Benedict Cumberbatch Trashes Downton Abbey, Calls It "F—ing Atrocious"

Masterpiece Theater feud alert!

Could anything be more exciting? Benedict Cumberbatch got downright Cumberbitchy about the latest season of Downton Abbey.  

In an interview in the September issue of Reader’s Digest, the Sherlock star shares some strong words about the hit British period drama.

“We're living in a culture now that's revering, or having a nostalgia trip with, the beginning of the 1900s,” he says. “Although Downton traded a lot on the sentiment in the last series... but we won't talk about that series because it was, in my opinion, f—ing atrocious.”

What the what?!  He’s talking about the series that earned a Guinness World Record for being the most “critically well-received show in the world”!  (In case you’re confused, Brits refer to a show’s season as “series.” Don’t worry: you’re not “daft.”)

Granted, the dude has a history of poking fun at the show in a strictly good-hearted way.  He told the New York Times that, after Rebecca Eaton, executive producer of Downton Abbey, approached him immediately after winning a Golden Globe, he said, “Begone, woman. Bring it back when it says Sherlock Holmes or Steven Moffat or myself — someone else who's more deserving than the second series of Downton Abbey.” He later emphasized to the press that he was joking and that he’s a huge fan.

But maybe he’s not kidding this time! The jab was smack-dab in the middle of a serious discourse about classism in Edwardian society — an odd place for a joke. And critics seem to agree that the second season wasn’t quite as good as the first.

Review-aggregrating website Metacritic gives the second season a score of 84 based on a roundup of reviews, while the first season earned a 92.  Keep in mind that 84 is still a phenomenal score.

Judge for yourself whether or not Benedict Cumberbatch is throwing shade when the September issue of Reader's Digest comes out August 21.

Source: Huffington Post, Digital Spy

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