Downton Abbey – Why We Love it!

Do you remember the days before cable, Netflix, Instant Steaming, and Hulu? If so, then you remember what an event it was when the TV networks ran a mini-series. They would promote it for a month before, households would mark it on their calendar hanging in the kitchen, and moms would think of special foods to make that week. In our house, it was almost like a holiday when Roots, Gone with the Wind, The Blue and the Grey, or the steamy Thournbirds ran on TV. The kids would quickly get homework done; Dad would stroll in from work, with an air of excitement filling the house. We would have dinner that allowed for snacking (more of a sandwich night then a pot roast night). The furniture would be rearranged with chairs from the barely used living room. Popcorn would be popped and we all would settle in from 7 pm until 10pm, watching with anticipation as the “Special Programing” banner came on the TV. I loved those evenings and didn’t matter that the same min-series ran year after year. The older I got, the more I understood of the relationship between the Fr. Richard and the young Rachel (disturbing might be a better word).

Today, the kids are missing out on those special family nights (although, the Olympics make a pretty good equivalent). Anyhow, back to my point. Downton Abbey. Everywhere I looked, people were talking about this PBS show. Facebook was filled with “which DA are you most like” quizzes, Tweets about the “wait for the new season finally over…yeah me!”, and discussions about “good programming is finally back!” was overheard at every recently opened fashionable cupcake bakery and hip food truck line. I admittedly was late to the game, but now I am a total convert! First five minute of  watching via Netflix and I was hooked. Then it got me to thinking…this reminds me of the excitement of watching a mini-series!  The old fashioned outfits, the high society, the historical context, the maids, the butlers, the horses, the gas lamps, the gossiping, the letter writing, the drama, the bequests, the titles, the arranged marriages, the candles and secret passages…wow! How I love this type of show. 

My daughter and I are taking our sweet time getting though the series. We have two episodes of season one left. We are savoring it like a fine piece of chocolate, because who knows when we will be able to recapture the mini-series experience again.