In preparation for the coming (and final) season of Downton Abbey I’ve been binging on the previous seasons. My first thought as I watched those early episodes was that this is an easy show to binge. Every installment is a pleasure, not only is it a superb bit of television in terms of acting and scripting but it’s a complete visual feast. The setting and costuming is so delightful it would be worth watching even if the sound is off.

Here are some of my other thoughts as I watched 42 hours of one of the best shows the small screen has ever seen:

(spoilers about earlier seasons are possible)

To me, Lady Mary is an uppity minx who is the author of her own misfortunes. Those are the words of Mrs. Hughes but they echo my own feelings. Mary can be nice enough to people she likes but for the most part […]