Downton Abbey

Having Downton Abbey withdrawal? Of course you are. We all are. Thankfully, we’ve got a particularly fabulous tidbit to help get us through the (seemingly endless) wait for Series 5.

The Television Academy of Arts & Sciences hosted a special event for its members in Los Angeles on May 3rd which featured appearances by several members of the Downton cast and crew and was streamed live over the internet as it happened. Part Series 4 retrospective, part general show discussion, there’s plenty of fun here for all who love the megahit costume drama.

Stars Joanne Froggatt, Phyllis Logan, Sophie McShera and Robert James-Collier all took part, along with series creator Julian Fellowes and executive producer Gareth Naeme. It was actually pretty fun to watch some members of the cast who may not get in front of the media as frequently get the chance to shine. McShera, for example, is completely adorable, and I promise you’ll be so charmed by James-Collier that you’ll basically forget how much you hate Thomas.

It’s official – literally everyone has made a Downton Abbey parody. Or so it seems.

It’s not enough that long-running pop culture staple The Simpsons already did a version of the show’s opening credits in the style of Downton last year, this time the show has decided to feature the mega-hit costume drama as part of its incredibly violent in-series cartoon The Itchy and Scratchy Show.

Because nothing says posh period costumes and a rigid class structure like buckets of animated violence, right?

Just go ahead and add Minnie Driver to the ever-expanding list of famous people who are gunning for a role on megahit costume drama Downton Abbey. But Driver has something most of those celebs don’t – an audition tape, courtesy of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Driver appeared on DeGeneres’ afternoon chat show last week, ostensibly to promote her new NBC series About A Boy, based on the popular 2002 British-American film of the same name. But that’s not the only British topic the pair covered. The two participated in a Downton-themed skit complete with posh period costumes and overly dramatic period names (Lady Gwendymere of West Bedford Applebees for DeGeneres and Countess Penelope of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Buttersworth for Driver).

The catch? Driver wasn’t allowed to see the script for her impromptu “audition” beforehand, and had to perform her lines for the first time off of a teleprompter. Predictably, hilarity ensues – especially when Driver is forced to bark like a dog, make violent arm gestures and try on a variety of accents on the fly.

This clip might not get Driver a job, but it should definitely make Downton fans laugh.

We only finished Downton Abbey Series 4 a couple of days ago here in America, but it seems a pretty safe bet that many people are already experiencing the classic symptoms of withdrawal and sadness that characterizes the deadly dull time that is the hiatus.

Luckily, Downton was renewed for Series 5 well before the season aired here in the US and filming officially got under way this week in England, so we are not completely without diversion at this most crucial of times. The start of production has not brought us much (yet) by way of storyline or character-related details, but Carnival Films, ITV and Masterpiece have announced that the new season will bring with it a handful of new and familiar faces.

Three fabulous and well-known actors will be joining the cast of the mega-hit costume drama when it returns for its fifth season.

Previously, on Downton Abbey: Ivy gets a proposal from Alfred, because no one can ever leave this show, but she turns him down. Daisy makes her peace and says goodbye to him. We see Awesome Mr. Mason again for like five minutes. Baxter and Molesley are surprisingly adorable together. Violet figures out Edith’s pregnancy secret and offers to bankroll her trip to Switzerland to “learn French” and/or hide her illegitimate child. Bates takes a mysterious daytrip that is so obviously going to end badly. Anna tells Mary who really attacked her. Rose gets engaged to Jack Ross, but Mary convinces him to call it off, the local church bazaar happens, Robert comes home from America and Mary’s veritable army of boyfriends is still hanging around. Oh, and Green the Horrible Rapist appears to have mysteriously died. Whoops.

How have we already arrived at the Series 4 finale? Sheesh. Lots of ground to cover – and things to discuss – so let’s get on with it.

Previously, on Downton Abbey: Robert has to go to America to help Cora’s Plot Point Brother with some business no one cares about, Mary finds out what happened to Anna, Edith decides to have an abortion, but can’t go through with it at the last minute. Mary and Blake finally start liking each other after they spend a night saving pigs and getting covered with mud, the Dowager gets sick but luckily gets better fast, Tom met a girl at a political meeting. Super Stalker Lord Gillingham and his Horrible Rapist Valet return to Downton for a visit, and Bates looks like he’s totally figured out the Horrible Rapist bit. Oh, and there’s some more pointless drama with Alfred, Daisy and Ivy, but I’m just going to pretend it’s not happening because we all hate it.

What will happen this week? Who can even say. Onward and let’s find out.

Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching so of course that signals the obligatory loving couples of television; Musing over my own marriage of two and half decades, I decided I wanted to highlight British telly relationships that had some barriers to their success.

Staying in love long term is hard work after all and overcoming hardship can bring a couple closer. And after reading this list you may thank your lucky stars living with a slob or a neat freak is your biggest complaint.

Previously, on Downton Abbey: Evelyn Napier and his horrible boss Mr. Blake arrive at Downton for a visit, Alfred learns he did make it into Top Chef School after all, which means Molesley gets a job at last, the only story they can think of to do with the Dowager Countess is about whether she’s being robbed by a staff member, Rose brings in Jack Ross’ band to play for Robert’s birthday and then sneaks a kiss with him in the basement, Bates and Anna go on a date and, oh, Edith’s pregnant. Dun dun dunnn.

Never a dull moment on Downton, am I right? Onward to this week!

Previously, on Downton Abbey: Bates bullies Mrs. Hughes into telling him what happened to Anna. Mrs. Hughes does, but also lies a little bit because we’re all afraid that Bates might go on a rampaging murder spree at the drop of a hat. Cora gets a new ladies’ maid who seems to owe Thomas a favor. Robert does some complicated financial lending to help a tenant keep their farm. Alfred takes his Top Chef test. Evelyn Napier from Series 1 reappears and is a much more attractive boyfriend option for Mary than Stalker Tony. Edith makes a secret trip to the doctor, so you know bad stuff’s probably about to happen, because, Edith’s life.

So, this week should be interesting, huh? Onward!

Previously, on Downton Abbey: Anna is still struggling to come to terms with her sexual assault, Bates is still pushing his wife about why she won’t come anywhere near him, Tom makes some terrible life decisions, Edna creates a pregnancy scare, Alfred decides to try out for Edwardian Top Chef, Edith takes the next step with Gregson, Mrs. Hughes manages to get rid of Edna in the most awesome manner possible, Rose meets an African-American jazz musician and Mary gets a marriage proposal from a guy that’s known her for maybe 56 hours.

Man, last week was really busy, huh? Onward!