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Julian Fellows, creator, "Downton Abbey," PBS Masterpiece, 2011 episode 2

Romantic sparring between the presumptive heir of Downton Abbey, Matthew, and Lady Mary leads him into a ripe classical mythological allusion.

Begun in a formal dinning-room conversation (see right side-bar), the allusion is continued in at least one subsequent interchange between Matthew and Mary later in the same episode.

Interesting that Lady Mary's version includes the self-referential detail that Andromeda is "the eldest daughter" of Cepheus and Cassiopeia.

Within the context of the allusion, it is noteworthy that the episode does bring a very handsome and dangerous seducer into the relationship of these two, the Turkish ambassador whose sudden death causes shock waves. Matthew does indeed learn more "about the princess and sea monster in question."