Giving Up on Downton Abbey

I've always been an Anglophile, reading heavily in English literature, history and culture even before I became an English major in college.



At that point, my New Zealand-born girlfriend turned me on to Monty Python and Masterpiece Theater and I was a total Upstairs, Downstairs junkie. If only we'd had DVRs and binge watching!



So I was predictably intrigued with Downton Abbey when it debuted. Beautiful noble house, fascinating family turmoil, class conflict, lovely setting, well-drawn character...