downton abbey
 

we don't have a TV, but I've been enjoying listening to you all talking about it.

It has Such good reviews on Amazon I'm thinking about picking up the boxed set seasons 1-4

Couple of questions. Do men enjoy it as much as women?
How does it compare to Upstairs Downstairs?

I liked Larkrise to Candleford if that helps :)
Thanks, Sharyn

I can watch it each week online for free at pbs.org the day after the show airs. I've watched them all as they come out that way. Much of PBS programming is on their website for free. I use it all the time.

Personally, I like Downton Abbey better than Upstairs Downstairs. I also loved Call the Midwife. I don't know any men that watch it, so I can't help you out there.

I can tell you that Mr. Stitchnripper won't watch it, but, the husbands of my girlfriends watch it and like it. I love Downton Abbey, but I like Mr. Selfridge better. Mr. S. won't watch that either.

I like most anything British. Their shows like this are always good. And their detective mysteries are good too. Sooo much better than most anything we put on t.v.!!

***
*** I don't watch it that often, but
*** I do wat Doc Martin (love it).

*** I date an Englishman and we went to England in September, and
*** I know he would watch it.
***

My husband watches and enjoys Downton Abbey and Doc Martin, along with Pie in the Sky and Midsomer Murders. We like any of the Masterpiece Classics or Masterpiece Mysteries.

I get together with my girlfriends on Sunday night's to watch Downton Abbey - our husbands aren't interested in joining us! It has to crash and go boom to hold my husband's attention....

You might want to check your public library before you buy them. My library has seasons 1-4. I watched them while I was sewing. It's on Sunday night at 9 on PBS which isn't a good time for us. Hubby doesn't like it. Like icul8rg8r said, there's nothing that goes boom and no crashes for DH.lol

I really like the series -- and I'm a guy. Because I have a background in high school, college, and community theatre, I enjoy seeing the setting details, the magnificent costumes, the well-written scripts, etc. Even the fabrics on the tables and windows are spectacular! I agree that the BBC folks can really do period shows like no one else. It is very rare, indeed, when I can't find something good on that channel -- and we're lucky enough in the Houston area to have two PBS channels on our cable. There is always something good to watch.

You can watch them online for free. I watched season five as it was aired in England. I didn't have to wait until now to see it.

I usually like anything that is shown on Masterpiece Classic. I bought the first season on DVD (which I still think was the best) but after watching it a few times, it just sits with my other DVDs. My best friend just recently started watching it on Amazon since she is a prime member.

My husband loves it and watches each episode more than once.

My Hubby watches DA now but originally thought it was a night time soap so he wouldn't watch it. I put the reruns on, on a miserable afternoon two years ago (we had the flu) so his opinion changed. Its an interesting time period; one %'s failing unless change, the dawn of radio with skirt hems beginning their climb... Maggie Smith is at her finest!

My library carries all four seasons of Downton Abbey. I think my home town shuts down so that everyone can go home and watch the show - men and women. Wherever I go, all one has to ask is "do you watch Downton Abbey?" and the conversations begin. It's an ice-breaker!!!!

I love all them kind of shows on PBS. Any shows from that era intrigues me. Beats the violence on other channels.

thank you all for the responses! And we are two more "mad about midsomer" folks :)

I have to pay for my broadband time here, which is metered. I don't do any youtube or whatever streaming until the last day or two before the next month flips over. Sometimes I have enough time left to watch bonnie's quilt cam, sometimes I don't

Library...$75.00 a year here...ouch.

Well, Kalama, it sounds like buying some DVD's might be the perfect answer for you. Look around and see if you can find a deal that fits your budget and go for it.

How many others have to pay for their public library card? How surprised I was at that statement......thought it was taken care of thru real estate taxes, etc. our little town of 6k just built a new facility....3m +, referendum voted on last year raises r/e taxes by a small percentage.....

I like Call the Midwife, but forget to watch it or record. I also like some older ones like Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By.

I will have to check my library. It is free, but even $75 a year would be a deal to me, when I read anywhere from 8-10 books a month sometimes (add that up at $20-26 a piece depending on where I might buy them).

My DH is as much a Downton Abbey fan as I am. My DS and DS-in law both watch with their wives.

I know several men who watch Downton Abbey and love the show.

I love it. I never started watching it when it started, but I heard so many good.things about it. So when I got Amazon Prime I watched all the episodes starting at the beginning. I not only enjoy the characters and story, I love the costumes and historical part of it (even if some is probably made-up!). My husband would never watch it. He dislikes anything that reminds him of a soap opera.

Love it! Watched it from the beginning on PBS. I love Masterpiece Mysteries like; Inspector Lewis, Father Brown, Mrs. Marple, Doc Martin, etc. DH does not watch anything unless they have a number on their back and throw a ball...

We enjoy the DA series. My hubby even watches with me. He bought me the seasons 1-4, plus a special CD about the castle...:)

I have no idea if men like it or not but I feel this season is falling into a more "soap opera" style of story line. But... did it stop me from watching? NO. I still love a good romantic novel even if it is not reality. Yikes, I live enough reality. A little fantasy is refreshing.

I still love Upstair, Downstairs and watch it methodically from time to time just to keep up with my "old friends". US/DS was unique because it was the first. Is Downton Abbey better? Hummm. No, not better or worse. Just adifferent setting; the country vs. the city. I am no longer as connected to the the characters in Downton as in previous years.

I stumbled upon Larkrise to Candleford at my library and asked for the series for Christmas last year. Got it and I so wish there were more seasons. I am entranced by the strong characters that are each full of foibles but rich in humanity. The old couple working through their marriage and the young folks learning their way through relationships with family are interesting. I feel closer to them than to the characters in Downton Abbey.

Go and enjoy them all!

thanks again everyone.
WMUT, one of my favorite sayings came from the postmistress in Larkrise to Candleford... "my one little extravagance"
:)

My mother and I started watching the first season of Downton Abby last summer. DH came in during the third episode. We ended up starting over so he could watch from the beginning. When season 5 started he asked me to record them so he wouldn't miss them. I was surprised he was interested. But he also enjoyed Pride and Prejudice.

I watch it on PBS online the day after it shows on tv - usually while sewing - I love that show. My husband watched with me last week - I could tell that he could take it or leave it.

I have never lived in a state where the library charged for a card. Never thought they were suppose to. I'm sure the county had to pass that with a public vote?

Kalama is a small town with a very small budget for the library. And for that matter we have a very small library! I think at least 1/4 of the books were donated to them by me :) I suspect the days when a library's resources were free are long gone. Particularly if don't don't reside within the city limits.

My husband wouldn't be interested in it but I sure am. We have different taste in tv watching most of the time.

Two more series of british shows you can watch free online are: ""The Paradise" and also "Larkrise To Candleford". Both have been shown on my local PBS and I loved them both.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch it for free.

Costco has Seasons 1 through 4 for $56.00 on DVD.

I was so addicted to it, I watched the first 4 seasons in 10 days. It's so worth watching.

Good luck and let us know what you decide.

We had to pay to use the library, our library wasthe city, we lived in the country. Our kids went to school in another district. Not by choice but it's where the lines were drawn. Since our school taxes went to another district we couldn't use that library unless we paid, the city they went to school in wouldn't let us have a card since we didn't live in that district. They have changed all that now ...

Is "Larkrise to Candleford" playing currently? I did a Smart Search on the TV and it doesn't show anything. Or is it a Masterpiece Classic or Mystery? Sounds like a good program.