In a strange twist of events, Sunday nights are no longer a time for watching sports or cramming for Monday’s tests or eating cereal at 12am in your underwear. It’s not even the time for HBO. Sunday, rather, has become the night for none other than Maggie freaking Smith. Yes. McGonagall. She’s a DAME.
We’re referring of course to the PBS smash hit Downton Abbey, which broadcasted its first season a year ago and has won every TV award ever since. The new year saw the release of the second season in America ““ and DVRs are going berserk with excitement for British accents.
In a nutshell, Downton is about super rich people (the Earl of Grantham’s fam) and their service staff during WWI. It takes an episode to understand the Britishness (butlers are called “footmen” and dresses are called “frocks”) but most people have faceplanted into the juicy storyline of betrayal and overall awesomeness.
One such person is Jason Hew. Downton consumed him to the point of leaving his life as a full time student. “It’s just got to the point where nothing else mattered,” Jason told us. “I had to know what was up with Mr. Bates ALL THE TIME. Concentrating in class was pointless.” Jason has seen each episode of the first season 11 times each and watches the newest episode of season two on repeat until the next Sunday. His Facebook profile states his “undying love and sexual attraction” for Maggie Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess of Downton. Dropping out also allows him to run the “Fuck Yeah Dowager Countess!” tumblr page full time.
Jason’s parents blame PBS for his Downtonward spiral and plead for the show’s immediate cancellation in the US. Somehow, with 6 Emmys, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA, it doesn’t seem likely.
In the meantime, Jason has already planned his trip to Hampshire, England to visit the exterior set. We don’t think he realizes Downton Abbey is a fictional house, and that he’s going to a place called “Highclere Castle,” but we’ll let him dream.
