--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think the first time I realised…" description: "\"I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York and the couple next to me were talking abo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg" --- # I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a… ![“I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York and the couple next to me were talking about 'Downton Abbey,' and then they recognised me.” quote by Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg) > “I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York and the couple next to me were talking about 'Downton Abbey,' and then they recognised me.” [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognition of a cultural phenomenon can happen unexpectedly in everyday settings. **In simple terms:** Unexpectedly recognize popular culture. Key Takeaway Stay open to cultural moments around you. Themes culture recognition social connection Mood curious lighthearted Type observational conversational When to use this quote - café conversations - travel - social media - networking events Key Concepts media influence celebrity culture Questions to Reflect On - How do you engage with cultural trends you encounter? - What does being recognized say about your social environment? A Different Perspective Recognition may be fleeting without deeper engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Downton Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downton-abbey/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea/) [Television](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/television/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > ['Humans' seems to have gone down really well in the U.S. That doesn't happen for British TV drama - unless we're talking 'Downton Abbey.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-carless/humans-seems-to-have-gone-down-really-well-in-the-u-s-that-doesn-t/) Lucy Carless > [“All the bogeymen together, sitting down to tea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/all-the-bogeymen-together-sitting-down-to-tea/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [People will consider me a part of their lives for however long 'Downton Abbey' lasts. It's a lovely thing to feel as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/people-will-consider-me-a-part-of-their-lives-for-however-long/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > ['Downton Abbey' has become this huge thing, and I really enjoy the success of it, but I sometimes find myself on the outside looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/downton-abbey-has-become-this-huge-thing-and-i-really-enjoy-the/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [The way I see it, the third series of 'Downton Abbey' is all about change and how each character adapts to those changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/the-way-i-see-it-the-third-series-of-downton-abbey-is-all-about/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I don't have to walk around in hats or find remote places to go for lunch! I don't get recognised that often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-don-t-have-to-walk-around-in-hats-or-find-remote-places-to-go-for/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [ We were all expecting to finish \[Downton Abbey\] after Series 1, actually. And then, it got extended to Series 3, and that's when two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/we-were-all-expecting-to-finish-downton-abbey-after-series-1-actually/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [Coming eyeball to eyeball with a hummingbird on my terrace is as exciting to me as any celebrity I've met as a result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/coming-eyeball-to-eyeball-with-a-hummingbird-on-my-terrace-is-as/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > ['Downton Abbey' is just one cliche after another, and it is a really, really poor piece of drama. But that's only me talking. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/downton-abbey-is-just-one-cliche-after-another-and-it-is-a-really/) [Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/) > ['Downton Abbey' didn't have the impact it had just because it was a good story about people. It was something about that period and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-hawley/downton-abbey-didn-t-have-the-impact-it-had-just-because-it-was-a/) [Noah Hawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-hawley/) > [Would I like to be in something like 'Downton Abbey?' No, I'd like to do something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/would-i-like-to-be-in-something-like-downton-abbey-no-i-d-like-to-do/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [I actually don't watch much TV, but my goal is to watch 'Downton Abbey.' I want to catch up on the series... that's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-rutherford/i-actually-don-t-watch-much-tv-but-my-goal-is-to-watch-downton-abbey/) [Kelly Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-rutherford/) > [I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I'd got 'Downton Abbey' when I was 22.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/i-sometimes-wonder-what-it-would-have-been-like-if-i-d-got-downton/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [As an ethnic actor, I still feel I can't be in 'Downton Abbey' or in period dramas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayvan-novak/as-an-ethnic-actor-i-still-feel-i-can-t-be-in-downton-abbey-or-in/) [Kayvan Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayvan-novak/) > ['Downton Abbey' is my worst nightmare. I just hate that whole 'Upstairs Downstairs' thing, I think it's really lazy and it doesn't represent England,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-payne/downton-abbey-is-my-worst-nightmare-i-just-hate-that-whole-upstairs/) [Tom Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-payne/) ## More by Michelle Dockery > [Playing Isabella in 'Measure for Measure' pushed me to my limits. Janet Suzman was directing, and she was very hard on me. I went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/playing-isabella-in-measure-for-measure-pushed-me-to-my-limits-janet/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I just enjoy acting, whatever area - theatre, film, television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-just-enjoy-acting-whatever-area-theatre-film-television/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I'm not from aristocracy, or anything like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-m-not-from-aristocracy-or-anything-like-that/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [My godchildren went to see Taylor Swift in concert and got to meet her. They literally ran toward her and hugged her, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/my-godchildren-went-to-see-taylor-swift-in-concert-and-got-to-meet/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I love singing live, actually. And I'm dying to sing in a role, whether it's in a musical or a biographical film about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-love-singing-live-actually-and-i-m-dying-to-sing-in-a-role-whether/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [It's great to have a home and everything else that comes with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/it-s-great-to-have-a-home-and-everything-else-that-comes-with-it/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [My dad worked all sorts of jobs when I was growing up and finally ended up as a surveyor; my mum delivers meals to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/my-dad-worked-all-sorts-of-jobs-when-i-was-growing-up-and-finally/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I loved the 'Die Hard' films growing up and the 'Taken' movies. They're so entertaining, and I enjoy being on the edge of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-loved-the-die-hard-films-growing-up-and-the-taken-movies-they-re-so/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [The way I see it, the third series of 'Downton Abbey' is all about change and how each character adapts to those changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/the-way-i-see-it-the-third-series-of-downton-abbey-is-all-about/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [There's no particular role that comes to mind that I'd like to take on, but for me, it's about playing interesting characters and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/there-s-no-particular-role-that-comes-to-mind-that-i-d-like-to-take/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [The whole acting game can sometimes be a bit false, and you meet a lot of people in it for the fame - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/the-whole-acting-game-can-sometimes-be-a-bit-false-and-you-meet-a-lot/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [In the early '20s, with the war over, there was a period of celebration, and you can see it in the fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/in-the-early-20s-with-the-war-over-there-was-a-period-of-celebration/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I'd like to do something that involves music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-d-like-to-do-something-that-involves-music/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [I come from a very working-class background, so my family would have been downstairs in the past, as opposed to upstairs. People are often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-come-from-a-very-working-class-background-so-my-family-would-have/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) > [Being in the same scenes as Maggie Smith and Shirley MacLaine is something I will never forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/being-in-the-same-scenes-as-maggie-smith-and-shirley-maclaine-is/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) [Explore all 71 Michelle Dockery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) ## More Abbey quotes > [The first time I went to Abbey Road and put those headphones on, I discovered I had two voices. I no longer had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cilla-black/the-first-time-i-went-to-abbey-road-and-put-those-headphones-on-i/) [Cilla Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cilla-black/) > [“Don't mind her," Kip said to Nicki. "She's just crabby from the long ride." "Yeah, I've been riding with...I mean on...a horse's ass all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-keenan/don-t-mind-her-kip-said-to-nicki-she-s-just-crabby-from-the-long-ride/) [Shawn Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-keenan/) > [I sometimes wonder what it would have been like if I'd got 'Downton Abbey' when I was 22.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/i-sometimes-wonder-what-it-would-have-been-like-if-i-d-got-downton/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [Many people have heard the remarkable example of devotion involving a Skye terrier dog who worked for a Scottish shepherd named Old Jock. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-moussaieff-masson/many-people-have-heard-the-remarkable-example-of-devotion-involving-a/) [Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-moussaieff-masson/) > [I wanted to write something visual that I could read to the children. This was when I created the idea of Redwall Abbey in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/i-wanted-to-write-something-visual-that-i-could-read-to-the-children/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [I cannot go any further without mentioning my favourite biscuit of all time, now sadly, tragically, extinct. The oaty, crumbly, demerara notes of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-slater/i-cannot-go-any-further-without-mentioning-my-favourite-biscuit-of/) [Nigel Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-slater/) > [“At last, the details finally settled, Abbey found herself coming to terms with the inevitable: the whole lot of them would go to Cape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ann-benedict/at-last-the-details-finally-settled-abbey-found-herself-coming-to/) Emily Ann Benedict > [We worked the medley on side two of "Abbey Road" out carefully in advance. All of those mini songs were partly completed tunes; some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-worked-the-medley-on-side-two-of-abbey-road-out-carefully-in/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I actually don't watch much TV, but my goal is to watch 'Downton Abbey.' I want to catch up on the series... that's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-rutherford/i-actually-don-t-watch-much-tv-but-my-goal-is-to-watch-downton-abbey/) [Kelly Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-rutherford/) > ['Downton Abbey' is just one cliche after another, and it is a really, really poor piece of drama. But that's only me talking. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hirst/downton-abbey-is-just-one-cliche-after-another-and-it-is-a-really/) [Michael Hirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hirst/) > [“I don't say this to hurt you, love." The endearment slipped out without me even thinking about it. (...) "Say it again," he said.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verday/i-don-t-say-this-to-hurt-you-love-the-endearment-slipped-out-without/) [Jessica Verday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verday/) > [Coming eyeball to eyeball with a hummingbird on my terrace is as exciting to me as any celebrity I've met as a result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/coming-eyeball-to-eyeball-with-a-hummingbird-on-my-terrace-is-as/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [Samhain had its origins, like many modern holidays or celebrations, in pagan times. As the sidhe-seers had been inclined to erect churches and abbeys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/samhain-had-its-origins-like-many-modern-holidays-or-celebrations-in/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [ We were all expecting to finish \[Downton Abbey\] after Series 1, actually. And then, it got extended to Series 3, and that's when two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/we-were-all-expecting-to-finish-downton-abbey-after-series-1-actually/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [The way I see it, the third series of 'Downton Abbey' is all about change and how each character adapts to those changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/the-way-i-see-it-the-third-series-of-downton-abbey-is-all-about/) [Michelle Dockery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/) Browse all 143 Abbey quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York and the couple next to me were talking about 'Downton Abbey,' and then they recognised me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michelle Dockery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downton-abbey-was-a-hit-was-when-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abbey" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downton-abbey-was-a-hit-was-when-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e3/michelle-dockery-9666_abbey_i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downto_1360950.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think the first time I realised 'Downton Abbey' was a hit was when I was sitting in a tea shop in New York…” — Michelle Dockery", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michelle Dockery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-dockery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think the first time I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downton-abbey-was-a-hit-was-when-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-dockery/i-think-the-first-time-i-realised-downton-abbey-was-a-hit-was-when-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```