It's already aired in the UK. So please, English friends, do not spoil it for the Yanks by filling this thread with a lot of spoilers. Some of us like to let the story unfold as intended and do not want it ruined. Your cooperation is appreciated.

So it starts on Sunday night. Who else is excited?

I'm late to the garden party as usual! I've just started watching Downton Abbey and L.O.V.E. it!

I've finished Season 1 and will catch up on Season 2 this weekend. My co-worker was kind enough to loan me her Season 2 dvd set.

Genesia, my co-workers are huge Downton Abbey fans and found online that the Season 3 dvd set will be available later this month You gonna watch it all before it airs here?

I only just watched the christmas special this afternoon. Didnt even know the new series had started. Better get it Sky plussed +++!!

edit: What am I on about, the Christmas special was the final episode for series 3! i'm a dumpling! Oh it's good & I'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[Edited 1/4/13 9:07am]

Nothinbutjoy said:

I'm late to the garden party as usual! I've just started watching Downton Abbey and L.O.V.E. it!

I've finished Season 1 and will catch up on Season 2 this weekend. My co-worker was kind enough to loan me her Season 2 dvd set.

Genesia, my co-workers are huge Downton Abbey fans and found online that the Season 3 dvd set will be available later this month You gonna watch it all before it airs here?

iTunes must have an agreement with PBS to release the episodes as they are aired. I saw this morning that you can "pre-buy" the season, getting the pre-season extras now and downloading each episode once it's aired.

I was late to the party, too. Because I was so engrossed in rehearsals and performances in early 2011, I missed season 1 and wasn't even aware of Downton Abbey's existence until my local PBS station ran a marathon last New Year's Eve (2011). I fell madly in love with the show (of course) and watched the entire second season as it aired.

DA is a total "watercooler show" where I work. On Monday morning, we all discuss the previous night's episode. And our company has a connection to the show - one of our UK writers told me last summer that our down coats are a favorite among the cast. They posted photos of Michele Dockery (Lady Mary) and Joanne Froggatt (Anna) in our coats on their website.

That is so cool!!

I'm so glad I've finally caught on! I just wish I'd get into a show that didn't have an incredibly long hiatus for once!

I've already watched season 3 and its way better than season 2, which was a mess that was only saved by the christmas special.

I may watch but more likely I probably won't.

I thought Downtown took a shallow predictable Hollywood pie in the sky angle with Season 2. It's a movie, a drama I understand, but that they veered off course... off the cliffs of Dover. They took a lot of liberties on how the class system work and was structured. I'm surprised at the British, they usually don't go for that type of bullshit in their movie productions. I'd rather watch a rerun of Upstairs / Downstairs.

If you do miss it you should be abl to catch it online via pbs website.

lazycrockett said:

Will be watching on Sunday... can't wait!

*now exits the thread because she didn't read any of the previous posts*

spell edit..

[Edited 1/5/13 19:01pm]

I prefer watching the epsiodes the way they are broken apart in the U.K. so I will wait for the blu-ray release at the end of the month.

The season premier was good.

I shouldn't even post now, I'm sick so everything is quite ugh right now.

OMG - that wedding dress!

I love how everyone is getting on the evil Thomas's case again, too. He just never learns, does he?

Oh Thomas is definitely E.V.I.L.

Seriously, even the evil O'Brien couldn't keep up with the E.V.I.L. that is Thomas.

I just watched Season 2, then went right into the Season 3 premier.

Mary's wedding dress was beautiful!!

Mary....not Anna.....still getting the names straight edit....

[Edited 1/7/13 12:34pm]

What was up with Ol' Bates choking up his cell mate... and telling him to NOT forget that he was a murderer???

Oh, and I LOVE Mary's grandmoms scenes!

Mary's wedding gown was lovely, but that hat in the honeymoon scene of them taking that scenic drive was killing me!!!! Silk? Brown and red with leather trim?

Those damned hats!!

[Edited 1/7/13 15:53pm]

lazycrockett said:

I've already watched season 3 and its way better than season 2, which was a mess that was only saved by the christmas special.

I liked season 2, but I watched it very quickly on DVD, probably too quickly to notice right away that it was not as good.

I did notice that they seemed to switch to videotape in the first episode, and that bugged me. Also, it bugged me that Daisy kept on about "I can't lie to him!!!" every damn episode. It was like a sitcom how the lie kept getting deeper.

And Mr Bates is just a disaster!

Still, looking forward to season 3, and since I don't have PBS, it may be a while

i came late to the downton party. i saw promos for it when it was premiering on pbs, but it was only after the wins at the golden globes that i thought, 'hmm, maybe i should check it out'. (along with luther.)

i finally got around to watching seasons 1 and 2 through netflix in nov. and dec., so i got caught up just in time. i loved it from the first episode; i was so worried about what would happen to mr. bates!

mary's dress was lovely.

branson was working my nerves (though i understand his anger), so it was funny when the dowager countess made him wear the morning coat.

please let edith land this guy, poor thing!

i actually liked season 2; i didn't find it lacking compared to season 1.

i understand there are surprises in store, but i have been able to avoid the spoilers.

I was all ready to download the first two seasons of this, do some marathon catching up and then watch season three. That is, until I found out Shirley MacClaine was part of the third season.

Cerebus said:

I was all ready to download the first two seasons of this, do some marathon catching up and then watch season three. That is, until I found out Shirley MacClaine was part of the third season.

She isn't in the entire season (is my understanding). The first PBS combines the first two episodes from British TV - and she said at the end that it was time for her to go home. So that may be it for her.

^Shes not in the show that much maybe 2 episodes and shes a great american counter balance to the Maggie Smith's character.

^^^

I gotta say I'm not feeling her. Don't know if it's her or the writing for her. Then I was thinking if not Shirley MacClaine then who and I came up with Kathy Bates...Candice Bergen...I dunno.

Oh! I'd also thought Olympia Dukakis.

Genesia said:

Cerebus said:

I was all ready to download the first two seasons of this, do some marathon catching up and then watch season three. That is, until I found out Shirley MacClaine was part of the third season.

She isn't in the entire season (is my understanding). The first PBS combines the first two episodes from British TV - and she said at the end that it was time for her to go home. So that may be it for her.

I checked the Downton Abbey Wiki and she's listed in the 'recurring and guest cast' section for season three, no mention of how many episodes. If I can't find an answer to how many I may have to wait until the season is over and decide if I want to do a three season catch up marathon.... or not. I cannot watch her on screen. The last thing I saw with her in it that I liked was 'Two Mules For Sister Sara', and that was done in 1970. I kind of want to watch the show, just so I can understand what the hell people are saying when they talk about it. But I'm not sure if I think watching it is actually important.

Cerebus said:

Genesia said:

She isn't in the entire season (is my understanding). The first PBS combines the first two episodes from British TV - and she said at the end that it was time for her to go home. So that may be it for her.

I checked the Downton Abbey Wiki and she's listed in the 'recurring and guest cast' section for season three, no mention of how many episodes. If I can't find an answer to how many I may have to wait until the season is over and decide if I want to do a three season catch up marathon.... or not. I cannot watch her on screen. The last thing I saw with her in it that I liked was 'Two Mules For Sister Sara', and that was done in 1970. I kind of want to watch the show, just so I can understand what the hell people are saying when they talk about it. But I'm not sure if I think watching it is actually important.

All you have to do is wait until they air next week's episode and I will tell you if the coast is clear.

Genesia said:

Cerebus said:

I checked the Downton Abbey Wiki and she's listed in the 'recurring and guest cast' section for season three, no mention of how many episodes. If I can't find an answer to how many I may have to wait until the season is over and decide if I want to do a three season catch up marathon.... or not. I cannot watch her on screen. The last thing I saw with her in it that I liked was 'Two Mules For Sister Sara', and that was done in 1970. I kind of want to watch the show, just so I can understand what the hell people are saying when they talk about it. But I'm not sure if I think watching it is actually important.

All you have to do is wait until they air next week's episode and I will tell you if the coast is clear.

Hmm, yeah, I guess that would have been easier.

Hey! Can somebody let me know if she's still on the show next week?

What if she comes back later in the season, though? Stinky Shirley MacClaine.

Cerebus said:

Genesia said:

All you have to do is wait until they air next week's episode and I will tell you if the coast is clear.

Hmm, yeah, I guess that would have been easier.

Hey! Can somebody let me know if she's still on the show next week?

What if she comes back later in the season, though? Stinky Shirley MacClaine.

Well, go ahead and watch the first two seasons, for sure. She isn't in either of those. Season 1 is fab. Season 2 veers sharply into soap-opera territory - something I hear has been remedied for season 3.

She's in 2 episodes and goes back to america and doesnt return. Hell shes not evn the focus of the episodes shes in.

lazycrockett said:

She's in 2 episodes and goes back to america and doesnt return. Hell shes not evn the focus of the episodes shes in.

Okay, so that's it for her then. They combined the first two UK episodes for the first US episode.

The coast is clear, Cerebus!

Woo-hoo!

Why did season two get all soapy, though? I was expecting serious British period drama.

Cerebus said:

Woo-hoo!

Why did season two get all soapy, though? I was expecting serious British period drama.

Well, to hear Julian Fellowes (creator of Downton) tell it, he always intended it as a period soap. It was the viewers that thought it was meant to be serious.

He really did go 'round the bend in season 2, though. There were some plot elements that were just ludicrous. With any luck, he's seen the error of his ways.

The problem with season 2 was they brought in characters that no one cared about. Esther and her baby drama was like wtf? who is this woman and why should I care. Throw in the other maid that made eyes at Lord Grantham was also another whats the point? I also thought the whole Bates Murder Mystery was was too soapy and out of place. Like Ann is gonna put on her detective hat and solve the crime herself .