[Life After Downton, Episode 5] - At long last, it's a new world on HBO, as multiple new shows with women at the helm populate the line-up. Up first, we dive deep into co-creator Lisa Joy's Westworld: is it the new LOST? The new Game of Thrones? Or something altogether fresh? We may not have the answers yet, but we are in the saddle for this journey! Next, we move on to the new half-hour shows from past faves Sharon Horgan and Issa Rae. We want to love everything these women do, but sadly only o...
Oct 28, 2016•54 min•Ep. 80
[Life After Downton, Episode 4] - Summer is over and we're back with a brand new podcast! On this episode we preview the Emmy Awards and the fabulous ladies who act in and create some of our favorite shows. We'll also be live tweeting the Emmys this Sunday night (Sept 18th). Downton Abbey is nominated for 10 Emmy awards, and we wonder: Could they have nominated an actor OTHER than Maggie Smith this year-someone who might actually show up??? Aside from DA, we're sharing our joy, scorn, judgements...
Sep 12, 2016•38 min•Ep. 79
[Life After Downton Episode 3] - The damsels dive into the world of teen shows with special guest Karen Draper who is a YA Author and writes about teen shows on her tumblr. We compare the shows about the rich kids with the shows about the dorks, examine the sexual politics, gush about the bad boys, and decipher the timeless-ness of the themes and why they still appeal to us as adult women. The podcast opens with 15 minutes devoted to our discussion on Julian's two latest projects: Belgravia and ...
Jul 02, 2016•59 min•Ep. 78
[Life After Downton, Episode 2] - Class! Evil lady's maids! Marrying to save the family pile! Who else could the Damsels be talking about this week but our good buddy Julian Alexander Kitchener-Fellowes and his latest projects. We have a lot of love for his episode-a-week book series Belgravia, but really can't fully express our hatred for its app. We also stick our toe into his 4-part adaptation of Dr. Thorne and can't decide what's more indelible: Ian McShane's drunken rages, Alison Brie's blu...
May 27, 2016•51 min•Ep. 77
[Life After Downton, Episode 1] - The damsels are back to check in on the post-Downton landscape, which luckily already contains Julian Fellowes's next big project (one that would horrify a certain butler if he knew about it). We'll be checking in with Belgravia as it progresses, so stay tuned for more! Then it's a fab new world as we welcome our first-ever guest podcasters, the delightful Britta Lundin (brittashipsit) and Dave Binegar (davebinegar), to weigh in on the recent controversy surroun...
Apr 23, 2016•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 76
[Season 6, Post-Finale Celebration] - Withdrawal, denial, grief...There's a Crawley-shaped hole in our Sunday nights, so we're excited that some of our smartest, funniest listeners are helping us deal with Life After Downton Abbey. This 'Very Special Podcast' features your memories, questions and wisecracks about things like: That extremely short period of time when we actually liked Bates; The long and fractious friendship of besties4ever Isobel and Violet; and all those scary appliances, cunni...
Mar 16, 2016•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 75
[Season 6, Series Finale] - No more secrets, no more lies-just happiness bursting on the series finale of our beloved Downton Abbey. As the captains of #TeamEdith, we wave our flags as she leaps over the final hurdle to her ride into the sunset (the dreaded mother-in-law test) and crosses the finish line with a gold medal. You are woman, Edith! Go forth and conquer. Meanwhile, cottages abound, relationships are restored, and everyone (who's straight) is headed for a wedding (if Isobel can break ...
Mar 09, 2016•49 min•Ep. 74
[Season 6, Episode 8] - There were never such devoted sisters! This week we dig deep into the penultimate episode of Downton Abbey and the Mary/Edith throwdown we've been longing for for 6 seasons. We also ponder some burning questions, such as: Is Henry a dreamboat or a stalker? Has the Yorkshire Bawdy House market become saturated? Is Tom the best Crawley sister? Who would we most like to see die in the finale? And...what the hell is a Marquess? As we rush towards the inevitable finale, relax ...
Feb 24, 2016•39 min•Ep. 73
[Season 6, Episode 7] - A moment of silence for Charlie, not only did he lose his life, but he also put the nail in the coffin on Mary and Mr. Yum Yum's relationship. Well, maybe it was Henry's drunk dialing that did it... After discussing Chekov's Sports Car, the damsels dig into the other juicy storylines, such as Bertie's proposal (yay #TeamEdith), the bitch showdown with the Dowager, the return of Dickobel, Molesley's new genius status, the lament of poor Thomas, and of course, the reign of ...
Feb 16, 2016•40 min•Ep. 72
[Season 6, Episode 6] - This week we find the Crawleys in fine comedic form as they wander cluelessly around the Abbey making stuff up about their paintings. Meanwhile, Mrs Hughes is (hopefully) spitting in Carson's food, Mary and Edith prove they'll never fight over the same men, and Julian dazzles us with his tenuous grasp of obstetric knowledge. But with only a few episodes left, we have worries: Will this hospital melodrama finally do Granny in? When will Thomas's story stop being so cringew...
Feb 10, 2016•39 min•Ep. 71
[Season 6, Episode 5] - After we've wiped the blood off our shocked faces, the Damsels dig into this episode jam packed with love and (almost) death. Although we love Mr. Yum Yum, we wonder if he's marriage material, but you won't find us shipping Mary and Tom! No, we are more interested in whether Mary and Edith will finally bury the hatchet and be decent to each other. Oh, also we are super busy planning the double wedding for Mrs. Patmore/Mr. Mason and Daisy/Andy. Until then, we will relish i...
Feb 03, 2016•36 min•Ep. 70
[Season 6, Episode 4] - Feminism abounds in the new episode of Downton Abbey! Julian, how did you know that the way to make us care about the hospital storyline was to have a group of ladies relate it all to their opinions about government? Meanwhile, Mrs. Hughes is keeping her name, and all that sexy, not-at-all secret flirting between Mary and Mr. Yum Yum is making us flush hotter than a bad transmission (we don't know about cars). Also this week: a touching trip down memory lane to the saddes...
Jan 27, 2016•41 min•Ep. 69
[Season 6, Episode 3] - So much love to discuss in this joyous episode, starting with The Big Wedding and Edith's adorable rom-com storyline. Also, lots of drama to dissect: Mary/Tom shipping, #CoatGate, Chekov's indigestion, #RatFetus, Spratt's secret life, Molesley as the Edith of downstairs, and whether Marigold will kill them all in their sleep with her creepy eyes. Let's all stay out of the boot room, raise a glass to Charlie and Elsie, and get this hooli going!
Jan 19, 2016•41 min•Ep. 68
[Season 6, Episode 2] - It's not just Lady Mary's Late Fat Stock that are behaving like pigs this week. We discuss all the jerky goings-on, including Carson insisting on getting married at work, Isobel bickering with Violet-and cock-blocking poor old Dickie, and Barrow getting picked on by almost everyone downstairs. We also try to figure out how Edith let the whole Marigold mess get so out of hand. We love our #TeamEdith, but even we have limits when you've been farming the land since Waterloo....
Jan 13, 2016•34 min•Ep. 67
[Season 6 Premiere] - We're so excited about the premiere of the final season of Downton Abbey (and, to be honest, a bit sad). Some things haven't changed: Another random evil maid is causing trouble, Carson disapproves of something modern, Mary is testing the limits of propriety, Cora can't get a straight answer to a question...and Anna is crying. There are also many new developments, and we have questions: Will Lesley Nicol finally get an Emmy nomination for that sex talk? What is the best lub...
Jan 05, 2016•48 min•Ep. 66
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 9] - It's a super-packed conversation in our last episode of the off-season before the (sob) final season of Downton Abbey begins. We're preparing, reminiscing, and predicting, and one of us might be taking a deeper dive into fandom activities than ever before (send 1920s garb now!). Helping us fill some of the time before the Crawleys and company return is Netflix's Jessica Jones. We dig the themes, the ass-kicking, the piles of well-written women, and the simmering ho...
Dec 22, 2015•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 65
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 8] - This episode celebrates The Danc e, and who better to title it than Zoe Saldana's epic Eva in beloved teen film Center Stage. We take a nostalgic trip back to that 2000 ballet classic, but first we talk about Starz's (sadly) limited series Flesh and Bone. This story of a simple girl from Pittsburgh who becomes the toast of the ballet world embraces the tropes we love, from the bloody toenails, the aging prima ballerina, and the eating disorders. And some even darke...
Nov 21, 2015•51 min•Ep. 64
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 7] - Fall TV has just begun and we are treating it like a big appetizer sampler. We run through our opinions on new buzzy shows like Quantico and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend while also touching base with some old faves Nashville and Jane the Virgin. Then we dive into a big discussion on Nancy Meyer's latest film The Intern, which we would love to re-write as The CEO. The damsels have A LOT to say about this movie that doesn't fail on every mark, but yes, many of them. We also l...
Oct 22, 2015•51 min•Ep. 63
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 6] - As the Damsels count down the days until the final season of Downton (and weep over the first glimpses of the end), we're also game to check out a show that pokes fun at our beloved Abbey – Comedy Central's Another Period, filled with horrible people doing horrible things to each other in the most hilarious of ways. Then it's on to the summer's surprise hit, Mr. Robot. We're not sure what we love best: the style, the anarchy, or Rami Malek's dreamy face. But we're ...
Sep 07, 2015•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 62
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 5] - The Damsels are so emotional, with Joy, Anger, Sadness...and some Hot and Bothered. We start with Pride and Confusion over DOWNTON ABBEY's Emmy nominations and a new pilot for Michelle Dockery. Then, INSDIE OUT fills us with Sadness, which is actually a really good thing (except for our Disgust with the opening short Lava, which is even more sexist than a CBS sitcom). It's Joy versus Anger over Netflix's new sci-fi series SENSE8, but we're all Gratitude for Wolfgan...
Jul 24, 2015•51 min•Ep. 61
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 4] - The Damsels are still on the "Game of Thrones" bandwagon (despite the several public defections) as we talk about the season finale: Jon Snow's really bad day (or is he?), Cersei's epic Walk of Shame, and Arya gettin' stabby with it at the brothel. Why is the girl aggrieved? Maybe it's because this season's GoT had not a single Lady Director. Just a theory. We continue our Fellowes Film Festival with the Julian-penned "The Young Victoria," a feminist-approved histo...
Jun 19, 2015•50 min•Ep. 60
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 3] - Don't worry, you are not in a time warp. It's only been two weeks since our last podcast, but we decided to record a bonus podcast based on popular demand of wanting to hear our opinion on the Mad Men finale, the Sansa wedding episode of GoT, and the awesomely feminist movie: Mad Max. So buckle up for this high-octane podcast that pays homage to our last Stangasm. Pour yourself a bloody mary, smudge oil on your forehead and let's show those men's rights activists t...
May 30, 2015•55 min•Ep. 59
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 2] - The damsels take a trip to Robert Altman's delicious 2001 film Gosford Park, a triumphant Oscar-winning moment for Julian Fellowes, and the inspiration for Downton Abbey. How does his collaboration with the dark and nasty Altman hold up? Which actors laid the foundations for their Downton counterparts? And what is Ryan Phillippe doing in this movie? From there, the discussion turns to the TV we're watching. How is Game of Thrones streamlining GRRM's unwieldy narrat...
May 16, 2015•59 min•Ep. 58
[Downton Gabby Off-Season 1] - We couldn't stay away from you, dear friends, so welcome to Downton Gabby Off-Season! We'll be here once a month until the final season of Downton Abbey starts (sob!) to discuss news and speculation about what's to come in the Downton world, previous works by our favorite Downton folks, and what other pop culture we're consuming to help us get by. Today on the podcast, it's all about the surge of springtime shows. Is the storyline on Outlander satisfying us from a ...
Apr 17, 2015•56 min•Ep. 57
[Season 5 Finale] - Another season of Downton Abbey must end, but at least there's plenty of crazy action in this finale! (Unless you are a woman who just has to stand there looking pretty while a dude shoots birds) We've got Lord Grantham becoming unbecomingly emotional, Edith smiling (twice!), and one very sexy man motoring off into the sunset as 1924 comes to a close. Who will end the year happy and who will be disappointed? We gnash our teeth over romances lost, speculate about the ones that...
Mar 03, 2015•39 min•Ep. 56
[S05E08] - After the damsels Ooo and Ahhh over Rose's beautiful wedding attire, we get down to some serious topics: Has Lord Grantham had a brain tumor to explain his sudden burst of tolerance and generosity? Where was Aunt Rosamund at the wedding? Was Rose actually a virgin on her wedding day? Also, does anyone care at this point since everyone is boning down out of wedlock! We try to avoid the topic of Mr. Green, but just like Julian, we can't stay away. Instead, we come up with an elaborate t...
Feb 24, 2015•40 min•Ep. 55
[S05E07] - It's Cora's moment to take action this week, as she finally learns the truth about Marigold's existence. We love her bold attitude and sympathy for Edith, but we're not so sure this plan to layer another lie on the situation will help... Meanwhile, Lord Dickie Merton's offspring (truly a couple of sons of a dick) make yet another scene in the dining room as they protest Isobel's engagement announcement. We're glad to see the family stand up for her (and for the servants to have so me ...
Feb 17, 2015•38 min•Ep. 54
[S05E06] - Well, the Crawleys may not care about Edith, but the damsels do! We dig in deep to discuss Edith's escape, as well as Mary's rebellious haircut and the long history between these sisters that hate each other. Other secrets come out downstairs, with Bates's discovery of that cunning device hidden in the cottage, and a confession about London that seems a bit too convenient to be true. Anna may have faith in him, but should the rest of us? Meanwhile, late-in-life romance is still all th...
Feb 10, 2015•37 min•Ep. 53
[S05E05] - After recovering from the shock of the bedroom brawl...I mean, sexy bondage game...I mean, wild chess match, the damsels discuss in depth whether this system is working Edith or if she should just run off with Marigold to London where she can run the magazine and wear fabulous dresses every day. Although, we are worried that this overstaffed police force will put 100 of their best men on the case to solve the baby snatching! But mostly we discuss cocktails, goiter love poems, and the ...
Feb 04, 2015•39 min•Ep. 52
[S05E04] - It's a little topsy-turvy this week at Downton, as we find ourselves on Lord Grantham's side of several issues, starting with the Battle of the Bunting at another awkward family dinner. We may love what she's teaching Daisy, but we can't support any more lectures in the dining room or embarrassment of poor Tom. More bad behavior shows up in London, with Lord Gillingham going full Scorned Nice Guy when Mary tells him he's been banished to the Godfather Zone. What will his next move be ...
Jan 28, 2015•42 min•Ep. 50
