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Many might consider period drama and science fiction to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, and perhaps they are, but where Battlestar Galactica elevated the science fiction genre, Downton Abbey elevates the standard for period drama. The sad bit is, many of you probably haven’t ever heard of Downton Abbey, nor care to even consider it because of its genre (and, let’s be honest, it’s network – PBS isn’t exactly “hip”). But trust me, Downton Abbey will challenge your preconceptions.

(Disclaimer: I recognize some people just don’t do period drama, and that’s fine. But for anyone who enjoys it, or can stand it, you won’t be disappointed.)

Firstly, it’s DownTON Abbey, not DownTOWN – I didn’t realize this until very recently so I don’t blame anyone for making the same mistake. It is a UK television show originally produced as a made-for-TV miniseries that was then picked up as a television series. Season 2 has aired in the UK and is set to premiere in the U.S. this Sunday, January 8th, on PBS. Season 3 starts production in February.

Secondly, I am a huge fan of the classic BBC miniseries Pride & Prejudice and I giddily and guiltily swoon over Anne of Green Gables. That being said, the period genre in general can on its surface seem rather tedious and boring. Rich people with impeccable manners living in huge houses with invisible servants discussing who they are going to marry is hardly, at face value, a recipe for entertainment.

So why should you watch Downton Abbey if period pieces can admittedly be rather ho hum? Well, I’m not going to deny that one major plot line involves finding a husband for the eldest daughter, but I can honestly say the characters are given distinct personalities, real human emotions, and real human flaws. The characters you love are not immune from making mistakes, and the characters you hate are not undeserving of sympathy.

The premise revolves around the family of Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham, and their servant staff who live and work at the titular Downton Abbey in 1912. The series opens with a buzzy sequence in which the servants awake at the crack of dawn to begin their daily routine preparing the house for breakfast. The camera winds through multiple vast and intricately decorated rooms, all being quickly and efficiently cleaned and organized by the housemaids and footmen, and we are immediately given an impression of the amount of work and dedication it takes to work at and maintain this way of life. One of the actresses described it as being like a Swan. Above the water it’s a gorgeous and majestic creature, but just below the surface it’s feet are paddling away, making everything go.

I realized I was probably going to fall in love with this show when it became clear that the “downstairs” (the servant staff) was going to be given just as much attention as the “upstairs” (the Crawley family). In fact, the plot lines involving the servants are what keeps me glued to my seat for hours at a time. They aren’t simple-minded disenfranchised slaves. They have hopes and dreams. For some it’s becoming a Butler and running a house of their own. For others, it’s to rise above the service industry and become a secretary. And for some, it’s simply finding a way to be happy in their lot in life. And, it’s important to note, most of them take great pride in what they do, even if it means scrubbing out the fireplaces every morning.

Downton Abbey, like BSG did for science fiction, or Game of Thrones for fantasy, has taken the period genre and turned its focus toward its characters rather than emphasizing its fantastical setting. Every character feels like a member of the greater Downton Abbey family, and by extension makes the viewer feel like part of the family too. If you have any tolerance for period drama, I can almost guarantee you’ll find yourself invested rather quickly in this series.

If you’re still not sure, do it for Professor McGonagall. Dame Maggie Smith’s impeccable and hilarious performance as Her Ladyship Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, is unrivaled. “Put that in your pipe and smoke it,” she snaps, after one-upping a lunch guest. I mean, honestly, how can you say no to such a sassy old Dame?