I’m getting really sick of Downton parodies portraying Edith as a horrifying, hideous hag.

What’s the worst-case scenario of a show your DVR could forget to tape?
Downton Abbey. Obsessed. The first season, I had to marathon the first six episodes on a flight, and I was like, “Ohmygod, more. I need more.” It’s like crack. It’s a soap opera with fancy clothes and British people. It’s so ridiculous, but I love it. I love it so much. And I can’t believe what’s going on with Bates. [Puts her head on the table.] Here’s the thing: My favorite characters on that show are the two bad guys, Thomas and O’Brien. They’re two of the best-written characters on television, and the actors who play them kill me dead. They’re so good, because I actually care about them.

It’s hard to do, to be that evil and have people still care about you.
It’s really hard. O’Brien, to me, is just an utterly fascinating character. I would read a book about her. And Thomas, when he was hiding the dog, and then he was looking for the dog in the woods and he was panicking. I was like, “F—, Thomas!” That’s something I would yell at the television. “Jesus, Thomas! What have you done?! You’re in trouble now! You’re in so much trouble!” But he never gets caught! He always gets away with it. It’s amazing. I love him. And I love that actor, too. I think he’s really cute.

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