What I'm Watching Now

I'm rewatching Downton Abbey. I don't know why.

It's a very conservative show, with the wealthy people all being saints under their quirkiness, maintaining this huge fortune simply to provide jobs to everyone on the estate. When the new heir (who comes from the middle class) wants to dispense with a valet because why would he need a valet, he gets a stern talking to from the patriarch about depriving someone of their income on such a flimsy excuse.

The servants are all very touchy about their various (really, really) minor indications of status, like who is the first footman and who is the second. Everyone stands up when anyone of higher status enters the service hall. That kind of thing.

On the other hand, it's a low intensity sort of show. When things go wrong, they mostly don't stay wrong. Usually the wrong is only threatened, and then turns out not to happen. Bad things -- really bad things -- don't happen, and everything turns out fine, mostly. Even during WWI, only servants die or are badly injured -- for about half a minute, it looks like the Downton heir will be paralyzed -- and worse, not able to,  you know, have children -- but don't worry, he gets better.

 The exception is Lady Sybil's death, and even that has its impact mitigated by everyone (eventually) behaving well. Even the grumpy patriarch eventually gives in and goes to his grandchild's (Catholic!!) Christening.

And usually it's just things like the dog is lost, and then gets found; or Lady Mary and the heir have a fight, but then they make up; or Mr. Bates goes to jail, but then he gets out.

Anyway, I think it's like a comfort watch. All the problems get solved, and pretty easily. Rich people are benevolent, poor people live pretty well, the world is clean and well-managed. You know, a fantasy.

Also, the production values are pretty good.