Downton Abbey vs Once Upon a Time

Is it fair to compare these two shows.  They are both on Sunday nights and in primetime...Ok, it probably isn't fair to compare them, but heck, I am going to do it anyway!

I really, really wanted to love Once Upon a Time. Really. What's not to love? Fairy Tales - love 'em! I wrote my Baccalaureate Essay at Hobart on Fairy Tales. I think Fairy Tales are awesome. I watch every fairy tale movie that I can - haven't seen Tangled. Yet. Lots of attractive cast members. I loved the idea of juxtaposing Modern Day stuff with Fairy Tale stuff. But so far, for me, the show has been very hit or miss. It seems that the lead actress scowls way too much - too angst ridden. And the little kid is just a little sniveling for my taste. And the evil witch is always saying the stupidest things. Not enough of Red Riding Hood (Meghan Ory)- an actress I have had a crush on since I first saw her in something a few years ago. I will try to watch the whole series at some point - it is still better than any reality television show and a lot better than staring at my navel (though I do have a nice navel, if I must say so myself...) all the time. A little navel meditation goes a long way...Oh, and the production values. Everything feels like a set. Anyway, don't get me wrong, I like the show. Though if I liked scary stuff, I might better to have gotten interested in Grimm (which I still might watch at some point...)

Moving on. Downton Abbey. Good writing (for the most part), an interesting group of characters, lots of attractive cast members (though I do hope that Sybil will come back to live at the house - I saw her in an episode of Misfits and then in a short about the making of Downton Abbey - goodness gracious she is pretty). Yes it is a nighttime soap opera sort of thing. The show is just well put together. The acting is good, the costumes and sets are good. It is just plain enjoyable. I am looking forward to season three - with Shirley MacLaine joining the cast as Cora's mother! Woo hoo!

Watching TV with my mom is a mixed affair. I am glad that we can at least sit next to each other for a while when that happens. Sadly, she is constantly saying - who is that? Which one is she? Why does TV have to be so complicated? Etc. Sadly, I think she only asks one in five times that she actually wants to ask a question. Thankfully. Since we aren't on highfalutin cable (just basic basic for us here) we don't have the pause option available on regular programming. For dvds I can always use pause to do my best to try to explain or fill in or say that is Caesar, that is Pompey, that is Mark Antony...it makes me sad, sometimes, to watch TV with her...

The eggrolls exploded (not violently, just enough to lose their innards) when I cooked them last night. I really must thaw them earlier. I wonder what would happen if I just cooked them frozen? Maybe I will try that next time...

exploded eggroll on the right, twice baked potato and roasted brussels sprouts!