YES!

Tip: Since Downton Abbey airs in the UK before the US, you can find all the episodes online early if you want!

Saw episode #1 last night. I also watched the pre-show--it was sooooo boring I did not watch the post show. Talk about MILKING it! We have been through it before..the idea they should go back to the 1800's and tell us the pre-story..after hearing how it is such a HUGE success all over the world it is very difficult to believe no one would. Where are the business people of this franchise!!?

Some get all wonky about SPOILERS so let me be clear this is SPECULATION--but it seems obvious--staff needs to downsize, two couples want their own hotels...easy to see where this season is going.... Anyone have any idea how old these people are supposed to be? Anna's make up has her looking 50--way past baby having time so that story needs to get straightened out. The Butler/housekeeper should be ready for retirement--not a new anchor....

I agree that the pre-show was really boring--all the intrusions saying "Only 20 minutes to go!" Wow have they milked this show! Also, I wasn't terribly excited about the episode itself--it was ok but not terribly dramatic. I went to bed right after it, too bored and tired to watch the post-show.

I think the girls (Mary, Edith) are supposed to be in their 20s. They are not hopeless old maids yet and no doubt will find their mates in this season.

I'm a little surprised at all the makeup these "upper crust" women are wearing since most of what I've read about the Edwardians is that makeup for women--apart from a little rouge-- was still considered pretty taboo. I suppose that changed in the 1920s but they still seem overly made up to me.

As to Anna, I don't agree with you arcy. While the "staff" is made up to look much plainer than the upper set--ie. as if they have no makeup--I don't think Anna looks more than late 20s. Since she's perpetually upset/sad I think her face is supposed to reflect her worries. On the other hand Bates seems to me significantly older than Anna--even in his 50s.I somehow don't find them a believable match.

The one relationship I'm rooting for is Baxter and Moseley. I like them and think they have a future.

I purposely waited for the show to air as scheduled so I could have that last experience of anticipation. Of course PBS is milking it, but can you really blame them? The network has never been so popular and they needed a good boost to their viewership.

I never watch the before or after shows, but saw a documentary once that said they worked very hard to make the show as realistic as possible. They had historians on set for every scene. They scrutinized everything, even mannerisms and the way the actors moved and walked. That's why I wonder if women tended to be more plain due to poverty as opposed to custom. Maybe the upper class actually wore more make up because it was affordable to them.

When they marked the year as 1925 in the beginning of the show, all of a sudden I was watching it with a completely different perspective. It had dawned on me that Irish Tom had gone to New York at the same time my Irish Grandfather had immigrated from Ireland. The Irish immigrants were being persecuted by Americans and there was turmoil. My Grandparents were in the same age range as Mary, Edith, Anna and it wasn't too long before my mother was born. Knowing how hard they had worked for authenticity in the show, I felt like I had a true glimpse into an era that people I know (knew) and love had lived.

I'm looking forward to all of the characters' storylines "wrapping up" in this sixth and final season, as was promised in the pre-show.

I agree the pre-show was more than a bit tedious with everyone giving a countdown as to how many more minutes remained until the beginning of the first show of the season. Those bits had to have taken up a good 20 minutes. Another thing that ticked us off was that episode 1 was advertised as being an hour and a half, and we were looking forward to the extra time. But it ended after an hour and nine minutes! The post show, from the description, was only a repeat of the pre-show, and of course it wouldn't have the countdown of time remaining (or the "sneak peeks of the upcoming season" that were all in episode 1), so it would have been short enough to fit into the time allotted.

I agree with Cassandra regarding Anna. Her "look" isn't because of age -- it's because of the stress of being accused of the murder of Mr. Green and the stress of wanting to be (and thinking she might be) pregnant, only to discover that she isn't.

And the conversations between Mr. Carson and Mrs. Pattmore were hysterical!

Oh, me, too, Arcy, me too!!

That was the best part of the whole show!

Jeepers! I hope I didn't spoil anyone's day by that comment.

I enjoyed all of it. I guess I have a high boredom threshold.

I've been re-watching previous seasons over the past few weeks in anticipation of last night's premiere.

LOVE the dowager as always, and not only was the conversation between Carson and Mrs. Pattmore amusing, I found it all very touching as well!

It was fun to see them all again. I agree that Mrs. Pattmore and Carson were very funny, beating around the bush like that. Looking forward to the rest of the series.