If Seasons 1 through 4 have bored or baffled or just annoyed you, Season 5 won't win you over. If, on the other hand, you greet the return of Downton with unabashed affection, as I admittedly do, you won't be disappointed, even if some of the storylines feel like reruns, or even when you want to grab a character by the shoulders and shake him or her.

Beyond the sloggy Mistah Bates! scandal, which still gets too much attention, it's a relief to find no secret rapes or pregnancy shame (yet) this season. It's time for these proper ladies to have some proper fun.

The prettiest soap opera on TV continues to offer a refuge from the present while mirroring contemporary attitudes and evolutions.

Startling incidents, odd coincidences and sudden turns of fate abound, sometimes to a ridiculous extent.

Downton Abbey doesn’t meet any objective criteria for brilliant television except for one: escapism.

Unfortunately, these flickers of the show's once exuberant energy are too few and far between to sustain the viewer through extended stretches of flagging interest.

Let's not kid ourselves, this is mainly escapist entertainment fare.... I'm sorry, but I cannot feel good about watching a drama that celebrates--yes, celebrates--one class of people oppressing another.

Much as I liked the previous 4 series, I found this one starting to get repetitive. The Bates are again in trouble with the law and I wonder if a real life employer would have put up with a couple of employees firever getting involved with murder. Mrs. Crowley gets yet another marriage proposal, but even this one does nout suit her. The plot involving sad sack Edith and her illegitimate child drags on forever. Edith is the most annoying character if the show, with her never ending misfortunes and she gets on my nerves. After months of indecision, Tom finally settles for the USA. Finally, Mary is still unlucky in love, which is surprising considering what a good catch she must have made. I hope the plot will pick up for the final series, because this one was a major let down, with not much development. Everything is left pretty much were season 4 ended.