The rich have a leisurely, simplistic life, correct? Wrong. Downton Abbey, the show about a English Earl from the early 1900s and his estate, proves that being wealthy isn't always better. With the third season just wrapping up in the United States (and having started with a record breaking 7.9 million viewers), Downton proves to be the new up-and-coming drama of the States.
Lord Gratham, his wife, Cora, and their three daughters, Mary, Edith, and Sybil, occupy Downton Abbey, the estate that has been in the family for eight generations. Along with them comes the staff. Both upstairs and downstairs, it seems drama is always in the air. But that has to be expected with all the diverse personalities of the characters.
With breathtaking performances by well-known actors such as Maggie Smith (best known for her role as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films), Hugh Bonneville, and Elizabeth McGovern alongside newcomers such as Michelle Dockery, Jessica Brown-Findlay, and Dan Stevens, Downton never fails to deliver a very amusing show. Alongside all the seriousness, Smith is always able to deliver a humorous one-liner to perfection and the assistant cook, Daisy, (Sophie McShera) has that quirky personality that you can't help but laugh at.
If you're sick of the typical American dramas with vampires, zombies, and car chases, take a trip across the pond and give the amazing British drama a chance. After awhile you won't be able to stop watching, and will find yourself asking as Maggie Smith does, "What is a weekend?"