If you've been upset by the tragic turn that Downton Abbey has taken, then we've got something to cheer you up!
On the new Sesame Street parody of the BBC hit, the biggest problem facing the Crawley family is that their food keeps falling off the plates. Watch Upside Downton Abbey below. (Bonus: It's extremely safe for work.)
In the Sesame Street sketch, a Muppet with an unmistakeable resemblance to the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) attempts to have tea, crumpets and kidney pie, only to discover that nothing will stay on the table. The problem, as noted by her butler Carson (a nod to Jim Carter's character): The house is upside-down.
"Perhaps if we were right side up, the problem would be solved," Carson cautiously suggests.
"Don't be ridiculous, we very well can't be right side up in Upside Downton Abbey!" sniffs the Countess. "It is simply not done."
We love how these Sesame Street parodies always reflect the actual theme of the show; in this case, the aristocrats refusing to acknowledge the class changes that are obvious to their servants. The amazing thing is that the children's show has being doing this for years. Here are five television shows that were only made better by the inclusion of Muppets.
Law and Order: Special Letters Unit
The real SVU is so not appropriate for children, which makes this spoof that much funnier. We love the spot-on Muppet versions of Richard Belzer, Mariska Hargitay, and Christopher Meloni, the New York City accents on the talking animals, and the fact that all the characters can hear the "chung-chung."
Twin Beaks
Any fan of the '90s cult classic Twin Peaks will appreciate the bizarro Cookie Monster version, with its references to creator David Lynch, the Log Lady, and darn good cherry pie.
30 Rocks
Liz Lemon is an actual lemon!
Upstairs, Downstairs
Decades before tackling Downton Abbey, Sesame Street paid homage to one of its main influences, the British drama Upstairs, Downstairs. To borrow a line from Grover, "Is this not exciting and dramatic?"
G
This Glee parody gets everything right, from Jane Lynch's caustic delivery to Chris Colfer's accessories. They even included that piano player who's always mysteriously lurking in the background, performing every song on cue.
