned.

yep, I'm in Colorado and went to CPT12.org and finally found it. didn't have to put in my zip code either.

It is so nice to watch a show at last with no fighting, no shooting, proper manners and so much sophication. I love the costumes. Such a fairy land of characters. I also love that the help is treated well, and that each character has his own story line to tell.

I wanted to like the show so I rented the first season, but decided pretty soon that in spite of the beautiful castle and unique era it seemed like there was a lot of conniving, plotting and scheming, just like shows with modern settings. Hubby was watching with me and we decided we weren't into it. We do love the old British comedies though!

My DH is as big a fan as I am! I have seasons 1&2 on DVD (and I very, very seldom purchase any movies) and have watched them again. I've also loaned out to friends who missed it and they are now hooked. We are enjoying season 3. PBS will have each episode available to watch online the week following its broadcast -- go to the pbs.org website. Also, if you have Netflix, you can catch Season 1 right now as well if you missed it or want to see it again.

My daughter is part of an online craft group and she coordinated a Downton swap last year. Everyone came up with some fun items for their swap that fit the Downton theme.

British comedies are great, also love British murder mysteries. but then, i watch sub-titled European murder mysteries too. I just dont' find much of our shows to watch.

Thanks, Stitchn...that sounds easy! I'll try it on our "forced" vacation when we have no TV. :-) That means no news 24/7 except what we read in the local paper. :-)

It is very much like it but I am a purist, there will never be another Upstairs Downstairs. Have you seen the new one? Okay but again, there will never be another Upstairs Downstairs

I know this is British, but wife is American.......I wonder if there was income tax in that timeframe......wasn't that how so many more were able to acquire so much more wealth? Have to refresh my history memory............
I too, love the elegance of that era, but would miss some of our "modern" ways of life.........like central heat/a/c, hot running water and more informed medical expertise......but then we too will be looked at in future times as provincial............

I think the British invented taxes!!!! did you see where France wants to raise their tax rate on the rich from 41% to 75% and Gerard Depardieu became a Russian citizen in order not to pay that much. he's already paid 145 million in taxes in the last few years.
anyway, the Estate taxes are what gets you!!! one should be able to inherit without having it cut so much. shame. but Countries must run on something.