Just watched Episode Three of Season Two last night (through some magic means) and remarked to my wife that Season Two is definitely better than Season One. Don't think these are really spoilers. The Great War is shuffling social relations in complex ways, and key characters are more gray, less black and white. Faithful, steadfast love in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, that we are ennobled through our suffering: I find that very moving. Not like anything on American TV.

Why wait for the PBS version? It's well known they trim the UK version down as they see fit, - though I don't know why as they control their own programming so who cares if an episode runs 65 minutes vs. 55? Anyhoo. I'm watching the British version this time around as it airs over there. Highly recommend. It's better than trying to avoid spoilers on the internet for three months.

I don't see why you need to cross your fingers, Mo - as I understand it, Downton Abbey has been a huge critical and ratings success for ITV in the UK with strong overseas sales. It's not a cheap hour of television drama by UK standards, but I'd say short of Julian Fellowes getting run over by a suffragette, the commission for a third series is as close to a certainty as anything in television.

I'm counting the days until it's here in the US too. I'll be buying the season on iTunes again. Hopefully once again they'll have the UK version available to us so we won't see the PBS butchered version.

Great news though I still don't understand how this show won all those Emmys for Best Miniseries. It's obviously not a miniseries.

A. the second season is AWESOMESAUCE. B. it's quite the hit over here, where it benefits from the post X Factor audience and the fact that it is, in fact, awesome (see point A). C. Given the ratings and ITV's crop of dramas, I think they'll keep ordering new series as long as Julian Fellows is willing to write them and the cast is willing to act in them...regardless of US response

PS I just had to watch Godsford Park last week to keep myself going inbetween Sunday night episodes.