DA in the USA

One thing I've been pleasantly surprised about Downton Abbey is how compassionate and simply decent the Earl of Grantham is with his servants, whom he actually considers family; going into the series I'm sure I assumed "The Boss" would be some sort of ogre who treated those beneath him with contempt if he couldn't simply avoid them in the first place.  The Earl's being the opposite is refreshing, and lends an air of credibility to Fallowes' writing in an "oh, this isn't just paint-by-the-numbers" shit way.  Some of the Upstairs people are nice, some are dicks; some of the Downstairs people are nice, and some are dicks, just as I've found with people in the North and South over here. - XMASTIME

I've watched this scene 17000 times and still squeal with glee whenever I see Matthew pop up in the back of the room; but also touching is that Lord Gantham takes a second to acknowledge William...William is not the heir, and is slightly below third pizza boy on the left, but Grantham still reaches out to him. A small, touching detail.