Just when you think you're at the cool kids party, you realize you're Ward McAllister at your grandma's dusty opera box. Oh how sweet the victory is for Bertha, it only cost her the bargain price of her daughter's soul to the Duke (or, we presume). Thank goodness, he'll have the funds he needs to restore his crumbling English manor back to its glory and Bertha will have the feather in her cap to completely rule New York's social scene. Meanwhile the table's turn with Ada ordering dinner (clam chowder for everyone!) while Agnes must now answer to the new lady of the house. And finally, we get t ..read more

Love is blooming everywhere in New York, but also dying awkwardly in the botanical gardens. Our hearts swell and break for Ada and cringe for Marion. Meanwhile George's heart might be softening to the working man. But on the opera battlefield, the blades are sharp and the cuts are deep. How much blood will be spilled for the center box?! Whether you want homebrewed coffee or broth supped from a spoon, raise a glass for the dramatic twists and turns only Uncle Julian can bring, one alarm clock at a time. One favorite thing: Shannon - The Empress (Netflix) Brandi - Saltburn (film by Emerald Fenn ..read more

Hang on to your bonnets! The damsels are back in their corsets ready to dissect the big war brewing in the battle of the opera boxes! Thank you, Julian, for giving us the polite drama we need these days,complete with the rapid-fire frock changes we so love. Will Bertha reign supreme or will Mrs. Astor twist the silver butter knife this season? Listen in as we dig into all of the delicious details and share all of our juicy predictions ..read more

[Life After Downton, Episode 7] - The damsels close out a rocky year in real life by recalling the many 2016 TV moments that made us feel so many emotions in a safe space: joy, rage, hope, despair, and general appreciation of female badassery. As we each count down our favorite five moments of the year as well as a few disappointments, we also consider: which shows ended strong? What returning shows do we most anticipate for 2017? And which female characters are inspiring us in these dark times? Pop some early New Year's champagne and join us to process The Year That Was on the latest episode ..read more

[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 one is warming our hearts this time.... Finally, we share some fabulous things, including praise for ..read more

[Life After Downton, Episode 21] - The damsels slip on their emerald rings and gold jumpsuits to discuss the hit film Crazy Rich Asians. Avid fans of the books, they compare what works and what's missing in the film version - but overall gush about the beautiful men in the film. Then the damsels discuss their favorite ensemble films from the last 80 years (just a short span of time!).  Pop open the bubbly, put on your disco Cleopatra dress, and let's gossip about all of the family members ..read more

[Life After Downton, Episode 19] - Let's just admit: it's rough out there in the real world these days. On this episode, the damsels discuss how the current political climate is affecting what we want from pop culture. Sure, season two of The Handmaid's Tale is just as well made as the first, but is the bleak storytelling doing us any good as viewers? And on the new show Dietland, are the feminist messages getting lost in the noise? What kinds of stories about women do we as TV fans hope to see on our screens as the production cycle catches up to the news cycle (if such a thing is even possibl ..read more

[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 surrounding the treatment of queer characters on TV. What's the deal with this Bury Your Gays thing, anyway ..read more

[Life After Downton, Episode 17] - In our first episode of 2018, the damsels are so pleased to be back and, as always, are ready to share some opinions! We have shows to look back on and shows to look forward to–but first, one exciting Downton Abbey-related adventure to share. In our main topic, we discuss two series that hit streaming at the end of 2017: The Crown Season Two and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season One. Period pieces about proper brunette ladies in the late 1950s...that couldn't be more different from one another. On The Crown, there's plenty to love but also plenty we wish we'd ..read more

[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 with a cup of tea at The Adulterer's Table, and enjoy this outspoken episode of Downton Gabby ..read more