Downton Abbey, Season 2: A Special Q&A with the Cast | PBS

Find answers to some of fans' most popular questions in this special panel with the cast of "Downton Abbey," filmed at a screening in New York City in Dec. 2011. www.pbs.org/dow...

[@skye4743]

My favorite Maggie Smith line is, "A Peer in favor of reform is like a turkey in favor of Christmas." I love the entire cast; they're very talented. Great ensemble effort. ❤😊

[@MidSummerNiteDream]

Besides Maggie Smith, the best part of Downton Abbey is that we see history being unfold in every series & it showcases the excellence of excellent British humor. Having a perfect cup of tea while watching Downton Abbey is a sure bet for a pleasant evening.

[@thoughtfulyou2168]

I didn’t know about DA early on, it wasn’t til I saw the movie and love it. I told a friend and she told me about the series. I was overjoyed, it was so enjoyable that I had to binge watch it. The cast is amazing, all of them!

[@bknyrose]

A friend of mine told me about the series just a month ago. After devouring the first season on hulu, then buying season two on amazon and watching that (in two sittings), I texted my friend as follows "Thanks a lot. I'm now blind, and speaking with a British accent." I admit, I go back to certain episodes and watch them. I think the entire cast is amazing, believable, and talented. I hope you all go on to other wonderful, successful and satisfying roles.

[@XsweetstarliteX]

Everyone loves maggie smith from ages 7 to age 70 people love her wit and delivery and of course her facial expressions! she has done every thing in film, i have so much respect for her. She also throws the best shade, sly and in a deliberate voice as well!

[@rebeccahopkins9522]

I LOVE Joanne’s hair here. It’s GORGEOUS. Love this show so much. Still miss it and wish it had never ended. So I’ve watched the entire series through about 20 times. And counting 😉 it’s a world and place I never get tired of visiting ❤️

[@rebeccahopkins9522]

Julian Fellows is an incredibly brilliant, infinitely talented, very hardworking, immensely kind and humble human being. With an amazing mind and gift for bringing richly drawn characters from specific bygone eras into bright life.

[@iwhippedcreamcode4642]

Everything He writes is Spot On!

[@katsiamapoisoning786]

Watch his various theatrical endeavors. He brings so much to each, so much so that it's hard to believe that the same actor portrays them all. A true thespian. So few in the profession.

[@mommbsta]

for the most solemn dame, Maggie Smith cracks me up throughout the show, i have to put on the screen caption just to make sure i don't miss out on any of her lines...whoever's responsible for the cast - BRAVO! - they made marvelous choices, we all have our preferences of characters but i think that they all played their roles well (makes one so lost in time and story) thank you PBS and pleeease keep up the good work.

[@mxylpx]

I love Dan Stevens as he appears to be quite shy, but can muscle it up when he is provoked. Great quote about Dee-troit! Excellent actor and love Elizabeth's Maggie Smith impersonation! Lady Mary is always a gift from heaven!

[@joanswanson7189]

Elizabeth made me realize how rich Maggie Smith made their experience. We just see a few memorable parts, but they WORKED with her. As she and Jodi Dence about their first working together, "I remember laughter."

[@teresaf4454]

I adore Downton Abbey and it's wonderful history and characters! I wish Dan Stevens had NEVER left and caused Matthew's subsiquent death. Such a great loss; could have taken the storyline in so many different directions!

[@carolynargabright8132]

Hugh and Elizabeth have great screen chemistry.

[@clem47med]

People with good taste are everywhere, I'm from Colombia South America and enjoy this series. I've watch a lot of British series so I do understand a little British Culture, but to enjoy the show, the characters, the extremely great scenarios, the wardrobe , photograph,music you don't really need to understand the culture, your senses just enjoy the beauty.

[@sparklymage]

Truer words: ‎"Great storytelling is great storytelling. Great characters are great characters. And whether they are dealing crack or serving tea...if it's good you'll get into it."

[@patrick45sue]

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart, indeed the best show on TV, from an Australian fan....

[@longingheart6620]

I've never seen a man blush before. So nice to see. I assume the dress Michelle was talking about was the beautiful ivory dress she was wearing when Dan (Matthew) was eyeing her from behind and she turned around to see him at the door. It definately looked stunning. Good question on the costumes. Love Dan and MIchelle. They're all great.

[@Valunseable]

After watching this for the past 3 weeks, I catch myself wanting to speak with a British accent. Awesome series!

[@she__won_in_action7494]

Aren't they all just precious!!? 😍

[@teonilavorburger7736]

What can I say? Beautiful cast. I wish I could see more of them….. all of them, including very handsome Dan Stevens !

[@MrsWLL]

elizabeth and hugh are so good together. I love them.

[@kaitsy]

"and how about Dan in that red military jacket". he looked great.

[@jm1657]

Delicious, indeed.

[@hrauthor87]

Okay, it's official. I love the actors just as much as their characters!

[@Branner]

So much talent on that stage.

[@utubeaccntko]

Maggie Smith is a Dame and brilliant actress and in her 70s and she's Minerva McGonagall. She can do whatever she wants. Mere mortals should not throw shade at Dame Maggie Smith

[@Carolmarquistaxd]

I love Dan's voice ^^ he's so perfect! xD Mary&Mattew the best couple ever ^^

[@coolfeet77]

Glad I found this interview. Very entertaining. I can't get enough of DA!

[@heydrichmuller]

Best moment was Elizabeth McGovern's imitation of her eminence Maggi Smith: 'Now I know why they invented the guillotine' Best laugh of the video.

[@Stormz.1337]

My left ear really enjoyed this.

[@tomsudeshna]

Made me chuckle!

[@Noorajnn]

HAHAHAHAHAHAH

[@gabrielmoreirabr]

Thank you Amazon Prime Video for allowing me to see this masterpiece in 2020!

[@iloveSE7EN]

The fact that Mr. Stevens seems to love The Wire as much as I do raises him many notches in my esteem. We'll talk about it if ever we meet. ;D

[@cor3944]

Most people only see “the fossility”of the aristocracy and love to see the transition to the modern times which is represented in the three daughters of Lord Granthom and the service staff. But they don’t realize what is lost in values and a living in a small and strong community. I think, this is where unconsciously lies the real attraction of the series.

[@paulitaespada6732]

I LOVE THIS INTERVIEW I LOVE DOWNTON ABBEY I LOVE THE CRAWLEYS

[@maxeyre2024]

SAME HERE!

[@happycook6737]

Very strange to see these people NOT in character. Their real personhood seems like a persona because their Downton characters are so real.

[@Rocafilm]

Such an amazing show. And it´s true, has something special, original in between all the other TV shows. I think that the wonderful script is that magic element. Congratulations and I´m looking forward season 3!

[@happycook6737]

I wish this series would continue on PBS!

[@SuperSVET777]

Oh, Den blushes so adorably, so cute 🥰

[@jasiekjasiek-px6zh]

MD: "And i text Dan"... They both made sth speciall on tv show so natural. Just look at MD in that Interview looking to Dan. World need to see them togerther again on TV show.

[@MarcusLeepapi]

I love this show so much...Waiting for the 5th season to come out here in the US...

[@LaHistoire]

Dan is fit! Oh my gosh. :) Plus he's got such a sense of humor! :D

[@jegprods]

If this moderator would only shut her mouth, we could watch what we came to watch ~ the cast of Downton Abbey!!! She's the Executive Producer of Masterpiece and should always stay BEHIND the scenes!!!

[@lindsay99vt]

I just fell in love with Matthew. Again.

[@itsfatimahage]

"I never get bored of the bedroom!" "Not my night!" lololol

[@julizaf12]

Do you know when he says this ? I can’t find it 😭

[@prettypiggies]

the girl that plays anna is ADORABLE

[@hipnhappenin]

I know that guy that asked about class disparity was getting a lot of flack, but in his defense, it was a fair question. I think the guy's point was that there was such distinction between who the servers are and who the ones being served are. But Dan makes a good point, too. We may not have servants who live downstairs anymore, but the class disparity is still there.

[@carolynrose5239]

"The English actor and writer Julian Fellowes, who created the PBS mini-series “Downton Abbey” and wrote the screenplay for “Gosford Park,” told The Telegraph that the idea for the series came from a book he was reading at the time, “To Marry an English Lord,” by Gail MacColl and Carol Wallace."

[@navinebaskerville2350]

I loved Dan Steven's answer to the audience's question about pay disparity in the victorian era compared to now, and he replied it's worse if you take a look at Detroit and 5th Avenue. I am so happy that this is evident to those in other countries. America is in such denial.

[@eezus9452]

How is america in denial when we see this everyday now our government thats a whole other story

[@darynatatarenko9874]

Who's to blame for Detroit?

[@maryellengrayberg9146]

It's a show!!! 🤪🙄

[@colleenobrien8212]

@darynatatarenko9874 Detroit. (I live near there. About 30 miles.)

[@8shea8]

Glad Hugh came to Maggie's defense. You could see his face change throughout that woman's monologue, probably fearing where she was going. He seems like a mild-mannered man, but must've known he had to be the guy to speak up and protect the cast 'family.' (And notice it stopped once he spoke.) Maggie can have Maggie rules. She's earned it.

[@NightShadeslayer]

Cora speaks like an American who has lived in Britain for some time and is acquiring a slight British accent. Trust me, it's not full American lol. But that makes perfect sense for her character :)

[@bluewrenreilly129]

An improvement if you ask me.

[@mjgabor1528]

she speaks like americans with great lakes inflection television american like newsreporters if you will

[@cobertabbey]

Because she lives in london

[@missmoelove]

This is a great panel and I love seeing how well the cast gets on together, but honestly, a panel is supposed to highlight the cast and give the fans an opportunity to get on a more personal level with their favorite characters. Rebecca seems to have more speaking time than the actual cast! She is constantly interrupting and making silly jokes that are not funny and simply don't translate. On another note, I love Elizabeth's shoes and Michelle's top. Dan and Hugh are very handsome, etc. etc.

[@oiolasim]

I think I got really mesmerized in a bad way with the looks and charms of the couple Mary and Matthew. I am watching the serie now and I am missing the couple bcs Matthew died and I was so attached to them. 😢😢😢😢😢

[@Sochilinda]

Elizabeth is breathtakingly beautiful! wow! :)

[@adrianaholland9741]

+Sochilinda I couldn't agree more, she really is.

[@JizzyMcFrizzyLOL]

30:45 hahahah. Never gets bored of the bedroom aww

[@colettecristofini4445]

The entail is much talked about in Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.

[@trent8002003]

Hugh Bonneville looks absolutely stately - solid and manly like a rock and yet very fatherly and gentle. I am melting..........

[@brendasavini7786]

Since some time was spent on it, ... ... To understand the term ENTAIL, you can re watch another Masterpiece Theatre hit, Pride and Prejudice done in 1995. It has to do with inheritance laws, to keep the actual estate intact. Women couldn't inherent, so a designated person would be the "entail", the one who actually gets the property instead of the daughters. Mr. Collins was this designated person in Pride and Prejudice.

[@colleenobrien8212]

How about just looking it up?

[@OlgaLevin]

That's because she's not an interviewer, she is their director. The audience are the ones that are asking them the questions.

[@khinclose7323]

Mary and Matthew were the only couple who raised up the story of these episode for audience. ..A bit dissapointed actually..Meggie ...was a brilliant acting..

[@malozaibi]

i was looking for this video !! thank you very much for uploading it :)

[@xtinet]

Fantastic! Thank you for posting!

[@eloisatsatsas608]

34:53 Michelle Dockery ( Mary ) winks to someone in the audience!!!

[@HighFlyinAFGuy]

It's called "The Buccaneers" by Edith Wharton and Marion Mainwaring. Available on Amazon.

[@holypotatoes01]

My god, Elizabeth has one crazy transatlantic accent going on lol.

[@jmnpc]

Wow! Lady Mary had tea at my fave tea place in Greenwich Village (I'm sure she meant The Tea Spot on Macdougal)! It's probably the best place to get tea in all of Manhattan.

[@akaha001]

I think she's actually one of the strongest links of the generally very strong cast. It's true she rarely gets a lot to do but when she does, she knocks it out of the park, like when Sybil died. Her scenes with Maggie Smith starting from season 1 are also priceless and she totally holds her own in those.

[@21972012145525]

Thanks for the spoiler

[@barbara2354]

I love the clothing and the furnishings. I also love the castles and I love Granny.

[@marrodriguezaller3766]

I cannot simply understand why Gareth Neame says he's surprised at how successful this series has been in Spain, and he adds, if I am not wrong, "what are the Spanish getting out of it?". Well, he may not know that since we are ALSO in Europe, we share a lot of history, we have had and still have an aristocracy. We've had "the servants"and "the upper class" too. On top of that we learn English as a second language at school. So, honestly i am astonished to hear that. It shows so little knowledge about this country. And if that is the case, why bothering mentioning it?

[@paullewis2413]

You make a good point but I don't think he meant to be critical of Spain in any way.

[@robertoa.m.3984]

I am also rather shocked. The series is also a hit in Latinamerica, for the same reasons Mar Rgez Aller points out. Spain is a monarchy and one of the oldest in Europe. I am amazed they do not realize that the whole of the american continent belonged to Spain and was divided into "Kingdoms".....that Mexico had two Emperors, as did Brasil, and aristocracy was a basic part of our own history........Britain and France were responsible for bringing the Spanish Empire down.....but a whole continent and 300mm people speak spanish and share a historical inheritance.

[@genesis1765]

You are right you can add matt Damon and his wife lol...

[@maggiey]

Without PBS, it would have nowhere NEAR the exposure and popularity it has now. I think their pride and possession is warranted.

[@K1370]

i only watched downton abbey because 1) maggie smith was in it and hello harry potter! 2) it had great fashion from the 1900's :D and 3) the drama was subtle and not overdone :)

[@Sewnknit]

Michelle has such a distinguished voice!

[@Brimenting]

>>In Britain every time you stop at a motorway service area the accent changes! How true!

[@traker42]

there's, definitely, something "weird" about Elizabeth's accent and I must say I love it!!!

[@cad2046]

Rebecca Eaton gave Julian Fellowes a huge amount of credit at the beginning by reinforcing that he created the show and wrote every episode of Seasons 1 and 2. Downton is co-produced by Masterpiece, and is simply broadcast on ITV in the UK, and on PBS in the US. ITV has no real presence in the show's creation or production.

[@rebeccahopkins9522]

I wonder if Elizabeth’s actual real life British girls and British husband ever say to her “if you’re going to turn American on me then this conversation is over” and “you don’t understand because you are American and I am English”🤣 it’s a phrase they say often to her on Downton.

[@gabrielcaron9436]

Just to hear Michelle’s voice makes me smile

[@akfick1990]

this moderator just insulted maggie smith. not cool

[@mprkg]

Dan Stevens is GORGEOUS!

[@classicsfan10]

@iluvfriends4eva That was adorable. Love her! The cast in this is so great. Dan, Hugh...all of them!

[@MedeaJaff]

The moderator who is rather boring and lacks a sense of humour, seems to dislike Maggie Smith, she keeps bringing her name up, and not in a flattering way.

[@Ahalida]

I love the charatcer of Mary Crawley

[@BytchEPoo]

So should Americans feel adequately slapped for the Detroit comment and the "dumbing down" comments? Anyway - just found this show on Amazon Prime and have watched both seasons in the span of 4 days! Love!

[@WhereIsTheLove03]

Hugh Bonneville is perfect.

[@mehandas]

Don't get why they were hard on the guy asking the question 31:30. It was a clear and interesting question.

[@vivianwohlf]

Yes!

[@Spacekeesracebeest]

OH MY DAN!

[@AllAboutPurple]

masterpiece indeed

[@realchemistry]

I wonder if the PBS people are aware that the right side of the audio track is missing. It makes it difficult to listen to it properly :( I do love what I've seen so far, this cast and show are amazing :D

[@Kay2be2mr]

That lady has to be the most well prepared host ever!

[@mirandapaige3478]

Dan is so gorgeous

[@Bunnyhopper1970]

Miranda Paige yes he is

[@Janadu]

I haven't had a problem with British accents since the Beatles came to America

[@rosewell1983]

then you have not heard my accent...oh wait...i just made fun of myself....BURN! =D

[@Janadu]

LOL

[@kmarch6630]

Earlier than that, honestly. Not sure why that was brought up.

[@cbalducc]

Since "Downton Abbey" is set in Yorkshire, I wonder if any of the actors are speaking with Yorkshire accents. I can't tell one English accent from another, though. God bless.

[@venusiank2495]

Love Dan! 😍😍😍

[@TheEvilsquiril]

love Michelle talking about the rooms and Pamuk

[@whatevs89]

[@maryellengrayberg9146]

Love 'Lord Grathams' answer to such a ridiculous question..."he nailed it"!

[@ndogg20]

Been addicted to top produced TV series like Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire,Breaking Bad etc.Someone suggested i checkout Downton Ab.I did.What a refreshing break from all these doomed and dishonerable scumbags on the above shows.The characters on DA are truley stand up honorable people and are to be admired as well as the show which is top notch.

[@poeticjustice1000]

Aaah yes. That would be an English accent. (A Southern English accent/Received Pronunciation to be exact). It's just that when Americans say a British accent, that could mean anything from Mel Gibson's accent in Braveheart (could have mentioned a true Scot, but not sure how famous they are across the pond) to, as you say, Matthew Crawley's accent. I guess it's easier for me to differentiate between a Scottish, English, Welsh & Northern Irish accent because I'm British. I like his accent too.

[@JizzyMcFrizzyLOL]

42:20 is pretty good too

[@ChristianBrinsxox]

Oh Dan, he mad. Oh jesus. That was awesome.

[@longingheart6620]

Love Dan and Michelle.

[@mommbsta]

that's one of the things that made the story more realistic i think, in reality we don't always fall for the bookcovers - thank goodness, or alot of us would be missing out on a pretty good read...i find it hard to watch all those soapy operas that has all their characters looking like they came straight from barbie land. but i do think that BC does have a charm about him.

[@MaoriScharnhorst]

Fantastic show! Informative Q & A with the exception of the moderator (speaking too much) and the few "dumb it down' for the American pbs audience jokes - I'm a New Zealander and found that latter down right annoying! But alas....Downton Abbey is phenomenal!