Why I love Downton Abbey

Hello all and happy Friday. This weekend is going to be epic, Downton Abbey airs Sunday night at 9pm. I can't wait. I have been looking forward to this date since the end of the third season. Here is why I love this show:
1. Maggie Smith


She is just classic and makes any movie or TV series better. Harry Potter would not have been the same without her as Professor Mcgonagall. What I love about Maggie Smith is that she becomes the character that is acting. In Downton she is plays her characters innocence so well that you would hardly guess she fought off death eaters storming Hogwarts castle. She makes you believe that she is the character and that is what I love about her. Her clever comments make me laugh and she isn't afraid to speak her mind or her opinions.
2. The couples.
Following all the couples is like following a reality TV show. Mary and Matthew, Lady Grantham and Lord Grantham (Robert and Cora), Anna and John, Mr. Carson and Ms. Hughes (although they aren't a couple I secretly really want them to be), Tom Branson and Sybil... the list could go on. Each of them have qualities to their relationship that I admire. Anna is a fighter, never gave up on John. John is so humbled that Anna wants to be with him. Matthew is so gentle compared to Mary and her hot head. Mr. Carson and Ms. Hughes are just running the downstairs staff while in the meanwhile seem to have this close intimate relationship that nobody else understands. The couples are what make the story for me. I found a quiz on facebook titled "which downton abbey couple are you?", so of course I had to take it.
My answer:

Anna and John Bates. I loved this! I am so happy we got them. Here is the description that came with it.
You may not call your man "Mr." but your relationship is most like Anna and Bates'! You have stood by your man with unswerving devotion and been a true partner, helping him through his hardships. Both of you want the best for each other and are willing to sacrifice your own happiness for the other. But if you're blessed with, finally, a bit of good fortune, neither of you should have to sacrifice happiness. May you continue to find it in each other!
We haven't really had to sacrifice a whole lot but I have stood by him and will continue to do so with unswerving devotion. Zack is the love of my life and I am so grateful I have him.
3. Breaking Social Norms
A lot of Downton Abbey is about social norms and how the characters of the show are breaking them. Lady Sybil Crawley first did this in Season 2 when WWI broke out by training to become a nurse. Her father, the Earl, was against it because of her rank and felt that her being a nurse was beneath her status. Later she ended up marrying Tom Branson, the chauffeur, and her father threatened to cut her off from the family fortune. Thomas Barrow is attracted to men, something completely forbidden and discussed in season 3. Had Thomas been exposed he could have gone to jail. Edith writing to the newspaper and having a regular column. Lord Grantham protested to this because of what Edith was writing about, women's rights. Downton Abbey does a great job of showing us what life was like in the 1900s. From the time Titanic sank to after the war the show is breaking boundaries and helping viewers to think more critically about the circumstances they see. I heard that Season 4 has a bit of a controversial scene (I wont spoil it for anyone, if you must know just Google it), I like to follow how the characters react to tough situations. This is one thing that attracts me most to Downton Abbey.
4. Character development.
I feel that the writers did a fantastic job in this area. I feel a true connection to the characters and I cry when they cry. I am happy when they are happy. I am furious when things don't go the way I think it should. This is something I look for in a T.V. show, good characters and people that I can connect to. Even though Downton is created in a different time and place, I feel that I can connect to certain characters and that makes me want to root for them. If I am rooting for them then I am going to watch the show.
5. Costuming.
I love the costumes, and the details of the costumes.
From Mary's Wedding Dress

To cousin Roses unique headbands. The costumes in the show are great.

I could really go on and on about why I love Downton Abbey. These are just a few of my favorite and I can't wait until Sunday for the premiere.
Last but not least, I found a quiz on what Downton Abbey character are you. My results:




I must like Anna Bates for some reason.
Well that's it for today. Enjoy the weekend, and I hope you tune into PBS for Downton Abbey Season 4.
XO
Caitlin