The Downton Abbey meme phenomenon stems from the sharp-tongued wit and class-based friction of the hit British historical drama series. Most iconic are the scenes featuring Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, played by Maggie Smith, whose confusion over modern concepts like 'weekends' became an instant internet sensation. These memes typically utilize the show’s lavish setting and formal dialogue to highlight the absurdity of modern life, wealth inequality, or simply to deliver a devastatingly polite insult. Since the show's debut in 2010, fans have used these templates to express shock, disdain, or a sense of refined superiority in various social media contexts.