The first season was so amazing. I was immersed in the era more than any other period piece I've ever seen (movie or tv). The story lines were definitely dramatic, but within reason. But then it began a rapid decline and became nothing more than an expensive soap opera. I stopped watching, but perhaps one day I'll finish out the series.

Took me a while to get into this show but it's done quite well

DNF. Decent first season with intriguing plot and characters. Became boring and repetitive soap opera by season 2. Lady Grantham and Carsen were characters that could make me laugh once in a while.

okay series

I admit that I got really bored with the storyarches, which could all be summed up as 'difficulties are thrown at the family and servants, but they persevere through common sense and warm hearts and a bit of stiff upper lip until the superduper happy ending'. But I liked the characters (especially the Dowager Duchess), there were some great lines (especially the Dowager Duchess) and lots of pretty set designs and dresses to entertain the eyes.

Didn't make it past the second season as it seemed like a steady downhill in writing quality. The first season was stunningly well made.

I enjoyed the first few seasons but I noticed that it turned into a soap opera very quickly. The first season was dramatic but not in an obnoxious way. I have not finished the show but I looked at the costuming and it stays amazing, sometimes they use antique pieces, sometimes they recreate them but all of them are beautiful. It is very rare to find a show that spans a long time where fashion changes that much as in the beginning of the 20th century so very well done!

Oh Downton Abbey, how I love you. An ex situationship of mine had the entire series on DVD and I thought he was insane. Hugo - I'm sorry for doubting you, you were unstable but your taste in media clearly wasn't.

Boring and moves very slow. Highly overrated but that is my opinion. Only rating to avoid shows like this.

S1: 85, S2: 78, S3: 82, S4: 80, S5: 78, S6: 75

Mindless drama...for...no reason?

British dramatic near-perfection. The story of an upper-class family and their service staff in a traditional and majestic English country estate house in post-Edwardian Britain. Impactful events and changes of the era are interwoven with the smaller, yet always fascinating, details of the characters' daily lives. Yes, Downton Abbey is ultimately a soap opera, but one of the highest order.

The first season is good, well, until the Mrs. Miniver episode. Oh wait, Fellowes has been quoted as saying he'd never seen the film he plagiarized. Right. It's a stylized, bigger budget version of Upstairs, Downstairs, but weaker in scope. That was an addictive show, this is not. Only worth it for Maggie Smith.

Fun soapy drama.

S1:85 S2:85 S3:80 S4:70 S5:70 S6:75

The first season would be 90ish... it was a quick downfall especially with season 3.

[through series 6] A continuously declining show that nonetheless does some remarkable things.

A high budget soap-opera, nothing more, nothing less.

It's pretty impressive how Downton disguises its true nature as a bloated soap with nothing more than a decent budget and British accents. And like most soaps, its exaggerated characters sometimes hit on something humanistic, when it's not devolving into the camp and the absurd. Bonus drinking game!: Take a shot every time someone says "Trying to be happy" is a motivation. Spoonful of sugar, as they say.

Completely ridiculous that this is seen as top tier television by so many and not as the overblown soap that it is. Gave up after the first season but have been getting glimpses as others around me continue to watch, and it became more and more labyrinthine in trying to dredge up sympathy and suspense from every single cast member. Kudos to Dan Stevens on bailing on this shit and going on to do The Guest & Legion.

Although soapy Downton Abbey undeniably is very enjoyable.

I've never been able to get into it. About five years ago when it seemed like it was all anyone was talking about for a while was definitely a big cultural "I don't get it" moment for me.

Goes sharply downhill after the first two seasons or so. Recovers decently in the last two.

Should I ever decide to write a hokey soap I'm going to make things easier for myself by setting it before things like mobile phones and internets -which are much harder to write around- and distracting the audience with lavish costumes and settings.