Great TV While High: Downton Abbey

I can only imagine that a few eyebrows lifted in skepticism to think that Downton Abbey might be fun TV while stoned, but bear with me.

No, Downton is not a fast-paced, thrill-a-minute action show. Nor is it a constantly hilarious sitcom. Downton is a show about a private estate in Victorian England and focuses as much on the servants as it does on the nobility. Most shows that seem to attract stoners involve jokes, music, or some stunning visuals. However, I find that with Downton and weed, there is a mental satisfaction to watching it. The writing and the wittiness is well honed.

While it is a visually appealing show (they have done a remarkable job of recreating the setting), it is also a show you could watch blindfolded, since the dialogue is engaging and fun to listen to. It’s not as layered as Shakespeare, but there are some very aurally pleasing lines.

There are moments of humor and moments of sadness. It is a show about how much humans are alike, despite their rank in society. But it also deals with taboo, the challenges of changing minds, and suffocating social stigmas.

One such episode dealt with a young widow and mother who was being courted by two gentlemen she rather liked. She wanted to remarry, but wanted to be dead certain that she was choosing the right man. So she chose to sleep with one of her suitors. The amount of secrecy and subterfuge that went into orchestrating an occasion wherein she could accomplish her goal yet still maintain her status in society was obscene by today’s standards. I suspect that premarital sex was not so out of the ordinary even in Victorian times, but being open about it was most definitely out of the question.

Is cannabis today what premarital sex was to Victorian England? Those who only come to know cannabis post-legalization may not see it that way, but I certainly remember a time when getting stoned was something that everyone did, but no one talked about. I remember having code words with my friends that seemed innocent to any casual eavesdropper.

Perhaps the similarity is a stretch, but on an empirical level, it is still fundamentally having to hide something that’s important to you when it’s not hurting anyone. I am still trying to shake loose the stifling vestiges of prohibition thinking.

Rip your bong and give Downton Abbey a go, if you’re feeling up for it. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.