I've never watched it. if I start witrh the new season, do you think i can follow what's going on, or is there too much backstory?

I still haven't started it either, but the seasons are probably not that long, best to start from the beginning! Sounds like it's worth it...

You should really start from the beginning. I know Netflix has everything but last season on DVD. They may have it streaming. You can get all of the seasons on iTunes though.

Here is a site that will give you a summary of the show...

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/synopsis.html

I've never watched it. if I start witrh the new season, do you think i can follow what's going on, or is there too much backstory?

Looks like the first 2 seasons are about 15 hours total - and my TV plate is pretty full already.

So I showed you the trailer for Downton Abbey yesterday, but there's also news that scoundrel Thomas will be getting a love interest this season, possibly in the form of new footman Jimmy Kent. “It’s a very emotional storyline and goes some way to explaining why he is how he is. Being a homosexual man in Edwardian times was against God and you could go to prison for it. It’s a burden and the audience will hopefully empathize with him.”

Being gay right now is very difficult due to a very different reason too.. But it will get better I guess.. I'm glad that Thomas is getting a love interest.. Maybe he will be able to settle down and have a family..

So I showed you the trailer for Downton Abbey yesterday, but there's also news that scoundrel Thomas will be getting a love interest this season, possibly in the form of new footman Jimmy Kent. “It’s a very emotional storyline and goes some way to explaining why he is how he is. Being a homosexual man in Edwardian times was against God and you could go to prison for it. It’s a burden and the audience will hopefully empathize with him.”

OK. I admit when Expat started this post I had every intention to watch the show but for some reason never did. 2 month ago Firecat has asked me to download an episode for him as his Internet was slow and so I did.

As Firecat keeps telling me I need to watch it and everyone says such good things about it, I went ahead and got Season 1 and 2. I have had them for a month or so and not watched them until last week.

I have to say that I am so glad I watched Season 1. I am now in Season 2 and I think the show is brilliant. I love the storyline and the characters. It is such a gem of a show.

See what happens when you listen to me!!

See what happens when you listen to me!!

haha How did I know you would say that?

Oh my fucking G-d, take a look at Jimmy, the new footman!

Good luck, Thomas, I'll be rooting for you.

He can be my "footman" any day.

With all the hoopla about this show, we decided to watch the 2 hr premiere of the 3rd season last night. Yawn. This is supposed to be a realistic look at the "Upstairs, Downstairs" world, but the characters and situations are all stock; even the dialogue is boringly predictable. Maggie Smith and Shirley MacLaine are mildly amusing caricatures, but most of it is supposed to be serious drama, yet it is so silly and unimaginative that I can't see how one could care. The original "Upstairs, Downstairs" did it much better.

(I'm waiting for the screams of outrage from the fans here.)

It's not fair to criticize if you haven't watched from the beginning.

I watched the last 2 episodes of Season 2 and I think I'm hooked. I'm recording Season 3, although I haven't watched the first episode yet. It does seem very similar to Upstairs Downstairs - it's dealing with similar themes in a similar age.

I do think Maggie Smith is great fun!

At some point, I hope to find the time to rent the previous seasons.

Tonight is the Season 3 finale of "Downton Abbey". It has been so good this season; I will really miss it. It is just amazing television. It just won the Golden Globe for season 2. I hope that they will win the Emmy next year for Best Drama. They deserve it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNFg3rJaN8

Now this is a PBS drive that just might work. So funny.

Lol... That might work well..

Just learned that writer and creator, Julian Fellowes, has been tapped to do a new series for NBC, and that Season 4 of Downton Abbey will be the last one he will write. At least by himself.

Too bad, as I have been meaning to write him with a suggestion of my own for a new character, Sir Creepwood 'Creepy' Crawley, who left Downton for London several years ago, under rather mysterious circumstances and with a couple of footmen in tow. He has returned to say 'pip pip' and to find out if Alfred and James might fancy a stroll down Piccadilly.