Saying Goodbye

Last night I said goodbye.  After six years, it was time to close the book on this particular relationship, though I can't say the people and their stories will ever really leave my mind.

I said goodbye with some laughter and many tears, but with no regret for the time I've invested.

I said goodbye.

Yes, yes... I said goodbye to a fictional family living in the past.  I said goodbye to over-the-top drama. But it was so, so, good.

When I look back over the six seasons of Downton, I think my favorite character is Violet, the Dowager Countess, played by Maggie Smith.  She always had the best zingers, and her timing and delivery were flawless.  I'll miss seeing her tangle with Mrs. Crawley, waiting to see who would get the last word.

Perfectly, it was Violet who had the last word in the whole series.

As a HUGE fan of historical fiction, this series was right up my alley.  I was hooked from the very first episode, and I've watched all of the seasons except for this last one multiple times.  Each time I watch, I notice something new, some nuance of expression that I missed during the first viewing.  I love Julian Fellowes's writing (mostly, as some storylines dragged on a bit too long) and the way he creates characters that are not all good or all evil, but are well rounded and relatable.

So now I need to get myself all six seasons so I can binge watch to my heart's content.  I really need never leave that world completely behind.