Enjoying Downton Abbey

[pony mom]

Larkrise to Candleford - Flora Thompson

This was televised by the BBC a while back (think it went to 2 or 3 series). It is from a series of books by
I believe it was filmed in Wiltshire, but the books are based in rural Oxfordshire, about the turn of the 1900s.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00gbbl0

I have this book and loved it. Didn't care for the series much though. The book was more about living in the country at that time. There was a line in the book somewhere, something along the lines of being poor but not knowing it. It was enjoyable reading about the different traditions, like the maypole, weddings, etc.

Oh, we all know that Mary and Matthew will be together in the end. For once I'd like a not-so-happy-and-predictible ending.

[iris lily]

I am watching Bergman's Fanny and Alexander and it's a lovely costume drama set in Sweden at the turn of the century. Don't know how I've missed it for so long. I hear there is a 5 hour version that Bergman created. It would fit it right now on tv as a mini-series on PBS. This plus Troubled Water plus The Girl finishes my mini-Scandinavian film festival of late. I recommend all.

[IshbelRobertson]

Pony Mom
You're right - the TV series was not as good as the books - but I didn't notice many of the differences, as there was probably a 25+ year gap between the reading and the seeing!

[Zemma]

My family are Downton Abbey tragics and I even received a book about it for Christmas, The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes. It's not the novel behind the series, but has all the back stories created around the characters and great background on the era, stories about the filming etc. Great to fill in the time between series. I have watched Series 2 and the Christmas special (which in terms of the time line of the series comes last). I just think it's all good escapist fun with both predictable and unpredictable bits to the story line and like the best of telly - wonderfully addictive!

[Tiam]

I haven't watched this yet, but mean to, but whenever I hear it said on TV, (such as Regis and Kelly, woops, no Regis now) it sounds like "Doti-ally". Took me a while to understand what people were talking about!

[mtnlaurel]

I haven't watched this yet, but mean to, but whenever I hear it said on TV, (such as Regis and Kelly, woops, no Regis now) it sounds like "Doti-ally". Took me a while to understand what people were talking about!

Heed Zemma's words above... 'addictive'
I saw this thread and plowed through all of Season 1 on Netflix, then Season 2 episodes on pbs.org in a matter of days.

I am now caught up and counting down to show time tonight.

Historical dramas are my favorite though.
I've never been a soap opera watcher, but at some point... maybe 70% through season 1, I thought, "This is like General Hospital, meets All My Children, meets Days of Our Lives, meets steroids."

[Merski]

Superbowl? What Superbowl??? We're watching Downton Abbey! What is going to happen??? Who is that bandaged Man?????

[Tradd]

You should know by now who the bandaged man is! PBS put tonight's episode up earlier than last week on their website.

Wow!

I found this UK article on the finale last fall. Spoiler alert! It tells you what happens. I had already found out one bit of info from another UK article, and this completed the picture. I sometimes read the final few pages of a book before I begin reading it, even mysteries! IMO, it's the journey, not the end!

http://channelhopping.onthebox.com/2...finale-review/

[Tradd]

BTW, the season one episodes are no longer on the PBS website. But if you're an Amazon Prime member, you can watch them for free via the instant video.

[redfox]

We just finished season one on netflix. I love Dame Maggie!