Downton Abbey - I'm hooked

[Elmonteman]

You have that exactly reversed: Region free dvd players will play any dvd from the U.S. or Europe, but as far as I'm aware most dvd are encoded for a specific region like the U.S or the UK.

I was referring to a "region free" DVD, not the player. If someone orders the British DVD of Downton Abbey (which is region free) through Amazon, they will be able to play it on any US machine. The only exception is that for some reason the British DVD of Downton Abbey will not play on the Sony Playstation 3. A lot of people use their PS 3 consoles to watch Blu-ray movies.

 

[vintage68]

For the low price of $12,300 you too can have tea at Downton:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/27/travel/downton-abbey-tourism/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

 

[undertaker]

I will have to put that on my list along with riding the Orient Express......three days for two people the last time I looked was around $8000.00[huh]. But.....it's just money, right?

 

[AmateisGal]

For the low price of $12,300 you too can have tea at Downton:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/27/travel/downton-abbey-tourism/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Gotta keep the estate going somehow!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

WOW!!! What an episode!!!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Great ep on PBS last night, but to return to something that's been mentioned on and off...

It would appear that the current American airing is indeed edited differently from the original UK airing. Not so obviously as the first season (seven eps in the UK, four 90-minute eps here), but here's the thing:

My son, the king of the questionably legal download, recently put both seasons on my computer. Personally, I much prefer to watch something like this on HD TV, not at lower quality... and I prefer to be seeing it in the same timeframe as the rest of the American viewership. But I've noticed that the files I have - eight episodes plus the Christmas special - are out of whack with the PBS airing. The end of last night's events correspond to episode five of the UK airing... but this was only episode four here in the US!

I don't have time to do a rigorous comparison, but it appears that the UK's mostly 52/53-minute episodes are reedited into 57/58-minute episodes here. Just pointing it out.

Either way, it's outstanding TV!

 

[AmateisGal]

WOW!!! What an episode!!!

Indeed!

 

[Doctor Strange]

Interesting casting news for next season: Cora's mother = Shirley MacLaine

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/01/30/arts/AP-EU-Britain-TV-Downton-Abbey.html

 

[undertaker]

I'll sure be glad when the DVD's are released. This waiting a week between episodes stinks.......

 

[AmateisGal]

Interesting casting news for next season: Cora's mother = Shirley MacLaine

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2012/01/30/arts/AP-EU-Britain-TV-Downton-Abbey.html

I can't wait. Can you imagine the exchanges between Cora's mother and the Dowager Countess? I'm already rubbing my hands in anticipation...

 

[AmateisGal]

I'll sure be glad when the DVD's are released. This waiting a week between episodes stinks.......

It's released Feb. 7, correct?

 

[dhermann1]

Ohhhhh my. Watching episode 2 of season 2, and I just switched it off. SOOOO cliche ridden, and full of scenes I can't imagine EVER would happen, and so many winking at the audience anachronisms. Whew. I'm sure I'll catch it later, but man, my favorable attitude is eroding.

 

[AmateisGal]

Ohhhhh my. Watching episode 2 of season 2, and I just switched it off. SOOOO cliche ridden, and full of scenes I can't imagine EVER would happen, and so many winking at the audience anachronisms. Whew. I'm sure I'll catch it later, but man, my favorable attitude is eroding.

What are some examples of the anachronisms?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

What are some examples of the anachronisms?

I second this.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Downton Abbey stars on & off screen

http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php

 

[vintage68]

Downton Abbey stars on & off screen

http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php

Love this link! I thought it funny how offscreen the women all look glamorous and the men all look disheveled (except of course for Pharaoh who is always dapper). Always wondered what the loathsome Thomas would look like.

 

[LocktownDog]

All new respect for Ethel. Hello!

 

[AmateisGal]

Some of those transformations are amazing. O'Brien looks so different in real life (I think it's that hideous hairstyle that makes her look so, er, evil?)

 

[Tomasso]

All new respect for Ethel. Hello!

ditto

 

[sheeplady]

I don't know how many people actually watch SNL, but they did a spoof off of the idea of Downton Abbey being played on Spike Television:
[video=youtube;UBEcAwmnfGI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBEcAwmnfGI[/video]

As a warning, there is some swearing in the clip.