Has Downton Abbey jumped the shark?

My wife me roped me into the show a couple years back. I've watched the series from the beginning and generally enjoyed it. I thought season 4 was a little weak and was hopeful the series might pull through in season 5. After episode 4 aired this past weekend, I think we may be entering the death spiral.

My wife will insist that my critique of the finer points of the plot is annoying. So instead of taking it out on her, I'm taking it out on you all...

so I pose the question: Has Downton Abbey jumped the shark?

 

Never have seen this show but it certainly does sound interesting.

 

My wife watches Downton Abbey. I'll ask her about this.

 

It did for me. After that car-crash I haven't really been interested in any of the remaining relationships. The old triangles were fun but they've all moved on and I've lost interest.

I would however start watching again if they did a Doctor Who crossover!

 

Stopped watching after the crash.

 

IME most series have two really good seasons, then things start slipping, sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly.

But according to my wife (who will watch just about anything) I'm overly critical.

 

I thought the show worked best as a window to another time and place, and to a set of assumptions about the world by the people who lived in it. They also got some good mileage from the "the times they are a'changing" theme.

it seems to have devolved into a mere soap opera; days of our lives in post-victorian trappings. the episodes center on the petty squables and improbable dilemmas of shallow characters who have become caricatures of themselves.

 

I've never watched it but if there was a Doctor Who crossover I'd be all over that.