Downton Abbey

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephanie Weak @angelsteph on July 18, 2012 at 3:30pm

Looking forward to your chat about this. I finished series 1 on Monday and will be watching 2 as soon as Netflix can send them! I agree - it is great! :)

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on July 18, 2012 at 4:39pm

I'm so jealous!  I so wish I had episodes of the show that I haven't yet seen, but will be here before September. :)

Permalink Reply by Kim E. Landwehr on July 18, 2012 at 3:35pm

I can't wait to here you and Stephanie talk about it on Family From the Heart.  I am a big history fan and am fascinated by that period in European history, [much that was decided then we are still living with today]. So I think that is what hooked me first, now though I just like the story and the people involved.  My husband is one of those people when he saw me watching it was like "oh great a period piece" I guess I'll play on the computer, but then I noticed when I looked over a little while later, his lap top was closed and he was glued to the TV.  Once you start watching it you are hooked. 

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on July 18, 2012 at 4:40pm

That is so cool.

I am in love with the music, the characters, the history, all of it.

Permalink Reply by Geoff Gentry (aka xforce11) on July 19, 2012 at 6:04am

It gives good story lines, good acting, beautiful scenery and much more.  I don't know that any think will beat LOST because of the people I connected with. Also the fun of sharing theories. BSG was a good series too (watched it last year & this year on BBC America for the first time). But Downton Abby is excellent and I have shared it with many people. I own it on Blu-ray and iTunes Digital. It was extremely hard to avoid spoilers on Tumbler, but I did. The Brits got it several months earlier. Even now there are filming shots and things out there for S3. Can't wait. Will enjoy hearing you two talk about it.

Permalink Reply by Mary Juncker on July 19, 2012 at 11:54am

I first heard about this show when I watched the Emmys last year. I figured like Kim's hubby that it was just another period piece, and I'm not normally a big fan of British television anyway, so I never gave it another thought. Then I heard 2 of my girlfriends talking about it and decided to give it a try. WOW! It is a great show that my husband and I really can enjoy together. We're telling everyone about it. I'm not a big fan of winter either, but now I have something to look forward to in Jan, season 3!

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on July 19, 2012 at 6:53pm

I'm so glad you found it and enjoy it.

There's NO WAY that I am going to be able to wait until Winter.  I'll have to find a way to get my hands on the UK version when they come out over there. ;)

Permalink Reply by Geoff Gentry (aka xforce11) on July 20, 2012 at 8:43am

Listened to FFTH 218 and wanted to share some thoughts

YES the Blu-rays I got via Amazon have special features AND the Christmas episode in S2!

Physical Media vs Digital Copies
1.  I Love the clarity and depth of Blu-ray but love digital copies so I buy como packs that include both.
2.  Digital copies lack special features and much of what makes physical media. For example I bought the Blu-ray box set of LOTR that came with digital copies.  The digital copy are just the movies the Blu-ray includes another 2 discs per movie of special features.  The industry needs to resolve this.
3.  Compatibility:  My preference of digital is via Apple.  I own an Apple TV (2) but can't view Amazon Video on it, I have to go through my TV.  Plus you can't watch Amazon Video via iOS and you can't download it on Mac's (you can on PC).  It is frustrating.

4.  I will buy stuff on Blu-ray if I love it.  I have LOTR, Sherlock season 2, DA season 1&2, Band of Brothers and several Pixar films.

DA Soundtrack:  I love it!

U.K. vs U.S.
Please note that PBS edits programs (sometimes for content and sometimes for time) before it shows them.  I know it has done this for Sherlock and DA.  I would recommend buying the U.K. Blu-ray editions of these show and I believe the iTunes versions are not edited as well.  It just frustrates me when things are changed.  It is the sole reason I will NEVER buy an abridged audiobook.  I want the story as the author created it.  

Downton Abbey:
I found it because of Sherlock and word of mouth.  And because of me and my Blu-ray's many more are hooked on it now.  It surprises me how diverse of group love it.  But I agree it is the whole package of good writing, characters and character development, music, scenery and more.

I enjoy it a great deal but in a different way than LOST.  They are two different things and I can love them equally because they are different things.  Nothing will replace LOST in the way it brought me in contact with this community and people all over the world.  It got listening to podcast for the first time.  It was a total package show as well.

DA is great in some of those ways and some others that LOST did not have.  I love history and while the WWII era is a favorite, DA has helped me get interested in the previous era.  I love the class dynamics of the "Upstairs/Downstairs" era (enjoyed Gossford Park for that in different ways).  But I could clearly see myself as being a servant if I was in that era, due to my personality.

I have had a lot of fun discussing DA with others via Twitter, Tumblr and other Social Media, but also in conversations with friends.  It has been close but still not up to what it was with LOST.  But in some ways I don't think it can do to the fact that LOST had the "mystery" element as well as the "relationship crap" (as Cliff used to put it :D ).  DA has relationships and plot but not the mystery, but I don't fault it for that because that is not the type of show it is!  I'm a shipper and I have no reservations about it.  I choose my ships and will go down with them :)  (Hurlibby, Suliet, now Bates & Anna

I follow several topics on Tumblr (Band of Brothers, Community, BSG, LOST) including DA.  It is a great way to catch news since a good population is in the U.K. or Europe.  But I was very disciplined for both DA season 2 and Sherlock Season 2 to avoid spoilers.  But since PBS and BBC are in agreements on these two we have to suffer and wait to watch it on PBS's timetable.  It is nice since Doctor Who is on BBC America we get to watch it at the same time as the U.K.  I personally think in many ways BBCA is a better scifi channel that Syfy.  (It is because of them I got to see all of BSG for the first time and loved it.  It made me wish I could have watched it live and discussed it with others.)

Just a few posts about DA on my website (http://www.geoffgentry.org/?s=downton+abbey)

You do a DA podcast and I will LOVE IT and share it with SO many people!

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on July 20, 2012 at 11:26am

Thanks for the update on all this.  Even more reason why I DO NOT PLAN TO WAIT for the US versions to become available in January. ;)

Can you tell me, are there any "directories commentaries" or anything like this that you can listen to, as an alternative audio channel, while rewatching the episodes?

Permalink Reply by Geoff Gentry (aka xforce11) on July 20, 2012 at 12:10pm

OK, I'll tell you what special features there are when I get home.  To clarify here is what I have:

UK Unedited Import Blu-ray (region free) Season 1

PBS branded Unedited Blu-ray Season 2 (includes Christmas Special)

Both Seasons on iTunes Digital

I recommended the region free import Blu-ray box set and still would, but just found out today it does not include the Christmas Special.  Sorry for that!

S1 Commentaries, deleted scenes, house in history - Downton Abbey, The making of Downton Abbey
S2 Fashions & Uniforms, Romance in a Time of War, House to Hospital

Permalink Reply by Shannon Kay on August 2, 2012 at 2:08pm

Love this show! I watched both seasons all in a row as well, I think in the spring. I can't wait for season 3!

Permalink Reply by Cliff Ravenscraft @GSPN on August 2, 2012 at 5:52pm

So glad you enjoyed it Shannon.  More to come from us about this for sure. ;)

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