The Loveseat Potato Returns

Well, well, look who got a spuddy buddy?  No wonder she's so late with this fall TV post!

This is a match made in buttery mashed potato heaven.  Right?

Yeah... anyway, It's taken SO long to write this post that fall TV shows have been cancelled and their mid-season replacements have too.  And now, somehow it's 2014?!? 

Where does the time go?

While I'm waiting for a few new shows to start (Rake on FOX, and Late Night with Seth Meyers and About a Boy on NBC, I'm talking to YOU), let's feast our eyes on 50+ shows that have been clogging up my DVR.  In all cases, I've seen at least 2 episodes, but probably many (many) more.  Like, whole seasons.  Even of the ones I didn't like.

I blame the potato.


BEST NEW COMEDY

SPUD: The Millers (CBS)

WHY IT'S A SMASH:
Let's face it, sitcoms aren't as funny as they used to be.  But there's nothing not to like about this show.  Will Arnett?  Great. Greg Garcia, who created My Name Is Earl, created this show too? I'm in. It also makes me laugh?  Pass the chips (just don't tell you know who!).

Honorable mention goes to: Hello Ladies (HBO), The Michael J. Fox Show (NBC), Super Fun Night (ABC), Ground Floor (TBS), Orange Is the New Black (Netflix), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)

DUDS: Sean Saves the World (NBC), Trophy Wife except the little guy named Bert, he's awesome (ABC), Dads (FOX), The Goldbergs (ABC), Mom (CBS), Welcome to the Family (NBC - cancelled), We Are Men (CBS - cancelled), Back in the Game (ABC - cancelled)







BEST NEW DRAMA

SPUD: The Blacklist (NBC)

WHY IT'S A SMASH:
This show has a Silence of the Lambs vibe, minus the cannibalism. So far. James Spader lost some hair and gained some pounds, but is still creepy like we like him.  He plays Red Reddington, a fugitive who turns himself in to help a new FBI agent track down a bunch of other criminals who are so shady they aren't even on the Most Wanted List. Sounds dumb, but it's good.

Honorable mention goes to: Betrayal (ABC), Mob City (TNT)

DUDS: Hostages (CBS), Killer Women (ABC), The Carrie Diaries (CW), Almost Human (FOX), Lucky 7 (ABC - cancelled), Ironside (NBC - cancelled)










BEST NEW REALITY

SPUD: Friday Night Tykes (Esquire)

WHY IT'S A SMASH:
This show is hard to watch. And that's what has me hooked.  It follows a handful of pee-wee football teams in Texas. The boys, who are only 8 or 9 years old, are amazing. It's the coaches that are disgusting. If I had a kid on one of these teams, I'd punch the coach in the chicken nuggets.

Honorable mention goes to: Courtney Loves Dallas (Bravo), Vanilla Ice Goes Amish (DIY), Real World Ex-plosion (MTV), Below Deck (Bravo)

DUDS: 100 Days of Summer (Bravo), Thicker Than Water (Bravo), Toned Up (Bravo), Styled to Rock (Bravo), Come Dine with Me (Lifetime), The New Atlanta (Bravo), Alaskan Women Looking for Love (TLC)



BEST NEW FANTASY

SPUD: Reign (CW)

WHY IT'S A SMASH:
Ever wonder what Mary Queen of Scots was like when she was 15? Me neither. And even if I did, I'm 99% sure this show is wildly historically inaccurate. But hey, that's why they invented historical fiction. Just give me fancy dresses and cute boys, I'm there.

Honorable mention goes to: The Originals (CW), Sleepy Hollow (FOX)

DUDS: Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (ABC), Dracula (NBC), The Tomorrow People (CW), Witches of the East End (Lifetime)











BEST NEW COOKING

SPUD: Cutthroat Kitchen (Food Network)

WHY IT'S A SMASH:
Imagine you needed to roast a chicken using only a crème brûlée torch with spatulas duct-taped to your hands? A bunch of sociopaths cook up crazy sabotages like this every week, and chefs battle it out to cook a good dish despite them. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for the pitch meetings. It would be more funny to see what doesn't make the cut.

Honorable mention goes to: Knife Fight (Esquire Network), My Grandmother's Ravioli with Mo Rocca (Cooking Channel), Guy's Grocery Games (Food Network)

DUDS: Rachael vs. Guy: Kids Cook-Off (Food Network), Junior Masterchef (FOX), The Kitchen (Food Network)






Lastly, it's time to roast a show I wanted to love (really, I did!), but I didn't:

WORST FAMOUS PERSON IN A SITCOM

DUD: The Crazy Ones (CBS, Thursdays at 9pm)

WHY IT'S A ROTTEN POTATO:
Robin Williams!  This had all the makings of my new favorite show -- Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Bob from Mad Men in a modern-day advertising industry sitcom by David E. Kelley?  Genius.  Then came Robin freaking Williams.  That guy can't shut it off.  He grates my nerves down to a pile of hashbrowns, which incidentally, would be infinitely more enjoyable than his tired old schtick.  Boo.
















Disagree?  See something I missed?  Put the DVR on pause and comment below...


tags: entertainment

My Day With Bethenny

Last week for work, I was asked to attend a taping of Bethenny Frankel's new talkshow, along with a meet & greet to learn about her new Skinny Girl wines.

My job is so hard.

Anyway, I like the Bethenny I've come to know on Bravo (home of my beloved Andy Cohen).  She comes across as a straight-shooter, no-nonsense, full of hustle, witty, smart business lady.  I didn't want to ruin the illusion!

I'm happy to report what you see is what you get. 

I've seen shows tape before.  My talkshow experience began waaaay back in college when my communications professor took us on an ultra-academic field trip to see Montel Williams.  It's not as sad as it seems, he was pretty popular then.  I also worked on Wedding Week at Who Wants to Be a Millionaire for 2 years, so I saw lots of that show too. (PS: Meredith Viera is lovely, inside and out.)

There was a great energy on the Bethenny set.  First, it's beautiful.  Second, they've got a DJ and the speakers are under your seats, so you can't help but shake your groove thing.  Third, they make you clap.  A lot.

Bethenny came out looking just like the girl on the bottle -- pretty and skinny (fitting!).  Two of the day's guests stood out most to me: Melissa Gorga and James Blunt.

I wouldn't think I have much in common with RHONJ Melissa except for the fact that we both lived in the same town (go Montville/Pine Brook, NJ!).  But in her segment, they were talking about disciplining kids and she mentioned when she was young, her mom would threaten them with a wooden spoon when they were acting up.  So did mine!  And my grandma!  They called it a cucchiata.  Must be an Italian thing.  Now, I feel we've bonded.

When James Blunt came on, my first thought was that he's short.  God, I'm superficial.  Next thought was, I wonder what that little fella's been up to since he sang You're Beautiful?  Truth is, I have no idea what he was saying because I was mesmerized by this pale British guy!  He was unbelievably charming.  And funny!  Later, Bethenny would tell us he "came to play," and those were her favorite kinds of guests.  He was game for everything, including an impromptu serenade.  Well, maybe not totally impromptu... his guitar was on set.

Anyway, the show was a blast, then we were ushered into the control room, and lined up one by one to take pics in her photo booth.  No music and no booze, but they wanted us to dance.  When in Rome...

Then, we went down a corridor and up an elevator to her Red Room.  This is much like a Green Room, except, well... it's red.  I remember really rich crimson wallpaper, white lacquer furniture, and a Skinny Girl surfboard on the wall, but mostly the scent in there sticks with me.  It smelled amazing -- like gardenias.

She came in after the show, looking lovely.  I noticed she switched her black spikey Louboutins for her everyday footwear (snakeskin pumps... duh).  There were about a dozen or so bloggers in the room, so she sat on the edge of a white club chair and answered a bunch of questions on her show, her businesses, the media, and her life.  She was totally candid and delightful.

Did I mention I'm Team Bethenny?

Eventually she told us about her new wines, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon (though I steered clear of that last one -- damn tannin allergy), and my personal fave, Prosecco.  In a blogger melee, that bottle was the first to go so if that's any indication, I'm sure it will fly off shelves too.

Our episode airs on Monday, the 18th.  I'm sitting in the audience on the left section, second row, third seat in from the aisle. 

If the pic below doesn't give you a seizure, tune in!

tags: entertainment, work

How the Hell Is John Stamos 50?

Am I the only person who sits through every Dannon Oikos commercial just to watch this guy?

 

He recently had a birthday, much like someone else I know.  Guess how old he is?

 

FIFTY!!!

How the hell is John Stamos 50?!?  I guess, the same way I'm 40...  Oy.

I was just 9 years old when brooding Blackie burst on the scene in Port Charles and I've been smitten ever since.  I seriously think I've watched every show he's been on -- even the bad ones (Jake in Progress, anyone?).  Now, I'm watching Necessary Roughness just because he joined the cast. 

The show?  So-so.  But Stamos?  Good as ever.

The closest I've ever come to this Greek (yogurt) God was about 10 years ago when my mom and I saw him on Broadway in Cabaret.  Even as the emaciated Emcee he was adorable.  Mischievous.  Charming.  AND, he took a sip from a glass of water on OUR table when he was mingling in the crowd. 

It was like our very own MasterCard commercial.  Priceless.

Anyway, I've always preferred older guys.  Here's my list of celebrity crushes, who coincidentally happen to be over 40.  They're listed in age order, with Stamos on top, because, well... you know...

John Stamos
Age: 50
Sign: Leo
From: California
Height: 6' (thank God!)
Status: single? (call me)
Best role: 2 words... Uncle. Jesse.
Close second: Dr. Tony Gates on ER. 
Stars are people too: he had a job flipping burgers after-school

Jon Hamm
Age: 42
Sign: Pisces
From: Missouri
Height: 6'2"
Status: in a relationship
Best role: Dr. Drew Baird in 30 Rock
Close second: Don Draper in Mad Men
Stars are people too: he played Winnie the Pooh in a first-grade play

Jason Bateman
Age: 44
Sign: Capricorn
From: New York
Height: 5'11"
Status: married
Best role: Michael Bluth on Arrested Development
Close second: Derek Taylor on Silver Spoons
Stars are people too: he never graduated high school

Paul Rudd
Age: 44
Sign: Aries
From: New Jersey
Height: 5' 10"
Status: married
Best role: Mike Hannigan in Friends
Close second: Josh in Clueless
Stars are people too: he was a DJ at Bar Mitzvahs

Ed Burns
Age: 45
Sign: Aquarius
From: New York
Height: 6'1"
Status: married
Best role: Finbar McMullen in Brothers McMullen
Close second: Michael Murphy in Purple Violets
Stars are people too: he owned a Ford Explorer

John Cusack
Age: 47
Sign: Cancer
From: Illinois
Height: 6'2"
Status: single?
Best role: Rob Gordon in High Fidelity
Close second: Lane Meyer in Better Off Dead (thought I'd say Lloyd Dobler, huh?)
Stars are people too: he goes to his high school reunions

Kyle Chandler
Age: 47
Sign: Virgo
From: New York
Height: 6'1"
Status: married
Best role: Coach Eric Taylor in Friday Night Lights
Close second: nothing else comes close
Stars are people too: he worked as a nightclub bouncer

Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Age: 47
Sign: Taurus
From: Washington
Height: 6'2"
Status: in a relationship
Best role: Denny Duquette in Gray's Anatomy
Close second: Ike Evans in Magic City
Stars are people too: he's a huge Seahawks fan

Robert Downey Jr.
Age: 48
Sign: Aries
From: New York
Height: 5'8"
Status: married (good thing, I could never date someone this short)
Best role: Larry Paul in Ally McBeal
Close second: Tony Stark in Iron Man
Stars are people too: he tattooed "Suzie Q" on his arm in honor of his wife

Dermot Mulroney
Age: 49
Sign: Scorpio
From: Virginia
Height: 5'9"
Status: married
Best role: Michael O'Neal in My Best Friend's Wedding
Close second: Russell in New Girl
Stars are people too: he graduated from Northwestern

John Slattery
Age: 51
Sign: Leo
From: Massachusetts
Height: 5'10"
Status: married
Best role: Roger Sterling in Mad Men
Close second: Bill Kelley in Sex & the City
Stars are people too: he was one of six kids






Also, honorary cradle-robbing mention goes to these 3 fine fellas:

Jimmy Fallon
Age: 38
Sign:Virgo
From: New York
Height: 5'11"
Status: married
Best role: Weekend Update Anchor in Saturday Night Live
Close second: Ben in Fever Pitch
Stars are people too: his first stand-up routine was about Troll Dolls

Bradley Cooper
Age: 38
Sign: Capricorn
From: Pennsylvania
Height: 6'1"
Status: single?
Best role: Will Tippin in Alias
Close second: Phil in The Hangover
Stars are people too: he is fluent in French

Jerry O'Connell
Age: 39
Sign: Aquarius
From: New York
Height: 6'2"
Status: married
Best role: Vern Tessio in Stand By Me
Close second: Joe in Joe's Apartment
Stars are people too: he was an RA at NYU






Notice any patterns?   Yes.  Good thing I set the bar low, or I might be single forever. 

Oh, wait...

So, did I get it right with this list of dateable dudes (if only in my mind)?  See anyone I missed?  List YOUR full house below...


tags: dating, entertainment, pop culture

Summer Shows

Sorry it's been so long since I last blogged. 

I was standing on line for a cronut.

Kidding.  Nobody can get their mitts on one of those.

I've actually been distracted because I started an awesome new job!  Wait... what's that you ask?  Did I get myself a present to celebrate like I like to do?

Well, I might (and I will) and if (when) I do, it will definitely be something small (or big).  I mean, who needs a boyfriend to buy you stuff (when a handbag named Louis follows you home)?

Now, if you're anything like me, you love summer because you can catch up on TV.  Oh sure, there's sunshine, and s'mores, and fireflies.  They're swell too.

But mostly, it's the TV.  Also, the s'mores (and I wonder why I buy my own handbags). 

Anyway, if you find yourself one day, with nothing but the telly and some time, crank up the AC and slather on a full season of these shows. 

I promise, you won't get burned.

(Couldn't resist...)

House of Cards
Netflix Original Series
13 episodes

The plot in 10 words or less: Some people will do anything to become President.

The star: Kevin Spacey as Majority Whip Francis Underwood

Why watch:  Kevin Spacey talks to you.  And he has no morals.  At.  All. 

The Americans
FX
14 episodes

The plot in 10 words or less: Felicity is a Russian spy living in the 1980s.

The star: Matthew Rhys as Phillip Jennings

Why watch:  It's fun to watch a show where the highest tech spy gadget is a wig and a moustache.  Plus the Rubix Cube makes a guest appearance.  Really, what's not to love?

Bates Motel
A&E
11 episodes

The plot in 10 words or less: Modern-day prequel to Psycho, Norman still creepy, has iPhone.

The star: Vera Farmiga as Norma Bates

Why watch:  It's oddly addictive.  Can't imagine why the motel didn't work out.

Nashville (see, I told you)
ABC
22 episodes

The plot in 10 words or less: Fading star and teen sensation hate eachother and sing songs.

The star: Connie Britton as Rayna James

Why watch: 2 words... Deacon.  Claybourne.  Also download Wrong Song.  SO catchy!

New Girl
FOX
50 episodes

The plot in 10 words or less: Quirky girl lives with 3 guys, romantic tension ensues.

The star: Zooey Deschanel as Jess

Why watch:  Season 2, episode 15, aka The Cooler.  THATS how a kiss is done.  Also Schmidt is hilarious.





Know of any shows that I should catch up on?  List YOUR favorites below.  Or, tell me what you love about summer if your TV is on vacation...


tags: entertainment

If I Ran the Oscars

Were you among the 40+ million people who watched the Academy Awards on Sunday night?

Me too.

First thing's first: I saw some boobs. 

Their names were Seth and MacFarlane. 

Equally disturbing was discovering that the world has officially run out of faces, and he is the identical (15 year younger) twin brother of Peter "Pork Chopshh and Apple Shhauce" Brady. 

Wonder what Tina & Amy are doing next year?  They're delightful.

Anyway, maybe Argo was deserving of Best Picture (even though Les Mis was Les Robbed), but I haven't seen it yet.  In fact, after 85 winners dating back to 1927, I've only seen 34 of them.  And I only liked 12.

Typically, the Academy's idea of a great movie and mine aren't the same.

You too?

Well, if I was handing out 13.5" naked gold men, MY 85 (yes, eighty-five -- just go with it) awards would go to...

9 to 5
Aladdin
Amadeus*
American Beauty*
American Psycho
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Babe
Back to the Future
Better Off Dead
The Big Chill
Big Night
The Breakfast Club
Bridget Jones's Diary
Charade
Chicago*
Circle of Friends
Clue
Cocktail
Coming to America
Coyote Ugly
The Craft
Cruel Intentions
Die Hard
Dirty Dancing
Duets
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Fight Club
Footloose
Forrest Gump*
Glengarry Glen Ross
The Godfather*
Goodfellas
The Goonies
Gosford Park
The Graduate
Grease
The Great Muppet Caper
Heathers
High Fidelity
The Holiday
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Incredible Shrinking Woman
Just One of the Guys
The Last Boy Scout
Les Miserables
The Lost Boys
Love Actually
Lucas
Memento
Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil
Miracle on 34th Street
The Money Pit
Moonstruck
The Muppet Movie
My Best Friend's Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Mystic Pizza
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Office Space
Once Bitten
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Primal Fear
The Princess Bride
The Program
The Quiet Man
Ratatouille
Rocky IV
Saturday Night Fever
Seven
Someone Like You
Reservoir Dogs
The Silence of the Lambs
Sixteen Candles
The Social Network
St. Elmo's Fire
Swingers
Tango & Cash
There's Something About Mary
Titanic*
To Catch a Thief
Tootsie
Uncle Buck
Wall Street
When Harry Met Sally
The Witches of Eastwick
Xanadu
(* = actual winner)


So, did I get it right?  Was it an honor just being nominated? 

List the movies that YOU think the Academy overlooked below...


tags: entertainment

The Brother Bowl

The Super Bowl is my 3rd most favorite holiday of the year. 

The 1st is my birthday, obvi because of the presents. 

The 2nd is Christmas, again... presents. 

But the big game slides right in at a respectable 3rd, beating out all other stuff-your-face holidays (Thanksgiving, I'm talking to YOU) because it has one critical element at the heart of it all.

Television!

Oh, how I love TV.  And I love snacks.  And I love commercials.  Did I mention I love TV?

With Super Bowl XLVII and Downton Abbey going head-to-head on Sunday night, I’m torn about which way to turn. Kinda like Jack & Jackie Harbaugh.

I’ll prob watch the game and DVR Downton. (As for the Harbaughs… good luck with that.)

I typically spend Super Bowl Sunday with my brother and his family. We dress up in our Giants gear -- even if they're not playing.  The party kicks off around noon and it’s an all day event.

You’ve got to pace yourself.  Bragging rights are on the line -- who made the best chili, who’s winning the football pool, who can eat the most Cheetos at once, who’s taller. (My bro wins that one by a mile.  Seriously, a mile. He is THAT tall.)

This year, they’re in their new hometown outside Chicago. Even if I trash-text instead of trash-talk, and mock their horrible pizza AND the Bears while eating a delicious, NY-style, Italian cold-cut "sangwitch," the game just won’t be the same!

I'll miss them a ton.  Thank God for snacks.

Since the Hot Wing Bandit recently made off with $65K worth of chicken wings, you may be wondering what to feast on come game day.

May I suggest a 100% Dip Super Bowl Party?

Let’s face it, the wings may get all the glory, but the dips are really everyone’s MVP.  Or maybe that’s just me.  Whatever.

Whether you’re rooting for the Ravens, the 49ers, or the Pepto Bismol you will undoubtedly need on Monday morning, here are a dozen dips to indulge in:



Caramelized Onion & Shallot Dip from Bon Appetit
Scoop with: potato chips

Jalapeno Popper Dip from Brown-Eyed Baker
Scoop with: corn chips

Hot Crab Dip from Chow
Scoop with: crackers

Loaded Baked Potato Dip from Closet Cooking
Scoop with: potato chips

Rick Bayless' Guacamole with Bacon from Epicurious
Scoop with: tortilla chips

Guy Fieri's Pepperoni Pizza Dip from Food Network
Scoop with: garlic bread

Spinach Artichoke Dip from Gimme Some Oven
Scoop with: pita chips

Queso Fundito with Chorizo from Gourmet
Scoop with: corn chips

Bacon Scallion Hummus from Just a Taste
Scoop with: pita chips



Mexican Layer Dip from the Pioneer Woman
Scoop with: tortilla chips

Gooey Cheeseburger Dip from Serious Eats
Scoop with: crackers

Hot & Spicy Buffalo Shrimp Dip from Skinnytaste
Scoop with: celery

So is an all-dip Super Bowl party a fumble or a... field goal?  What's YOUR favorite dip?  

Serve it up in the comments below...


tags: entertainment, food, sports

5 Reasons I Love Downton Abbey



Do you watch Downton Abbey?

If you do, you already know why it's great.

If you don't, get with the program, old chap!  It's snobby and stuffy and more delicious than English muffins with melted butter in every nook and cranny. 

The 3rd season started a few weeks ago and there are only a handful of episodes in each, so I think you should call in sick one day, slap on a fancy hat, and fire them up on Netflix.


No time to spare?  Ok.  Here's what you need to know:

[SPOILERS ABOUND BELOW - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED]

It all starts when the Titanic sinks.  Lost at sea was the heir to Downton Abbey, a massive English castle owned by Lord Robert Grantham.  He lives there with his American wife, Cora, and his three grown daughters: Mary, Edith, and Sybil.  (Would YOU move out?  It's a castle!)  Since he only makes girls, and these are the Dark Ages, none of them can inherit the home that he dumped his wife's entire fortune into keeping afloat.  Bummer.  His elderly mother, the dignified Dowager (aka widow) Countess, lives nearby and pops into every episode to bemoan the invention of electricity and evolution of any kind.  They quickly track down a distant cousin, Matthew Crawley, who works as a lawyer.  Ewww.  They are horrified he has a job.  And a nosy mother.  Begrudgingly he becomes their new heir, and falls in love with their oldest daughter, Mary -- his COUSIN.  Mary wants nothing to do with Creepy Crawley -- until he wants nothing to do with her.  Isn't that always the way?  Then everything goes to hell in a handbasket because World War I begins.  He joins the Army as an officer and this gentleman gets engaged to a sweet girl named Livinia, who nurses him back to health after being paralyzed from the waist down (including the naughty bits).  Thankfully, right before their wedding, he walks again and she dies of consumption, leaving the cousins free to marry and procreate -- even though Mary is damaged goods from an unfortunate incident that involved a Turk dying in bed.  On top of her.  Sister Edith is invisible because she wears a pasty-face and cannot catch a break in the man department.  It's almost as if everyone is conspiring against her (because they are).  And baby Sybil's a rebel because she wears pants AND married the chauffer, Branson, who is a belligerent political activist in his spare time.  Nobody likes him.

While inequality is alive and well in the 1920s, downstairs in the servant's quarters, things are just as dramatic.  Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes run a tight castle.  They tolerate NO funny business, which is unfortunate for Mrs. O'Brien who looks after the lady of the house so well she slid her right into a miscarriage on a well-placed bar of soap.  It was a boy.  That's a secret she'll take to the grave.  Thomas, the footman, is a schemer who got his own hand shot off so he could quit fighting in the war.  He would be a ladies man if he wasn't always hitting on unsuspecting male houseguests.  Mrs. Pattmore, the cook, is going blind and can't tell the salt from the sugar.  Daisy, the kitchen maid, isn't allowed upstairs except to sit vigil for her devoted husband, William, another footman and wounded warrior who she was peer-pressured into marrying on his deathbed.  She's naïve like that.  Anna looks after the girls when she's not busy visiting John Bates, her new husband and fellow servant, in PRISON.  He's a mysterious guy who fought with Lord Grantham in some ancient war that left his leg all janky.  Bates took the fall for a crime his former wife, Vera, committed long ago and he nobly went to jail an innocent man.  Now, he's is doing a life sentence for killing her with poison -- as it turns out, she was a mean man of a woman who had it coming.  She learned of Mary's tryst with the dead Turk and threatened to expose the secret and bring shame to Downton.  Uh oh.  He claims he didn't do it, and Anna believes him, but she's blinded by love.  A recent burst of anger towards his cellmate kinda makes you wonder...

Whew!  All caught up?  Jolly good.

Now, here's 5 reasons I love this show:

The Dowager Countess
Maggie Smith steals every scene she is in.  That's a fact.  She spouts zingers like a fountain in the garden.  On death: "No Englishman would dream of dying in someone else's house." On electricity: "Oh dear, such a glare!"  On swivel chairs: "Good heavens, what am I sitting on?"  On weekends: "What precisely is a week-end?"

Lady Edith
She's the spinster middle sister -- a hunk of baloney sandwiched between two beautiful slices of sourdough.  A turn of the century Jan Brady, if you will.  She even inspired this wide-eyed Tumblr, which made me laugh -- until last week, when my heart broke for her as she was left at the altar.  Now she's my favorite sis.  We spinsters must stick together.

Mr. Bates
This is the most interesting character at Downton, and he's not even home.  Free John Bates!  Can you get better looking in prison?  If so, he has.  I especially like how his hair is all tousled from wrestling with the inmates.  He never had that 'do as a valet.  His love story with Anna is sweet, makes you wonder how he ever got saddled with that old hag, Vera.  Did I mention she had it coming?

Cousin Matthew
Women fall at his feet.  Money falls in his lap.  A castle practically falls on his head.  Who's got it better than this guy?  Nobody.  Good thing he tries to turn down the ladies, the inheritance, and the mansion in favor of his "principles." Matthew's got a moral compass that would make Jesus look like a jerk.  Ugh.  Damn that dashing man!

Downton
Isn't she pretty?  Whether it's the dining room or the drawing room, the ladies' salon or servant's quarters I can't get enough of this castle.  If only Lord Grantham wasn't running her into the ground with his lousy investments, general mismanagement, and blubbering. (PS: This is a real place, called Highclere Castle, and you can marry like a Crawley for a mere $24K.)





So, do YOU love sinking your teeth into the fruitcake that is Downton Abbey on Sunday nights?  Or do you think all the hype is just plain nuts?  Mix it up below...


tags: entertainment