One is a melodramatic soap opera featuring family rivalries, violent deaths and aristocratic intrigue. The other is Game of Thrones.
With the series 4 U.K. premiere of Downton Abbey just over a week away, now is the perfect time to set aside your crossbows and get caught up on three seasons of this Masterpiece Classic’s upstairs/downstairs drama. Don’t let Laura Linney’s dulcet tones fool you; this ‘Antiques Roadshow’ lead-in is intense.
We present 15 reasons that prove why these two Emmy-award winning costume dramas are basically the same show. Minor spoilers ahead.
1) King Robert is still alive.
And yes, he’s still making poor life choices.
2) The Lannister siblings are still at each other’s throats.
There’s the one that’s pretty, the one that’s a disappointment, and the one that’s sometimes just kind of a bitch.
3) Daddy Tywin still rules the roost.
Lord Grantham may be their biological father, but we all know who really raised those girls.
4) The underappreciated bastard of the family is still the sexy one.
He worships the old gods. In England they call that “Catholicism.”
5) Varys and Littlefinger are still scheming.
One is always obsessing over beautiful people he can’t have. The other is a eunuch.
6) The Queen of Thorns is still sassy.
And she doesn’t have time for your so-called “weekends.”
7) There’s still plenty of Hot Pie.
Mrs. Patmore and Daisy bake it downstairs.
8) And that red-headed wildling still just wants to be free.
She aspires to secretarial skills. Dream big.
9) Jorah is still unsuccessfully chasing after that hot, young thing.
Guy just can’t catch a break.
10) And King’s Landing’s always going for broke.
It’s all Robert’s fault.
11) The good still die young.
Happiness means you’ve outlived your usefulness in the overall plot development.
12) Honor still gets you into trouble.
Everything is (probably) the wife’s fault.
13) And lust still gets you killed.
Things would be just fine if everybody just kept it in their pants.
14) But incest is still highly encouraged amongst the aristocracy.
To keep the blood of the dragon pure, the Crawleys are encouraged to marry other Crawleys.
15) And everyone knows weddings can be kind of a bummer.
Fit hits the shan in season 3.
Series 4 of Downton Abbey premieres in the U.K. September 22nd on ITV.