If you managed to get through season one, this one is your reward, I guess. The family/servants plots carry forward for the better with the aid of having WWI as the backdrop.

Started watching this series when my mom brought it home from the library when I was home for Thanksgiving break (I'm 20). I was a little hesitant, at first- I love period pieces but some of the ones on PBS aren't always good. After the first episode, I was addicted. Love this show so much, made time for it even though I am busy at college. It's so refreshingly different than anything else on TV and totally captivating. I cried when Lavinia died. Love, love, love it. Anybody who doubts should give it a chance.

2nd season is so much better than first! moved quickly. interesting. visually such a treat. love the evil characters stirring the pot. these rich folks are pretty useless but fun to watch.

On the whole this is an interesting soap opera. Some of the characters are not particularly likeable, and some of the modern language is not really "of the time", but the acting and plot lines lift one above the minor flaws. As to the comment about rigid servants, that was exactly how they would have been in real life. 21st century liberals might find the whole master & servant thing objectionable, but Downton Abbey is about the British aristocracy a century ago.

The classiest soap opera around. FIVE STARS.

Not quite as good as Season 1, most likely due to my realization about two episodes in that I no longer like any of the characters. Highly unlikeable, entitled fancyfolk AND highly unlikeable, painfully rigid servantfolk. I still like the costumes though.

Very strong 2nd season of Downton Abbey. Amazing acting, costumes, music, settings, etc. Overall not as good as the 1st season. Got a little sick of the whole ex-wife murder storyline which just went nowhere all season. The WWI setting was an interesting time in Britain to set the show in too. Should be lots of interesting sub-plots to continue in season 3 (the ireland ties now will be cool).

Loved season I. Love season II. Can’t wait for season III. Downton Abbey is a nice change from the hypo-sexed, ultra-leftwing politically motivated, blood-soaked, amoral movies and TV series nowadays. Huge Bonneville plays a man of high principles and honor, the archetype English gentleman. (Contrast this performance with his Henleigh Grandcourt in Daniel Deronda!) Maggie Smith is absolutely fabulous as Grandmamma, the Dowager Countess; her repartees were priceless and her icy expressions, with that fabulous demi-smile, inimitable! And I actually enjoyed the commie chauffeur, when he read the news of the brutal murder of the Tzar family by his comrades in Russia and he states something to the effect that it was, er, necessary... It was surprising to see a commie exposed by the BBC! I sometimes wanted to punch Lady Mary or Matthew on the nose, but, hey, without their hesitation there would be no movie, right? The music is impeccable, the clothes absolutely stunning and quite accurate, and Downton Abbey—well, what more can one say about Highclere Castle? (If you like cooking, be sure to check "The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook.")

Despite liking this a lot, I did not like this quite as much as season one because their were too many soap opera plot twists that felt like predictable soap operatics, but the WW 1 setting and all the changes in Downton Abbey were fun. Definitely worth watching and I will be watching season 3 with great pleasure, I hope.

I rented the first season because I kept hearing all the hype during awards season. While not the most fast-paced series, the historical settings and details keep your interest. I will be requesting Season Two and watching Season Three on TV when it premieres. Worth watching if you are interested in history or family drama.