Downton Abbey
The wonderful thing about watching Downton Abbey on TV was that occasionally the plot would take a turn so British and so old-fashioned that it was hard to figure out what the hell was going on. Cousins got married and it wasn’t weird, men already wearing tuxedos fretted about not being suitably dressed for dinner, and I distinctly remember one episode’s plot hinging on the question of whether a maid was lying about her ability to cook a “restorative broth”—still not sure what that was all about! Now available in less-convenient movie form, Downton Abbey doubles down on the maddeningly whimsical British stuff, but lacks the grace and gentle tension of the series. I do recommend Downton Abbey to fellow fans of the series. But it might be best enjoyed not in a theater, but in the same way we watched the show: Streamed at home, where we’re free to gleefully repeat our favorite lines in questionable British accents.
by Blair Stenvick