‘Downton Abbey’ season 6: What reality competition is Elizabeth McGovern not a fan of?

While “Downton Abbey” may follow up “The X Factor” on Sunday nights, that does not mean that Elizabeth McGovern is sitting down to watch both shows. The actress and singer is really just the latest in a long line of artists who have come out against the singing-competition, feeling as though it puts contestants in a position where they are quickly judged and disposed of, sometimes before they really get much of a chance.

Speaking about the concept of the show to the Press Association, McGovern (who plays Lady Cora on the ITV series) makes her thoughts very clear:

“I find it very painful to see people go up and get slapped down so immediately and I think it’s a dangerous habit to get into where everybody is judging within two seconds somebody’s musical expression. My hope would be that people are open to discovering music in different ways, to taking that risk on a new band and really sitting down and listening to them in a live context that goes on more than two seconds and a gong.”

Do we think that McGovern has a point? Definitely. We ultimately think that the issue with “X Factor” stems out of the immediately that has defined today’s culture. Years ago, professional singers would continue their craft because they knew no other way, and regardless of if they would become a star or not. However, the difference now is that you can go on this show and almost jump the line. It makes so many more people want to be stars than you would see otherwise. Ultimately, we do think that those who are committed are the only ones who stick with it, so the end results are probably still the same as if there was no show. The process is just different.

If you want to get some other insight on “Downton Abbey,” head over to preview the next episode! Also, be sure to sign up to get other news and further teases on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: ITV.)