anyone else watching the current Masterpiece Theater series?

[grasswire]

Comments?

Yes, it's so typical of Masterpiece Theater, but fun for those of us who dig gentry and country houses and snooty old "ladies" and all the beautiful visual accoutrements. This series has some of the "upstairs-downstairs" drama as well, set in 1912 when some of the servants think about going out and getting office work or something else rather than spend a life in service to an estate. This one also examines the ridiculous effects of the laws regarding heirs and property and title.

Anyone watching?

[Flaxbee]

1. yup; I'm really enjoying it

Although I heard that the series was 'dumbed down' for American audiences and the plot/storyline is much more complex.

[grasswire]

2. it wasn't clear to me what actually happened with the Turkish gent and Mary

He said to her "You'll still be a virgin" and she asked "Will it hurt?"

I'm only wondering if there is any possibility of Mary being pregnant and therefore truly despoiled.

Of course the servants are already pooling the bits of what they saw. Scandal may not be averted.

[IcyPeas]

3. Downton Abbey:

there is some debate as to whether it's been cut or dumbed down:

"Well, actually, they haven’t. Downton is being broadcast in four ninety-minute episodes, taking the running time to six hours. True, Downton did run for eight hours on ITV, but of course this includes the commercial breaks. Take those out and the running time is – calculators at the ready – six hours."

http://www.suite101.com/content/is-pbs-dumbing-down-downton-abbey-a328654

I am loving it no matter what they did.

[MorningGlow]

6. Turned out not to be true

There was a big kerfuffle that huge chunks were going to be cut out, but it wasn't true. It was a misunderstanding because of the way the episodes were going to be aired here (90 minutes vs. an hour or something). The misunderstanding came about when a rep for PBS said that Matthew was going to be "introduced earlier" in the U.S. version; people (er, Daily Mail) jumped to the conclusion that the series was going to be shortened and sped up, when in reality the longer eps meant that Matthew would show up in the first viewing rather than in later weeks.

[raccoon]

4. Yes...soap-operaish but that's OK by me. I'm enjoying it.

I wish they made it clear what that Turkish diplomat died from.

[MorningGlow]

5. Yep, saw it last month

Torrent? What's a torrent?

Anyway, as a sucker for costume dramas, I enjoyed it very much, although I didn't think they really covered much new ground that hadn't already been done by Upstairs Downstairs. (Not that that's a bad thing or anything.) It gets even better, too. By the end, I was freaking out because it doesn't conclude. (More episodes coming this year.)

[raccoon]

7. I wonder if they'll take it up to the start of WWI? nt

[ceile]

8. I've dvr'ed it so far.

I like to record and then spend a lazy Saturday or Sunday watching the whole thing.

[meegbear]

9. If you can't stand the suspense ...

my local classical radio station (Boston) is affiliated with WGBH. This morning, they talked about the show and said if you pledge $120, you'll get a link to see the next episode online now.

They've come a long way since tote bags.

[LanternWaste]

10. I received the season 1 dvd collection only days ago...

I received the season I dvd collection only days ago, and I'm already putting it on the same level of entertainment as Upstairs Downstairs.

This is the second Masterpiece Theater collection I've seen with actor Hugh Bonneville who is quickly taking his place as one of my favorite actors.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. It took a while to get into it (I didn't like Gosford Park, for example), but

now I'm enjoying it.