I normally don't lurk on this side of Home Decorating, but I peeked in and saw this thread. It gives me a chance to vent about this series. I'm a die-hard Upstairs/Downstairs fan and I tried watching Downton Abbey when it first aired but did not enjoy it. Almost every scenario they came up with was done and done much better in Up/Dwnstrs. After saying this I continue to tune in now and then and am amazed at how the writers think that staff would be interacting with the upstairs as much as they do in this series. Maids being asked for and having their advice taken? Staff conversing and engaged with family members so casually? I don't think so. Besides, Richard is such a weak version of Mr. Bellamy. lol I do have one question for avid fans - who did Mary have her indiscretion with that caused all the scandal?

I'm hooked on D.A., too; I was saddened by last night's show. I liked Sybil's spunk and independence; she was trying to live a 'normal' life, but in her situation, guess that was almost impossible. I'm sure the show is very true to the customs/mores of those times, so Sybil's husband Tom didn't get consulted much, did he? On another note, Isabelle Crawley's hiring of Ethel as a cook/housemaid would probably have been a "kiss of death" for her, as far as 'social position' was concerned. Hounds, Downtown Abbey is worth getting hooked on, IMO. My only problem is that it will eventually end, just like "Upstairs/Downstairs". That's a series I'd like to see shown again.

Vee, sorry, I only just noticed your post to me about Death Comes to Pemberley. I don't watch Downton Abbey so haven't been following this thread. I can't remember what I said about the book either but the TV show looks interesting and I shall see if I can get an advance DVD download as I don't know when it will be shown here or it may have been on Foxtel satellite which I don't have. I don't get the time to watch everything I'd like on "Free to air" as it is! I have heaps of programs that sit in the recorder....

No you can access everything----any internet sites, any television channels online, etc.. Also, your regular services like Netflix and Amazon prime will have completely different offerings when you are "traveling." You first sign out of the netflix app or service, sign into the VPN, and then sign back into to Netflix or whatever. When you sign into. VPN all that does is reroute your internet signal into a server in a different country, so it looks digitally or electronically that you are in that country instead of the U.S. I think Tunnel Bear has twelve or so "profiles" you can choose from, that cloak your American IP address with one from Canada, Japan, Denmark, Germany, Australia, etc. If you speak another language it would be easy to watch shows or visit sites through search results normally only available to persons in a particular country or region.